ESPN updates BPI Top 25 rankings after upset-filled Saturday of college basketball

On3 imageby:Steve Samra•01/29/23•

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Saturday featured quite a few exciting games across college basketball, including a pair of matchups between AP-ranked teams. Following all of the action, ESPN has again updated their BPI Top 25 rankings with some big changes.

The Big 12/SEC Challenge dominated Saturday’s action, featuring some phenomenal showdowns and shocking results that shook up the college basketball world.

First, Baylor took care of business against Arkansas, defending their home-court en route to a 67-64 victory for the Bears. Then, in one of the more shocking results of the season, Alabama was blown out by Oklahoma, as the No. 2 team in the country fell to the Sooners by a score of 90-69.

In the main event, two of the best in the country faced off in Tennessee and Texas, with the former finding victory by a score of 82-71. The Volunteers are enjoying a memorable season at the moment, and the sky is the limit for them.

Here’s what ESPN thinks of everything that went down this week, in their ESPN BPI Top 25 rankings.

Updated ESPN BPI Top 25 Rankings:

  1. Houston Cougars (20-2) (—)
  2. Tennessee Volunteers (18-3) (—)
  3. UCLA Bruins (17-4) (+1)
  4. Alabama Crimson Tide (18-3) (-1)
  5. Texas Longhorns (17-4) (—)
  6. Connecticut Huskies (16-6) (+1)
  7. Purdue Boilermakers (20-1) (-1)
  8. Baylor Bears (16-5) (—)
  9. Creighton Blue Jays (13-8) (+6)
  10. Kansas Jayhawks (17-4) (+5)
  11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14-6) (+6)
  12. Virginia Cavaliers (16-3) (-3)
  13. Indiana Hoosiers (15-6) (+1)
  14. Arizona Wildcats (19-3) (+5)
  15. Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-4) (-4)
  16. Marquette Golden Eagles (17-5) (+4)
  17. St. Mary’s Gaels (19-4) (-4)
  18. TCU Horned Frogs (16-5) (+3)
  19. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-10) (-7)
  20. Arkansas Razorbacks (14-7) (+2)
  21. Iowa State Cyclones (15-5) (-11)
  22. Duke Blue Devils (15-6) (NR)
  23. Kentucky Wildcats (14-7) (—)
  24. Illinois Fighting Illini (15-6) (+1)
  25. West Virginia Mountaineers (13-8) (NR)

First, the top eight teams didn’t seen much movement, but the Creighton Blue Jays shot up six spots to rank No. 9 on the list. Two other big movers followed them — Kansas and Rutgers — rounding out the top eleven by jumping five and six spots, respectively.

Other big movers included the Arizona Wildcats, who gained five spots to go from No. 19 to No. 14, along with Duke and West Virginia. Both of the latter squads weren’t ranked last week, but they find themselves in the Top 25 at the moment.

As for programs moving down the list, the Ohio State Buckeyes fell seven spots, while the Iowa State Cyclones moved down eleven rungs. They’ll hope next week’s edition is more kind to them.

Nevertheless, the college basketball season is reaching its homestretch, and the rankings get more and more important each week. It’s going to be fascinating to watch where each team stands at the end of the season.