It pays to take care of the opponents on your schedule.
In a week that saw several teams bow out of the polls, Auburn was rewarded with a respectable increase in the latest USA TODAY Coaches Poll. The Tigers check in at No. 17 this week, which is a five-spot jump from last week’s rankings.
Auburn earned a midweek win over Ole Miss on the road, 82-73, and returned to Neville Arena last Saturday to down Mississippi State, 69-63. Completing a sweep not only impressed College Basketball coaches but also the voters of the Associated Press, who also moved Auburn up five places from last week’s poll to No. 16.
Several teams did not fare as well as Auburn did last week, as four teams dropped out of the USA TODAY Coaches Poll this week: Wisconsin, Missouri, Duke, and San Diego State. Kentucky earned an impressive win at then No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday but is still on the outside looking in. The good news for the Wildcats is that their win in Knoxville dropped the Volunteers four places to No. 9 in this week’s rankings.
Here’s a look at this week’s USA TODAY Coaches Poll:
| Rank | Team | Record | Prev | Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 17-1 | 1 | — |
| 2 | Kansas | 16-1 | 2 | — |
| 3 | Purdue | 16-1 | 3 | — |
| 4 | Alabama | 15-2 | 4 | — |
| 5 | UCLA | 16-2 | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | Gonzaga | 16-3 | 8 | 2 |
| 7 | Texas | 15-2 | 10 | 3 |
| 8 | Xavier | 15-3 | 11 | 3 |
| 9 | Tennessee | 14-3 | 5 | -4 |
| 10 | Virginia | 13-3 | 12 | 2 |
| 11 | Arizona | 15-3 | 9 | -2 |
| 12 | Iowa State | 13-3 | 14 | 2 |
| 13 | Texas Christian | 14-3 | 17 | 4 |
| 14 | Connecticut | 15-4 | 7 | -7 |
| 15 | Kansas State | 15-2 | 13 | -2 |
| 16 | Miami-Florida | 14-3 | 15 | -1 |
| 17 | Auburn | 14-3 | 22 | 5 |
| 18 | Marquette | 14-5 | 23 | 5 |
| 19 | Clemson | 15-3 | NR | 9 |
| 20 | Providence | 14-4 | 19 | -1 |
| 21 | Charleston | 18-1 | 24 | 3 |
| 22 | Baylor | 12-5 | NR | 5 |
| 23 | Illinois | 12-5 | NR | 3 |
| 24 | Saint Mary’s | 16-4 | NR | 7 |
| 25 | Arkansas | 12-5 | 16 | -9 |