Louisville, Seton Hall drop in latest AP Top 25

With conference tournament play fast approaching, let’s break down the biggest risers and fallers in this week’s AP Top 25 poll.

Risers

Penn State Nittany Lions: up four spots to #9

The Nittany Lions jumped to No. 9 Monday, which tied a school record for the program’s highest ranking. Heading into Tuesday’s home game against Illinois, Penn State had won eight straight, which matched Maryland for the longest active win streak in the Big Ten.

Unfortunately for Penn State, it may fall back down a few spots in next week’s poll, after a 62-56 defeat to the Illini.

The odds for Penn State to win the NCAA Tournament moved from +5000 to +3000 in the past week. The Nittany Lions rank second in the Big Ten standings but are just one game ahead of five other teams—Wisconsin, Iowa, Rutgers, Illinois and Michigan State.

Creighton Bluejays: up eight spots to #15

The Bluejays sit a game out first place in the Big East standings, after they upset then-No. 10 Seton Hall on Wednesday and destroyed DePaul, 93-64.

Greg McDermott’s squad has been on a roll, with eight wins in its past nine games, including victories over then-No. 8 Villanova and at No. 19 Marquette.

With just four games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the Bluejays (+6000 to earn an NCAA title) face a difficult final stretch. No. 21 Butler will visit Sunday, plus Georgetown and Seton Hall come to town in March. The Bluejays fell to the Hoyas 83-80 on the road in January, and Seton Hall only lost by five last time out against Creighton.  

Fallers

Louisville Cardinals: down six spots to #11

The Cardinals put together 10 consecutive wins in the ACC, but it all came crashing down against a lowly Georgia Tech squad. On Wednesday the 12-13 Yellow Jackets handed Louisville a 64-58 road loss, then 13-12 Clemson pummeled Louisville, 77-62.

Luckily for the Cards, they’re back at home against Syracuse and North Carolina this week. Both opponents have floundered in the past month, particularly UNC, which has dropped six straight.

The Cardinals are still high on the odds board (+1500) as a national-title contender. The team is 11th (38.3%) in three-point percentage, but against Georgia Tech and Clemson, Louisville shot 12.5% and 22.2%, respectively, from behind the arc. If the Cards can find their rhythm again, they should be able to bounce back in time for a deep run in the ACC Tournament.   

Seton Hall Pirates: down six spots to #16

Seton Hall is barely holding onto the No. 1 spot in the Big East, after back-to-back losses to Creighton and Providence. Since they won 10 straight, the Pirates have lost three of five and will confront four Top 25 teams to close out the regular season.  

This week the Pirates host Butler and St. John’s, then hit the road for Marquette and Creighton, with Villanova at home sandwiched in between.

The Pirates (+2000) will be battle tested ahead of the Big East Tournament, and will either prove themselves a viable candidate to march toward a national championship or reveal themselves a pretender in the last month of the season.    

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