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The AP rankings came out this afternoon, as they do every Monday, and finally, they included the name we've been waiting to see. Right there next to No. 23, in all it's wonder, ILLINOIS.
Illinois cracked the rankings for the first time this season after knocking on the door for two weeks at fake Nos. 26 and 27.
Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State held their ground in the top 5, staying at No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Iowa, at No. 20, and Illinois round out the remaining ranked Big Ten teams. If Illinois can manage to knock off Wisconsin this week AT Wisconsin, expect that No. 23 to shift a little closer to the top ten.
AP Poll
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Arizona (60) | 15-0 | 1,620 |
| 2 | Syracuse (5) | 14-0 | 1,550 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 15-0 | 1,470 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 15-0 | 1,427 |
| 5 | Michigan State | 13-1 | 1,378 |
| 6 | Wichita State | 15-0 | 1,203 |
| 7 | Baylor | 12-1 | 1,169 |
| 8 | Villanova | 13-1 | 1,141 |
| 9 | Iowa State | 13-0 | 1,076 |
| 10 | Florida | 11-2 | 1,052 |
| 11 | Oklahoma State | 12-2 | 934 |
| 12 | Louisville | 13-2 | 825 |
| 13 | San Diego State | 12-1 | 823 |
| 14 | Kentucky | 10-3 | 808 |
| 15 | Colorado | 13-2 | 752 |
| 16 | Duke | 11-3 | 745 |
| 17 | Oregon | 13-1 | 715 |
| 18 | Kansas | 9-4 | 367 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 12-1 | 364 |
| 20 | Iowa | 12-3 | 261 |
| 21 | Missouri | 12-1 | 247 |
| 22 | Gonzaga | 14-2 | 241 |
| 23 | Illinois | 13-2 | 178 |
| 24 | Memphis | 10-3 | 126 |
| 25 | Kansas State | 11-3 | 112 |
- Others receiving votes: Cincinnati 103, Creighton 82, North Carolina 79, UCLA 79, Pittsburgh 44, Connecticut 41, Harvard 41, Saint Louis 19, Oklahoma 15, Michigan 11, George Washington 9, Southern Methodist 9, Xavier 3, Notre Dame 3, Toledo 2, Arkansas 1
- Fell from rankings: Connecticut 17, North Carolina 19
