AP Poll promotes Florida basketball into top 5 after 9th-straight win

The last time Florida basketball was ranked in the top five of the AP Top 25 Poll was in the preseason rankings back in mid-October, when it began its national title defense at No. 3. It took 17 weeks, but the Gators are now back among the elite as the schedule winds down.

After running off nine straight victories, the Orange and Blue are now ranked fifth in the Associated Press’s latest poll. Just ahead of them are the No. 4 UConn Huskies, who beat Florida by four at Madison Square Garden in early December, and behind are the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones.

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The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll also agrees, putting Todd Golden’s team at No. 5 in its latest rankings.

The Gators have already clinched at least a share of the regular-season SEC title for the first time since 2014 and are showing no signs of slowing with just two games left before the conference tournament begins.

SEC schools in AP Top 25 after Week 17

The Southeastern Conference maintained its five-school count this week in the poll, with Florida headlining the league at No. 5. The Alabama Crimson Tide moved up a spot to No. 16, while the Arkansas Razorbacks saw no change in its No. 20 ranking; the Tennessee Volunteers fell a spot to No. 23 and the Vanderbilt Commodores moved up one to No. 24.

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Outside the top 25, the Kentucky Wildcats hold the de facto No. 27 position with 47 votes, while the Missouri Tigers are not far behind with 40 tallies of their own to round out the SEC’s representation.

AP Top 25 Men’s Basketball rankings after Week 17

Others receiving votes:

BYU 74, Kentucky 47, Louisville 47, Missouri 40, Wisconsin 27, Clemson 16, Utah St. 10, UCF 7, High Point 7, Dayton 5, Villanova 4, Navy 3, NC State 2, TCU 2, Ohio St. 1, Santa Clara 1.

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Publish date : 2026-03-02 18:55:00

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