Creighton Moves Up In Both AP and Coaches Men’s Basketball Rankings

OMAHA–(CU Athletics Feb. 22)–The Creighton men’s basketball team moved up one spot from 14th to 13th in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 poll.

Creighton’s 21 straight weeks in the rankings extends the program record. The Bluejays remain one of six schools that have been ranked each of the past 21 AP polls (since Feb. 3, 2020), joining Gonzaga (92), Villanova (37), Baylor (34), Houston (23) and Iowa (23).

This is the 110th week in program history that the Bluejays have been ranked, with 82 of those under the direction of McDermott. Creighton is 136-51 all-time as a ranked team, including a 102-39 mark under McDermott. Creighton has been ranked at least one week in eight of McDermott’s 11 seasons on The Hilltop after doing it just five different seasons in program history before his 2010 arrival.

Creighton’s best rank in program history is No. 7, done four times (Jan. 16, 2017, March 9, 2020, March 16, 2020 and Jan. 4, 2021).

CU is one of two BIG EAST teams that are nationally ranked by the AP this week, joining No. 8 Villanova. Xavier is also among those getting votes.

After being idle last week, Creighton (16-5, 12-4 BIG EAST) returns to the court on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. when it hosts DePaul.

Creighton moved from 12th to 11th in the Ferris Mowers Coaches Poll. Villanova is sixth in that poll while both UConn and Seton Hall are getting votes.

In addition, the BIG EAST Conference announced tip times for March 6th, the final day of the regular-season. Creighton will face Butler at 4 p.m. Central in a game that will be televised nationally on FOX.

Associated Press Top 25
February 22, 2021
Rk    School    W-L     PTS
1    Gonzaga (60)    22-0    1596
2    Baylor (4)    17-0    1540
3    Michigan    16-1    1472
4    Ohio State    18-5    1370
5    Illinois    16-5    1356
6    Alabama    18-5    1196
7    Oklahoma    14-5    1150
8    Villanova    14-3    1132
9    Iowa    17-6    1088
10    West Virginia    15-6    1014
11    Florida State    13-3    967
12    Houston    18-3    921
13    Creighton    16-5    836
14    Texas    13-6    730
15    Virginia    15-5    690
16    Virginia Tech    14-4    545
17    Kansas    17-7    532
18    Texas Tech    14-7    477
19    USC    18-4    423
20    Arkansas    17-5    346
21    Loyola Chicago    19-4    288
22    San Diego State    17-4    222
23    Wisconsin    16-8    200
24    Missouri    14-6    149
25    Tennessee    15-6    145
Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State 92, Belmont 80, Purdue 53, Oregon 53, LSU 32, BYU 19, Drake 19, UCLA 17, Clemson 13, Colorado 8, North Carolina 6, Wichita State 6, Boise State 5, Toledo 4, UC Santa Barbara 2, Western Kentucky 2, Winthrop 2, Xavier 2.

Ferris Mowers Top 25 Coaches Poll
February 22, 2021
Rk    School    W-L     PTS
1    Gonzaga (27)    22-0    795
2    Baylor (4)    17-0    771
3    Michigan (1)    16-1    737
4    Illinois    16-5    657
5    Ohio State    18-5    648
6    Villanova    14-3    608
7    Alabama    18-5    589
8    Oklahoma    14-5    552
9    Florida State    13-3    490
10    Houston    18-3    483
11    Creighton    16-5    468
12    Iowa    17-6    465
13    West Virginia    15-6    462
14    Virginia    15-5    361
15    Virginia Tech    14-4    314
16    Texas    13-6    308
17    Texas Tech    14-7    224
18    USC    18-4    218
19    Kansas    17-7    168
20    Arkansas    17-5    134
21    Oklahoma State    14-6    132
22    Loyola (Chicago)    19-4    124
23    Oregon    14-4    115
24    Wisconsin    16-8    105
25    San Diego State    17-4    96
Others receiving votes: Missouri 83, Tennessee 74, Purdue 64, Belmont 45, Drake 22, UCLA 17, Clemson 16, LSU 13, Winthrop 9, BYU 9, Boise State 8, Wichita State 7, North Carolina 5, Connecticut 3, Seton Hall 1.