MEMPHIS, Tenn. — FINAL AP TOP 25 BALLOT FOR 2020-21—
- Gonzaga
- Illinois
- Baylor
- Michigan
- Alabama
- Houston
- Iowa
- Ohio State
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma State
- Texas
- West Virginia
- Kansas
- Virginia
- Creighton
- Florida State
- San Diego State
- Purdue
- Villanova
- Loyola Chicago
- Colorado
- BYU
- St. Bonaventure
- Tennessee
- UConn
ENTERED—BYU (22), St. Bonaventure (23), Tennessee (24), UCONN (25)
DROPPED OUT—Texas Tech (21), Virginia Tech (22), USC (24), Oregon (25)
THE RANKING— The conference tournament champions have been crowned, the bracket has been revealed, and we will officially have March Madness—this year, the right kind of madness. I hope watching tournament week, and Selection Sunday brought you as much joy as it brought me.
BYU re-enters the ranks after getting bumped by the Pac-12 last week. They also have the most excusable loss of tourney week—88-78 to undefeated Gonzaga. Considering the Bulldogs sport the highest margin of victory in the country (23), should we chalk up a 10-point loss as a win for the Cougars? BYU has played them as close as almost anyone this year.
St. Bonaventure, the A-10 champions, crack my ballot at No. 23. Tennessee rejoins the fray at No. 24 after the win over Florida, and taking No. 6 Alabama to the final minutes despite the loss of John Fulkerson. Rounding out my Top 25 is UCONN. The Huskies decimated DePaul in the Big East quarterfinals and nearly toppled No. 17 Creighton in the semis. They will be a tough out in the Big Dance.
Texas Tech falls out of my Top 25 after a one-and-done showing in the Big 12 Tournament thanks to Texas, the eventual champion. Virginia Tech drops off my ballot following the quarterfinal loss to North Carolina. USC and Oregon also depart after semifinal Pac-12 Tournament exits, courtesy of Colorado and Oregon State, respectively.
