UConn men’s basketball climbed up one spot to No. 3 in this week’s AP Top 25 after taking care of business in its first two games of the season. The 2-0 Huskies received three first-place votes, good enough
for the third-most in the country. No. 2 Purdue received the most first-place votes this week with 36, but dropped to second as Houston took the No. 1 after earning more overall points than the Boilermakers.
Following wins over New Haven and UMass Lowell last week, UConn remains the highest-ranked Big East team in the AP poll. St. John’s dropped eight spots to No. 13 after losing at home to then No. 15 Alabama, while remained at No. 23. Georgetown did not crack the top 25 this week, but the Hoyas received one vote.
The Huskies kick off week two of the regular season Monday night as they welcome Columbia to Gampel Pavilion, then head to Boston to take on No. 7 BYU at TD Garden on Saturday. UConn’s schedule shifts into hyperdrive after the matchup against the Lions, as six of the next eight opponents for the Huskies are featured in the Top 25. UConn takes No. 5 Arizona at Gampel next week and No. 14 Illinois on Black Friday at Madison Square Garden. The Huskies also face No. 25 Kansas at Phog Allen Fieldhouse on Dec. 2, No. 10 Florida at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 9 and Texas, who received one vote this week, on Dec. 12 to end non conference play.
Prior to tip against Columbia, KenPom has the Huskies as the sixth-best team in the country. UConn ranks fourth in offensive efficiency and 11th in defensive efficiency. Future opponents Illinois and Florida rank inside the top five, while Arizona, BYU and St. John’s all rank inside the top 20.
