After losing to No. 19 Kentucky in the Champions Classic, the Duke basketball team, which was rated No. 6 at the time, was predicted to tumble in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll, but few anticipated that the Blue Devils would drop as much as they did on Monday afternoon when the rankings were released.
Jon Scheyer’s squad fell six positions to No. 12 against the Wildcats, equal for the second-biggest relegation of the week among all the teams still in the Top-25, despite injuries, a chilly shooting night, and exhausted legs from its freshman.
After losing on the road against No. 13 Purdue, Alabama, which had been ranked No. 2, dropped six spots to No. 8.
Kentucky’s comeback victory over Duke sent them up ten positions to No. 9.
Arizona, Duke’s next opponent, was rated No. 9 before losing to unranked Wisconsin by 15 points on the road, making them the only team to drop more than the Blue Devils and Crimson Tide. The victory earned the Badgers a position at No. 19, while the Wildcats are now ranked No. 17.
With their games against No. 17 Arizona on Friday night (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and No. 1 Kansas in Las Vegas on Tuesday (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN), Duke, who bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 51-point victory over Wofford, will have a chance to immediately return to the Top-10 or even challenge for the Top-5.
As Duke plays three ranked teams in its next four games, No. 4 Auburn is still on the Blue Devil schedule on Wednesday, December 4 in the ACC vs. SEC Challenge. The Blue Devils’ game against Seattle in Durham on November 29 is the only program they will play that isn’t ranked at that time.
