Arizona basketball nearly cracks AP Top 25 after wins over Colorado, Washington and WSU

A home win over Colorado and road sweep in Washington weren’t enough to push the Arizona Wildcats into the AP Top 25, but they are close.

The Wildcats received 25 votes in the latest AP Poll, making them the No. 31 team in the country. A home sweep against USC and UCLA this week probably gets them into the Top 25 assuming enough teams ahead of them drop a game.

Right now Oregon (17) is the only Pac-12 team ranked in the AP Top 25. Colorado and UCLA are also receiving votes, though fewer than Arizona.

The Wildcats (9-1 overall, 3-1 Pac-12) did not receive any votes in the Coaches Poll, meaning they are ranked no better than 49th in their eyes.

Arizona ranks more favorably in the analytical-based rankings, checking in at No. 28 in KenPom and No. 21 in the first NET ratings of the season, the NCAA’s official metric.

The self-imposed postseason ban and a weak strength of schedule (174) likely is hurting Arizona’s cause among coaches and AP voters. So far, the Wildcats have only played two Quadrant 1 games, going 1-1 in those contests.

It doesn’t help that all 10 of Arizona’s games have aired on the Pac-12 Network and Saturday’s double overtime win at Washington State ended after midnight on the East Coast.