Arizona men’s basketball rises in Associated Press Top 25 after weekend sweep

Consecutive weeks with Saturday losses led to Arizona taking corresponding dips in the Associated Press poll. By winning both games this past week, including against a Top-5 opponent, has not only halted that trend but started the Wildcats on another climb.

The UA (17-3, 6-3 Pac-12) has jumped to No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25, up from No. 11 a week ago. The rise was by virtue of a home sweep of the Los Angeles schools, beating then-No. 5 UCLA on Saturday for its fifth win this season against a ranked opponent.

UCLA (17-3, 8-1) dropped to No. 8 as the only other ranked Pac-12 school. The Bruins and No. 4 Tennessee (16-3) are two of the five ranked teams the UA has beaten this season.

There’s a new No. 1, as Purdue retakes the top spot following Houston’s 1-point home loss to Temple. The Cougars (18-2) fell to No. 3, while Alabama (17-2) is second and Kansas State (17-2) moved into the Top 5.

Arizona is back in action Thursday at Washington State (9-12, 4-6) and then visits Washington (12-9, 4-6) on Saturday. The Wildcats lost at home to the Cougars on Jan. 7 and had to rally from down 14 to beat UW on Jan. 5.