Cyclones drop out of top 10 in latest AP poll

This week the Iowa State men’s basketball team finds themselves outside the top-10 of the Associated Press college basketball poll for the first time this season. The Cyclones dropped six spots to No. 11 in the poll after suffering their first loss of the season on Saturday against Northern Iowa. 

Iowa State also fell seven spots in the USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 9. The Cyclones’ next opponent, Cincinnati, is No. 21 in the Coaches and No. 22 in the AP. 

The Big 12 was still well represented in the top-five of both polls with Kansas taking the No. 2 spot in the AP and Oklahoma at No. 3, then the two teams were reversed in the Coaches Poll. Michigan State remained the consensus No. 1 team for the third week in a row. 

Maryland and Virginia held the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in both polls. 

Kentucky dropped out of the top-10 to No. 12 after suffering their second loss of the season against Ohio State.

West Virginia (No. 19 in AP, No. 18 in coaches) and Baylor (No. 23 in AP, No. 22 in coaches) were the other two Big 12 teams in the polls. Future Iowa State opponent Texas A&M jumped into the top-20 of the coaches at No. 19 and is No. 21 in the AP. 

Iowa State also fell one spot to No. 6 in the RPI rankings. Nine teams on Iowa State’s schedule are in the top-50 of the of the RPI with Texas Tech (No. 9), Oklahoma (No. 10), Texas A&M (No. 15), Texas (No. 25), Kansas (No. 31), Colorado (No. 32), Iowa (No. 34), UNI (No. 38) and Kansas State (No. 44). 

Jared Stansbury

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Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

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