:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62358247/usa_today_11688424.0.jpg)
After nearly five years of being ranked in the AP Poll’s Top 25, the Wildcats streak has come to an end. Villanova received just 53 points in this week’s poll, for what equates to a ranking of 29th among college teams. Furman, who is now 5-0 after their victory over the ‘Cats, received 50 points.
Dropping from the Top 25 ends multiple streaks for the Wildcats. Their 94 consecutive weeks ranked was the longest streak in school history and one of the Top 20 streaks all time in the sport. Nova’s first appearance of the run came after beating ranked Kansas and Iowa teams at the Battle 4 Atlantis over the Thanksgiving Holiday in 2013. It also brings to an end Nova’s Top 10 streak of 50 consecutive weeks. Not only was that the longest active streak in the country by more than triple, it was a school record and again one of the Top 20 streaks in the history of the sport.
Villanova’s fall out of the Top 25 also ended the Big East’s streak of having a ranked team. The Big East had at least one ranked team every week since February 2nd, 1982, over 36 years ago. The Wildcats are joined in the “Others Receiving Votes” section by Butler (18), St. John’s (13), and Marquette (7). Big 5 member Temple also received points (2) in this week’s poll.
The ‘Cats start their climb back into the rankings this Thursday as they take on Canisius in the first round of the AdvoCare Invitational.
2018-19 AP Poll: Week 3
| Rank | School (#1 Votes) | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | School (#1 Votes) | Points |
| 1 | Duke (53) | 1,564 |
| 2 | Kansas (7) | 1,510 |
| 3 | Gonzaga | 1,437 |
| 4 | Virginia (2) | 1,299 |
| 5 | Tennessee (1) | 1,281 |
| 6 | Nevada | 1,253 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1,246 |
| 8 | Auburn | 1,123 |
| 9 | Michigan | 1,021 |
| 10 | Kentucky | 980 |
| 11 | Michigan State | 937 |
| 12 | Kansas State | 889 |
| 13 | Virginia Tech | 849 |
| 14 | Florida State | 794 |
| 15 | Mississippi State | 619 |
| 16 | Clemson | 462 |
| 17 | UCLA | 430 |
| 18 | TCU | 388 |
| 19 | LSU | 358 |
| 20 | Iowa | 354 |
| 21 | Oregon | 325 |
| 22 | Buffalo | 240 |
| 23 | Ohio State | 222 |
| 24 | Purdue | 199 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 150 |
Others Receiving Votes: Nebraska 98, Indiana 74, Maryland 56, Villanova 53, Furman 50, Syracuse 29, Washington 29, Texas 23, West Virginia 18, Miami 18, Butler 18, St. John’s 13, Iowa St. 11, Texas Tech 8, Florida 7, Marquette 7, Saint Louis 6, Arizona St 4, Vanderbilt 4, Notre Dame 4, Marshall 4, UConn 3, Loyola of Chicago 2, Temple 2, Loyola Marymount 2, Davidson 1, Arkansas 1.
Additional Polling Data
Some would argue these “experts” are more relevant than the AP Poll.
KenPom: Nova is 23rd overall, 15th in Adj. Offense, and 38th in Adj. Defense
Sagarin: Nova is 94th overall, 92nd in Predictive, 69th in Golden Mean, and 163rd in Recent
Massey: Nova is 8th overall, 1st in Power Rating, 1st in Offense, and 18th in Defense
Kendrick: Here are Anna Kendrick’s thoughts on Nova dropping out of the AP Poll