:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68561087/1214991189.0.jpg)
The Villanova Wildcats (7-1, 2-0) have improved to #5 in the newest AP Poll released on Monday. Jay Wright’s squad went 2-0 last week with victories over Butler and St. Joseph’s.
Gonzaga remains the nation’s #1 collecting 61 of the 64 First Place votes; Baylor, at #2, tallied the other three. Kansas and Iowa are the other two schools ranked ahead of ‘Nova.
BIG EAST frenemies Creighton (#13) and previously unranked Xavier entered the poll at #22 to represent the conference.
Villanova is next set to play at Marquette on Wednesday (7p ET). Fans can watch the game on FS1.
December 21 AP Poll
| Rank | School | Record | Points | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | School | Record | Points | Previous |
| 1 | Gonzaga (61) | 4-0 | 1,597 | 1 |
| 2 | Baylor (3) | 5-0 | 1,538 | 2 |
| 3 | Kansas | 7-1 | 1,426 | 5 |
| 4 | Iowa | 6-1 | 1,365 | 3 |
| 5 | Villanova | 7-1 | 1,304 | 7 |
| 6 | Houston | 5-0 | 1,272 | 6 |
| 7 | West Virginia | 7-1 | 1,225 | 8 |
| 8 | Tennessee | 4-0 | 1,109 | 10 |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 6-1 | 1,051 | 12 |
| 10 | Texas | 7-1 | 1,035 | 11 |
| 11 | Rutgers | 6-0 | 878 | 19 |
| 12 | Michigan State | 6-1 | 839 | 4 |
| 13 | Creighton | 6-2 | 773 | 9 |
| 14 | Missouri | 5-0 | 768 | 16 |
| 15 | Texas Tech | 6-2 | 661 | 14 |
| 16 | Virginia | 3-1 | 510 | 17 |
| 17 | North Carolina | 5-2 | 492 | 22 |
| 18 | Illinois | 5-3 | 468 | 13 |
| 19 | Michigan | 6-0 | 367 | 25 |
| 20 | Duke | 3-2 | 352 | 21 |
| 21 | Florida State | 4-1 | 335 | 15 |
| 22 | Xavier | 8-0 | 249 | NR |
| 23 | Ohio State | 6-1 | 245 | 20 |
| 24 | Virginia Tech | 6-1 | 181 | NR |
| 25 | Oregon | 6-1 | 167 | NR |