:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66365923/1208253055.jpg.0.jpg)
The Wisconsin Badgers (17-10 overall, 10-6 B1G) basketball team has now won four games in a row and is one of the hottest teams in the B1G, which is one of the toughest conferences in the nation. After receiving one measly vote in both polls last week, the Badgers have shot up voters’ polls and now have seven votes in the AP Poll and three votes in the Coaches Poll.
POLL ALERT: Kansas returns to No. 1 in AP Top 25, followed by Baylor, Gonzaga, Dayton and San Diego St; Creighton joins top 10.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) February 24, 2020
Full poll: https://t.co/xXlGQKLkGZ
More college basketball coverage: https://t.co/N0HLv6oHbR pic.twitter.com/E4VcABJnWN
Per usual there was a lot of movement in the polls. Three teams dropped out of each poll and the top-five saw a reshuffling after a few shocking losses and a titanic Kansas/Baylor game on Saturday.
The Maryland Terrapins continue to lead the way for the B1G in the rankings, clocking in at No. 9 in the AP Poll and No. 8 in the Coaches Poll. Following the Terps are the Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 16/14, the Iowa Hawkeyes at No. 18/17, the Michigan Wolverines at No. 19/22, the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 23/23 and the Michigan State Spartans at No. 24/t-24.
The AP Poll has the Illinois Fighting Illini at No. 27 in the also receiving votes portion of the rankings and the Badgers at No. 37. The Coaches poll features the Illini at No. 29 and the Badgers at No. 36.
Coming off their huge win over the Baylor Bears on Saturday, the Kansas Jayhawks are the new unanimous No. 1 team in the country. The Bears are No. 2 followed by the No. 3 Gonzaga Bulldogs, No. 4 Dayton Flyers and No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs. The Coaches Poll has Dayton and Gonzaga swapped. The Florida State Seminoles and Duke Blue Devils are knocking on the door of the top-five, however, and will be waiting to pounce on a potential 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament should the mid-majors ahead of the slip up again.
As far as other, more analytically inclined rankings go here is where Wisconsin is ranked (through 2/24/20):
Wisconsin continues to improve their NET ranking because, well, they just keep winning games. Currently, the Badgers are comfortably in the NCAA Tournament and with a manageable final four games in the regular season, it should stay that way. As of Monday afternoon, the Badgers would be the No. 3 seed in the B1G Tournament due to tie-breakers.
There's a new team in the coveted doube-bye group.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 24, 2020
Welcome, @BadgerMBB. pic.twitter.com/9gZbGIr99Y
The toughest game left on Wisconsin’s schedule is this Thursday against No. 19 Michigan at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have won five in a row and seven of their last eight and are hitting their stride at the exact right time. A win on the road by the Badgers would be one of their most impressive of the year. Wisconsin will then welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Madison on Sunday for a chance at revenge after the Gophers curb-stomped the Badgers in Minneapolis a few weeks ago.