Houston didn't receive a single vote in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll after losing two of its top three scorers from last season's team that won 27 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
But now look.
Kelvin Sampson's Cougars are 24-1 after Thursday night's 71-63 victory at UConn -- and they're really just a block-charge call (that went against them in the final seconds at Temple) from being undefeated. CBS Sports' Jerry Palm currently projects Houston to receive a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. And considering the Cougars still have regular-season games with UCF and Cincinnati to play, plus whatever matchups the AAC Tournament provides, it's not crazy to think Houston could become the second straight AAC program to secure a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati got one last season.
Houston is No. 10 in Friday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. And, yes, Tennessee is No. 1 for the 55th consecutive day. The Vols play at No. 6 Kentucky on Saturday night.
Friday's Top 25 And 1
Biggest Movers
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | The Vols' 23-1 record features five wins over top-50 KenPom teams -- most notably neutral-court victories over Gonzaga and Louisville. Tennessee will take a 19-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Kentucky. | -- | 27-9 |
| 2 |  | The Zags have won 16 straight games since losing back-to-back games to Tennessee and North Carolina. Gonzaga's resume features 11 wins over top-100 KenPom teams -- most notably a neutral-court victory over Duke. | -- | 27-8 |
| 3 |  | The Blue Devils are 13-2 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with zero sub-45 losses. Duke will take an eight-game winning streak into Saturday's game with NC State. | -- | 27-9 |
| 4 |  | The Cavaliers improved to 12-2 vs. top-100 KenPom teams after Monday's win at North Carolina. Both of Virginia's losses are losses to Duke. | -- | 23-11 |
| 5 |  | Michigan is 15-3 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with just one sub-25 loss. The Wolverines own double-digit wins over North Carolina, Villanova and Purdue. | -- | 8-24 |
| 6 |  | The Wildcats are 10-4 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with just one sub-50 loss. UK is 10-1 in its past 11 games heading into Saturday's showdown with Tennessee. | -- | 23-10 |
| 7 |  | The Tar Heels are 11-2 in their past 13 games with wins over Virginia Tech and Louisville. UNC is 12-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with zero sub-25 losses. | -- | 29-8 |
| 8 |  | Nevada's resume features seven wins over top-100 KenPom teams with the lone loss coming at New Mexico. The Wolf Pack will take a nine-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Wyoming. | -- | 26-8 |
| 9 |  | The Spartans are 14-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with just one sub-45 loss. Michigan State will take a two-game winning streak into Sunday's game with Ohio State. | -- | 20-15 |
| 10 |  | The Cougars have won nine straight games since losing at Temple. Houston is 9-1 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with zero sub-75 losses. | -- | 32-5 |
| 11 |  | The Golden Eagles' are 10-1 in their past 11 games with the lone loss coming to St. John's. Marquette is 10-4 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with zero sub-55 losses. | -- | 27-10 |
| 12 |  | The Cardinals are 1-3 in their past four games with the losses coming to North Carolina, at Florida State and to Duke. Six of Louisville's seven losses are to schools also ranked in the Top 25 And 1. | -- | 8-24 |
| 13 |  | The Jayhawks are 15-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with one additional sub-100 loss that came at West Virginia. Kansas is 7-5 since losing Udoka Azubuike to a season-ending hand injury. | -- | 23-11 |
| 14 |  | The Red Raiders are 5-1 in their past six games with the lone loss in that stretch coming at Kansas. Texas Tech is 9-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with zero sub-35 losses. | -- | 23-11 |
| 15 |  | Iowa improved to 12-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with Sunday's win over Northwestern. Four of the Hawkeyes' five losses are to schools also ranked in the Top 25 And 1. | -- | 19-15 |
| 16 |  | The Tigers moved to 13-4 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with two sub-50 losses after Tuesday's win at Kentucky. LSU is 13-1 in its past 14 games heading into Saturday's game with Georgia. | -- | 17-16 |
| 17 |  | The Terrapins are 11-6 vs. top-100 KenPom teams heading into Saturday's game at Michigan. Four of Maryland's six losses are to schools also ranked in the Top 25 And 1. | -- | 16-17 |
| 18 |  | The Wildcats are 9-1 in their past 10 games with wins over Kansas, Texas Tech and Iowa State. KSU has only lost three times in games in which Dean Wade has played. | -- | 19-15 |
| 19 |  | The Boilermakers are 11-2 in their past 13 games with wins over Michigan State, Iowa and Wisconsin. Five of Purdue's seven losses are to teams also ranked in the Top 25 And 1. | -- | 34-5 |
| 20 |  | The Badgers are 11-7 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with one additional sub-100 loss that came at Western Kentucky. Wisconsin will try to snap a two-game losing streak Monday against Illinois. | -- | 22-14 |
| 21 |  | Villanova is 12-4 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with one additional sub-100 loss that came at Penn. The Wildcats own a one-game lead over Marquette in the Big East standings. | -- | 18-16 |
| 22 |  | Virginia Tech is 7-5 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with only one loss coming to a school currently ranked outside of the top-35. The Hokies will take an 8-4 ACC record into Saturday's game at Pitt. | -- | 19-15 |
| 23 |  | The Seminoles are 9-4 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with one additional sub-100 loss that came at Boston College. Florida State will take a six-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Georgia Tech. | -- | 17-16 |
| 24 |  | The Cyclones are 6-2 in their past eight games with losses to Kansas and TCU. Iowa State is 9-6 vs. top-100 KenPom teams heading into Saturday's game at Kansas State. | -- | 29-8 |
| 25 |  | The Bulls are 4-2 in their past six games with losses to Northern Illinois and Bowling Green. Buffalo is 8-3 vs. top-150 KenPom teams with the biggest wins coming over Syracuse and San Francisco. | -- | 4-27 |
| 26 |  | The Bearcats' eight-game winning streak was snapped Sunday at Houston. Cincinnati is 7-3 vs. top-100 KenPom teams with one additional sub-200 loss that came at East Carolina. | -- | 22-15 |
