Advertisement

Marquette back on upward trajectory in AP men's college basketball poll

The Marquette men's basketball team is heading back up the college basketball rankings.

MU checked in at No. 14 in the Associated Press top 25 poll that was released Monday. The Golden Eagles (13-5, 4-3 Big East) were 17th last week.

(Editor's note: Journal Sentinel beat writer Ben Steele had MU at No. 12 in his ballot.)

The Golden Eagles are ranked No. 15 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Who did Marquette beat last week?

On the heels of a two-game losing skid, the Golden Eagles won both of their games last week.

First, MU scored 60 points in the paint to beat Villanova, 87-74, on Monday at Fiserv Forum.

Then, the Golden Eagles earned their first conference road victory on Saturday by beating St. John's, 73-72, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart reacts against Villanova at Fiserv Forum on Jan 15.
Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart reacts against Villanova at Fiserv Forum on Jan 15.

What is Marquette's schedule this week?

The Golden Eagles have another road game at DePaul at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Chicago.

Then MU is back home at noon Saturday to face Seton Hall at Fiserv Forum. The Golden Eagles will be looking to avenge their 78-75 loss to the Pirates on Jan. 6 in Newark, New Jersey.

Marquette has been ranked in every poll for over a year

The Golden Eagles made their AP poll debut in the 2022-23 season on Dec. 19, 2022, but dropped out after an overtime loss at Providence.

Then after four straight wins, MU landed back in the top 25 on Jan. 9, 2023.

The Golden Eagles have been ranked since then, a span of 21 straight AP polls. That is the longest stretch for MU since it was ranked in 24 straight polls from the last five weeks of the 2007-08 season through all 19 top 25s in 2008-09.

MU has reached as high as No. 3 this season, its highest perch since 1977-78.

Marquette women's basketball team falls out of AP top 25

The Golden Eagles played only once last week, going scoreless in the final 3:54 in a 63-56 loss at Villanova on Wednesday.

With the defeat, MU dropped out of the top 25 on Monday. The Golden Eagles had appeared in eight straight AP polls.

MU plays No. 8 Connecticut on Tuesday night at the Al McGuire Center. The Golden Eagles beat the Huskies at home last season for their first win in the series.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Marquette is ranked No. 14 in the January 22 AP basketball top 25 poll