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Clayton Collier's Final AP Top 25 men's basketball ballot for 2020-21

Where did Arkansas, Tennessee land?
NCAA Basketball_3189598759497842715

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — FINAL AP TOP 25 BALLOT FOR 2020-21

  1. Gonzaga
  2. Illinois
  3. Baylor
  4. Michigan
  5. Alabama
  6. Houston
  7. Iowa
  8. Ohio State
  9. Arkansas
  10. Oklahoma State
  11. Texas
  12. West Virginia
  13. Kansas
  14. Virginia
  15. Creighton
  16. Florida State
  17. San Diego State
  18. Purdue
  19. Villanova
  20. Loyola Chicago
  21. Colorado
  22. BYU
  23. St. Bonaventure
  24. Tennessee
  25. UConn

ENTERED—BYU (22), St. Bonaventure (23), Tennessee (24), UCONN (25)

DROPPED OUT—Texas Tech (21), Virginia Tech (22), USC (24), Oregon (25)

THE RANKING— The conference tournament champions have been crowned, the bracket has been revealed, and we will officially have March Madness—this year, the right kind of madness. I hope watching tournament week, and Selection Sunday brought you as much joy as it brought me.

BYU re-enters the ranks after getting bumped by the Pac-12 last week. They also have the most excusable loss of tourney week—88-78 to undefeated Gonzaga. Considering the Bulldogs sport the highest margin of victory in the country (23), should we chalk up a 10-point loss as a win for the Cougars? BYU has played them as close as almost anyone this year.

St. Bonaventure, the A-10 champions, crack my ballot at No. 23. Tennessee rejoins the fray at No. 24 after the win over Florida, and taking No. 6 Alabama to the final minutes despite the loss of John Fulkerson. Rounding out my Top 25 is UCONN. The Huskies decimated DePaul in the Big East quarterfinals and nearly toppled No. 17 Creighton in the semis. They will be a tough out in the Big Dance. 

Texas Tech falls out of my Top 25 after a one-and-done showing in the Big 12 Tournament thanks to Texas, the eventual champion. Virginia Tech drops off my ballot following the quarterfinal loss to North Carolina. USC and Oregon also depart after semifinal Pac-12 Tournament exits, courtesy of Colorado and Oregon State, respectively. 

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