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Clayton Collier's AP Top 25 NCAA men's basketball ballot: Week 12

Why Alabama remains at No. 2 despite blowout loss to Oklahoma
Credit: AP
Alabama guard Rylan Griffen (3) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023, in Norman, Okla. (AP Photo/Garett Fisbeck)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Conference play continues to wreak havoc on the AP Top 25. Thirteen ranked team lost games this week. But I want to focus on one of them: Alabama.

The Crimson Tide were blown out by Oklahoma 93-69 in Norman after narrowly avoiding a home loss to Mississippi State, 66-63.

I imagine some voters will justifiably drop Alabama for an unranked loss. Looking at their entire body of work, however, I decided they are still the second-best team in college basketball. 

Even with the loss, they are still 11-3 in Quad 1 and 2 games. Purdue is the only team in the country with a superior record at 11-1. Alabama's three losses are all in Quad 1 situations. The rest of my Top 5 has at least one Quad 2 or 3 loss. 

Tennessee fans hoped for the Vols to leapfrog Alabama after their Top 10 win over Texas. For the reasons listed above, along with Alabama's spotless SEC record, the Tide still get the edge on my ballot. Tennessee claims the No. 3 spot this week.

MY AP TOP 25 BALLOT:

1.Purdue

2.Alabama

3.Tennessee

4.Houston

5.Kansas State

6.Arizona

7.UCLA

8.Virginia

9.Kansas

10.Iowa State

11.Xavier

12.Gonzaga

13.Texas

14.Marquette

15.Baylor

16.TCU

17.Providence

18.FAU

19.Saint Mary's

20.Indiana

21.San Diego State

22.Boise State

23.Illinois

24.Clemson

25.Memphis

IN THE MIX: Auburn, UConn, NC State, Texas A&M, Duke, Miami, Rutgers, Northwestern, USC, Arkansas, UNC, Kent State, Missouri

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