K-State ranked in top 5 for first time in 12+ years, KU hangs in top 10

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - K-State’s men’s basketball team, fresh off home wins over cross-state rival Kansas and Texas Tech, moved into the top five in the AP college basketball poll for the first time since Dec. 6, 2010. In that poll, the Wildcats were also ranked fifth; they haven’t been ranked higher since Nov. 22, 2010, when they were No. 4.

K-State earned an emotional, crowd-pleasing, court-storming victory over KU last Tuesday, holding off the Jayhawks 83-82 in overtime. With its win over Texas Tech on Saturday, the Wildcats took sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with a 6-1 record, one game ahead of KU, Iowa State and Texas. K-State is 17-2 overall. The only teams ahead of K-State in the poll are Purdue, Alabama, Houston and Tennessee.

KU didn’t have a successful week, dropping the game in Manhattan before being blown out at home against TCU, the team that gave K-State its only conference loss. TCU has beaten KU and K-State by a combined 37 points. But the Jayhawks managed to stay in the top 10, falling seven spots from No. 3 to No. 10.

KU plays Baylor on the road on Monday night before meeting Kentucky in the SEC-Big 12 challenge on Saturday. K-State is at Iowa State on Tuesday before meeting SEC opponent Florida on Saturday. The Jayhawks and Wildcats meet in Lawrence on Jan. 31.