CHAMPAIGN — Illinois dropped out of the Associated Press Top 25, falling from No. 23 to unranked after a 2-1 week saw the Illini lose to No. 4 Marquette and ultimately take care of business against Valparaiso and Southern.
The Illini (4-1) are nominally 28th in this week’s poll as the third team in the “others receiving votes” category. The Big Ten is now down to two ranked teams with No. 2 Purdue and No. 21 Michigan State. Michigan also received votes.
Illinois will return to action at 8 p.m. Friday against Western Illinois to close out the first month of the season. The Illini’s schedule gets considerably more difficult in December with games at Rutgers, against No. 19 Florida Atlantic in New York City and at No. 7 Tennessee in the first nine days of the month.
The AP Top 25
Record Pts Prv
1. Kansas (52) 3-0 1508 1
2. Purdue (5) 3-0 1440 2
3. Arizona (3) 5-0 1364 3
4. Marquette 3-0 1316 4
5. UConn (1) 4-0 1299 5
6. Houston 6-0 1191 6
7. Tennessee 3-0 1136 7
8. Creighton 4-0 1119 8
9. Duke 3-1 1084 9
10. Miami 5-0 920 12
11. Gonzaga 2-0 902 11
12. Texas A&M 4-0 867 13
13. Baylor 4-0 774 15
14. North Carolina 3-0 655 20
15. Texas 4-0 650 19
16. Kentucky 3-1 617 17
17. Alabama 4-0 516 22
18. Colorado 3-0 241 25
19. FAU 2-1 229 10
20. Arkansas 3-1 224 14
21. Michigan St. 3-2 222 18
22. James Madison 4-0 217 24
23. Southern Cal 3-1 165 16
24. Virginia 4-0 164 –
25. Mississippi St. 5-0 163 –
Others receiving votes: Memphis 149, BYU 138, Illinois 138, San Diego St. 77, UCLA 75, TCU 69, Iowa St. 67, Villanova 44, Auburn 28, Clemson 12, Oklahoma 10, Princeton 10, Michigan 10, Liberty 7, South Carolina 3, Chattanooga 2, Nevada 1, Drake 1, Colorado St. 1.
