Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jonathan Huff/CSM/Shutterstock (13671971bh) Houston Cougars guard Jamal Shead (1) drives with the ball during the NCAA basketball game between the Houston Cougars and the Virginia Cavaliers at John Paul Jones Arena Charlottesville, VA. Houston defeats Virginia 69 – 61 NCAA Basketball Houston vs Virginia, Charlottesville, USA – 17 Dec 2022
Houston Cougars basketball rises to 3 in latest AP Poll after strong win over Virginia
The Houston Cougars basketball team rose up the ranks in Monday’s Associated Press Poll after a 2-0 week, including Saturday’s win against then-second-ranked Virginia.
Houston (11-1) rose to third in the AP Poll, a step up from last week’s fifth-place ranking. The Cougars picked up 1,374 total points from voters, an increase from the 1,224 points they got in last week’s poll.
Virginia fell to sixth following its loss to UH, and Alabama, who is the only team to beat Houston this season, fell to ninth in the AP Poll after losing to Gonzaga on Saturday. Purdue stands at No. 1, Connecticut is No. 2, Kansas is fourth, and Arizona is fifth.
The Cougars remained at No. 2 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool, or NET, rankings. The NET rankings take into account various factors, including the strength of a team’s opponents and where games were played, among other indicators.
Houston’s win against Virginia was considered a Quad One victory, which means it was a win against one of the best teams in the country. The NET rankings update daily. As of Monday, the Cougars are 3-1 against Quad One opponents. Only UConn is above UH in the NET rankings.
The Cougars are also third in the USA Today Coaches Poll, which is an increase from their No. 4 ranking a week ago. Houston garnered 726 points in that poll.
