NCAA Basketball 2012: Mizzou Slides To No. 8 In AP Poll

The Missouri Tigers (25-4, 12-4) had a tough week. The Mizzou basketball team started the 2011-12 NCAA season with an impressive 14-0 record, and when they lost twice in January, they still found a way to stay firmly planted in the No. 3 overall position.

Not so after this week. The Tigers lost twice, double their loss total, as they fell to both the unranked Kansas St. Wildcats (19-9, 8-8) and the now-No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks (24-5, 12-4). Not only did the losses bump the Tigers down to No. 8 in the AP Poll and No. 7 in the Coaches Poll, but they also vaulted the Jayhawks into the lead in the Big 12 Conference standings.

Mizzou has only two games remaining in the regular season: the Iowa St. Cyclones (21-8, 11-5) on Wednesday and the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-20, 1-15) on Saturday, making their chances at gaining ground late in the regular season rather slim.

Here is a look at the current AP Poll Top 10 standings:

For more breaking news and updates on the 2011 College Basketball Rankings, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or drop by SB Nation's College Basketball hub. Get more info and analysis on the Missouri Tigers at Rock M Nation.

The No. 3 Missouri Tigers (25-2) have lost only two games all season, and they took some potent revenge for one of those losses last Wednesday. Stationed at No. 3 in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, Missouri started the season with a 14-0 record and a 2-month winning streak.

That string of success came to a rude halt on January 7, however, when the Kansas St. Wildcats dished out a 59-75 loss. Two weeks later, the Oklahoma St. Cowboys handed Mizzou their second loss in a 72-79 game.

The Tigers finally had their chance at vengeance this last week and responded Wednesday, beating the Cowboys 83-65 at home. Now they have the ripe opportunity to continue their redemption, as well as improve their standings, as they face a strong Kansas State team this Tuesday night with only four games remaining in the regular season.

For more breaking news and updates on the 2011 College Basketball Rankings, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or drop by SB Nation's College Basketball hub. Get more info and analysis on the Missouri Tigers at Rock M Nation.

The latest AP College Basketball Poll has the Missouri Tigers (19-2) falling from No. 2 to No. 4 after their heartbreaking 72-79 loss to the Oklahoma St. Cowboys (10-11). The Tigers, who have undergone an incredible rise to the top in the 2011-2012 college basketball season, still remain in the Top 5 despite accruing their first two losses of the season this January.

The Tigers entered the 2012 portion of the season undefeated, but have since lost twice, once to the Kansas St. Wildcats (15-5, 40 votes) and once to the Cowboys. Missouri faces a key test this coming week as they square off against the No. 8 Kansas Jayhawks (17-4) on Saturday, Feb. 4. A win here could potentially put them back in the top two or three teams.

Meanwhile, the Saint Louis Billikens (15-5) have continued their effort to return to the Top 25, but unfortunately, their three January losses -- coupled with their weak schedule -- almost ensures they will not find a way back to the top rankings any time this season. They received no votes in the latest polling.

For more breaking news and updates on the 2011 College Basketball Rankings, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or drop by SB Nation's College Basketball hub. Get more info and analysis on the Missouri Tigers at Rock M Nation.

The Missouri Tigers took care of business last week, beating both Iowa State and Texas in Big 12 conference play, and that was enough to help the team move up in the AP Poll as several other top 10 teams faltered. While Syracuse retained the top spot and remains undefeated on the season, Ohio State, North Carolina, Indiana and Michigan State each suffered a defeat last week.

Baylor leads the way for the Big 12 at No. 3, the rival Kansas Jayhawks are No. 7 this week and Kansas State is No. 25.

The full poll:

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The Missouri Tigers (12-0) bump up a spot to No. 8 in the AP Poll following another undefeated week for the Mizzou basketball team. The Tigers, who have been ranked No. 8 in the Coaches Poll for over two weeks now, push above the Connecticut Huskies (10-1) for the first time in 2011.

Elsewhere, the Saint Louis Billikens (10-1, 55 points) continue to march on the comeback trail, chasing the Illinois Fighting Illini (11-2, 70 points) at 28th best. The Billikens have not lost since November 29, but the defeat -- at the hands of the Loyoal Marymount Lions (5-6) continues to haunt their season.

The Top 10 in both polls look like this:

For more breaking news and updates on the 2011 College Basketball Rankings, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or drop by SB Nation's College Basketball hub.

The latest USAToday / Coaches Poll has the Missouri Tigers (11-0) holding strong at No. 8.

Mizzou is finishing up a month in which they did not allow opponents to score any more than 71 points, while themselves not dropping beneath 81. However, they face a strong challenge on Thursday when they square off against the Illinois Fighting Illini (10-1) at home.

The Saint Louis Bilikins (9-1), having last week dropped from the polls, continue to receive votes despite their late November loss to the Loyola Marymount Lions. This week, the Bilikins cobbled together 13 points, a solid 40 points behind the Harvard Crimson (9-1) who sit at No. 25.

Here is a glance at the Top 10 in each major poll:

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The Saint Louis Billikens, who cruised to an easy victory over the Alabama State Hornets this past Saturday, received the fourth most votes of teams outside the Top 25 in this week's AP Poll, effectively naming them the nation's 29th best team. The Billikens have been sniffing around the outside of the Top 25 ever since they dropped out following a loss to the Loyola Marymount Lions in late November.

Saint Louis is slated for a single game this week, vs. the Arkansas State Red Wolves, and for now, the Billikens' non-conference victories over teams like the Washington Huskies and Villanova Wildcats speak for themselves. If Saint Louis continues to win out— and they're likely to be favored in many of their remaining games this season— they should easily be in the AP Top 25 when they take on the Xavier Musketeers in mid-January.

Here is the bottom of the AP Top 25, including teams fighting with Saint Louis for poll position:

New Top 25, 21-25: UNLV, Murray St, Creighton, Virginia, Illinois. Harvard, SDSU, Stanford, Saint Louis, Gonzaga the first five in 'others'

— AP_Top25 (@AP_Top25) December 19, 2011

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With wins last week over the Kennesaw State Owls and William & Mary Tribe, the Missouri Tigers didn't necessarily do much to impress the AP voters. But with the Xavier Musketeers, who were gutted by suspensions stemming from the team's on-court fight with the Cincinnati Bearcats, losing at home to Oral Roberts by 24 points, the Tigers were able to jump a spot in the AP poll to No. 9.

Mizzou will have a make-or-break game— at least as it pertains to their status as an undefeated, Top 10 team— this week when they face the Illinois Fighting Illini in this year's annual Bragging Rights game. The Illini, who dropped their first game this past Saturday to the UNLV Rebels, clock in at No. 25 in this week's poll.

Here is the full Top 25:

New Top 25, 1st 7 unchanged: Syracuse, Ohio St, Kentucky, Louisville, N Carolina, Baylor, Duke. UConn, Missouri, Marquette rest of top 10.

— AP_Top25 (@AP_Top25) December 19, 2011

New Top 25 11-20: Florida, Kansas, Wisconsin, Xavier, Pitt, Georgetown, Indiana, Mississippi St, Michigan St, Michigan.

— AP_Top25 (@AP_Top25) December 19, 2011

New Top 25, 21-25: UNLV, Murray St, Creighton, Virginia, Illinois. Harvard, SDSU, Stanford, Saint Louis, Gonzaga the first five in 'others'

— AP_Top25 (@AP_Top25) December 19, 2011

For more on Mizzou, head over to Rock M Nation, SB Nation's Missouri Tigers blog. For more college basketball, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

The Saint Louis Billikins (8-1) went from meteoric rise to falling star in the space of two weeks. After their 6-0 start, the Billikins found themselves ranked in both the Coaches Poll and the AP Poll for the first time in a long time. However, after their 68-75 loss against the Loyola Marymount Lions (5-4) November 29, the Billikins suddenly found themselves out of the top 25 in both polls, barely earning votes whatsoever.

In the AP Poll, the Billikins got 26 points, while in the Coaches Poll, St. Louis cobbled together a mere 9 points. Meanwhile, the Missouri Tigers (9-0) find themselves easing up the polls, jumping from No. 10 to No. 8 in the Coaches Poll and holding ground in the AP Poll.

Mizzou has remained undefeated through their first nine games, beating the Northwestern St. Demons, Villanova Wildcats, and Navy Midshipmen through the first two weeks of December.

Here is the top 10 from both polls:

For more on Mizzou, head over to Rock M Nation, SB Nation's Missouri Tigers blog. For more college basketball, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

The Missouri Tiger's decisive 81-71 victory over the Villanova Wildcats in Madison Square Garden was enough to vault them two spots in this week's edition of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. The Tigers jumped the Xavier Musketeers and the Connecticut Huskies, neither of which lost this past week.

With the Tigers taking on the lowly Kennesaw State Owls this week, their last opportunity to impress voters before conference play will come in the annual Bragging Rights game vs. the Illinois Fighting Illini who jumped up to No. 9 this week.

As far as the Big 12 goes, Missouri remains right on the heels of the Baylor Bears, who were idle this week. Any hurt feelings over that, though, are certainly assuaged by the Tigers being four spots ahead of their hated rivals, the Kansas Jayhawks.

Here is the full top 10, and here is a link to the entire top 25:

1. Syracuse Orange
2. Ohio State Buckeys
3. Kentucky Wildcats
4. Louisville Cardinal
5. Duke Blue Devils
6. North Carolina Tar Heels
7. Baylor Bears
8. Missouri Tigers
9. Xavier Musketeers
10. Connecticut Huskies

For more on Mizzou, head over to Rock M Nation, SB Nation's Missouri Tigers blog. For more college basketball, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

New Missouri Tigers head coach Frank Haith couldn't ask for a better start to his first season in Columbia, as the Tigers have now jumped three spots to No. 10 in this week's USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll. The Tigers (7-0), along with the Xavier Musketeers, were able to take advantage of losses by the Florida Gators and Wisconsin Badgers to ascend into the Top 10.

The Tigers, who are the second highest ranked Big 12 team after the Baylor Bears, are up in New York City to take on the Villanova Wildcats on Tuesday, Dec. 6 in Madison Square Garden. Though the Wildcats are currently unranked, the game will be Missouri's toughest test before the annual Bragging Rights game vs. the Illinois Fighting Illini three days before Christmas. Here is the full Top 10:

1. Kentucky Wildcats
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
3. Syracuse Orange
4. Louisville Cardinals
5. Duke Blue Devils
6. North Carolina Tar Heels
7. Baylor Bears
8. Xavier Musketeers
9. Connecticut Huskies
10. Missouri Tigers

For more on Mizzou, head over to Rock M Nation, SB Nation's Missouri Tigers blog. For more college basketball, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.

The Saint Louis Billikens (6-0) have enjoyed a stunning start to the season, and now they have found their way into the No. 23 slot in the AP Poll and the No. 25 spot in the USA Today / Coaches Poll. The Billikens have not reached a post-season tournament since they made back-to-back appearances in the NIT during the 2002 through 2004 seasons, but, after their surprising undefeated start this season, they appear poised for a strong 2011-2012 campaign.

The Billikens lurched onto the national scene following their unexpected domination of the 76 Classic, in which they beat the Boston College Eagles and the Villanova Wildcats by over 10 points each, and then bested the Oklahoma Sooners by 20 points in the finale.

Having not reached the NCAA tournament since 2000, St. Louis certainly remains a darkhorse team. The Billikens will probably have to wait until late January until they have their next big matchup -- when they face the Xavier Musketeers -- so they will likely need to remain near-perfect against lesser opponents until then.

For more breaking news and updates on the 2011 College Basketball Rankings, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis or drop by SB Nation's College Basketball hub.

The Missouri Tigers (6-0) have made a significant leap in both the AP Poll and the USA Today / Coaches Poll, jumping from the 20s to No. 13 in both. The Tigers had a strong week, beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, the California Golden Bears, and the Binghamton Bearcats by an average of over 29 points.

The hot start, coupled by a few falls from grace -- including the Memphis Tigers who went from top ten to low 20s -- has enabled a rapid ascent into the public's favor for Mizzou. This week, Missouri faces only the Northwestern St. Demons (2-3) and thereby seems poised to at least hold its position through early December.

Meanwhile, the once-top-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels have tumbled to No. 5 following their 80-90 loss to the UNLV Runnin' Rebels last Saturday.

The AP Poll looks through today:

For more on Mizzou, head over to Rock M Nation, SB Nation's Missouri Tigers blog. For more college basketball, visit SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.