Wisconsin Basketball: Badgers remain in AP Top 25 despite two straight losses

Feb 26, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard on the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2017; East Lansing, MI, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Greg Gard on the sidelines during the first half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

The Wisconsin Badgers remained in the latest AP Top 25 released on Monday.

Losers of two straight and four out of their last five, the Wisconsin Badgers dropped down to No. 22 in the latest AP poll on Monday.

Once ranked as high as No. 7, the Badgers endured losses to Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State over the last two weeks and have seen their NCAA Tournament stock decline. Despite this, the Badgers still remain just one game behind the Purdue Boilermakers for first place in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin and Purdue still are the only two teams ranked in the Big Ten, even with recent surges from teams like Minnesota, Michigan, and Michigan State. The Badgers will close out the week and the regular season schedule against Iowa on Thursday, before hosting the Golden Gophers in a huge matchup on Sunday for Senior Night that could have conference seeding implications.

Full rankings:

  1. Kansas Jayhawks
  2. Villanova Wildcats
  3. UCLA Bruins
  4. Gonzaga Bulldogs
  5. North Carolina Tar Heels*
  6. Oregon Ducks
  7. Arizona Wildcats
  8. Louisville Cardinals
  9. Kentucky Wildcats
  10. West Virginia Mountaineers
  11. Baylor Bears
  12. Florida Gators
  13. Butler Bulldogs
  14. SMU Mustangs
  15. Florida State Seminoles
  16. Purdue Boilermakers
  17. Duke Blue Devils
  18. Cincinnati Bearcats
  19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  20. Saint Mary’s (CA) Gaels
  21. Wichita State Shockers
  22. Wisconsin Badgers
  23. Virginia Cavaliers
  24. Iowa State Cyclones
  25. Miami Hurricanes

*lost on Monday

Out of all the teams that did not get listed in the top 25 this week, Minnesota received the most votes with 66 total. Michigan, Michigan State, and Maryland all received votes as well.

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The Badgers have spent the entire season ranked in the top 25, but are on the decline as late with their recent struggles. There still is time to right the ship with two games remaining and a conference tournament.

Wisconsin was the second largest drop in this week’s poll, falling six sports after two ten-point losses on the road to Ohio State and Michigan State. Duke took home the top spot in that category, falling seven spots from 10 to 17.

The Badgers return home to play Iowa on Thursday. The game can be seen on ESPN at 8:00 CT. It is the lone regular season meeting between the two.