The AP Top 25 Poll reluctantly includes the Wisconsin Badgers

The Wisconsin Badgers are back in the AP Top 25 Poll, coming in at No. 24. There's no way it doesn't feel like a reluctant addition by the AP voters. The Badgers just knocked off two top-10 teams this week, and yet barely squeak in? It's a big disrespect, and honestly, that may be just what the Badgers need.

For whatever reason, Wisconsin finds the most juice when they are underdogs and disrespected. They've done their best work when they are considered longshots or no shots in games. Knocking off No. 2 Michigan (now No. 1) on the road in Ann Arbor, beating No. 8 Illinois on the road in Champaign, and then following that up with a very lopsided win at home against No. 10 Michigan.

The Wisconsin Badgers are ranked No. 24 in the latest AP Top 25 Poll

Related: Where will Wisconsin land on the AP Top 25 poll? Andy Katz has UW the highest

The hard part for the voters, if you want to give them any grace, is that there weren't many open spots in the AP Top 25 Poll. There are too many teams clogging up that 15-30 range, making it hard to figure out who should be in and who shouldn't. The fact that Wisconsin had the best week in all of college basketball forced the voters' hands.

The Badgers continue to control their own destiny with three quad-1 games left, a quad-2, and a quad-3 game. Wisconsin is looking to run the table as best as possible as the end of the season looms. There's still a shot at a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament and even a shot to get all the way up to a four or five-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Hopefully, this is just the beginning of being ranked by the AP Poll. With Ohio State and Iowa next on the docket, it could be another important week for the Badgers.