Marquette Men’s Basketball Enters The Associated Press Top 25

Who enjoys a nice nationally ranked men’s basketball team?

Well, this week, Marquette fans do.

With 116 points spread across 26 ballots, Shaka Smart’s Golden Eagles are now the #24 team in the country according to the Associated Press. It’s the first time this season that Marquette is in the AP top 25 after beginning to earn votes in the Week 5 iteration of the poll. Auburn is one spot ahead of Marquette with 118 points, so MU very nearly beat out the Tigers for #23 this week. Arizona State is #25 with 98 points, so I think we can say that the Golden Eagles sailed into the top 25 easily.

Dylan Sinn is Marquette’s biggest proponent, installing the Golden Eagles as the 15th best team in the country. MU’s remaining 25 ballots came scattered between #19 and #25, with Donna Ditota’s #20 vote marking the only spot in that stretch where there was only one person voting for MU at a particular number. The most popular ranking was #23, where eight people put Marquette.

Purdue is Marquette’s best ranked opponent in this top 25, as the Boilermakers grabbed 40 first place votes on their way to being ranked #1 in the country. 20 points behind them with 21 first place votes is Connecticut, so I highly suggest you go buy tickets to MU’s January 11th home game with the Huskies right this second. Baylor slips down one spot from last week to #12 in this week’s poll, while Mississippi State moves up two spots to #15 in the country. Wisconsin is doing alright for themselves, sliding up five spots to #17 this week to round out the ranked teams on the schedule.

Xavier is the only team on MU’s slate this season in the Receiving Votes department. The Musketeers picked up 71 points to end up as the unofficial #28 team in the country this week and are on a five game winning streak after dropping three of four games earlier this season to the teams that are currently ranked #18, #14, and #11.

Marquette returns to action on Tuesday night when they visit Providence for their last game before taking a break for Christmas. Tipoff on CBS Sports Network against the 9-3 Friars is scheduled for 6pm Central time.

You can check out the entire top 25 right here as well as how every voter cast their ballot for MU over here.