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College basketball rankings: Week 11 AP Top 25 predictions

By Connor Muldowney

TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Jack White #41, Tre Jones #3, Javin DeLaurier #12 and RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils huddle up during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center on January 12, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. #1 Ranked Duke defeated #13 Florida State 80 to 78. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - JANUARY 12: Jack White #41, Tre Jones #3, Javin DeLaurier #12 and RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils huddle up during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center on January 12, 2019 in Tallahassee, Florida. #1 Ranked Duke defeated #13 Florida State 80 to 78. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 05: Anthony Cowan Jr. #1 of the Maryland Terrapins in action against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 5, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PISCATAWAY, NJ – JANUARY 05: Anthony Cowan Jr. #1 of the Maryland Terrapins in action against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during a game at Rutgers Athletic Center on January 5, 2019 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

When Maryland fell to 9-3 after losing to Seton Hall, it looked like the Terrapins were far from a contender in the Big Ten. Five straight wins later and the Terrapins are resembling the third-best team in the conference with a 5-1 record in league play. Maryland has a few impressive wins over the past couple of weeks, including a win against ranked Nebraska, at Rutgers, at Minnesota and versus No. 22 Indiana. Expect the Hoosiers to drop out of the poll and Maryland to replace them.

The reigning national champs haven’t had the ideal start to the 2018-19 season, but sitting at 13-4 following wins over St. John’s and Creighton have to make Jay Wright feel much better about his team in the Big East. The Wildcats have three losses this season by a combined 14 points, including a recent three-point defeat at Kansas, but the Wildcats are slowly showing they are tourney-worthy and have earned a spot in the Top 25 again.

The Cougars were one of three undefeated teams left in college basketball just this week but Houston dropped from the ranks of the unbeaten with a road loss against Temple. Turns out the Cougars are human after all but followed that loss up with a win over Wichita State which was a powerhouse in the mid-major ranks not too long ago. Houston looks like a “win out” candidate.

Marquette began the season ranked in the AP Top 25 and then dropped two of its first five games to Indiana and Kansas. No, they weren’t bad losses, by any means, but it showed that this team wasn’t ready to be considered a national contender. Then the Golden Eagles reeled off eight straight wins before losing to St. John’s and they’re now on another three-game streak. Winners of 11-of-12, the Golden Eagles squeaked by Creighton on the road in a thriller in Week 10 and held off Seton Hall at home.

There was an opportunity presented to NC State in Week 10 against in-state rival North Carolina, but the Wolfpack were unable to hold on for an upset win over the Tar Heels. They did finish the week with a six-point win over Pitt at home. The Wolfpack won’t see much of a drop, if any, in the Week 11 rankings despite the eight-point loss to North Carolina, but it was a missed opportunity, to say the least.