BYU Men’s Basketball Makes Climb Up AP Top 25 Poll, Women Enter Rankings
Nov 29, 2021, 1:21 PM
Both BYU Basketball teams are in the AP Top 25 rankings. (Photos courtesy of BYU Photo)
(Photos courtesy of BYU Photo)
PROVO, Utah – Life is good for BYU basketball right now. Both of the undefeated men’s and women’s teams are ranked in the latest AP Top 25.
The BYU men were ranked last week at No. 18. However, after a perfect mark against Texas Southern and a road victory against rival Utah, the pollsters showed more love to BYU this week, jumping Mark Pope’s squad six spots to No. 12 in the week four rankings.
TWELVE. pic.twitter.com/jfU2ZuDl42
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) November 29, 2021
BYU’s No. 12 ranking is the highest in November since 1972, when the Cougars were also 12th on November 21 of that season.
It’s tied for the fourth-highest ranking in program history. The only teams with higher rankings are the 1972 squad that rose to as high as No. 6 and the 1987-88, 2010-11 teams that were as high as No. 3.
Mark Pope’s team looks to keep its undefeated season alive on the road this week when they travel down University Parkway to take on the UVU Wolverines on Wednesday, December 1. Then the Cougars go to Springfield, Missouri, this Saturday to take on Missouri State from the Missouri Valley Conference.
BYU Women’s Basketball made its debut appearance in the Top 25 after defeating two ranked teams in Florida State and West Virginia to win the St. Pete Showcase in Florida. The Cougars are 7-0 and are ranked No. 21 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.
BYU won those games without head coach Jeff Judkins, who was out the last three games due to COVID-19. Former BYU men’s basketball star Lee Cummard has assumed the head coaching duties in Judkins’ absence.
2️⃣1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/u1UB3uJd6Z
— BYU Women's Hoops (@byuwbb) November 29, 2021
It’s the highest ranking for the Cougars since the 2005-2006 season when they climbed to as high as No. 18 in the poll. In addition, this is only the seventh season in BYU Women’s Basketball history that has produced at least one week in the AP Top 25 poll.
#BYU's "Big Three" are all in the Top 25. 🤙@BYUfootball @BYUMBB @byuwbb #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/0ZuKkwfSey
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 29, 2021
The last ranking for BYU came three years ago in Shaylee Gonzales’ first season with the program. Then, BYU was No. 25 in the January 28 poll but lost their next two games, immediately falling out. BYU has one game this week, and it’ll be a big one against rival Utah at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at 5 p.m. (MT) on Pac-12 Network.
Along with the undefeated BYU basketball programs, BYU football is currently ranked No. 12 in the latest AP Top 25. This puts BYU with Baylor, Kentucky, and Michigan as the only athletic departments with ranked teams in football, men’s, and women’s basketball.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
