Michigan back on top in Coaches Poll, Houston continues to climb in college basketball rankings

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Michigan is back on top in this week’s Coaches Poll. The Wolverines are once again the undisputed powerhouse in college basketball after a week in which they picked up dominant wins against Northwestern and UCLA.

It has now been well beyond a month since Michigan suffered its last loss on Jan. 10 against Wisconsin. In 10 games since, the Wolverines are beating their opponents by an average of 16.5 points per game. That type of dominance alone befits a No. 1 team in the nation, but Michigan’s ascendance was helped, in part, by Arizona’s first real stumbles of the year.

The previously undefeated Wildcats dropped to No. 4 in the Coaches Poll after suffering their first two losses of the season to No. 12 Kansas and No. 13 Texas Tech. Arizona is still positioned well to snag a top four seed nationally once the NCAA Tournament rolls around.

Elsewhere in the Big 12, Houston continued to climb ahead of a big week for the Cougars. Houston jumped past Arizona to No. 2 ahead of a monumental clash against No. 6 Iowa State Monday night. Houston also meets Arizona Saturday as the Cougars look to take a commanding lead in the Big 12 race.

Here’s a look at the Feb. 16 Coaches Poll in its entirety.

First-place votes in parenthesis