Despite losing, 76-63, Sunday at Purdue, its second loss in three games, the Ohio State men’s basketball team retained its No. 2 ranking in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Buckeyes (25-2, 12-2 Big Ten) are behind only No. 1 Duke (25-2, 12-1 ACC). Duke received 25 first-place votes, the most of any team.
The Blue Devils jumped to No. 1 from No. 5 when the top four teams all lost in the same week for the first time since 2003. Duke’s two losses this year came at No. 23 St. Johns and at unranked Florida State, a team that the Buckeyes beat earlier this season.
Kansas, Pittsburgh and Texas round out the top five.
The only two teams to beat OSU this year, Wisconsin and Purdue, moved to No. 12 and No. 8, respectively, and remain, along with the Buckeyes, the only three Big Ten teams ranked in the poll.
OSU remained at No. 3 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll, behind No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Kansas.
