With Three Ranked Teams, State Of Iowa Is Center Of College Basketball World

It's a historic week for college basketball in the state of Iowa. Never before have the men's teams at Iowa State, UNI and Iowa all been ranked at the same time, until now.

The Cyclones, Panthers and Hawkeyes are all featured in this week's Associated Press top-25 poll, which was released on Monday (January 19, 2015). The three teams are the most from one state ranked in the survey. Six other states have two rated teams.

"I think it's great, mostly because we're one of those three," UNI Coach Ben Jacobson said at Monday's weekly press luncheon, responding to a question about being part of a significant moment in the state's college basketball history. "When teams are playing at a high level, or in this case, teams that are ranked in the top 25, all that does is create enthusiasm for the young kids in the state and the kids who like to play basketball. I think that's great for everybody in our state."

For roughly two months, college basketball fans in Iowa have had plenty to cheer about. Iowa State, UNI and Iowa have combined to win 81% of their games, compiling a combined record of 42-10.

At No. 9, Iowa State is the highest ranked of the three teams. The Cyclones (13-3, 3-1 Big 12) moved up two spots from No 11 last week. Saturday's night's, 86-81, victory over then No. 9 Kansas pushed Iowa State into the poll's top 10 rankings for the second time this season.

UNI jumped three spots to No. 20, which is the team's highest rating this season. The Panthers (16-2, 5-1 MVC) won their fifth-straight game on Sunday, beating Missouri State, 60-46. This week's poll marks the first time UNI has been ranked in consecutive weeks since 2009-10.

Iowa (13-5, 4-1 Big Ten) is appearing in the AP top-25 poll for the first time this season, debuting at No. 25. On Saturday, the Hawkeyes completed their first regular-season sweep of Ohio State since 2004. Now, Iowa is preparing for Tuesday night's showdown at fourth-ranked Wisconsin.

The Hawkeyes were left out of this week's USA Today/ESPN Coaches rankings, but Iowa State and UNI both moved up in the poll. The coaches have the Cyclones ranked at No. 12 and UNI at No. 19.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Jan. 18, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week's ranking:

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma State. 47, Miami 41, San Diego State 34, Georgetown 33, Stanford 31, Saint Mary's (Cal) 18, Providence 17, Colorado State. 16, Arkansas 15, Georgia 13, Butler 11, SMU 11, Michigan St. 8, LSU 6, Old Dominion 5, Wyoming 4, Ohio State. 3, Louisiana Tech 2, Tennessee 2, George Washington 1, St. John's 1, Washington 1.