The conference tournament segment of March Madness has concluded, and with the final results now in hand, the voters in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll have submitted their ballots ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
The Florida Gators held onto their No. 4 spot after beating the Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals but then suffering a 17-point loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores in the semifinals. A 12-game winning streak and the regular-season SEC title were strong enough arguments to keep Todd Golden’s team in place, while also earning a No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.
The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils, Michigan Wolverines and Arizona Wildcats held onto their respective rankings, as did the No. 5 Houston Cougars, to leave the top five unscathed. However, 19 of the next 20 teams in the top 25 saw some change in what was a predictable postseason shakeup.
SEC schools in Coaches Poll top 25 on Selection Sunday
The Tennessee Volunteers snuck back in at No. 25 to give the Southeastern Conference five member schools among the top 25 heading into the NCAA Tournament. Florida still headlines the league at No. 4, while the Arkansas Razorbacks inched up a couple of spots to No. 15, Vanderbilt moved up five spots to No. 16, and the Alabama Crimson Tide fell three spots to No. 18.
No other SEC school earned votes.
USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll top 25 on Selection Sunday
Schools Dropped Out
No. 20 Miami (OH)
Others Receiving Votes
Miami (OH) 36; UCLA 31; Utah State 23; BYU 14; Villanova 11; Saint Louis 7; VCU 5; South Florida 1; Santa Clara 1; Ohio State 1; Akron 1
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll ranking for Florida on Selection Sunday
Reporting by Adam Dubbin, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
