Hawkeye Basketball: Loss to Michigan State Drops Iowa in Coaches Poll, AP Unchanged

The Iowa Hawkeyes split games against ranked opponents last week, falling on the road at Michigan State before taking down Penn State on Saturday. This in a week where ranked teams lost 17 games total. With another week of carnage throughout the top 25, there were naturally some shakeups to the national polls as we open up March.

The changes come across the spectrum in the polls with new teams entering the top-10 and -25 and top-5 Baylor falling two spots. Here’s a look at the full rankings.

1. Kansas

2. Gonzaga

3. Dayton

4. Baylor

5. San Diego State

6. Kentucky

7. Florida State

8. Seton Hall

9. Maryland

10. Louisville

11. Creighton

12. Duke

13. Oregon

14. Villanova

15. BYU

16. Michigan State

17. Auburn

18. Iowa

19. Ohio State

20. Penn State

21. Houston

22. Virginia

23. Illinois

24. Wisconsin

25. Michigan

With Illinois and Wisconsin jumping into the top-25, that makes 8 Big Ten teams in the rankings. That’s the most of any conference in America. As we’ve seen all year, the depth of the league is the strength while the top of the league isn’t as high as in past seasons. Mayrland’s loss to Ohio State kept them at 9th nationally - highest in the Big Ten.

In the Coaches Poll, things are a bit more confusing for Hawkeye fans. Iowa’s loss at Michigan State helped fuel the Spartans to a 7 spot rise in the rankings and was apparently a bigger detractor for Iowa than the home win over then #16 Penn State was a benefit. Iowa fell a spot this week, despite the home/road split and all the carnage around them. Outside of the Spartans, every team ranked 19th or lower a week ago fell from the rankings entirely this week.

Here’s a look at the full Coaches Poll.

1. Kansas

2. Gonzaga

3. Dayton

4. Baylor

5. San Diego State

6. Kentucky

7. Seton Hall

8. Florida State

9. Maryland

10. Louisville

11. Duke

12. Villanova

13. Oregon

14. Creighton

15. BYU

16. Auburn

17. Michigan State

18. Iowa

19. Ohio State

20. Penn State

21. Houston

22. Virginia

23. Illinois

24. Wisconsin

25. Butler

As with the AP, the Big Ten leads all conferences in terms of ranked teams in the Coaches Poll. Here, however, there are only 7 teams ranked as Michigan fell out. They remain the tops in others receiving votes.

As Iowa enters the final week of the regular season, they will play their 4th ranked opponent in 5 games on Sunday when they head to Illinois. That will give the Hawkeyes an opportunity for their 8th win over a ranked opponent this year. Iowa already leads the nation with 7 such wins on the year.

Before we get to Saturday, the Hawkeyes finish up the home slate as they host unranked Purdue on Tuesday evening seeking to avenge a loss in West Lafeyette from a month ago. Iowa is seeking to be the only Big Ten team to go undefeated at home in conference play. Tip time is set for 8pm in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.