The overtime loss at Washington State cost the Arizona Wildcats four spots in the latest AP Top 25 poll, falling from No. 7 to No. 11 ahead of Thursday’s national TV game vs. No. 10 Oregon.
The Cougars were rewarded with their first-ever AP Top 25 appearance, squeaking in at No. 25. Stanford, Arizona’s other loss, remains the No. 1 team in the country. UCLA, who Arizona beat at home, checks in at No. 9.
Arizona State, who the Wildcats destroyed in Tucson, received enough votes to be considered the No. 32 team in the country.
Arizona (8-2 overall, 6-2 Pac-12) also dropped from No. 17 to No. 18 in the latest NET rankings, the NCAA’s official metric.
Sunday’s loss was a tale of two halves for the Wildcats. They were up 11 at the half and briefly expanded that lead to 16 in the third quarter before going ice cold in the fourth quarter and overtime.
“We just have to learn. we have to do a little bit better,” UA head coach Adia Barnes said after the game. “We have to not press so much in the fourth quarter, have to have better spacing, know where to drive the ball, know not to drive in the congestion. And then I think we need to get that third and fourth player in double digits.
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