St. John's Makes Massive Move Up Rankings

 

The scene at Madison Square Garden during St. John's win over Xavier on Wednesday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

The St. John's Red Storm made a massive jump in the Top 25 rankings on Monday, as they came in at No. 15 in the Associated Press poll, and No. 14 in the USA Today Coaches' poll.

St. John's is now 17-3 on the season, including 8-1 in Big East play, best in the conference.

In the AP poll, the Red Storm jumped five spots from last week, and the No, 15 slot is the highest it has been in the poll since 2000. It is the third time in the last 25 years they have been a top-15 team, with the other two instances occurring in Steve Lavin's tenure at the helm, February 28, 2011 and December 29, 2014.

In the USA Today poll, St. John's made an even bigger jump, seven spots to No. 14, the highest ranking in that poll since it was No. 12 on March 13, 2000.

This is the first time St. John's has been ranked in the media poll in back-to-back weeks multiple instances in the same season since the 1999-2000 campaign. The first time that happened this season was in the Top 25 since the ones released on November 11 and 18. 

The only other Big East schools to appear in the polls are Marquette (No. 9 in both AP and USA Today) and UConn (No. 24 in AP and No. 24 in USA Today).

St. John's guard Kadary Richmond was named to the Big East Honor Roll on Monday, after he led St. John's with 19 points on 9-17 from the field, with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in St. John's 79-71 overtime win over Xavier on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Kadary Richmond burying a jumper in overtime on Wednesday night. Photo by Jason Schott.

AP TOP 25 MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL POLL (released January 27):

RANKING - TEAM - RECORD - POINTS - FIRST-PLACE VOTES:

1. Auburn - 18-1 - 1550 - 62

2. Duke - 17-2 - 1484

3. Iowa State - 17-2 - 1404

4. Alabama - 17-3 - 1342

5. Florida - 18-2 - 1278

6. Houston - 16-3 - 1242

7. Michigan State - 17-2 - 1170

8. Tennessee - 17-3 - 1149

9. Marquette - 17-3 - 1068

10. Purdue - 16-5 - 892

11. Kansas - 14-5 - 877

12. Kentucky - 14-5 - 858

13. Texas A&M - 15-5 - 775

14. Mississippi State - 16-4 - 715

15. St. John's - 17-3 - 588

16. Oregon - 16-4 - 448

17. Wisconsin - 16-4 - 440

18. Illinois - 14-6 - 384

19. Memphis - 16-4 - 383

20. Missouri - 16-4 - 352

21. Louisville - 15-5 - 346

22. Texas Tech - 15-4 - 308

23. Ole Miss - 15-5 - 215

24. Vanderbilt - 16-4 - 132

25. UConn - 14-6 - 131

RECEIVED VOTES: Michigan (129), Maryland (116), Utah St. (99), Clemson (92), Arizona (47), Saint Mary's (45), Gonzaga (34), Texas (22), Creighton (12), Baylor (8), New Mexico (4), VCU (4), West Virginia (3), Oklahoma (2), Bradley (1), UCLA (1).

USA TODAY SPORTS COACHES POLL (released January 27):

RANKING - TEAM - RECORD - POINTS - FIRST-PLACE VOTES:

1. Auburn - 18-1 - 775 - 31

2. Duke - 17-2 - 741

3. Iowa State - 17-2 - 689 

4. Alabama - 17-3 - 676 

5. Houston - 16-3 - 635

6. Florida - 18-2 - 634

7. Michigan State - 17-2 - 583

8. Tennessee - 17-3 - 564

9. Marquette - 17-3 - 536

10. Purdue - 16-5 - 476

11. Kansas - 14-5 - 429

12. Kentucky - 14-5 - 399

13. Mississippi State - 16-4 - 324

14. St. John's - 17-3 - 318

15. Texas A&M - 15-5 - 310

16. Memphis - 16-4 - 242

17. Wisconsin - 16-4 - 214

18. Oregon - 16-4 - 201

19. Texas Tech - 15-4 - 169

20. Illinois - 14-6 - 166

21. Missouri - 16-4 - 163

22. Louisville - 16-4 - 162

23. Ole Miss - 15-5 - 104

24. UConn - 14-6 - 100

25. Clemson - 17-4 - 96

SCHOOLS DROPPED OUT: No. 20 Michigan & No. 23 West Virginia

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: Michigan (67), Gonzaga (55), Maryland (50), Vanderbilt (44), Saint Mary's (41), Arizona (41), Utah State (22), Creighton (18), West Virginia (17), Georgia (6), Baylor (4), New Mexico (3), UC Irvine (1).