Iowa exits men’s basketball coaches Top 25, Iowa State returns

A pair of one-sided defeats last week sent Iowa out of the USA TODAY men's basketball coaches poll for the first time since mid-November.

After falling 90-70 at Ohio State and 86-72 at home against Rutgers, the 21-8 Hawkeyes tumbled from 21st out of the Top 25.

Iowa didn't get a single preseason vote in the coaches poll, but was No. 22 when the coaches had their first vote after the season began, and doggedly stayed in the poll. Here is the Hawkeyes' pol position by week this season: 22-15-19-21-21-21-20-25-21-21-25-20-17-19-21-unranked.

Iowa got just two votes in this week's poll, the 37th-most of any team and three votes fewer than Hofstra. The Hawkeyes' next game is Thursday night at Wisconsin.

Despite losing 86-69 at Texas Saturday, Iowa State (20-9) has returned to the coaches poll after a one-week absence. The Cyclones are 25th. They have lost three of their last four games.

Men's basketball coaches poll: March 4, 2019

1. Gonzaga (29-2)

2. Virginia (26-2)

3. North Carolina (24-5)

4. Duke (25-4)

4. Tennessee (26-3)

6. Kentucky (24-5)

7. Michigan (26-7)

8. Texas Tech (24-5)

9. Purdue (22-7)

10. Louisiana State (24-5)

11. Michigan State (23-6)

12. Houston (27-2)

13. Florida State (23-6)

14. Kansas (22-7)

15. Marquette (23-6)

16. Virginia Tech (22-6)

17. Kansas State (22-7)

18. Nevada (26-3)

19. Cincinnati (25-4)

20. Buffalo (26-3)

21. Wisconsin (20-9)

22. Wofford (26-4)

23. Villanova (22-8)

24. Maryland (21-9)

25. Iowa State (20-9)