Saoirse Downs
There has been a lot of movement in the top 25 NCAA basketball rankings this week. No. 1 Duke beat Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and No. 13 Louisville, while No. 2 Houston beat Colorado, No. 17 BYU, and Arizona. Auburn remains No. 1 for the 68th consecutive day, despite losing to Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee. The biggest news in terms of roster movement is former USC transfer Desmond Claude committing to Washington. Impact newcomers include Boogie Fland, A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, and Koa Peat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 16th March 2025 |
| No. 1 Team | Duke |
| No. 1 Team's Performance | Beat Georgia Tech 78-70; beat North Carolina 74-71; beat No. 13 Louisville 73-62 |
| No. 2 Team | Houston |
| No. 2 Team's Performance | Beat Colorado 77-68; beat No. 17 BYU 74-54; beat Arizona 72-64 |
| Top 25 Leader | Auburn |
| Additional Information | Auburn has been No. 1 for 68 consecutive days despite losing to top-four seeds Duke, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee |
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What You'll Learn
Auburn leads final Top 25
Auburn has retained its No. 1 spot in the final Top 25 rankings ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This is despite the Tigers losing to Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee, dropping to 28-5. This is the 68th consecutive day Auburn has topped the rankings.
Auburn's loss to Alabama set up a No. 1 vs No. 2 clash, with Auburn retaining its top spot despite losing 90-81 to Florida. This was the first time an in-state rival had taken the No. 2 spot.
Auburn's overall record of 28-5 is still 16-5 in Quadrant 1, giving them at least two more Q1 wins than any other team. They are also the only team with zero losses to schools ranked outside the top 20 of the NET.
Every team Auburn lost to this season—Duke, Florida, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Tennessee—are top-four seeds in the NCAA Tournament. This means Auburn won't play a comparable team until at least the Sweet 16, where they are likely to face Texas A&M or Michigan.
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Duke beats Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Louisville
Duke University's basketball team has had a successful run in the ACC Tournament, beating Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and Louisville.
On March 13, the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team faced Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal. Duke pulled off a thrilling comeback, rallying from a 14-point deficit to defeat the Yellow Jackets by a final score of 78-70. The Blue Devils' victory was fuelled by a career-high 28 points from Kon Knueppel, who also contributed eight assists and five rebounds. Other standout performers for Duke included Khaman Maluach, who led the team with nine rebounds and added 14 points, and Isaiah Evans, who scored 14 points, including four three-pointers.
Advancing to the ACC Tournament semifinal, Duke took on the North Carolina Tar Heels on March 14. In a closely contested match, Duke managed to escape with a victory, despite the absence of junior forward Maliq Brown due to a left shoulder injury. Details of the final score from this game are unavailable at this time.
On March 16, Duke faced Louisville in the ACC tournament title game. The Blue Devils put on an impressive display, winning by a final score of 73-62. Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel starred in this game, helping Duke secure their first regular-season ACC title and conference tournament championship in the same season since 2006.
With these wins, Duke has made a strong case for the top seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
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Desmond Claude commits to Washington
As of March 2025, Auburn is ranked No. 1 in the final Top 25 college basketball rankings. However, in June 2025, the spotlight is on Desmond Claude, the former USC guard who has committed to Washington.
Claude, who played high school basketball at Putnam Science Academy, was a four-star prospect and a highly coveted recruit. During the 2022 recruiting cycle, he was ranked as the No. 83 overall player and No. 11 point guard. Claude initially played two years at Xavier, where he averaged 16.6 points per game during his sophomore season. He then transferred to USC for the 2024-25 season, where he was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. In his lone campaign with the Trojans, he averaged 15.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, showcasing his all-around talent.
Claude's decision to join Washington via the NCAA Transfer Portal is significant for several reasons. Firstly, he is not the first Trojan to make this move; fellow former USC guard Wesley Yates and former Lipscomb forward Jacob Ognacevic have also joined the Huskies this offseason. Additionally, Washington assistant coach Quincy Pondexter was hired away from USC in May, demonstrating the growing connection between the two programs. With head coach Danny Sprinkle at the helm, Washington is aiming to improve on their 2024-25 season record and make a strong impression in the Big Ten.
Desmond Claude's commitment to Washington adds further intrigue to the Huskies' offseason moves. With Claude's scoring ability and all-around game, he is expected to make an immediate impact and help Washington compete at a higher level. The Huskies are likely to be a prominent topic of discussion in the lead-up to the next season, with high expectations from fans and followers of the program.
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Boogie Fland transfers to Florida
In other college basketball news, Arkansas guard Boogie Fland has announced his transfer to the University of Florida. The 6-foot-2 or 6-foot-3 guard was a former five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American in the 2024 class, and was one of the best freshmen in the country during the first half of last season. He averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals, although his overall shooting percentage was a relatively low 37.9%.
Fland, a New York native, had been considering turning pro and entered the NBA draft process, but ultimately decided to withdraw and return for another year of college basketball. He will now join the Florida Gators for the 2025-26 season, alongside fellow new recruits Xaivian Lee and AJ Brown, and four-star freshmen CJ Ingram and Alex Lloyd.
The Gators had been looking for another backcourt playmaker to star alongside Lee, and Fland certainly fits the bill. He is a creative shot-taker and playmaker, with an impressive average of 15.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds over the first 18 games of last season. However, he then suffered a thumb injury that kept him out of most of the remaining games. He did return for the NCAA Tournament, where he played in all three games as Arkansas made a surprise run to the Sweet 16.
Fland's addition means the Gators will have a strong roster that is likely to be ranked in the preseason top 10. They are losing several players to expiring eligibility and transfers, so landing a high-ceiling guard was a huge priority. The NIL deal to land Fland was reportedly over $2 million.
In other basketball news, Auburn remains No. 1 in the final Top 25 rankings ahead of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
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AJ Dybantsa commits as No. 1 player
As of March 2025, Auburn is ranked No. 1 in the final Top 25 college basketball rankings. However, in December 2024, the top high school basketball player in the country, AJ Dybantsa, committed to the BYU Cougars for the 2025 class. Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 small forward, is considered a "can't-miss prospect" and a sure-fire future NBA player. He is known for his scoring abilities, wingspan exceeding 7 feet, and advanced skills for his size.
Dybantsa chose BYU over other top programs such as North Carolina, Kansas, and Alabama. He is the highest-ranked committed recruit to join BYU in the program's history. Dybantsa's decision to commit to BYU signals his belief in the program's ability to develop his talents and prepare him for the NBA.
Dybantsa's talent was recognised early on. In 2023, he was named the Massachusetts Boys' Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year following his freshman season, during which he averaged 19.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game. He also led his team, Saint Sebastian's, to the NEPSAC Class A state championship game. After his freshman year, Dybantsa transferred to Prolific Prep in California, where he teamed up with the second-ranked player in the 2026 class, Tyran Stokes.
Dybantsa continued to excel on the international stage, representing the United States in several FIBA tournaments. In 2023, he won a gold medal at the FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Mérida, Mexico, and averaged 13.8 points per game. The following year, he helped the US win the FIBA U17 World Cup in Turkey, averaging 14.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Most recently, in 2025, he led the US to another gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland, where he was named MVP of the tournament.
With his impressive performances, Dybantsa has solidified his status as a top prospect for the 2026 NBA Draft. He has the potential to be a two-way star at the NBA level, impacting both ends of the floor with his scoring abilities, athleticism, and defensive skills.
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Frequently asked questions
As of March 16, 2025, No. 1 Duke beat Georgia Tech, North Carolina, and No. 13 Louisville. No. 2 Houston also won their games against Colorado, No. 17 BYU, and Arizona.
As of March 17, 2025, Auburn is ranked No. 1 in the men's college basketball rankings.
Yes, former USC transfer Desmond Claude has committed to Washington. However, this news is not enough to move Washington into the top 25.
Yes, A.J. Dybantsa, the No. 1 player in the 2025 ESPN 100, has committed to playing. Other notable newcomers include Cameron Boozer, Koa Peat, Boogie Fland, and Mikel Brown Jr.
