Where UK stands in new college hoops top 25 polls, NET & power rankings

After their first road loss of the season, the Kentucky Wildcats have taken a step back in the latest polls and power rankings.

Perhaps the Wildcats were riding high after their victories over North Carolina and Louisville, or perhaps they were just not prepared for Tevin Mack to catch fire and his six 3-pointers in a row.

But they have started conference play 0-1, and have an uphill climb in the new and improved SEC.

Kentucky is ranked No. 18 in the new AP Poll, a five-spot drop from last week. That’s the same spot the Wildcats are sitting at in the new Coaches Poll.

AP Top 25 Poll

1. Duke Blue Devils
2. Michigan Wolverines
3. Tennessee Volunteers
4. Virginia Cavaliers
5. Gonzaga Bulldogs
6. Michigan State Spartans
7. Kansas Jayhawks
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
9. Virginia Tech Hokies
10. Nevada Wolf Pack
11. Auburn Tigers
12. North Carolina Tar Heels
13. Florida State Seminoles
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
15. NC State Wolfpack
16. Ohio State Buckeyes
17. Houston Cougars
18. Kentucky Wildcats
19. Buffalo Bulls
20. Iowa State Cyclones
21. Marquette Golden Eagles
22. Indiana Hoosiers
23. Oklahoma Sooners
24. St. John’s Red Storm
25. TCU Horned Frogs

Coaches Top 25 Poll

1. Virginia Cavaliers
2. Duke Blue Devils
3. Tennessee Volunteers
4. Michigan Wolverines
5. Michigan State Spartans
6. Gonzaga Bulldogs
7. Virginia Tech Hokies
8. Texas Tech Red Raiders
9. Kansas Jayhawks
10. Auburn Tigers
11. Nevada Wolf Pack
12. North Carolina Tar Heels
13. Florida State Seminoles
14. Mississippi State Bulldogs
15. Houston Cougars
16. NC State Wolfpack
17. Ohio State Buckeyes
18. Kentucky Wildcats
19. Marquette Golden Eagles
20. Buffalo Bulls
21. Iowa State Cyclones
22. Oklahoma Sooners
23. St. John’s Red Storm
24. Indiana Hoosiers
25. Iowa Hawkeyes

The Wildcats also dropped five spots to No. 14 in the Sports Illustrated rankings for the week, although they rose one spot in the NBC Sports Top 25 to No. 11.

The new NCAA Power 36 rankings have Kentucky checking in at No. 13:

The Wildcats had a chance to still tie or win at Alabama in the final seconds. This was a conference road game and so Kentucky can’t be dinged too much, especially when it had an opportunity to snatch a victory late.

ESPN now lists Kentucky at the bottom of their power rankings at No. 16.

Kentucky gets to right the ship a little ship a little bit this week, with Texas A&M and Vanderbilt coming to Lexington, but the Wildcats have to develop some consistency, especially on the perimeter -- at both ends of the floor. We’ve now seen five teams make double-digit 3-pointers against the Wildcats, and Kentucky has only two players on its roster that have made more than 10 3s this season.

Although the fall was not very far, the Wildcats are also down to No. 13 in the NCAA Net rankings.

Based on the Twitter reaction, Big Blue Nation expected Kentucky to drop much more in all of the rankings. All things considered, they were not impacted greatly in the rankings by the road loss in a tough environment in Tuscaloosa.