UConn men’s basketball team rises to No. 15 in latest AP poll

UConn rose two spots to No. 15 in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll released Monday despite missing two of its best scoring options.

UConn (8-1) went undefeated last week, narrowly defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore 72-63 on Tuesday and dominating Grambling State on Saturday, 88-59. Both wins came without senior guard Tyrese Martin, sidelined two to four weeks with a slight sprain and an avulsion fracture in his left wrist. Sophomore forward Adama Sanogo, who suffered an abdominal strain in Tuesday’s win, is out at least three weeks.

According to CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein, Hurley said there’s “a shot” that either Sanogo or Martin could be available for UConn’s Big East games before Christmas against either Providence or Marquette. Hurley told Rothstein that Sanogo was “feeling better in the last few days.”

Purdue claimed the No. 1 spot in the poll for the first time with Duke’s loss to Ohio State, dropping the Blue Devils to third. Defending NCAA champion Baylor moved up to No. 2, and UCLA and Gonzaga rounded out the top five.

The Big East has three teams represented in Top 25 with Villanova at No. 6, UConn, and Seton Hall at No. 23.

In NCAA’s first release of men’s basketball NET rankings, UConn was ranked No. 13.

Shreyas Laddha can be reached at sladdha@courant.com.