LOS ANGELES – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team continued its climb in the national rankings Monday.
The Badgers, who returned to the Associated Press poll last week after a four-week absence, appeared in the USA Today Coaches poll for the first time since Dec. 9.
In both rankings Wisconsin (15-3, 5-2 Big Ten) made one of the biggest jumps from last week to this one.
UW moved up six spots to No. 18 in the AP poll. Only No. 11 Purdue equaled that jump.
Wisconsin returned to the USA Today coaches top 25 poll at No. 19 after being 27th last week. That tied for the second-biggest jump behind Missouri, which moved up 14 spots to No. 24.
The spike in the polls came after the Badgers defeated Ohio State last Tuesday at home and beat USC on the road Saturday to extend their winning streak to seven games.
Five other Big Ten teams appear in the polls. Michigan State, which is is No. 8 in both rankings, is followed by Purdue (12 coaches poll/11 AP), Oregon (15/15), Illinois (17/17) and Michigan (20/21).
The Badgers complete their West Coast trip Tuesday at UCLA (12-6, 3-4). Tip-off is 8:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin climbs in Associated Press, USA Today Coaches polls