Wisconsin ranked for the first time this season

For the first time this season, the Wisconsin basketball team is in the national rankings.

A day after earning their sixth-straight win, the Badgers came in at No. 24 in the Associated Press poll. It’s the first time since the final poll of the regular season last year that they are ranked. It also means they’ll have spent at least one week as a ranked team in 18 of the last 19 seasons.

Wisconsin is one of eight Big Ten teams in the poll. Maryland leads the way at No. 9, while Michigan State is No. 16, Iowa is No. 18, Ohio State is No. 19 and Penn State is No. 20. Illinois (No. 23) and Michigan (No. 25) are above and behind the Badgers, respectively.

Coach Greg Gard’s club has won six straight, including a 71-69 victory over Minnesota on Sunday. It’s left the Badgers in a three-way tie (Michigan State, Illinois) for second place in the Big Ten and just a game back of first-place Maryland with two games to play. Wisconsin has just one conference title since 2009.

The Badgers will host Northwestern on Wednesday in the home finale before traveling to Indiana on Saturday to close out the regular season.

Here’s the full poll.