For the first time in more than 20 years, Alabama sits atop the Associated Press men’s basketball poll.

The Tide rose from No. 3 to No. 1 in Monday’s poll, moving ahead of previous top-ranked Purdue and previous No. 2-ranked Houston. The Boilermakers lost Sunday to Northwestern, while Houston did not play over the weekend after blowing out Tulsa earlier in the week.

It marks the third time Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, which was established in 1948. The program previously held that spot on consecutive weeks, Dec. 23 and 30, in 2002.

Alabama received 38 first-place votes, with Houston sitting No. 2 with 22 first-place votes. Purdue slid to No. 3 in the AP poll with two first-place votes.

Alabama is the fourth team to earn the AP’s No. 1 spot this season. North Carolina and Houston both held that ranking until Alabama beat them both earlier this season. Purdue has been No. 1 in seven of the nine weeks since, with Houston returning to the No. 1 spot for two weeks in mid-January.

In the coaches poll, Alabama also rose two spots to No. 1 for the first time in the history of that poll, which was established in 1950. The Tide and Houston both received 15 first-place votes in the coaches poll, but Alabama received seven more voting points to secure No. 1. Third-ranked Purdue and No. 6 Virginia also received one first-place vote in the coaches poll this week.

Alabama beat a pair of unranked teams last week, routing Florida by 28 points at home before coming from behind Saturday to beat Auburn on the road, 77-69.

The Tide travels to play Tennessee on Wednesday night before hosting unranked Georgia on Saturday. The Vols fell from No. 6 to No. 10 in the AP poll after losing both of its games on buzzer-beating shots last week to Vanderbilt and Missouri. Tennessee fell to No. 11 in the coaches poll.

The AP’s No. 1-ranked team has lost seven times so far this season.

Alabama, at 22-3, has matched its program-best start from the 1974-75 season. It has never started a season 23-3. The Tide is 12-0 in the SEC, its second-best start in program history after it swept its 14-game conference schedule in 1955-56.

Alabama remains No. 2 behind Houston in the daily NET rankings used by the NCAA tournament committee.

AP top 10 (Feb. 13):

1. Alabama (38)

2. Houston (22)

3. Purdue (2)

4. UCLA

5. Kansas

6. Texas

7. Virginia

8. Arizona

9. Baylor

10. Tennessee

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.