Alabama dropped for a second time in three weeks Monday in the Associated Press men’s basketball poll, falling to No. 4.

Houston remained No. 1 with 58 first-place votes, while UCLA rose two spots to No. 2 and received the other three first-place votes. Kansas was ranked ahead of Alabama, staying at No. 3, despite the Jayhawks’ loss Saturday to Texas.

The Tide lost Saturday to Texas A&M to finish 16-2 in SEC games, tying the program’s best mark from the 2021 and 1987 seasons. The Aggies moved up from No. 24 to No. 18 in the AP poll.

Alabama had reached a 20-year high in the AP poll on Feb. 13 when it was ranked No. 1, then lost to Tennessee to fall to No. 2 the past two weeks while still receiving first-place votes.

Alabama won the SEC regular-season title outright with an overtime win last Wednesday over Auburn, placing it No. 1 in this week’s SEC tournament. That means the Tide received a double bye and will not play until Friday in Nashville against the winner of Mississippi State and Florida.

Alabama remains a No. 1 seed in ESPN’s bracket projection, although Kansas has taken over as the No. 1 overall seed despite the Jayhawks’ loss Saturday to Texas. Houston and UCLA are the other two projected No. 1 seeds.

Alabama is projected to play in the South region of the NCAA tournament, which would mean its potential Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games would take place in Louisville after its first and second round games are expected to be played in Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.

The coaches poll will be released later Monday. The Tide was No. 2 last week.

Alabama remains No. 2 in the NCAA’s NET rankings behind Houston.

AP top 10 (March 6):

1. Houston (58)

2. UCLA (3)

3. Kansas

4. Alabama

5. Purdue

6. Marquette

7. Texas

8. Arizona

9. Gonzaga

10. Baylor

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