Elite 8 Day 2 Recap

Louisville recovers after gruesome injury to get past Duke

It was a simple play that turned into a horrific injury for Louisville guard Kevin Ware.  With 6:33 left in the first half, Ware jumped to contest a 3-pointer but when he landed his leg buckled and his tibia was fractured.  It's a play that happens hundreds of times in each game but I don't think anybody has ever seen anything like that injury in a basketball game.  I'm not going to post a link because it's seriously that bad, but If you don't have a weak stomach you can search for it yourself.  At that point Louisville was up 21-20 and took a 35-32 lead into halftime.  While on the stretcher about to be taken off the court, Ware kept repeating, "just go win the game," and after composing themselves in the locker room Louisville came out strong in the second half.  About four minutes in, the score was tied at 42, but the Cardinals went on a 20-4 and never looked back as they cruised to an 85-63 win.  Russ Smith continued his hot streak with 24 points and Peyton Siva contributed 16.  Gorgui Dieng, who missed the first meeting with Duke, added 14 points, 11 boards and four blocks.  The Blue Devils struggled all game from the outside going only 4-16 from 3.  Mason Plumlee was the lone bright spot with 17 points and 12 rebounds.  A big mention has to go to Louisville reserve Luke Hancock.  When Ware went down with his injury, it was right in front of the Louisville bench.  Once his teammates saw his leg they either ran away or instantly fell to the floor.  But, Hancock came to the side of his fallen teammate to give support while the doctors worked to stabilize Ware's leg.  After the initial shock to the team went away, Louisville seemed to be on a mission to win for Ware.  They get the surprising Wichita State team in the Final Four, but so far nobody has been able to compete with the Cardinals.

Michigan, Nik Stauskas, shoot Florida out of the gym

After a thrilling comeback against Kansas, everybody was wondering how Michigan would fare in a quick turnaround game with Florida.  From the opening tip the Wolverines showed they were ready while the Gators couldn't get anything going.  Michigan jumped out to an early 13-0 lead with Mitch McGary scoring eight of those points.  Then Nik Stauskas caught fire.  The freshman sharp-shooter connected on 6-6 shots and 5-5 3-pointers in the first half.  It seemed like every time Florida tried to get back in the game Stauskas would come through.  The Gators started to close the gap to end the first half but fouled Stauskas on a 3-point attempt right before the halftime buzzer.  Then in the second, Florida cut the lead to 11 with just over 16 minutes to play and again Stauskas buries a triple, he finished with 22.  In the end Michigan wrapped up a Final Four birth 79-59, their first since the Fab Five in 1993.  The Gators were never able to keep up offensively and learned nothing from watching Kansas dominate the paint as they were satisfied with taking jumpers all day.  Florida was a popular pick by many to win the South region, mainly because Ken Pomeroy had them ranked #1 overall after the regular season.  But I felt their offensive and defensive numbers were highly inflated (and deflated) due to playing in a very bad SEC.  The only other team to make the tournament was Ole Miss, who did win their first game, but if they didn't beat Florida in the SEC Championship game they would have been a bubble team.  After his late game heroics on Friday night, Trey Burke cooled off, only hitting 5-16 shots for 15 points.  The B1G POY still controlled the game with a season high eight rebounds, seven assists, and only one turnover.  Statistically Michigan is the best offensive but worst defensive team remaining.  They next matchup with Syracuse and their vaunted 2-3 defense.



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Elite 8 Day 1 Recap

Wichita State shocks another top seed to earn a trip to Atlanta

Cinderella is still dancing as Wichita State took down the 2-seed Ohio State 70-66.  The Buckeyes couldn't hit anything in the first half as the Shockers built a 35-22 halftime lead as Cleanthony Early led the way.  In the second it was more of the same for the first nine minutes as WSU pushed the lead to 56-36 with 11:01 left.  But Ohio State wasn't about to give up yet.  After seeing Michigan erase a 14-point deficit with less than seven minutes to go against Kansas the night before, OSU started to chip away.  The Buckeyes went on a 23-6 run to make it 62-59 with 2:49 remaining.  In a spot where most thought the 9-seed Shockers would continue to wilt, they came up big.  First it was Tekele Cotton who hit a 3-pointer on their next possession.  Then after Deshaun Thomas scored, Fred Vanvleet made a shot in the lane that bounced at least six times on the rim before finally dropping.  From then on it was a foul fest and OSU wasn't able to complete their comeback.  Wichita State had great balance on offense as six players scored at least eight, led by Malcolm Armstead with 14 and Early with 12.  The Shockers also played great defense holding the Buckeyes to only 31% from the field and 5-25 on 3-pointers (OSU was 50% in the tournament prior).  On the outside, Armstead held Aaron Craft to only 2-12 shooting while Carl Hall controlled the paint with six blocks.  OSU star Deshaun Thomas finished with 23 and LaQuinton Ross played well for the third consecutive game adding 19 but it wasn't enough.  Wichita State only won by four but pretty much dominated for 3/4's of the game and earned their ticket to the Final Four.  Their region was decimated with upsets but they managed to get past the #1 and #2 seeded teams in the West.  The Shockers might be a mid-major 9-seed but they have proven themselves worthy and should not be taken lightly by either Louisville or Duke.

Syracuse continues its strong defense, knocking off Big East foe

It wasn't the prettiest game but that's how Syracuse is making their opponents look on offense, ugly.  The Orange held Marquette to only 18 points in the first half and 39 for the game as they smothered their Big East counterpart for the 55-39 victory.  Marquette's 39 points was the fewest ever scored in an Elite Eight game in the shot clock era.  The Syracuse 2-3 zone has been dominating opponents all tournament with their length and athleticism.  To have a guy like Michael Carter-Williams (6'6) at the top of the zone is what causes trouble for other teams.  His length makes it difficult to find passing lanes and he's able to challenge 3-point attempts.  MCW had 12 points, eight rebound, six assists, and five steals with only one turnover against Marquette.  Speaking of turnovers, Marquette is now the third team to have more turnovers than field goals made against the Orange in this years tournament, joining Montana and Indiana.  The Golden Eagles had 14 TOs but only 12 shots made on 22% shooting.  Cuse's defense is unbelievable right now, they are holding teams to 14 less points than in the regular season (45.8 per game), 29% from the field and 15% from long range.  James Southerland was a big spark in the scoring department, putting in 16 and can be a killer from deep.  The remaining teams should be fearful of Syracuse and their zone, nobody seems to be able to figure it out.  If defense wins championships, the Orange are in prime position to cut down the nets.



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What To Watch For In The Elite 8

Marquette vs Syracuse

Player To Watch - Vander Blue has done whatever this team has needed during their run in the tournament and he will have to continue that against Syracuse.  Marquette is not a good 3-point shooting team (30%) but Blue has gone 5-10 in his first three games.  That coupled with his penetration ability is what the Golden Eagles are going to need to breakdown the Syracuse 2-3 zone, which caused Indiana fits.

Key Matchup - These two Big East teams only played once in the regular season, a game Marquette won 74-71.  This is more of a team thing than individual as it's Marquette's offense against the Syracuse 2-3 zone.  In their game against Indiana, the Orange befuddled the Hoosiers because they rarely had to play against a 2-3 but Marquette sees it every year.  In their first game Davante Gardner had 26 points and eight boards but everybody else struggled, especially from the 3-point line.  There are multiple ways to beat the zone but hitting outside shots helps a lot and if Marquette is cold again from beyond the arc they might not be as fortunate to escape with a win.

Deciding Factor - Rebounding.  Can Syracuse rebound out of their zone and can Marquette keep the bigger Orange off the offensive glass.  Playing a zone makes it difficult to find a man and box out especially against hustle guys like Gardner and Jamil Wilson.  But the Orange have the size to attack the offensive boards as well with Baye Keita, Rakeem Christmas, James Southerland and C.J. Fair.  Marquette and Syracuse had 13 and 14 offensive rebounds respectively in their first game and the team that can limit the other has a great chance of winning.


Ohio State vs Wichita State

Player To Watch - Aaron Craft has been playing great offensively and defensively in Ohio State's first three games, including hitting a game winner against Iowa State.  All year he's been the x-factor for this team.  We know what to expect out of Deshaun Thomas but when Craft plays like he has been this team can beat anybody in the country.  He's averaging six assists and just over 11 points in the tournament.  He's going up against a senior in Malcolm Armstead that's been playing well himself so it will be interesting to see if Craft's pressure will get to him.

Key Matchup - Deshaun Thomas vs Carl Hall.  Thomas led the Big Ten in scoring at almost 20 a game and hasn't slowed down in the tournament.  Hall played great against LaSalle, 16 and 8, but containing Thomas is a difficult task.  It's tough to say that Hall can neutralize Thomas but if he keeps their matchup somewhat close Wichita State has a better chance of pulling the upset.

Deciding Factor - These teams are basically mirror images of each other if you look at stats across the board.  Points, rebounds, assists, steals, and turnovers are all pretty even.  To me it's going to come down to if Deshaun Thomas continues to get help on the offensive end.  Whether is Craft, LaQuinton Ross, or Lezelle Smith Jr, somebody else has to score.  Ross has put up 17 in the each of the last two games but if that stops OSU will struggle.  Wichita State is a deeper team so if they have multiple guys contributing, as they have so far, look for them to stay with the Buckeyes until the end.


Michigan vs Florida

Player To Watch - Obviously Trey Burke.  But I'm going with Mitch McGary.  John Beilein finally decided to start the big freshman and it's paying off.  McGary is averaging just under 20 points and a little over 12 rebounds in the tournament.  All of a sudden this guy is playing like one of the best big men in the country.

Key Matchup - Trey Burke against the Gators pressure.  Burke had 23 points and a huge game-tying 3-pointer from super long range against Kansas but has turned the ball over uncharacteristically in the tournament.  During the regular season Burke had the best assist to turnover ratio in the country but has 13 in three games in the tournament, including seven against VCU.  The Gators forced 20 turnovers against Florida Gulf Coast and have three guards that bring pressure.  Burke will be the likely Player of the Year but if he continues to struggle with turnovers it can put Michigan in a bad spot.

Deciding Factor - Offense vs Defense.  The Gators have won by double digits in every victory this year but when they've lost they've had a hard time scoring.  Even in their win against FGCU they only shot 38%.  Michigan on the other hand has hovered around 50% all tournament but their defense has been shaky all year.  If Michigan can limit Florida on offense they will likely win.  But Florida is ranked in the top ten in Ken Pomeroy's offense and defense and has the ability to run with the Wolverines.  If it's a shooting match, the Gators defense is better and will help them prevail.


Louisville vs Duke 

Player To Watch - Gorgui Dieng.  In their first matchup he didn't play and Mason Plumlee had 16 and seven rebounds to help Duke get a 76-71 win.  With Dieng back in the lineup he's one player that can stop Plumlee on offense and the glass.  Dieng is averaging a double-double on the year with 2.5 blocks and is the inside presence Louisville needs to make a title run.

Key Matchup - Russ Smith vs Seth Curry.  These are the two hottest shooters in the country as Smith is averaging 27 and Curry with 24.  Both of these guys have the ability to go for 30 and very well might.  If you like scoring then this is the best matchup for it from here on out.

Deciding Factor -  Can Duke stop Louisville?  The Cardinals entire offense has been on point as they've shot at least 54% in every game in the tourney so far.  If Duke wants to win this game they have to figure out a way to slow them down because so far nobody has been able to.  I expect this to be a classic game between these two teams and coaches, Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski.



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Sweet 16 Day 2 Recap

Michigan rallies late to force OT and advance to Elite 8

It looked all but over when Kansas led 68-54 with less than seven minutes left in the game but that's when Michigan turned up its defense and Trey Burke played like the POY he is.  In the first half Kansas couldn't miss as they shot 68% but only had a six point lead, 40-34, despite Burke going scoreless.  The Jayhawks were scoring at will inside as Jeff Withey, Kevin Young and Perry Ellis appeared to be unstoppable in the paint.  In the second half it was more of the same for KU for the first 12 minutes but Burke was finally starting to make a scoring impact.  With Kansas up 14 late, Michigan ramped up their defense exposing the lack of point guard for KU forcing bad passes and a crucial 10-second call.  The Wolverines kept fighting back but still found themselves down ten with 2:22 and then five with 21 seconds left.   After Burke hit a layup, Elijah Johnson was at the free throw line shooting one-and-one.  He missed, which left the door open for Burke to solidify his Player of the Year status as he hit a 30-footer to send the game to overtime.  Riding that momentum, Michigan came out strong in OT creating an 87-82 lead.  Kansas still had a chance to tie only down two with nine seconds left when Johnson looked to have an open lane, but he kicked it out to Naadir Tharpe who missed the game-winning 3-pointer.  Somehow Michigan pulled out the win in this game.  Burke scored all 23 of his points in the second half and OT but it was Mitch McGary who kept this team in it the entire game.  McGary finished with 25 points and 14 rebounds as he and Burke (also 10 assists) became the fourth pair of teammates to have 20 points, 10 assists and 25 points, 10 rebounds in a NCAA tournament game.  Another pair was Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson when Michigan won the title in '89.  For Kansas, their best player Ben McLemore finally showed up in the tournament putting in 20 points on 4-8 beyond the arc.  Also, Withey was dominate inside with 12 points, eight boards, and five blocks.  As for Johnson, he day started and ended badly.  Not even two minutes into the game he was called for a flagrant foul after hitting McGary below the belt, then to end regulation he missed a free throw to ice the game, and at the end of OT he passed on what looked like to be an open game-tying layup.  Throughout the year Michigan was on the wrong side of games like this (see Wisconsin and Indiana) but last night they showed their resiliency and pulled off the improbable comeback.  It doesn't get any easier from here on out either, but Michigan reaches the Elite 8 for the first time since 1994.

Florida ends Florida Gulf Coast Cinderella run

For the first 15 minutes Florida Gulf Coast seemed to be on their way to another upset and continuing their Cinderella run.  The Eagles were up 24-14 before the Gators ended the first half on a 16-2 run to take a 30-26 lead at the break.  After that Florida never looked back.  "Dunk City" was a great story while it lasted but they were severely over matched by the bigger and stronger Gators.  The story was offensive rebounding for Florida and turnovers for FGCU.  Florida shot only 38% but collected 13 offensive rebounds and forced 20 turnovers which led to 16 points.  In the first two games Eagles PG Brett Comer averaged 12 assists and only 2.5 TOs but the Gators guards applied the pressure throughout the game making Comer turn the ball over nine times.  Mike Rosario scored 15 for Florida and Casey Prather chipped in 11 off the bench.  FGCU's standout guard Sherwood Brown led them with 14 and 6 rebounds.  The entire country backed the small Florida school against its big brother but the talent disparity finally reared its ugly head as the Eagles tied a season low 50 points.  With the 62-50 win the Gators have still claimed every victory by double-digits.  A date with Michigan is scheduled for a trip to the Final Four.

Duke, Coach K outlasts Michigan State, Izzo

The battle between two of the best coaches in college basketball went the way we expected in the first half, a strategic back and forth game.  Duke took an eight point lead but MSU quickly cut the deficit to one before the half 32-31.  However, early in the second the Blue Devils went on a 9-0 run which Michigan State was never able to overcome as they fell to Duke 71-61.  The problem for Sparty was that Seth curry was on fire.  He came out in the second connecting on his first three attempts from long range and finished with 29 points on 6-9 from distance.  His performance was very reminiscent of his brother Stephen for Davidson in his run to the Elite 8 in 2008.  These teams matched up pretty well across the board especially with each team having two bigs, one that likes to bang (Mason Plumlee and Derrick Nix) and one that plays outside (Ryan Kelly and Adreian Payne).  They pretty much cancelled each other out (Plumlee and Kelly 23 pts 14 rebs, Nix and Payne 23 pts 19 rebs), but Michigan State had nobody to help Keith Appling on the outside.  The Spartans were only 3-12 from deep and their freshman stud Gary Harris missed both his 3-point attempts and was 2-11 from the field.  Coach K now owns a 7-1 advantage against Tom Izzo.

Louisville, Russ Smith, easily takes care of Oregon

Louisville jumped out to a 24-8 lead in the first 10 minutes and that's all the Cardinals needed as they cruised to a 77-69 win.  Russ Smith continued to be "Russdiculous" as he tied a career high 31 points on 9-16 from the field and 12-14 from the line.  He's now averaging 27 in the tourney and I don't think there's another player that has looked better.  Gorgui Dieng contributed 10 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks.  Louisville has been pressuring teams like crazy in the tournament, taking a NCAA record 20 steals in their first game, but only forced 12 Oregon turnovers.  Give a lot of credit to the Ducks as well because they were able to fight back in the second half and cut the deficit to six with 5:13 left but wouldn't get any closer.  Arsalan Kazemi posted another double-double with 11 and 12, and E.J. Single had 15 points.  Louisville is definitely the team to beat right now and are the only #1 seed to make it to the Elite 8.  Their rewarded with facing Duke for a Final Four bid.  The last time Rick Pitino and Mike Krzyzewski met in a regional final was in 1992 and Christian Laettner hit his game-winning shot.   These two teams met in November with Duke taking it 76-71, but that was without Dieng so Louisville is looking for revenge.



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Midwest Region Breakdown

The Midwest region of the NCAA tournament is recognized as the toughest in the bracket and for good reason.  Despite being the #1 overall seed, Louisville has to contend with Duke, Michigan State, and a sneaky good Saint Louis team.  Not only does this region have good teams but great players as well.  Creighton's Doug McDermott is second in the nation in scoring with 23 points per game and is up for player of the year.  While Oklahoma State has a freshman of the year candidate in Marcus Smart.  This side of the bracket will have a lot to watch for.

Top Seeds
1. Louisville
2. Duke
3. Michigan State
4. Saint Louis

Sleepers
I really like Saint Louis.  This team plays great defense and Dwayne Evans is a physical presence inside.  But they are a 4-seed so a sleeper to watch for has to be the Oregon Ducks.  This team was sitting atop the Pac-12 before their point guard Dominic Artis went down in late January and the Ducks lost three of their next four games.  Artis is healthy again and Oregon is back in a groove after winning the Pac-12 tournament.

First Round Upset Alerts
5 Oklahoma State vs 12 Oregon - The 12-5 upset that we see every year.  Obviously, I like Oregon for reasons I stated above but also I'm not sure how they are ranked this low.  With all its players healthy the Ducks have six players that average at least 8.5 points and Arsalan Kazemi cleans up the boards with 9.5 per game.  Oklahoma State likes to play uptempo but if the Ducks control the pace they have a good shot at winning multiple games.

7 Creighton vs 10 Cincinnati - Offense vs Defense.  I mentioned McDermott being a POY candidate and the Bluejays lead the nation in field goal percentage.  As for the Bearcats, they pride themselves on defense.  Cincy ranks 8th in country in rebounding and if they can keep the game in the 60's instead of the 70's they have a great chance of advancing.

Possible Match Ups
Louisville vs Saint Louis - If you like good defense this is the game for you as both teams only give up around 58 points per game.  Louisville ranks #1 in adjusted defense in Ken Pomeroy's rankings while Saint Louis might be the most physical team in the country.  The Billikens were 5-1 against ranked teams and won the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament championships, a conference that sent five teams to the NCAA tournament.

Louisville vs Duke - A rematch of a game earlier this season that Duke won 76-71.  However, this time the Cardinals have Gorgui Dieng who will look to neutralize Mason Plumlee down low.  Duke received a boost when they got Ryan Kelly back from a foot injury and he poses match-up problems for other teams bigs.

My Pick
This is a tough bracket to pick because of the threat from so many teams but I'm going with Louisville.  The best defense and the hottest team in the nation after plowing through the Big East tournament.  I turned their championship game against Syracuse on with just under 16 minutes in the second half with the Orange up 16.  Louisville proceeded to close the game on a 49-16, enough said.  Coach Rick Pitino better bust out his white suit when the reach the Final Four.



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College Basketball Power Rankings: March 12

The regular season is over and we are only a week away from the NCAA tournament.  Some teams showed us what they were made of to close out their season (Duke and Indiana) while others seemed to be looking ahead (Kansas and Florida).  Duke and Gonzaga are tops with Indiana and Louisville hot on their heels.  There's a lot more to be told as the major conference tournaments start this week.  Let's get it.

1. Duke (27-4, LW 3) - Duke's rout of North Carolina on the road 69-53 and the return of Ryan Kelly puts the Blue Devils back on top.  Kelly not only provides a scoring lift but he makes the rest of the team better just by being on the court.  Case in point, Mason Plumlee had his best in the past month game at UNC (23 pts, 13 rebs) because of the spacing of Kelly.
2. Gonzaga (30-2, LW 1) - Gonzaga could have been listed as 1B because I still feel they are a legit team, Duke is just a little better.  They closed out their undefeated conference season with a 65-51 win over St. Mary's last night.  The WCC was no match for them but people just want to see if they are worthy of the #1 seed they will receive.
3. Indiana (26-5, LW 2) - Earlier is the week Indiana lost at home to Ohio State 67-58 which opened the door for the Big Ten championship.  It all came down to their road game at Michigan and Cody Zeller made a layup with 14 seconds left for their first out right Big Ten title since 1993.
4. Louisville (26-5, LW 7) - The Cardinals avenged their 5 OT loss to Notre Dame 73-57 behind Gorgui Dieng's 20 and 11.  This team is poised to make a strong run in the Big East and NCAA tournaments after winning 10 of their last 11.
5. Georgetown (24-5, LW 4) - Georgetown is another Big East team that's playing really well.  The lost to Villanova to begin the week 67-57 but came back with holding Jim Boeheim's team to its lowest points of his career 61-39.  The Big East tournament will be one of the best of Championship week.
6. Kansas (26-5, LW 5) - Kansas lost to Baylor 81-58, their worst loss in seven years.  They could have won't the Big 12 title outright but instead had to share it with their rival Kansas State.  The Jayhawks might have been looking ahead to the tournaments because they seemed uninterested.
7. Michigan State (24-7, LW 11) - Sparty finished their season with a solid win over Wisconsin 58-43.  Keith Appling has gotten back on track scoring 35 points in his last two games.  This team is also dangerous come tournament time and this year is no different.
8. Michigan (25-6, LW 8) - Ugh.  The entire Big Ten was watching, Michigan State and Ohio State fans were even cheering for them, but Michigan choked away their game against Indiana and a four way tie for the Big Ten title.  The Wolverines lost a five point lead with 50 seconds left because of missed FREE THROWS by Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.  Next up Penn State in the B1G tourney, great.
9. Florida (24-6, LW 9) - The Gators had a SEC title all wrapped up before they played Kentucky so losing 61-57 only hurts their seeding for the time being.  Florida didn't score in the last seven and a half minutes of the game, we'll see if they were looking ahead or if there's problems in the swamp after losing three of six.
10. Ohio State (23-7, LW NR) - OSU ended the year with five straight wins and took out Indiana on the road last week thanks to Aaron Craft's 15 points on 7-10 shooting.  The Buckeyes will Craft's play to stay consistent to go with Deshaun Thomas if they want to continue their recent success.
11. Miami FL (24-6, LW 6) - The Canes won 14 straight but lost three of five to end the year including shockers to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.  Miami needs a strong showing in the ACC tourney believers back on their side.
12. Oklahoma State (23-7, LW 13) - OK-State lost at Iowa State 87-76 earlier but finished the week with a good 76-70 victory over Kansas State.  This team surprised the Big 12 finishing third in the conference and are a team to watch for a Big 12 tournament title.
13. Marquette (23-7, LW 14) - Buzz Williams' team needed a last second shot by Vander Blue to secure an OT win over St. John's 69-67.  More importantly the win secured a share of the Big East regular season title with Louisville and Georgetown, Marquette's first since joining the league.
14. Kansas State (25-6, LW 10) - Despite a loss to end their season, the Wildcats still managed to share the Big 12 title with Kansas.  This team was only 2-5 against ranked opponents, it will be interesting to see how they fare in the tournaments to come.
15. New Mexico (25-4, LW 12) - New Mexico is known for its defense but couldn't get a stop when it mattered against Air Force.  The Falcons hit two 3's in the final 16 seconds to pull off the upset 89-88.  The Lobos still hold a 3-seed in Joe Lundari's bracketology but need a strong showing in a difficult Mountain West tournament to keep it.

Biggest Jump - Ohio State up 5
Biggest Drop - Miami FL down 5

New Editions - #10 Ohio State
Old News -  Saint Louis



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College Basketball Championship Week Previews

Championship week.  The tournaments before THE tournament.  This week starts the conference tournaments for all the major conferences in college basketball.  The mid-majors started last week with Florida Gulf Coast (24-10), Liberty (15-20), Creighton (27-7), and Belmont (26-6) already punching their tickets for the big dance.  This is what starts the madness in March (although this whole season has been madness).  This is the last chance for bubble teams to get quality wins over ranked teams and Cinderellas have a chance to get hot and take a spot from a team on the bubble.

All favorites determined by Las Vegas odds

ACC

Bracket

When: March 14-17

Favorite: The ACC is not what it's been in years past with only two teams ranked in the top 25, but those two (Duke and Miami) are ranked in the top 10.  The return of Ryan Kelly for Duke definitely makes them the team to watch for.  It seems his foot is fully healed as he went off for 36 points with 7 three's in a huge home win over Miami in his first game back.  Mason Plumlee has been consistent all year averaging a double-double with 17 and 10.2.  Throw in Seth Curry's 17 ppg and you have guys at three positions that would make a great Gus Macker squad.

Contenders: Miami is the first team ever in the ACC to beat Duke and North Carolina by 25 or more in the same year.  The Canes have struggled to close the season losing three of their last five but are still very dangerous.  Speaking of UNC, they finished strong winning six of seven but lost 69-53 to Duke their last game.  Reggie Bullock had double-doubles in three of the last five games. 

Pick: Duke has dominated this tournament since 1999 winning 10 of the 14 titles and will add another trophy to their mantle.  Miami is on a big down slide and UNC can't match-up with Duke's talent, as they just showed us.  The Blue Devils have too many players that can hurt you as five average double figures.


BIG 12

Bracket

When: March 13-16

Favorite: Other than a nasty three game losing streak, Kansas was near the top of the rankings all year led by Ben McLemore (16.5 ppg) and Jeff Withey (13.8 ppg and 8.6 rpg).  They were the victim of the upset of the year when TCU beat them 62-55 but got back on track and won seven of their last eight to end the season.

Contenders: Kansas State had four losses in conference play and two were to Kansas.  K-State won't shoot you out of the gym (44% FG on the season) but they play tough tenacious defense.  Rodney McGruder is a games changer that can take over at any time.  Oklahoma State is the other team to keep an eye on.  They are led by Markel Brown (15.6 ppg) and the possible freshman of the year in Marcus Smart (14.9 ppg).  The Cowboys have one win over Kansas on the road and lost in double overtime at home to the Jayhawks.  They were one of the surprise teams in the country.

Pick: Kansas is another team that has had a hold on the regular season and tournament titles in the Big 12 in the past.  But, Oklahoma State has the size and athleticism to compete with them.  They have proven to be a tough match-up for KU in both games and Jayhawks are a team that has been shaky all year.  OK-State will take the tournament title.


BIG EAST

Bracket

When: March 12-16

Favorite: The Big East is very top heavy with five teams ranked in the top 25 but the Louisville Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the country (#1 in KenPom's adjusted defense) and good offense led but Russ Smith's 18.4 ppg.  Gorgui Dieng is solid in the middle averaging a double-double and Peyton Siva is one of the best point guards in the league at managing a game.  If not for a 5 OT loss at Notre Dame they could be on an 11 game win streak.

Contenders: Georgetown finished the season winning 12 of 13 with wins over ranked teams Louisville, Syracuse (twice), Marquette, and Notre Dame.  In that time Otto Porter Jr. made his case for POY with 16.6 ppg and 7.4 rpg.  Syracuse started the season 18-1 but lost four of its last five.  But don't let that fool you, this team is still dangerous.  C.J. Fair, Brandon Triche, and James Southerland all average over 14 ppg and Michael Carter-Williams is a do-it-all point guard.  Pittsburgh is a sleeper team to also watch out for as KenPom has them ranked 7th overall.

Pick: Louisville and Georgetown are like mirror images of each other.  Both have been playing really well but the Cardinals have more help to offer Russ Smith than Georgetown has for Otto Porter Jr. 


BIG TEN

Bracket

When: March 14-17

Favorite: No conference has beat itself up and has been more unpredictable than the Big Ten.  However, Indiana is the one team that has been the most consistent.  Cody Zeller started as the POY favorite but now it's his teammate, Victor Oladipo, that is in the hunt for the honor.  Zeller still averages 16.5 ppg and 8 rpg while Oladipo is putting up 13.7 ppg, 6 rpg, 2.3 steals and shooting an amazing 63% from the field.  Let's not forget about the two seniors, Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford, who are ranked in the top 10 in 3-point percentage.

Contenders: Where do I start?  There are so many teams that fit in this category.  Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and even Minnesota can all make a run.  Michigan is viewed as next in line behind Indiana even with being the fifth seed and blowing their game against Indiana.  Trey Burke, who is the leader in the POY race is averaging 19.1 ppg, 6.9 apg, and leads the nation in assist to turnover ratio at 3.65.  Michigan State had a tough three game losing streak late but this is when Izzo's teams get hot.  They have a solid starting five with size and speed to match-up with anybody and a defense that keeps them in every game.  Deshaun Thomas leads the Big Ten in scoring at almost 20 a game and if Ohio State can get a consistent second scorer from either Aaron Craft or Lenzelle Smith Jr. this team goes from a top 15 team to a top 5 team nationally.

Pick: Indiana is still the team to beat in the Big Ten especially after their big win at Michigan.  They have the best starting five in the Big Ten with the preseason POY in Cody Zeller and possibly the end of the season POY in Victor Oladipo (also the best all around player in the country).  I won't be surprised if any of the teams mentioned above come out with the title but I will roll with the favorite right now.  Also, if Indiana or Michigan come out on top it will be their first Big Ten tournament title.


PAC-12

Bracket

When: March 13-16

Favorite: The Pac-12 is probably the hardest conference to determine a favorite and even though Arizona didn't win a regular season title they are looked at as the top team.  They started the year 14-0 with wins over Florida and Miami but had some struggles in conference play.  Xavier transfer Mark Lyons leads the team in scoring at 15.1 ppg.

Contenders: Oregon gave Arizona it's first loss of the year and have recently got their point guard, Dominic Artis, back from injury.  They don't have anybody that averages more than 11.2 (E.J. Singler) and balanced on offense.  UCLA is led by freshmen Shabazz Muhammad, Jordan Adams, and Kyle Anderson.  They also have three North Carolina transfers in Larry Drew II, Travis Wear, and David Wear.  This team is very talented but lack consistency.  Don't sleep on California or Colorado.

Pick: A year ago the Pac-12 only had one team reach the NCAA tournament, Colorado, who received the automatic bid for their conference tournament title.  This year I'm going with UCLA.  They have the players and scoring ability to beat anybody in the conference.  It comes down to whether their young players can stay focused against experienced teams like Oregon and Arizona.


SEC

Bracket

When: March 13-17

Favorite: Without question the favorite in the SEC are the Florida Gators.  This had been a down year for the SEC as the Gators are the only ranked team in the conference.  This team is first in KenPom's rankings and is one of the most balanced in the country.  They have the ability to beat you on the perimeter with Kenny Boynton and Mike Rosario (12.6 ppg each) or pound you inside with Patric Young and Erik Murphy.

Contenders: The defending National Champion Kentucky Wildcats are on the bubble but got much needed win over Florida in their final game.  The loss of Nerlens Noel for the rest of the year on Feb. 12 really set this team back.  Fellow freshman Archie Goodwin has stepped up his play in Noel's absence.  The Missouri Tigers are the other team to keep your eye on.  They like to push the ball as much as possible and have six players averaging double figures.  Phil Pressey is a great passer averaging 7.1 assists but is turnover prone (3.7 per game) and a terrible shooter (38%).

Pick: I have to go with Florida.  They dominated the conference all year, winning by almost 20 points a game in league play.  They have great inside-outside combinations and I have a hard time seeing this team lose at a neutral site.


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College Basketball Power Rankings: March 5

Ahh, March is finally upon us and we are only one week from the conference tournaments and two weeks away from the big dance.  I would say let the upsets begin but that's been happening all year.  Last week we saw one of the biggest upsets of the year when Michigan squandered a 15-point second half lead at Penn State.  Indiana, Duke, Florida, and Miami also lost as 5 of my top 6 teams tasted defeat.  The lone team to come out unscathed was Gonzaga, but will they top our list?  Let's find out.

1. Gonzaga (29-2, LW 2) - Since the 2008 Memphis team that made it to the NCAA championship game, no mid-major has been ranked #1 until now.  Gonzaga is a legit team this year.  Last week they finished their conference schedule undefeated at 16-0, the first time ever in the WCC.  If not for a sloppy out of bounds play to end the Butler game this team would only have one loss.  Like that Memphis team and Saint Joe's in 2004, the Zags have their doubters but it's hard to deny any team that will have 30 wins before the big dance starts.
2. Indiana (25-4, LW 1) - The Hoosiers lost to Minnesota 77-73 behind Trevor Mbakwe's 21 and 12.  Oddly enough Indiana's four losses have all been to unranked teams but they are 6-0 against ranked teams.  They will look to improve to 8-0 this week hosting Ohio State and traveling to Michigan.
3. Duke (25-4, LW 4) - Apparently Ryan Kelly is more important to Duke that anyone knew.  After missing 13 games due to a foot injury, Kelly returned against Miami and scored a career high 36 points on 10-14 shooting, including 7-9 from deep.  With Kelly's return to the lineup, this Duke team is back into discussion of the top team in the country along with Indiana and Gonzaga.  They head to Chapel Hill this week where anything can happen.
4. Georgetown (23-4, LW 7) - Georgetown survived a double OT scare at Connecticut 79-78.  Otto Porter Jr. continued to shine with 22 points and the game winning lay-up.  Syracuse comes in Saturday and it marks the last time these rivals will meet in the Big East conference.
5. Kansas (25-4, LW 8) - For the second time this year the Jayhawks needed late game heroics to get past Iowa State in overtime, this time by Elijah Johnson.  He finished with 39 points and had eight in the last 32 seconds to force OT.  A game at Baylor is all that stands in their way of getting at least a share to the Big 12 title for the fifth straight year.
6. Miami FL (23-5, LW 6) - The U might have lost to Duke but were in it down til the end.  They've lost two of their last three games but close the regular season with home games against Georgia Tech and Clemson.
7. Louisville (24-5, LW 10) - Louisville has now won six straight following their five OT game at Notre Dame, including a 58-53 road win at Syracuse last week despite Peyton Siva going scoreless.  To close their season they will host ND, we'll see if this game provides the same fireworks.
8. Michigan (24-5, LW 3) - Michigan started the week with its worst loss of the season at Penn State 84-78, but finished with its best win of the year over Michigan State 58-57.  Thanks in large part to Trey Burke who had finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals.  His rip of Keith Appling lead to the game winning dunk.  They finish the season at Purdue, a game they can't overlook, they host Indiana.
9. Florida (23-5, LW 5) - The Gators had a bad loss to Tennessee 64-58, but rebounded against Alabama to clinch at least a share of the SEC title.  Florida's match-up at Kentucky to end the season will likely determine the champion.
10. Kansas State (24-5, LW 13) - A sloppy turnover by Baylor lead to Rodney McGruder hitting a buzzer beating three for a 64-61 win.  That win kept them in a tie with Kansas in the conference and K-State is looking for its first ever regular season title.  A game at OK-State will be the last hurdle.
11. Michigan State (22-7, LW 9) - MSU has now dropped three straight, all to ranked opponents.  They played one of their worst games at Michigan shooting only 35% and committing 18 turnovers.  Wisconsin comes into EL Thursday, which won't be easy.
12. New Mexico (25-4, LW 14) - With their 70-60 win over San Diego St and 53-42 over Wyoming, the Lobos have clinched the outright regular season championship in a tough Mountain West Conference.  They close their season with road games at Nevada and Air Force.
13. Oklahoma State (22-6, LW 15) - The Cowboys have two difficult games this week at Iowa State and home against K-State.  They are still in the hunt for a share of the Big 12 title and Markel Brown had a nasty dunk against Texas.
14. Marquette (21-7, LW NR) - Marquette had two huge home wins last week, 74-71 over Syracuse and 72-64 over Notre Dame.  The Golden Flashes still have a shot at Big East title as they are the surprise team in the conference.
15. Saint Louis (23-5, LW NR) - The Billikens are one of the hottest teams right now with 11 straight wins (two over Butler and one over VCU) and are first place in a good Atlantic 10 Conference.  They do it with defense holding teams to only 57.9 ppg.  They end with two tough games, at Xavier and against LaSalle.

Biggest Jump - Marquette up 5
Biggest Drop - Michigan down 5

New Editions - #14 Marquette, #15 Saint Louis
Old News - Syracuse, Arizona


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College Basketball Power Rankings: February 25

More games, more upsets.  This week we saw three of the top four teams go down and Michigan State lost twice.  They had the most anticipated game with #1 Indiana which the Hoosiers pulled it out late 72-68 thanks to Victor Oladipo who is starting to be recognized as a candidate for POY.  Miami probably had the worst loss at Wake Forest 80-65.  And we're off.

1. Indiana (24-3, LW 1) - The Hoosiers win at Michigan State was huge and no player was bigger than Victor Oladipo.  He had 19 points, 9 boards, 5 steals, and the last six points for IU when they were down one.  This win solidified Indiana as the top team in the country.
2. Gonzaga (27-2, LW 5) - Gonzaga won their two games last week by a combined 74 points over Santa Clara and San Diego.  This week they will try to finish with a perfect record in conference play at BYU and hosting Portland.
3. Michigan (23-4, LW 6) - UM handled an Illinois team that was on a five game win streak 71-58.  Trey Burke had 28 points on 8-11 shooting and 8 assists.  They travel to Penn State Wednesday before MSU comes to Ann Arbor on Sunday.  The Wolverines will be looking to avenge an embarrassing 23-point loss by the hands of the Spartans.
4. Duke (24-3, LW 7) - Duke rebounded nicely after their loss to Maryland with easy wins on ACC bottom feeders Virginia Tech and Boston College.  Mason Plumlee got back on track recording a double-double in both games.  The Blue Devils now have their eyes set on a rematch with Miami this Saturday.
5. Florida (22-4, LW 4) - Florida seemed to be cruising to another win before Missouri was able to erase a 13-point deficit.  The Gators are still in good position for the SEC title and remain the only SEC team ranked in the top 25.
6. Miami FL (22-4, LW 2) - The U had flirted with losses to Clemson and Virginia before tripping up at Wake Forest.  Miami was never in the game as they trailed by 13 at the half and shot only 39% from the field.  They travel to Duke this week so we'll see if this team can find its groove again.
7. Georgetown (21-4, LW 11) - Georgetown was a hard team to get a read on when conference play started, now they find themselves on top of the Big East after a 57-46 win at Syracuse.  Otto Porter Jr. was the only Hoya in double figures but he scored 33 with 5 three's, 8 rebounds and 5 steals.  They are on a nine game win streak and head to UConn for a tough road test Wednesday.
8. Kansas (23-4, LW 8) - Kansas narrowly escaped with a double-overtime win at Oklahoma State 68-67.  The Jayhawks only made one field goal in either OT and that was a Naadir Tharpe jumper to go up one with 20 seconds left in the game.  A tough road game at Iowa State in next, in a rematch of a game that Kansas needed a strong push late to come out with the win.
9. Michigan State (22-6, LW 3) - I give the Spartans love last week and they let me down losing to Indiana at home and Ohio State on the road.  Don't get me wrong, both were tough games to win but I didn't expect two losses.  They let the IU game slip away late and their leading scorer Keith Appling has lost all his mojo shooting 2-14 with 9 points combined in the losses.  Michigan is licking their chops at a wounded MSU squad.
10. Louisville (22-5, LW 10) - Louisville stood pat after a 79-61 win over Seton Hall as Gorgui Dieng scored 28 on 10-11 from the floor.  The Cardinals are still the hunt for a Big East title and a matchup at Syracuse will determine the fate of one of those teams.
11. Syracuse (22-5, LW 9) - The Orange could not find any offense against G-Town as they only shot 34% and were held to a season low 46 points.  It doesn't get any easier for them either as they travel to Marquette tonight before hosting Louisville Saturday.
12. Arizona (23-4, LW 12) - Arizona looked good disposing of both Washington Pac-12 teams by 35 combined points.  They are getting contributions from multiple players and back on top of the Pac-12 standings after Oregon lost to Cal.
13. Kansas State (22-5, LW 13) - K-State still has hopes of a Big 12 championship but a road game this week at Baylor could kill that dream.  They are looking for their first conference title since 1976-77.
14. New Mexico (23-4, LW 15) - New Mexico was able to get a big win at Colorado State 91-82.  Kendall Williams scored 46 on a ridiculous 10-13 from beyond the arc.  This weeks brings Steve Fisher and San Diego State into town.  In the first meeting the Lobos scored 12 less that Williams' output against CSU, 34.
15. Oklahoma State (20-6, LW 14) - The Cowboys took Kansas to 2 OT's despite their stand-out Freshman Marcus Smart going 2-14 from the field.  Ok-State has a mild schedule this week with TCU and Texas on the docket.

Biggest Jump - Georgetown up 4
Biggest Drop - Michigan State down 6


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College Basketball Power Rankings: February 19

     For the first time in six weeks the #1 team in the country didn't lose.  Indiana remains at the top spot after two easy wins at home while Kansas stopped its three game losing streak.  Michigan State and Gonzaga cracked the top five for the first time but Duke and Michigan were top five teams that both suffered losses.  Let's do it.

1. Indiana (23-3, LW 1) - Indiana has been rolling since their buzzer-beater loss at Illinois but will face a tough test Tuesday on the road at Michigan State.  Victor Oladipo will be playing through an ankle injury and if he's not 100% it will be that much harder for the Hoosiers to get the win.
2. Miami FL (21-3, LW 2) - The Hurricanes struggled badly at Clemson but was able to escape with a win 45-43.  They only shot 34% but the mark of a good team is winning games when it's not your night and Miami is showing they are legit.
3. Michigan State (22-4, LW 8) - I expected MSU to beat Michigan at home but not the way they did.  The Spartans largest lead was 31 as they dominated from the from the jump.  Indiana now comes to town which starts a four game stretch of IU, OSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin who are all ranked.
4. Florida (21-3, LW 5) - Since their first SEC loss Florida has won three straight by an average of 24 points.  They visit Missouri on Tuesday for their hardest game left on the schedule.
5. Gonzaga (25-2, LW 6) - Gonzaga is garnishing a few #1 votes in both of the major polls and their 17-point win at rival Saint Mary's proved they might be deserving.  Kelly Olynyk is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
6. Michigan (22-4, LW 3) - Michigan went 1-3 in their toughest stretch of the season and it ended in a blowout at MSU.  Then they struggled against Big Ten bottom feeder Penn State at home.  The freshmen look to have hit a wall and their lack of big men is a glaring weakness against top competition.  We'll see what they do after a week off when Illinois visits Ann Arbor.
7. Duke (22-3, LW 4) - Duke needed a second half comeback to beat North Carolina 73-68 but couldn't muster one at Maryland as they fell 83-81.  Mason Plumlee played his worst game of the season with only 4 points and 3 boards as the bigger Alex Len dominated the POY candidate.
8. Kansas (21-4, LW 11) - KU looks to be back on track after handling K-State and Texas each by more than 20 points.  We'll see if they are fully back when they head to Oklahoma State this week.
9. Syracuse (21-4, LW 7) - The road hasn't been kind to the Orange lately as they've lost three of their last four away from home.  They have a difficult close to their season as four of their final five games are against ranked teams.
10. Louisville (21-5, LW 12) - Louisville needed a break after a 5 OT game with Notre Dame and they get with four straight against the bottom of the Big East.  After easily disposing of St. John's and South Florida last week, they now face Seton Hall and DePaul.
11. Georgetown (19-4, LW 15) - The Hoyas had two big wins last week over Marquette 63-55 and at Cincinnati 62-55.  They did blow a 17-point lead at Cincy but managed to hang on.  They head to Syracuse this week for big matchup this Saturday.
12. Arizona (21-4, LW 9) - The Wildcats seem to be struggling as of late.  Colorado took revenge with a 71-58 win and then they had a tough time beating Utah 68-64.  However, they still have a chance to win the Pac-12.
13. Kansas State (20-5, LW 13) - K-State was ran out of the gym in Kansas but have bounced back nicely against Baylor and West Virginia getting wins by double digits.  They are fighting for a Big 12 title and travel to Texas this week.
14. Oklahoma State (19-5, LW NR) - The Cowboys have won seven straight and have one of the best freshmen in country in Marcus Smart.  They host Kansas Wednesday night as they look to sweep the Jayhawks on the year.
15. New Mexico (22-4, LW NR) - The Lobo's have a hard time scoring but opponents also have a hard time scoring on them.  They have a big road test this week at Colorado State.

Biggest Jump - Michigan State up 5
Biggest Drop - Butler down 6

New Editions - #14 Oklahoma State, #15 New Mexico
Old News - Butler, Pittsburgh

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 11

     It's only February but it feels like March with how many upsets we saw last week.  4 of the top 5 and 9 of the top 15 teams suffered a loss and three teams (Kansas, Ohio State, Creighton) went down twice.  Things couldn't get more difficult to determine who is the best team in the country because nobody has shown any dominance.  But that's why we love college basketball right?  Let's get into it.

1. Indiana (21-3, LW 1) - Even though IU lost on a last second lay-up to Illinois, they came back and handled Ohio State on the road with ease.  Because of that OSU win they remain at #1 and are rewarded with a "week off" of sorts with Nebraska and Purdue coming to Bloomington.
2. Miami FL (19-3, LW 10) - Undoubtedly the hottest team in the country, I'm starting to drink the kool-aid after the Hurricanes blew out UNC at home 87-61 to run their winning streak to 11.  Durand Scott, Kenny Kadji, and Shane Larkin can all create their of shot and Reggie Johnson is a load in the post averaging 10 points and 9 boards.
3. Michigan (21-3, LW 3) - This was a stressful week for Big Blue as both of their games went to OT.  First, they were able to pull off the win against OSU as Tim Hardaway Jr. hit 6 of 9 three's for 23 points.  Then they went to Wisconsin, where they haven't won in eleven meetings, and Ben Brust hit a half-court buzzer-beater to send it to overtime and also hit the game-winning three in OT.  Michigan finishes its grueling four game stretch with a visit to Michigan State on Tuesday.
4. Duke (21-2, LW 6) - Duke was one of the few top teams to escape last week without a loss, barely.  They avenged their loss to NC State with a 98-85 win, but needed Mason Plumlee to hit 3 of 4 free throws late to beat Boston College 62-61.  Now they prepare for bitter rival North Carolina.
5. Florida (19-3, LW 2) - The Gators came out flat at Arkansas getting behind 43-26 at halftime and couldn't recover.  However, they did just that against Mississippi State winning 83-58.  This week they play host to Kentucky.
6. Gonzaga (23-2, LW 5) - Gonzaga is coasting through their conference but travel to Saint Mary's on Thursday, which poses it's most difficult test until the conference tournament.
7. Syracuse (20-3, LW 9) - Cuse was one of the few teams that didn't lose last week and also were able to welcome back James Southerland.  He returned against St John's to score 13 points in a 77-58 win.
8. Michigan State (20-4, LW 11) - As usual, Michigan State has been sitting back winning games while nobody pays attention to them.  Now they are tied for the Big Ten lead with Indiana.  They host Michigan on Tuesday which could turn out to a be another classic in the Big Ten this year.
9. Arizona (20-3, LW 7) -The Wildcats dropped a surprising home game to California 77-69 this weekend as they were outscored in the second half 44-31 behind Allen Crabbe's 31 points.  They will look to rebound on the road against a tough Colorado team that should have beat them earlier if not for a blown call.
10. Butler (20-4, LW 14) - The Bulldogs needed to hold on late at George Washington after blowing a 17-point lead to win 59-56.  We are now waiting for a showdown at VCU on March 2nd.
11. Kansas (19-4, LW 4) - What has happened to Kansas?!  After riding an 18 game winning streak the Jayhawks have dropped 3 straight to Oklahoma St, TCU, and Oklahoma.  Monday they host Kansas State to kick off rivalry week on ESPN.  This game is the perfect spot for KU to show the country it's still dangerous by taking out the Big 12 leader.
12. Louisville (19-5, LW 8) - Hands down the game of the week went to the 5-OT thriller between Louisville and Notre Dame.  ND came out of this winner 104-101 after Jerian Grant scored 12 points in the last 44 seconds to force the first OT.  The Cardinals get an easy stretch now with their next four games against unranked opponents.
13. Kansas State (19-4, LW NR) - Three of K-State's four losses are from ranked teams.  They've been a team that's under-the-radar all season but have consistently won.  The Wildcats lost their home meeting to Kansas earlier but will get a huge boost if they can give the Jayhawks a fourth straight loss.
14. Pittsburgh (20-5, LW NR) - Pitt is rolling right now after starting the Big East season 1-4 they recently have wins over Syracuse and Cincinnati.  Their only game this week is a visit to Marquette.
15. Georgetown (17-4, LW NR) - The Hoyas seem to be hitting their stride as well as they've won 7 of 8 since a 28-point home loss to the aforementioned Pitt Panthers.  Otto Porter Jr is playing great averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds.

Biggest Jump - Miami FL up 8
Biggest Drop - Kansas down 7

New Editions - #13 Kansas State, #14 Pittsburgh, #15 Georgetown
Old News - Ohio State, Creighton, New Mexico

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 5

     For the fifth week in a row we had the #1 team in the nation go down as Michigan lost at Indiana 81-73.  The Hoosiers reach the top spot for the second time this season.  Other highly ranked teams suffering losses were Kansas and Syracuse, while Florida and Miami continued their hot streaks.  Here are the top 15.

1. Indiana (20-2, LW 4) - The Hoosiers came out strong against Michigan behind Cody Zeller's 19 points and 10 rebounds.  All five starters scored in double-digits and they shot 52% from the floor as a team.  This week they travel to Illinois and Ohio State.
2. Florida (18-2, LW 3) - Florida has been a tear and just had a 14-point win over a ranked Ole Miss team.  The SEC is struggling but the Gators are no joke and Patric Young is a beast.
3. Michigan (20-2, LW 1) - As was the case in their first loss at Ohio State, Michigan started slow on the road but they were able to fight back to tie the game in the second half.  But there is no rest in the Big Ten because tonight they host Ohio State then go to Wisconsin and Michigan State.
4. Kansas (19-2, LW 2) - Kansas has flirted with a couple losses lately and they finally got one with Oklahoma State surprising them at home 85-80.  The Jayhawks had 15 turnovers but couldn't stop Markel Brown's 28 points and he hit 7-10 from three.
5. Gonzaga (21-2, LW 6) - The Zags were tested at San Diego but escaped with the win 65-53.  Now they get an easy week at home be their a road test at St. Mary's
6. Duke (19-2, LW 7) - Duke was able to get two road wins last week after dropping their first two games away from Cameron.  They simply were on fire at Florida State shooting 61% from the field and connecting on 11-18 three point attempts.  Duke will next get a rematch with NC State, who gave them their first loss of the season.
7. Arizona (19-2, LW 8) - Arizona is quietly staying in the top 10 and now are tied atop the Pac-12 standings.  They've gotten back on track winning their last three after losing to UCLA.
8. Louisville (18-4, LW 9) - The Cardinals got back to their dominant ways beating Marquette 70-51 holding them to 36% shooting.  We'll see if they can continue that with two road games this week at Rutgers and Notre Dame.
9. Syracuse (18-3, LW 5) - Cuse dropped two straight but picked up a nice home win over Notre Dame 63-47.  James Southerland continues to be out and the Orange are desperately missing his shooting.
10. Miami FL (17-3, LW 13) - The Canes squeaked past NC State on the road as Reggie Johnson tip in a miss in the final seconds to pull off the 79-78 win.  They have now won nine straight and have been provided a big lift with Johnson back in the lineup.
11. Michigan State (18-4, LW 12) - Sparty bounced back from a loss to Indiana with an 80-75 win over Illinois.  Keith Appling played his best game of the season going for 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.  They will now look to avenge a loss to Minnesota when the Gophers come to East Lansing.
12. Ohio State (17-4, LW 14) - OSU might have the toughest week of the year for any team as they head to #3 Michigan then host #1 Indiana.  Both games will be tough but if the Buckeyes can escape with one win that will prove they are a team that can challenge for a Big Ten title.
13. Creighton (20-3, LW NR) - Doug McDermott continues to show why he is a player of the year candidate averaging 24 points and 7 boards.
14. Butler (19-3, LW 10) - The Bulldogs were ran out of the gym in a 75-58 loss at Saint Louis as the Billikens forced 23 turnovers.  Butler was able to rebound against Rhode Island and face two .500 teams this week.
15. New Mexico (19-3, LW NR) - After only scoring 34 points at San Diego State, the Lobos won their next two.  They still lead a good Mountain West Conference and have a tough test at UNLV this week.

Biggest Jump - Creighton up 4
Biggest Drop - Syracuse and Butler down 4

New Editions - #13 Creighton, #15 New Mexico
Old News - Oregon, Missouri

College Basketball Power Rankings: January 22

     We had another wild week in college basketball and we can expect it from here on out.  Louisville was able to reach the top spot but fell to Syracuse 70-68 and Indiana was shocked at home by Wisconsin 64-59.  We also saw Gonzaga miss out on getting a huge road win at Butler as they turned the ball over in the final seconds and Butler squeaked by 64-63.  Here's what we have after a crazy week of college hoops.

1. Michigan (17-1, LW 4) - Call me a homer if you want but getting a road win at #10 Minnesota and doing it convincingly is nothing easy.  The Wolverines largest lead was 19 as Tim Haradaway Jr. scored 21 on 7-8 shooting with 4 three's.  If not for a sluggish start against OSU this team would still be undefeated.  Now they get a week off to prepare for Purdue.
2. Syracuse (18-1, LW 5) - A week after suspending their second leading scoring the Orange went into #1 Louisville and pulled off the 70-68 upset behind Brandon Triche's 23 points.  Then last night staved off a home upset of their own coming back against Cincinnati to win 57-55.  Their stellar PG Michael Carter-Williams came up huge late and finished with 16 points, 5 boards and 7 assists.
3. Kansas (16-1, LW 2) - Kansas came back late on Texas for a 64-49 road win to push their streak to 15 games.  But to extend that streak they will have to beat rival #11 Kansas State on the road.  The combination of Ben McLemore and Jeff Withey are proving to be one of the best inside-outside duos in the country.
4. Duke (16-1, LW 3) - After its first loss, Duke rebounded nicely against lowly Georgia Tech 73-57.  But still the loss of Ryan Kelly hurts this team badly and now they have a trip to Miami, the lone undefeated team in the conference.
5. Louisville (16-2, LW 1) - The Cardinals couldn't hold on to the #1 spot for more than a week but that loss was a tight one to a very good Syracuse team.  The loss doesn't hurt their stock too much but let's see how they handle 2 road games this week at Villanova and Georgetown.
6. Florida (14-2, LW 9) - Florida has been slowing climbing the charts even though they haven't been beating quality opponents, at least not until last Saturday when they crushed Missouri 83-52.  It was over before it started as the Gators jumped out to an 11-0 lead and were able to turn Missouri PG, Phil Pressey, over 10 times.
7. Indiana (16-2, LW 6) - The shocker of the week was Indiana's home loss to Wisconsin 64-49.  The Badgers are in a down year but have won 11 straight against the Hoosiers.
8. Arizona (16-1, LW 7) - After their loss to Oregon, the Wildcats have gotten back on track winning 2 straight road games.  They now host UCLA, a team that has been playing better as the season goes on.
9. Butler (16-2, LW 15) - Even without leading scorer Rotnei Clarke, Butler managed to pull out a huge home win over Gonzaga as Roosevelt Jones hit a buzzer-beater for the 64-63 victory.  Their schedule is favorable until a March 2nd meeting at VCU.
10. Gonzaga (17-2, LW 8) - The Zags narrowly escaped Butler with a win but fell short.  Still, you can't take much away from them for the loss.  They now have to prepare for a solid BYU team coming to their place.
11. Kansas State (15-2, LW NR) - The Wildcats have been under the radar but hold a win over Florida and their only losses coming to Michigan and Gonzaga.  They have a big game against Kansas this week and don't be surprised if there's an upset in the Octagon of Doom.
12. Michigan State (16-3, LW NR) - Sparty had a nice home win over Ohio State 59-56 holding them off late.  This is the time MSU usually starts hitting their stride and we'll see what they are made of this week as they travel to Wisconsin and #7 Indiana.
13. Minnesota (15-3, LW 10) - After starting conference play off great, Minnesota has lost two straight albeit to #7 Indiana and #1 Michigan.  Two roads games on the docket for the Gophers this week against Northwestern and Wisconsin.
14. Oregon (16-2, LW NR) - The Ducks have already taken out Pac-12 favorites Arizona and UCLA and have one of the most balanced offense in the country.  Oregon scores 76 a game while having 6 players that average between 8 and 12 points
15. Ohio State (13-4, LW 12) - The Buckeyes couldn't complete the comeback at Michigan State despite 28 points and 7 rebounds from Deshaun Thomas.  For this team to win big games consistently they need to find another scoring option to help Thomas.

Biggest Jump - Butler up 6
Biggest Drop - Creighton down 5

New Editions - #11 Kansas State, #12 Michigan State, #14 Oregon
Old News - Creighton, North Carolina State, San Diego State

College Basketball Power Rankings: January 16

     We entered last week with three undefeated teams and we enter this week with zero after Arizona, Duke and Michigan all lost.  This created a mix up at the top of our rankings and also showed that every team in vulnerable on the road in conference games.  Just as I was about to put this out last night Indiana was a in a tight game with Wisconsin.  I figured I'd wait until it was over and sure enough, the Badgers pulled off the upset on the road 64-49.

1. Louisville (15-1, LW 3) - The Cardinals take over at #1 after Duke and Michigan go down but they are a viable National Champion contender.  They have one of the best defenses in the country and showed it in the second half of their win over UConn last night.  Next up, #6 Syracuse on Saturday.
2. Kansas (14-1, LW 5) - For the second week in a row a top 5 team needed to make a late comeback to avoid an upset and force overtime.  Last week it was Arizona, this week KU needed a desperation bank 3-pointer at the end of regulation by their stud Ben McLemore to overcome Iowa State 97-89.  McLemore finished with 33 points and 6-6 from deep.
3. Duke (15-1, LW 1) - After getting news that Ryan Kelly will be out indefinitely, Duke proceeded to lose its first game to NC State 84-76.  The loss of Kelly is huge and it will be interesting to see how the Blue Devils will handle his absence.
4. Michigan (16-1, LW 2) - Michigan looked inexperienced and terrified in the first half of their road loss to Ohio State.  They were making bad turnovers and couldn't hit a shot.  A positive was they were able to make it a game however in the second half tying the score at 46.  Other than that it was a game they'd like to forget and now have to prepare for a game at #10 Minnesota.
5. Syracuse (16-1, LW 7) - The Orange suspended its second leading scorer James Southerland indefinitely and has to face now face #1 Louisville this weekend.  Syracuse is pretty balanced but this is a loss they will have to adjust to if they want to keep their final four hopes alive.
6. Indiana (15-2, LW 4) - Last night the Hoosiers hosted Wisconsin, a team they haven't beat in their last 10 efforts.  That streak is now 11 as IU found it difficult to score.  They still lead the nation at 85 points per game but could only amass 59 on 37% shooting.
7. Arizona (15-1, LW 6) - After winning several games they could have lost, Arizona finally fell at Oregon 70-66.  The Wildcats have beaten quality opponents and win close games which are good qualities to have come tournament time.
8. Gonzaga (16-1, LW 9) - The Zags took out their rival St Mary's 83-78 at home their last time out.  Next up a road game at Portland before heading to Butler for their toughest test of the season.
9. Florida (12-2, LW 10) - Since the Gators' loss to Kansas State they have played extremely well winning 4 games by an average of 23 points.  This week brings a road game at Texas A&M (who just beat Kentucky) and a home game against Missouri, two quality opponents.
10. Minnesota (15-2, LW 8) - Minnesota couldn't get anything going in the first half at Indiana and just ran out of time to complete their comeback.  We are going to see the Big Ten teams beat up on each other all year and it doesn't get any easier for them as #5 Michigan comes in to town Thursday.
11. Creighton (16-1, LW 13) - Last week against Missouri State, Doug McDermott outscored the Bears in the second half 28-25 by himself.  He finished with 39 points going 15-19 from the floor and 10 boards.  They should get challenged this Saturday at Wichita State.
12. Ohio State (13-3, LW 15) - The Buckeyes got their first win against a ranked opponent as they beat bitter rival Michigan.  They looked great in the first half but looked sluggish in the second as they let UM back in the game.  I'm still not completely sold on OSU and a tough road game at Michigan State is up next.
13. North Carolina State (14-2, LW NR) - A lot was expected of this team to start the year as they were preseason #6.  After a couple early losses the Wolfpack are hitting their stride after getting an 84-76 win over Duke.  Their next game is at Maryland which should provide another test.
14. Butler (14-2, LW NR) - The Bulldogs beat Dayton their last time out but it came at a price as leading scorer point guard Rotnei Clarke left the game with a next injury.  They have two home games against Richmond and #8 Gonzaga this week and I'll be surprised if they escape without a loss if Clarke is out.
15. San Diego State (14-2, LW NR) - After needing overtime to beat Colorado State, this week will be even tougher for the Aztecs.  They host Mountain West contender UNLV on Wednesday then travel to Wyoming (who just lost their first game of the season) on Saturday.

Biggest Jump - NC State up 8
Biggest Drop - Illinois down 10

College Basketball Power Rankings: January 8

     With conference play opening up last week we had a top 15 matchup between Ohio State and Illinois where we saw the Fighting Illini win easily 74-55 and a controversial ending in the Colorado-Arizona game with a game winning three pointer by Colorado was taken away.  From here on out, this is where things get juicy.  Here we go.

1. Duke Blue Devils (14-0, LW 1) - Duke has been coasting lately and even though conference play is starting that still might not change.  The ACC is nowhere near as talented as it once was but they will have one of their tougher tests this week at NC State.
2. Michigan Wolverines (15-0, LW 1) - Two Big Ten games, two 28-point wins.  That's how Michigan opened up last week against Northwestern and Iowa.  The Big Ten is by far the best conference with six team ranked and three in the top-ten.  We will see how good this team is with back-to-back road games against Ohio State and Minnesota coming up.
3. Louisville Cardinals (13-1, LW 3) - The Cardinals had a huge win over rival Kentucky, a game they saw their center Gorgui Dieng back in action.  He only saw 20 minutes that game but against Providence he recorded 11 points, 11 boards, and 4 blocks.
4. Indiana Hoosiers (14-1, LW 5) - IU was tested in their opener at Iowa mainly in part because sharp-shooting Jordan Hulls went 0-10 from the floor and 0-4 from 3 (he's over 50% for both on the year).  They bounced back though with a 74-51 win at Penn State.  Next up a tough Minnesota team.
5. Kansas Jayhawks (12-1, LW 6) - Temple tried to take down its second top-ten team this year but Kansas was too much down the stretch.  With only a surprise loss to Michigan State, this Jayhawks squad is poised to make a strong push through the Big 12.
6. Arizona Wildcats (14-0, LW 4) - I wanted to drop the Wildcats further because if it wasn't for a bad call by the refs this team would not be undefeated.  Even with a review they still took away Colorado's Sabatino Chen's last-second 3.  None-the-less Arizona pulled the game out in OT but it will be interesting to see what happens in a poor Pac-12 where they are the only ranked team.
7. Syracuse Orange (14-1, LW 7) - The Big East is going to be a two-team race between Syracuse and Louisville for the top spot.  The Orange has a guard oriented offense led by Michael Carter-Williams and if he can learn to be a consistent scorer, they can be a very dangerous team down the stretch.
8. Minnesota Golden Gophers (14-1, LW 8) - Minnesota still isn't getting the credit they deserve from the media in my opinion.  After a convincing 13-point win over Michigan State maybe that will change.  The Gophers are strong on D, leading the Big Ten in blocks and steals.  We will get a real sense of this team as their next 3 games are at #12 Illinois, at #4 Indiana and home against #2 Michigan.  Yikes!
9. Gonzaga Bulldogs (15-1, LW 11) - Last week they had 3 road wins including, at Oklahoma State and at a tough Santa Clara team.  The West Coast Conference always has its share of teams looking to upset the Bulldogs including Saint Mary's (next up) and BYU.
10. Florida Gators (10-2, LW 13) - The Gators looked nice early on but are climbing the ranks because of other reams losing.  Playing in a watered-down SEC they will have to win a lot of games decisively and not slip up against any of the middle teams to stay respected
11. Missouri Tigers (11-2, LW 12) - After a nice win over Illinois, Missouri fell to UCLA in OT and sneaked out a win over a strong Bucknell team.  Phil Pressey has been leading the charge of last with 19 points and 19 assists against UCLA and 26 points against Bucknell.
12. Illinois Fighting Illini (14-2, LW 10) - Illinois is starting to get a little shaky of late going 2-2 in its last 4.  They started conference play with an ugly loss to a bad Purdue team 68-61 but followed it up with a very impressive win over OSU 74-55.  They will get another test their next game at home against Minnesota.
13. Creighton Bluejays (14-1, LW 15) - The Missouri Valley Conference always has teams that sneak up on people once the tournament comes around but not this Creighton team.  Lead by Doug McDermott, who is third in the nation with 23.1 point per game, they will be a team to watch the rest of the season.
14. Notre Dame Fight Irish (14-2, LW NR) - Since losing early to Saint Joe's in OT, the Irish have picked up wins over BYU, Kentucky and most recently on the road at Cincinnati.  Jack Cooley has been a double-double machine averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds.  I bet their fans quickly turned their attention to the hardwood after the performance from their football team last night against Alabama in the BCS Championship game.
15. Ohio State Buckeyes (11-3, LW 9) - So apparently this team doesn't fair well against ranked opponents.  Their three toughest games have been their three losses (Duke, Kansas, Illinois).  The Buckeyes will have to find another scoring threat to go along with Deshaun Thomas or else the Big Ten season will be long and ugly for OSU.

Biggest Jump - Notre Dame up 4
Biggest Drop - Ohio State down 6

College Basketball Power Rankings: December 25

     Merry Christmas everyone!  This past week we saw the biggest shake up of top teams in the country as four took a loss, two for the first time this year.  In ranked matchups, Kansas took out Ohio State 74-66 and Missouri beat Illinois 82-73.  The biggest upset was Temple over Syracuse 83-79.  Here are my latest rankings.

1. Duke Blue Devils (11-0, Last Week 1) - The top-ranked Blue Devils disposed of Cornell and Elon on back-to-back nights.  Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry continue to be a great inside-outside tandem.
2. Michigan Wolverines (12-0, Last Week 2) - Michigan continues to get contributions from the entire team as four players average over 12 points per game.  After a 93-54 drubbing of Eastern Michigan, they finish with the directional schools in the state, taking on Central Michigan this week.
3. Louisville Cardinals (11-1, Last Week 4) - Rick Pitino's squad showed its defensive prowess holding FIU and WKU to 55 points.  They are rolling as a date with rival Kentucky looms this week.
4. Arizona Wildcats (11-0, Last Week 5) - The Wildcats opened up the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii with wins over ETSU and a solid Miami (Fl) team.  A game against San Diego State in the championship could prove a tough test.
5. Indiana Hoosiers (11-1, Last Week 6) - Since their loss to Butler, Indiana has taken their frustration out on lesser opponents Mount St Mary's and Florida Atlantic.  They still remain the nation's highest scoring team.
6. Kansas Jayhawks (10-1, Last Week 9) -The Jayhawks received a big boost after beating OSU in Columbus 74-66.  Ben McLemore scored 22 and seems to be improving each week.
7. Syracuse Orange (10-1, Last Week 3) - After getting coach Boeheim his 900th win, the Orange dropped a surprising game at Temple 83-79.  Michael Carter-Williams went 3-17 from the floor and 7-15 from the line, while their leading scorer James Southerland managed only six points.
8. Missouri Tigers (10-1, Last Week 15) - After watching the Tigers beat Illinois rather convincingly I'm starting to believe in this team.  They were able to control the paint as Laurence Bowers and Alex Oriakhi each posted a double-double and Mizzou had a 51-29 rebounding advantage.
9. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, Last Week 7) - OSU dropped a big game at home to Kansas as they were only able to shoot 31% from the field.  They have lost their only games to top ten teams but this was one the needed to show they can compete with the elite teams in the country.
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers (12-1, Last Week 11) - Minnesota has its eyes set on Michigan State on NYE.  I believe this team can contend for a Big Ten title and the Spartans will provide a good test.
11. Cincinnati Bearcats (12-0, Last Week 12) - The Bearcats looked good in the second half in a 60-45 win over in-state rival Xavier but they continue to shoot a poor percentage from the field, ranking 164th nationally.  Their defense is great, but it will be interesting to see what happens when they face a ranked team.
12. Illinois Fighting Illini (12-1, Last Week 10) - Illinois struggled mightily on offense shooting 33% while Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson combined for 8-31.  This was the first setback to a surprising start for this team.
13. Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-1, Last Week 13) - The Zags took care of Campbell now look towards playing two Big 12 teams in Baylor and Oklahoma State.
14. Florida Gators (8-2, Last Week 8) - Florida has dropped two of its last three after falling 67-61 to Kansas State.  This team looked good early on but is starting to stumble on the road.
15. San Diego State Aztecs (11-1, Last Week 14) - A win over Arizona in the championship in Hawaii will turn some heads for this team.

Biggest Jump - Missouri up 7
Biggest Drop - Florida down 6

College Basketball Power Rankings: December 19

     We entered last week excited about a Top 10 matchup between the Florida Gators and Arizona Wildcats but the Butler Bulldogs stole the headlines with their upset of the Indiana Hoosiers in overtime.  I expected that game to be highly contested but was definitely surprised to see Butler win and they showed us again that you never can count this scrappy team out.  Here are the top 15.

1. Duke Blue Devils (9-0, Last Week 1) - Duke is now the #1 team without debate after Indiana's loss and looks forward to playing their first game in 11 days against Cornell on Dec. 19 the first of a back to back with Elon.
2. Michigan Wolverines (11-0, Last Week 3) - John Beilein went against his old team, West Virginia, and handled them with ease.  Trey Burke is making a case for Player Of The Year after putting up 27 points, 8 assists, and 0 turnovers.  Next up, their neighbor, Eastern Michigan Eagles.
3. Syracuse Orange (10-0, Last Week 5) - Jim Boeheim recorded his 900th win on Monday making him the third coach in men's college basketball history to achieve that mark.  Michael Carter-Williams recorded his 5th straight double-double and is averaging 10.7 assists for the year.
4. Louisville Cardinals (9-1, Last Week 6) - They faced a 16-point first half deficit on the road at Memphis but scored 59 second half points to come out on top.  Now face two cupcakes before a matchup with Kentucky on Dec. 29.
5. Arizona Wildcats (9-0, Last Week 8) - After being down six with a minute left the Wildcats used three turnovers, a missed free throw, and a Mark Lyons lay-up to upset Florida at home.  This team is showing it's for real after a road win over Clemson on the road and now the Gators.
6. Indiana Hoosiers (9-1, Last Week 2) - Indiana ran into the upset minded Butler Bulldogs and couldn't hold their halftime lead.  Butler outplayed the Hoosiers down the stretch and won in OT.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1, Last Week 7) - They've been rolling opponents after their loss at Duke but this week brings the Kansas Jayhawks to Columbus.
8. Florida Gators (7-1, Last Week 4) - The Gators could not hold on late against Arizona and suffered their first loss of the season.  Good thing for them they next play 1-7 SE Louisiana before taking on Kansas State.
9. Kansas Jayhawks (9-1, Last Week 9) - Since their loss to Michigan State they have disposed of weaker competition very easily.  However, they travel this week to play another Big Ten team in Ohio State.
10. Illinois Fighting Illini (12-0, Last Week 10) - After a big win against Gonzaga, the Fighting Illini coasted past its next two opponents.  Now look forward to playing Missouri on the road.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (11-1, Last Week 11) - Trevor Mbakwe could find his way back in the starting lineup soon after posting 14 points and 18 rebounds against North Dakota State.  Next up Lafayette before starting Big Ten play against Michigan State.
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (10-0, Last Week 12) - Cincy remains unbeaten and the best rounding team in the country.  This week they take on in state rival Xavier, let's hope another brawl doesn't break out.
13. Gonzaga Bulldogs (10-1, Last Week 13) - The Zags dropped after losing to Illinois but rebounded nicely with a 68-52 win over a decent Kansas State squad.
14. San Diego State Aztecs (9-1, Last Week 14) - SDSU took down rival San Diego by 16 behind Jamaal Franklin who leads the team with 18.6 ppg and 9.7 rpg.
15. Missouri Tigers (9-1, Last Week 15) - The Tigers share the rebounding lead with Cincinnati at 46.1 per game and this week host a tough Illinois team.

Biggest Jump - Arizona up 3
Biggest Drop - Indiana and Florida down 4

College Basketball Power Rankings: December 11

     Not too much happened this week as most of the top teams had easy blowouts but the marquee match-up was Illinois at Gonzaga which we saw the Fighting Illini take in an upset 85-74.  With the Zags being the only team to lose not much has changed but here are the top 15.

1. Duke Blue Devils (9-0, Last Week: 1) - Duke had a week off before handling Temple 90-67.  Now they wait until Dec. 19 to play Cornell giving them 2 games in 18 days.  Plenty of rest for Coach K's team.
2. Indiana Hoosiers (9-0, Last Week: 2) - After posting a 100-69 win over Central Connecticut St, the Hoosiers are in line to take on in state rival Butler on Dec 15 which will be their last real test before starting Big Ten Conference play on Dec 31.
3. Michigan Wolverines (9-0, Last Week: 3) - The Maize and Blue coasted to wins over Western Michigan and Arkansas bringing their hot start to 9-0.  But they have a game against John Beilein's old team West Virginia looming later this week in Madison Square Garden.
4. Florida Gators (7-0, Last Week: 5) - The Gators beat their rivals Florida State in football on the road then a week later embarrassed the FSU basketball team on the road again 72-47.  However, a top 10 match-up at Arizona will provide a tough test.
5. Syracuse Orange (8-0, Last Week: 4) - In three games last week the Orange average margin of victory was 39.6 points.  The Orange are rolling behind a balanced team that is 3rd in points, 1st in rebounding, and 6th in assists per game.
6. Louisville Cardinals (8-1, Last Week: 6) - Speaking of blowouts, Louisville won its last 2 games by 52 points.  Next up is a road meeting with Memphis.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, Last Week: 7) - After an easy win over Long Beach St, the Buckeyes have a few more home snoozers before taking on Kansas next week.
8. Arizona Wildcats (7-0, Last Week: 9) - Arizona had a nice road win at Clemson 66-54 last week.  Now they'll have a week to prepare for a home showdown with the Florida Gators.
9. Kansas Jayhawks (7-1, Last Week: 10) - Rock Chalk Jayhawk cruised past Colorado 90-54 and welcome Belmont this week.
10. Illinois Fighting Illini (10-0, Last Week: 13) - The most surprising team keeps up the trend after upsetting Gonzaga in the Kennel last week behind the sharpshooting Brandon Paul's 35 points.  This week provides two easy match-ups before heading to Missouri next week.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-1, Last Week: 11) - The Gophers breezed by USC 71-57 giving Tubby Smith his 500th career victory.
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (9-0, Last Week: 12) - Cincy has looked good all year and has kept it going against soft competition lately behind consistent offense and strong defense.
13. Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-1, Last Week: 8) - Dropping 5 spots after a tough loss at home to Illinois, the Zags will look to get back on their winning ways against Kansas State.
14. San Diego St Aztecs (7-1, Last Week: 15) - The Aztecs jumped out to an early lead against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos with Chase Tapley leading the way going 6-8 from deep.  Next up at rival San Diego Toreros.
15. Missouri Tigers (8-1, Last Week: NR) - Frank Haith's squad struggled against then #2 Louisville earlier this year but has hit its stride.  Laurence Bowers is back off an injury averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds while UConn transfer Alex Oriakhi is posting 11 points and 8 boards.

Dropping out of the Ranks: Georgetown Hoyas (7-1, Last Week: 14) - I can't figure this team out.  After looking good against Texas winning 64-41 they squeak by Towson 46-40 shooting 29% at home.

Biggest Jump - Illinois up 3
Biggest Drop - Gonzaga down 5