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 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 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 29

     The final full week of January felt like the final week in March as there were plenty of ranked teams going down.  While top teams fell, Michigan continued to win and is ranked #1 in the AP Poll for the first team since the Fab Five in 1992.  As for the ones who lost, 8 of last weeks top 15 suffered a loss and powerhouse Louisville lost both of their games last week.  Here we go.

1. Michigan (19-1, LW 1) - Michigan handled Purdue and Illinois easily last week but this Saturday they will have the chance to validate themselves as the best team in country.  The Wolverines travel to #4 Indiana as these top teams in the Big Ten meet in what could determine the conference championship.
2. Kansas (19-1, LW 3) - After a tough win at rival K-State, the Jayhawks extended the nation's longest winning streak against Oklahoma to 17.  Kansas is also garnishing #1 votes and only have 1 more game on their schedule against a ranked team
3. Florida (16-2, LW 6) - In conference play, Florida has outscored opponents 74.6-48.1 in 6 games.  I don't care if the SEC isn't as good as years past that is still very impressive.  That's all you need to know.
4. Indiana (18-2, LW 7) - The Hoosiers had a great win at home over a good Michigan State team 75-70.  Victor Oladipo tallied 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 blocks.  He is shooting 66% from the field, 55% from three and is the MVP of that team, not Cody Zeller.  They now travel to Purdue before hosting #1 Michigan.
5. Syracuse (18-2, LW 2) - After wins on Louisville and Cincinnati they lost to Villanova in overtime 75-71.  The Orange will have a week to regroup before heading to Pittsburgh.
6. Gonzaga (19-2, LW 10) - The Zags blew out a solid BYU team 83-63 behind Kelly Olynyk's 26 points on 9-9 from the field and 8-8 from the line.  Their schedule is easy until a February 14 game at Saint Mary's.
7. Duke (17-1, LW 4) - The road got to the Blue Devils again as they were routed by Miami 90-63.  It was one of the worst losses ever by a #1 ranked team.  Duke has two more road games this week at Wake Forest and Florida State before a rematch with NC State.
8. Arizona (17-2, LW 8) - Arizona was beaten at home by UCLA 84-73 and were never really in the game.  They came back with a 74-50 win over USC and now hit the road to face both Washington teams.
9. Louisville (16-4, LW 5) - Since being ranked #1 Louisville has dropped three straight to Syracuse, Villanova, and Georgetown.  But ended that drought Monday with a 64-61 win over Pitt as Russ Smith put in 20 points and Gorgui Dieng added 14 points and 12 boards.
10. Butler (17-3, LW 9) - The Bulldogs took the lead against La Salle with 8 seconds left but couldn't get a stop as the Explorers went the length of the floor for a lay-up of their own and the 54-53 win.  However, Butler's leading scorer Rotnei Clarke returned against Temple with 24 points and 9 assists.
11. Oregon (18-2, LW 14) - Still standing as the last undefeated tam in the Pac-12, the Ducks have stayed under the radar and handled their business.  They don't see Arizona or UCLA again so they have a chance to remain without a loss.
12. Michigan State (17-4, LW 12) - MSU earned a huge road win at Wisconsin couldn't make the comeback at Indiana despite 21 from Gary Harris.  A home matchup with Illinois should get Sparty back on track.
13. Miami FL (15-3, LW NR) - The biggest win last week went to Miami disposing of then #1 Duke.  They remain the only undefeated team in the ACC but travel to Va Tech and NC State this week.
14. Ohio State (16-4, LW 15) - OSU rebounded from a loss to MSU with two wins last week and took out Wisconsin tonight 58-49.  The Buckeyes are still trying to find a consistent scorer to compliment Deshaun Thomas who is averaging 20 points a game.
15. Missouri (15-4, LW NR) - The Tigers creep back into the rankings but only by default because so many team in this range lost.  They are still playing without leading scorer Laurence Bowers but were still able to dispose of South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Biggest Jump - Miami FL up 10
Biggest Drop -  Kansas State down 6

New Editions - #13 Miami FL, #15 Missouri
Old News - Kansas State, Minnesota

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: 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

College Basketball Power Rankings: December 4

     Last week we saw four major conferences go head to head in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge and the SEC-Big East Challenge.  The Big Ten-ACC games were the most anticipated headlined by Duke-Ohio State, which Duke came out on top 73-68.  After seeing the majority of the top 25 in action against quality opponents we learned a lot about what these teams have to offer.  Here are my top 15 College Basketball Power Rankings.

1. Duke Blue Devils (8-0) - With wins over then ranked #3 Kentucky, #2 Louisville, and #4 Ohio State it's hard not to put this team at the top.  Mason Plumlee is playing like a player of the year candidate averaging 19 points and 11 rebounds so it's hard to argue against Duke as the best team in the country.
2. Indiana Hoosiers (8-0) - It was hard for me to knock IU out of the top spot, especially after a 24-point blow out of North Carolina, so let's call them 1-B.  They are the nation's highest scoring team and their POY candidate Cody Zeller has had plenty of help from Victor Oladipo, Jordan Hulls, and Christian Watford as this is a balanced offensive attack.
3. Michigan Wolverines (7-0) - After winning the NIT Season Tip-Off the Wolverines followed it up with a solid win over North Carolina State.  Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. have improved from last year and the additions of Glenn Robinson III and Nik Stauskas make this team the most talented perimeter team in the country.
4. Syracuse Orange (5-0) - The Orange have replaced Kris Joseph and Dion Waiters with the emergence of James Southerland and Michael Carter-Williams.  Southerland is a top sixth man averaging almost 17 points off the bench and Carter-Williams is stuffing the stat sheet posting 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 3.7 steals per game.
5. Florida Gators (6-0) - Coming off a 33-point drubbing of Marquette, this balanced inside-outside team has won every game by double digits and an average of 25 points.  Their next two games, at rival Florida State and at Arizona will tell us how good they could be.
6. Louisville Cardinals (6-1) - After a 23-point win over then #13 Missouri and a five point loss to then #5 Duke, Rick Pitino's squad struggled to get a three point home win over Illinois State.  With Gorgui Dieng out with injury Louisville will rely even more on Peyton Siva and Russ Smith.
7. Ohio State Buckeyes (5-1) - OSU took an eight point halftime lead at Duke but subsequently fell 73-68 after giving up 50 2nd half points.  Deshaun Thomas has filled in nicely after the departure of Jared Sullinger averaging 21 points and 6 rebounds.
8. Gonzaga Bulldogs (8-0) - The Zags have five players averaging double digits and lead the nation in field goal percentage as a team.  Their eight wins have been by an average of 28 points.
9. Arizona Wildcats (5-0) - They have been great on offense ranking 6th in points (85.2), 6th in assists (18.2), and 5th in field goal percentage (.523) in the nation.  But we don't get a good barometer for this team until December 15th when it hosts Florida.
10. Kansas Jayhawks (6-1) - Since an early three point loss to Michigan State, Kansas has looked good but against lesser competition.  They have a few more games at home before traveling to Columbus for a matchup with Ohio State.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-1) - Rodney Williams is one of the best athletes in the country and with Trevor Mbakwe trying to work his way back from an ACL injury this team is on its way up.
12. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-0) - Cincy has been solid all year being lead by Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright.  They are dominating the glass ranking 3rd in the country in rebounding and doing it collectively as no player averages more than 6.4 per game.
13. Illinois Fighting Illini (8-0) - Starting the season unranked this team has recorded convincing double digit wins over USC, Butler, and Georgia Tech.  However, their game on December 8th at Gonzaga will tell us even more about them.
14. Georgetown Hoyas (5-1) - After taking the #1 Indiana Hoosiers to overtime on the road, this team caught everybody's attention.  Their 37-36 win over Tennessee raised some eyebrows again, but in a negative way.
15. San Diego State Aztecs (6-1) - SDSU opened the season with a 13-point loss to then #9 Syracuse.  Since then they have played well behind the leadership of Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley.