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

Early NBA MVP Race

     We are a little past the midway point in the NBA season and a few weeks away from the All-Star break so it's time to take a look at the MVP race.  The last five years the debate has been dominated by LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, with Derrick Rose winning two years ago and Kevin Durant's name coming into the mix last year.

     Until a few weeks ago there were multiple guys that you could make an argument for to win the MVP.  But injuries have taken Chris Paul and Tim Duncan out of the conversation.  Paul has missed nine straight games and 12 out of the last 14 for the Clippers.  Paul still ranks second in assists (9.7) and first in steals (2.56) but his Clippers have dropped six of the last nine he's been out.  As for Duncan, he's missed six of the last eight for the Spurs due to a sore left knee and now a sprained ankle.  Timmy has his best numbers over the past three seasons (17.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.7 blocks) but even with him out of the lineup the Spurs have been able to run their winning streak to eleven.

     Let's first talk about Kobe and my question is where are all of his fans?  The past five years, Kobe fans have been loud and proud saying that he is the best player in the league, but this year they've been quiet.  That's mainly in part because his team is currently four games under .500 but his numbers are no different than any of the last five season.  Actually you can make the argument that they are better because he has a higher field goal percentage at 46% and more assists at 5.3.  But still nothing from the little mambas.  And the argument about Kobe being better because he has more rings than other players is the worst argument to make.  Rings don't make one player better than another.  If that was the case here is a list of all the players better than Kobe (who has 5 rings) with how many rings they've won.  Bill Russell (11), Sam Jones (10), John Havlicek (8), Tom Heinson (8), K.C. Jones (8), Tom Sanders (8), Robert Horry (7), Frank Ramsey (7), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar(6), Bob Cousy (6), Michael Jordan (6), Jim Loscutoff (6), Scottie Pippen (6).

     Now on to the actual MVP candidates.  Like I said earlier, Tim Duncan and Chris Paul have been playing great for title contending teams but their recent injuries have knocked them out of the top three.  So, Carmelo Anthony has moved into that spot as he's guided the New York Knicks to a 31-16 record and second place in the Eastern Conference.  The Knicks are one the surprise teams this year as they only managed to finish seventh in the East last season, Melo's first full season with the team.  In the first game this year, NY smashed the defending champions Miami Heat 104-84 behind Anthony's 30 points and 10 boards.  We weren't sure if it was a fluke but it became a trend as the Knicks have consistently won.  Carmelo himself is having his best scoring season since 2006-07 with Denver as he is second in the league at 28.5.  His field goal percentage is only at 45% but that is partly because he's taking 6.6 three pointers per game but he is shooting a career best 41.5% from distance.

     Coming in at #2 is Kevin Durant.  Durant is making the strongest case of his career for MVP as he's leading the league is scoring for the fourth straight season.  He is undoubtedly the best scorer and offensive player in the league.  This year he is on pace to be the only player ever to lead the league in scoring while shooting 50% from the field (51.7), 40% from three (42.2), and 90% from the free throw line (90.2).  Aside from all that offense he's averaging 7.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and over a block and steal per game.  All of this while leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the second best record in the league at 37-12, only behind San Antonio.  The fact of him putting up those offensive numbers and his team challenging for the best record in the league makes him a top candidate.  By the end of the year, Durant could very well come out as the MVP and I would have no problem at all with it.  His efficiency on the offensive end has been amazing to watch and he's improved his game every year he's been in the league.  If he doesn't get it this year, he definitely will sometime in the near future.

     My MVP right now though, is LeBron James.  LeBron has won three of the last four MVP awards and if you thought his numbers were good in those years, this season they are even better.  He's fourth in scoring at 26.8, pulling down a career best 8.2 rebounds, and dishing out 7.0 assists.  He's also leading the league in Player Efficiency Rating while shooting 55.6% from the field and 40.8% from deep, both career highs.  LeBron has steadily improved since joining the Heat but he does so many great things on the basketball court every night that we almost take it for granted.  He's the only player in the league to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.  He has the Heat in first place in the East at 32-14, positioned to make a run at a third straight NBA Finals appearance.  One thing I know is that voters like to share the wealth, they don't like voting for the same guy every year.  It's even less likely when Durant might do something for the first time in the history of the NBA.  But a good question to ask your self, if we are voting for the Most Valuable Player, which team would still be contending if these players were taken off their respective squads?  I would have to say OKC is more likely to still be in the mix.  I'll definitely take Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, and Kevin Martin over Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Ray Allen.  It's really hard for me to make this call because Durant is my favorite player to watch and I'll never be a fan of LeBron after what he did to the Pistons in the 2007 playoffs.  It's kind of like Michael Jordan, I'll never cheer for the guy but I totally respect his game.  And ultimately, right now my vote goes to LBJ.

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

Michigan Basketball: 2013 vs 1993

     Right now the Michigan Wolverines basketball team is ranked #1 in the country for the first time since the 1992-93 season, when the Fab Five were on the court.  Before the season started I posted that this is Michigan's best since that Fab Five team and they are proving that.  This weekend Michigan plays at #3 Indiana, but how would this year's team fare against its counterpart from 20 years ago?

2013 PG Trey Burke 6'0, 190 lbs, 17.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 7.1 apg
1993 PG Jalen Rose 6'8, 210 lbs, 15.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.9 apg

     This is the best matchup of the five positions.  Right now Trey Burke is the best point guard in the country and a top three overall player.  The thing I love about Burke is his low turnover rate.  He is averaging 7.1 assists and only 1.9 turnover per game.  Burke's ability to create his own shot while still getting his teammates involved is what sets him apart from other players.  Jalen Rose was a small forward playing point guard.  Rose was placed in the position because he was the best ball handler on the team but he was definitely a scorer.  His 6'8 frame was something that posed a lot of problems for opponents because he was able to post up smaller players and was usually too fast for bigger defenders.  Which is what Burke would have trouble with.  But his speed and quickness would also cause problems for Rose.  It's really close but I have to give it to Jalen.  I know Rose was never a player of the year candidate but he has the athletic ability and length to challenge Burke and I don't think Burke can handle him in the post.

2013 SG Nik Stauskas 6'6, 190 lbs, 12.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 49% 3FG
1993 SG Jimmy King 6'5, 210 lbs, 10.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg

     The shooting guard spot puts a shooter against an athletic slasher.  Nik Stauskas was the third piece of this years recruiting class behind Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary but he is proving his worth.  Stauskas is among the nation's leaders in three point percentage and still has the ability to drive and finish at the rim.  He does have decent size but it would be tough for him to contain Jimmy King's athleticism.  King was the high flyer for the '93 team and ran the fast break great with Rose.  He was their biggest three-point threat in the starting lineup and was a solid defender but it's really hard to overlook Stauskas' shooting ability.  The fact that he's able to hit half the threes he takes is more important than any dunk King can throw down.  Gotta take Nik, eh.

2013 SF Tim Hardaway Jr. 6'6, 205 lbs, 15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 48% FG
1993 SF Ray Jackson 6'6, 220 lbs, 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 49% FG

     Tim Hardaway Jr. has vastly improved his game between his sophomore and junior seasons because he's letting the offense come to him instead of forcing things.  It's evident in his shooting percentage as it's jumped from 42% to 48% from the field and 28% to 41% from three.  Hardaway is also the Jimmy King to Trey Burke as he runs the break exceptionally well.  Ray Jackson is the forgotten member of the Fab Five but he was the defensive stopper for the team.  He was also the last of the five to get into the starting rotation their freshman year.  Even though his D was solid, I still have to give the edge to Hardaway's superior offensive skills.

2013 PF Glenn Robinson III 6'6, 210 lbs, 12.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 60% FG
1993 PF Chris Webber 6'9, 245 lbs, 19.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.5 bpg

     Glenn Robinson III is a great athlete and isn't afraid to crash the boards as he is second on the team in rebounds.  He's a great fit for John Belein's offense because he doesn't mind playing down low and can be a math-up nightmare for the opposing team's power forward.  But, like Rose, he's playing out of position.  His natural spot is at small forward and unlike Rose, he can't make up for the sheer size and strength that Chris Webber brings to the table.  Webber was dominant in college averaging a double-double in both of his season at Michigan.  From the moment he stepped on the court he was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor as he also averaged 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks.  Robinson is a great prospect and will continue to improve, but he's fighting an uphill battle against a player that was drafted #1 overall.

2013 C Jordan Morgan 6'8, 250 lbs, 6.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.2 bpg
1993 C Juwan Howard 6'9, 240 lbs, 14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.6 bpg

     This is the most lopsided matchup we have.  Jordan Morgan is able to finish above the rim, a decent rebounder, but a below average defender.  Morgan has a lot of trouble creating his own offense unless he's set up by Burke.   Juwan Howard was a very skilled big man offensively and defensively.  He put up good numbers in '93 but they improved even more when Webber left and he averaged 20 points and 9 boards.  Howard also averaged well over 2 blocks per game in his time at Michigan.  Howard would be too much for Morgan to handle and would control the paint on both side of the ball.

2013 Bench - Mitch McGary, Caris LeVert, Jon Horford
1993 Bench - Eric Riley, Rob Pelinka, James Voskuil

      The bench for Michigan this year doesn't give them much outside of a rotation between Morgan, Mitch McGary and Jon Horford.  One thing I love about McGary though is his intensity.  The guy doesn't care if he's starting or coming off the bench, he's always going to play hard and be the first guy cheering his teammates on.  He reminds me of Kevin Garnett, the way he puts his heart into every game.  For the '93 team, Eric Riley was a great backup big man to have.  Before Webber and Howard arrived he averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.  As for Rob Pelinka and James Voskuil, they provided the occasional three but that's about it.

     I have to be honest, I think the 1993 team would have its way with the 2013 team.  Not to say the 2013 team couldn't win, but it would be tough.  The fact that the Fab Five would dominate the boards would be hard to overcome.  Not only did Webber and Howard do work on the glass, the rest of the starters all averaged over four rebounds a game.  The best chance the 2013 team has is if they are hitting from beyond the arc.  They have four players that can hit from distance and get hot on any given night.  One thing you have to remember about the Fab Five is not only did they have great careers in college but Webber, Rose, and Howard all went on to be 20 point scorers and play 10-plus years in the NBA.  In a seven game series I've got the '93 team in five.

Super Bowl XLVII...eh 47...Storylines

     The Har-Bowl, The Bro Bowl, The Super Baugh, or just The Super Bowl.  Whatever you want to call it this year, it's time for America's biggest sporting event.  This year we have the Baltimore Ravens taking on the San Francisco 49ers in New Orleans and the first ever meeting between head coaching brothers.  Now throw in this being the last game of Ray Lewis' illustrious career and his name being in another scandal, this time for performance enhancing drug use.  Also, backup quarterback turned starter, Colin Kaepernick is leading the 49ers and could possibly revolutionize the position.  The Super Bowl is never short of story lines and this year is no exception.

     These two teams are almost complete mirror images of each other.  Both have strong defenses, rely on the run and when the season started, both had quarterbacks that were asked to control the game and limit turnovers.  Alex Smith started the year at QB for the Niners until he suffered a concussion Week 9 against St. Louis.  At that time Smith was leading the league in completion percentage and San Francisco was 6-2.  In came Colin Kaepernick and the emergence of a young, agile quarterback made this team more potent offensively.  Both QB's started nine games and with Smith the 49ers offense averaged 23.6 points a game, with Kaepernick they improved to 28.5 per game.  Kaepernick provides a run element that every defense must prepare for.  With him at the helm, we've seen San Francisco run a lot of QB options out of the pistol formation.  This is the same offense Kaepernick ran at Nevada and could possibly change the perception of the QB position.  Back in the 90s the Niners won two Super Bowls with Steve Young who could gain yards with his legs but he was known as a scrambler.  We were amazed by Robert Griffin III's running ability in the regular season and now we are seeing it with Kaepernick as he rushed for 181 yards against Green Bay in the Divisional Round.  If he is able to pull off a Super Bowl victory it will get rid of any doubt there might be of a option quarterback making it in the NFL.

     In Ray Lewis' last playoff run he's leading the NFL in postseason tackles with 44.  However, his final curtain call is in the midst of PED allegations.  Lewis suffered a torn triceps Week 6 and is under suspicion of taking Deer Antler Spray, a banned substance in the NFL, to help with his recovery.  Lewis has adamantly denied using the spray since the story broke.  I have a feeling this story will die quickly before the actual game.  The media is so enamored with Ray Lewis (he's been their golden child throughout the playoffs) and don't want too much negative light being shined on him right now.  He has had a great career and is a sure fire hall of famer there's no question about it but he has had a checkered past.  Let's not forget he was on trial for an accessory to murder, however he did beat the case.  I know Wes Welker's wife hasn't forgotten.  The thing that helped Lewis regain popularity was his admittance to being wrong in the situation right away.  If after the Super Bowl it comes out that the report of his PED use is true I honestly wouldn't be surprised.  No athletes in any other sport as a whole have the size and speed of football players.  It's actually amazing to me that more stories of steroid use haven't came out in the NFL.  With how much scrutiny baseball gets, a sport where PED's wouldn't help as much as in football, it makes me wonder if the NFL is keeping certain things under wraps.  But, maybe that's just my conspiracy theory.  Regardless of the truth to the story, no matter what this is Ray Lewis' last game in the NFL and whatever his off the field issues were it's been a pleasure to watch him play and he will go down as one of the best defensive players ever.

     Back to the actual Super Bowl, I think it's all going to come down to which quarterback will be able to control the game against these tough defenses.  Colin Kaepernick has been playing extremely well, but he's about to face a Ravens defense that is finally healthy and playing how we are used to seeing them.  As I mentioned in a previous posting, multiple Ravens have missed time on the defensive side of the ball including Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata.  So their numbers aren't as good as past years but they have been playing like it lately.  Other than given up a kick and punt return for TD against Denver, this defense has been tough to score on.  They have forced eight turnovers in three games and held a potent Patriots offense scoreless in the second half of the AFC Conference Championship.  If they are able to stop Kaepernick's mobility it will give them a great chance of winning.  Baltimore's QB Joe Flacco has also been playing well in the playoffs but hasn't been matched up with a defense like the 49ers.  Flacco has been solid, throwing for eight touchdowns and zero interceptions.  Now he must face Patrick Willis and the best defense in the league.  Like the Ravens, the Niners defense has pro-bowlers at every level with Justin Smith on the D-line, Willis, Navarro Bowman and Aldon Smith at linebacker, and Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner at DB.  So far Flacco's decision making has been stellar and he's been connecting with his all his receivers for big plays each game.  I think this will be a close one all the way til the end each team holding a lead in the 4th quarter.  But, ultimately the Baltimore Ravens will stop Kaepernick and the 49ers offense enough times to pull off the Super Bowl upset 24-21 and send Ray Lewis out like John Elway with his second championship.

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