The Double Bonus

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Wednesday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 4 Ohio State 93, No. 9 Florida 75
Um, Ohio State is going to be really, really good. That’s the only thing you can say after watching the Buckeyes destroy the Gators in Gainesville. David Lighty had 26 points while freshman sensation Jared Sulllinger had another double-double, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 boards as the Buckeyes blitzed the defensively-challenged Gators in the second half, outscoring the home team by 21 over the final 20 minutes. Apparently all it took for the Buckeyes to look like world-beaters was a fiery halftime speech by Thad Matta.

No. 3 Kansas State 73, No. 22 Virginia Tech 57
It was a close game for 30 minutes before things got out of hand for the Hokies. Tech didn’t necessarily play a bad game if you’re judging by the final score. But they definitely didn’t play a good game.  Too many turnovers – Malcolm Delaney had 10 by himself – and an inability to matchup physically with Kansas State was Tech’s undoing. They also failed to take advantage of Jacob Pullen spending only a few minutes on the floor in the first half thanks to foul trouble and far too often settled for poor perimeter shots. I liked when Frank Martin had Will Spradling handling the point and Pullen back at the 2. That’s where Pullen thrived last year. Let’s see if Martin gives the two more time on the floor together.

No. 25 San Diego State 79, No. 11 Gonzaga 76
Teams just don’t go up to Spokane and win but that’s what the Aztecs did in impressive fashion Tuesday behind Billy White’s career-high 30 points. Gonzaga suffered just its fifth home loss since 2004 as the Bulldogs were out-rebounded badly, allowing 18 offensive boards which San Diego State turned into 24 second chance points. Steven Gray’s 35 for Gonzaga wasn’t enough as the Aztecs showed that the preseason hype surrounding them wasn’t all talk. Steve Fisher’s team can really play.

Links

Gordon Hayward, where have you gone? Butler looked awful against Louisville last night and Rick Bozich says this year’s squad isn’t the Butler of last year. [FoxSports.com]

Jared Sullinger for Player of the Year? [CBSSports.com]

Michigan State was out-rebounded by South Carolina, but still pulled out the win against the Gamecocks. [Free Press]

Speaking of Michigan State, Delvon Roe is starring on a different kind of stage. [USA Today]

Baylor, minus LaceDarius Dunn as he serves a suspension, got a little more than it bargained for with La Salle. [Philadelphia Daily News]

Some stats from ESPN’s 25 straight hours of basketball. [ESPN.com]

Charles Barkley opining on the NCAA Tournament? It’s happening this March. [AP]

Courtesy of Vegas Watch, check out these hype clouds. [Audacity of Hoops]

Tonight’s Can’t Miss Games

Take the night off after 25 straight hours of quality college basketball actions. As for the Top 25, No. 24 BYU, No. 19 Memphis and No. 14 Purdue all take on cupcakes tonight.

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Tuesday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 19 Memphis 72, Miami 68
The Tigers were in trouble last night as they kicked off ESPN’s Tip-Off Marathon by hosting the Canes. Trailing with about two minutes to go, Chris Crawford finally nailed a 3-pointer to put the Tigers ahead in a game that featured may more fouls than it did made shots. The two teams combined for 58 fouls and just 39 field goals. Memphis was badly out-rebounded and dodged a bullet in this one. Canes could have easily won this game but I was impressed with Memphis’ Antonio Barton. While his brother, Will, was one of coach Josh Pastner’s big recruiting hauls, Antonio has plenty of talent on his own. Keep an eye on him this season.

No. 20 Georgetown 69, Tulane 53
Not much to report in this one. The Hoyas hit 12-of-29 from beyond the arc and rolled past Tulane as they debuted their new-guard oriented offense for the home crowd. Austin Freeman, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, finished with a game high 23 points.

No. 7 Kansas 79, Valparaiso 44
Biggest surprise in this one? Kansas wasn’t as dominant on the boards as you would expect. The Jayhawks only out-rebounded Valpo 47-33 and had 15 turnovers. So Bill Shelf has something to work on with his team following a game that was otherwise a laugher. Marcus Morris was the catalyst for the Jayhawks, scoring 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting. Kansas has now won 61-straight home games, one shy of the school record.

Links

The Steve Lavin era at St. John’s started with a loss in the early morning hours on the road to Saint Mary’s. [NY Daily News]

Can you say embarrassing? Georgia Tech falls big to Kennesaw State. [AJC]

Washington‘s Isiah Thomas had some interesting things to say about his Pac-10 brethren. [Seattle PI]

Duke‘s Kyle Singler does more than just knock down jumpshots. [The Dagger]

Today’s Must See Games

No. 22 Virginia Tech at No. 3 Kansas State
Line: Kansas State -6
KenPom: Kansas State -6
TV: 4 pm, ESPN
Kansas State has national title hopes while some people are picking Viriginia Tech to reach the Final Four. Both teams come off lackluster season debuts and the big question for Kansas State entering this one is how much big man Curtis Kelly will play? Head coach Frank Martin hinted Sunday that Kelly might not see much, if any, action Tuesday afternoon. Martin sat him out for the season opener for reasons that haven’t been brought to light. Would he really do it again against a ranked opponent?

No. 4 Ohio State at No. 9 Florida
Line: Florida -2
KenPom: Ohio State -1
TV: 6 pm, ESPN
The biggest game of the early season, by far, pits two top 10 teams meeting each other in their second game of the season. Florida is stacked returning most of its talent from a team that made the NCAA Tournament last year while Ohio State features the highly touted freshman Jared Sullinger who will have to step in – as best he can – for the departed Evan Turner. Sullinger had an impressive first game, going for 19 and 14 while the Gators allowed UNC Wilmington to shoot a disappointing 47 percent from the field in their season opener. If Ohio State shoots 47 percent from the field let’s just say Florida won’t be waltzing to an easy victory like they did against UNCW. Last time these two met as ranked opponents, it was the national title a three years back.

No. 16 Butler at Louisville
Line: Louisville -2
KenPom: Louisville -4
TV: 8 pm, ESPN
No Gordon Hayward for the Bulldogs who help the Cardinals open up a new gym, the KFC Yum! Center. Rick Pitino had himself a very trying and embarrassing off-season so no one is more ecstatic to get the season underway than the Cardinals coach. This is the season opener for Louisville while the Bulldogs already have a game under their belt. Butler features three starts and two reserves from last year’s national runner-up squad so don’t expect much drop-off from last year. Sure, Hayward was their best player but Butler will be right back in the NCAA Tournament and don’t be surprised if you see them in the Sweet 16. Louisville, on the other hand, is a middle of the pack Big East team this year. And for the first time in 15 years, Edgar Sosa won’t be giving Pitino fits on the sidelines.

South Carolina at No. 2 Michigan State
Line: Michigan State -16
KenPom: Michigan State -16
TV: 10 pm, ESPN
What you need to know about South Carolina: No Devan Downey. You remember Downey, the do it all point guard for the Gamecocks who pretty much single-handedly upset Kentucky last year? Have fun replacing his 22-plus points per game. Spartans should have no trouble handling the Gamecocks.

Indeed. It’s about that time.

The 2010-11 college basketball season kicks off next week and instead of writing a 1,000 long winded previews on the 300-plus teams and endless number of conferences that just about everyone else out there has already written, I figured I’d look at things a little differently.

Based on the odds, of course.

So here’s a look at how the guys out in Vegas have handicapped the race to win the 2011 NCAA Tournament with a quick breakdown of each team’s chances.

Duke senior Kyle Singler avearged 17.7 points per game last year. (AP)

Duke
10-11 Odds: 4-1
Last Year: National Champs (35-5)
Key Returnees: Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, The Plumlee Brothers
Why They Can Win It All: Well, aside from bringing back Singler and Smith, you may have heard about this freshman that Coach K is raving about. Does the name Kyrie Irving ring a bell? He’s a point guard? Nothing? If you don’t know him you will shortly. Cutting to the chase, the Blue Devils are just plan loaded.
Why They Won’t Win It All: A freshman point guard? Other than that you’re really are grabbing at straws to find a reason why the Blue Devils won’t repeat.

Kentucky
10-11 Odds: 8-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (35-3)
Key Returnees: Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins
Why They Can Win It All: John Calipari lost a ton of talent from last year’s team. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe were all one-and-done. But that hasn’t stopped Calipari from bringing in another awesome class of impact freshmen, led by Brandon Knight, Cal’s next big-impact freshman point guard, and Enes Kanter, a European big man who may have to sit some games before he’s allowed to suit up.
Why They Won’t Win It All: I said throughout last year that Kentucky’s inexperience would cost them in the NCAA Tournament and it did dearly against West Virginia. Same rule applies with this year’s team.

Michigan State
10-11 Odds: 9-1
Last Year: Final Four
Key Returnees: Kalin Lucas, Delvon Roe, Durrell Summers
Why They Can Win It All: A healthy Lucas is one of the most clutch players in the nation and this team returns a ton of experience having been to two straight Final Fours. Plus, this being a Tom Izzo team, you know they’re going to be one of the nation’s best defensive teams.
Why They Won’t Win It All: The loss of Raymar Logan will be significant along with the dismissal of Chris Allen. Health will be the biggest issue for the Spartans. Stay healthy and this team should make it to its third straight Final Four.

Kansas State
10-11 Odds: 10-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (29-8)
Key Returnees: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels
Why They Can Win It All: A great core returns, led by Pullen, one of the top point guards in the country, and they have some big bodies who can score and rebound underneath. Head coach Frank Martin likes his class of sophomores and expects big contributions from them.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Pullen is transitioning back to the point guard spot after the Wildcats lost the services of Denis Clemente. Expectations have never been higher for K-State. While this is an experienced team, can they handle the increased pressure following last year’s run to a regional final?

Memphis
10-11 Odds: 13-1
Last Year: NIT (24-10)
Key Returnees: Will Coleman, Wesley Witherspoon
Why They Can Win It All: Ask the experts and many will tell you that Memphis – and not Kentucky or North Carolina or Duke – has the top freshman class in the nation. With the likes of Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford, there’s a lot to be excited about with the Tigers. The wing play should be overwhelming and controlling the boards, which was a big problem last year, should be significantly improved this year.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Inexperience at so many key positions and while the non-conference schedule is impressive with games against Kansas, Georgetown, Tennessee and Gonzaga, C-USA will once again be underwhelming meaning the Tigers will be relatively lightly tested by the time they get to March.

North Carolina
10-11 Odds: 13-1
Last Year: NIT (20-17)
Key Returnees: Ed Davis, Marcus Ginyard, Deon Thompson
Why They Can Win It All: The Tar Heels are bringing in the nation’s top freshman in Harrison Barnes who some have already tabbed as the player of the year. High praise, indeed, but Barnes is going to have a huge impact. So will freshman Reggie Bullock whose shooting range will give defenses big problems. The nightmare season of last year is behind them and all the Injuries and inexperience are in the rear view mirror.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Frontcourt depth will be an issue with the Heels. And just like Kentucky, relying on freshmen to deliver when the going gets tough can be a recipe for disaster.

Purdue
10-11 Odds: 15-1
Last Year: Sweet 16 (29-5)
Key Returnees: E’Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson
Why They Can Win It All: Moore and Johnson are a dynamic duo up front for the Boilermakers but let’s be serious about their odds…
Why They Won’t Win It All: No Robbie Hummel means no real shot at the Final Four. The Boilermakers heart and soul was on his way to making a comeback from season-ending knee surgery late last season but the forward re-injured the knee – in the first practice of the new season – and should miss the entire season. A crushing blow to a team that pretty much had it’s title hopes dashed on Day 1.

Texas
10-11 Odds: 15-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 1st Round (24-10)
Key Returnees: J’Covan Brown, Jordan Hamilton, Dogus Balbay
Why They Can Win It All: N/A
Why They Won’t Win It All: At 15-1, Vegas is being very, very generous with the Longhorns. Truth be told, this team really should be in the 25-1 range. They’re not that good. Rick Barnes is coming off his self-described worst coaching job of his career plus three of the team’s top four scorers from last season are gone.

Villanova's Corey Fisher avearged 13.3 points per game last season.

Villanova
10-11 Odds: 16-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (25-8)
Key Returnees: Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Antonio Pena
Why They Can Win It All: The Wildcats appear to be the cream of the Big East crop with yet another ultra-talented backcourt led by Fisher and Stokes. Fisher will probably handle most of the point guard duties while Stokes will thrive on the wing. When the Wildcats are hitting their shots they’re going to be ridiculously tough to take down. Motivation should be high after last year’s very disappointing exit in the second round of the Tournament.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Defense was an issue with the Wildcats last year and it probably will be this year. As offensively talented as Villanova is – despite not having Scottie Reynolds – they’re decidedly lacking on the defensive end. Head coach Jay Wright will have to develop some defensive toughness with this team after it was sorely missing last year.

Pittsburgh
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (25-9)
Key Returnees: Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown
Why They Can Win It All: I wouldn’t say that Pitt overachieved last year, but let’s just say the kind of regular season the Panthers put together wasn’t expected. Pitt returns just about all of its scoring from last year and expect really big things from Wanamaker who moves over from the three spot to the two. Jamie Dixon is probably the most underrated coach in a BCS conference. If you don’t believe me, just check out his winning percentage in Big East play.
Why They Won’t Win It All: The Panthers always seem to underachieve. Despite Dixon’s regular season brilliance in his seven seasons at the helm, Pitt hasn’t gotten to the next level, i.e. the Final Four. And keep an eye on frontcourt play. The bodies down low aren’t gong to overwhelm the nation’s best and they showed last year that they can be maddeningly inconsistent.

Kansas
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (33-3)
Key Returnees: Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, The Morris Twins
Why They Can Win It All: The Jayhawks have plenty of talent this year, so what’s new? Josh Selby is the freshman to look out for in the backcourt, although Selby still isn’t cleared to play yet. A lot will be expected of the Morris boys who will have to step up into the considerable leadership void. Truth be told, there are more reasons to say no than yes with this team.
Why They Won’t Win It All: As much talent as this team will feature they’ve lost a ton from last year’s loaded squad. No more Cole Aldrich or Sherron Collins. Forty-nine percent of its scoring from last year is gone and that’s a lot of overcome. Also there’s the track record. Why does Kansas perpetually underachieve?

Baylor
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (28-8)
Key Returnees: LaceDarius Dunn, Anthony Jones, Quincy Acy
Why They Can Win It All: The Bears might have the best shooting guard in the country in Dunn. And the rest of the Bears are pretty good as well, including forwards Acy and Jones. Unfortunately, Dunn’s status with the team is still undetermined. With an early fall domestic abuse incident, Dunn is cleared to practice but suspended from competition indefinitely.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Three starters are gone from last year’s squad, including big man Ekpe Udoh and the valuable Tweety Carter. Point guard will be a question mark and how will the Bears deal with the added weight of big expectations? Baylor had a season for the ages under Scott Drew last season. Equaling that same success is going a tough, tough job. It’ll be impossible if Dunn misses significant time.

Other Notables With Long Odds: Butler (28-1), BYU (50-1), Connecticut (50-1), Florida (20-1), Florida State (60-1), Georgetown (22-1), Gonzaga (50-1), Illinois (22-1), Louisville (20-1), Missouri (48-1), Ohio State (25-1), Syracuse (28-1), Washington (55-1), West Virginia (55-1)

In college basketball, the polls don’t really matter that much. So for argumentative purposes here’s what I think the newest AP Top 25 should look like when it’s released Monday afternoon – the final one of the regular season.

1. Kansas (29-2, 15-1 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 2
Last Week: Defeated No. 5 Kansas State, @ Missouri
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Jayhawks return to their rightful place as the nation’s top team.

2. Kentucky (29-2, 14-2 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 3
Last Week: Defeated @ Georgia Florida
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Wildcats will be the No. 1 seed in the South Region when the brackets are released next Sunday.

3. Syracuse (28-3, 15-3 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 1
Last Week: Defeated St. John’s, Lost @ Louisville
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Short stay for the Orange atop the rankings. Still like them to get to Indy for the Final Four but they’re not the best team in America.

4. Duke (26-5, 15-3 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 4
Last Week: Lost to No. 22 Maryland, Defeated North Carolina
This Week: ACC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Duke earned a share of its 12th ACC regular season title after it handed the Tar Heels their worst loss in Durham in the storied rivalry’s history.

5. West Virginia (24-6, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated No. 19 Georgetown, @ No. 8 Villanova
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Mountaineers have picked up some impressive wins down the stretch. Still think their guard play is a little suspect, but I think they’re an Elite Eight team.

6. Kansas State (24-6, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 5
Last Week: Lost @ No. 2 Kansas, Defeated Iowa State
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Wildcats may have blown their chance at securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but expect them to make a big run in the dance. Some think they’re overrated. I’m not one of them.

7. Ohio State (24-7, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 6
Last Week: Defeated Illinois
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Nice to see that everyone pretty much has Evan Turner as their player of the year. No one has been more valuable to their team.

8. Villanova (24-6, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 8
Last Week: Defeated @ Cincinnati, Lost to No. 10 West Virginia
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Wildcats aren’t exactly generating a lot of buzz entering the postseason. But I guarantee no one wants to play them.

9. Michigan State (24-7, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 11
Last Week: Defeated Penn State, Michigan
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Spartans earned a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State and Purdue with a drubbing of the Wolverines Sunday. Still don’t like the way Michigan State is playing as they head into postseason play. But don’t count out Kalin Lucas and Tom Izzo.

10. New Mexico (28-3, 14-2 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated TCU
This Week: MWC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
The Lobos as a No. 2 seed in the tournament? Looks like it’s going to happen.

11. Purdue (26-4, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 7
Last Week: Defeated Indiana, @ Penn State
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No.2  seed)
Boilermakers did alright in their first full week without Robbie Hummel. But then again look who they played.

12. Vanderbilt (23-7, 13-4 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 13
Last Week: Defeated @ Florida, Lost to South Carolina
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
The drop off after the first seven or eight teams is pretty steep. No way a team of Vanderbilt’s caliber should be this high but it’s just one of those years…

13. Pittsburgh (24-7, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 17
Last Week: Defeated Providence, Rutgers
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 2 seed)
If Jim Boeheim wasn’t having the kind of season he and the Orange are having, Jamie Dixon would be a lock to pick up Big East Coach of the Year honors.

14. Gonzaga (26-5, 13-2 WCC)
Pvs. AP: 18
Last Week: Defeated CSU-Bakersfield, Loyola Marymount
This Week: WCC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Bulldogs look on their way to adding yet another WCC Tournament title to the mantle.

15. Tennessee (23-7, 11-5 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 16
Last Week: Defeated Arkansas, Lost @ Mississippi State
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 5 seed)
Tough to figure out the Vols. One week they’re knocking off Kentucky the next week losing badly to a bubble team. They’re not going anywhere in the tournament.

16. Wisconsin (23-7, 13-5 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 15
Last Week: Defeated Iowa, @ Illinois
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Badgers will be very familiar with their first round opponent in the Big Ten tourney having just played them Sunday.

17. BYU (28-4, 13-3 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 14
Last Week: Defeated @ Utah, @ TCU
This Week: MWC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Cougars fans are a little worried about Jimmer Fredette after the PG has scored just 32 in his last three games, well off his average.

18. Butler (27-4, 18-0 Horizon)
Pvs. AP: 12
Last Week: Defeated Wisconsin-Milwaukee
This Week: Wright State (Horizon Tournament Championship Game)
Many eyes will be on Tuesday’s game. Horizon is a one-bid league so if the Bulldogs lose that means an an at-large invitation will be off the board.

19. Maryland (23-7, 13-3 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 22
Last Week: Defeated No. 4 Duke, @ Virginia
This Week: ACC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Terps got a little revenge against the Blue Devils at home Wednesday and look forward to round No. 3 with their hated rivals in the conference championship game.

20. Baylor (24-6, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 21
Last Week: Defeated @ Texas Tech, Texas
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Bears have quietly had a very good season. I guarantee you no one had Baylor pegged as the league’s third best team when the year started. In fact, the media picked them to finish 10th. Scott Drew’s doing quite a job in Waco.

21. Temple (26-5, 14-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: 20
Last Week: Defeated @ Saint Louis, George Washington
This Week: A-10 Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Anyone else rooting for a Temple-Xavier showdown in the A-10 championship game?

22. UTEP (24-5, 14-1 C-USA)
Pvs. AP: 24
Last Week: Defeated @ Marshall, UAB
This Week: C-USA Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Miners wrapped up the C-USA regular season crown with two good wins, especially the one on the road against Marshall.

23. Georgetown (20-9, 10-8 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 19
Last Week: Lost @ No. 10 West Virginia, Defeated Cincinnati
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 8 seed)
Sad news about Austin Freeman but hopefully the diagnosis will help him feel better and in turn get the Hoyas playing better basketball. Team is capable of making a big tournament run.

24. Texas A&M (22-8, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 23
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Not expecting much out of the Aggies when the tournament rolls around but they’ll be a tough out.

25. Notre Dame (21-10, 10-8 Big East)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated Connecticut, @ Marquette (OT)
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 7 seed)
Don’t know how the Irish are doing it without Luke Harangody (who just returned from a five game absence) but they’re beating everyone right now and should be heading to the NCAA Tournament.

Others Who Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Marquette, Mississippi State, Louisville, Xavier

In college basketball, the polls don’t really matter that much. So for argumentative purposes here’s what I think the newest AP Top 25 should look like when it’s released Monday afternoon.

1. Kansas (27-2, 12-1 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 1
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma, Lost to @ Oklahoma State
This Week: No. 6 Kansas State, @ Missouri
Not penalizing the Jayhawks for a conference road loss, their first of the season. Personally, I think you’ll have a hard time justifying putting anyone ahead of Kansas.

2. Kentucky ( 27-2, 12-2 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 2
Last Week: Defeated South Carolina, Lost to No. 19 Tennessee
This Week: @ Georgia, Florida
See above, only this was Kentucky’s second conference road loss.

3. Syracuse (27-2, 14-2 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 4
Last Week: Defeated @ Providence, No. 7 Villanova
This Week: St. John’s, @ Louisville
The Orange dismantled Villanova at home in front of a record crowd and pretty much clinched the Big East regular season title.

4. Duke (25-4, 12-2 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 5
Last Week: Defeated Tulsa, @ Virginia
This Week: @ Maryland, North Carolina
Very much looking forward to Duke being bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This team is not going anywhere, despite what some others would rather have you believe.

5. Kansas State (24-4, 11-3 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 6
Last Week: Defeated @ Texas Tech, Missouri
This Week: @ No. 1 Kansas, Iowa State
Wildcats have quietly positioned themselves to steal a No. 1 seed if things break in their favor over the next two weeks.

6. Purdue (24-4, 12-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 3
Last Week: Defeated @ Minnesota,
This Week: Indiana, @ Penn State
Terrible that the Boilermakers lost Robbie Hummel and I’m not really sure how much you should punish them for it.

7. Villanova (23-5, 12-4 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 7
Last Week: Defeated South Florida, Lost to No. 4 Syracuse
This Week: @ Cincinnati, No. 8 West Virginia
I’m sure many feel the Wildcats should be penalized for the thrashing Syracuse handed them Saturday. But can’t justify putting WVU ahead of Nova considering Nova  beat the Mountaineers a few weeks ago.

8. West Virginia (22-6, 11-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 8
Last Week: Lost to @ Connecticut, Defeated Cincinnati
This Week: No. 11 Georgetown, @ No. 7 Villanova
Mountaineers can leapfrog the Wildcats if they beat them in Philly next weekend.

9. Ohio State (23-7, 13-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 9
Last Week: Defeated @ Penn State, Michigan
This Week: Illinois
Evan Turner for Player of the Year. I don’t even think it’s much of a debate.

10. New Mexico (27-3, 13-2 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated @ Colorado State, @ No. BYU
This Week: TCU
That win in Provo against the Cougars was tough. Lobos are going to be a dangerous team in the tournament.

11. Michigan State (22-7, 12-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 14
Last Week: Defeated @ Indiana
This Week: Penn State, Michigan
Spartans are tied atop the Big Ten with Ohio State.

12. Pittsburgh (22-7, 11-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 12
Last Week: Lost @ Notre Dame, Defeated @ St. John’s
This Week: Providence, Rutgers
Panthers ran into the buzzstorm that is Notre Dame who are knocking off ranked teams – minus Luke Harangody – like it’s nothing special.

13. Vanderbilt (22-6, 11-3 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 16
Last Week: Defeated Georgia, @ Arkansas
This Week: @ Florida, South Carolina
Have I mentioned before how much I like Jermaine Beal’s game? Can be inconsistent, but when he’s on…

14. Georgetown (19-8, 9-7 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 11
Last Week: Defeated @ Louisville, Lost to Notre Dame
This Week: @ West Virginia, Cincinnati
Trying to figure out Georgetown is harder than quantum physics.

15. Tennessee (21-7, 9-5 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 19
Last Week: Lost to Florida, Defeated No. 2 Kentucky
This Week: Arkansas, @ Mississippi State
Just when I thought the Vols were a dead team…

16. Gonzaga (24-5, 12-2 WCC)
Pvs. AP: 18
Last Week: Defeated Santa Clara, San Francisco
This Week: CSU Bakersfield
All the Bulldogs are focused on is earning a spot in the first-second round pod in hometown Spokane.

17. Wisconsin (21-7, 11-5 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 17
Last Week: Defeated Northwestern, Indiana
This Week: Iowa, @ Illinois
Unassuming Badgers will enter the tournament just as that.

18. Texas A&M (20-8, 9-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 22
Last Week: Lost to @ No. 24 Baylor, Defeated No. 21 Texas
This Week: Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma
Would not be shocked to see the Aggies slip into the Sweet 16.

19. Butler (26-4, 18-0 Horizon)
Pvs. AP: 15
Last Week: Defeated @ Valporaiso
This Week: Horizon League Tournament
Bulldogs’ regular season came to end Friday night. Now get ready for conference tournament. Bubble teams will keep a close eye on Horizon because Butler’s an at-large if they don’t win the tournament.

20. Temple (24-5, 12-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: 20
Last Week: Defeated Dayton, @ La Salle
This Week: @ Saint Louis, George Washington
Owls may have dealt a fatal blow to Dayton’s at-large chances with that victory in the middle of the week.

21. BYU (26-4, 11-3 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 13
Last Week: Defeated San Diego State, Lost to No. 10 New Mexico
This Week: @ Utah, @ TCU
Remember, the Cougars will be playing on the first day of the tournament. BYU does not compete on Sundays.

22. Xavier (21-7, 12-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ Saint Louis, No. 23 Richmond
This Week: @ Fordham, St. Bonaventure
Musketeers sit atop the A-10 with Temple after taking down Richmond in OT.

23. Baylor (22-6, 9-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 24
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 22 Texas A&M, @ Oklahoma
This Week: @ Texas Tech, No. 21 Texas
Bears in three-way tie for third place in the Big 12 with Missouri and A&M.

24. Louisville (19-10, 10-6 Big East)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated No. 11 Georgetown, @ Connecticut
This Week: @ Marquette, No. 4 Syracuse
Cardinals have turned it on the last few weeks. Officially punched their ticket to the tournament with that win against Connecticut.

25. Texas (22-7, 8-6 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 21
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma State, Lost to No. 22 Texas A&M
This Week: Oklahoma, @ No. 24 Baylor
If my memory serves me correctly, this was a national title contender, right? Injuries have decimated Longhorns like no other.

Others Who Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Marquette, Notre Dame, UTEP

We’re a month away from the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The stretch run is here. And things start off with a BracketBuster game that could go a very long way toward determining the fates of plenty of bubble teams.

Saturday

Siena at No. 18 Butler
KenPom: Butler -8
TV: ESPN2, 11 am
The biggest of all the BracketBuster games, although this matchup lost a little bit of its luster when the Saints fell to Niagara on the road last week. Butler seems like a sure bet to lock up an NCAA Tournament at-large bid should they not win the Horizon League Tournament. But the same can’t be said for Siena. If the Saints want to leave themselves any wiggle room than they’re going to need to knock off the Bulldogs because at this point in the season it looks like it’s MAAC Tournament champs or bust.

Xavier at Charlotte
KenPom: Xavier -7
TV: CBS College Sports, 2 pm
As quickly as Charlotte was on top of the A-10 they have been relegated to the middle of the pack and another conference loss might end any chance they have at winning the conference’s regular season title. Xavier sits at 9-2 in the league, tied with Temple, and one game behind conference leading Richmond. Charlotte, meanwhile, find itself in third place these days having dropped two straight and no longer are considered a safe bet to make the field of 65. They need to keep winning, preferably against teams that would look great on their resume (i.e. Xavier) because there’s no way the league’s going to get close to the 5-to-6 teams like into the dance some were predicting a few weeks ago.

Illinois at No. 4 Purdue
KenPom: Purdue -12
TV: ESPN, 4 pm
Remember when the Boilermakers had that three-game losing streak in early January and had seemingly fallen out of contention in the Big Ten? Well, thanks to eight straight wins in league play Purdue finds itself tied with Big Ten leader Michigan State in the loss column. No one is playing better right now in the conference than the Boilermakers and it has many starting to talk about this team being Final Four material. I’m not buying that considering how small the Boilermakers are up front. But they do have one hallmark of a championship team: Defense. Ken Pomeroy has the Boilermakers fourth in his adjusted defensive efficiency ratings.

No. 2 Kentucky at No. 17 Vanderbilt
KenPom: Kentucky -1
TV: ESPN, 6pm
Vanderbilt would like to have that game in Rupp Arena back. You remember it. The one they lost by 13 because of the Cats’ dominance a few weeks ago. Well, with revenge on the mind, the Commodores will look to pull even in the SEC East standings with the Wildcats. John Wall and company head to Nashville for their second straight road game after an emotional win Tuesday at Mississippi State. Vanderbilt’s going to have to figure out how to stop DeMarcus Cousins inside because they didn’t come close to containing the big man last time out. And it would help if A.J. Ogilvy, Vandy’s center, stayed out of foul trouble and was a little more assertive on the offensive end after attempting just four shots in that Jan. 30 game.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 21 Temple at Saint Joseph’s, Seton Hall at No. 8 West Virginia, No. 20 Tennessee at South Carolina, No. 22 Baylor at Oklahoma State, No. 15 Texas at Texas Tech, No. 7 Kansas State at Oklahoma, No. 13 Gonzaga at Pepperdine

Sunday

No. 3 Villanova at No. 19 Pittsburgh
KenPom: Pittsburgh -3
TV: CBS, Noon
How will Villanova bounce back from that upset loss to Connecticut Monday night? It’s not going to be easy as the Wildcats continue their death march through their heavily backloaded Big East schedule. The Panthers come into this one with recent wins over West Virginia and Marquette, having seemingly put those struggles from a few weeks ago behind them. Villanova needs this one to keep pace with Syracuse in the Big East standings.

No. 9 Ohio State at No. 11 Michigan State
KenPom: Michigan State -1
TV: CBS, Noon
This game could have been for first place in the Big Ten but Ohio State had to go and ruin things by losing to Purdue Wednesday night. But it’s not like the Buckeyes aren’t still in the race. Sitting just a game behind the Spartans, and half a game behind Purdue, Ohio State is in the thick of one of the most hotly contested races the conference has seen in recent memory. It’ll be fun to watch Evan Turner, the soon to be Big Ten Player of the Year (in my opinion), battle it out with Kalin Lucas, last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year.

Virginia Tech at No. 6 Duke
KenPom: Duke -13
TV: FSN, 7:45 pm
Duke will easily be a double-digit favorite when the lines are posted for this one because they’ve been annihilating everyone at home this season. Closest game in Cameron Indoor Stadium so far? A nine-point win over St. John’s back in December. But Virginia Tech currently sits at No. 2 in the ACC standings, just a game back in the loss column. I sincerely hope all the talk about the Hokies being a bubble team is over and done with. If they’re not a tournament team it’ll be a disgrace. But if they really want to silence all the critics, beating Duke on the road would be a hell of a way to do it.

Others To Keep An Eye On: Northwestern at No. 14 Wisconsin

In college basketball, the polls don’t really matter that much. So for argumentative purposes here’s what I think the newest AP Top 25 should look like when its released Monday afternoon.

1. Kansas (24-1, 10-0 Big 12)
Pvs AP: 1
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 14 Texas, Iowa State
This Week: @ Texas A&M, Colorado
Can Sherron Collins get more pub for Player of the Year?

2. Kentucky (24-1, 9-1 SEC)
Pvs AP: 3
Last Week: Defeated Alabama, No. 12 Tennessee
This Week: @ Mississippi State, @ Vanderbilt
Wildcats hit the road for two tough ones. How will the freshmen respond? Kentucky plays four of their next five away from Rupp Arena.

3. Syracuse (24-2, 11-2 Big East)
Pvs AP: 2
Last Week: Defeated Connecticut, Lost to Louisville
This Week: @ No. 7 Georgetown
Syracuse could have lost two games at home this week, but as is the loss to the Cardinals dropped the Orange from first place in the Big East. Syracuse is just not playing that well lately. Clearly they were due for a loss and Jim Boeheim hinted as much leading up to Sunday’s upset.

4. Duke (21-4, 9-2 ACC)
Pvs AP: 8
Last Week: Defeated @ North Carolina, Maryland
This Week: Virginia Tech, Tulsa
If Duke played every game at home they’d be the undisputed No. 1. They’re seriously unbeatable in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Two more home games this week, two more double digit wins for the Blue Devils.

5. Villanova (22-2, 11-1 Big East)
Pvs AP: 4
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 5 West Virginia, Providence
This Week: Connecticut, @ No. 25 Pittsburgh
Brutal final stretch of the regular season continues this week for the Wildcats. Syracuse’s loss is Villanova’s gain. Wildcats back in first place in the conference.

Purdue's Robbie Hummel. (AP)

6. Purdue (21-3, 9-3 Big Ten)
Pvs AP: 6
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 10 Michigan State, Iowa
This Week: @ No. 13 Ohio State, Illinois
The Boilermakers lack of size doesn’t matter in Big Ten play but it’s definitely going to cost them in March. No shot this team reaches Indianapolis.

7. Kansas State (20-4, 7-3 Big 12)
Pvs AP: 9
Last Week: Defeated Colorado
This Week: Nebraska, @ Oklahoma
Kansas State has fallen off the national radar thanks to a lull in its schedule. They will in two more weeks with back-to-back matchups with Missouri and Kansas.

8. Georgetown (18-6, 8-5 Big East)
Pvs AP: 7
Last Week: Defeated @ Providence, Lost to @ Rutgers
This Week: No. 2 Syracuse, @ Louisville
The Hoyas can’t wait to get another crack at the Orange after that embarrassing loss in the Carrier Dome a few weeks and put yet another puzzling and disappointing loss to the Scarlet Knights behind them.

9. Wisconsin (19-6, 9-4 Big Ten)
Pvs AP: 11
Last Week: Lost to Illinois, Defeated Indiana
This Week: @ Minnesota, Northwestern
The Badgers had a rare hiccup at home, falling to the Illini but redeemed themselves with a spanking of the Hoosiers. Trevon Hughes’ play is getting overshadowed by Evan Turner and Kalin Lucas.

10. West Virginia (19-5, 8-4 Big East)
Pvs AP: 5
Last Week: Lost to No. 4 Villanova, @ No. 25 Pittsburgh
This Week: @ Providence, Seton Hall
Rough week for the Mountaineers as their up and down season continues.

11. Michigan State (20-6, 10-3 Big Ten)
Pvs AP: 10
Last Week: Lost to No. Purdue, Defeated @ Penn State
This Week: @ Indiana, Ohio State
Lucas’ sprained right ankle is getting better by the day which means the Spartans should be back to playing the kind of ball that staked them out to a 9-0 start in Big Ten play shortly.

12. Ohio State (20-6, 10-3 Big Ten)
Pvs AP: 13
Last Week: Defeated @ Indiana, @ Illinois
This Week: No. 6 Purdue, @ No. 10 Michigan State
Ohio State’s easy part of the schedule is over and done with. Two very tough games await them this week. Buckeyes already beat Purdue, haven’t yet seen Michigan State.

13. Gonzaga (21-4, 9-1 WCC)
Pvs AP: 16
Last Week: Defeated Saint Mary’s, San Diego
This Week: @ Loyola Marymount, @ Pepperdine
Bulldogs get to visit two of the most beautiful campuses in the country this week where they’ll surely pick up two more wins.

14. New Mexico (23-3, 9-2 MWC)
Pvs AP: 15
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 23 UNLV, Utah
This Week: Wyoming, Air Force
Great win on the road against the Rebels who beat the Lobos earlier in the season. New Mexico now firmly sitting in first place in the MWC.

15. Texas (20-5, 6-4 Big 12)
Pvs AP: 14
Last Week: Lost to No. 1 Kansas, Defeated Nebraska
This Week: @ Missouri, @ Texas Tech
If the overall talent in the college game was any better there’s no way Texas would be a Top 20 having lost five of their last eight.

16.  Vanderbilt (19-5, 8-2 SEC)
Pvs AP: 22
Last Week: Defeated No. 12 Tennessee, LSU
This Week: @ Mississippi, Kentucky
Commodores can’t wait to get another shot at the Wildcats, this time in Nashville.

17. Baylor (19-5, 6-4 Big 12)
Pvs AP: 24
Last Week: Defeated @ Nebraska, Missouri
This Week: Texas Tech, @ Oklahoma State
That was a very important win for Baylor against the Tigers, keeping the Bears in the hunt for a second place finish in the Big 12.

18. Pittsburgh (19-6, 8-4 Big East)
Pvs AP: 25
Last Week: Defeated Robert Morris, No. 5 West Virginia 3 OT
This Week: @ Marquette, Villanova
Just when I was ready to totally write off the Panthers, they get their revenge on the Mountaineers with a triple overtime thriller.

19. Wake Forest (18-5, 8-3 ACC)
Pvs AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated BC, No. 20 Georgia Tech
This Week: @ Virginia Tech, @ N.C. State
The Demon Deacons sits just one game back from conference leader Duke.

20. Temple (20-5, 8-2 A-10)
Pvs AP: 21
Last Week: Lost to @ Richmond, Defeated Rhode Island
This Week: @ St. Bonaventure, @ Saint Joseph’s
The Owls have dropped a few notable games in the conference, and relinquished the league lead, but the body of work allows them to be here.

Texas A&M's Donald Sloan. (AP)

21. Texas A&M ( 18-6, 7-3 Big 12)
Pvs AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated Texas Tech
This Week: No. 1 Kansas, @ Iowa State
Aggies deserve to be ranked having won six of their last seven and an RPI of 12.

22. Tennessee (18-5, 6-4 SEC)
Pvs AP: 12
Last Week: Lost @ No. 22 Vanderbilt, @ No. 3 Kentucky
This Week: Georgia, @ South Carolina
You normally don’t punish teams this severely for two road losses against Top 25 teams, especially in conference play, but did you see how they failed to show up against the Commodores? At least they put up a fight with the Wildcats.

23. Butler (23-4, 16-0 Horizon)
Pvs AP: 18
Last Week: Defeated @ Youngstown State, @ Cleveland State
This Week: Illinois-Chicago, Siena
All eyes will be focused on the Butler-Siena BracketBuster matchup coming up Friday.

24. BYU (23-3, 8-2 MWC)
Pvs AP: 17
Last Week Lost to @ No. UNLV, Defeated Air Force
This Week: @ Colorado State, @ Wyoming
Can’t penalize the Cougars for losing at UNLV where pretty much everyone does these days.

25. UTEP (19-5, 10-1 C-USA)
Pvs AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ SMU, East Carolina
This Week: @ Tulsa, @ Southern Miss
Miners owns a nine-game winning streak and first place in Conference USA.

Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order: Richmond, Virginia Tech, Marquette, Illinois

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Thursday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 2 Syracuse 72, Connecticut 67
It was a lot closer than just about anyone expected. UConn actually did a very good job against Syracuse’s 2-3 zone, but a questionable timeout granted to the Orange with 38 seconds left and poor execution on the Huskies final possession was the difference. UConn came ridiculously close to pulling off the big upset, coming back from 16 down in the second half to tie the game, but the Orange closed it out, despite being badly out-rebounded in the second half and not having a huge game from Andy Rautins or Wes Johnson. No moral victories for UConn. They needed this one badly and let a huge opportunity slip by.

No. 8 Duke 64, North Carolina 54
The top rivalry in college basketball was pretty competitive until the final few minutes. But Duke got itself a gritty road win because they dominated on the offensive glass and hit a bunch of threes – despite just shooting 31 percent. While Carolina was right in the thick of things, it was more of the same: Poor execution. Roy Williams had been critical about the Tar Heels’ effort the past few weeks, but I think he has to be happy with their effort Wednesday. Jon Scheyer led the way for the Blue Devils with 26 points while Kyle Singler added 17. Duke now gets set to host Maryland in showdown for first place in the ACC Saturday in Durham.

No. 15 New Mexico 76, No. 23 UNLV 66
The Lobos are now the top team in the MWC after a surprisngly easy win in the Thomas & Mack Center where the Rebels had only lost twice before this season. UNLV did get a double-digit deficit down to just two with 3:38 to go, but Darrington Hobson made sure the Lobos did not falter with his 16 points. 13 rebound performance. With the win, New Mexico assumed first place in the MWC, taking a half game lead over BYU while UNLV dropped to third.

Links

More turmoil in the A-10. League leader Charlotte lost to Dayton while Richmond picked up a huge road win at Rhode Island. We now have a three-way tie for first between Charlotte, Richmond and Xavier.

We know what Roy Williams was trying to say here before the Duke-UNC game, but he could have put it better. [WRAL]

The inside storyon the NCAA violations that Arizona committed. [SI.com]

The Dagger takes a look at some of the teams the Pac-10 should go after if they’re seriously expanding. [Yahoo.com]

Isiah Thomas has been having some trouble attracting fans to FIU games. Big trouble. [Miami News-Times]

Tonight’s Must See Games

You’re going to have to strain to find a game you absolutely have to watch Thursday, which is highly unusual. But if you want to stay up late, Saint Mary’s at No. 16 Gonzaga just might be the most entertaining game of the night. And probably the most important. Saint Mary’s actually leads the WCC with an 8-1 mark while the Zags sit a half game behind, but Saint Mary’s dropped the first matchup in the season series at home. Both teams like to score and happen to be ranked very closely in Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency ratings. Pomeroy is predicting a 4-point Gonzaga victory. Notre Dame and Seton Hall face off in a game neither can afford to drop in their quest for an NCAA Tournament berth while No. 18 Butler hits the road to face Youngstown State.