The Double Bonus

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 (22-1, 8-0 Big 12)
Pvs: 1
Last Week: Defeated @ Colorado OT, Nebraska
This Week: @ No. 9 Texas, Iowa State
The Jayhawks survived a pesky Colorado team on the road and took care of business at home. No reason to move them from the top line.

2. Syracuse (23-1, 10-1 Big East)
Pvs: 2
Last Week:  Defeated Providence, @ Cincinnati
This Week: Connecticut, Louisville
Just like the Jayhawks, the Orange did what they had to do. The win at Cincy was surprisingly easy as the Orange pounded the Bearcats.

3. Kentucky (22-1, 7-1 SEC)
Pvs: 4
Last Week: Defeated Mississippi, @ LSU
This Week: Alabama, Tennessee
John Wall looked like the John Wall of a month ago and the Wildcats cruised to two relatively easy victories. The win against the Rebels was only a touch tougher than the laugher they had in Baton Rouge. Big showdown looms with the Vols next weekend in Rupp.
 
4. Georgetown (17-5, 7-4 Big East)
Pvs: 7
Last Week: Lost to USF, Defeated No. 2 Villanova
This Week: @ Providence, @ Rutgers
Clearly the Hoyas were looking ahead to Villanova. That’s the only way to explain how they lost to the Bulls in the middle of the week at home. Because if you watched how Georgetown took apart Villanova offensively – coupled with their beatdown of Duke a few weeks back – then you know the loss to red-hot USF was an aberration.

West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler. (AP)

5.  West Virginia (19-3, 8-2 Big East)
Pvs: 6
Last Week: Defeated No. 22 Pittsburgh, @ St. John’s
This Week: No. 2 Villanova, @ No. 22 Pittsburgh
West Virginia doesn’t like to do things easy. In fact, they like to spot their opponents about 10-15 points heading into halftime before they decide to really play in the second half. But it hasn’t mattered over their current six-game winning streak. Tough week for the Mountaineers with Nova coming to town and then the second installment of the Backyard Brawl where you can bet the refs will have a quick whistle to prevent any of last week’s chippiness from returning.  

6. Villanova (20-2, 9-1 Big East)
Pvs: 2
Last Week: Defeated Seton Hall, Lost to @ No. 7 Georgetown
This Week: @ No. 6 West Virginia, Providence
Villanova is a very good offensive team, but they showed they’re a seriously flawed defensive team Saturday. Georgetown had no problems scoring in the paint and exploiting opportunities around the basket.  Tough turnaround for the Wildcats Monday night with a trip to Morgantown. That easy schedule they’ve cruised through the Big East so far turns decidedly harder starting this week.

7. Duke (19-4, 7-2 ACC)
Pvs: T-10
Last Week: Defeated No. 21 Georgia Tech, @ Boston College
This Week: @ North Carolina, Maryland
Seriously, Duke looks like a machine at home. On the road, it’s a very different story. The rivalry with UNC this year will be slightly muted with the Tar Heels struggles, but it’ll be interesting to see how they play against the struggling defending national champs.

8. Kansas State (19-4, 6-3 Big 12)
Pvs: T-10
Last Week: Defeated @ Nebraska, @ Iowa State
This Week: Colorado, Nebraska
The second best team in the Big 12? Is that really even a debate at this point? The Wildcats will continue to enjoy a mini-break in their conference schedule.

9. Purdue (19-3, 7-3 Big Ten)
Pvs: 8
Last Week: Defeated Penn State, @ Indiana
This Week: @ No. 5 Michigan State, Iowa
Kalin Lucas should be back for Michigan State in the Big Ten’s marquee matchup this week that have huge implications on the standings.

10. Wisconsin (18-5, 8-3 Big Ten)
Pvs: 16
Last Week: Defeated No. 5 Michigan State, @ Michigan
This Week: Illinois, Indiana
They’re just steady with the basketball – mostly deliberate – and a sure thing at home. The Badgers are 133-10 under Bo Ryan in games played in the Kohl Center.

11. Michigan State (19-5, 9-2 Big Ten)
Pvs: 5
Last Week: Lost to @ No. 16 Wisconsin, Illinois
This Week: No. 8 Purdue, @ Penn State
It’s all about Lucas for Michigan State. If he’s healthy, they’re the best team in the Big Ten. If he’ not, then the Spartans don’t have a go-to guy down the stretch of games they can rely on. Few matter more to their team than Lucas. He should be good to go for the Tuesday matchup with Purdue.

12. Tennessee (18-4, 6-2 SEC)
Pvs: 14
Last Week: Defeated @ LSU, South Carolina
This Week: @ No. 21 Vanderbilt, @ No. 4 Kentucky
It’s Hell Week for the Vols. Two rivals, two teams that would love to pound Tennessee, especially the Commodores. Bruce Pearl would sign for 1-1 in a heartbeat.

13. Ohio State ( Big Ten)
Pvs: 13
Last Week: Defeated Penn State, Iowa
This Week: @ Indiana, @ Illinois
The Buckeyes are enjoying a lull in their schedule and taking full advantage of it while Evan Turner racks up big numbers.

Gonzaga's Matt Bouldin. (AP)

14. Gonzaga (19-4, 7-1 WCC)
Pvs: 17
Last Week: Defeated Portland, @ Memphis
This Week: St. Mary’s, San Diego
Gonzaga showed you something, knocking off Portland Thursday night and then traveling all the way to Memphis for a Saturday afternoon game against the Tigers in which they solidified their top 15 status with an impressive win.

15. New Mexico (21-3 , 7-2 MWC
Pvs: 15
Last Week: Defeated San Diego State
This Week: @ UNLV, @ Utah
They’ve won seven straight and sit atop the MWC in a three-way tie with BYU and UNLV. Things pick up for the Lobos with two tough games on the road, including that big one with the Rebels in Vegas who just took down BYU.

16. Maryland (16-6, 6-2 ACC)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ Florida State, North Carolina
This Week: Virginia, @ No. 10 Duke
I know it’s a huge jump up for the Terps and many might call me crazy for having them this high, but I’m going to give them some props for being neck and neck with Duke for first place in the ACC. We’ll really see what Maryland is made of this week with two tough games, especially the one in Cameron.

17. Texas (19-4, 5-3  Big 12)
Pvs: 9
Last Week: Defeated @ Oklahoma State, Lost to @ Oklahoma
This Week: No. 1 Kansas, Nebraska
Texas has proven itself to be nothing more than an average Big 12 team. Were they really No. 1 two weeks ago?

18.  UTEP (17-5, 8-1 C-USA)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated Houston, Tulsa
This Week: @ SMU, East Carolina
The Miners lead Conference USA after beating Tulsa Saturday night in a showdown for first place. On a seven-game winning streak, UTEP is now in the driver’s seat to secure what figures to be C-USA’s only NCAA Tournament bid.

19. Charlotte (18-5, 8-1 A-10)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated George Washington, Fordham
This Week: @ Dayton, Duquesne
Everyone know who’s leading the Atlantic 10 right now? That would be the 49ers, owners of a seven-game winning streak that includes victories over Richmond and Temple.

20. Northern Iowa (21-2, 12-1 MVC)
Pvs: 24
Last Week: Defeated Wichita State, Southern Illinois
This Week: @ Drake, @ Bradley
By knocking off Wichita State, and exacting a little revenge from their earlier loss to the Shockers’, UNI now is firmly entrenched as the top team in the Missouri Valley. Wichita sits three games behind the Panthers in the loss column.

21. Siena (20-4, 13-0 MAAC)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated Iona
This Week: Fairfield, @ Niagara
Owners of the nation’s longest winning streak at 12, it’s time that Siena break through into the rankings. They should cruise into their BracketBuster matchup at Butler in two weeks with a 15-game winning streak at hand.

22. Temple (19-5, 7-2 A-10)
Pvs: 19
Last Week: Defeated Duquesne, Lost to @Richmond
This Week: Rhode Island
Temple no longer is on top of the A-10 after two losses the past two weeks and if they don’t want to slip down any further in the standings then they’re going to have to complete the season sweep of of the Rams next weekend in Philly.

23. Rhode Island (19-3, 7-2 A-10)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ La Salle, UMass
This Week: Richmond, @ Temple
Very tough week for URI with Richmond then Temple on the schedue. But the Rams have come out of nowhere to stick their nose in the thick of the A-10 race and appear well on their way to securing an NCAA Tournament bid should they keep winning.

24. BYU (22-3, 7-2 MWC)
Pvs: 12
Last Week: Defeated TCU, Lost to @ UNLV
This Week: Air Force, Colorado
The Cougars lost another one on the road to one of the Mountain West’s top teams and the latest defeat to the Rebels was nothing short of a beatdown.

25. Butler (20-4, 13-0 Horizon) 
Pvs: 23
Last Week: Defeated Detroit, Wright State
This Week: Loyola (Ill.), @ Youngstown State
Butler took care of business as expected. One of only six teams still undefeated in their conference.

Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Cornell, UNLV, USF

With rumors swirling that the NCAA is on the verge of expanding the NCAA Tournament from a nearly perfect 65 teams to a ridiculous 96 teams, the debate has raged. Media members and fans alike think its an absurd idea while many coaches think it’s great.

I, like so many others, wonder why the powers that be in college basketball want ruin a good thing? Some of the many reasons why increasing the number of teams in the NCAA Tournament is a bad idea:
* Why reward teams for mediocre seasons, like college football’s bowl system does?
* Why devalue the regular season when there are already complaints about its importance?
* It would zap the buzz around the conference tournaments.
* Who wants to fill out that gigantic bracket for their office pool?

And there are plenty more. But we all know the reason why things would change: $$$$$$$$. And it all depends on what the NCAA decides to do with the Tournament’s television contract that could be up for bidding this summer. If you’re not up to speed about the ongoings, check out the SportsBusiness Journal for the best rundown of the posturing.

But if you’re wondering what a 96-team NCAA Tournament would look like this year, you’re in luck. The boys at Rush The Court did a fine job putting together a bracket and a breakdown of all the second-tier teams that would make the Tournament if Selection Sunday were Wednesday. And the results are not pretty.

Ready to have a Tournament that features all 12 ACC teams? Thirteen teams from the Big East, four of which have sub-.500 conference records (Notre Dame, Providence, Seton Hall and UConn)? William & Mary that has four losses in CAA play? A Louisiana Tech team that has no wins against a Top 50 RPI program and a SOS of 324? Three – THREE?!?! – teams from the abysmal Pac-10?  

Yeah, can’t wait to see that. What a joke…

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

Kansas PG Sherron Collins. (AP)

1. Kansas (20-1, 6-0  Big 12)
Pvs: 2
Last Week: Defeated Missouri, @ No. 11 Kansas State
This Week: @ Colorado, Nebraska
Sherron Collins doesn’t get much talk for POY consideration, but if you watched the Jayhawks point guard take over in OT against K-State Saturday night then you know there might not be a tougher player in the nation. 

2. Syracuse (21-1, 8-1 Big East)
Pvs: 4
Last Week: Defeated No. 7 Georgetown, @ DePaul
This Week: Providence, @ Cincinnati  
Some would argue that Villanova should be ranked ahead of the Orange in the polls. Not if you look at the Wildcats’ defensive numbers. They pale in comparison to Syracuse’s. And again, no other Big East team has as much talent as the Orange.

3. Kentucky (20-1, 5-1 SEC)
Pvs: 1
Last Week: Lost @ South Carolina, Defeated No. 21 Vanderbilt
This Week: Mississippi, @ LSU
Kentucky finally dropped its first game of the season thanks to the heroics of Devan Downey’s 30-point performance. But the Cats put that loss behind them in rather destructive fashion, blowing right by Vandy. When DeMarcus Cousins plays hard, it’s going to be practically impossible to beat Kentucky.

4. Villanova (19-1, 8-0 Big East)
Pvs: 3
Last Week: Defeated Notre Dame
This Week: Seton Hall, @ No. 7 Georgetown
The Wildcats had an easy week, but that upcoming showdown with Georgetown is going to be very telling. I’ll be curious to see how ‘Nova can handle the size of the Hoyas down low. Duke had problems and ‘Nova is not a very big team down low.

5. Georgetown (16-4, 6-3 Big East)
Pvs: 7
Last Week: Lost to No. 4 Syracuse, Defeated No. 8 Duke
This Week: USF, No. 4 Villanova
They looked bad against Syracuse and great against Duke. Somewhere in between is the real Georgetown.

6. Michigan State (19-3, 9-0 Big Ten)
Pvs: 5
Last Week: Defeated Michigan, Northwestern
This Week: @ No. 16 Wisconsin, @ Illinois
The Spartans have all but locked up the conference. Sure four teams have three losses, but do you see the Spartans dropping four or five of their remaining nine games? Didn’t think so.

7. West Virginia (17-3, 6-2 Big East)
Pvs: 9
Last Week: Defeated @ DePaul, Louisville
This Week: Pittsburgh, @ St. John’s
Seems like West Virginia likes to do things the hard way after they climbed from another double digit deficit at home to knock off Louisville. As long as Da’Sean Butler keeps hitting shots they’re going to be a Final Four threat.

8. Kansas State (17-4, 4-3 Big 12)
Pvs: 11
Last Week: Defeated Baylor, Lost to No. 2 Kansas
This Week: @ Nebraska, @ Iowa State
They move up, despite the loss to Kansas, because they’ve showed that they belong amongst the nation’s best. I do, however, think the Wildcats are a little immature. They get a little too emotional on the court and that could very well cost them come March.

9. Purdue (18-3, 6-3 Big Ten)
Pvs: 10
Last Week: Defeated No. 16  Wisconsin, Penn State
This Week: @ Indiana
Purdue has an easy week ahead with a quick trip to meet the Hoosiers. The Wisconsin win was a lot closer than it should have been and Purdue is lucky it didn’t get nipped at the end.

10. Duke (17-4, 5-2 ACC)
Pvs: 8
Last Week: Defeated Florida State, Lost to No. 7 Georgetown
This Week: No. 22 Georgia Tech, @ Boston College
Predictibly, the Blue Devils were knocked around by a bigger Georgetown team. Duke maybe Top 10 material now, but there’s no way this team sneaks into the Final Four. Are they even really Sweet 16 material at this point? That Thursday night Georgia Tech game will be another example of how woefully unathletic Duke is.

11. Texas (18-3, 4-2 Big 12)
Pvs: 6
Last Week: Defeated Texas Tech, Lost to No. 24 Baylor
This Week: @ Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma
Texas is a mess right now, having lost three of their last four games. Rick Barnes needs to settle on a rotation that doesn’t involve almost the entire team and the Longhorns need to fatten up on some conference patsies – which is precisely what they’ll get this week. But, being that they’re road games, they’re not exactly gimmes the way Texas has been playing.

12. Ohio State (16-6, 6-3 Big Ten)
Pvs: 20
Last Week: Defeated @ Iowa, Minnesota
This Week: Penn State, Iowa
Ohio State makes a huge jump up. Not because of the blowout wins this past week, but because of what they could very well be rounding into: The second best team in the Big Ten, ahead of Purdue if the Boilermakers aren’t careful. And the Buckeyes schedule gets a little easier over the next week and a half. They’re going to rack up some very easy wins.

13. Tennessee (16-4, 4-2 SEC)
Pvs: 14
Last Week: Lost to No. 21 Vanderbilt, Defeated Florida
This Week: @ LSU, South Carolina
The Vols were bound to hit a rough patch and they did, culminating with that loss to Vandy at home. But they rebounded with a tough win against a scrappy Florida team Sunday. As long as Wayne Chism is healthy then the Vols will be a contender. We’re still two weeks away from the first matchup with Kentucky.

14. Gonzaga (17-4, 6-1 WCC)
Pvs: 13
Last Week: Defeated @ Santa Clara, Lost to San Francisco
This Week: Portland, @ Memphis
The Dogs were just begging for a loss the way they played Santa Clara earlier in the week. They finally got picked off for the first time in 28 games in conference play by the Dons. That game against Memphis will be a much bigger game for the Tigers who desperately need a marquee victory for their NCAA Tournament considerations.

15. Wisconsin (16-5, 6-3 Big Ten)
Pvs: 16
Last Week: Lost to No. 10 Purdue
This Week: No. 5 Michigan State, @ Michigan
Badgers nearly pulled out a win in Mackey Arena when all looked lost with about two minutes remaining. As usual, they’re not flashy, and very methodical. And as usual, Bo Ryan has a very solid, if not spectacular club.

Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn. (AP)

16. Baylor (16-4, 3-3 Big 12)
Pvs: 24
Last Week: Lost to No. 11 Kansas State, Defeated @ No. 6 Texas
This Week: Iowa State, Texas A&M
It’s a big jump for the Bears who only picked up one win last week, but they came very close to springing two upsets in one week, just barely losing to the Wildcats and then having the toughness to prevail against the Longhorns in Austin. Baylor’s got some talent. They’re a lot better than people think.

17. New Mexico (20-3, 6-2 MWC)
Pvs: 23
Last Week: Defeated No. 12 BYU, TCU
This Week: San Diego State
The Lobos got a big win over the Cougars, handing them their first loss in conference play and now sit just a half a game behind in the league standings. Dairese Gray made a name for himself with his scoring spurt to close out BYU.

18. Mississippi (16-5, 4-3 SEC)
Pvs: 18
Last Week: Defeated @ Auburn, Lost to Arkansas
This Week: @ No. 1 Kentucky, Alabama
I’m still not sold on the Rebels. Disappointing loss to Arkansas to close out the week. We’ll really see what they’re made of this week with only one day’s rest they take on Kentucky in Rupp Arena Tuesday.

19. Temple (18-4, 5-1 A-10)
Pvs: 15
Last Week: Lost @ Charlotte, Defeated LaSalle
This Week: Duquesne, @ Richmond
No shame in losing to Charlotte which is now right on the tail of the Owls for first place in the A-10. But this was Temple’s first real road test of the conference season which they lost by 10. So they have to be penalized.

20. BYU (21-2, 6-1 MWC)
Pvs: 12
Last Week: Lost @ No. 23 New Mexico, Defeated Utah 
This Week: TCU, @ UNLV
That was a tough loss by BYU on the road against the Lobos. But the Cougars were in it until the end in their first real test of the season. Be on the lookout for the UNLV game. That will be another tough game.

21. Florida State (16-5, 4-3 ACC)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Lost @ No. 8 Duke, Defeated Boston College
This Week: Maryland, Miami
Seminoles have a great chance to really grab some attention after they failed to do so in Cameron. With Maryland coming to town Thursday, FSU can make a statement that they’re a legit player in the conference. By beating Georgia Tech they pretty much already have.

22. Georgia Tech (16-5, 4-3 ACC)
Pvs: 22
Last Week: Defeated Wake Forest, Kentucky State
This Week: @ No. 8 Duke, N.C. State
I think Georgia Tech is a better team than Florida State, but you can’t rank the Yellow Jackets ahead of the Seminoles after FSU just beat Tech last week.

23. Vanderbilt (SEC)
Pvs: 21
Last Week: Defeated @ No.  14 Tennessee, Lost @ No. 1 Kentucky
This Week: Mississippi State, @ Georgia
They get penalized not for losing to Kentucky, but how they lost. They didn’t show up the way I thought they would. They talked a lot of trash before the tip and couldn’t back up the talk. That being said, the win at Tennessee is impressive. I like Jermaine Beal’s game a lot.

24. Butler (18-4, 11-0 Horizon)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ Green Bay, @ Wisc.-Mil.
This Week: Detroit, Wright State
I’m not the biggest fan of Butler. I think they’re a bit of an underachiever and they’re non-conference schedule isn’t that impressive. But no one else really stands out enough for me to put them ahead of the Bulldogs right now.

25. Cornell (18-3, 4-0 Ivy)
Pvs: NR
Last Week: Defeated Datrmouth, Harvard
This Week: Yale, Brown
Yes, the Big Red deserve to be here. After defeating Harvard in an Ivy League showdown this weekend, they’re in the driver’s seat to win the conference. Plus, no one else has played Kansas as close at home as Cornell did.

Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Texas A&M, Siene, UTEP, Old Dominion

It’s another full two days of conference showdowns with a few non-conference games to keep an eye on. Here’s our breakdown of Saturday’s and Sunday’s can’t miss contests.

Saturday

Georgetown's Greg Monroe. (AP)

No. 8 Duke at No. 7 Georgetown
KenPom: Duke -4
TV: CBS, 1 pm
Duke finally won a true road game last weekend, knocking off Clemson. Then they pounded Florida State. Georgetown, meanwhile, comes off a spanking at the hands of Syracuse Monday. But don’t count out the Hoyas. Georgetown should be a lively underdog in this one. Their size underneath, mainly Greg Monroe, should give the Blue Devils problems.

No. 21 Vanderbilt at No. 1 Kentucky
KenPom: Kentucky -6
TV: ESPN, 4 pm
You know who leads the SEC East? It’s the Commodores, and not the Wildcats. Kentucky’s first loss earlier this week, and Vandy’s win over Tennessee, vaulted the under the radar ‘Dores into first place in the division. But they haven’t been tested like they will against John Wall and company. Look for Kentucky to bounce back after South Carolina sprang the upset Tuesday. They’re too talented and with the pressure of that No. 1 ranking gone they should revert to their old ways. Plus, they’re 131-43 all-time against Vandy.

No. 24 Baylor at No. 6 Texas
KenPom: Texas -8
TV: ESPN Full Court, 4 pm
Texas will be happy to face a ranked team at home after last week’s two-game losing streak on the road. This should be a good matchup between teams with big frontlines. If Baylor can effectively rebound then they’ll have a good chance of springing the upset. Damion James maybe the all-time leader in double-doubles in the Big 12, but he hasn’t played his best in the Longhorns biggest games. Another loss by Texas and they would drop two behind Kansas.

Old Dominion at Northeastern
KenPom: Old Dominion -1
TV: CSN, 4 pm
ODU sits atop the Colonial Athletic Association at 9-1 while Northeastern, which just had its 11-game winning streak snapped Wednesday, is just one game behind the Monarchs in the standings. These two are the top defensive teams in the conference. First one to 60 wins.

No. 2 Kansas at No. 11 Kansas State
KenPom: Kansas -5
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
Kansas is rolling again, dismissing teams left and right. But this game comes on the road and we know that Kansas State has no problem getting pumped up for a matchup with one of the nation’s top teams. Head coach Frank Martin is imploring fans to cram Bramlage Coliseum for the College GameDay crew, who will be in Manhattan broadcasting. K-State is coming off a hard fought win over Baylor, but they’re going to have their hands full with the array of Kansas athletes. They better crash the boards if they want to upset another ranked team.

Harvard's Jeremy Lin. (AP)

Harvard at Cornell
KenPom: Cornell -6
TV: Regional, 7 pm
Both teams sit atop the Ivy League standings with 2-0 records. But this game is magnified, of course, because the Ivy League is the only conference that doesn’t host a postseason tournament. So the regular season’s importance is off the charts, just like this matchup. Winner will sit in the driver’s seat to earn the conference’s automatic bid. While there’s potential that the Ivy League could also garner an at-large NCAA Tournament, neither the Big Red or Crimson wants to chance it.

Northwestern at No. 5 Michigan State
KenPom: Michigan State -11
TV: Big Ten Network, 7 pm
Northwestern desperately needs another noteworthy win if the Wildcats are really going to make a run at their first NCAA Tournament bid. But considering they’re going up against the Spartans, off to their best ever start in the Big Ten, in the Breslin Center, I’d say the chances aren’t very good.

UTEP at No. 25 UAB
KenPom: UAB -3
TV: Local Broadcast, 8 pm
At 6-0, the Blazers lead Conference USA. But UTEP – and Tulsa and Memphis – sit right behind them in the standings. So this one is kind of important. Many feel the Miners have the better talent in this one, but UAB has played a tougher schedule so far.

Sunday

Florida at No. 14 Tennessee
KenPom: Tennessee -8
TV: CBS, 1 pm
Tennessee needs a win badly. They’ve dropped two straight to Vandy and Georgia and are in danger of falling out of the SEC East race if they don’t shape up. Wayne Chism’s injury hasn’t helped matters, but the Vols should be happy to welcome the Gators. Florida’s not exactly an SEC power these days and they take as many bad shots as any other team in the country.

Maryland at Clemson
KenPom: Clemson -1
TV: FSN, 5:30 pm
Speaking of another team badly in need of a win. Clemson is dying to end its three game losing streak. It doesn’t help that point guard Demontez Sitt’s bum foot has kept him on the sidelines. Maryland surprisingly leads the ACC and Clemson’s suddenly sinking NCAA Tournament hopes would get a huge lift with a win.

Virginia at North Carolina
KenPom: North Carolina -6
TV: FSN, 7:45 pm
Virginia was leading the ACC before it started dropping games. How do they bounce back from an OT loss to rival Virginia Tech at home? Won’t be easy against the Tar Heels on the road.

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

Last Night’s Action

No. 10 Purdue 60, No. 16 Wisconsin 57
Keaton Nankivil did his best to steal this one for Wisconsin, but Purdue persevered in the end, pulling out a narrow victory when it looked like they were on their way to an easy win. Nankivil went for a career high 25, including a ridiculous 7-of-8 from deep, but it was spoiled when Trevon Hughes missed to go-ahead basket with six seconds to go. The Boilermakers’ veterans stepped up after blowing an eight point lead in the final minutes. E’Twaun Moore’s bucket with 25 seconds to go turned out to be the winning basket. Both teams are now tied in the loss column in the Big Ten standings.

No. 22 Georgia Tech 79, Wake Forest 58 
The really good Yellow Jackets team showed up in full force Thursday, thoroughly out-playing Wake on their way to an easy victory. Knocking down shots, rebounding, distributing and defending; Georgia Tech did it all. “I’m not sure we can play much better,” Tech coach Paul Hewitt said after the game. Neither can Wake. Georgia Tech avoided dropping below .500 in ACC play.

Links

Pittsburgh avoided its third straight loss, dropping pesky St. John’s [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Virginia Tech, with a dramatic overtime win against Virginia, will definitely be dancing this March. [Roanoke Times]

Gonzaga rallied from a second half double-digit deficit on the road against Santa Clara. [Spokesman Review]

And Siena now owns the nation’s longest winning streak at 12. [AP]

And plenty of rankings…

Luke Winn’s always thorough rankings has Syracuse as his top team. [SI.com]

ESPN’s has Kansas atop theirs. [ESPN.com]

Josh Herwitt’s rankings features Kansas at 1, Villanova at 2. [Foxsports.com]

The Dagger takes a look at the POY race between Evan Turner and John Wall. [Yahoo.com]

Luke Harangody is on the verge of breaking a number of Notre Dame and Big East records over the next few months. [AP]

Think Seattle‘s four-man lineup the other night hasn’t happened before? Indiana State‘s had it worse – a lot worse. [Basketball Prospectus]

Gary Parish checks in with a “polls do matter” column now that it’s almost February. [CBSsports.com]

 And there was a big Twitter riff between NY Times’ Pete Thamel and SI’s Pablo S. Torre over a recent SI piece Torre wrote regarding Harvard. [SB Nation]

Tonight’s Must See Games

It’s Friday in college basketball, which means it’s your one night off for the week. The Weekend Primer, previewing Saturday’s and Sunday’s biggest games, will be coming your way later on today. Be on the lookout for the huge Ivy League matchup.