The Double Bonus

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

Last Night’s Action

Connecticut 84, No. 8 Kentucky 67
The underdog Huskies relished their role for a second straight night and dumped another top 10 team to take the Maui Invitational title. And just like in its win over Michigan State Tuesday, Kemba Walker led the way for UConn, scoring 29 and taking tournament MVP honors. But Walker had plenty of help as the Huskies thoroughly out-classed Kentucky, playing tough-nosed defense in the first half, pounding the boards, hitting shots from the outside and looking a lot more polished than their relative inexperience suggested coming into this week. While Walker just missed a fourth-straight game of scoring 30 points or more, Jay Bilas was 100 percent right in his assessment on the ESPN telecast: no one has been better this season than Walker. With wins over Michigan State and Kentucky, the Huskies picked up two gigantic wins for their NCAA Tournament resume and will find themselves in the Top 25 come Monday.

No. 2 Michigan State 76, No. 13 Washington 71
The Spartans rallied for a win after a turnover filled first half, salvaging their trip to Maui. Kalin Lucas, surprise, was the catalyst for State, scoring 29 points, as the Spartans claimed third place in the Invitational. But it was Durrell Summers who hit the game’s most important shot, despite struggling all game long to find his stroke. There’s just something about these early season tournaments that makes the Spartans struggle. The AP had a great stat, relating that Michigan State hasn’t won a preseason tournament – like the Maui Invitational – in 13 years. But more importantly, they don’t seem to struggle when the calendar turns to March.

No. 7 Villanova 82, UCLA 70
The Bruins are just too young and the Wildcats are too explosive to be slowed down by a team that features six freshmen and no seniors. And despite struggling once the second half started and seeing a 15-point lead evaporate, Villanova took care of business Wednesday.  Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes and Malik Wayns were the Wildcats big-three, combining for 61 points, while big man Mouphtaou Yarou had a big game on the boards. The Wildcats will now face Tennessee Friday at Madison Square Garden in the NIT Tip-off championship game after the Vols escaped with a win against Virginia Commonwealth in the game before.

Links

Yeah, Oklahoma did lose to Division II Chaminade. [AP]

You need refs to play a college basketball game and apparently that was a bit of an issue for Tennessee Tech [The Dagger]

Gary Parrish writes about why you shouldn’t sleep on the Old Spice Classic that gets underway today. So, yes, there’s college basketball on Thanksgiving. [CBSSports.com]

A seven overtime game in Division III. Some of the stats from this game are hilarious. [ESPN.com]

A poor start by the Missouri Valley Conference’s two top teams to start the season does not bode well for the league’s tournament hopes. [Bracketville]

Seth Davis says Duke’s Kyrie Irving is better than advertised. [SI.com]

And finally, Happy Thanksgiving.

Apologies for the limited number of posts the last few days. Major computer problems meant we were waiting on a new laptop (Hello, MacBook, goodbye PC – forever). Looking forward to settling back into the normal routine. So without further adieu here’s a quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Tuesday.

Last Night’s Action

Connecticut 73, No. 8 West Virginia 62
After looking like a dead team nine days ago, UConn picked up its second straight win against a Top 10 opponent. The Huskies out-rebounded, out-hustled and out-toughed the Mountaineers in Hartford as they inch closer and closer to securing an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. And if the Selection Committee was choosing the field of 65 today, UConn would probably just sneak in. But they have a long ways to go before they start to feel secure about their postseason plans. As for the game itself, the Mountaineers put themselves in a double-digit hole in the first half for what seemed like the 20th time this season only to battle back to pull within one late in the second half. But the Huskies executed and capitalized on second chance opportunities – not to mention a huge free throw discrepancy that got under the skin of WVU coach Bob Huggins – down the stretch. Kemba Walker had another big game, leading the way with 21 points for UConn.

No. 1 Kansas 81, Oklahoma 68
The Jayhawks pounded another conference opponent at home and clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title marking for the sixth straight. That’s really all you need to know about this one.

Links

Monday’s AP Top 25 features a new No. 3 team from the Big Ten. [Digital Sports Daily]

And the latest brackets: Lunardi [ESPN.com] | Bracketology 101 [FoxSports.com]

Bob Huggins thinks college basketball should take after college football. [Dominion Post]

This weekend’s BracketBuster made-for-TV mid-major showcase left a lot to be desired. [Yahoo.com]

Nation’s winningest coach will call it quits after this season. [AP]

Texas’ disappointing season took yet another turn for the worse when the Longhorns lost PG Dogus Balbay for the rest of the year. [USA Today]

North Carolina’s the worst defending champ? [Beyond The Arc]

Tonight’s Must See Games

No. 5 Syracuse at Providence
Line: Syracuse -8
KenPom: Syracuse -11
TV: ESPNU, 7 pm
Syracuse has not looked like Top 5 material in close to three weeks and while they have a perfect road record in the Big East that record is not exactly indicative of how they’ve played away from the Carrier Dome. Providence has historically had a knack for springing upsets, especially at the Dunkin Donuts Center, and let’s not forget that the Orange could easily overlook the Friars with that home date against Villanova looming Saturday.

No. 11 Georgetown at Louisville
Line: Louisville -3
KenPom: Louisville -2
TV: ESPN2, 7 pm
Louisville needs a big win. With just two victories over RPI Top 50 teams, desperation is going to start to set in, if it hasn’t already. Which Hoya team will show up in this one? Your guess is as good as mine. Surprisingly, Louisville is a game ahead of the Hoyas in the Big East standings, although you’d never guess that looking at the rankings. Rick Pitino thinks his team needs at least 10 conference wins to get into the NCAA Tournament, and 11 to make it a sure thing. He’s got eight right now with four games to go.

No. 7 Kansas State at Texas Tech
Line: Kansas State -4
KenPom: Kansas State -7
TV: ESPN Full Court, 8 pm
Kansas State needs a win to remain in second place in the Big 12 with Missouri and Texas A&M are right on the Wildcats’ heels, one game behind in the standings. The Wildcats have never won in Lubbock since the Big 12′s inception but already took a game from the Red Raiders this season.

No. 20 Tennessee at Florida
Line: Florida -3
KenPom: Florida -1
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
Florida is another team desperate for any kind of notable win for its NCAA Tournament resume but it’s not going to be easy against a team that has owned them recently. Tennessee has won six in a row against the Gators and if Florida has any intentions of pulling off the upset they failed to do in Knoxville, they might want to crash the glass. The Vols badly out-rebounded the Gators in their Jan. 31 meeting that was a lot closer (61-60) than many predicted.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 10 New Mexico at Colorado State, No. 25 Northern Iowa at Evansville

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

Last Night’s Action

Connecticut 83, No. 3 Villanova 74
The Huskies picked up their biggest win of the season, knocking off the Wildcats on the road thanks in large part to Kemba Walker’s career night. The sophomore point guard finished with 29 points, including a surprising 3-of-7 from beyond the arc. Walker, who was the only player to garner any praise from coach Jim Calhoun following that disappointing home loss to Cincinnati Saturday, was cool and calm down the stretch hitting 14-of-16 free throws, two less than Villanova made as a team. While the win revives UConn’s slim hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth, they still have a long ways to go. But Monday night was a step in the right direction, the first one UConn’s taken since the upset of Texas Jan. 23. As for Villanova, the Wildcats relinquished sole possession of first place in the Big East almost as quickly as they got it following Syracuse’s Sunday loss.

No. 1 Kansas 59, No. 24 Texas A&M 54
This wasn’t pretty for Kansas. In a decidedly defensive battle, the Aggies played the part of the better team for most of the game until the Jayhawks turned it on with about four minutes to go and squeaked out another close call on the road. No one made shots in this one  and in all honesty the Aggies let a big opportunity pass by them. This interesting quote from Kansas coach Bill Self after he bumped into A&M coach Mark Turgeon after the game tells you all you need to know. If A&M had shot better than 34 percent there’s no way they don’t win this game. Kansas was out-rebounded by a wide margin and hit just one 3-pointer. Kansas was lucky, very lucky, and they know it.

Links

In a make up game that was postponed last week because of the snow, Maryland routed Virginia. [AP]

Joe Lunardi gives us his latest bracket, with Marquette just sneaking into the dance. [ESPN.com]

The Bracketology 101 boys offer up their brand new bracket. [FoxSports.com]

Richmond is back in the Top 25 after a 25-year absence. [AP]

Speculation about John Calipari’s non-denial about interest in the Nets will only continue to grow. [CBSSports.com]

USF’s Dominique Jones made a very bold prediction the other day. [AOL Fanhouse]

Highly regarded prospect Josh Shelby has narrowed his choices to four very prominent schools. [SNY.tv]

Tonight’s Must See Games

No. 11 Michigan State at Indiana
Line: Michigan State -10.5
KenPom: Michigan State -9
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
Yes, the Spartans should beat the Hoosiers, especially with Kalin Lucas’ sprained ankle improving by the day. But Indiana has given a number of teams a hand full in Bloomington this season (Purdue, Illinois and Minnesota). That being said, Indiana has lost 13 in a row to ranked opponents. Michigan State has lost three of its last four conference road games after starting 9-0 and they need a win to jump Ohio State for first place in the Big Ten.

No. 23 Wake Forest at Virginia Tech
Line: Virginia Tech -5
KenPom: Virginia Tech -5
TV: ESPN2, 7 pm
Hokies and Demon Deacons come into this one having each won four straight and they’ve been getting it done with defense. Winner moves into sole possession of second place in the ACC. Key for the Hokies: Find a way to score more than 65 points. Wake Forest is 11-0 when teams score below that magic mark.

No. 2 Kentucky at Mississippi State
Line: Kentucky -3
KenPom: Kentucky -1
TV:  ESPN, 9 pm
I thought this was a perfect spot for Kentucky to lose a month ago when they were still undefeated. And even though they have that one loss I still think it sets up nicely for the Wildcats to go down. Mississippi State is probably on the outside looking in at an NCAA Tournament berth right now and what better way to get off the bubble than handing Kentucky a loss at home? It won’t help, however, that Kentucky big man DeMarcus Cousins has been getting bombarded with text messages from Bulldogs fans. Cousins is not a man you want mad at you on the court.

Others: William & Mary at George Mason, Cincinnati at South Florida, North Carolina at Georgia Tech, Creighton at Northern Iowa, Texas Tech at No. 22 Baylor

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

Last Night’s Action

No. 6 Purdue 76, No. 10 Michigan State 64
Michigan State’s help defense was absent as the Boilermakers handed the Spartans their third straight loss. But more importantly it created a huge cluster-you-know-what atop the Big Ten standings. Four teams have three losses – Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois and Ohio State – setting up what should be a wild final four weeks of the season in the conference. Purdue led by as many as 18 points thanks to some shot shooting – especially in the first half. But they had to stave off a furious Spartans comeback that brought the deficit down to just three points with about four minutes to go. Kalin Lucas played, but it wasn’t the Lucas of old. The Spartans best player gave it a go, despite not being close to 100 percent with a badly sprained right ankle. He was better than expected, finishing with 12 points, gutting his way through 29 minutes. But the Spartans really needed closer 40 minutes from Lucas. The junior trio of E’Twaun Moore, JaJaun Johnson and Robbie Hummel led the way for Purdue.

Illinois 63, No. 11 Wisconsin 58
The unthinkable happened Tuesday. The Badgers lost at home. To an unranked team. For the first time in the Bo Ryan era. Stunning turn of events in the Big Ten as the Illini picked up a huge winfor their NCAA Tournament hopes and also their prospects in the conference race. Illinois improved to 9-3 in the Big Ten thanks to the efforts of a hot-shooting Demetri McCarney who went for 27 points. Center Mike Tisdale added another 19 and the Badgers kissed their 18-game home winning streak goodbye. But more importantly, the Badgers had the chance, with Michigan State’s loss, to grab a share of the Big Ten lead. So much for that.

No. 22 Vanderbilt 90, No. 12 Tennessee 71
Can you say beatdown? That’s what the Vols received Tuesday in Nashville. The Commodores wiped the floor with the Vols, sweeping the season series and costing Tennessee a chance to play for a tie in the SEC East Saturday against Kentucky. Speaking of the Wildcats, how much of a chance will the Vols stand if they couldn’t keep up with Vanderbilt on the road? Probably going to drop two straight this week. But this game was about Vanderbilt’s dominance. Jeffery Taylor went for a career-high 26 points while Jermaine Beal poured in another 20.  In another physical game, Vanderbilt hit 37-of-43  free throws.

Links

No. 3 Kentucky took care of business against Alabama, despite John Wall’s continued struggles. [Lexington Herald Leader]

No. 7 Georgetown had to overcome a second half deficit on the road to take down Providence. [Providence Journal]

“Forde Minutes” tells you the best and worst college basektball towns in America. [ESPN.com]

Luke Winn knows precisely what Texas’ problem is. [SI.com]

Rick Bozich wonders how everyone could have been so wrong about Syracuse. [FoxSports.com]

The Dagger offers a cautionary tale about throwing snowballs. [Yahoo.com]

Is the Pac-10 thinking about expanding to 12 teams? [AP]

The Maryland-Virginia game scheduled for Wednesday was canceled Tuesday in anticipation of the snow. [Baltimore Sun]

Tonight’s Must See Games

Connecticut at No. 2 Syracuse
Line: Syracuse -11
KenPom: Syracuse -14
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
I’ll be shocked – shocked - if Syracuse doesn’t pummel the Huskies. UConn can’t shoot over that 2-3 zone defense and their only offense is going to come via transition if the Orange turn the ball over – which isn’t all that likely considering they do a pretty good job of limiting mistakes. UConn is just 3-3 since Jim Calhoun took a leave of absence and are a facing a superior team in just about every facet. You can bet there will be plenty of reminiscing about last year’s 6 OT game in the Big East Tournament.

Richmond at Rhode Island
Line: Rhode Island -5
KenPom: Rhode Island -3
TV: Local, 7 pm
The Atlantic 10 appears to be wide open this year and with six teams within two games or less of conference leading Charlotte. So there’s a lot to be decided down the stretch. Richmond and Rhode Island are currently tied for third place at 7-2 so this one is kind of important. Rhode Island should play with some desperation in this one considering they have to travel to Philly Saturday to face Temple, also 7-2 in the A-10.

No. 8 Duke at North Carolina
Line: Duke -6
KenPom: Duke -10
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
Since this game comes on the road, Duke will probably play a closer than expected game. They’re simply unbeatable in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but away from Durham it’s a different story. This is still the most storied rivalry in college basketball and the Tar Heels should play with a lot of pride and passion. But if they don’t have the ability to beat the likes of Wake Forest and Virginia at home what makes you think they can beat the Blue Devils?

No. 15 New Mexico at No. 21 UNLV
Line: UNLV -5.5
KenPom: UNLV -5
TV: CBS College Sports, 11 pm
For the first time the MWC has three teams ranked in the Top 25 and those three are currently tied for first place in the conference standings with a 7-2 record. So this one means something. The Lobos already lost to the Rebels at home last month so this is a must-win game made all the more difficult by the fact UNLV has dropped only two games in the Thomas & Mack Center this year, one of them came against Kansas State. Winner takes first place in the conference.

Others: No. 13 Ohio State at Indiana, No. 20 Georgia Tech at Miami, No. 19 Northern Iowa at Drake, No. 24 Baylor at Nebraska

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…

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

Last Night’s Action

South Florida 72, No. 7 Georgetown 64
Yeah, about those Bulls, they could be dancing… More surprising than Syracuse‘s ascent to the top of the Big East standings has to be USF’s four-game league winning streak. Once again, Dominique Jones was the catalyst Wednesday in the nation’s capital, scoring 22 of his game high 29 in the second half to lead the Bulls to their first Big East win against a Top 25 opponent on the road. Jones is looking like the Big East Player of the Year right now and the Bulls (15-7, 5-5 Big East) could very well find themselves in the field of 65 when the next round of bracket projections are released. USF has seven wins against teams in the RPI top 100 – Syracuse, West Virginia, Louisville, Cincinnati, South Carolina, Notre Dame and now Georgetown. That’s pretty impressive.

No. 6 West Virginia 70, No. 22 Pittsburgh 51
The Backyard Brawl almost became one in the second half as the Mountaineers blew by the Panthers to hand Pitt its fourth loss in five games. Tempers got a little testy – and West Virginia students once again showed they have no class – during a brief tangle of arms underneath the basket before the refs restored order. Da’Sean Butler second half was a big reason why the game was never in doubt for the Mountaineers as he scored 18. WVU hit nine 3-pointers. Pittsburgh, with Jermaine Dixon back in the lineup, shot only 30 percent from the field.

No. 1 Kansas 72, Colorado 66 OT
Kansas got more than it bargained for with the Buffalos in Boulder. Maybe it was a case of a hangover from the tough win against Kansas State last weekend or maybe it was just a case of overlooking an opponent. Whatever the case, Kansas did not dispatch Colorado like many expected, but they won – or more appropriately survived. If only Kansas had hit its free throws – they were an atrocious 18-of-38 – it wouldn’t have been a game down the stretch.

Links

No. 24 Northern Iowa held off pesky Wichita State to take a commanding lead in the MVC. [Wichita Eagle ]

Memphis picked up an important win for their slim NCAA Tournament hopes. [Commercial Appeal]

George Mason fell to Georgia State meaning the CAA features three teams at 10-2 in conference play. But since Northeastern has beaten both Mason and Old Dominion, the other 10-2 team, the Huskies technically sit in first place. [GoMason.com]

Luke Winn did a nice piece on the Mountaineers’ newest edition. [SI.com]

While Winn’s colleague, Seth Davis, is of the opinion that Villanova is a legit national title contender. [SI.com]

Lenn Robbins on the impending demise of the nation’s oldest postseason tournament, the NIT. [NY Post]

Is the Big East in store for a Pac-10-like demise next season? [Beyond The Arc]

Tonight’s Must See Games

No. 21 Georgia Tech at No. 10 Duke
Line: Duke -12.5
KenPom: Duke -11
TV:, ESPN2, 7 pm
Duke looked awful against Georgetown last time out because the Hoyas have some size down low that also happen to be good athletes. So does Georgia Tech. Thankfully for the Blue Devils, this game comes in Cameron because the Yellow Jackets haven’t sweep a season series in 14 years. Tech out-rebounded Duke in their first meeting and forced them to chuck up a ton of 3-pointers. Duke will play better at home, for sure, but don’t take a Blue Devil victory for granted.

No. 14 Tennessee at LSU
Line: Tennessee -6.5
KenPom: Tennessee -12
TV: ESPN2, 9 PM
Let’s see how the Vols respond on the road against an SEC West opponent. They should get a “breather” against the SEC’s worst team Thursday. But this is the start of a rough stretch for the Vols that will see them play five of their next seven away from Knoxville.

Others: No. 8 Purdue at Indiana , Maryland at Florida State, Cal at USC, Portland at No. 17 Gonzaga

For Division I’s mid-major players, each year they anxiously await to hear which BracketBuster matchup they’ll have the honor of playing in come late February because, well, it’s kind of a big deal. In a mere 40 minutes, and just three weeks before the start of the NCAA Tournament, postseason hopes can be dashed in a game between non-conference foes who would normally never meet. This year’s matchups were announced Monday and feature some very intriguing games that will go a long way toward shaping this year’s bracket. While there are 11 games pitting 19 teams ranked in the top 100 of the RPI, here’s a quick look at the three everyone should catch.

Friday, Feb. 19

Old Dominion (RPI: 46, SOS: 92) at Northern Iowa (RPI: 17, SOS: 94)
Two teams that have at-large hopes should they not win their conference tournaments. Old Dominion sits behind George Mason and Northeastern in the CAA standings, but does have an impressive resume so far with wins over Georgetown and Charlotte on the road and William & Mary at home. UNI, on the other hand, doesn’t have the marquee win that ODU does. But they did beat Siena at home back in December and own five more wins against teams in the top 100 of the RPI, along with a perfect record on their own turf. If they don’t win the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament they’re still going to get an at-large bid anyway. That RPI is too strong for the Panthers to be left out. Old Dominion isn’t as clear cut. Should be a good defensive show in this matchup.

Saturday, Feb. 20

Butler's Gordon Hayward. (AP)

Siena (RPI: 44, SOS: 149) at Butler (RPI: 19, SOS: 50)
Siena doesn’t have the most impressive resume considering the Saints only have two wins over tp 100 RPI teams. But they do have a solid RPI thanks to a strong non-conference schedule that included games against Temple, UNI and Georgia Tech on the road. Many feel Butler will get into the NCAA Tournament no matter what happens to them in the Horizon Tournament. And considering their credentials, they’re probably right. Butler racked up wins over Xavier, Ohio State and Northwestern earlier in the season. And just like UNI, that RPI is too high to be left on the outside looking in. In terms of publicity, this game will top the other 10.

College of Charleston (RPI: 92, SOS: 172) at George Mason (RPI: 104, SOS: 182)
Both of these teams could really use another notable win. Everyone knows who George Mason is, but few know College of Charleston. All they did this year was knock off North Carolina at home. They also played Clemson, Tennessee and Western Carolina on the road – all teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations. Charleston leads the SoCon South Division with a 9-1 record. George Mason leads the CAA with 10-1 record, but doesn’t have a particularly great resume. Their best chance right now, just like Charleston, to get into the dance might be to win the conference tournament. The Patriots best win came over Old Dominion, but they have some good losses against Villanova, Georgia Tech, Dayton and Northeastern. Good coaching matchup in this one with Jim Larranaga battling Bobby Cremins.

Kansas is back on top after three weeks with the Jayhawks claiming the No. 1 spot in the latest AP Top 25 that was released Monday afternoon.

Kansas rightfully took back the title of the nation’s best after Kentucky dropped its first game of the season last week at South Carolina. The Wildcats dropped down to fourth, a rather large penalty for losing on the road, while Villanova and Syracuse moved up one spot each. And that’s where I have my first beef with the poll…

* Syracuse should be No. 2, but instead the honor went to Villanova which garnered four first place votes, while the Orange got six. Syracuse is the more talented team, the better defensive team and rated as a better team in just about everyone’s systems, including Ken Pomeroy‘s.

Syracuse’s defensive efficiency is significantly better than Nova’s and the offensive numbers are a lot closer than you might think. Plus, Syracuse’s wins are much more impressive than Villanova’s. So I’m kind of curious as to why the voters have the Orange sitting behind Nova

When these two meet Feb. 27th I bet Villanova is going to have tough time dealing with Syracuse’s length on the perimeter and their size up front.

* I thought Vanderbilt should have been penalized more for the Kentucky loss. Again, not because they lost in Rupp Arena, but how they lost. Instead, Vandy – with a 1-1 week thanks to a win at Tennessee – moved up to No. 18.

* Texas sits at No. 9. The Longhorns are not Top 10 material right now. No way they should be that high.

* And what is Pittsburgh doing hanging onto its No. 23 ranking? The Panthers have lost three of their last four games and had to sweat out one at home against St. John’s in that span.

* Still think Florida State deserves to be ranked over the likes of Pitt, UNI and Butler.

* Neither North Carolina nor Connecticut received a vote for the Top 25 this week, the way it should be.

* I’m guessing Feinstein voted for George Mason.