The Double Bonus

I’m going to hold off on coming up with a preseason Top 25 until the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft passes April 25. That way we’ll have a much better idea of what the teams will look like. But in the meantime, if you can’t wait until the end of the month there are plenty of other big-time national writers who have put their lists out – for the sole reason that their editors made them do it. After all, nothing gets page views like lists. So here’s a sampling of what the “experts” were thinking right after last week’s national championship game.

Luke Winn, SI.com

1. Duke, 2. Michigan State, 3. Butler, 4. Kansas State, 5. Purdue

Jeff Goodman, FoxSports.com

1. Duke, 2. Michigan State, 3. Butler, 4. Purdue, 5. Ohio State

Gary Parrish, CBSSports.com

1. Michigan State, 2. Duke, 3. Butler, 4. Purdue, 5. Villanova

Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News

1. Duke, 2. Ohio State, 3. Michigan State, 4. Purdue, 5. Butler

Andy Katz, ESPN.com

1. Purdue, 2. Duke, 3. Butler, 4. Michigan State, 5. Pitt

Mike Miller, NBCSports.com

1. Michigan State, 2. Duke, 3. Butler, 4. Purdue, 5. Pitt

Rush The Court

1. Duke, 2. Butler, 3. Purdue, 4. Michigan State, 5. Georgetown

So there seems to be a consensus among the masses. Duke, Butler, Michigan State and Purdue, generally in that order. And no Kentucky to be found. Kind of tough when it seems like your entire team leaves for the NBA, but no one will cry for John Calipari anytime soon.

Duke’s No. 1 preseason status will depend heavily on whether Kyle Singler comes back to school. Purdue could creep up should Robbie Hummel’s rehab from a torn ACL roll on without any setbacks. And the darlings of March, Butler, will hold their breath to see what Gordon Hayward decides to do. He’d be a first round pick this June. But does he want to improve his draft status and shoot for another deep run in the tournament?

So check back in a few weeks and we’ll run down next season’s top 25 a good seven months before the first tip. And know that we’re doing this out of the goodness of our heart. No editor pressure. Promise.

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

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

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

It’s Monday so time for the latest AP Top 25 poll, which was released earlier this afternoon and features a shakeup in the top 5.

* Kansas stayed at No. 1, garnering 55 first place votes. Syracuse slotted in at second, receiving eight first place votes while Kentuckysits in third, with two first place votes. No problem with that top 3. Everyone’s exactly where they should be.

Kansas’ opponent tonight in their Big Monday matchup, Texas, only slipped to No. 14 following yet another loss, their fourth in six games. That’s way, way too high for what appears to be nothing but an average Big 12 team.

* Villanova dropped to No. 4 and personally I think they should be slotted furter down, somewhere behind Georgetownwho just smacked around the Wildcats Saturday in grand fashion. That means tonight’s Villanova-West Virginiamatchup will be between the Nos. 4 and 5 teams in the nation after the Mountaineers move up one spot.

* The aforementioned Hoyas are two spots behind West Virginia at No. 7 which is too low for my liking. They have five – five!!! – wins over teams in the RPI top 25 (Duke, Villanova, Butler, Temple and Pittsburgh). The logic behind Villanova being ranked three spots ahead of Georgetown escapes me. They just played. Georgetown just beat Villanova. Doesn’t that make Georgetown the better team? Meaning they deserve the better ranking?

* Michigan State fell five places to No. 10, one slot ahead of Wisconsin, who just beat Michigan State last week. See above rant.

* One more loss and Vanderbilt will drop out. Sitting precariously at No. 22, the Commodores get Tennessee at home this week.

* I really don’t think Pittsburgh deserves to be ranked and that surely would have been the case had the Panthers lost to Seton Hall Saturday night. No team has dropped faster than the Panthers, about as fast as they rose up to Top 10 status.

* UNLV made a huge jump from last week, all the way from No. 33 to 23. A pounding of No. 17 BYU at home can do that for you. The MWC now has three teams in the Top 25 with New Mexico leading the way at No. No. 15.

* I like that Maryland, Charlotte and UTEP are starting to get serious consideration. Respectively, they sit Nos. 29, 30 and 31. Charlotte and UTEP lead their leagues while Maryland sits in second in the ACC. That should be reflected nationally. Hopefully next week.

* South Florida only got two votes. But that’s a big step for that program. Would have been very curious to see how many they would have received had they beat Notre Dame on the road Saturday for their fifth straight Big East win.

* And the woes continue for the Pac-10. This marks the fifth straight week the conference doesn’t have a team ranked.

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.

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