4 of the top 5 teams in last week's AP poll lost to an unranked team this week, sending the rankings into disarray. Michigan's loss at Wisconsin was not unexpected, since they haven't won in Madison yet this century and the Badgers are now ranked, but Indiana looks like the team that was most easily forgiven, especially after beating Ohio State on the road yesterday. Here are my current top 25 teams, with teams grouped by similar level of performance and AP rankings in parentheses.
TW. (LW) Team (Week) Overall (AP)
1. (2) Indiana (1-1) 21-3 (1)
2. (1) Florida (1-1) 19-3 (7)
3. (3) Michigan (1-1) 21-3 (4)
4. (5) Duke (2-0) 21-2 (2)
5. (7) Louisville (1-1) 19-5 (12)
6. (4) Gonzaga (2-0) 23-2 (5)
7. (6) Pittsburgh (2-0) 20-5 (16)
8. (8) Syracuse (2-0) 20-3 (6)
9. (11) Miami (2-0) 19-3 (3)
10. (13) Ohio State (0-2) 17-6 (13)
11. (20) Michigan State (2-0) 20-4 (8)
12. (18) Wisconsin (2-0) 17-7 (20)
13. (17) Colorado State (1-0) 19-4 (24)
14. (14) Minnesota (0-2) 17-7 (26)
15. (9) Arizona (1-1) 20-3 (9)
16. (10) Kansas (0-2) 19-4 (14)
17. (23) Saint Mary's (2-0) 21-4 (29)
18. (16) Kentucky (2-0) 17-6 (25)
19. (12) Creighton (0-2) 20-5 (30)
20. (19) Oklahoma State (2-0) 17-5 (17)
21. (21) VCU (1-0) 19-5 (33)
22. (24) San Diego State (2-0) 18-5 (31)
23. (15) Southern Miss (0-2) 18-6 (NR)
24. (NR) Middle Tennessee (2-0) 22-4 (NR)
25. (NR) Belmont (1-1) 20-5 (43)
Dropped Out
(22) Cincinnati (0-2) 18-6 (28)
(25) UNLV (1-1) 18-6 (39)
Ranked Teams by Conference
Big 10 - 6
Big East - 3
MWC - 2
SEC - 2
ACC - 2
Big 12 - 2
WCC - 2
MVC - 1
Atl 10 - 1
Pac 12 - 1
CUSA - 1
OVC - 1
Sun Belt - 1
Michigan State is the hottest team in the nation right now, and it couldn't be happening at a better time. The Spartans have 5 of their next 6 games against ranked teams, 3 of which are at home, which could help them pull off a couple big upsets when Michigan and Indiana come to town. They are currently tied for the conference lead, and all 4 of their losses have come against teams that should be in the tournament next month.
Middle Tennessee has reentered the top 25 after a 7-week hiatus, and this latest surge has come thanks to their dominance of the Sun Belt Conference. They have won 11 games in a row, most by double digits, and they had perhaps the biggest blowout of anyone this season when they knocked off the Troy Trojans 93-41 on Saturday. Even if they win the rest of their games, they still aren't getting enough respect from the national voters to make the tourney without winning their conference title.
Saint Mary's remained hot this week, taking two tough road games against San Diego and Santa Clara, setting them up perfectly for a rematch with Gonzaga on Thursday, which should determine the winner of the regular season conference title. With how hot both teams have been lately, it should be a great game, much like their showdown last month, which ended with the Gaels losing by 5 in Spokane.
Louisville took quite a hit in the AP rankings this week after losing to Notre Dame, but they actually moved up in my rankings. One of the big reasons is that the loss was to a ranked team, and that it came in quintuple overtime, so it really wasn't as much a loss as proof of two very evenly matched opponents. They don't have another ranked opponent this month, a rarity in the Big East, but that should help them rise up again before they visit Syracuse in March.
Predictions
Upset picks are in italics.
(10) Kansas State at (14) Kansas - Jayhawks by 9
(18) Marquette at (15) Georgetown - Hoyas by 7
Northeastern at William & Mary - Tribe by 2
Maryland-Eastern Shore at Norfolk State - Spartans by 19
Southern at Mississippi Valley State - Jaguars by 10
NBA
LA Clippers at Philadelphia - Clippers by 4
Boston at Charlotte - Celtics by 6
Minnesota at Cleveland - Cavaliers by 1
Brooklyn at Indiana - Pacers by 7
New Orleans at Detroit - Pistons by 4
San Antonio at Chicago - Spurs by 4
Washington at Milwaukee - Bucks by 5
Atlanta at Dallas - Mavericks by 3
Prediction Results
NBA: 5-4 (.556) 509-251 overall (.670)
Upsets: 0-1 (.000) 90-68 overall (.570)
College Basketball: 6-5 (.545) 682-157 overall (.813)
Upsets: 1-1 (.500) 62-50 overall (.554)
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