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Tar Heels climb to the top

January 25, 2016 by jkay27 Leave a Comment

Photo: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Photo: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Compiled by RYAN McDONOUGH with liner notes by JOSH KAY

  1. North Carolina (18-2/7-0)

Points: 269. (7 first-place votes)

Previous ranking: 3.

Upcoming: Saturday vs. Boston College

Roy Williams is now 67-35 in ACC road games. That percentage of .657 is second best to Vic Bubas (.677) in ACC history.

2. Oklahoma (16-2/5-2)

Points: 259. (three first-place votes)

Previous ranking: 1.

Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Texas Tech, Saturday at LSU.

Buddy Hield was 57 percent from three as four Sooners scored in double figures in a 10-point win at Baylor.

3. Iowa (16-3/7-0)

Points: 247. (one first-place vote)

Previous ranking: 10.

Upcoming: Thursday at No. 9 Maryland, Sunday vs. Northwestern.

Jarrod Uthoff is trending.

4. Kansas (16-3/5-2)

Points: 238.

Previous ranking: 2.

Upcoming: Monday at No. 17 Iowa State, Saturday vs. No. Kentucky.

Bill Self picked up win number 200 at Phog Allen Field House on Saturday.

5. Texas A&M (17-2/7-0)

Points: 230. (one first-place)

Previous ranking: 11.

Upcoming: Wednesday at Arkansas, Saturday vs. No. 17 Iowa State.

Don’t look now but the Aggies have won 10 straight. A non-conference bout with Iowa State looms over the weekend.

6. Villanova (17-3/7-1)

Points: 215.

Previous ranking: 5.

Upcoming: Sunday at St. John’s.

Villanova’s 22 game conference winning streak was snapped with an OT loss to Providence at home.

7. Xavier (17-2/5-2)

Points: 198.

Previous ranking: 4.

Upcoming: Tuesday at No. 9 Providence, Saturday at DePaul.

Trevon Bluiett, Myles Davis and James Farr could be the formula the Musketeers need to reach the Final Four.

8. Maryland (17-3/6-2)

Points: 182.

Previous ranking: 6.

Upcoming: Thursday vs. No. 3 Iowa, Saturday at Ohio State.

Maryland against unranked opponents: 17-1. Maryland against ranked opponents 0-2.

9. Providence (17-3/5-2)

Points: 175.

Previous ranking: 17.

Upcoming: Tuesday vs. No.7 Xavier, Saturday at Georgetown.

Just when it looked like Providence was slipping, the Friars pull off back-to-back victories and return to the Big East title chase.

10. West Virginia (16-3/5-2)

Points: 174.

Previous ranking: 9.

Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Kansas State, Saturday at Florida.

Tarik Phillip scored eight points in the final minute to help West Virginia escape with a four-point win at Texas Tech.

11. Miami (15-3/4-2)

Points: 153.

Previous ranking: 13.

Upcoming: Monday vs. No. 23 Duke, Saturday at NC State.

Duke at home on Big Monday.

12. Michigan State (17-4/4-4)

Points: 144.

Previous ranking: 7.

Upcoming: Thursday at Northwestern, Sunday vs. Rutgers.

What better way to stop a three-game losing streak than to beat a top 5 team? Sparty back on track after a win against Maryland.

13. Louisville (16-3/5-1)

Points: 138.

Previous ranking: 19.

Upcoming: Wednesday at Virginia Tech, Sunday vs. No. 14 Virginia.

The Ville is 5-1 in ACC play, Date with UVA looms.

14. Virginia (15-4/4-3)

Points: 130.

Previous ranking: 15.

Upcoming: Tuesday at Wake Forest, Saturday at No. 13 Louisville.

Virginia is now 30-1 in home ACC games over the last four years.

15. SMU (18-1/7-1)

Points: 126.

Previous ranking: 8.

Upcoming: Saturday vs. Memphis.

SMU is no longer chasing an undefeated season after falling to Temple.

16. Indiana (17-3/7-0)

Points: 107.

Previous ranking: 24.

Upcoming: Tuesday at Wisconsin, Saturday vs. Minnesota.

It remains to be seen how “good” the Hoosiers are sitting at 7-0 in conference without playing any BIG 10 ranked opponents. Five of their last seven games are against Top 25 opponents.

17. Iowa State (15-4/4-3)

Points: 86.

Previous ranking: 25.

Upcoming: Monday vs. No. 4 Kansas, Saturday at No. 5 Texas A&M.

The Cyclones knocked off a number one team for the first time since the 1980’s. Never count out this senior laden group.

18. Arizona (16-4/4-3)

Points: 85.

Previous ranking: 12.

Upcoming: Thursday vs. Oregon, Saturday vs. Oregon State.

Arizona’s three conference road losses have been by a combined six points.

19. Baylor (15-4/5-2)

Points: 79.

Previous ranking: 16.

Upcoming: Wednesday at Oklahoma State, Saturday vs. Georgia.

Baylor is one of four teams tied atop the Big 12.

20. Kentucky (15-4/5-2)

Points: 68.

Previous ranking: 18.

Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Missouri, Saturday at No. 4 Kansas.

Tyler Ulis has recorded seven 20-point 5-assist games in his career. That is the most any UK player has had in the last 2o years.

21. Oregon (16-4/5-2)

Points: 36.

Previous ranking: unranked.

Upcoming: Thursday at No. 18 Arizona, Saturday at Arizona State.

Ducks are 3-0 when Dillon Brooks records a double-double.

22. South Carolina (17-2/4-2)

Points: 35.

Previous ranking: 21.

Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Mississippi State, Saturday vs. Alabama.

Gamecocks rank 16th in the nation holding opponents to 42.1 percent inside the arc.

23. Duke (15-5/4-3)

Points: 29.

Previous ranking: 14.

Upcoming: Monday at N0. 11 Miami.

Blue Devils rank third in the nation scoring 1.1976 points per possession.

24. Pittsburgh (16-3/5-2)

Points: 24.

Previous ranking: 20.

Upcoming: Wednesday at Clemson, Sunday vs. Virginia Tech.

Panthers hand out assists on 66 percent of their made baskets – 7th in the nation.

25. Wichita State (14-5/8-0)

Points: 20.

Previous ranking: unranked.

Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Loyola (IL), Sunday at Evansville.

The Prodigal Son has returned.

Also receiving votes:

Washington (19), Purdue (19), Dayton (18), VCU (11), Saint Mary’s (10), Notre Dame (7), Valparaiso (7), USC (4), Creighton (4), Clemson (3), Washington (3), Hawaii

Filed Under: Pine Pieces, Top 25 Tagged With: ACC, Baylor, Big East Title, Maryland

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