Compiled by RYAN McDONOUGH with liner notes from JOSH KAY
- Villanova (20-3/10-1)
Points: 318. (Nine first-place votes)
Previous ranking: 3.
Upcoming: Tuesday at DePaul, Saturday vs. St. John’s.
With a win on the road against a ranked Providence team, Villanova is now 6-0 away from home this season in the Big East and 21-3 on the road in the last three years.
2. Maryland (21-3/10-2)
Points: 304. (One first-place vote)
Previous ranking: 5.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Bowie State, Saturday vs. Wisconsin.
Maryland has won four in a row, and Rasheed Sulaimon recorded his first career double-double in the recent win over Nebraska.
3. Oklahoma (19-3/7-3)
Points: 283. (One first-place vote)
Previous ranking: 1.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Texas, Saturday vs. No. 6 Kansas.
Kansas State head coach, Bruce Weber, was so confident his team would upset top-ranked Oklahoma he had his players practice what to do when fans storm the court. K-State held the Sooners to 25 percent (6-24) behind the arc.
4. Iowa (19-4/10-1)
Points: 278. (One first-place vote)
Previous ranking: 6.
Upcoming: Thursday at No. 24 Indiana, Sunday vs. Minnesota.
Could this be the year Fran McCaffrey finally makes it to the mountaintop in the BIG10? The Hawkeyes remaining schedule does not include a single team in the top 50 in RPI.
5. Xavier (21-2/9-2)
Points: 274.
Previous ranking: 4.
Upcoming: Tuesday at Creighton, Saturday at Butler.
Xavier has scored at least 90 points in five games this season, including back-to-back wins against St. John’s and Marquette.
6. Kansas (19-4/7-3)
Points: 258.
Previous ranking: 7.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. No. 10 West Virginia, Saturday at No. 3 Oklahoma.
The rematch of the thrilling three-overtime battle between the Jayhawks and the Sooners takes place Saturday when KU heads to Norman.
7. North Carolina (19-4/8-2)
Points: 249. Previous ranking: 2.
Upcoming: Tuesday at Boston College, Sunday vs. Pittsburgh.
North Carolina leads the ACC in turnover margin of +4.11 while forcing more than 15 mishandles a game. In their loss to Notre Dame on Saturday, the Fighting Irish only committed two turnovers – the fewest ever against a Tar Heels team.
8. Virginia (19-4/8-3)
Points: 242. (One first-place vote)
Previous ranking: 10.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Virginia Tech, Saturday at Duke.
Rumors of Bennettball’s demise have been greatly overstated. The Wahoos have held their last four opponents under 40 percent shooting.
9. Michigan State (20-4/7-4)
Points: 236. Previous ranking: 9.
Upcoming: Tuesday at No. 22 Purdue, Sunday vs. No. 24 Indiana.
Sparty’s win at Ann Arbor clinched Michigan State’s 16th 20-win season in their last 19.
10. West Virginia (19-4/8-2)
Points: 205. Previous ranking: 13.
Upcoming: Tuesday at No. 6 Kansas, Saturday vs. TCU.
Five of the final eight remaining teams on the Mountaineers schedule are in the RPI top 50. Needless to say, Bob Huggins squad will be battle tested heading into the post-season.
11. Oregon (20-4/9-2)
Points: 176. Previous ranking: 18.
Upcoming: Thursday at Cal, Saturday at Stanford.
Chris Boucher (3.3 bpg) leads a Ducks squad ranked second in the nation blocking 6.5 shots a game.
12. Miami (18-4/7-3)
Points: 172. Previous ranking: 16.
Upcoming: Tuesday at Pittsburgh, Sunday at Florida State.
Miami is 6-0 this season when Sheldon McClellan scores 20 or more points.
13. SMU (20-2/9-2)
Points: 142. Previous ranking: 11.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Tulsa, Saturday vs. Gonzaga.
After starting 18-0, SMU is 2-2 in its last four. With games against Connecticut and Gonzaga quickly approaching, Larry Brown may have to search his sleeves for a few more tricks.
14. Texas A&M (18-5/7-3)
Points: 141. Previous ranking: 8.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Alabama, Saturday at LSU.
A rough week for the Aggies – a 17-point loss at Vanderbilt followed by their first home loss of the season – a three-point setback to South Carolina.
15. Iowa State (17-6/6-4)
Points: 137. Previous ranking: 14.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Texas Tech, Saturday vs. Texas.
Life in the Big 12: Iowa State has wins over two top 10 teams, but finds itself in sixth place in conference.
16. Louisville (19-4/8-2)
Points: 135. Previous ranking: 17.
Upcoming: Monday at Duke, Saturday at Notre Dame.
Amid a week where they self-imposed a ban from post season play, the Cardinals defeated No. 2 North Carolina.
17. Providence (18-6/6-5)
Points: 112. Previous ranking: 12.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. Marquette, Saturday vs. Georgetown.
The Friars will look to snap a two-game skid at Marquette.
18. Arizona (19-5/7-4)
Points: 104. Previous ranking: 23.
Upcoming: Friday vs. UCLA, Sunday vs. USC.
Arizona got back on track last week with two road wins and sit only two games back of first place in the PAC 12.
19. Dayton (19-3/9-1)
Points: 79. Previous ranking: 24.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Duquesne, Friday at Rhode Island.
Dayton’s 98 points at George Mason were the most on the road in program history since the Don Smith-led Flyers scored 110 on February 3, 1973.
20. Kentucky (17-6/7-3)
Points: 66. Previous ranking: 21.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. Georgia, Saturday at No. 21 South Carolina.
UK is 3-0 when Alex Poythress rebounds in double figures.
21. South Carolina (20-3/7-3)
Points: 65. Previous ranking: 25.
Upcoming: Wednesday vs. LSU, Saturday vs. No. 20 Kentucky.
Clinging to a spot in the rankings, South Carolina embarks on a week where it faces LSU and Ben Simmons and a hungry Wildcats team.
22. Purdue (19-5/7-4)
Points: 52. Previous ranking: 22.
Upcoming: Tuesday vs. No. 9 Michigan State.
Purdue is 10-1 when Vince Edwards scores in double figures.
23. Baylor (17-6/6-4)
Points: 45. Previous ranking: 15.
Upcoming: Wednesday at Kansas State, Saturday vs. Texas Tech.
The Bears are 2-5 against ranked opponents this season.
24. Indiana (19-5/9-2)
Points: 33. Previous ranking: 20.
Upcoming: Thursday vs. No. No. 4 Iowa, Sunday at No. 9 Michigan State.
IU will play five ranked opponents in its last seven regular season games.
25. Wichita State (17-6/11-1)
Points: 32. Previous ranking: 19.
Upcoming: Tuesday at Drake, Saturday at Northern Iowa.
Shockers are fourth in the nation forcing opponents to turn the ball over 23 percent of the time.
Also receiving votes:
USC (31), Valparaiso (17), Texas (11), LSU (6), Notre Dame (5), San Diego State (4), Saint Mary’s (4), Gonzaga (3), Pittsburgh (3), Duke, Seton Hall, VCU
Performance checks courtesy of Basketball State.
I cannot believe that people still think the Big Least Conference is good