There was not much movement in last week's top 25 but this week was a different story. The top 10 has the same teams for the third straight week, the only difference is Virginia is now #5 and Wisconsin is now #6. Kentucky was once again the unanimous #1 team in the country. There are also 4 teams still ranked despite having 2 or more losses. Utah is #14 with an 8-2 record while Ohio State at 9-2 is #21. Two 3 loss teams, Oklahoma and North Carolina, are still ranked as well; the Sooners are #19 while the Tar Heels are #20. Four new teams are now ranked, they take up spots 22-25. In order they are Baylor, Northern Iowa, Colorado State and TCU. Miami (FL), San Diego State, Butler and Michigan State all dropped from the rankings.
Miami (FL) had a strong start to the season going 8-0 and beating 2 ranked teams on the way, then #8 Florida and then #24 Illinois. However, their season has quickly gone downhill as they have lost 2 of their last 3 games. They had a 13 point loss to Green Bay in early December and then got embarrassed by Eastern Kentucky where they lost by 28 at home. The Eastern Kentucky loss may have been the worst loss by a ranked team so far this season, even worse than Michigan's loss to NJIT. Miami (FL) didn't just lose, they lost big and at home. Eastern Kentucky came into the game 5-4 without any quality wins. They also won't make the tournament without winning their conference. There is no need to say how bad of a loss this was for Miami (FL) and how it will hurt their seeding come March. The Hurricanes only have one game this week but it's against a very good Providence team. Providence is currently 9-3 and a very good home team. A win against them probably won't shoot them back into the rankings but it will help. Miami (FL) will have many chances to get ranked again as the ACC has many ranked teams. The Hurricanes have a stretch early in conference play where they have 3 ranked teams in 4 games: Virginia, Duke and Notre Dame. The 2 losses Miami (FL) will hurt them come Selection Sunday, but this is still a very good team. Miami (FL) is a very talented team and I think they will be ranked again at some point this season. I could see them upsetting a couple top 25 teams come conference play and being ranked in a couple of weeks.
Just like Miami (FL), San Diego State started out strong but have struggled lately. The Aztecs started the season 5-0 beating then #25 Utah but have gone just 4-3 in their last 7 games. San Diego State has beaten the teams they should but have not been able to win against quality opponents. They lost to #3 Arizona, now #13 Washington and Cincinnati in OT. None of their losses have been shattering to their resume but they still haven't shown that they can beat quality teams lately. This team is barely out of the rankings, #27, and are still ranked #23 in the USA Today Poll but I don't think they should be ranked right now. San Diego St. has 2 easy opponents this upcoming week, UC Riverside and SDCC. I think there is a chance that this team will be ranked again next week if a couple top 25 teams get upset. I don't think this is a bad team but right now I wouldn't put them in the top 25 because of their inability to win against quality teams. Being in the MWC also won't help San Diego State's resume; right now only Colorado State is ranked. The Aztecs are a good team and will be ranked again, even as soon as next week. With a weak conference San Diego State set themselves up with a very respectable out of conference schedule but couldn't take advantage of it. There is still more than half the season left for San Diego St. to prove themselves to everyone. I still think this is a good team and wouldn't want to face them come March, they are just going through a rough patch right now.
After Brad Stevens left for the NBA Butler basketball has not been the same. This season has been different though. It started when they beat then #5 North Carolina and started out the season 8-1, their only loss to now #19 Oklahoma. This past week was tough for Butler though as they lost both of their games to unranked opponents, Tennessee and Indiana. Tennessee is only 5-4 and is most likely going to struggle in a weak SEC. Losing by 12 to the Volunteers wouldn't look good for any team, but then they lost to their in-state rival Indiana by 9 in their next game. Indiana has had a better season than expected but they still aren't considered one of the top Big 10 teams this year. This was not a horrible loss but would've been a good bounce back game for Butler. However, even with a win over Indiana I don't think they would ranked. Butler is playing Tennessee Martin and Belmont this week, they should win both. Neither game will be much help to get them ranked again but they would be terrible losses. Butler barely got any votes to be ranked this week, but that could change come Big East play. The Big East is a good conference this year and there will be a lot of chances for Butler to get quality wins before Selection Sunday. This is the best Butler has looked since Stevens left for Boston and I think they will bounce back. They most likely won't be ranked for a couple more weeks but I would expect to see them ranked again.
I said it a couple weeks ago and I'll say it again, this is not the usual Tom Izzo coached team that we are use to seeing. The Spartans are now 8-4 and are not close to being ranked again. Michigan State was ranked #25 last week despite having 3 losses. I could somewhat understand it because all 3 losses were against now ranked team, I still didn't think they looked like a top 25 team however. This past week they cruised by Eastern Michigan but got upset by Texas Southern. Sparty lost by 7 in OT to a team that only had 1 win going into the game. Texas Southern was coming off a 40 point loss to a top 10 Gonzaga team before the upset. Sparty should have easily beaten them as they are one of the worst teams in college basketball this year. Michigan St. ended up receiving no votes to be ranked this week in the AP Poll. Their name was keeping them somewhat relevant in college basketball this year and I think that was a reason why they were ranked instead of more talented mid-major schools. I say this every week but it remains to be true, the Big 10 is the best basketball conference this year and they will have many chances to help their resume after this loss. With that being said, I don't think Sparty will be ranked again this year and I'm not sure if they will make the tournament. This is one of the worst Michigan St. teams we have seen in recent years. If their season keeps going like this I don't see them making the tournament come March.
Miami (FL) had a strong start to the season going 8-0 and beating 2 ranked teams on the way, then #8 Florida and then #24 Illinois. However, their season has quickly gone downhill as they have lost 2 of their last 3 games. They had a 13 point loss to Green Bay in early December and then got embarrassed by Eastern Kentucky where they lost by 28 at home. The Eastern Kentucky loss may have been the worst loss by a ranked team so far this season, even worse than Michigan's loss to NJIT. Miami (FL) didn't just lose, they lost big and at home. Eastern Kentucky came into the game 5-4 without any quality wins. They also won't make the tournament without winning their conference. There is no need to say how bad of a loss this was for Miami (FL) and how it will hurt their seeding come March. The Hurricanes only have one game this week but it's against a very good Providence team. Providence is currently 9-3 and a very good home team. A win against them probably won't shoot them back into the rankings but it will help. Miami (FL) will have many chances to get ranked again as the ACC has many ranked teams. The Hurricanes have a stretch early in conference play where they have 3 ranked teams in 4 games: Virginia, Duke and Notre Dame. The 2 losses Miami (FL) will hurt them come Selection Sunday, but this is still a very good team. Miami (FL) is a very talented team and I think they will be ranked again at some point this season. I could see them upsetting a couple top 25 teams come conference play and being ranked in a couple of weeks.
Just like Miami (FL), San Diego State started out strong but have struggled lately. The Aztecs started the season 5-0 beating then #25 Utah but have gone just 4-3 in their last 7 games. San Diego State has beaten the teams they should but have not been able to win against quality opponents. They lost to #3 Arizona, now #13 Washington and Cincinnati in OT. None of their losses have been shattering to their resume but they still haven't shown that they can beat quality teams lately. This team is barely out of the rankings, #27, and are still ranked #23 in the USA Today Poll but I don't think they should be ranked right now. San Diego St. has 2 easy opponents this upcoming week, UC Riverside and SDCC. I think there is a chance that this team will be ranked again next week if a couple top 25 teams get upset. I don't think this is a bad team but right now I wouldn't put them in the top 25 because of their inability to win against quality teams. Being in the MWC also won't help San Diego State's resume; right now only Colorado State is ranked. The Aztecs are a good team and will be ranked again, even as soon as next week. With a weak conference San Diego State set themselves up with a very respectable out of conference schedule but couldn't take advantage of it. There is still more than half the season left for San Diego St. to prove themselves to everyone. I still think this is a good team and wouldn't want to face them come March, they are just going through a rough patch right now.
After Brad Stevens left for the NBA Butler basketball has not been the same. This season has been different though. It started when they beat then #5 North Carolina and started out the season 8-1, their only loss to now #19 Oklahoma. This past week was tough for Butler though as they lost both of their games to unranked opponents, Tennessee and Indiana. Tennessee is only 5-4 and is most likely going to struggle in a weak SEC. Losing by 12 to the Volunteers wouldn't look good for any team, but then they lost to their in-state rival Indiana by 9 in their next game. Indiana has had a better season than expected but they still aren't considered one of the top Big 10 teams this year. This was not a horrible loss but would've been a good bounce back game for Butler. However, even with a win over Indiana I don't think they would ranked. Butler is playing Tennessee Martin and Belmont this week, they should win both. Neither game will be much help to get them ranked again but they would be terrible losses. Butler barely got any votes to be ranked this week, but that could change come Big East play. The Big East is a good conference this year and there will be a lot of chances for Butler to get quality wins before Selection Sunday. This is the best Butler has looked since Stevens left for Boston and I think they will bounce back. They most likely won't be ranked for a couple more weeks but I would expect to see them ranked again.
I said it a couple weeks ago and I'll say it again, this is not the usual Tom Izzo coached team that we are use to seeing. The Spartans are now 8-4 and are not close to being ranked again. Michigan State was ranked #25 last week despite having 3 losses. I could somewhat understand it because all 3 losses were against now ranked team, I still didn't think they looked like a top 25 team however. This past week they cruised by Eastern Michigan but got upset by Texas Southern. Sparty lost by 7 in OT to a team that only had 1 win going into the game. Texas Southern was coming off a 40 point loss to a top 10 Gonzaga team before the upset. Sparty should have easily beaten them as they are one of the worst teams in college basketball this year. Michigan St. ended up receiving no votes to be ranked this week in the AP Poll. Their name was keeping them somewhat relevant in college basketball this year and I think that was a reason why they were ranked instead of more talented mid-major schools. I say this every week but it remains to be true, the Big 10 is the best basketball conference this year and they will have many chances to help their resume after this loss. With that being said, I don't think Sparty will be ranked again this year and I'm not sure if they will make the tournament. This is one of the worst Michigan St. teams we have seen in recent years. If their season keeps going like this I don't see them making the tournament come March.