The fortunate calls, the lucky bounces, the clutch shots, they all went the other way last week as Syracuse was not only knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten – only Wichita State remains – but bounced from first place in the ACC.
It began with a stunning overtime loss at the Carrier Dome to Boston College, which entered the contest with all of six victories, and ended with a heartbreaking loss to Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Syracuse felt it had the game tied with 10 seconds remaining when C.J. Fair scored along the baseline, but he was called for a charge, a questionable call that turned Jim Boeheim irate. The legendary coach ran onto the court, yelling and waving his arms, drawing two technical fouls that virtually ended the second showdown between the new rivals.
(Last week’s ranking in parentheses)
1. Florida (2):Â The SEC was stronger back then, so take this with a grain of salt, but Florida has enjoyed a far better regular season than either of its last two championship teams did, when the Gators repeated in 2006 and 2007. They are just four wins away from going undefeated in the conference. When Kentucky did that two years ago, it won it all. The Gators, ironically, would have to beat Kentucky in Gainesville March 8 to repeat the feat.
2. Wichita State (3): It’s amazing there are still Wichita State doubters out there, so-called experts who don’t believe the Shockers are deserving of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The three best players from last year’s Final Four team – Cleanthony Early, Ron Baker and Fred VanVleet – remain fixtures and Wichita State isn’t just squeaking by opponents in the Missouri Valley Conference. It is cruising to a perfect regular season, just four wins away.
3. Arizona (4): Sean Miller’s team is regaining its mojo. It went on the road last week and won at Utah and Colorado, impressive victories that have the Wildcats two games clear of UCLA atop the Pac-12. Freshman Aaron Gordon was especially impressive in the rout of Colorado, posting a season-high 23 points to go with eight rebounds.
4. Saint Louis (5): This week was quintessential Saint Louis – two narrow victories on the road punctuated by winning plays late. As far as elite teams go, the Billikens may not pass the eye test, but their 25-2 record and 19 straight victories certainly do.
5. Kansas (9): When the Jayhawks are hitting on all cylinders and its freshmen are playing confidently and with poise, there isn’t a better team in the country. We saw that Kansas team Saturday night, when it absolutely obliterated a good Texas team to basically wrap up its 10th straight Big 12 regular-season title. This team’s upside is higher than anyone else’s, but there is a ton of youth, which could also lead to March disappointment.
6. Duke (6): The Blue Devils continue to trend upward, even in a week when they lost a game. While Thursday’s setback at bitter rival North Carolina was certainly a disappointment, the win over Syracuse in the rematch of this burgeoning rivalry was another example of what Duke is capable of come March. It won’t win the ACC regular-season crown, but Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood and Co. are looking like our pick to win the league’s conference tournament.
7. Syracuse (1): If the Orange aren’t careful, they will find itself out of the East Regional without a top seed come tournament time. The rest of Syracuse’s schedule isn’t easy before the ACC tournament: at Maryland on Monday night, at ACC leader Virginia, home for Georgia Tech and a visit to Tallahassee to face Florida State. The two losses last week were understandable, but Jim Boeheim’s team needs to bounce back immediately.
8. Louisville (9): The Cardinals finally landed that signature victory they have been in search of, knocking off AAC leader Cincinnati on the road on a Russ Smith game-winner, a win that pulled Louisville even with Cincy atop the first-year conference with four games to go. Rick Pitino’s defending national champion is suddenly looking very dangerous.
9. Creighton (11): Doug McDermott is the best player in the country, and it’s not even worth a discussion. The senior forward has moved into 10th place on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list, he’s averaging an NCAA-best 26.0 points per game along with seven rebounds. Even more impressive, he’s come up big when Creighton has needed him most, torching Villanova twice, and has the Bluejays on the cusp of winning the Big East regular-season crown in their first year in the conference.
10. Villanova (12): Jay Wright’s team won’t wow you. It may not have a future NBA player. But the Wildcats are going to go far in March. Their only losses have come to Creighton and Syracuse, and this week further exemplified what makes them tough: narrow victories over Providence and St. John’s. Villanova has proven all season it can win close games, prevailing nine times in games decided by seven points or less, four going to overtime.
11. Virginia (13): When the ACC season began, Virginia was an afterthought, lost amidst the ACC’s traditional powers and the newcomers. Yet as the regular season winds down, the Cavaliers are favored to finish atop the league, a game up on Syracuse – which comes to Charlottesville on Saturday – and three ahead of red-hot Duke.
12. Wisconsin (15): It’s been a monster season for Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky, a junior whose numbers have dwarfed his previous production. It continued in Saturday’s big win at Iowa, Kaminsky scoring 21 points, four of them (and a steal) in the final minute to seal the enormous road victory.
13. Michigan (16):Â Is there a coach in the country who has done a better job than John Beilein? He lost his starting backcourt, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr., to the NBA. His best returning player, Mitch McGary, played just eight games before undergoing season-ending back surgery. Yet, with four conference games left, he has Michigan atop the Big Ten, arguably the best league in the country.
14. San Diego State (7): Talk of a possible No. 1 seed has gone out the window. San Diego State may not even win the Mountain West Conference after it was hammered by New Mexico on Saturday night at The Pit, its second loss in five games, as the Lobos pulled even atop the conference. A March 8 rematch will determine the champion, and do wonders for the winner’s seed for the tournament.
15. Cincinnati (8): Yet again, the Bearcats didn’t get enough help for Sean Kilpatrick. In Saturday’s loss to Louisville, the senior scored 26 points, while his teammates managed just 31. To be fair, the Yonkers product also took 26 of his team’s 58 shot attempts. Cincinnati isn’t going to go far in March that way.
16. North Carolina (NR)
17. Iowa State (NR)
18. Michigan State (14)
19. Kentucky (21)
20. New Mexico (NR)
21. Iowa (17)
22. Oklahoma (20)
23. Memphis (22)
24. SMU (NR)
25. Ohio State (24)
Dropped out: UConn, VCU, Texas, UCLA
Stock Watch — Up
New Mexico
The Lobos began the year in the top 25 before a series of non-conference losses crushed their stock. Well, New Mexico is back on the national radar after Saturday’s 14-point humbling of San Diego State, its ninth win in 10 games. Senior forward Cameron Bairstow has emerged as an elite post presence, the Australian import averaging 20.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, forming a solid 1-2 inside-out punch with point guard Kendall Williams.
Julius Randle
The SEC Player of the Week for the second time, Randle enjoyed his finest collegiate moment when his putback sent Kentucky to a dramatic victory over LSU on Saturday. For a freshman, Randle has been remarkable consistent, averaging a double-double of 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. The McDonald’s All-American from Texas has lived up to the hype as a physical bull of a specimen in the paint whose work ethic matches his athletic gifts.
Stock Watch — Down
Michigan State
This may sound like college basketball heresy, but Michigan State has underachieved. Yes, a Tom Izzo-coached team hasn’t gotten enough out of its talent. It feels as silly to write as it is to suggest, but it’s a fact. This is a team with two potential lottery picks in forward Adreian Payne and guard Gary Harris, another possible pro in point guard Gary Appling. Yes, the Spartans have battled injuries, playing shorthanded for large stretches – forward Brandon Dawson is still out with a broken hand – yet they have alternated wins and losses in their last 10 games and are a longshot to catch Michigan for the Big 10 crown.
Gonzaga
For the first time in several years, the Zags may be on the NCAA Tournament bubble. They most likely will have to win the West Coast Conference tournament to reach the field of 68 despite 23 wins. After back-to-back league losses to BYU and San Diego – the first time it has lost consecutive league games since January 2011 – Gonzaga is reeling, having dropped three of its last five. This is a team without a single win over an NCAA Tournament contender.