Iowa St

College Basketball Top 50: Maryland and Iowa St Drop Out

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:10:38 -0800

Collegehoops.net's Top 50 Power Ranking is your weekly dive into the national college basketball scene. The CHN Top 50 is brought to you before all the other polls late Sunday night. Arrows represent notable moves. (Also: Check out the weekly Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking.)

Top 50 Ranking: March 3rd

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Indiana	25-4*	1
2	Gonzaga	29-2	2
3	Duke	25-4*	3
4	Miami	23-5*	6
5	Michigan	24-5*	5
6	Louisville	24-5	7
7	Kansas	25-4	8
8	Florida	23-5*	4
9	New Mexico	25-4	11
10	Georgetown	23-4	12
11	Michigan State	22-7*	10
12	Kansas St	24-5	13
13	Ohio State	21-7	15
14	Oklahoma St	22-6	16
15	Marquette	21-7	17
16	Arizona	23-6**	9
17	Syracuse	22-7**	9
18	VCU	23-6	23
19	Notre Dame	22-7*	18
20	Wisconsin	20-9*	19
21	Pittsburgh	23-7	22
22	Missouri	21-8	26
23	Saint Louis	23-5	31
24	Middle Tennessee	27-4	27
25	Minnesota	20-9	30
26	Memphis	25-4*	20
27	UNLV	22-7	28
28	Butler	22-7*	24
29	Colorado St	22-7*	25
30	North Carolina	21-8	35
31	NC State	20-8	33
32	Creighton	24-7	37
33	Oregon	23-6	36
34	Wichita St	24-7**	21
35	UCLA	22-7	39
36	St. Mary's	26-5	34
37	Illinois	21-9	38
38	San Diego St	20-8*	29
39	Cincinnati	20-9	42
40	Temple	21-8	43
41	UCONN	19-9**	32
42	Kentucky	20-9*	40
43	Belmont	24-6	41
44	Louisiana Tech	26-3	NA (52)
45	La Salle	20-7	50
46	California	20-9	NA
47	Ole Miss	21-8*	46
48	Akron	23-5*	47
49	Bucknell	25-5	49
50	Virginia	20-9*	48

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

Next Five: Boise St (20-8),Colorado (19-9*), Oklahoma (19-9*), Iowa St (19-10**), Maryland (20-9*)

Top 50 Drop Outs (that haven't returned)

			Week
	Maryland		16
	Iowa St		16
	Baylor		15
	Boise St		14
	BYU		13
	Wyoming		13
	Iowa		11
	Colorado		10
	Murray St		9
	Virginia Tech		7
	Xavier		6
	Alabama		6
	St. Joseph's		5
	Ohio		5
	California		4
	Santa Clara		3
	Tennessee		3
	Northwestern		3
	Florida State		3
	Texas		2
	Northern Iowa		2
	South Alabama		2

week = week dropped out of Top 50

During the season, don't forget to check out the CHN Top 50 Power Ranking every Sunday night!

For more depth, check out the weekly the Non-BCS Top 25 ranking.

You can also revisit the Top 50 archive and view this week's AP Top 25.

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 46 to 60

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:05:33 -0700

Continuing with the Early 2012-13 Ranking, here are teams 46 to 60.

Its worth repeating that I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. This ranking will be updated later in the summer once players have made their official draft decisions. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up, and how the coaching carousel will take form. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 45-60

46 Miami Another year under Jim Larranaga should find the Hurricanes on the inside of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Malcolm Grant departs but he did not have a terribly good season anyways.

47 Butler After a down year, Butler should once again be the class of the Horizon League. Transfer Rotnei Clarke gives them a scoring-punch that was severely lacking this year. Three solid guards enter as freshmen, who should help with depth.

48 Colorado Carlon Brown and Austin Dufault are not small loses, but the hope is that Andre Roberson blossoms into a Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate. The Buffs recruiting haul is easily their best of the last decade.

49 BYU The Cougars lose veterans Hartsock and Abouo but should still settle into their usual bubble-bound slot. Another year of improvement from Matt Carlino should help.

50 Pittsburgh Coming off of a disastrous season, Pittsburgh has no where to go but up. Although Gibbs and Robinson depart, the Panthers welcome 4th ranked recruit Steven Adams, one of their best-ever recruits. A healthy Tray Woodall would certainly help as well.

51 UCF After being a fringe-bubble team that last two years, UCF will once again be hoping to make the tourney. Although PG AJ Rompza graduates, the team returns solid All-CUSA caliber players in Keith Clanton, Marcus Jordan, and Isaiah Sykes.

52 Temple The Owls should take a step back with key senior losses, including leader Ramone Moore, but expect them to still be competitive in the A10. Khalif Wyatt could score 20 ppg now that the team is fully in his hands. The recruiting haul might be Temple's best since 2007.

53 Xavier Besides leader Tu Holloway, they also loses Kenny Frease and Andre Walker. Role players like Travis Taylor and Jeff Robinson will really need to step it up if Xavier wants to makes its 8th tourney in a row. 4-star recruit Semaj Christon is capable of contributing at PG from day one.

54 UCONN Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond will presumably go pro, and the roster looks pretty thin without them. Last year's shock tourney run covers up what has been 3 years in a row of .500 or worse basketball in Big East play. Add in the potential sanctions and Calhoun's health, and you have yourself a lot of questions.

55 Belmont Seniors Drew Hanlen, Mick Hedgepeth, and Scott Saunders depart, but Kerron Johnson and Ian Clark are still two of the A-Sun's top players. Incoming PG Craig Bradshaw is one of Belmont's better pickups and should fit right into the program.

56 South Florida Three seniors that played over 25 minutes per game depart, but South Florida shouldn't expect too much of a drop-off. USF's 4-person recruiting class is solid for their standards, but still mediocre as far as the Big East goes.

57 Mississippi St With Dee Bost a senior and Arnett Moultrie presumably going pro, Mississippi St loses its leading scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. Although an underrated 5-person recruiting class was set to come in, Rick Stanbury's retirement does open some questions.

58 West Virginia For a team that often struggled to score the ball, it will be interesting to see how they'll manage without Kevin Jones and Darryl Bryant. Those two scored almost 50% of the Mountaineers points. Aaric Murray and Juwan Staten are solid transfers who will help.

59 Southern Miss USM was never as good as their gaudy RPI suggested.. Graduations will put a major dent into their major strength, which was depth, but their top two scorers do return.

60 Iowa St The key for Iowa St is whether Royce White decides to go pro. I'm assuming here that he does, which would mean the Cyclones lose their 3 leading scorers. A pair of solid transfers enter the mix, as well as their best recruiting class in a few years.

Also Under Consideration (alphabetical order)

Akron

California

Harvard

Illinois St

Minnesota

Nevada

Ole Miss

Oregon

Providence

Vanderbilt

Virginia

<< Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 45

Kentucky vs Iowa St: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:49:20 -0700

(1) Kentucky vs. (8) Iowa State: South Region

Records

Kentucky 33-2, 16-0 SEC (Regular-season Conference Champions; At large)

Iowa State 23-10, 12-6 Big 12 (At large)

Time: 7:45 p.m. Saturday

TV: CBS

Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

First round results

Kentucky def. Western Kentucky 81-66

Iowa State def. Connecticut 77-64

Winner will face: (4) Indiana or (12) VCU, Friday in Atlanta

Rankings

Kentucky No. 1 AP; No. 1 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

Iowa State No. 31 AP; No. 21 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Kentucky 2

Iowa State 33

Line: Kentucky -10½ (O/U 140)

Players to Watch

Kentucky: C Anthony Davis, 6-10 Fr. (14.3 ppg, 10 rpg, 4.6 bpg); F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6-7 Fr. (12.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.8 bpg); F Terrence Jones, 6-9 So. (12.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 49.8% FG). Jones has had an inconsistent season, but if he plays like he did Thursday, the Wildcats will be nearly impossible to beat. He finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Iowa State: F Royce White, 6-8 So. (13.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.1 apg); G Chris Allen, 6-3 Sr. (11.8 ppg, 2.4 apg, 38.3% 3s); G Scott Christopherson, 6-3 Sr. (12.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 45% 3s). White had his 12^th double-double of the season Thursday with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and when UConn made a late run, it was White who always had an answer.

Why Each Team Dangerous

Kentucky: The Wildcats are No. 1 in the country and the tournament favorites for a reason. They shoot 48.5 percent from the field (10^th nationally), 37 percent from 3 (57^th) and 72 from the foul line, and they get to the stripe nearly 23 times per game. Their offensive efficiency ranks fourth in college basketball and the Wildcats’ big men run the floor as well as any team in the country. And their defense may be even better than their offense. UK allows opponents to shoot just 36.9 percent, which leads the nation, and blocks a nation-best 8.8 shots per game.

Iowa State: White is one of the best playmaking big men in the country and he makes the players around him better. He will not be fazed by Kentucky’s size and talent. On Thursday, the Cyclones knocked down 36.8 percent of their 3s and that’s been a strength all season. Christopherson and Allen can shoot ISU to big leads or back into games. ISU out-rebounds opponents by nearly five per game.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Kentucky: The Wildcats aren’t deep. White is as proficient as any player in the country at getting into the lane, so foul trouble could become an issue. If it does, that could really hurt a team that typically plays seven players. Although he’s gotten better, freshman PG Marquise Teague has been mistake-prone. Kentucky turns the ball over 11.4 times per game and has just a plus-0.5 turnover margin. Kentucky is excellent in the full court, but its half-court offense has struggled at times.

Iowa State: White really struggles from the foul line (49 percent). With the ball in his hands on most possessions, ISU is shooting just 68 percent from the foul line. That could be a factor down the stretch of a tight game. While the Cyclones are a decent rebounding team, they don’t crash the offensive boards. And they don’t have a defensive presence in the paint. That will play into the hands of the Wildcats. Their 12.5 turnovers per game will also be a concern against a swarming Kentucky D.

The Bottom Line: Tough line. Nine to 11 points is just about right. In the end, Kentucky’s size and explosiveness will be a little too much for the Cyclones.

The Pick: Kentucky 77, Iowa State 66

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 206-158-6 (Through Thursday, March 16)

Thursday's Action Underwhelms But Colorado & VCU Win

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:24:37 -0700

The first full day of action in the NCAA tournament didn't produce the number of surprises that many fans both expected and wanted, with just two lower-seeded teams advancing to Saturday's action. While one should come as no surprise to the country the other finds itself carrying the banner for an entire conference...in its first season in the league. Here are the key happenings by location, highlighted by wins for Colorado (Albuquerque) and VCU (Portland).

Albuquerque: Colorado builds a large lead and holds on to beat 6-seed UNLV, winning thier sixth straight game.
Tad Boyle's Buffaloes put together a performance similar to their win over Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament final on Saturday. Colorado got out to a big lead and controlled play for much of the game, ultimately running out of gas down the stretch but finding a way to hold on. Austin Dufault scored 14 points and Andre Roberson added 12 and 16 rebounds to lead Colorado to the 68-64 win, giving the Buffaloes their first NCAA tournament win since 1997. UNLV shot just 32.4% from the field but was able to close the margin to two points due to their pressure, which forced 23 Colorado turnovers on the night.

But Chace Stanback and Mike Moser combined to shoot 7-of-27 from the field, and the Runnin' Rebels could get no closer. Next up for Colorado is old Big 12 foe Baylor, who held off a tough South Dakota State team by the final score of 68-60. Few expected the Buffs to compete for a spot in the top half of the Pac-12 when the season began, but here they are carrying the banner for a struggling conference with 40 minutes between them and the Sweet 16.

Louisville: Iowa State drops the hammer on UConn early, advancing to face top seed Kentucky on Saturday.
The immediate reaction of many on Selection Sunday was excitement in regards to a possible matchup between the defending national champs and top over all seed Kentucky on Saturday. There were so many speaking as if a UConn/Kentucky match-up was a lock that two important factors were ignored. One, the Huskies really hadn't played well despite picking up two wins in New York City. Two, and most importantly, was the fact that UConn had to deal with a good Iowa State team to reach Saturday.

And they couldn't. Royce White was solid with 15 points and 13 rebounds, setting the tone of a game UConn didn't look too prepared to play with a dunk on the opening possession. Iowa State led by as many as 20 in the first half, and whenever the Huskies looked to be making a run they'd make a bad decision. Iowa State advanced with the 77-64 win, and one has to wonder about the direction of the Connecticut program. There's a strong chance that the Huskies won't be eligible for next year's tournament, and if the ban is upheld following the school's final appeal in April that may trigger a mass exodus for their best players. Troubling times in Storrs, that's for sure.

Pittsburgh: Syracuse rallies late to beat UNC Asheville in a game that left many upset with the officiating.
The battle between the Orange and Bulldogs was a wild one, and even with Syracuse not having Fab Melo the game was much closer than anyone anticipated. Eddie Biedenbach's team hung around throughout despite Matt Dickey shooting 1-of-13 from the field, but they couldn't get that one play they needed down the stretch to complete what would have been the first-ever win for a 16-seed over a one. Syracuse hung on for the 72-65 win, advancing to take on 8-seed Kansas State for the right to go to the Sweet 16.

James Southerland came up big off the bench, just as he did in the Big East Championship win over UConn in the quarters, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight boards. Outside of Dickey the Bulldogs had other issues, most notably a few whistles that did not go their way late. But to be fair the game was horrendously officiated throughout out, with both teams ending up on the short end of the stick. Did UNC Asheville outplay Syracuse? For much of the afternoon they did, but the final score is what ultimately determines which team advances and which one sees its season end. Syracuse found a way to survive and advance, and regardless of the aesthetic beauty (or lack thereof) of the win that's all that matters in March.

Portland: VCU makes the big plays late to beat 5-seed Wichita State; gets Indiana next.
In the matchup practically no one wanted to see at this point in the tournament given the potential of both teams it was VCU who found a way to win. Bradford Burgess' three with 1:33 remaining gave the Rams the lead for good as they beat the Shockers 62-59. VCU will look to unleash their "havoc" style of play on Indiana, who beat New Mexico State in the final game of the night. Burgess scored 16 points and Darius Theus and Troy Daniels added ten apiece. VCU did its best work on the defensive end as they were able to harass Wichita State into shooting just 38.7% from the field.

Garrett Stutz, whose three just before time expired went long, struggled to deal with the pace within each possession and VCU's D.J. Haley defended the First Team All-MVC player well throughout. Neither team shot well from three but it was VCU's superior percentage inside of the arc that proved to be the difference. It's unfair to attempt to compare this year's group to last year's, but rest assured that the current group of Rams are just as capable of doing even more damage in the tournament.

Three Notable Performers

1. F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
25 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the Golden Eagles' 88-68 win over BYU.

2. F Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State)
31 points and 12 rebounds in the Buckeyes' 78-59 win over Loyola (MD).

3. G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State)
30 points (11-16 FG) four rebounds and four steals in the Wildcats' 70-64 win over Southern Miss.

Thursday's NCAA Tournament Games to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:47:35 -0700

With CHN's Greg Mengelt handling previews and predictions for every game the daily preview will look a little different for the NCAA tournament, with the focus being the game of the day in each region. Below are the games on Thursday's slate that you should make time for, and with four networks (CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV) showing every game in its entirety, there's no excuse (besides a lack of TVs or laptops) for you to not have a multiple TV/computer setup in your home. Enjoy the games.

Albuquerque: (4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Montana
2:10 PM EST; TNT

Many have gone with the Grizzlies in this one, citing the Badgers' reliance on the 3-pointer and the quality of Montana guards Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. Those are indeed good reasons to go with Wayne Tinkle's team to win, not to metion Derek Selvig insde. However keep in mind that Bo Ryan is 9-1 at Wisconsin in opening games in the NCAA tournament, having won five straight.

They'll be prepared for what Montana looks to throw at them, and with an experienced leader in point guard Jordan Taylor Wisconsin will be tough to knock off. Cherry will draw that defensive assignment, and the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year is capable of getting the job done. The winner gets the winner of the Vanderbilt/Harvard matchup on Saturday, with the winner of this four-team pod off to Boston for next week's East Regional.

Rest of the day in Albuquerque
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) Harvard; 4:40 PM EST (TNT)
(3) Baylor vs. (14) South Dakota State; 7:27 PM EST (truTV)
(6) UNLV vs. (11) Colorado; 9:57 PM EST (truTV)

Louisville: (8) Iowa State vs. (9) Connecticut
9:20 PM EST; TBS

Many have jumped to the conclusion that the Huskies will take on Kentucky on Saturday, and that's a very dangerous position to take especially if the UConn players take the same approach. At 6-9, 270 Iowa State's Royce White is the kind of player that UConn hasn't seen this season, as he runs the point and is just as good at distributing as he is at scoring himself. Roscoe Smith will iikely get the call defensively but he doesn't have the physical strength of White.

Just as important for the Huskies will be the play of their big men, led by Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi. Outside of White the Huskies have a clear edge in the paint, but that's only as effective as they make it. How well UConn defends the three will also be important as the Cyclones are a very good perimeter shooting team. Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen can both knock down shots, and Chris Babb will have the task of guarding Jeremy Lamb. This one's going to go down to the wire.

Rest of the day in Louisville
(6) Murray State vs. (11) Colorado State, 12:15 PM EST (CBS)
(3) Marquette vs. (14) BYU, 2:45 PM EST (CBS)
(1) Kentucky vs. (16) Western Kentucky (TBS)

Pittsburgh: (7) Gonzaga vs. (10) West Virginia
7:20 PM EST; TNT

Arguably the most overrated aspect of this game is the fact that Pittsburgh is 90 minutes away from Morgantown. Sure the Mountaineers will likely enjoy an advantage when considering the crowd but it isn't as if natives of the Steel City are lining up to cheer on WVU. Gonzaga should (and likely will) be more concerned with senior foward Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season. Elias Harris and Robert Sacre' need to bring it from an effort standpoint if they're to slow Jones down.

The other key aspect of this matchup is the decision-making of West Virginia's guards, most notably Truck Bryant. If the senior's struggling in this regard then the freshmen are likely to follow suit. Kevin Pangos has been one of the best freshman guards in the country for Gonzaga, and classmate Gary Bell Jr. is also capable of breaking out. Keeping WVU off the boards is the one thing Gonzaga has to do in order to win, but that's definitely possible.

Rest of the day in Pittsburgh
(8) Kansas State vs. (9) Southern Miss, 12:40 PM EST (truTV)
(1) Syracuse vs. (16) UNC Asheville, 3:10 PM EST (truTV)
(2) Ohio State vs. (15) Loyola (MD), 9:50 PM EST (TNT)

Portland: (5) Wichita State vs. (12) VCU
7:15 PM EST; CBS

There weren't too many people thrilled with this matchup, especially if you're a fan of the mid-major. Both the Shockers and Rams have the potential to reach New Orleans, but after this battle only one of them will remain in the field. VCU is going to throw their "havoc" system at Wichita State throughout, and if the Shockers are unable to handle that pressure it could be a long night in Portland. Joe Ragland was very good this season for WSU and they've got other solid options on the perimeter as well.

There are two keys for VCU: Bradford Burgess plays well, and D.J. Haley and Juvonte Reddic can combine to perform well against All-MVC center Garrett Stutz. Gregg Marshall's Shockers have enough talent and depth to handle the VCU pressure with a minimal number of turnovers, and if they can the dynamic of the game will change. Both head coaches will be hot names on the open job market during the offseason but that's of little concern to either team at this point in the season.

Rest of the day in Portland
(4) Louisville vs. (13) Davidson, 1:40 PM EST (TBS)
(5) New Mexico vs. (12) Long Beach State, 3:10 PM EST (TBS)
(4) Indiana vs. (13) New Mexico State, 9:45 PM EST (CBS)

Iowa St vs UCONN: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:52:56 -0700

(8) Iowa St vs. (9) Connecticut: South Region

Records

Iowa State 22-10, 12-6 Big 12 (At large)

UConn 20-13, 8-10 Big East (At large)

Time: 9:20 p.m. Thursday

TV: TBS

Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Winner will face: (1) Kentucky or (16) Mississippi Valley State/Western Kentucky

Rankings

Iowa State No. 31 AP; No. 36 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Iowa State 33

UConn 32

Line: Connecticut -2 (O/U 135½)

Players to Watch

Iowa State: F Royce White, 6-8 So. (13.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.1 apg); F Melvin Ejim, 6-6 So. (9.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 49.5% FG); G Scott Christopherson, 6-3 Sr. (12.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 45% 3s). White – the Newcomer of the Year and 1^st–team All-Big 12 – achieved his 10^th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Cyclones’ Big 12 Tourney loss to Texas.

UConn: F Jeremy Lamb, 6-5 So. (17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg); G Shabazz Napier, 6-1 So. (12.7 ppg, 5.8 apg, 34.8% 3s); G Ryan Boatright, 6-0 Fr. (10.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, 3.3 rpg). Lamb – a 1^st-team All-Big East selection – played 37.2 minutes per game, which is second-highest in school history behind Kemba Walker’s 37.6 a year ago.

Why Each Team is Dangerous

Iowa State: White is as good as any player in the country. He can drive, is effective from mid-range, can rebound and he makes plays for his teammates. The Cyclones are incredibly balanced with six players averaging at least 8.1 points. That makes them very difficult to guard at times. ISU has proven it can beat more athletic teams with wins over Kansas, Kansas State (twice) and an impressive 8-point win over gifted Baylor just over a week ago. They made more 3-point shots (284) than all but five NCAA teams, led by Chris Allen (72), Chris Babb (64) and Christopherson (63). Over 36 percent of the Cyclones’ points came from the 3-point line.

UConn: The Huskies are as skilled as almost any team in the country. Five or six different players can beat opponents. Lamb is an effective scorer, who had 57 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists in three Big East Tourney games. Napier and Boatright are both effective at penetrating and either scoring or dishing. Andrew Drummond is a projected top-5 lottery pick in this spring’s NBA draft for a reason. Teams who shot a lot of 3s – like Iowa State – have struggled to do so against UConn. Opponents made just 83-of-286 against them this season.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Iowa State: This is the Cyclones’ first NCAA bid since 2005, so they have no NCAA experience as a unit. Although it finished third in the Big 12, Iowa State was knocked out of the Big 12 Tournament in its first game – a 71-65 defeat at the hands of Texas. The Cyclones were outscored 46-36 in the second half and turned the ball over 13 times and shot just 43 percent from the field. The Cyclones had more turnovers than they forced and that could be a problem against young playmakers like Napier and Boatright. Teams shot 38.5 percent from the 3-point line against ISU, the worst in the Big 12.

UConn: Effort and consistency have plagued UConn all season. The Huskies had stretches of six in seven games and five in seven games this season and seemed disinterested during much of that stretch. The defending national champions are a brutal free throw shooting team (66.1 percent) and they don’t get there a lot. Despite its size, UConn is an average rebounding team. It averages just 5.8 steals per game and turns it over 12.5 times per outing.

The Bottom Line: Which UConn team shows up – the one from late January and early February or the one from the Big East Tournament – will be the difference. If they’re playing well, the Huskies’ talent will overwhelm ISU. If not, the tough Cyclones will end UConn’s title defense in a hurry.

The Pick: Iowa State 69, Connecticut 64

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-148-6 (Through Sunday, March 11)

NCAA Tournament Interview: Iowa State's Royce White

Jon Teitel — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:26:56 -0700

Recently CHN writer Jon Teitel was able to spend some time talking with Iowa State point forward Royce White, one of the best players in America. The Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, White runs the point for the Cyclones despite bing 6'9", 270 pounds. Iowa State takes on Connecticut in the 8/9 matchup in the South Region.

Jon Teitel: You transferred from Minnesota to Iowa State. Why did you decide to transfer, and how close did you come to going to Kentucky (ISU's possible opponent in the round of 32)?

Royce White: I transferred because some of the things happening at Minnesota were not conducive to me dealing with my anxiety order. I was ready to get on the plane to go to Kentucky and sign a letter of intent, but it just did not work out because I wanted to be around while my son was being born.

JT: You scored 25 points in your season-opener against Lehigh, which remains your career-high. How were you able to come in and dominate right from the start?

RW: I was confident and my team and community believed in me. I try to play a nice cerebral game and look for easy buckets. I had two years of hunger built up, so I was ready to play from the start.

JT: In January you had a triple-double (ten points, 18 rebounds and ten assists) in a win at Texas A&M. Where does that rank among the best all-around games of your career?

RW: It is probably the best. I believe your best games come when you can make your teammates better, and ten assists is my season-high.

JT: Chris Allen transferred from Michigan State, where he scored 16 points in the 2009 title game loss to North Carolina. Has he given you any advice about what to expect in March?

RW: He talks about the level of focus we need to have and gives us positive encouragement.

JT: You were recently named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after leading the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. How on earth does a guy who weighs 270 pounds lead his team in all those categories?!

RW: It is tough to say. I play more above the shoulders than most guys my size, so I try to be involved in all aspects of the game. My teammates also believe in me, so we all find each other to knock down open shots.

JT: Your team made the most three-pointers in the conference this year, and Scott Christopherson has made at least two three-pointers in eight straight games. How critical is three-point shooting to your team's success?

RW: It is what we are good at so if we get going we are really hard to beat. It is a great attribute to have. However, I think it is our toughness that has made us successful this year in wins against teams like Baylor and Kansas.

JT: You have several teammates who are also Division I transfers. How have you all been able to unite as a team after starting out elsewhere?

RW: We came together because we share a common goal and we know that our team's success will lead to personal success.

JT: Coach Fred Hoiberg was recently named Big 12 Coach of the Year (shared with Kansas' Bill Self). What makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing you ever learned from him?

RW: His preparation is tremendous. We lost some games this year that we clearly should have won after being ahead in the first half (Kansas and Missouri). He could not have drawn up a better scheme. I learned the most from him off the court (such as being a good person) because he has been good to me and given me a second chance.

JT: Sixth man Tyrus McGee was born and raised in Louisville. Is he going to be your unofficial host since you will be playing in his hometown, and will your relative Dave Winfield and/or your one-year old son be traveling to see you play in person?

RW: I did not know he was from Louisville, but I am sure he will be a good host if he was. My son is a little too young to travel. I am unsure if uncle Dave will show up because he is a very busy guy. Maybe he will if we advance a round or two.

JT: How do you feel about your seed, and how do you think you matchup against defending champ Connecticut?

RW: I think our seed is appropriate. It is tough to seed everyone so I feel for the selection committee. We could not have drawn a better team. We are almost polar opposites, so it will just come down to whoever plays the best that day.

Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg (notes from the Big 12 coaches teleconference)

Opening thoughts: "When we traveled abroad for 10 days in the preseason I saw that we could be a tournament team."

On the impact of transfers Royce White and Chris Babb: "Royce mostly played a big man on the scout team last year, but we could tell that he was a good passer. Chris is as important as anyone on this team because he is guarding our opponent's best perimeter player night in and night out."

On the three Ames HS alums in the tournament: "All three of those guys (Bubu Palo, Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott) had big roles on those high school championship teams in Ames. They are great kids who represent our city very well."

On their matchup: "Connecticut is huge. It is tough to score against Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond inside."

On his relationship with UConn assistant Kevin Ollie: "I have not talked to my old Bulls' teammate Kevin Ollie since the bracket came out, but he is one of my all-time favorites who got the most out of his abilities."

On the challenge White presents for opponents: "Not many teams have a big guy like Royce who can create both for himself as well as his teammates. We try to have good movement and spacing."

Bracketology Update: The Dreaded 8 and 9 Seeds

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:46:26 -0800

While getting an 8 or 9 seed as compared to a 10 or 11 seems like an accomplishment, its actually a kiss of death. #1 seeds are usually head and shoulders above the rest of the field, and 8-9 winners get stuck playing them in the 2nd round.

In my latest Bracketology projection, the following 8 teams are the unfortunate 8-9 seeds. For each team, I answer the following two questions: How can they earn 6 or 7 seeds? How can they drop to 10 or 11 seeds?

Alabama (20-10, 9-7, #32 RPI)

How can they rise? A win over South Carolina would not help Alabama's stature, so they can only rise if they then go on to beat Florida in the next round.

How can they fall? While the South Carolina game won't help Alabama's cause, it could certainly hurt it. Bama hasn't beaten a Top 50 team since November and their locker room is far from settled. A drop to a 10 seed is not out of the question with a loss.

Cincinnati (22-9, 12-6, #69 RPI)

How can they rise? Cincy just tipped off against Georgetown, which would certainly be a resume boosting win. But considering their low RPI and weak schedule, I don't think this one win would push them into a 7 seed. However, if they won and then beat Syracuse tomorrow, it would change everything.

How can they fall? As I just mentioned, Cincy's overall resume is far from sparkling. A loss could conceivably drop them into a 10 seed, but no lower than that.

Iowa St (22-9, 12-6, #31 RPI)

How can they rise? Now that Iowa St has garnered Top 25 respect and their RPI is creeping up towards the 20's, they have a good shot to move into a 6 or 7 seed with a win over Texas tonight. Even if they lost, there's a chance they could rise into the 7's depending on how other teams fare this week.

How can they fall? Even if Iowa St lost tonight, their solid conference success should ensure that they wouldn't drop below a 9 seed at worst.

Kansas St (21-10, 10-8, #43 RPI)

How can they rise? After losing to Baylor today, Kansas St's season is over, so there's nowhere to go but down.

How can they fall? Although a loss in the Big 12 quarterfinals is not terribly impressive, Kansas St is probably locked into this range. Losing to a Top 15 team in Baylor doesn't really hurt their resume, and the Wildcats RPI shouldn't drop by much.

New Mexico (23-6, 10-4, #34 RPI)

How can they rise? Beating Air Force tonight wouldn't help, so they'd need to go on and beat UNLV or Wyoming in the next round.

How can they fall? Considering New Mexico has been a fringe Top 25 team with a couple of marquee wins and a solid RPI, they won't fall below a 9 seed.

Purdue (20-11, 10-8, #44 RPI)

How can they rise? Purdue, the 6 seed in the Big Ten, faces #11 Nebraska tonight. To move up, Purdue would need to win this game and then also beat Ohio St tomorrow.

How can they fall? Although Purdue has a very solid resume, nothing really wows you. If they lost to Nebraska, a top 10 seed isn't out of the question though nothing much beyond that.

Saint Louis (23-6, 12-4, #30 RPI)

How can they rise? Saint Louis faces a very solid La Salle squad in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals. With a win and help, SLU could easily earn a 7 seed.

How can they fall? Unless teams like Mississippi St, Cal, or Northwestern go on epic runs, its hard to see SLU falling below the 8-9 range even if they lost to La Salle.

Virginia (22-8, 9-7, #42 RPI)

How can they rise? Virginia awaits the winner of NC State/Boston College. Considering Virginia's best win in two months is over NC State, I'm not sure how much beating them again would help. Of course, if Virginia somehow made their way to the ACC finals, that would help.

How can they fall? Considering Vrginia hasn't won a Top 100 game since January, it wouldn't take much for them to fall. In fact, if they lost to NC State/BC tomorrow, an 11 seed would not be out of the question.

Thursday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:29:32 -0800

Big 12 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor vs. #5 Kansas State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#1 Kansas vs. #9 Texas A&M, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
#2 Missouri vs. #7 Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#3 Iowa State vs. #6 Texas, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

The most important game in the Big 12 has to be the final game of the day in Kansas City, as Texas could really use a win over Iowa State on their resume. Rick Barnes' Longhorns are either just in or just out based on which projections you follow, but a win over the Cyclones would get them to the semifinals and that may end up being enough to punch their ticket. What remains to be seen is how Texas will defend 6'8" Royce White, who has a forward's build but point guard skills...and responsibilities. The Minnesota transfer is called on by Fred Hoiberg to get things going for the likes of Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen, and Melvin Ejim is another dangerous option Texas will need to account for.

As for Texas there's no secret that J'Covan Brown is their most important player, because when he plays well their young perimeter players can gradually work their way into the flow of the game. Point guard Myck Kabongo has matured throughout the course of the season, and while he's still got a way to go before reaching the status of former UT point guards such as T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin the talent is definitely there. The key for Texas will be what they can get out of big men Clint Chapman and Alexis Wangmene, because if those two are productive in the paint the Longhorns are an entirely different team. That could prove to be difficult however given White's unique skill set, and Texas could have to go small to deal with him on the perimeter.

Kansas and Missouri are both still part of the battle for a top seed in the NCAA tournament, and while that may be a longshot for the Tigers a Big 12 tournament title would go a long way in changing that. Marcus Denmon and Phil Pressey have been two of the best guards in the country this season, but they'll need Ricardo Ratliffe to stay out of foul trouble if they're to have success this weekend. The matchup with Oklahoma State may play right into Missouri's hands with Le'Bryan Nash injured and the Cowboys not always displaying the best decision-making.

Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor will look to lead the Jayhawks to the tournament crown after winning the regular season title outright, but keep an eye on players such as Elijah Johnson and Jeff Withey this weekend. The play of those two will be very important in the NCAA tournament, and if they can go in with some positive momentum that would be even better for Bill Self and his team. The 4/5 matchup kicks things off, and big men other than Quincy Acy are going to have to bring it physically if the Bears are to beat Kansas State. K-State on the other hand needs sound decisions from Angel Rodriguez, and he's been a work in progress in that area all season long.

ACC - First Round
#8 Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest, Noon (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#5 NC State vs. #12 Boston College, 2:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network
#7 Clemson vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#6 Miami vs. #11 Georgia Tech, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)

Just like in the Big 12 the bubble teams will be the ones to watch in Atlanta, with NC State and Miami both needing to do some work in order to have their names called on Selection Sunday. That four-game skid that NC State hit, beginning with their tough loss at Duke, could be what ultimately sends Mark Gottfried's team to the NIT, but with talented players such as Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie and Scott Wood the Wolfpack are more than capable of winning a couple games (a depleted Virginia awaits the winner of their game in the quarterfinals).

As for Miami they likely have less work to do than NC State despite finishing beneath them in the standings, and while they play Georgia Tech don't expect much of a home-court advantage for the Yellow Jackets. Reggie Johnson and Kenny Kadji make up a solid interior tandem, and with thei talented guards the Canes don't lack for pieces. A win over the Jackets would mean a third meeting with Florida State, and their half of the bracket looks more conducive to a run to the finals due to State's matchup issues with North Carolina.

Big East - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#4 Cincinnati vs. #5 Georgetown, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#2 Marquette vs. #7 Louisville, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 USF, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Seven of the top eight seeds will take part in the Big East quarters, with nine-seed UConn being the "party-crasher" in that regard. The Huskies, according to many, punched their ticket with a win over West Virginia on Wednesday, but until their name is actually called on Sunday the best strategy would be to simply keep winning. Syracuse swept the regular season series, winning by two in Storrs, and with their many weapons Jim Boeheim's team is also one of the two clear favorites to make a run all the way to New Orleans. Shabazz Napier has to make sound decisions with the basketball if UConn is to win; they're not going to get away with the same number of mistakes that they did against DePaul and WVU.

The only teams on the slate who may still have work to do: Cincinnati and USF. Mick Cronin's Bearcats should be an NCAA tournament team but it's difficult to tell just how much emphasis the selection committee will place on a team's computer numbers, so the best move for Cincinnati would be to go out and beat Georgetown. As for USF, a win over Notre Dame would give them the win over a top-level Big East team that their resume is missing, and with Notre Dame also preferring to slow things down the final game of the night may not surpass 60 possessions. Anthony Collins is going to be key on both ends of the floor, as in addition to running the offense he'll have to slow down Eric Atkins.

Big Ten - First Round
#8 Iowa vs. #9 Illinois, 11:30 a.m. (BTN)
#5 Indiana vs. #12 Penn State, 1:55 p.m. (BTN)
#7 Northwestern vs. #10 Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#6 Purdue vs. #11 Nebraska 7:55 p.m. (ESPN2)

With Purdue most likely in the Field of 68 and Illinois not looking like a tournament team at this point, most of the attention on day one in Indianapols will focus on Northwestern. Bill Carmody's Wildcats are still in search of the first NCAA berth in school history, and wings Drew Crawford and John Shurna are more than capable of getting hot and leading the Wildcats on a run. But they first have to get past Minnesota, who is wrapping up a season that really hasn't lived up to what many were hoping for even with Trevor Mbakwe going down with a torn ACL. Ralph Sampson III is banged up and if he can't go that limits the Golden Gophers even more when it comes to frontcourt depth. Iowa/Illinois looks to be a toss-up, and that fact is why Bruce Weber's seat is scalding at this point. Matt Gatens is a tough matchup, and if the Hawkeyes can get Melsahn Basabe going inside it could be them who faces top-seed Michigan State on Friday.

Big West - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara vs. #6 Pacific, 3:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#2 Cal State Fullerton vs. #7 UC Irvine, 5:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#1 Long Beach State vs. #8 UC Davis, 9:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#4 Cal Poly vs. #5 UC Riverside, 11:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)

The concern for top-seed Long Beach State isn't so much what will happen against UC Davis today but rather the remainder of the weekend as wing Larry Anderson will miss the conference tournament with a sprained knee suffered in their loss at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. To lose a player of Anderson's caliber is a huge issue, especially when considering the fact that he's the Big West Defensive Player of the Year. Dan Monson's 49ers don't lack for talent with Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson leading the way, but it will be a tough adjustment throughout the weekend from a defensive standpoint.

UCSB has won the last two Big West tournament crowns, and with Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally the Gauchos are definitely capable of making it three straight, and Fullerton has done a very good job all season with their transfers being more than ready to take over. Johnson and Fullerton's Kwame Vaughn are the two players not at LBSU with the best chance of taking over in Anaheim, but keep an eye on UC Riverside's Phil Martin as well.

Conference USA - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CBS SN)
#3 Tulsa vs. #6 Marshall, 3:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#1 Memphis vs. #8 UTEP, 7:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#4 UCF vs. #5 UAB, 10:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The day in Memphis appropriately tips off with Southern Miss, who despite their gaudy record still needs a strong conference tournament to feel comfortable with their NCAA tournament hopes. Larry Eustachy's team has very good computer numbers (17 RPI, 60 SOS) but there have been questions about the validity of those numbers. Whether or not that's fair is a conversation for another day, but the least that Neil Watson and company can do is simply keep winning. UCF likely needs to win the automatic bid, or at the very least reach Saturday's title game, to get to the Big Dance and the individual battle between Keith Clanton and UAB's Cameron Moore will go a long way in determining the outcome. Memphis takes on UTEP, and given the Miners' struggles on the offensive end of the floor the Tigers should advance provided Joe Jackson stays under control.

Great West - First Round
#5 Houston Baptist vs. #4 NJIT, 3:30 p.m.
The winner of the Great West Tournament gets an automatic bid to the CIT, and top seed Utah Valley is the favorite to get that done. The Wolverines take on the winner of HBU/NJIT, and the tandem of Chris Flores and Isaiah Wilkerson will need to play well if the Highlanders are to advance. Marcus Davis leads the way for Houston Baptist, and with the two teams splitting the regular season series it's anyone's guess as to who wins.

MAC - Quarterfinals
#8 Western Michigan vs. # 4 Kent State, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. # 3 Ohio, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

Ohio and Kent State make their debuts at the 2012 edition MAC tournament tonight, as they take on Toledo and Western Michigan respectively. The top four seeds all hail from the East Division, which underlines how much better it was than the West throughout the course of the season. D.J. Cooper has led the way at the point for John Groce's Bobcats, and his presence along with that of other key scoring options means that Ohio winning the tournament wouldn't be a shock. The same can be said for Rob Senderoff's Golden Flashes, who have four players averaging at least 9.8 points per game with Justin Greene leading the way. Akron and Buffalo await the winners in Friday's semifinals.

MEAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Delaware State vs. #11 Florida A&M, 6:00 p.m.
#5 North Carolina Central vs. #4 Bethune-Cookman, 8:00 p.m.

With top-seed Savannah State going down on Wednesday things have opened up at the top of the bracket, something that both Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central hope to take advantage of. NCCU is led by the tandem of Dominique Sutton and Ray Willis, as they're averaging 31.4 points per game. Guards Adrien Coleman and Kevin Dukes pace the Wildcats, who are also capable of not just winning tonight but getting to the NCAA tournament. On the other side of the bracket Delaware State and Florida A&M meet with the winner taking on Norfolk State tomorrow night, and the Hornets haven't disappointed in the suspense department this season. Don't be surprised if tonight's game goes down to the wire as well.

Mountain West - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State vs. #8 Boise State, 3:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#4 Colorado State vs. #5 TCU, 5:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)
#2 New Mexico vs. #7 Air Force 9:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#3 UNLV vs. #6 Wyoming 11:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)

The Mountain West has the look of a four-bid league at this point, but could there be a fifth team with the ability to pop up and grab the automatic bid? If so, TCU may be that team provided they take some of their mojo from Daniel Meyer Arena with them to Las Vegas. The Horned Frogs lost just one home conference game this season (SDSU), and with point guard Hank Thorns they have the best distributor in the conference. Their 4/5 battle with Colorado State should be highly entertaining given the caliber of CSU's guards, and while the Frogs have a little more size inside a lack of it hasn't prevented Pierce Hornung from out-toughing the opposition many times this season. SDSU, New Mexico and host UNLV are all playing to improve their NCAA tournament seeding, which should make for great semifinal action on Friday provided they all advance.

Pac-12 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State vs. #1 Washington, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
#5 UCLA vs. #4 Arizona, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
#7 Stanford vs. #2 California, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
#6 Colorado vs. #3 Oregon, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

Thanks to Wednesday's action there's a new record for the teams to avoid: 94 points, as in the lowest combined point total in a Pac-12 tournament game (Colorado/Utah did that just hours after UCLA/USC established a "new" mark of 95 points). That's the way this season has gone for the conference, which will need some excellent basketball for its NCAA prospects. Washington won the regular season title and Cal has the best resume, but the Huskies would be well-served to not get bounced by Oregon State. Arizona suspended Josiah Turner for the tournament and UCLA had to bench Joshua Smith for the first half on Wednesday due to his tardiness in getting to the team bus. Colorado may have been poor offensively but both of their games with Oregon have been exciting contests that didn't lack for scoring. Any one of these teams can grab the automatic bid at this point, and that parity's been a bit of a curse for the Pac-12 this season.

SEC - First Round
#8 LSU vs. #9 Arkansas, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network)
#5 Alabama vs. #12 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #10 Auburn, 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#6 Mississippi State vs. #11 Georgia, 10:00 p.m. (SEC Network)

Seeds five through seven have the most on the line today in New Orleans, with the Crimson Tide looking to be the safest bet to go dancing. Mississippi State has faltered down the stretch and despite their individual talent it remains to be seen if they've got the mental toughness (and focus) required to turn things around. And while Ole Miss hasn't been discussed a great deal nationally in regards to the NCAA tournament bubble, Andy Kennedy's Rebels are still alive and a good showing this weekend could punch their ticket. Ole Miss also suspended Jelan Kendrick for the weekend due to his, shall we say interesting, actions before the Rebels' regular season finale. The key players today: Alabama's Trevor Releford and Mississippi State's Dee Bost. Those two play well and their teams will win; don't and both the Tide and Bulldogs will be headed home.

SWAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Prairie View A&M vs. #6 Alcorn State, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#4 Alabama State vs. #5 UAPB, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

Top-seed Mississippi Valley State avoided disaster last night, advancing to the semis with a three-point win over Jackson State. Both they and texas Southern await the winners of today's quarterfinals, which begins with Prairie View A&M battling Alcorn State. Prairie View won by three in their last meeting...five days ago, with Jordan Demuynck going off for 27 points to lead the Panthers. Alabama State and UAPB both finished 9-9 in conference play, which makes it anyone's guess as to who wins tonight.

WAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Idaho vs. #6 Hawai'i, 3:00 p.m.
#2 New Mexico State vs. #7 Fresno State, 5:30 p.m.
#1 Nevada vs. #8 San Jose State, 9:00 p.m.
#4 Utah State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, 11:30 p.m.

There are two conference tournaments in Las Vegas this weekend with the WAC taking over Orleans Arena this weekend. Nevada has been the best team all season long in the WAC but that would all be for naught if they were to get upset. New Mexico State is the team best equipped to grab the automatic bid if the Wolf Pack don't thanks to Wendell McKines, and Idaho handed Nevada their lone conference loss this season. As for the disappointing team that may be capable of making a run look no furthern than Hawai'i, who can call on Vander Joaquim and Joston Thomas inside.

Top 25 Poll: Iowa St Debuts, Louisville Tumbles

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:34:24 -0800

AP Top 25 Commentary: Gonzaga and Iowa State entered the field this week, with a bevy of teams hot on their trail. For Iowa St, getting into the Top 25 is a substantial accomplishment considering their recent history, and it helps their peaking at the right time. With this new ranking and solid Big 12 record, Iowa St could potentially play their way into a 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Besides Louisville and Virginia, who fell out of the Top 25, the other big loser this week was Florida. The Gators dropped 6 spots from 16th to 22nd, but should be quite thankful they're ranked considering they've only beaten one Top 25 team all season (Florida St.)

North Carolina moved into 4th place after spanking Duke. The Heels certainly have a good shot at a #1 seed now depending on how things shake out in the ACC Tournament.

Creighton moved up 6 spots after winning the MVC Tournament, but still trail conference rival Wichita St by 3 seeds.

At the back of the poll, Drexel has moved into 28th place with 83 votes while VCU has struggled to gain as much traction with just 6 votes. The two CAA powerhouses meet in tonight's conference final.

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Kentucky (63) 30-1 1,623
2 Syracuse (2) 30-1 1,561
3 Kansas 26-5 1,482
4 North Carolina 27-4 1,442
5 Missouri 27-4 1,343
6 Duke 26-5 1,262
7 Ohio State 25-6 1,251
8 Michigan State 24-7 1,149
9 Marquette 25-6 1,087
10 Michigan 23-8 945
11 Murray State 30-1 922
12 Baylor 25-6 909
13 Georgetown 22-7 873
14 Wisconsin 23-8 853
15 Indiana 24-7 707
16 Wichita State 27-5 492
17 Florida State 21-9 468
18 San Diego State 24-6 441
19 Creighton 28-5 364
20 UNLV 25-7 360
21 Temple 24-6 343
22 Florida 22-9 305
23 Notre Dame 21-10 256
24 Gonzaga 25-5 170
25 Iowa State 22-9 127

Others receiving votes:

Saint Mary's 88, Louisville 84, Drexel 83, New Mexico 64, Virginia 34, Memphis 13, Virginia Commonwealth 6, Vanderbilt 6, Cincinnati 5, Long Beach State 3, Kansas State 2, Harvard 1, Saint Louis 1

Dropped from rankings:

Louisville 19, Virginia 24

New This Week:

Gonzaga 24, Iowa St 25