College Basketball Elo Ratings Blog

February 16th - Mid Major Rankings

2012-02-17T16:27:00.003-05:00

Mid-Major top 25:

1 (3): Wichita St. Shockers (23-4, 14-2, #11)

The Shockers dominated Creighton in Omaha, moving a full two games clear atop the Valley, and establishing themselves as a serious threat for an NCAA tournament run. They’ll play a weekend BracketBusters game against Davidson, before having a chance to formally clinch the league title at Illinois St.

Last week: W @ #29 Creighton 89-68, W v. #78 Missouri St. 74-67

This week: S @ #64 Davidson, W @ #110 Illinois St.

2 (2): New Mexico Lobos (21-4, 7-2, #12)

New Mexico had run through the MWC< but failed in its first shot against the league’s top sides. They didn’t repeat the failing last night, when they made the tough trip to San Diego St. and won by ten. They now face another chance for revenge, this time against UNLV. A win in that game would establish them as big league favourites.

Last week: W v. #73 Wyoming 48-38, W @ #39 San Diego St. 77-67

This week: S v. #20 Nevada Las Vegas, T @ #82 Colorado St.

3 (6): Memphis Tigers (19-7, 9-2, #16)

As expected, no problems for the Tigers this week, playing some of CUSA’s lower-level opposition. It should be a similar story this week, with two easy home games in store.

Last week: W v. #116 UAB 79-45, W @ #161 Tulane 82-64

This week: S v. #136 Texas El Paso, W v. #163 East Carolina

4 (7). St. Louis Billikens (21-5, 9-3, #18)

The Billikens picked up a good road win against La Salle, and then hosted Richmond last night. They are a half-game behind Temple in the A-10 title race, but have a solid chance to make up ground, with just one game remaining against a top 100 team, when they host Xavier in a couple of weeks.

Last week: W @ #69 La Salle 59-51, W v. #138 Richmond 64-50

This week: S v. #255 Fordham

5 (1). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (22-5, 6-3, #20)

The Rebels have had a habit of overtime games against the league’s weaker teams, and it finally backfired on them this week, as they followed up a big win at home to SDSU by losing to TCU in Fort Worth. They’ll have a chance to sweep the Lobos when they head to Albuquerque this weekend, a game they’ll need to win to stay in the league race.

Last week: W v. #39 San Diego St. 65-63, L @ #126 Texas Christian 97-102 (OT)

This week: S @ #12 New Mexico, W v. #144 Boise St.

6 (8): Gonzaga Bulldogs (20-4, 10-2, #21)

A great week for Gonzaga, which got back in the WCC title race with wins over St. Mary’s and Loyola, along with the former’s loss to the latter. They now sit tied atop the table, and have just one serious challenge left, when BYU comes to town on Thursday.

Last week: W v. #30 St. Mary’s 73-59, W v. #107 Loyola Marymount 78-59

This week: R @ #279 Santa Clara, S @ #146 San Francisco

7 (9): Temple Owls (18-5, 7-2, #22)

Temple looked good on a tough week, taking out Xavier and fighting through a tough game at St. Bonaventure. They have a fairly tough close to the league schedule, with their last easy home game coming against Duquesne on Saturday.

Last week: W v. #62 Xavier 85-72, W @ #98 St. Bonaventure 76-70

This week: S v. #108 Duquesne, W @ #69 La Salle

8 (5). Creighton Bluejays (22-5, 12-4, #29)

Creighton saw their losing streak extend to three games, as they got badly beaten at home by Wichita St., dealing a huge blow to their Valley title chances. They got back on track by crushing Southern Illinois, and will next play a BracketBusters game at home to Long Beach, before closing out the season with two games against weaker MVC teams.

Last week: L v. #11 Wichita St. 68-89, W @ #224 Southern Illinois 88-69

This week: S v. #47 Long Beach St., T v. #131 Evansville

9 (4): St. Mary’s Gaels (23-4, 12-2, #30)

The Gaels had a disasterous week, getting badly beaten at Gonzaga, and then losing their advantage in the conference race with a home loss to LMU. They will now face a tough end to their season, facing three straight road games, including a BracketBusters trip to Murray St. this weekend.

Last week: L @ #21 Gonzaga 59-73, W v. #279 Santa Clara 82-67, L v. #107 Loyola Marymount 60-75

This week: S @ #54 Murray St., R @ #266 Portland

10 (11): Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (22-4, 9-2, #33)

The Golden Eagles bounced back after losing at UAB last week with two close wins, holding off Tulsa in overtime and taking out UCF. They have just one top 100 opponents left on their schedule, and while they face two road games tonight, they shouldn’t be too strongly challenged.

Last week: W v. #85 Central Florida 78-74, W v. #83 Tulsa 77-69 (OT)

This week: S @ #205 Houston, W @ #136 Texas El Paso

11 (10): Brigham Young Cougars (21-6, 9-3, #34)

12 (12): San Diego St. Aztecs (20-5, 6-3, #39)

13 (13): Harvard Crimson (21-3, 7-1, #42)

14 (14): Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (23-4, 12-1, #45)

15 (15): Long Beach St. 49ers (19-6, 12-0, #47)

16 (19): Belmont Bruins (20-7, 12-2, #49)

17 (18): Iona Gaels (21-6, 13-3, #52)

18 (17): Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (24-5, 16-1, #53)

19 (16): Murray St. Racers (25-1, 13-1, #54)

20 (23): Virginia Commonwealth Rams (22-6, 13-3, #56)

21 (24): Akron Zips (19-7, 11-1, #58)

22 (-): Saint Joseph’s Hawks (17-10, 7-5, #59)

23 (22): Xavier Musketeers (16-9, 7-4, #62)

24 (25): Wagner Seahawks (21-4, 12-2, #63)

25 (21): Davidson Wildcats (20-6, 14-2, #64)

Dropped out: Cleveland St. (20-7, 10-5)

February 13th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 2

2012-02-13T19:38:00.000-05:00

14 (12). Indiana Hoosiers (19-6, 7-6) - #37 ELO, #7 SRS, #11 TN, #11 KenPom

Indiana had no problem with Illinois in their only game last week, and have a pretty soft schedule, for the Big Ten, the rest of the way. They will have to be careful with Northwestern this week, as the Wildcats will surely be pushing hard for a notable win.

Last week: W v. #51 Illinois 84-71

This week: W v. #58 Northwestern, U @ #105 Iowa

13 (15). New Mexico Lobos (20-4, 6-2) - #8 ELO, #18 SRS, #27 TN, #12 KenPom

New Mexico won an ugly, low-scoring game against Wyoming that capped their five game winning streak to move to 6-2, and to the edge of the top 10. However, that streak didn’t involve either of the two major challengers in the league, something that will rectified this week, when they host UNLV and travel to San Diego St. The Lobos could take a big hit by the end of the week, but if they win even one game, they will likely stay pretty highly ranked.

Last week: W v. #59 Wyoming 48-38

This week: W @ #37 San Diego St., S v. #15 Nevada Las Vegas

12 (19). Marquette Golden Eagles (21-5, 10-3) - #37 ELO, #7 SRS, #11 TN, #11 KenPom

Two comfortable wins for Marquette, which will next play a slumping UConn in its only game of the week. They look in good shape for second place in the league, but that trip to Storrs will be important for them to claim that spot.

Last week: W @ #166 DePaul 89-76, W v. #50 Cincinnati 95-78

This week: S @ #44 Connecticut

11 (18). Wichita St. Shockers (22-4, 13-2) - #7 ELO, #20 SRS, #19 TN, #9 KenPom

Two dominant wins for the Shockers have established them as the top team in the Valley, handily beating Northern Iowa, and then crushing their main competitors from Creighton on the weekend. They lead the league by two games, with three left, and can secure at least a share this week, when they face Missouri St. They also face a BracketBusters game at Davidson, in what should be an interesting game, but probably not a tough enough one to benefit either team much.

Last week: W v. #67 Northern Iowa 82-57, W @ #29 Creighton 89-68

This week: W v. #74 Missouri St., S @ #66 Davidson

10 (7). Baylor Bears (21-4, 8-4) - #16 ELO, #13 SRS, #4 TN, #16 KenPom

Baylor have lost four times, but only to two opponents, as they were blown out by Missouri, and suffered the indignity of a 32-5 Kansas run at home in that loss. They will need to get things together quickly, as they now face the three Big 12 teams just outside the top 25. The first two, this week, are at home, followed by a trip to Texas.

Last week: L v. #3 Kansas 54-68, L @ #5 Missouri 57-72

This week: M v. #30 Iowa St., S v. #33 Kansas St.

9 (10). Wisconsin Badgers (19-6, 8-4) - #18 ELO, #10 SRS, #14 TN, #5 KenPom

Not the most convincing result from the Badgers, but they won at Minnesota in their only game of the week. They will get a shot at Michigan St. this week, a chance for revenge for the overtime loss Wisconsin suffered in the start of January. After that game, they have a couple of weak opponents, and a chance to make up some major ground in the league.

Last week: W @ #49 Minnesota 68-61 (OT)

This week: R @ #6 Michigan St., U v. #132 Penn St.

8 (11). Duke Blue Devils (21-4, 8-2) - #14 ELO, #8 SRS, #7 TN, #14 KenPom

Duke looked like they were going down in the big rivalry game against North Carolina, but a ferocious charge-back, capped by Austin Rivers’ dramatic three at the buzzer, saw them pull out a win, and get level with the Heels in the ACC standings. They’ll get an NC State team with no convincing wins this week, before heading to Boston College.

Last week: W @ #7 North Carolina 85-84, W v. #113 Maryland 73-55

This week: R v. #39 North Carolina St., U @ #210 Boston College

7 (8). North Carolina Tar Heels (21-4, 8-2) - #14 ELO, #5 SRS, #8 TN, #8 KenPom

The Heels, as mentioned above, suffered that tough loss to Duke, but bounced back perfectly, handily beating a strong Virginia team. They will now head to Miami, where Duke lost last week, as well as facing an easy game against Clemson.

Last week: L v. #8 Duke 84-85, W v. #25 Virginia 70-52

This week: W @ #43 Miami FL, S v. #112 Clemson

6 (6). Michigan St. Spartans (20-5, 9-3) - #5 ELO, #6 SRS, #9 TN, #4 KenPom

Michigan St. looked excellent in winning at Ohio St., beating the Buckeyes by ten on the road, and will have a chance to add to that marquee win this week, as they host Wisconsin on Thursday; after that game they get a few weaker opponents, which should lead into an interesting season finale.

Last week: W v. #132 Penn St. 77-57, W @ #2 Ohio St. 58-48

This week: R v. #9 Wisconsin, U @ #46 Purdue

5 (5). Missouri Tigers (23-2, 10-2) - #3 ELO, #9 SRS, #3 TN, #7 KenPom

Missouri were pushed by Oklahoma on Monday, and then dominated Baylor on the weekend, staying level with Kansas atop the league. They now play two games against opponents outside the top 100, which should result in a pretty easy week.

Last week: W @ #102 Oklahoma 71-68, W v. #10 Baylor 72-57

This week: W v. #101 Oklahoma St., S @ #123 Texas A&M

4 (3). Syracuse Orange (25-1, 12-1) - #2 ELO, #5 SRS, #2 TN, #6 KenPom

The Orange survived overtime at home against Georgetown, then handily beat UConn on the weekend. They will play an interesting game at Louisville tonight, a game that will likely determine whether they will face any serious challenge for the Big East title.

Last week: W v. #16 Georgetown 64-61 (OT), W v. #44 Connecticut 85-67

This week: M @ #17 Louisville, U @ #118 Rutgers

3 (4). Kansas Jayhawks (20-5, 10-2) - #4 ELO, #3 SRS, #5 TN, #3 KenPom

The Jayhawks handily beat Baylor in Waco, all but eliminating the Bears from the conference race, and keeping them even with Missouri. They will face a testing game at Kansas St. tonight, before getting two teams outside the top 100 to lead into the rematch of Border War.

Last week: W @ #10 Baylor 68-54, W v. #101 Oklahoma St. 81-66

This week: M @ #33 Kansas St., S v. #205 Texas Tech

2 (2). Ohio St. Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) - #6 ELO, #1 SRS, #6 TN, #1 KenPom

The Buckeyes had a tough week, just surviving in a game against Purdue, then losing at home to Michigan St. Things won’t get a whole lot easier for them this week, as they will head out on the road for a pair of games, including a Saturday game with a Michigan team that has been very strong at home.

Last week: W v. #46 Purdue 87-84, L v. #6 Michigan St. 48-58

This week: T @ #49 Minnesota, S @ #24 Michigan

1 (1). Kentucky Wildcats (25-1, 11-0) - #1 ELO, #2 SRS, #1 TN, #2 KenPom

It looked like Kentucky’s perfect SEC record might be under serious threat in the last few minutes at Vanderbilt, but they rallied incredibly well, managing to get through against the Commodores. They also destroyed Florida in a showdown for the league lead, leaving them in a commanding position. Rematches with Vandy and Florida look like the only real chances for them to drop a league game, and they should get an easy win in their only game this week.

Last week: W v. #18 Florida 78-58, W @ #28 Vanderbilt 69-63

This week: S v. #94 Mississippi

February 13th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 1

2012-02-13T19:35:00.002-05:00

25 (21). Virginia Cavaliers (19-5, 6-4) - #38 ELO, #36 SRS, #24 TN, #21 KenPom

Virginia lost another game against a top league challenger, falling heavily at North Carolina. They have fallen to 5^th in the ACC standings, but should move back up this week, with games against two bottom-tier opponents.

Last week: W v. #187 Wake Forest 68-44, L @ #7 North Carolina 52-70

This week: T @ #112 Clemson, S v. #113 Maryland

24 (-). Michigan Wolverines (19-7, 9-4) - #42 ELO, #33 SRS, #12 TN, #25 KenPom

Michigan have been ranked in the polls for most of the season, but have struggled to crack my top 25, as they have alternated wins and losses for more than a month, unable to find any consistent stretch. They finally manage two wins in a row last week, but will likely see their streak come to an end with Ohio St. in town.

Last week: W @ #138 Nebraska 62-46, W v. #51 Illinois 70-61

This week: S v. #2 Ohio St.

23 (-). California Golden Bears (20-6, 10-3) - #32 ELO, #21 SRS, #38 TN, #15 KenPom

Cal look in good shape for the Pac-12 title after a strong road trip to LA, crushing USC and holding off UCLA. However, they still have some significant challenges, hosting a strong Oregon team this week, and finishing the season with three straight road games.

Last week: W @ #212 Southern California 75-49, W @ #72 UCLA 73-63

This week: R v. #64 Oregon, S v. #110 Oregon St.

22 (20). St. Mary’s Gaels (23-3, 12-1) - #9 ELO, #45 SRS, #15 TN, #33 KenPom

St. Mary’s lost its first conference game at Gonzaga, a poor showing, but one that shouldn’t ultimately hurt their WCC title chances, as they still have a lead in the standings. They’ll get their last serious challenge in league play this week, when they host LMU, and travel to Murray St. on the weekend for a BracketBusters game.

Last week: L @ #21 Gonzaga 59-73, W v. #275 Santa Clara 82-67

This week: W v. #120 Loyola Marymount, S @ #55 Murray St.

21 (25). Gonzaga Bulldogs (20-4, 10-2) - #24 ELO, #26 SRS, #20 TN, #29 KenPom

Gonzaga beat St.Mary’s this week, getting revenge for their loss in Moraga, and then blitzed the #4 team in the conference, LMU. They have a couple of easy road trips this week, before hosting BYU next week.

Last week: W v. #22 St. Mary’s 73-59, W v. #120 Loyola Marymount 78-59

This week: R @ #275 Santa Clara, S @ #142 San Francisco

20 (-). St. Louis Billikens (20-5, 8-3) - #13 ELO, #35 SRS, #34 TN, #10 KenPom

It seemed like the Billikens might be on course to squander an awesome start, as they started the A-10 season 4-3. Since then, they have gotten hot, racking up four straight wins against, all against top 100 teams, including two important wins last week, at St. Joe’s and La Salle. They now get a light bit in their schedule, with two weak teams coming into town.

Last week: W @ #60 Saint Joseph’s 72-60, W @ #68 La Salle 59-51

This week: W v. #136 Richmond, S v. #252 Fordham

19 (23). Memphis Tigers (18-7, 8-2) - #26 ELO, #15 SRS, #32 TN, #17 KenPom

Two very easy wins for the Tigers, which are level with Southern Miss atop the league standings. They should have two more similar results this week, as they continue playing teams outside the top 100.

Last week: W @ #164 East Carolina 70-59, W v. #139 UAB 79-45

This week: W @ #149 Tulane, S v. #134 Texas El Paso

18 (9). Florida Gators (19-6, 7-3) - #30 ELO, #12 SRS, #25 TN, #18 KenPom

This time last week, I was talking about Florida’s chances of getting back into the SEC race, which now seems a distant idea, after they were handily beat at Kentucky, and then lost at home to Tennessee. They could easily see their downward spiral continue, as they play four of their remaining six games on the road, including two this week.

Last week: L @ #1 Kentucky 58-78, L v. #79 Tennessee 70-75

This week: T @ #34 Alabama, S @ #79 Arkansas

17 (22). Louisville Cardinals (20-5, 8-4) - #28 ELO, #16 SRS, #17 TN, #23 KenPom

An excellent week for the Cardinals, who seem to have gotten over the hump they had last month; they destroyed UConn, basically getting the Huskies to give up in the second half, and won a tight game at West Virginia. They’ll have a chance to make a big splash on the national stage tonight against Syracuse, which features twice in their remaining six games.

Last week: W v. #44 Connecticut 80-59, W @ #42 West Virginia 77-74

This week: M v. #4 Syracuse, S @ #166 DePaul

16 (16). Georgetown Hoyas (19-5, 9-4) - #34 ELO, #17 SRS, #16 TN, #13 KenPom

The Hoyas came close to beating Syracuse, in what could be their last meeting in the Carrier Dome for a while; they managed to force overtime, but fell in the extra session. They did manage to beat t. John’s, and should easily handle Providence in their only game of the week.

Last week: L @ #4 Syracuse 61-64 (OT), W v. #145 St. John’s 71-61

This week: S @ #130 Providence

15 (13). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (22-4, 6-2) - #10 ELO, #25 SRS, #10 TN, #22 KenPom

UNLV earned some revenge from its earlier loss at SDSU, beating the Aztecs by two at home, leaving them tied with SDSU and New Mexico atop the league. They’ll get a shot at the Lobos, which are on a hot streak, this weekend, in a huge game for the MWC title.

Last week: W v. #37 San Diego St. 65-63

This week: T @ #144 Texas Christian, S @ #13 New Mexico

February 9th - Mid Major Rankings

2012-02-09T20:52:00.002-05:00

Mid-Major top 25:

1 (1). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (21-4, 5-2, #12)

UNLV took its second league loss at Wyoming, as a late run from the Cowboys left the Rebels chasing the game. They could easily find themselves on a losing streak, as they next play the team that gave them their first loss, league leaders SDSU.

Last week: L @ #64 Wyoming 66-68

This week: S v. #37 San Diego St., T @ #150 Texas Christian

2 (3): New Mexico Lobos (19-4, 5-2, #14)

New Mexico won easily at Boise St., continuing its strong run since the SDSU and UNLV losses. They’ll find things much tougher this week, hosting Wyoming on the weekend, before a game that could potentially see them into a tie atop the league, when they try to get revenge at SDSU.

Last week: W @ #162 Boise St. 65-49

This week: S v. #64 Wyoming, W @ #37 San Diego St.

3 (5): Wichita St. Shockers (21-4, 12-2, #15)

Wichita St. could have had a let-down, looking ahead to a huge game with Creighton this weekend, but had no such problem last night, crushing a strong Northern Iowa team. The game with the Jays now offers the Shockers a huge opportunity, as a win in Omaha would leave them a full two games clear atop the standings.

Last week: W v. #144 Indiana St. 71-66, W v. #79 Northern Iowa 82-57

This week: S @ #21 Creighton, W v. #73 Missouri St.

4 (4): St. Mary’s Gaels (22-2, 11-0, #18)

A huge game tonight is the Gaels’ final serious hurdle to a perfect WCC season, but it’s a tough one, as they head to Gonzaga. A loss would still leave the Gaels in great shape for the conference title, but you know that they will desperately want the victory, and it should be a great game to watch.

Last week: W v. #222 San Diego 84-73

This week: R @ #29 Gonzaga, S v. #280 Santa Clara

5 (2). Creighton Bluejays (21-4, 11-3, #21)

Creighton’s first real setback of the season came this week, as they surprisingly lost twice; especially the second game, coming at Evansville. They could easily see that loss streak stretch to 3 , as they host Wichita St. in a game they must win to stay in the Valley race.

Last week: L @ #79 Northern Iowa 62-65, L @ #123 Evansville 57-65

This week: S v. #15 Wichita St., T @ #209 Southern Illinois

6 (7): Memphis Tigers (17-7, 7-2, #22)

Memphis got a nice out-of-conference win against Xavier, and had no problems at East Carolina upon resuming C-USA play. They should cruise in their next few games, which come against teams outside the top 100.

Last week: W v. #58 Xavier 72-68, W @ #160 East Carolina 70-59

This week: S v. #124 UAB, W @ #141 Tulane

7 (9). St. Louis Billikens (19-5, 7-3, #23)

A great week for SLU, which won at home against a suddenly struggling Dayton team, and then won at St. Joe’s, leaving them right in the hunt for the league lead. They’ll have a tough trip next, heading to La Salle, which has been a present surprise this season, before getting three easy games after that.

Last week: W v. #84 Dayton 58-50, W @ #70 Saint Joseph’s 72-60

This week: S @ #66 La Salle, W v. #128 Richmond

8 (6): Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-4, 8-2, #29)

Gonzaga weren’t particularly good at BYU, getting beaten and dropping two full games behind St. Mary’s in the WCC chase. They could get back into the hunt tonight, when they host the Gaels in the WCC’s biggest rivalry game. They have a tricky one after that, as LMU come into town.

Last week: L @ #35 Brigham Young 73-83, W @ #248 Pepperdine 72-60

This week: R v. #18 St. Mary’s, S v. #122 Loyola Marymount

9 (8): Temple Owls (18-5, 7-2, #30)

As expected, no problems for Temple on the week, picking up two wins. They’ll ramp back up this week, facing a Xavier team just a half game back of them in the standings, as well as a tough trip to St. Bonaventure.

Last week: W @ #240 Rhode Island 73-56, W v. #187 George Washington 79-72

This week: S v. #58 Xavier, W @ #104 St. Bonaventure

10 (13): Brigham Young Cougars (20-6, 8-3, #35)

BYU finally got a win against one of the top WCC teams, looking very good in taking out Gonzaga at home. They’ll get an easy game against Pepperdine before embarking on a three game road swing that will, frighteningly, pretty much be the end of their regular season.

Last week: W v. #29 Gonzaga 83-73, W @ #264 Portland 79-60

This week: S v. #248 Pepperdine, R @ #152 San Francisco

11 (10): Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (20-4, 7-2, #36)

12 (11): San Diego St. Aztecs (20-3, 6-1, #37)

13 (14): Harvard Crimson (20-2, 6-0, #38)

14 (12): Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (21-4, 10-1, #44)

15 (16): Long Beach St. 49ers (17-6, 10-0, #48)

16 (15): Murray St. Racers (23-0, 11-0, #49)

17 (17): Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (21-5, 13-1, #50)

18 (19): Iona Gaels (19-5, 11-2, #52)

19 (25): Belmont Bruins (18-7, 10-2, #55)

20 (22): Cleveland St. Vikings (20-4, 10-2, #56)

21 (-): Davidson Wildcats (18-5, 12-1, #57)

22 (21): Xavier Musketeers (16-8, 7-3, #58)

23 (20): Virginia Commonwealth Rams (21-5, 12-2, #61)

24 (24): Akron Zips (17-7, 9-1, #62)

25 (-): Wagner Seahawks (20-4, 11-2, #63)

Dropped out: La Salle (17-8, 6-4), Drexel (20-5, 12-2)

February 6th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 2

2012-02-06T17:07:00.000-05:00

14 (14). Creighton Bluejays (21-3, 11-2) - #8 ELO, #29 SRS, #13 TN, #24 KenPom

A classic finish on the weekend ended badly for the Jays, as they came down and hit a three against Northern Iowa, only to see the Panthers come down the floor and respond with a winning buzzer-beater. That leaves them tied for the conference lead, and sets up a huge showdown with Wichita St.; Creighton have no other top 100 league games once the weekend is over, so a win should set them up well.

Last week: W v. #95 Illinois St. 102-74, L @ #74 Northern Iowa 62-65

This week: T @ #139 Evansville, S v. #18 Wichita St.

13 (11). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (21-4, 5-2) - #16 ELO, #25 SRS, #15 TN, #18 KenPom

UNLV lost at Wyoming, coming after having a couple of close wins last week that have left them in a bit of a lurch. Still, losing at Wyoming isn’t bad, and the Rebels will have a shot to get back into a tie for the conference lead when they host SDSU this weekend.

Last week: W v. #69 Colorado St. 82-63, L @ #63 Wyoming 66-68

This week: S v. #39 San Diego St.

12 (15). Indiana Hoosiers (18-6, 6-6) - #37 ELO, #7 SRS, #19 TN, #9 KenPom

Indiana have their third consecutive split week, dropping their first game against Michgan, but getting a win at Purdue, Tom Crean’s first against a Big Ten team other than Penn St. They’ve got a chance to finally build a win streak this week, when they host Illinois, in their only game.

Last week: L @ #32 Michigan 56-68, W @ #52 Purdue 78-61

This week: R v. #44 Illinois

11 (10). Duke Blue Devils (19-4, 6-2) - #27 ELO, #9 SRS, #9 TN, #16 KenPom

It may have been lost in the leadup to the Super Bowl, but Duke lost its second league game, roaring back from a heavy deficit against Miami, only to lose in overtime. They won’t get any respite from that loss, as they head to Chapel Hill this week.

Last week: W @ #83 Virginia Tech 75-60, L v. #51 Miami FL 74-78 (OT)

This week: W @ #8 North Carolina, S v. #118 Maryland

10 (9). Wisconsin Badgers (18-6, 7-4) - #26 ELO, #8 SRS, #18 TN, #4 KenPom

The Badgers edged Penn St. in the first game of the week, but lost at home to Ohio St., breaking their six-game winning streak. They’ve got a potentially tough game this week, heading to Minnesota, a game sandwiched between their tough games with Ohio St. and Michigan St.

Last week: W @ #141 Penn St. 52-46, L v. #2 Ohio St. 52-58

This week: R @ #45 Minnesota

9 (12). Florida Gators (19-4, 7-1) - #9 ELO, #12 SRS, #20 TN, #14 KenPom

Florida did well to see off Vanderbilt, extending their SEC win streak to 7 games. They’ll head to Kentucky on Tuesday, for one of the big games of the week, and their only real chance to get back into the conference title race.

Last week: W v. #142 South Carolina 74-66, W v. #30 Vanderbilt 73-65

This week: T @ #1 Kentucky, S v. #108 Tennessee

8 (8). North Carolina Tar Heels (20-3, 7-1) - #14 ELO, #5 SRS, #8 TN, #8 KenPom

North Carolina have racked up a long series of wins, but they have been against mostly lower level teams in the league. They’ll have a tougher time this week, with two challenging home games, starting with Duke coming into town, and following up with Virginia on the weekend.

Last week: W @ #169 Wake Forest 68-53, W @ #118 Maryland 83-74

This week: W v. #11 Duke, S v. #21 Virginia

7 (6). Baylor Bears (21-2, 8-2) - #4 ELO, #14 SRS, #2 TN, #11 KenPom

Baylor were tightly pushed in both of their road games this week, but came through it with two wins. They’ll have a brutal week coming up, as they face the same gauntlet that caused them two losses last month, playing both Kansas and Missouri.

Last week: W @ #115 Texas A&M 63-60, W @ #107 Oklahoma St. 64-60

This week: W v. #4 Kansas, S @ #5 Missouri

6 (5). Michigan St. Spartans (18-5, 7-3) - #7 ELO, #6 SRS, #12 TN, #5 KenPom

Michigan St. played an ugly game at Illinois, losing by one, and managing just 41 points/ They did manage a win at home against Michigan, and are set up for a couple of huge games, traveling to Ohio St. on Saturday and hosting Wisconsin.

Last week: L @ #44 Illinois 41-42, W v. #32 Michigan 64-54

This week: W v. #141 Penn St., S @ #2 Ohio St.

5 (7). Missouri Tigers (21-2, 8-2) - #6 ELO, #10 SRS, #5 TN, #7 KenPom

Missouri got through two close games on the week, barely winning at Texas, and then taking out Kansas at home, in what could be the last Columbia-hosted edition of Border War. They’ll get another marquee game this weekend, hosting Baylor on Saturday.

Last week: W @ #38 Texas 67-66, W v. #4 Kansas 74-71

This week: M @ #79 Oklahoma, S v. #7 Baylor

4 (4). Kansas Jayhawks (18-5, 8-2) - #10 ELO, #3 SRS, #7 TN, #3 KenPom

Kansas lost at Missouri, dropping into a tie atop the league at 8-2, and now face a Wednesday night showdown with Baylor, which should be a lot of fun and have some serious implications for the league title.

Last week: W v. #79 Oklahoma 84-62, L @ #5 Missouri 71-74

This week: W @ #7 Baylor, S v. #107 Oklahoma St.

3 (3). Syracuse Orange (23-1, 10-1) - #2 ELO, #4 SRS, #3 TN, #6 KenPom

After an easy week, with just one game, at St. John’s, things will be a lot tougher for Syracuse, though they will benefit from having both games at home. Their tougher test will open things, against Georgetown on Wednesday, but will also have a tough game on Saturday against UConn.

Last week: W @ #129 St. John’s 95-70

This week: W v. #16 Georgetown, S v. #36 Connecticut

2 (2). Ohio St. Buckeyes (20-3, 8-2) - #3 ELO, #1 SRS, #6 TN, #1 KenPom

Ohio St. looked solid in winning at Wisconsin, and now face the other top 10 Big Ten challenger, when they host Michigan St. on the weekend. They also host Purdue midweek, in what points to the strength of the Big Ten, is probably their easiest game remaining.

Last week: W @ #10 Wisconsin 58-52

This week: T v. #52 Purdue, S v. #6 Michigan St.

1 (1). Kentucky Wildcats (23-1, 9-0) - #1 ELO, #2 SRS, #1 TN, #2 KenPom

Kentucky dominated their two games this week, and continue to look like the team to beat nationally. They haven’t faced the other top teams in the SEC this week, something they will rectify this week, as they host their other main challenger, Florida, on Tuesday, and travel to a strong Vanderbilt team on Saturday.

Last week: W v. #108 Tennessee 69-44, W @ #142 South Carolina 86-52

This week: T v. #9 Florida, S @ #30 Vanderbilt

February 6th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 1

2012-02-06T17:06:00.000-05:00

25 (23). Gonzaga Bulldogs (18-4, 8-2) - #39 ELO, #30 SRS, #25 TN, #35 KenPom

Gonzaga’s first league trip to Provo did not go well, as BYU beat them pretty handily. They just stay in the top 25, by beating Pepperdine, but that will be heavily tested this week, when they host St. Mary’s; the conference title could be out of reach, but they’ll have a chance, as well as bragging rights, if they win Thursday night.

Last week: L @ #35 Brigham Young 73-83, W @ #247 Pepperdine 72-60

This week: R v. #20 St. Mary’s, S v. #122 Loyola Marymount

24 (-). Iowa St. Cyclones (17-6, 7-3) - #35 ELO, #27 SRS, #28 TN, #36 KenPom

After dealing Kansas its first league loss last week, the Cyclones extended their league win streak to three, edging Kansas St. at home, and opening an Oklahoma trip with a win. They’ll play two of the league’s lower teams this week, and try to consolidate themselves as contenders in the league, just one game back of the top 3.

Last week: W v. #26 Kansas St. 72-70, W @ #79 Oklahoma 77-70

This week: T @ #107 Oklahoma St., S v. #115 Texas A&M

23 (25). Memphis Tigers (16-7, 6-2) - #38 ELO, #18 SRS, #34 TN, #27 KenPom

Memphis fell out of the league lead with a loss this week, but it was hardly one to be ashamed of, coming at Southern Miss. They came back well on the weekend, winning a close game against Xavier. They’ll get a series of games against the lower half of CUSA next, which should see them pad their record.

Last week: L @ #31 Southern Mississippi 72-75, W v. #61 Xavier 72-68

This week: W @ #154 East Carolina, S v. #147 UAB

22 (-). Louisville Cardinals (18-5, 6-4) - #43 ELO, #21 SRS, #22 TN, #29 KenPom

Louisville have rallied from their disaster run in the first half of January, winning four in a row, but most of those have come against mid-level Big East competition. They’ll get some serious tests this week against similar teams in the standings, starting with UConn tonight. We’ll have a better idea at the end of the week where the Cardinals stand in the league.

Last week: W v. #109 Rutgers 78-66

This week: M v. #36 Connecticut, S @ #34 West Virginia

21 (19). Virginia Cavaliers (18-4, 5-3) - #24 ELO, #39 SRS, #24 TN, #19 KenPom

Virginia fell at Florida St., losing a close game to fall into a battle with NC State and Miami for fourth in the ACC. They should easily beat Wake Forest, but will have another chance for a serious scalp at North Carolina, a win they will need to separate themselves from the league pack.

Last week: W v. #116 Clemson 65-61, L @ #17 Florida St. 55-58

This week: W v. #169 Wake Forest, S @ #8 North Carolina

20 (16). St. Mary’s Gaels (22-2, 11-0) - #5 ELO, #45 SRS, #10 TN, #26 KenPom

St. Mary’s easily won its only game of the week, and are now set for the big rivalry game at Gonzaga, the last big hurdle between the Gaels and a perfect WCC season. They should win the regular season title regardless, but that game will be one of the best of the week.

Last week: W v. #222 San Diego 84-73

This week: R @ #25 Gonzaga, S v. #282 Santa Clara

19 (11). Marquette Golden Eagles (19-5, 8-3) - #31 ELO, #15 SRS, #17 TN, #22 KenPom

Marquette got badly beaten on Saturday, losing at Notre Dame after beating Seton Hall earlier in the week. They are right in the midst of the fight for second in the league, and will have an important game in that respect this weekend, when they host Cincinnati.

Last week: W v. #64 Seton Hall 66-59, L @ #37 Notre Dame 59-76

This week: M @ #164 DePaul, S v. #54 Cincinnati

18 (18). Wichita St. Shockers (20-4, 11-2) - #19 ELO, #28 SRS, #23 TN, #15 KenPom

Wichita St. stayed level atop the league, winning at Missouri St. in a solid test. They have a huge, potentially league deciding trip to Creighton on Saturday, but will need to watch out for a game with Northern Iowa, fresh from a win over the Bluejays.

Last week: W @ #75 Missouri St. 74-67, W v. #125 Indiana St. 71-66

This week: W v. #74 Northern Iowa, S @ #14 Creighton

17 (17). Florida St. Seminoles (16-6, 7-1) - #21 ELO, #13 SRS, #30 TN, #17 KenPom.

Florida St. took out Virginia in a close game over the weekend, and now get a softy against Boston College. They shouldn’t be seriously tested before hosting Duke in a couple of weeks, but have a series of tough games against mid-level league teams.

Last week: W v. #160 Georgia Tech 68-54, W v. #21 Virginia 58-55

This week: W @ #241 Boston College, S v. #51 Virginia Tech

16 (24). Georgetown Hoyas (18-4, 8-3) - #29 ELO, #20 SRS, #14 TN, #13 KenPom

Georgetown bounced back from their loss to Pitt with two good wins, playing some excellent defence against both UConn and USF. They’ll get their only shot at Syracuse for the season this week, in a game that could open up the race for the league title.

Last week: W v. #36 Connecticut 58-44, W v. #106 South Florida 75-45

This week: W @ #3 Syracuse, U v. #129 St. John’s

15 (22). New Mexico Lobos (19-4, 5-2) - #13 ELO, #19 SRS, #32 TN, #10 KenPom

Two dominant wins for the Lobos see them move into the top 15, as they’ve run off a series of wins against the teams outside the other main MWC competitors. They’ll get one last one of those, hosting Wyoming this weekend, before playing games against SDSU and UNLV next week.

Last week: W @ #180 Air Force 81-42, W @ #161 Boise St. 65-49

This week: S v. #63 Wyoming

February 2nd - Mid Major Rankings

2012-02-02T16:57:00.000-05:00

Mid-Major top 25:

1 (1). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (21-3, 5-1, #11)

The Rebels just survived at Air Force, but were incredibly impressive against a strong Colorado St. team, handily taking out the Rams. They’ll play just once this week, at Wyoming, a game against the closest challenger to the top 3 in the league.

Last week: W @ #173 Air Force 65-63, W v. #73 Colorado St. 82-63

This week: S @ #69 Wyoming

2 (3). Creighton Bluejays (21-2, 11-1, #14)

Two easy wins for the Jays, which had no problems at home. This week, things should be more challenging, especially a weekend trip to Northern Iowa, which is below .500 in the league, but still a threatening opponent.

Last week: W v. #237 Bradley 73-59, W v. #100 Illinois St. 102-74

This week: S @ #82 Northern Iowa, T @ #129 Evansville

3 (6): New Mexico Lobos (18-4, 4-2, #15)

Two dominant wins for the Lobos, which have now regrouped from their two losses in league play. They’ll play just once this week, at Boise St., another game that they should take handily.

Last week: W v. #130 Texas Christian 71-54, W @ #173 Air Force 81-42

This week: S @ #155 Boise St.

4 (7): St. Mary’s Gaels (21-2, 10-0, #16)

St. Mary’s were incredibly impressive in winning at BYU, giving them their first big road win of the season. They’ll play an easy game at home to San Diego this week, but will then have some serious road challenges, at Gonzaga, and then at Murray St. in a few weeks, in a BracketBusters games.

Last week: W @ #126 Loyola Marymount 71-64, W @ #40 Brigham Young 80-66

This week: R v. #236 San Diego

5 (2): Wichita St. Shockers (19-4, 10-2, #17)

Wichita St.’s second league loss was a tough one, coming in triple overtime at Drake, but got through their trip to Missouri St. to keep close to Creighton for the conference lead. They’ll come home for two games this week, including one against the 3^rd ranked Panthers.

Last week: L @ #119 Drake 86-93 (3OT), W @ #89 Missouri St. 74-67

This week: S v. #127 Indiana St., W v. #82 Northern Iowa

6 (5): Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-3, 7-1, #23)

Gonzaga face a critical game tonight, as they head to BYU; if they want to keep pace with St. Mary’s, they’ll need to match the Gaels’ win in Provo from last week. A win would set up a huge showdown next week, when St. Mary’s will come to town, and pretty much decide the league title.

Last week: W @ #277 Portland 74-62

This week: R @ #40 Brigham Young, S 2 #242 Pepperdine

7 (7): Memphis Tigers (15-7, 6-2, #25)

Memphis fell behind in the Conference USA race after losing at Southern Miss last night, not a wholly unsurprising result, but one that leaves them chasing the Eagles in the standings. They’ll get a non-conference break this weekend, but not an easy one, as Xavier comes into town.

Last week: W v. #77 Marshall 83-76, L @ #32 Southern Mississippi 72-75

This week: S v. #56 Xavier, W @ #168 East Carolina

8 (11): Temple Owls (16-5, 5-2, #30)

Temple got a great cross-town win against St. Joe’s , and are level atop the A-10 with two losses, though they are a half-game behind La Salle. They should win twice this week, with some of the league’s poorer teams coming up.

Last week: W @ #65 Saint Joseph’s 78-60, W v. #241 Fordham 78-60

This week: S @ #230 Rhode Island, W v. #182 George Washington

9 (9). St. Louis Billikens (17-5, 5-3, #31)

A split week for the Billikens, which lost fairly heavily at UMass, but came back with a win at home to St. Bonaventure. They’re right in the mix of a group of teams near the head of the league, but will have a huge week towards staying there, with a trip to St. Joe’s and Dayton coming in.

Last week: L @ #79 Massachusetts 59-72, W v. #95 St. Bonaventure 86-62

This week: S v. #81 Dayton, W @ #65 Saint Joseph’s

10 (14): Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (20-3, 7-1, #32)

Southern Miss moved to the solo lead atop Conference USA, with two wins over the major contenders in the league, including a huge revenge victory over Memphis last night. They’ll get a week off, before traveling to UAB next Wednesday.

Last week: W @ #96 Central Florida 78-65, W v. #25 Memphis 75-72

This week: W @ #151 UAB

11 (8): San Diego St. Aztecs (19-3, 5-1, #36)

12 (10): Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (20-3, 9-0, #38)

13 (12): Brigham Young Cougars (18-6, 6-3, #40)

14 (18): Harvard Crimson (18-2, 4-0, #41)

15 (13): Murray St. Racers (21-0, 9-0, #42)

16 (15): Long Beach St. 49ers (16-6, 9-0, #44)

17 (16): Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (20-4, 12-0, #47)

18 (23): La Salle Explorers (17-6, 6-2, #50)

19 (22): Iona Gaels (17-5, 9-2, #52)

20 (19): Virginia Commonwealth Rams (19-5, 10-2, #55)

21 (20): Xavier Musketeers (15-7, 6-3, #56)

22 (-): Cleveland St. Vikings (18-4, 8-2, #60)

23 (24): Drexel Dragons (18-5, 10-2, #61)

24 (25): Akron Zips (15-7, 7-1, #63)

25 (-): Belmont Bruins (16-7, 9-2, #64)

Dropped out: Dayton (14-8, 4-4), Davidson (16-5,10-1)

January 30th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 2

2012-01-30T18:45:00.001-05:00

14 (15). Creighton Bluejays (20-2, 10-1) - #5 ELO, #31 SRS, #10 TN, #27 KenPom

Unlike Wichita St., Creighton survived their trip to Drake, and now have a lead in the MVC race. They will have a hard time this week, though, with a trip to Northern Iowa on the weekend their toughest game left, other than the Wichita St. rematch and a BracketBusters game.

Last week: W @ #108 Drake 77-69, W v. #224 Bradley 73-59

This week: W v. #95 Illinois St., S @ #79 Northern Iowa

13 (11). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (20-3, 4-1) - #12 ELO, #24 SRS, #13 TN, #21 KenPom

UNLV picked up two wins, but were hardly convincing, as they needed overtime in both of their games last week. They will need to improve this week, as they get the two main challengers outside the top 3, Colorado St. and a trip to Wyoming.

Last week: W @ #158 Boise St. 77-72 (OT), W @ #156 Air Force 65-63 (OT)

This week: W v. #66 Colorado St., S @ #57 Wyoming

12 (18). Florida Gators (17-4, 5-1) - #14 ELO, #12 SRS, #26 TN, #11 KenPom

Florida didn’t look great at Mississippi, but rebounded well to take out Mississippi St. and should do the same this week against South Carolina. After that, there are two incredibly difficult games, with Vanderbilt and Kentucky in back-to-back games.

Last week: W @ #88 Mississippi 64-60, W v. #39 Mississippi St. 69-57

This week: R v. #136 South Carolina, S v. #20 Vanderbilt

11 (17). Marquette Golden Eagles (18-4, 7-2) - #18 ELO, #15 SRS, #15 TN, #15 KenPom

Second place in the Big East has been a constantly shifting position, and Marquette, having won solidly twice last week, now get two of the teams that have been surprise packages, but are moving in opposite directions; they host a slumping Seton Hall and travel to a rising Notre Dame.

Last week: W v. #92 South Florida 67-47, W @ #97 Villanova 82-78

This week: T v. #48 Seton Hall, S @ #50 Notre Dame

10 (10). Duke Blue Devils (18-3, 5-1) - #21 ELO, #9 SRS, #5 TN, #13 KenPom

Duke had an easy week and cruised through their two games in the week. They’ll get harder in the next three, facing two of the lower mid-table ACC teams, before a trip to North Carolina. We’ll see if Duke are a top national competitor after this next stretch of games.

Last week: W @ #117 Maryland 74-61, W v. #138 St. John’s 83-76

This week: R @ #76 Virginia Tech, U v. #62 Miami FL

9 (9). Wisconsin Badgers (17-5, 6-3) - #16 ELO, #8 SRS, #16 TN, #2 KenPom

Wisconsin won a critically important game with Indiana, and will have a chance to get level for the conference lead this weekend, when they play a huge game at Ohio St. Having won five in a row, their game with the Buckeyes is a chance to get back into the top echelon of the national picture.

Last week: W v. #15 Indiana 57-50

This week: T @ #137 Penn St., S v. #2 Ohio St.

8 (8). North Carolina Tar Heels (18-3, 5-1) - #20 ELO, #4 SRS, #9 TN, #7 KenPom

Two easy wins for the Tar Heels, which have bounced back well from their loss to Florida St. They should continue to their run this week, as they hit the road, but against fairly low-level competition.

Last week: W v. #49 North Carolina St. 74-55, W v. #159 Georgia Tech 93-81

This week: T @ #171 Wake Forest, S @ #117 Maryland

7 (5). Missouri Tigers (19-2, 6-2) - #8 ELO, #10 SRS, #7 TN, #8 KenPom

The Tigers suffered a surprising road loss to open the week, falling at Oklahoma St., and while they beat Texas Tech, they could potentially fall further with Texas, Kansas and Baylor all up in their next four games

Last week: L @ #113 Oklahoma St. 72-79, W v. #213 Texas Tech 63-50

This week: M @ #34 Texas, S v. #4 Kansas

6 (7). Baylor Bears (19-2, 6-2) - #6 ELO, #13 SRS, #2 TN, #9 KenPom

Baylor came back well from their two-loss weekend, with two wins against mid-table teams challenging for at-large bids, including against Texas on the weekend. This week, they’ll head on the road twice, but against teams at the bottom of the league.

Last week: W @ #64 Oklahoma 77-65, W v. #34 Texas 76-71

This week: W @ #112 Texas A&M, S @ #113 Oklahoma St.

5 (6). Michigan St. Spartans (17-4, 6-2) - #7 ELO, #6 SRS, #11 TN, #5 KenPom

The Spartans got a win at home to Minnesota, and will continue their run of games against mid-table opponents, heading to Illinois and getting a rematch against Michigan on Sunday.

Last week: W v. #40 Minnesota 68-52

This week: T @ #41 Illinois, U v. #31 Michigan

4 (2). Kansas Jayhawks (17-4, 7-1) - #9 ELO, #3 SRS, #8 TN, #4 KenPom

Kansas suffered their first loss of the Big 12 season, at Iowa St., a team that had given them a challenge in the first meeting. While they should win against Oklahoma mid-week, back-to-back trips to Missouri and Baylor will test their mettle as conference leaders.

Last week: W v. #112 Texas A&M 64-54, L @ #32 Iowa St. 64-72

This week: W v. #64 Oklahoma, S @ #7 Missouri

3 (4). Syracuse Orange (22-1, 9-1) - #1 ELO, #5 SRS, #4 TN, #6 KenPom

A great bounce-back week from the Orange, though they did benefit from a non-call in the closing moments of the game with West Virginia. They get most of the week off, and a game at St. John’s shouldn’t be too troublesome.

Last week: W @ #53 Cincinnati 60-53, W v. #28 West Virginia 63-61

This week: S @ #138 St. John’s

2 (3). Ohio St. Buckeyes (19-3, 7-2) - #3 ELO, #1 SRS, #6 TN, #1 KenPom

The Buckeyes got a very nice win over Michigan, and now face a huge challenge in their run to a conference title, a trip to Wisconsin, which should be one of the hardest games they face.

Last week: W v. #137 Penn St. 78-54, W v. #31 Michigan 64-49

This week: S @ #9 Wisconsin

1 (1). Kentucky Wildcats (21-1, 7-0) - #2 ELO, #2 SRS, #1 TN, #3 KenPom

Kentucky crushed LSU in its biggest test of the week, and should cruise to 9-0 with two games against teams outside the top 100. The Wildcats look excellent value for their spot as #1 in the country.

Last week: W @ #126 Georgia 57-44, W @ #85 Louisiana St. 74-50

This week: T v. #111 Tennessee, S @ #136 South Carolina

January 30th - Top 25 Rankings - Part 1

2012-01-30T18:44:00.001-05:00

25 (-). Memphis Tigers (15-6, 6-1) - #36 ELO, #17 SRS, #37 TN, #26 KenPom

Since a loss at Georgetown just before Christmas, the Tigers have run off a 9-1 record, including a strong start to Conference USA play. They are tied for the lead in the league, and got an important win over the weekend against Memphis. They head for what could be a title showdown mid-week, as they travel to face the league’s other 6-1 team, Southern Miss. They also play a solid non-conference game against Xavier, giving them two chances for excellent wins.

Last week: W v. #165 Rice 73-51, W v. #90 Marshall 83-76

This week: W @ #33 Southern Mississippi, S v. #55 Xavier

24 (16). Georgetown Hoyas (16-4, 6-3) - #43 ELO, #29 SRS, #19 TN, #18 KenPom

Georgetown played poorly at a Pitt team that had struggled to make a Big East impression to this point, and will need to play well to avoid continuing the losing streak, as they host an up-and-down UConn and a hot South Florida this week.

Last week: L @ #81 Pittsburgh 60-72

This week: W v. #38 Connecticut, S v. #92 South Florida

23 (20). Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-3, 7-1) - #33 ELO, #26 SRS, #18 TN, #31 KenPom

Gonzaga trailed at the half against a lowly ranked Portland team, but 8-0 and 13-2 runs early in the second left them with a pretty comfortable win. They will now face a huge test at BYU, a game that they will need to win to hang with St. Mary’s atop the conference.

Last week: W @ #277 Portland 74-62

This week: R @ #43 Brigham Young, S @ #237 Pepperdine

22 (-). New Mexico Lobos (17-4, 3-2) - #22 ELO, #28 SRS, #33 TN, #23 KenPom

New Mexico had taken two straight losses against the conference favourites, but got a spectacular bounce-back week, blowing out their two opponents, including a strong Colorado St. team. They will head on the road this week, but its against two of the weaker teams of the league, which should see them win handily.

Last week: W v. #66 Colorado St. 85-52, W v. #143 Texas Christian 71-54

This week: T @ #156 Air Force, S @ #158 Boise St.

21 (24). California Golden Bears (17-5, 7-2) - #35 ELO, #19 SRS, #32 TN, #19 KenPom

Cal got a solid win at home to their travel partner, Stanford, and are level with Washington atop the league. They will host two more games this week, with the Arizona schools coming in, including a potentially tough game with the Wildcats.

Last week: W v. #63 Stanford 69-59

This week: R v. #56 Arizona, S v. #196 Arizona St.

20 (25). Vanderbilt Commodores (16-5, 5-1) - #23 ELO, #23 SRS, #24 TN, #29 KenPom

Vanderbilt easily beat Tennessee, then got through a great mid-major opponent in Middle Tennessee. They will now head on the road, first for a tricky trip to Arkansas, then for a really testing trip to Florida.

Last week: W v. #111 Tennessee 65-47, W v. #36 Middle Tennessee 84-77

This week: T @ #61 Arkansas, S @ #12 Florida

19 (22). Virginia Cavaliers (17-3, 4-2) - #17 ELO, #42 SRS, #21 TN, #17 KenPom

Virginia just survived on the weekend, going to North Carolina St. and winning by one. They will get an easy game with Clemson this week, before a weekend showdown at Florida St. that is critical for the ACC title race.

Last week: W v. #232 Boston College 66-49, W @ #49 North Carolina St. 61-60

This week: T v. #116 Clemson, S @ #17 Florida St.

18 (12). Wichita St. Shockers (18-4, 9-2) - #29 ELO, #27 SRS, #28 TN, #12 KenPom

A really tough loss for the Shockers, which fell at Drake, but only in triple overtime. They’ve now fallen a game behind Creighton in the title race, and will need agood game to avoid falling further behind, when they travel to Missouri St. this week.

Last week: W v. #141 Evansville 86-74, L @ #108 Drake 86-93 (3OT)

This week: W @ #82 Missouri St., S v. #135 Indiana St.

17 (23). Florida St. Seminoles (14-6, 5-1) - #28 ELO, #14 SRS, #35 TN, #16 KenPom.
Since their win over North Carolina, the Seminoles have been a powerful force in the ACC, last week getting an easy win over Wake Forest. They will get a major challenge from Virginia this weekend, sandwiching it with two lower level teams, before a really tough stretch to the end of the season.

Last week: W @ #171 Wake Forest 75-52

This week: W v. #159 Georgia Tech, S v. #19 Virginia

16 (21). St. Mary’s Gaels (21-2, 10-0) - #4 ELO, #41 SRS, #12 TN, #22 KenPom

A big win for the Gaels, who dominated BYU on the road, and now have just one serious challenge the rest of the season; a trip to Gonzaga next week that will determine the league title. They will also get a BracketBusters game, that will likely come at Creighton or Murray St.

Last week: W @ #122 Loyola Marymount 71-64, W @ #43 Brigham Young 80-66

This week: R v. #234 San Diego

15 (13). Indiana Hoosiers (17-5, 5-5) - #40 ELO, #7 SRS, #17 TN, #10 KenPom

Another split week for Indiana, but an expected one this time, with a loss at Wisconsin and a high-scoring win against Iowa. They’ll get two tough tests this week, as they head on the road twice against top 50 teams, and if they want to get above .500 in the league they’ll need a strong week.

Last week: L @ #9 Wisconsin 50-57, W v. #103 Iowa 103-89

This week: W @ #31 Michigan, S @ #45 Purdue

15 (13). Indiana Hoosiers (17-5, 5-5) - #40 ELO, #7 SRS, #17 TN, #10 KenPom

Last week: L @ #9 Wisconsin 50-57, W v. #103 Iowa 103-89

This week: W @ #31 Michigan, S @ #45 Purdue

January 26th - Mid Major Rankings

2012-01-26T07:31:00.000-05:00

Mid-Major top 25:

1 (2). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (19-3, 3-1, #11)

The Rebels got a comfortable win over New Mexico, a huge result for their chances in the MWC, as thet avoided picking up two quick losses. They’ll get a relatively easy matchup with Air Force on the weekend, before hosting a dangerous Colorado St. team.

Last week: W v. #21 New Mexico 80-63, W @ #157 Boise St. 77-72

This week: S @ #159 Air Force, W v. #83 Colorado St.

2 (1): Wichita St. Shockers (18-3, 9-1, #13)

Two comfortable wins for the Shockers, not surprising, given they faced some of the league’s weaker teams. They’ll take two road trips this week, and will need to be really careful when they head to Missouri St. mid-week, probably their hardest non-Creighton game the rest of the conference season.

Last week: W v. #214 Southern Illinois 85-42, W v. #131 Evansville 86-74

This week: S @ #127 Drake, W @ #95 Missouri St.

3 (3). Creighton Bluejays (19-2, 9-1, #15)

No problems for the Jays last week, as they crushed Indiana St. and got by Drake easily. They’ll have an easy week coming up, hosting two teams outside the top 100.

Last week: W v. #151 Indiana St. 75-49, W @ #127 Drake 77-69

This week: S v. #224 Bradley, W v. #101 Illinois St.

5 (1): Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-3, 6-1, #20)

A familiar story in the WCC, as Gonzaga picked up two easy victories. They’ll head to the road this week, but their real focus should be a road game next week, when they head to BYU in a game that could all but decide whether they’ll be able to win a conference title.

Last week: W v. #158 San Francisco 74-63, W v. #234 San Diego 77-60

This week: R @ #276 Portland

6 (6): New Mexico Lobos (16-4, 2-2, #21)

New Mexico got badly beaten by UNLV, meaning they have been beaten by both of the other contenders in the MWC. Fortunately for the Lobos, they bounced back very well, crushing Colorado St. last night. They’ll get two of the league’s lowest teams this week, which should get them back to winning ways.

Last week: L @ #11 Nevada Las Vegas 63-80, W v. #83 Colorado St. 85-52

This week: S v. #148 Texas Christian, T @ #159 Air Force

7 (4): St. Mary’s Gaels (19-2, 8-0, #22)

Two very easy wins for the Gaels, but they won’t have as easy a week coming up, with a huge trip to BYU coming on the weekend, and a tricky trip to LMU tonight that could see them pick up their first league loss.

Last week: W v. #245 Pepperdine 61-47, W @ #239 Santa Clara 93-77

This week: R @ #118 Loyola Marymount, S @ #36 Brigham Young

7 (8): Memphis Tigers (14-6, 5-1, #26)

Memphis had an easy time last week, but should find the going much tougher this week, hosting Marshall and then travelling to an Southern Miss team that is level with the Tigers atop the standings. That Wednesday game will go a long way to determining the league title.

Last week: W v. #195 Southern Methodist 63-45, W v. #182 Rice 73-51

This week: S v. #84 Marshall, W @ #42 Southern Mississippi

8 (9): San Diego St. Aztecs (18-2, 4-0, #28)

The Aztecs had a good week of consolidation after opening their MWC season by beating the other two contenders. The trip to Wyoming was a long and difficult one, given some weather troubles, and they were fortunate to come away from it with the win. They will head back out on the road next, to Colorado St., their toughest test outside the other top three sides the rest of the conference season.

Last week: W v. #159 Air Force 57-44, W @ #67 Wyoming 52-42

This week: S @ #83 Colorado St., W v. #157 Boise St.

9 (14). St. Louis Billikens (16-4, 4-2, #29)

The Billikens had a poor stretch of three losses in four around the start of the year, but have bounced back with three straight victories, including a big road trip to Xavier this week. The A-10 looks like a huge minefield, with eleven of fourteen teams within a game of the conference lead, so it’s no surprise that SLU will get two potentially tough games this week, at UMass and hosting the Bonnies.

Last week: W v. #108 Duquesne 68-41, W @ #56 Xavier 73-68

This week: S @ #77 Massachusetts, W v. #92 St. Bonaventure

10 (10): Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (19-2, 8-0, #30)

The Blue Raiders will have one chance to make a big national impression the rest of the regular season, and that will come this weekend, when they head to Vanderbilt. MTSU has not lost since early December, but its schedule has been fairly weak. They will get three straight testing road games, as trips to North Texas and Sun Belt #2 Denver follow the Vandy game.

Last week: W v. #205 Arkansas St. 59-46, W @ #181 South Alabama 68-48

This week: R v. #251 Troy, S @ #25 Vanderbilt

11 (16): Temple Owls (14-5, 3-2, #31)

12 (7): Brigham Young Cougars (18-5, 6-2, #36)

13 (11): Murray St. Racers (20-0, 8-0, #40)

14 (15): Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (18-3, 5-1, #42)

15 (-): Long Beach St. 49ers (14-6, 7-0, #46)

16 (12): Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (18-4, 10-0, #48)

17 (17): Dayton Flyers (14-6, 4-2, #50)

18 (18): Harvard Crimson (16-2, 2-0, #51)

19 (20): Virginia Commonwealth Rams (17-5, 8-2, #55)

20 (13): Xavier Musketeers (13-7, 4-3, #56)

21 (-): Davidson Wildcats (14-4, 8-0, #58)

22 (19): Iona Gaels (15-5, 7-2, #60)

23 (-): La Salle Explorers (15-6, 4-2, #61)

24 (-): Drexel Dragons (16-5, 8-2, #63)

25 (-): Akron Zips (13-7, 5-1, #64)

Dropped out: Colorado St. (13-6, 2-2), Denver (15-5, 5-2), Marshall (13-7, 4-2), Belmont (14-7, 7-2), Northern Iowa (14-8, 4-6)

January 23rd - Top 25 Rankings - Part 2

2012-01-23T20:34:00.001-05:00

14 (18). West Virginia Mountaineers (15-5, 5-2) - #17 ELO, #14 SRS, #19 TN, #22 KenPom

West Virginia beat Marshall in their in-state rivalry game, then got an important Big East win, taking out a Cincinnati team that has been very solid in the league. They should easily beat St. John’s, but will face a harsh test at Syracuse on the weekend, which will give them a chance to really stamp their presence on the national stage.

Last week: W v. #65 Marshall 78-62 (N), W v. #50 Cincinnati 77-74

This week: W @ #168 St. John’s, S @ #4 Syracuse

13 (9). Indiana Hoosiers (16-4, 4-4) - #33 ELO, #9 SRS, #16 TN, #11 KenPom

Indiana suffered their first bad loss of the season, dropping a game at Nebraska, one of the league’s lowest ranked teams. They rebounded by taking out Penn St., but will have a tough time avoiding another loss, as they will head to Wisconsin for a very difficult game this week.

Last week: L @ #105 Nebraska 69-70, W v. #138 Penn St. 73-54

This week: R @ #9 Wisconsin, U v. #89 Iowa

12 (20). Wichita St. Shockers (17-3, 8-1) - #14 ELO, #23 SRS, #23 TN, #9 KenPom

Wichita St. continued their excellent Valley start, winning at Northern Iowa, and now get a few easier games, with Evansville and Drake up this week. The real interest for the Shockers will come in early February, when they play at Creighton and rematch with Northern Iowa.

Last week: W @ #58 Northern Iowa 71-68, W v. #222 Southern Illinois 85-42

This week: W v. #133 Evansville, S @ #123 Drake

11 (15). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (18-3, 2-1) - #13 ELO, #24 SRS, #12 TN, #17 KenPom

The Rebels had the perfect bounce-back from their season-opening loss to San Diego St., getting two home wins, including a double-digit victory over challengers New Mexico. They’ll head out on the road this week, against two of the league’s lower teams, Boise and Air Force.

Last week: W v. #149 Texas Christian 101-78, W v. #29 New Mexico 80-63

This week: W @ #152 Boise St., S @ #151 Air Force

10 (8). Duke Blue Devils (16-3, 4-1) - #25 ELO, #7 SRS, #8 TN, #14 KenPom

Duke’s perfect start to the ACC season was ended by Florida St., which pulled off a last-possession victory at Cameron indoor. Two teams outside the top 100 should allow the Blue Devils to rebound this week, though after that, three tougher games, including a trip to Carolina, await.

Last week: R v. #146 Wake Forest 91-73, L v. #23 Florida St. 73-76

This week: W @ #121 Maryland, S v. #168 St. John’s

9 (12). Wisconsin Badgers (16-5, 5-3) - #15 ELO, #10 SRS, #21 TN, #3 KenPom

The Badgers have rebounded well from their horror stretch earlier in the month, handily beating Northwestern, and winning well at Illinois. They’ll play just once this week, but it’s a doozy, at home against an Indiana team going through a weak spot of their own. Despite their losses, the Badgers are right in the thick of the Big Ten race, and this week’s game will be critical for their chances.

Last week: W v. #60 Northwestern 77-57, W @ #30 Illinois 67-63

This week: R v. #13 Indiana

8 (10). North Carolina Tar Heels (16-3, 3-1) - #22 ELO, #5 SRS, #11 TN, #8 KenPom

The Heels came back well from their blowout against Florida St., with a very nice win at Virginia Tech. They’ll play NC State this week, a team that has a decent ranking despite no real buzz around them.

Last week: W @ #61 Virginia Tech 82-68

This week: R v. #45 North Carolina St., U v. #150 Georgia Tech

7 (5). Baylor Bears (17-2, 4-2) - #9 ELO, #13 SRS, #2 TN, #10 KenPom

Baylor’s gauntlet week left them beaten and bruised, as their perfect record went by the wayside at Kansas, followed by a tough, one-point weekend loss to Missouri. They don’t drop too far, given that their opponents were high quality, but they’ve got to get things together this week with two mid-table league teams.

Last week: L @ #2 Kansas 74-92, L v. #5 Missouri 88-89

This week: T @ #67 Oklahoma, S v. #46 Texas

6 (7). Michigan St. Spartans (16-4, 5-2) - #7 ELO, #6 SRS, #15 TN, #4 KenPom

Michigan St. lost at their in-state rival, one of several recent losses they’ve taken against the Wolverines, but came back perfectly, crushing Purdue and keeping their ranking pretty much the same. They’ll get another game against a team in the 40s this week, as they host Minnesota.

Last week: L @ #39 Michigan 59-60, W v. #44 Purdue 83-58

This week: W v. #42 Minnesota

5 (6). Missouri Tigers (18-1, 5-1) - #2 ELO, #8 SRS, #4 TN, #7 KenPom

An excellent win for Missouri on the weekend, as they went to Waco and just survived against Baylor, moving them up into the top 25. They’ll play a couple of league bottom-feeders this week, and should get to 7-1.

Last week: W v. #129 Texas A&M 70-51, W @ #7 Baylor 89-88

This week: W @ #117 Oklahoma, St., S v. #214 Texas Tech

4 (1). Syracuse Orange (20-1, 7-1) - #1 ELO, #3 SRS, #6 TN, #6 KenPom

Syracuse’s first loss of the year was a surprising one, coming at a Notre Dame team that hadn’t done much before that game. They won’t get any recuperation, heading straight to Cincinnati, and then getting West Virginia in Syracuse this week. They could easily rack up a multi-game losing streak, f they can’t get things back on track.

Last week: W v. #106 Pittsburgh 71-63, L @ #70 Notre Dame 58-67

This week: M @ #50 Cincinnati, S v. #14 West Virginia

3 (2). Ohio St. Buckeyes (17-3, 5-2) - #4 ELO, #1 SRS, #9 TN, #1 KenPom

No problems for Ohio St. against Nebraska; I expect them to have a similar level of success against Penn St., but a visit from Michigan should be more interesting.

Last week: W @ #105 Nebraska 79-45

This week: W v. #143 Penn St.. U v. #39 Michigan

2 (4). Kansas Jayhawks (16-3, 6-0) - #5 ELO, #2 SRS, #5 TN, #2 KenPom

Kansas were excellent against Baylor, really showing themselves as a dominant force and the favouritein the Big 12 with a strong win. They were held more closely at Texas on the weekend, but just managed to get through that one. They should easily handle A&M, but Iowa St., which tested the Jayhawks in Lawrence, will be a tricky trip.

Last week: W v. #7 Baylor 92-74, W @ #46 Texas 69-66

This week: M v. #129 Texas A&M, S @ #37 Iowa St.

1 (3). Kentucky Wildcats (19-1, 5-0) - #3 ELO, #4 SRS, #1 TN, #5 KenPom

Kentucky’s win at home to Alabama leaves them in a great spot to get to at least 9-0 in the SEC, as they now play four teams outside the top 50. The downside from a schedule perspective is that three of those games are on the road, including a tricky weekend trip to LSU.

Last week: W v. #62 Arkansas 86-63, W v. #27 Alabama 77-71

This week: T @ #126 Georgia, S @ #72 Louisiana St.

January 23rd - Top 25 Rankings - Part 1

2012-01-23T20:33:00.001-05:00

25 (-). Vanderbilt Commodores (14-5, 4-1) - #29 ELO, #28 SRS, #30 TN, #32 KenPom

Vanderbilt were poised for an excellent SEC start after taking a ten-point win at Alabama, but weren’t able to seal the deal at home, losing a close game to Mississippi St. They face an interesting non-conference challenge this weekend, as they head to Middle Tennessee, one of the strongest mid-majors in the country.

Last week: W @ #27 Alabama 69-59, L v. #34 Mississippi St. 77-78

This week: T v. #113 Tennessee, S v. #30 Middle Tennessee

24 (22). California Golden Bears (16-5, 6-2) - #37 ELO, #22 SRS, #34 TN, #20 KenPom

The Bears edged Washington to get a big step up towards the conference title, but they promptly undid a lot of that good work with a loss at Washington St. They get most of the week off, before playing their travel partner, and one of their main league rivals, Stanford.

Last week: W @ #68 Washington 69-66, L @ #110 Washington St. 75-77

This week: U v. #55 Stanford

23 (-). Florida St. Seminoles (13-6, 4-1) - #36 ELO, #15 SRS, #38 TN, #21 KenPom.
Florida St. has had one of the most impressive weeks of the season, winning against North Carolina last weekend, and then going to Cameron Indoor and getting a win last week. These wins have catapulted the Seminoles into the top 25, and into the ACC title race.

Last week: W v. #121 Maryland 84-70, W @ #10 Duke 76-73

This week: W @ #146 Wake Forest

22 (25). Virginia Cavaliers (15-3, 2-2) - #19 ELO, #39 SRS, #27 TN, #16 KenPom

The Cavs all of the sudden find themselves under heavy pressure for 3^rd in the ACC rankings, as the combination of Florida St.’s sudden surge and their own home loss to Virginia Tech sees them nearly level with the Seminoles. They should easily beat Boston College this week, but will face a challenge in a trip to NC State.

Last week: W @ #150 Georgia Tech 70-38, L v. #61 Virginia Tech 45-47

This week: R v. #223 Boston College, S @ #45 North Carolina St.

21 (19). St. Mary’s Gaels (19-2, 8-0) - #10 ELO, #50 SRS, #14 TN, #25 KenPom

As expected, no problems for the Gaels, who cruised in their two games of the week. Things will be different this week, with their first serious road tests; attention will be on the trip to BYU this weekend, but LMU are also dangerous opponents.

Last week: W v. #254 Pepperdine 61-47, W @ #232 Santa Clara 93-77
This week: R @ #134 Loyola Marymount, S @ #40 Brigham Young

20 (23). Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-3, 6-1) - #10 ELO, #50 SRS, #14 TN, #25 KenPom

No problems for Gonzaga in two pretty easy wins, they should get another on the road at Portland this week, and should really be waiting for their first league trip to Provo next week.

Last week: W v. #156 San Francisco 74-63, W v. #241 San Diego 77-60

This week: R @ #275 Portland

19 (-). Kansas St. Wildcats (14-4, 3-3) - #30 ELO, #17 SRS, #17 TN, #19 KenPom

A week after losing twice, the Wildcats got back on track with two wins, beating a team that could have been close to them in Texas, and also seeing off Oklahoma St. A big game for them on the weekend, as they’ll look for revenge against Oklahoma.

Last week: W @ #46 Texas 84-80, W @ #117 Oklahoma St. 66-58

This week: W @ #214 Texas Tech, S v. #67 Oklahoma

18 (17). Florida Gators (15-4, 3-1) - # ELO, #14 SRS, #46 TN, #12 KenPom

Florida got a nice win at home to LSU last week, and this week do the Mississippi double; they should win the road trip, but hosting the Bulldogs will be a tough encounter.

Last week: W v. #72 Louisiana St. 76-64

This week: R @ #86 Mississippi, S v. #34 Mississippi St.

17 (-). Marquette Golden Eagles (16-4, 5-2) - #23 ELO, #16 SRS, #18 TN, #23 KenPom

Marquette have rallied well after a poor league start, winning four in a row, including a good victory over Louisville. They’ll play two teams in the 80s this week, In what should be victories, as they continue in a lean bit of the schedule.

Last week: W v. #35 Louisville 74-63, W @ #108 Providence 79-72

This week: T v. #88 South Florida, S @ #85 Villanova

16 (11). Georgetown Hoyas (16-3, 6-2) - #21 ELO, #25 SRS, #13 TN, #15 KenPom

The Hoyas just escaped against Rutgers, but managed the win, continuing their recovery against some of the league’s weaker teams. They’ll head to Pitt this week, normally a tough trip, but not so much so far this year.

Last week: W @ #162 DePaul 83-75, W v. #97 Rutgers 52-50

This week: S @ #106 Pittsburgh

15 (13). Creighton Bluejays (18-2, 8-1) - #6 ELO, #29 SRS, #10 TN, #27 KenPom

A great win for the Bluejays at Missouri St., as they just escaped with a one point win to stay at the top of the Valley standings. They’ll get a pretty lean set of opponents this week, though a trip to Drake could be tricky.

Last week: W @ #87 Missouri St. 66-65, S v. #163 Indiana St. 75-49

This week: W @ #123 Drake, S v. #213 Bradley

January 19th - Mid Major Rankings

2012-01-19T18:21:00.001-05:00

Mid-Major top 25:

1 (4): Wichita St. Shockers (16-3, 7-1, #12)

A great week for the Shockers, which won three games, including a tight won last night at Northern Iowa, moving Wichita level with Creighton, two games ahead of their closest chaser. They’ll play two average MVC teams this week at home, which should push their record to 9-1.

Last week: W v. #212 Bradley 78-41, W @ #152 Indiana St. 75-65, W @ #63 Northern Iowa 71-68

This week: S v. #218 Southern Illinois, W v. #136 Evansville

2 (2). Nevada Las Vegas Rebels (17-3, 1-1, #14)

UNLV lost its conference opener, but it shouldn’t be too worried about it, as it was a close loss at a tough SDSU side. However, they will face another tough challenge on the weekend, as New Mexico comes in. If the Rebels can’t get a win in that game, they would find themselves on a stunning 1-2 start. They will be favoured on Saturday, but will need to be careful.

Last week: L @ #36 San Diego St. 67-69, W v. #157 Texas Christian 101-78

This week: S v. #25 New Mexico, W @ #140 Boise St.

3 (3). Creighton Bluejays (17-2, 7-1, #16)

Like Wichita, Creighton escaped a tight road game against a potential challenger to get some space in the league standings, just surviving against Missouri St. They will play against their closest challenger this week, as they head to a Drake team that is not highly rated, but could close to within a game of the Jays with a win.

Last week: W @ #92 Illinois St. 87-78, W v. #218 Southern Illinois 90-71, W @ #81 Missouri St. 66-65

This week: S v. #152 Indiana St., W @ #115 Drake

4 (5): St. Mary’s Gaels (17-2, 6-0, #20)

A dominant win at home to Gonzaga puts the Gaels in command of the WCC, and they should cruis through their next few games, with their closest challenge coming next weekend, when they must make the tough trip to face BYU.

Last week: W v. #23 Gonzaga 83-62, W v. #261 Portland 69-61

This week: R v. #258 Pepperdine, S @ #231 Santa Clara

5 (1): Gonzaga Bulldogs (14-3, 4-1, #23)

Gonzaga got badly beaten in Moraga, losing heavily to St. Mary’s, and didn’t rebound all that well, just getting by LMU in their second game. Things should get better for them this week, with two easy home games, but they will need t pick it up for the other matchups with the Gaels and BYU.

Last week: L @ #20 St. Mary’s 62-83, W @ #162 Loyola Marymount 62-58

This week: R v. #159 San Francisco, S v. #262 San Diego

6 (6): New Mexico Lobos (15-3, 1-1, #25)

The Lobos had a chance for a marquee win in MWC play, but couldn’t get it done against SDSU, despite opening the game with a quick 10-point lead. They did beat Wyoming, and will have another crack at a big name win when they head to UNLV this weekend.

Last week: W @ #76 Wyoming 72-62, L v. #36 San Diego St. 70-75

This week: S @ #14 Nevada Las Vegas, W v. #56 Colorado St.

7 (10): Brigham Young Cougars (16-4, 5-1, #26)

Two easy wins for the Cougars last week, and it should be more of the same this week. Things will get more interesting next week, with Virginia Tech and St. Mary’s up in two important games for BYU’s at-large hopes.

Last week: W v. #231 Santa Clara 95-78, W @ #262 San Diego 82-63

This week: R v. #162 Loyola Marymount, S @ #258 Pepperdine

8 (8): Memphis Tigers (12-6, 3-1, #31)

Memphis had a split week, suffering a tough loss on the road at UCF, losing a game in the closing minutes after rallying back to get it close. They will play a couple of home games against bottom half teams this week, which they should win before a tough three-game stretch of Marshall, Southern Miss and Xavier.

Last week: W @ #190 Houston 89-55, L @ #78 Central Florida 67-68

This week: S v. #186 Southern Methodist, W v. #153 Rice

9 (24): San Diego St. Aztecs (16-2, 2-0, #36)

SDSU move into the top 10, hardly surprising when they defeat the two other primary challengers in their league. Both games were close, but the Aztecs showed toughness in securing both victories. They’ve got a fairly easy game with Air Force coming up, but trips to solid Wyoming and Colorado St. could potentially be tough.

Last week: W v. #14 Nevada Las Vegas 69-67, W @ #25 New Mexico 75-70

This week: S v. #148 Air Force, T @ #76 Wyoming

10 (17): Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (17-2, 6-0, #37)

Middle Tennessee have been an excellent surprise, off to a great start in a fairly weak Sun Belt conference. They have some solid wins over UCLA and Belmont, but no really notable results. They will get shots at Denver and Vanderbilt, the only other top-150 games on their schedule.

Last week: W @ #268 Florida International 70-59, W @ #195 Florida Atlantic 67-54

This week: R v. #226 Arkansas St., S @ #150 South Alabama

11 (10): Murray St. Racers (19-0, 7-0, #38)

12 (12): Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (16-4, 8-0, #40)

13 (18): Xavier Musketeers (13-5, 4-1, #43)

14 (16). St. Louis Billikens (14-4, 2-2, #47)

15 (13): Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (16-3, 3-1, #48)

16 (9): Temple Owls (12-5, 2-2, #49)

17 (14): Dayton Flyers (13-5, 3-1, #51)

18 (23): Harvard Crimson (15-2, 1-0, #53)

19 (11): Iona Gaels (14-4, 6-1, #54)

20 (25): Virginia Commonwealth Rams (13-5, 4-2, #55)

21 (-): Colorado St. Rams (13-4, 2-0, #56)

22 (22): Denver Pioneers (14-4, 4-1, #59)

23 (20): Marshall Thundering Herd (13-5, 4-0, #60)

24 (-): Belmont Bruins (13-6, 6-1, #62)

25 (15): Northern Iowa Panthers (13-7, 3-5, #63)

Dropped out: Saint Joseph’s (12-7, 2-3), Long Beach St. (12-6, 5-0)