2013-14 Honors & Awards

1st Team All-American
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut
Russ Smith, Louisville
Nik Stauskas, Michigan
Jabari Parker, Duke
Doug McDermott, Creighton

2nd Team All-American
Fred VanVleet, Wichita State
Xavier Thames, San Diego State
Elfrid Payton, Louisiana-Lafayette
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
C.J. Fair, Syracuse

All-Defensive Team
Aaron Craft, Ohio State
Briante Weber, Virginia Commonwealth
Russ Smith, Louisville
K.J. McDaniels, Clemson
Jordan Bachynski, Arizona State

All-Freshman Team
Tyler Ennis, Syracuse
Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
Jabari Parker, Duke
Aaron Gordon, Arizona
Julius Randle, Kentucky

Player of the Year: Doug McDermott, Creighton
Top Defender: Briante Weber, Virginia Commonwealth
Best Freshman: Jabari Parker, Duke
Coach of the Year: Billy Donovan, Florida

Top 25

1) Florida 25-2

top five wins: Kansas; Memphis(n); Missouri; @ Tennessee; @Kentucky

losses: @Wisconsin; @Connecticut

2) Arizona 25-2

top five wins: @San Diego State; Duke(n); @Michigan; @UCLA; Arizona State

losses: @California; @Arizona State

3) Syracuse 25-2

top five wins: Villanova; North Carolina; Pittsburgh; Duke; @Pittsburgh

losses: Boston College; @Duke

4) Wichita State 29-0

top five wins: Brigham Young(n); @Saint Louis; Tennessee; Indiana State; @Indiana State

losses: none

5) Duke 22-6

top five wins: Michigan; UCLA(n); Virginia; @Pittsburgh; Syracuse

losses: Kansas(n); Arizona(n); @Notre Dame; @Clemson; @Syracuse; @North Carolina

6) Kansas 21-6

top five wins: Duke(n); New Mexico(n); @Iowa State; Iowa State; Texas

losses: Villanova(n); @Colorado; @Florida; San Diego State; @Texas; @Kansas State

7) Louisville 23-4

top five wins: Southern Miss; Western Kentucky; Southern Methodist; @Connecticut; @Cincinnati

losses: North Carolina(n); @Kentucky; Memphis; Cincinnati

8) Wisconsin 22-5

top five wins: Florida; Saint Louis(n); @Virginia; Michigan State; @Michigan

losses: @Indiana; Michigan; @Minnesota; Northwestern; Ohio State

9) Michigan 19-7

top five wins: @Wisconsin; Iowa; @Michigan State; @Ohio State; Michigan State

losses: @Iowa State; Charlotte(n); @Duke; Arizona; @Indiana; @Iowa; Wisconsin

10) Michigan State 22-6

top five wins: Kentucky(n); Oklahoma(n); @Texas; Ohio State; @Iowa

losses: North Carolina; Michigan; Georgetown(n); @Wisconsin; Nebraska; @Michigan

11) Cincinnati 24-4

top five wins: Pittsburgh(n); Southern Methodist; @Memphis; @Louisville; Connecticut

losses: @New Mexico; Xavier(n); @Southern Methodist; Louisville

12) Saint Louis 25-2

top five wins: Indiana State; Richmond; @ St. Joseph's; Virginia Commonwealth; George Washington

losses: Wisconsin(n); Wichita State

13) San Diego State 23-3

top five wins: Creighton(n); Marquette(n); @Kansas; UNLV; @Boise State

losses: Arizona; @Wyoming; @New Mexico

14) Iowa State 21-5

top five wins: Michigan; Iowa; Oklahoma; @Oklahoma State; Texas

losses: @Oklahoma; Kansas; @Texas; @Kansas; @West Virginia

15) Virginia 23-5

top five wins: Southern Methodist(n); @North Carolina State; North Carolina; @Pittsburgh; @Clemson

losses: Virginia Commonwealth; Wisconsin; @Green Bay; @Tennessee; @Duke

16) North Carolina 20-7

top five wins: Louisville(n); @Michigan State; Kentucky; Pittsburgh; Duke

losses: Belmont; @UAB; Texas; @Wake Forest; Miami; @Syracuse; @Virginia

17) Kentucky 21-6

top five wins: Providence(n); Louisville; Tennessee; @Missouri; LSU

losses: Michigan State(n); Baylor(n); @North Carolina; @Arkansas; @LSU; Florida

18) Creighton 23-4

top five wins: @St. Joseph's; Arizona State(n); California; @Villanova; Villanova

losses: San Diego State(n); George Washington(n); @Providence; @St. John's

19) Villanova 24-3

top five wins: Kansas(n); Iowa(n); @St. Joseph's; @St. John's; @Providence

losses: @Syracuse; Creighton; @Creighton

20) Iowa 19-7

top five wins: Xavier(n); Nebraska; @Ohio State; Minnesota; Michigan

losses: Villanova(n); @Iowa State; @Wisconsin; @Michigan; Michigan State; Ohio State; Wisconsin

21) Ohio State 22-6

top five wins: @Marquette; Nebraska; @Wisconsin; @Iowa; Minnesota

losses: @Michigan State; Iowa; @Minnesota; @Nebraska; Penn State; Michigan

22) UCLA 21-6

top five wins: Arizona State; @Colorado; Stanford; California; @California

losses: @Missouri; Duke(n); Arizona; @Utah; @Oregon State; @Stanford

23) Connecticut 21-6

top five wins: Maryland(n); Florida; Harvard; @Memphis; Memphis

losses: Stanford; @Houston; @Southern Methodist; Louisville; @Cincinnati; Southern Methodist

24) New Mexico 21-5

top five wins: Cincinnati; Marquette(n); Boise State; @UNLV; San Diego State

losses: Massachusetts(n); Kansas(n); New Mexico State; UNLV; @Boise State

25) Oklahoma 20-7

top five wins: @Texas; Iowa State; @Baylor; @Oklahoma State; Kansas State

losses: Michigan State(n); Louisiana Tech; Kansas; @Kansas State; @Iowa State; @West Virginia; Texas Tech

Starting Five: SEC/Big East Challenge Edition

1. The SEC only managed to win 4 of 12 games last year and performed even more poorly this time around, winning only 3 games against the Big East.  At this point, calling the annual series a "challenge" is a tad misleading.  The Big East's 75% winning percentage in the most recent installment is all the more impressive considering Louisville, Connecticut, and Pittsburgh did not participate - teams that are ranked, have been ranked, or should be ranked, respectively.  New additions Missouri and Texas A&M sat this one out on the SEC side.  Only Florida, Mississippi, and LSU managed wins for the SEC.  While the Big East is not as strong this year as it has been in seasons past, the disparity in the quality of basketball played in these conferences is still substantial.  Florida, Missouri, and Kentucky are quality teams.  Tennessee, Alabama, and Arkansas are competitive and could be dancing in March.  Mississippi and Texas A&M aren't pushovers.  And LSU is interesting, because, while the Tigers are a mess on the offensive end, they play their hearts out on defense.  The bottom five teams - Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Vanderbilt, and Mississippi State - are awful (with the last three being basically unwatchable).  It will be interesting to see what happens to the SEC/Big East Challenge after the realignment chips fall.  While the high-profile Big East departures undoubtedly will narrow the gap between these conferences, I still think a conference featuring the Big East's non-football playing schools, its public university holdovers, and new additions like Memphis and Temple will be very competitive.

2. The LSU - Seton Hall matchup featured two of the most prolific thieves in the country.  Seton Hall junior Fuquan Edwin was second in the country in steals per game last season.  And LSU's Anthony Hickey entered last Friday night's game tied for second in the country in swipes per contest for the 2012-13 campaign.  The Tigers' sophomore point guard now leads the nation in steals after picking up 6 more against the Pirates.  (Edwin added 2 more to his own count.)  The Bayou Bengals are not exactly the most efficient on the offensive end, but they are a joy to watch on the defensive end.  Their press wreaked havoc on Seton Hall, forcing 26 turnovers.  Due to Justin Hamilton's early departure for the NBA, LSU is probably a year away from challenging for a NCAA Tourney bid.  Still, Hickey, former McDonald's All-American Johnny O'Bryant, and junior college transfer Shavon Coleman (currently averaging 17.4 and 7.6 boards per game and looking like an intriguing prospect) give new head coach Johnny Jones a nice core moving forward.

3. People are sleeping on Syracuse.  Sure, the Orange lost Kris Joseph, Dion Waiters, Scoop Jardine, and Fab Melo.  And it's also true that, despite having wins over San Diego State and now Arkansas, Syracuse is notorious for its historically cupcake-laden early season schedule (which almost never requires Jim Boeheim's team to leave New York).  So, on some level I get it.  You're skeptical.  But this is a really good team.  Former McDonald's All-American Michael Carter-Williams is a 6-6 point guard averaging 9.2 assists per contest.  Brandon Triche is a big-bodied two guard who made a number of big shots against the Razorbacks.  The Orange's frontline of C.J. Fair, Rakeem Christmas, and DaJuan Coleman is long and really causes problems for offenses in Boeheim's 2-3 zone.  And, as usual, Syracuse has depth - this year in the form of Trevor Cooney, Jerami Grant, Baye Keita, and James Southerland (who leads the Orange in scoring at 19.2 per game).  Southerland came off the bench and put 35 on Arkansas, hitting 9 of 13 from behind the arc.  The 6-8 forward has been the best sixth man in the country to this point in the season and has replaced Waiters as the Orange's offensive spark plug off the bench.

4. With Kentucky's early season growing pains and Missouri's personnel issues (senior guard and leading returning scorer Michael Dixon has left the team), Florida has been a bright spot for the SEC.  The Gators now have an 18-point win over Wisconsin and a 33-point win over Marquette.  Billy Donovan's squad is 6-0, and its smallest margin of victory came in a 13-point victory over Central Florida.  It should be noted that all 6 wins have come in Gainesville, but Florida has been impressive.  With trips to Florida State and Arizona up next, we soon will see just how good the Gators are.

5. Yes, Villanova picked up a 10-point win in Nashville over Vanderbilt.  But Jay Wright's squad has lost to Alabama by 20 on a neutral floor, against lowly Columbia by 18 in Philly, and also at LaSalle in overtime.  After seven straight NCAA Tourney trips, including a trip to the Final Four, the Wildcats finished 13-19 last year.  At the end of the season, Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek both decided to turn pro.  The current Villanova roster lacks the type of talent Wright has enjoyed over the course of the last decade.  For a program that seemed to be on the upswing and so popular with recruits, the current state of affairs is certainly surprising.  Wright has commented that he may have gotten away from recruiting the type of blue collar players that served as the foundation of Villanova's recent success.  Regardless of why Villanova is struggling, it's going to be a very long season in the Big East for the Wildcats.  A last place finish is not out of the question.

Your Move, Charlotte

One of the main characters from "Sex and the City" was named Charlotte. In my limited exposure to that show, I did not enjoy it (Kim Cattrall wasn't slutty enough for my taste). Somehow, however, that's the closest to success that I can place the Bobcat franchise. The Charlotte Bobcats are not one player away from being a great team.  At this point, they'll be in contention for the top draft pick next year regardless of who they draft with the second overall pick on June 28th.  Nonetheless, it's essential that they capitalize on their first selection in the 2012 draft.  Anthony Davis to New Orleans is a foregone conclusion, and the cast of characters for the second overall pick has expanded to include about a half dozen candidates.  Thomas Robinson, Andre Drummond, Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Harrison Barnes are all vying for this "honor."  Michael Jordan has been the architect of the crumbling edifice that is the Charlotte Bobcats, but who will he target for the next phase of this project?

Drummond has the highest ceiling, but his bust potential is undeniable.  His motor is a red flag, and most guys don't become hungrier AFTER they earn their first million.  He also teetered at the 40% threshold on free throws during the season.  How much can anyone hope for him to improve there?  Even if he improves by 50%, he's a 60% free throw shooter.  He has no go-to post moves.  So your worst case scenario is a big with no post moves, can't be in at the ends of games due to poor free throw shooting, and we don't know if he'll develop the intensity to have a defensive presence to overcome his potential offensive shortcomings.  I don't hate Drummond, but it's too good of a draft to risk the second pick on him.

Harrison Barnes' second season at UNC exposed him as somewhat one dimensional.  He's a very dangerous at catching and shooting, and is outstanding at pulling up off one to two dribbles.  He has good athleticism, but doesn't utilize it in either rebounding or defending.  I think the hate on Barnes has gone too far, but I think the key with drafting him is not expecting him ever to become the best player on your team.  He's a second fiddle who can open the floor with his shooting.  In a less tangible area, I would worry about Barnes struggling under Jordan's influence.  I won't call him soft, but I think it takes a real SOB to thrive under Jordan's domineering personality, and Barnes doesn't seem to be that guy.

Kidd-Gilchrist is the opposite of Barnes, but somehow also feels like a poor fit for Charlotte.  Don't draft MKG hoping him to be your franchise player.  Also, many compare him to Gerald Wallace, who the Bobcats traded away for fifty cents on the dollar a year ago.  If they valued Wallace so little, how can they justify drafting MKG?

Beal makes, sense, but for some reason, his stock seems to be slipping.  Also, his game isn't that different from Gerald Henderson...although, I won't advocate not drafting anyone because you already have Gerald Henderson.  If Charlotte likes Beal, then trade back a few picks and nab him there.

This leaves Robinson, and guess what?  I did that on purpose. T-Rob is the right pick for Charlotte for a lot of reasons.  He WANTS to be a franchise player.  There is no questioning his intensity.  He still talks about how he is better than Anthony Davis.  It makes him look kind of dumb when he does that, but know what doesn't look dumb?  His shoulders.  If you love Drummond because he passes the look test, then cast your gaze upon Robinson's chiseled frame, which pairs nicely with a much, much more impressive utilization of that physique.  I think Robinson could have a Blake Griffinesque impact for the Bobcats.  He's barely undersized at PF, and he does not appear to be an elite defender.  However, he's going to rebound the hell out of the ball, and he will be one of the most athletic 4s in the Eastern Conference from Day 1.  He also has that chip on his shoulder attitude that Jordan values so much. Take Robinson at 2, then take the best players, regardless of position for your next six picks, because you're terrible, Charlotte.

CBB Uniforms (1988-89 to Present): 13 Seeds

We now continue with RBP's ranking of the top 64 uniforms from the 1988-89 season to the present. For more on that process, read the introduction to the original post. Without further ado, the 13 seeds:

52) Pittsburgh (Sean Miller): Pitt's unis had a certain ABA feel to them, and the Panthers get bonus points for a yellow alternate before third color options became commonplace.





51) Florida (Mike Miller): Big fan of the shorts with the Gator head and the horizontal stripes.





50) Providence (Ryan Gomes):The Friars (and their mascot) went white on white, but the "all black everything" look would have garnered them a higher ranking.




49) Villanova (Kerry Kittles):Funky, disheveled font was both sort of ugly and totally unique.

All-Decade Teams: SEC

Each team includes the top 5 players from that program over the course of the past 10 years. As mentioned previously, I have not attempted to put together teams that fill all 5 positions on the floor.

The order in which the programs are listed corresponds to the power rankings from my previous post, "A Decade of SEC Basketball." This order should not be construed as a ranking of top 5s. In other words, just because I have LSU listed fifth and Mississippi State fourth does not mean that I believe Mississippi State's top 5 is better than LSU's top 5. That being said, I have ranked the players within each program.

Where part of a player's career came before the 2001-02 season, I have taken those years into consideration for purposes of this post.

Where a player transferred to a SEC program, I have not taken into account the year(s) prior to the transfer. Similarly, where a player transferred away from a SEC program, I have not taken into account the year(s) subsequent to the transfer.

Ranking Kentucky's top 5 was especially difficult - perhaps even more difficult than ranking Arizona's top 5. Players such as Jodie Meeks, Chuck Hayes, and Rajon Rondo would have made lesser programs' top fives with relative ease. However, those three very good college players probably slide into the 8 through 10 spots at Kentucky. I feel confident about my top 3 - Tayshaun Prince, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins. Prince is a no-brainer. Wall was sensational during his single season in Lexington, and DeMarcus Cousins was an absolute force of nature. Even though Wall and Cousins were only in Lexington for one year, the impact they had on college basketball and the Kentucky program during that short period of time justifies their rankings. The 4 through 7 spots are where it gets tricky. Patrick Patterson is my #4. He was a bright spot during the dark days of the Billy Clyde era in Lexington. Patterson excelled on the defensive end of the floor and on the glass but could also score. While his numbers were impressive, Patterson is best remembered for putting forth more effort than just about anyone else possessing his level of talent and athleticism. Gerald Fitch, one of the most underrated players of the last decade, is my #5. Fitch was the ringleader of two fabulous college basketball teams - the 02-03 and 03-04 Wildcats. Because neither team made it to a Final Four (and neither produced an NBA star), these teams have largely been forgotten outside of the Bluegrass state. Fitch was a crafty scorer, a good defender, and one of the best rebounders from the guard position I've ever had the pleasure of watching. His numbers, while solid, were not spectacular, but that largely can be chalked up to playing in Tubby Smith's system. I have Brandon Knight at #6 and Keith Bogans at #7. A strong case could be made on behalf of either of them for inclusion in the top 5. In his one season in the college ranks, Knight led the Cats to the Final Four. It's hard for me to leave Knight off this list, as I don't believe the gap between Wall and Knight is all that significant. (Also, Knight is going to be a better pro than Kyrie Irving, but that's a topic for another day.) Bogans was a solid (and probably underappreciated) four-year player, but I think of Bogans as more of a gunner than a guy who would go out and get you a win (see Fitch, Gerald).

*Note that Lawrence Roberts (Mississippi State), Marco Killingsworth (Auburn), and Toney Douglas (Auburn) also made the top 5 at Baylor, Indiana, and Florida State, respectively.

1. Florida
1. Al Horford (05-07)
2. Joakim Noah (05-07)
3. Corey Brewer (05-07)
4. Udonis Haslem (99-02)
5. Matt Bonner (00-03)

2. Kentucky
1. Tayshaun Prince (99-02)
2. John Wall (10)
3. DeMarcus Cousins (10)
4. Patrick Patterson (08-10)
5. Gerald Fitch (01-04)

3. Tennessee
1. Chris Lofton (05-08)
2. Vincent Yarbrough (99-02)
3. Ron Slay (00-03)
4. Tyler Smith (08-10)
5. C.J. Watson (03-06)

4. Mississippi State
1. Lawrence Roberts (04-05)
2. Jamont Gordon (06-08)
3. Jarvis Varnado (07-10)
4. Mario Austin (01-03)
5. Charles Rhodes (05-08)

5. LSU
1. Glen Davis (05-07)
2. Brandon Bass (04-05)
3. Ronald Dupree (00-03)
4. Marcus Thornton (08-09)
5. Jaime Lloreda (03-04)

6. Vanderbilt
1. Shan Foster (05-08)
2. Matt Freije ((01-04)
3. Derrick Byars (06-07)
4. John Jenkins (10-present)
5. Jeffery Taylor (09-present)

7. Alabama
1. Erwin Dudley (00-03)
2. Rod Grizzard (00-02)
3. Kennedy Winston (03-05)
4. Richard Hendrix (06-08)
5. Mo Williams (02-03)

8. Arkansas
1. Ronnie Brewer (04-06)
2. Sonny Weems (07-08)
3. Jonathon Modica (03-06)
4. Jannero Pargo (01-02)
5. Patrick Beverley (07-08)

9. Georgia
1. Jarvis Hayes (02-03)
2. Trey Thompkins (09-11)
3. Ezra Williams (01-03)
4. Travis Leslie (09-11)
5. Sundiata Gaines (05-08)

10. South Carolina
1. Devan Downey (08-10)
2. Carlos Powell (02-05)
3. Tre Kelley (04-07)
4. Zam Fredrick (08-09)
5. Sam Muldrow (08-11)

11. Mississippi
1. Justin Reed (01-04)
2. Chris Warren (08-11)
3. Dwayne Curtis (06-08)
4. Aaron Harper (01-04)
5. Terrico White (09-10)

12. Auburn
1. Marquis Daniels (00-03)
2. Korvotney Barber (06-09)
3. DeWayne Reed (07-10)
4. Marco Killingsworth (02-04)
5. Toney Douglas (05)

Notes: Big East/SEC Challenge

1. Well, I'm not sure it was much of a challenge. The Big East took 8 of 12 games to take the conference matchup in convincing fashion. Now can we put to rest the silly argument that the SEC is as good as the Big East this year? The SEC managed only 4 wins. Those wins included victories over DePaul and Rutgers, the two teams RBP picked to finish 15th and 16th in the Big East, and a Kentucky victory over a St. John's team that returned 4% of its scoring from last season. Mississippi State's win over West Virginia was the SEC's only victory over a Big East team RBP projected to finish in the top-half of the conference, and we only picked the Mountaineers to finish 8th. Four Big East schools did not participate - Marquette, Villanova, Notre Dame, and South Florida. Marquette is undefeated and just topped rival Wisconsin over the weekend. Villanova would be no worse than the sixth best team in the SEC, and Notre Dame is a competitive team despite the loss of Tim Abromaitis to a season-ending knee injury. For its part, the Big East picked up some nice wins, highlighted by unranked Georgetown beating 12th ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa. In matchups featuring two ranked teams, the Big East was 2-0, as #3 Syracuse topped #9 Florida and #6 Louisville slipped by #19 Vanderbilt in overtime.

2. I'm surprised Ole Miss isn't better. RBP projected the Rebels to finish sixth in the SEC. However, they only managed two-point wins against DePaul (on Thursday) and Penn State (on Sunday), two of the worst BCS conference schools. While Andy Kennedy's squad sits at 7-1, the Rebels only quality win is against Miami, and they lost by 30 on a neutral court to Marquette.

3. LSU is a talented wing away from being very solid for the next couple years. 6-11 260-pound junior Justin Hamilton, a transfer from Iowa State, and 6-9 250-pound freshman Johnny O'Bryant, a McDonald's All-American, provide Trent Johnson with a talented (and enormous) frontline. The key going forward, however, may be freshman point guard Anthony Hickey. Hickey, who somehow flew under the radar on the recruiting circuit, won Kentucky's Mr. Basketball over Louisville freshman and McDonald's All-American Chane Behanan and led his Christian County squad to a state championship in the process. Waterbug-quick and a ballhawk on the defensive end, he leads the Tigers in minutes, assists, and steals and is second in scoring. Hickey struggled early against Rutgers on Saturday but made two crucial baskets in crunch time to put the game away for the Bayou Bengals.

4. Despite losing to ridiculously deep Syracuse, I like this Florida team. The Gators have an excellent backcourt, and I couldn't be much higher on Bradley Beal. I think he's a special player with shades of Eric Gordon to his game. Patric Young is a beast in the paint, but he's going to need some help. Will Yeguete will contribute, but the Gators will need Erik Murphy to step up after he returns from a knee injury if the Gators are going to make a deep run in March.

5. Seton Hall senior Herb Pope may finally be living up to his vast potential. The 6-8 235-pound senior forward spent his freshman year at New Mexico State. He chose the Aggies, despite being a highly sought after top 25 recruit. Prior to suiting up for the Aggies, Pope was shot in the arm at a party. He managed to put together a solid freshman campaign but transferred to Seton Hall after one season in Las Cruces. Then, in April 2010, Pope went into cardiac arrest caused by a genetic anomaly in his heart. After undergoing surgery to correct the condition, Pope returned to the floor last season but lacked the stamina necessary to play effectively for a full 40 minutes. Now fully recovered, Pope is averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds per game. In Seton Hall's 22-point shellacking of Auburn, Pope poured in 23 points, grabbed 12 boards, and blocked 3 shots. If he continues at this pace, the Pirates' inside-outside combo of Pope and senior point guard Jordan Theodore may surprise some teams in Big East play.

6. Louisville continues to find ways to win, despite a rash of injuries to key contributors. The Cardinals are without freshman McDonald's All-American Wayne Blackshear, junior Mike Marra, and junior Rakeem Buckles (who is expected to return in the short-term). A host of other Cardinals have missed time with an assortment of injuries but have since returned to action. The Cards' play on the offensive end against Vanderbilt wasn't pretty, but they managed to eke out a win in overtime. While Louisville is 7-0 and currently has the third best defense in the country (according to Ken Pomeroy's data), the Cardinals are struggling to score in the half-court. Vandy's length made Louisville's typically average offense look ineffective for long stretches. There is a good chance Rick Pitino's team will be ranked 4th when the newest rankings come out. However, with a date against Kentucky and conference play looming, the Cards are going to have to find ways to score in the half-court against long, athletic opponents, or their lofty perch in the rankings will be short-lived.

Top 25

1. Ohio State 24-0
quality wins: @Florida, @Florida State, Minnesota, @Illinois, Purdue, @Minnesota
previous rank: 1

2. Kansas 22-1
quality wins: Arizona(n), UCLA, Memphis(n), @Baylor, @Colorado, Kansas State
loss: Texas
previous rank: 2

3. Pittsburgh 21-2
quality wins: Maryland(n), Texas(n), Duquesne(n), Connecticut, Marquette, @Georgetown, Syracuse, Cincinnati
loss: Tennessee(n), Notre Dame
previous rank: 3

4. Texas 20-3
quality wins: Illinois(n), North Carolina(n), @Michigan State, Texas A&M, @Kansas, Missouri, @Texas A&M
losses: Pittsburgh(n), @USC, Connecticut
previous rank: 4

5. Duke 21-2
quality wins: Marquette(n), Kansas State(n), Michigan State, Maryland, Boston College, @Maryland
losses: @Florida State, @St. John's
previous rank: 5

6. San Diego State 23-1
quality wins: @Gonzaga, St. Mary's, Wichita State, UNLV
loss: @Brigham Young
previous rank: 7

7. Brigham Young 22-2
quality wins: Utah State, St. Mary's(n), Arizona(n), @UNLV, San Diego State, UNLV
losses: UCLA(n), @New Mexico
previous rank: 8

8. Connecticut 18-4
quality wins: Wichita State(n), Michigan State(n), Kentucky(n), @Texas, Villanova, Tennessee, @Marquette
losses: @Pittsburgh, @Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse
previous rank: 6

9. Notre Dame 19-4
quality wins: Georgia(n), Wisconsin(n), Gonzaga, Georgetown, Connecticut, St. John's, Cincinnati, Marquette, @Pittsburgh
losses: Kentucky(n), @Syracuse, @Marquette, @St. John's
previous rank: 9

10. Villanova 19-4
quality wins: UCLA(n), Temple, Cincinnati, Louisville, Maryland, @Syracuse, Marquette, West Virginia
losses: Tennessee(n), @Connecticut, @Providence, Georgetown
previous rank: 10

11. Wisconsin 17-5
quality wins: Boston College(n), @Marquette, Minnesota, Illinois, Purdue, Michigan State
losses: @UNLV, Notre Dame(n), @Illinois, @Michigan State, @Penn State
previous rank: 16

12. Georgetown 18-5
quality wins: @Old Dominion, Missouri(n), Utah State, @Memphis, St. John's, @Villanova, Louisville
losses: @Temple, @Notre Dame, @St. John's, West Virginia, Pittsburgh
previous rank: 17

13. Syracuse 20-4
quality wins: Michigan State(n), Notre Dame, @St. John's, Cincinnati, @Connecticut
losses: @Pittsburgh, Villanova, Seton Hall, @Marquette
previous rank: 19

14. Missouri 18-5
quality wins: Vanderbilt, Illinois(n), Old Dominion, Kansas State, Colorado
losses: Georgetown(n), @Colorado, @Texas A&M, @Texas, @Oklahoma State
previous rank: 11

15. Louisville 18-5
quality wins: UNLV, Marquette, St. John's, West Virginia, @Connecticut
losses: Drexel, Kentucky, @Villanova, @Providence, @Georgetown
previous rank: 13

16. Purdue 18-5
quality wins: @Virginia Tech, Michigan State, Minnesota
losses: Richmond(n), @Minnesota, @West Virginia, @Ohio State, @Wisconsin
previous rank: 14

17. Kentucky 16-6
quality wins: Washington(n), Notre Dame(n), @Louisville, Georgia
losses: Connecticut(n), @North Carolina, @Georgia, @Alabama, @Mississippi, @Florida
previous rank: 12

18. Florida 18-5
quality wins: @Florida State, Kansas State(n), @Xavier, @Tennessee, @Georgia, Vanderbilt, Kentucky
losses: Ohio State, Central Florida(n), Jacksonville, South Carolina, @Mississippi State
previous rank: 24

19. Arizona 20-4
quality wins: @Washington State, UCLA
losses: Kansas(n), Brigham Young(n), @Oregon State, @Washington
previous rank: 21

20. Texas A&M 17-5
quality wins: Temple(n), Washington, Missouri, Kansas State
losses: Boston College(n), @Texas, @Nebraska, Texas, Baylor
previous rank: 15

21. Utah State 22-2
losses: @Brigham Young, @Georgetown
previous rank: 23

22. North Carolina 17-5
quality wins: Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Clemson, @Boston College, Florida State
losses: Minnesota(n), Vanderbilt(n), @Illinois, Texas(n), @Georgia Tech
previous rank: NR

23. Vanderbilt 16-6
quality wins: North Carolina(n), Marquette, Georgia, St. Mary's
losses: West Virginia(n), @Missouri, @South Carolina, @Tennessee, Arkansas, @Florida
previous rank: 22

24. Minnesota 16-7
quality wins: North Carolina(n), West Virginia(n), Purdue
losses: Virginia, @Wisconsin, @Michigan State, @Ohio State, @Purdue, @Indiana, Ohio State
previous rank: 18

25. Temple 17-5
quality wins: Georgia(n), Maryland(n), Georgetown
losses: California(n), Texas A&M(n), @Villanova, @Duquesne, @Xavier
previous rank: NR