TOP 25
ODU, Wichita State defeat unbeatens
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The corps of unbeatens was thinned by two this week, as both Georgetown and Texas Tech lost to respectable teams. Both Old Dominion, who made no excuses for the snow since they checked into the Key Bridge Marriott on Friday night, and Wichita State, which toppled the Red Raiders, could find themselves in The Examiner’s Top 25 before the season is through. Memphis and Cincinnati both exited the rankings following losses to Massachusetts and UAB, the latter of which looks to be a formidable challenger for the Tigers in Conference USA.
*records thru 12/20
| No. | Team (Record) | Comment | Pvs. |
| 1 | Kentucky (11-0) | Easy for Patterson (21 pts) to say he was horrible vs. Austin Peay | 1 |
| 2 | Kansas (10-0) | “Green” game vs. Michigan: no energy wasted in easy win | 2 |
| 3 | Texas (10-0) | Six-point swing at end of 1st half was clincher vs. UNC | 3 |
| 4 | Purdue (10-0) | Ball State win comes despite 4-of-23 shooting from 3-pt | 4 |
| 5 | West Virginia (8-0) | Nearly paid steep price for playing at Cleveland State | 5 |
| 6 | Syracuse (11-0) | Rautins’ 3-pt shooting (.453) up almost 10 percent | 7 |
| 7 | Villanova (10-1) | Roster rounds into form with return of suspended Redding | 8 |
| 8 | Duke (9-1) | Nolan Smith career-high 10 FGs in stomping of Gonzaga | 11 |
| 9 | North Carolina (8-3) | Drew matched season’s lowest assist total (5) in Texas loss | 10 |
| 10 | Connecticut (7-2) | Edwards with 16 blocks in last three games | 12 |
| 11 | Michigan St. (9-2) | Tuesday’s showdown with Longhorns an Xmas week treat | 14 |
| 12 | New Mexico (12-0) | Hobson like nickname, “Butter,” w/ 22 and 16 in Creighton win | 16 |
| 13 | Texas A&M (9-2) | There’s the Aggie de: 11 first-half pts allowed vs. Citadel | 17 |
| 14 | Ole Miss (10-1) | Hey Santa, how ’bout an upset over West Virginia? | 19 |
| 15 | Kansas St. (10-1) | Pullen with 20 of 30 pts in 1st half of win at Alabama | 21 |
| 16 | Georgetown (8-1) | Backcourt partners Clark, Wright must be bigger factors | 13 |
| 17 | Tennessee (8-2) | Outrebounded, 43-21, in blowout loss at USC | 6 |
| 18 | Florida (8-2) | Richmond loss proves Gators not yet championship caliber | 9 |
| 19 | Florida St. (10-2) | Seminoles 4-for-4 from the field in OT at Ga. Tech | 20 |
| 20 | Texas Tech (9-1) | 62-point second half not enough to overcome Wichita St. | 15 |
| 21 | Temple (9-2) | Season-high 24 pts for Brooks in win over Seton Hall | 23 |
| 22 | Georgia Tech (8-2) | Lawal under double figures for 1st time in loss to FSU | 22 |
| 23 | Wisconsin (8-2) | Ohio State looms in Big Ten opener on New Year’s Eve | 25 |
| 24 | Oklahoma St. (9-1) | Anderson leads Big 12 with 21.2 ppg, 2nd in steals | NR |
| 25 | UAB (10-1) | Will put nine-game winning streak to test vs. Butler | NR |
HEATING UP
Texas » Longhorns were as big as Cowboys Stadium — literally, with Pittman and James — in win over UNC.
Also » Kansas State, Duke
COOLING DOWN
Tennessee » Vols looked like an NBA team on the second night of a back-to-back with the way they checked out of USC loss.
Also » Wisconsin, Cincinnati
TOP 25 GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 11 Michigan State at No. 3 Texas, Tuesday, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Rick Barnes and Texas try to solve the hex of Tom Izzo and Michigan State as the teams meet for the fourth straight year. The Spartans have won the previous three by a combined 12 points. Last year, Texas led most of the way before Durrell Summers scored the game’s final five points in the last 20 seconds. This year both teams have scorers. Five players from MSU (10-2) average double figures, led by Kalin Lucas (16.1 ppg). Texas (10-0) counters with four who scored at least 20 points in a 103-90 win over North Carolina on Saturday, the Longhorns’ first victory over a ranked foe.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Chris Warren, Ole Miss, guard
The 5-10 junior has been the catalyst for the quick start of the Rebels (10-1). Wednesday he leads Mississippi at undefeated West Virginia (ESPN2). Last Wednesday, Warren scored a career-high 32 points, including 11 in OT, as Mississippi rallied from a 12-point deficit to beat UTEP, 91-81. It was the third straight comeback for the Rebels, who trailed Southern Mississippi by six points with a minute left, before Warren hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and McNeese by 15, before the Rebels scored 51 points in the final 16 minutes. Warren (18.3 points per game) and sophomore Terrico White (16.6 form) a potent backcourt.
