TOP 25
Stretch run is full of traps
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With less than three weeks remaining until Selection Sunday, the pecking order has been established, making it exceedingly difficult to gain ground. But it’s still easy to lose it; just ask Villanova and Wake Forest. After dropping two games last week, the Wildcats are barely hanging on in the top 10, where they’ve been all season, and the Deacons are gone altogether after losing to Virginia Tech and N.C. State. Vanderbilt could be higher if it had knocked Kentucky from the top rung, but ifs just don’t count. Richmond hung on against upset-minded George Washington over the weekend, but the road to the A-10 regular season title is riddled with traps.
* Records through Sunday at 9:30 p.m.
| No. | Team (Record) | Comment | Pvs. |
| 1 | Kentucky (26-1) | Patterson with two double-doubles last week | 1 |
| 2 | Kansas (26-1) | Aldrich averaging 4.5 blocks in last eight games | 2 |
| 3 | Purdue (23-3) | Boilermakers with a 24-3 FT advantage in win over Illinois | 3 |
| 4 | Kansas St. (22-4) | Winning record on the road in Big 12 for first time in 22 years | 4 |
| 5 | Syracuse (25-2) | Not sure how a title contender almost blows 23-point lead | 7 |
| 6 | Duke (22-4) | Devils get timeout this week with meaningless tilt against Tulsa | 6 |
| 7 | West Virginia (21-5) | Lack of decent road win should hurt NCAA seeding | 8 |
| 8 | Ohio State (21-7) | Turner pulling away in Big Ten POY race | 9 |
| 9 | Villanova (22-4) | Lack of inside presence starting to show | 5 |
| 10 | Michigan St. (21-7) | Last chance to move up in the rankings comes at Purdue | 10 |
| 11 | New Mexico (25-3) | 11 straight wins and best record ever after 28 games | 11 |
| 12 | Georgetown (18-7) | Three bubble teams, WVU down the stretch | 12 |
| 13 | Texas (21-6) | Escaped Lubbock with win, but Balbay has busted left knee | 13 |
| 14 | Wisconsin (20-7) | Badgers 3-2 since opening Feb. with a win over MSU | 14 |
| 15 | UTEP (20-5) | Randy Culpepper with 74 combined points in last two | 16 |
| 16 | Vanderbilt (20-6) | No shame in taking Kentucky all the way to the wire | 17 |
| 17 | Richmond (22-6) | Xavier, Dayton and Charlotte lay in wait for A-10 leaders | 18 |
| 18 | Temple (22-5) | Owls only need win over La Salle to claim Big Five city title | 19 |
| 19 | BYU (25-3) | Can’t afford to look past San Diego State | 20 |
| 20 | Virginia Tech (21-4) | Entering weekend, Delaney with 30-plus points four times | 21 |
| 21 | Tennessee (20-6) | Vols held Gamecocks’ Downey to SEC-low 15 points | 22 |
| 22 | Pittsburgh (21-6) | Count ’em: 18 offensive boards in win over Villanova | NR |
| 23 | Texas A&M (19-7) | Visit to Baylor all about postseason positioning | 23 |
| 24 | Maryland (19-7) | Vasquez first ACC player with 2,000 pts, 700 assists, 600 rebounds | NR |
| 25 | Butler (25-4) | Perfect Horizon League season on the line at Valparaiso | NR |
TOP 25 GAME OF THE WEEK
West Virginia at UConn, Monday, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Winning two straight on the road is no easy feat in the Big East. But that’s what UConn (16-11, 6-8) accomplished last week at Villanova and Rutgers behind the backcourt work of Kemba Walker (45 points) and Jerome Dyson (35 points). With coach Jim Calhoun back, the Huskies have renewed hope for an NCAA bid but have plenty of work and a tough schedule that includes NCAA locks West Virginia (21-5) and Louisville (18-9) at home and NCAA aspirants Notre Dame (17-10) and USF (16-10) on the road. WVU will be led Monday night by Da’Sean Butler (17.5 ppg).
PLAYER TO WATCH
Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young, guard
The focus falls on the 6-foot-2 junior as BYU (25-3, 10-2) faces its top competition in the Mountain West — San Diego State (20-7, 9-4) on Wednesday and New Mexico (25-3, 11-2) on Saturday. Fredette leads the MWC in scoring (21.5 ppg), 3-point shooting (48.8 percent) and free throw shooting (89.9 percent). Despite battling mononucleosis and missing two games, Fredette has been the hottest 3-point shooter in the NCAA since Christmas, hitting 43 of 77 shots (55.8 percent). He started the hot streak with 49 points in a 99-69 win at Arizona, drilling nine of 13 from beyond the arc.
STORY LINES
1. Wide-open POY » Like the Heisman Trophy chase last fall, the NCAA basketball player of the year race is up for grabs and may be determined by final impressions. Kentucky guard John Wall was an early leader but showed cracks, opening consideration to players such as Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Damion James (Texas), Luke Harangody (Notre Dame), Greg Monroe (Georgetown), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Jon Scheyer (Duke), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) and Jerome Dyson (UConn). Missing a month with an injury is usually reason for disqualification, but Evan Turner (Ohio State) is in the discussion along with Jimmer Fredette (BYU), who missed time with mono.
2. CAA Busted » The Big West (7-2) and Missouri Valley (7-3) were the big winners and the Ohio Valley (2-8) and Colonial Athletic Association (3-9) were the big losers in the ESPN BracketBusters series, which matches teams from mid-major conferences. The biggest surprise was the terrible performance of the CAA, which had elevated in stature with Old Dominion’s upset of Georgetown and William & Mary’s upsets of Maryland and Wake Forest. The top four teams in the CAA lost, including two at home. On the positive side was the surprise showing of the Big West, which has only three teams with winning records.
3. Leuer’s return boosts Wisconsin » Boosted by the return of versatile forward Jon Leuer (14.7 ppg), Wisconsin (20-7) is primed for a stretch run and perhaps a high seed in the NCAA Tournament. Leuer, out since Jan. 9 with a broken wrist, returned Thursday, coming off the bench with his wrist bandaged and hitting just two of 12 shots in a 68-52 loss at Minnesota, the Badgers’ most decisive defeat in the Big Ten in three years. But Saturday, the 6-foot-10 Leuer hit three of five shots and had three blocks — including a key one with 11 seconds left — as Wisconsin beat Northwestern 70-63. While Leuer was out, Wisconsin lost to two teams it had beaten earlier in the year.
AREA INTELLIGENCE
MARYLAND
Coming off a successful week that included a romp over Virginia, a stirring comeback at N.C. State and a winning 3-pointer at the buzzer by Cliff Tucker on Saturday against Georgia Tech, the Terps (19-7, 9-3) have a welcome three days off before hosting Clemson (19-7, 7-5) on Wednesday night.
GEORGETOWN
The slumping Hoyas (18-7, 8-6) have lost four of their last seven. Georgetown probably has clinched an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, but its chances for a high seed now depend on a strong performance in the Big East Tournament. The Hoyas play at Louisville (18-9, 9-5) on Tuesday.
GEORGE WASHINGTON
After failing to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament the last two seasons, GW (14-11, 4-8) desperately wants to qualify. The Colonials can lock up a spot with a win Wednesday over La Salle (11-15, 3-9). The Explorers made a late run in a 65-64 comeback win over GW last month.
NAVY
With a 69-50 loss Saturday at Army in which it was held to a season-low scoring output, Navy split with the Black Knights for the seventh straight year. The Midshipmen (13-14, 7-5) can wrap up a first-round home game in the Patriot League Tournament with a win over AU (8-19, 5-7) on Wednesday.
AMERICAN
The Eagles’ 64-51 loss Sunday at Holy Cross makes it likely they will start on the road in the Patriot League Tournament next week. AU (8-19, 5-7) still can finish .500 in the league with wins at Navy (13-14, 7-5) on Wednesday and over Lafayette (16-11, 7-5) at home Saturday.
