TOP 25
Syracuse reaches top spot
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Wow. Syracuse went from nonfactor at the start of the season to No. 1 in the nation with two weeks left until Selection Sunday. But don’t fill out your bracket yet; it won’t have 36,000 wearing orange in the NCAA Tournament. Teams also making a strong final push to get noticed by the selection committee include Tennessee, Maryland and Xavier. Each will be contenders in their respective conference tournaments. The Terps’ rise came at the expense of Virginia Tech, which bounced out of the rankings and back onto the bubble after three losses in a row. Texas also is gone, completing a spectacular nose-dive from the top spot in early January.
| No. | Team (Record) | Comment | Pvs. |
| 1 | Syracuse (27-2) | Shot 33% from 3 and still nearly topped 100 points vs. ’Nova | 5 |
| 2 | Kansas (27-2) | Last time Jayhawks lost in Stillwater, they went on to win title | 2 |
| 3 | Kentucky (27-2) | Tendency to flirt with disaster finally bit Wildcats in the rear | 1 |
| 4 | Kansas St. (24-4) | Have won 7 straight since KU loss | 4 |
| 5 | Purdue (24-4) | Ten-game win streak snapped without injured Hummel | 3 |
| 6 | Duke (24-4) | Two true nonconference road games? No top seed for Blue Devils | 6 |
| 7 | Ohio State (23-7) | Buford averaging more than 8 rebounds a game in his last three | 8 |
| 8 | New Mexico (27-3) | Clinched MWC regular season title on the road | 11 |
| 9 | Michigan St. (22-7) | Beat Purdue despite 22 turnovers | 10 |
| 10 | Villanova (23-5) | Aside from Reynolds, Wildcats were 4-for-20 from 3 vs. Orange | 9 |
| 11 | WVU (22-6) | Da’Sean Butler hasn’t scored in double figures the last two | 7 |
| 12 | Vanderbilt (22-6) | Beal’s career-high 28 helped Vandy survive Georgia | 16 |
| 13 | UTEP (22-5) | Miners clinched share of first in C-USA | 15 |
| 14 | Wisconsin (21-7) | Badgers are a team no one wants to face | 14 |
| 15 | Tennessee (21-7) | Current Vols could be better than 2007 juggernaut | 21 |
| 16 | BYU (26-4) | Lost for the first time at home all year against New Mexico | 19 |
| 17 | Maryland (21-7) | Atmosphere at Comcast Center for Duke will be electric | 24 |
| 18 | Georgetown (19-8) | Vaughn becoming a disappointing nonfactor down low | 12 |
| 19 | Temple (24-5) | Big Five city title? Check. Atlantic 10 title could be next | 18 |
| 20 | Baylor (22-6) | Not a bad week for Dunn: 22 ppg as Bears surge to third in Big 12 | NR |
| 21 | Texas A&M (20-8) | David Loubeau a nice contributor in Aggies’ last six wins | 23 |
| 22 | Xavier (21-7) | Holloway: 50 points in Musketeers’ two biggest home wins | NR |
| 23 | Richmond (22-7) | Spiders went to line only six times in Xavier loss | 17 |
| 24 | Butler (26-4) | Bulldogs survived regular-season finale without Hayward | 25 |
| 25 | Pittsburgh (22-7) | Headed for top 4 in Big East with two winnable games left | 22 |
TOP 25 GAME OF THE WEEK
Kansas State at Kansas, Wednesday, 8 p.m.
A month ago in Manhattan, Kansas won a back-and-forth epic 81-79 in overtime as Sherron Collins shook off back spasms and drove for the game winner with nine seconds left. On Wednesday in Lawrence, can Kansas State (24-4, 11-3) return the favor? With its length, depth, and quickness — epitomized by 6-foot-7 sophomore reserve and D.C.-product Jamar Samuels (11.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg) — no team in the Big 12 can match up as well with Kansas (27-2, 13-1) as KSU. Watch the point guards, junior Jacob Pullen (18.5 ppg) and senior Collins (15.3 ppg), the top scorers on their respective teams.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland, guard
During Maryland’s five-game winning streak, the 6-foot-6 guard has been spectacular. On Wednesday at Comcast Center, he and Maryland (21-7, 11-3) will face Duke (24-4, 11-2). Vasquez has a long, colorful history against the Blue Devils. With a big individual performance — and a Terps win — it would be hard not to give Vasquez the ACC Player of the Year award. After all, his primary competition for the honor is Duke guard Jon Scheyer, who has more help in guard Nolan Smith and forward Kyle Singler. Vasquez is coming off a career-high 41 points in a 104-100 double-overtime win at Virginia Tech.
STORY LINES
1. UK, KU fall » Losses Saturday by Kansas and Kentucky have vaulted Syracuse to No. 1. If there was any doubt, the Orange (27-2) removed it with a 95-77 display of power and noise against Villanova behind 6-foot-9 forwards Rick Jackson (19 points) and Arinze Onuaku (17 points) before 34,616 at Carrier Dome. Kansas (27-2) was beaten at red-hot Oklahoma State, which shot 60 percent from the floor and 53 percent (10-for-19) from 3-point range. Giant-killer Tennessee did the honors against Kentucky (27-2) with defense. The Wildcats shot 35 percent from the floor and 9 percent (2-for-22) from 3-point range.
2. The most wonderful time of the year? » Don’t believe the commercial. It’s not the bowl season. It’s March. So let the Madness begin. Conference tournaments get underway Tuesday in the Horizon, Ohio Valley and Big South. On Wednesday, the Atlantic Sun and Patriot League open their postseasons. Thursday brings the start of the America East, Missouri Valley and Northeast. The first wave of conference championship games comes Saturday with the Atlantic Sun, Big South and Ohio Valley. Will teams such as Butler (Horizon), Murray State (Ohio Valley), Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley), Siena (Metro) and Morgan State (MEAC), who dominated their respective conferences, follow through with tournament success?
3. With Hummel down, is Purdue out? » No league this season has been hit with as many injuries as the Big Ten. Maurice Creek (Indiana), Jon Leuer (Wisconsin), Evan Turner (Ohio State) and Kevin Coble (Northwestern) are among the casualties. Now Purdue has lost its best outside shooter, Robbie Hummel, with a torn ACL. The 6-foot-8 junior, the Boilermakers’ second-leading scorer (15.7 ppg) and rebounder (6.9 rpg), went down in the first half of a 59-58 win Wednesday at Minnesota. In its first game without Hummel, Purdue (24-4, 12-4) was beaten by visiting Michigan State 53-44 on Sunday. It was a season-low output for the Boilermakers by 15 points.
