Here’s a look at the Top 25 Week Ahead and Week in Review.
1. Duke (12-0) Previous Rank: 1
Past Week: 12/29 Santa Clara, W 90-77
Upcoming: 1/2 @ Davidson & 1/5 Wake Forest
The Blue Devils pulled away from Santa Clara late and will open up ACC play this week against Wake Forest.
2. Michigan (13-0) Previous Rank: 2
Past Week: 12/29 Central Michigan, W 88-73
Upcoming: 1/3 @ Northwestern
The Wolverines beat “another” team from Michigan last week and will start the quest through the tough B1G schedule at Northwestern.
3. Arizona (12-0) Previous Rank: 4
Past Week: 12/23 @ Miami (FL), W 69-50 & 12/25 (17) San Diego St, W 68-67
Upcoming: 1/3 Colorado & 1/5 Utah
Arizona played two tough opponents this week in Hawaii and continued to stay unbeaten. PAC 12 play starts this week so let’s so how long they stay that way!
4. Louisville (12-1) Previous Rank: 5
Past Week: 12/29 Kentucky, W 80-77
Upcoming: 1/2 Providence
Louisville proved that even a fierce rivalry couldn’t de-rail their strong start after they snuck by Kentucky. Providence should be a much easier game but watch out for a “let-down”.
5. Indiana (12-1) Previous Rank: 6
Past Week: 12/28 Jacksonville, W 93-59
Upcoming: 12/31 @ Iowa
The Hoosiers beat up on…..well…..no one of importance last week. They start their B1G schedule with a trip to Iowa.
6. Kansas (11-1) Previous Rank: 9
Past Week: 12/29 American, W 89-57
Upcoming: No Games This Week
Kansas continued to just dominate their opponents and will take a week off before opening up their conference schedule the following week.
7. Missouri (10-2) Previous Rank: 12
Past Week: 12/28 @ UCLA, L 94-97 OT
Upcoming: 1/5 Bucknell
After Missouri proved they belonged in the Top 10, they then showed why they don’t belong in the Top 10 with an OT loss to UCLA. They should be able to bounce back strong though against Bucknell.
8. Cincinnati (12-1) Previous Rank: 11
Past Week: 12/27 New Mexico, L 54-55
Upcoming: 12/31 @ (24) Pittsburgh & 1/5 St. John’s
Cincinnati fell from the ranks of the unbeatens with a loss to unranked New Mexico. They now open up Big East play against a ranked Pittsburgh team. The Bearcats better be careful or this could spiral downhill quick.
9. Syracuse (11-1) Previous Rank: 3
Past Week: 12/29 Alcorn St., W 57-36
Upcoming: 12/31 Central Connecticut State & 1/2 Rutgers
Since Syracuse refuses to play anyone tough, I can only talk about Jim Boeheim. He’s on win closer and one win away from tying Bobby Knight at number 2 on the all time win list. Moving on now……
10. Ohio State (10-2) Previous Rank: 7
Past Week: 12/29 Chicago St., W 87-44
Upcoming: 1/2 Nebraska & 1/5 @ (12) Illinois
I know it was only Chicago State, but Ohio State bounced back by scoring 8 in the win. They better fix their shooting problems quick as B1G play begins this week.
11. Minnesota (12-1) Previous Rank: 13
Past Week: No Games Last Week
Upcoming: 12/31 (19) Michigan State
Minnesota took the week off and will now host Sparty as their B1G opener.
Past Week: 12/29 Auburn, W 81-79
Upcoming: 1/2 @ Purdue & 1/5 (10) Ohio State
The Illini may have been looking ahead to the B1G schedule by almost getting beat Auburn. They will face the Buckeyes at home in their second game of the week. Look for that game to be hotly contested as both teams have something to prove.
13. Gonzaga (12-1) Previous Rank: 14
Past week: 12/28 Baylor, W 94-87
Upcoming: 12/31 @ (22) Oklahoma State & 1/3 @ Pepperdine & 1/5 @ Santa Clara
Gonzaga wins again thanks to Pangos’ 31 points. Pangos must stay hot if they want to go 3-0 this week against some tough opponents.
14. Florida (9-2) Previous Rank: 8
Past Week: 12/29 Air Force, W 78-61
Upcoming: No Games This Week
The Gators leveled off their fall in the Top 25 with a win against Air Force. No games this week should keep them falling again……but who knows about voters!
15. Georgetown (10-1) Previous Rank: 15
Past Week: No Games Last Week
Upcoming: 1/5 @ Marquette
Still not much to talk about……no games last week and one game against a tough Marquette team.
16. Creighton (12-1) Previous Rank: 17
Past Week: 12/29 Evansville, W 87-70
Upcoming: 1/2 @ Illinois State & 1/5 Indiana State
Creighton wins again and will now face two more beatable opponents this week.
17. San Diego State (11-2) Previous Rank: 18
Past Week: 12/23 Indiana St., W 62-55 & 12/25 Arizona, L 67-68
Upcoming: 1/2 CSU Bakersfield
Larry Bird didn’t play but Indiana State hung with the Aztecs for a while. They followed that up with a very tough loss to a very talented Arizona squad. The voters will probably hammer the Aztecs but I don’t think they deserve to fall very far.
18. Butler (10-2) Previous Rank: 19
Past Week: 12/29 @ Vanderbilt, W 68-49
Upcoming: 1/2 Penn & 1/5 New Orleans
The Bulldogs continue their strong run with a convincing win against Vandy. Penn is always primed to upset teams so Butler better not look past them this week.
19. Michigan State (11-2) Previous Rank: 20
Past Week: No Games Last Week
Upcoming: 12/31 @ (11) Minnesota & 1/5 Purdue
Sparty takes a week off and now opens B1G play at (11) Minnesota and then back home against the Boilermakers.
20. UNLV (11-2) Previous Rank: 21
Past Week: 12/29 @ North Carolina, L 73-79
Upcoming: 1/3 Chicago State & 1/5 CSU Bakersfield
UNLV may be heading out of the Top 25 after a loss to unranked UNC but there are there for now so I will include them!
21. Notre Dame (12-1) Previous Rank: 22
Past Week: No Games Last Week
Upcoming: 1/5 Seton Hall
The Irish will follow up the week off by hosting Seton Hall. Look for them to be 13-1 after this week.
22. Oklahoma State (10-1) Previous Rank: 24
Past Week: No Games Last Week
Upcoming: 12/31 (13) Gonzaga & 1/5 @ (25) Kansas State
The Cowboys will pay for a couple of easy weeks with 2 very tough games this week. I think it’s a win for Oklahoma State if they go 1-1 this week.
23. North Carolina State (10-2) Previous Rank: 25
Past Week: 12/29 Western Michigan, W 84-68
Upcoming: 12/31 North Carolina Greensboro & 1/5 @ Boston College
North Carolina State did move up in the polls and will hope to keep winning with their toughest opponent being Boston College.
Past Week: 12/23 Kennesaw State, W 59-43
Upcoming: 12/31 (8) Cincinnati & 1/5 @ Rutgers
Pittsburgh debuts in the Top 25 review with a matchup with “soon to be falling in the polls” (8) Cincinnati followed up with a trip to Rutgers.
25. Kansas State (10-2) Previous Rank: NR
Past Week: 12/29 Missouri Kansas City, W 52-44
Upcoming: 12/31 South Dakota & 1/5 (22) Oklahoma State
Welcome to the Top 25 Kansas State, now can you stay there after facing (22) Oklahoma State this week? We’ll see………
Be sure to check back next week to see if the New Year brings any of the Top 25 teams a change in their luck and to see how the conference matchups are going!
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
