NCAA Basketball Top 25 Straw Poll: Week 18

By (Analyst) on March 3, 2013

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Gonzaga captured the No. 1 ranking for the first time this season after Indiana lost at Minnesota last week. The Hoosiers still received one first-place vote and are a close No. 2 to the Zags.

Read on to see the complete Top 25.

 

Voters: Jesse Kramer, Ryan Satsky, Thad Novak, Joe Tansey, Dan Vasta, Scott Henry

Others Receiving Votes

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Grant Halverson/Getty Images

North Carolina, 10 points

UNLV, 9 points

Minnesota, 6 points

California, 4 points

Notre Dame, 3 points

Oregon, 3 points

Illinois, 2 points

St. Mary's, 1 point

Louisiana Tech, 1 point

25. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

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Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 11

Record: 27-4, 19-1 Sun Belt

Last Week's Rank: 25

Notable Wins: Ole Miss (Home)

Middle Tennessee finished off the regular season with wins at Troy and Western Kentucky.

The Blue Raiders' 19 conference wins are the best in Division I.

24. UCLA Bruins

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Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Points: 12

Record: 22-7, 12-4 Pac-12

Last Week's Rank: Not Ranked

Notable Wins: Missouri (Home), Cal (Home), Arizona (Home, Road)

UCLA has won its last four games and swept the season series with Arizona by defeating the Wildcats on Saturday night. 

If the Bruins defeat Washington State and Washington this week, they will get at least a share of the conference title.

23. Virginia Commonwealth Rams

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Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 18

Record: 23-6, 11-3 A10

Last Week's Rank: Not Ranked

Notable Wins: Memphis (Neutral), Butler (Home)

Virginia Commonwealth is back in the Top 25 after its impressive blowout of Butler on Saturday.

With two games remaining in the regular season, the Rams sit one game out of first place in the Atlantic 10.

22. Butler Bulldogs

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Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Points: 19

Record: 22-7, 9-5 A10

Last Week's Rank: 20

Notable Wins: Marquette (Neutral), UNC (Neutral), Indiana (Neutral), Gonzaga (Home)

Butler has lost its last two games and three of its last five.

Even if the Bulldogs win their last two regular season games, they will be no better than the No. 3 seed in the Atlantic 10 tournament.

21. Memphis Tigers

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Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Points: 21

Record: 25-4, 14-0 C-USA

Last Week's Rank: 19

Notable Wins: Southern Miss (Road)

Memphis lost a close, non-conference game at Xavier but rebounded with a 76-67 win at Central Florida on Saturday.

The Tigers will finish the regular season with games against UTEP and UAB this week.

20. Pittsburgh Panthers

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Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 35

Record: 23-7, 11-6 Big East

Last Week's Rank: 22

Notable Wins: Georgetown (Road), UConn (Home), Syracuse (Home)

Pittsburgh survived Villanova's upset bid in overtime for its third straight win.

The Panthers finish the season at DePaul, and with a win they would guarantee themselves at least a share of third place.

19. Wisconsin Badgers

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Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 36

Record: 20-9, 11-5 Big Ten

Last Week's Rank: 16

Notable Wins: Cal (Home), Illinois (Home), Indiana (Road), Minnesota (Home), Michigan (Home), Ohio State (Home)

Wisconsin was shocked on its home floor on Senior Night by Purdue. The Badgers blew a 13-point lead and lost 69-56.

They will finish the regular season at Michigan State and Penn State.

18. Arizona Wildcats

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Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Points: 40

Record: 23-6, 11-6 Pac-12

Last Week's Rank: 12

Notable Wins: Florida (Home), Miami-FL (Neutral), San Diego State (Neutral)

Arizona's unimpressive play in the Pac-12 continued with losses to USC and UCLA last week.

The Wildcats can now be no better than the No. 4 seed in the Pac-12 tournament.

17. Marquette Golden Eagles

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Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 51

Record: 21-7, 12-4 Big East

Last Week's Rank: 23

Notable Wins: Wisconsin (Home), UConn (Home), Georgetown (Home), Pitt (Road, Home), Syracuse (Home), Notre Dame (Home)

Buzz Williams continues to make his case for Big East Coach of the Year as Marquette keeps winning.

The Golden Eagles, picked in the preseason to finish No. 7 in the conference, are tied for second place with two games remaining.

16. Syracuse Orange

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Nate Shron/Getty Images

Points: 60

Record: 22-7, 10-6 Big East

Last Week's Rank: 11

Notable Wins: San Diego State (Neutral), Louisville (Road), Cincinnati (Home), Notre Dame (Home)

In each of its last three games, Syracuse has been defeated. After Georgetown ended its Carrier Dome winning streak last Saturday, the Orange lost at Marquette and then at home again to Louisville.

They will host DePaul on Wednesday and then rematch Georgetown on Saturday.

15. Oklahoma State Cowboys

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Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Points: 68

Record: 22-6, 12-4 Big 12

Last Week's Rank: 15

Notable Wins: NC State (Neutral), Kansas (Road), Oklahoma (Home)

Oklahoma State took care of business last week with wins over Texas Christian and Texas.

If the Cowboys win both of their games this week against Iowa State and Kansas State, they are guaranteed at least the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament.

14. Saint Louis Billikens

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Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Points: 73

Record: 23-5, 12-2 A10

Last Week's Rank: 18

Notable Wins: New Mexico (Home), Butler (Home, Road), VCU (Home)

Saint Louis knocked off St. Joseph's and George Washington last week to stay ahead of Virginia Commonwealth in the Atlantic 10.

The Billikens can clinch the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament with a win in one of their last two games.

13. Ohio State Buckeyes

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Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Points: 79

Record: 21-7, 11-5 Big Ten

Last Week's Rank: 14

Notable Wins: Michigan (Home), Wisconsin (Home), Minnesota (Home), Michigan State (Home)

Ohio State is riding a three-game winning streak.

The Buckeyes can move within one game of first place in the Big Ten with a win at Indiana on Tuesday.

12. New Mexico Lobos

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Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 87

Record: 25-4, 12-2 MWC

Last Week's Rank: 17

Notable Wins: UConn (Neutral), Cincinnati (Road), UNLV (Home), Colorado State (Home, Road), San Diego State (Home)

New Mexico clinched an outright title in the Mountain West with wins over San Diego State and Wyoming last week.

The Lobos will finish the season on the road against Nevada and Air Force.

11. Kansas State Wildcats

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Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 88

Record: 24-5, 13-3 Big 12

Last Week's Rank: 13

Notable Wins: Florida (Neutral), Oklahoma State (Home), Oklahoma (Home, Road)

Kansas State survived Baylor on the road thanks to an errant inbound pass by the Bears followed by a buzzer-beating trey from Rodney McGruder.

The Wildcats will finish the season with games against TCU and Oklahoma State.

10. Florida Gators

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Rob Foldy-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 89

Record: 23-5, 13-3 SEC

Last Week's Rank: T-6

Notable Wins: Wisconsin (Home), Mid. Tenn. (Home), Marquette (Home)

Florida was upset by Tennessee early in the week, but it came back with a win over Alabama during the weekend.

The loss to the Volunteers essentially knocked the Gators out of the run for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

9. Michigan State Spartans

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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Points: 95

Record: 22-7, 11-5 Big Ten

Last Week's Rank: 8

Notable Wins: Kansas (Neutral), Ohio State (Home), Wisconsin (Road), Michigan (Home)

Michigan State has lost its last three games to Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan.

The Spartans will play their fourth straight game against a nationally ranked team against Wisconsin on Thursday.

8. Miami (FL) Hurricanes

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Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Points: 115

Record: 23-5, 14-2 ACC

Last Week's Rank: 5

Notable Wins: Michigan State (Home), UNC (Road), Duke (Home), NC State (Road)

Miami's comeback in the final minutes at Duke fell short, but the Hurricanes still control their own destiny for an ACC regular-season title.

To win the conference crown outright, all they need to do is beat Georgia Tech or Clemson at home.

7. Michigan Wolverines

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Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Points: 117

Record: 24-5, 11-5 Big Ten

Last Week's Rank: 3

Notable Wins: Pitt (Neutral), K-State (Neutral), Minnesota (Road), Illinois (Road), Ohio State (Home), Michigan State (Home)

Michigan pulled back into a tie for second place in the Big Ten with a win over Michigan State on Sunday afternoon.

The Wolverines can tie for first place in the conference if they win their last two games and Indiana loses to Ohio State on Tuesday.

6. Louisville Cardinals

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Nate Shron/Getty Images

Points: 119

Record: 24-5, 12-4 Big East

Last Week's Rank: 10

Notable Wins: Memphis (Road), UConn (Road), Pitt (Home), Marquette (Home), Syracuse (Road)

Louisville smothered Syracuse defensively, forcing 20 turnovers, to stay tied for second place in the Big East. 

The Cardinals need to win one of their final two games against Cincinnati and Notre Dame to guarantee a top-three finish in the conference.

T-4. Georgetown Hoyas

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USA TODAY Sports

Points: 127

Record: 23-4, 13-3 Big East

Last Week's Rank: 9

Notable Wins: UCLA (Neutral), Notre Dame (Road), Louisville (Home), Marquette (Home), Cincy (Road), Syracuse (Road), UConn (Road)

Georgetown has continued to be one of the hottest teams in all of college basketball. The Hoyas are 13-1 since Greg Whittington was ruled ineligible, and last week they knocked off Connecticut and Rutgers.

They have a tough final week to the season with games against Villanova and Syracuse.

T-4. Kansas Jayhawks

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Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Points: 127

Record: 25-4, 13-3 Big 12

Last Week's Rank: T-6

Notable Wins: Saint Louis (Neutral), Ohio State (Road), Kansas State (Road, Home), Oklahoma (Home), Oklahoma State (Road), Iowa State (Road)

Kansas had absolutely no trouble with West Virginia on Saturday.

Ben McLemore exploded 36 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the 26-point win.

3. Duke Blue Devils

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Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Points: 133

Record: 25-4, 12-4 ACC

Last Week's Rank: 4

Notable Wins: Minnesota (Neutral), VCU (Neutral), Louisville (Neutral), Ohio State (Home), Miami-FL (Home)

In the return of Ryan Kelly, Duke knocked off No. 5 Miami 79-76. Kelly posted 36 points and seven rebounds.

In order to win a share of the ACC regular season title, the Blue Devils still need to win their last two games and hope Miami loses its final two.

2. Indiana Hoosiers

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Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Points: 143

Record: 25-4, 13-3 Big Ten

Last Week's Rank: 1

Notable Wins: Georgetown (Neutral), UNC (Home), Minnesota (Home), Michigan State (Home, Road), Michigan (Home), Ohio State (Road)

Indiana rebounded from the loss at Minnesota with a 73-60 win over Iowa on Saturday.

The Hoosiers finish with a very tough stretch with games against Ohio State and Michigan.

1. Gonzaga Bulldogs

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William Mancebo/Getty Images

Points: 149

Record: 29-2, 16-0 WCC

Last Week's Rank: 2

Notable Wins: Oklahoma (Neutral), Kansas State (Neutral), Oklahoma State (Road), St. Mary's (Road)

Gonzaga finished off its dominance of the West Coast Conference with wins over Brigham Young and Portland last week.

The Zags will have a bye to the conference semifinals as the No. 1 seed.

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