College Basketball Top 25: Week 14

This is the last edition before conference tournaments begin. And yes I have a slight disagreement with the latest polls.

 
1. Memphis—OK, many people could make a fine argument that North Carolina is playing the best right now, but the Tigers have the best record and were a couple free throws away from still being undefeated.

2. UNC—They're still a threat to go all the way.

3. UCLA

4. Tennessee—I don't like how they nearly lost to a seriously undermanned Kentucky team at home.

5. Kansas

6. Georgetown—I could easily see a No. 1 seed in the Hoyas' future.

7. Duke

8. Texas—The Pat Knight upset notwithstanding this is still a scary bunch.

9. Stanford

10. Butler

11. Xavier

12. Michigan State—Their shooting display in the first half against Indiana was the most impressive I'd seen since West Virginia played Louisville in the '05 Final 8. (Of course the Mountaineers lost, but it was still something to watch.)

13. UConn

14. Indiana

15. Vanderbilt—Tuesday was not an upset. The 'Dores are nasty at home, Tennessee was coming off the biggest win in regular-season history, and Lionel Richie sang "Brickhouse" to fire up the troops.

16. Drake

17. Louisville

18. Wisconsin

19. Washington State—The Cougars look ripe for a first-round upset. Their big people get pushed around more than they should. While Derrick Low plays intelligently, he is limited athletically.

20. Clemson—Quietly, these Tigers have come on strong.

21. Marquette

22. St. Mary's—People knocked them out of the Top 25. Here's my argument for keeping them in: They have one bad loss to San Diego. The rest of the teams they lost to should make the tournament and they beat Drake and Gonzaga.

23. BYU

24. Purdue—I think this is the only Big 10 team that will be around in the second week of the NCAAs.

25. Notre Dame—If Harangody isn't the Big East player of the year they need to do a recount.