Carter's NCAA Basketball Power Rankings-Feb. 15: Syracuse Orange Remain In Top 3

1. Kansas Jayhawks (24-1)
Last Week: 1
Top 25 Wins: Temple, Kansas State, Texas
Key Losses: Tennessee
Upcoming Games: at Texas A&M, vs. Colorado, vs. Oklahoma

2. Kentucky Wildcats (24-1)
Last Week: 3
Top 25 Wins: North Carolina, Connecticut, Vanderbilt, Tennessee
Key Losses: South Carolina
Upcoming Games: at Miss St., at Vanderbilt, vs. South Carolina

3. Syracuse Orange (24-2)
Last Week: 2
Top 25 Wins: California, North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, Georgetown
Key Losses: Pittsburgh, Louisville
Upcoming Games: at Georgetown, at Providence, vs. Villanova

4. Villanova Wildcats (22-2)
Last Week: 4
Top 25 Wins: Dayton, Georgetown, West Virginia
Key Losses: Temple, Georgetown
Upcoming Games: vs. Connecticut, at. Pittsburgh, vs. South Florida

5. BYU Cougars (23-3)
Last Week: 7
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Utah State, New Mexico, UNLV
Upcoming Games: at Colorado State, at Wyoming, vs. San Diego State

6. Purdue Boilermakers (21-3)
Last Week: 10
Top 25 Wins: Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan State
Key Losses: Wisconsin, Ohio State, Northwestern
Upcoming Games: at Ohio State, vs. Illinois, at. Minnesota

7. New Mexico Lobos (23-3)
Last Week: NR
Top 25 Wins: California, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, BYU, UNLV
Key Losses: Oral Roberts, San Diego State, UNLV
Upcoming Games: vs. Wyoming, vs. Air Force, at. Colorado State

8. Murray State Racers (24-3)
Last Week: 6
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: California, Louisiana Tech, Western Kentucky
Upcoming Games: SE Missouri State, Morgan State, Morehead State

9. Northern Iowa Panthers (22-3)
Last Week: 5
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: DePaul, Wichita State, Bradley
Upcoming Games: Creighton, Old Dominion, at Evansville

10. Duke Blue Devils (21-4)
Last Week: 13
Top 25 Wins: Connecticut, Gonzaga, Clemson, Georgia Tech
Key Losses: Wisconsin, Georgia Tech, NC State, Georgetown
Upcoming Games: at Miami (FL), vs. Virginia Tech, vs. Tulsa

11. Kansas State Wildcats (20-4)
Last Week: 17
Top 25 Wins: Dayton, UNLV, Texas
Key Losses: Ole Miss, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas
Upcoming Games: vs. Nebraska, at Oklahoma, at Texas Tech

12. Cornell Big Red (21-4)
Last Week: 9
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Seton Hall, Syracuse, Kansas, Penn
Upcoming Games: at Harvard, at Dartmouth, vs. Princeton

13. Virginia Tech Hokies (20-4)
Last Week: 19
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Temple, North Carolina, Florida State, Miami (FL)
Upcoming Games: vs. Wake Forest, at Duke, at Boston College

14. Gonzaga Bulldogs (21-4)
Last Week: 21
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Michigan State, Wake Forest, Duke, San Francisco
Upcoming Games: at Loyola Marymount, at Pepperdine, vs. Santa Clara

15. Butler Bulldogs (23-4)
Last Week: 22
Top 25 Wins: Ohio State
Key Losses: Minnesota, Clemson, Georgetown, UAB
Upcoming Games: vs. Illinois-Chicago, vs. Siena, at Valparaiso

16. Texas Longhorns (20-5)
Last Week: 15
Top 25 Wins: North Carolina, Michigan State
Key Losses: Kansas State, Connecticut, Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas
Upcoming Games: at Missouri, at Texas Tech, vs. Oklahoma State

17. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (22-5)
Last Week: 14
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Duke, Radford, Winthrop, High Point
Upcoming Games: at UNC Central, vs. Charleston Southern, vs. Liberty

18. UTEP Miners (19-5)
Last Week: NR
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: New Mexico State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, BYU, Houston
Upcoming Games: at Tulsa, at Southern Miss, vs. Rice

19. St. Mary’s Gaels (21-5)
Last Week: 8
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Vanderbilt, USC, Gonzaga, Gonzaga, Portland
Upcoming Games: at San Diego, vs. Pepperdine, vs. Loyola Marymount

20. Baylor Bears (19-5)
Last Week: 25
Top 25 Wins: Texas
Key Losses: Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas A&M
Upcoming Games: vs. Texas Tech, at Oklahoma State, vs. Texas A&M

21. West Virginia Mountaineers (19-5)
Last Week: 11
Top 25 Wins: Ole Miss, Pittsburgh
Key Losses: Purdue, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Villanova, Pittsburgh
Upcoming Games: at Providence, vs. Seton Hall, at Connecticut

22. Sam Houston State Bearkats (18-5)
Last Week: NR
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Kentucky, Cleveland State, UL-Lafayette, Wright State, Western Michigan
Upcoming Games: at Lamar, at UT-San Antonio, vs. McNeese State

23. Siena Saints (22-5)
Last Week: 18
Top 25 Wins: None
Key Losses: Temple, St. John’s, Georgia Tech, Northern Iowa, Niagara
Upcoming Games: at Butler, at Rider, vs. Marist

24. Vanderbilt Commodores (19-5)
Last Week: NR
Top 25 Wins: Tennessee, Tennessee
Key Losses: Cincinnati, Illinois, Western Kentucky, Kentucky, Georgia
Upcoming Games: at Ole Miss, vs. Kentucky, Georgia

25. Wichita State Shockers (21-5)
Last Week: NR
Top 25 Wins: Texas Tech, Northern Iowa
Key Losses: Pittsburgh, Illinois State, Creighton, Drake, Northern Iowa, Evansville
Upcoming Games: vs. Evansville, at Utah State, at Bradley

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: Temple, Wake Forest, Louisiana Tech, UAB, Ohio State, Utah State, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Michigan State, Tulsa, UNLV

Carter’s National Player of the Year Award Race:
1. Omar Samhan (St. Mary’s)
2. Jimmer Fredette (BYU)
3. Jon Scheyer (Duke)
4. Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)
5. Malcolm Delaney (Virginia Tech)
6. Jacob Pullen (Kansas State)
7. LaceDarius Dunn (Baylor)
8. Damion James (Texas)
9. Alex Franklin (Siena)
10. Gordon Hayward (Butler)
11. Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia)
12. Ryan Wittman (Cornell)
13. Aubrey Coleman (Houston)
14. Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)
15. Reggie Holmes (Morgan State)

Carter’s Coach of the Year Award Race:
1. Bill Self (Kansas)
2. John Calipari (Kentucky)
3. Jim Boeheim (Syracuse)
4. Jay Wright (Villanova)
5. Dave Rose (BYU)

Last Four IN the Tournament:
Morgan State (19-7)
William and Mary (18-7)
Marquette (16-8)
Arizona State (18-8)

First Four OUT of Tournament:
Georgia Tech (17-8)
California (17-8)
Washington (17-8)
Miami (FL) (17-8)