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Kansas remains No. 1 atop The List this week, which may seem incongruous since it was knocked out of the top spot of both The Associated Press media poll and the USA Today coaches' poll following its loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
However, as we have stressed all season, the object of these rankings are different than the mainstream media polls. We're ranking the teams in the order in which we feel they have the best chance to win the national championship rather than who is currently the hottest team or which highest-ranked team did not lose last week.
Following Kansas in the top five is Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky and Kansas State. Michigan State is the only newcomer to The List, returning following its victory over Purdue on Sunday.
As always, we lean on the objective data, taking into account Ken Pomeroy’s Pomeroy Ratings at kenpom.com, the Jeff Sagarin ratings for USA Today at usatoday.com, RealTimeRPI at realtimerpi.com, Team Rankings at teamrankings.com and Kyle Whelliston’s State of Basketball rankings at basketballstate.com.
1.Kansas
Record: 27-2
Last week’s ranking: 1
Last week: Defeated Oklahoma 81-68, lost to Oklahoma State 85-77
This week: No. 5 Kansas State on Wednesday, at No. 22 Missouri on Saturday
Information:Marcus Morris' 124.0 offensive rating is 41st in the nation.
2.Syracuse
Record: 27-2
Last week’s ranking: 3
Last week: Defeated Providence 99-85 and Villanova 95-77
This week: St. John's tonight, at Louisville on Saturday.
Information:Rick Jackson's 61.0 effective field goal percentage is 41st in the nation.
3.Duke
Record: 25-4
Last week’s ranking: 2
Last week: Defeated Tulsa 70-52 and Virginia 67-49
This week: at No. 16 Maryland on Wednesday, North Carolina on Saturday.
Information: Jon Scheyer's 129.9 offensive rating is sixth in the nation.
4. Kentucky
Record: 27-2
Last week’s ranking: 4
Last week: Defeated South Carolina 82-61, lost to Tennessee 74-65
This week: at Georgia on Wednesday, Florida on Sunday
Information: Patrick Patterson's 130.7 offensive rating is fifth in the nation.
5.Kansas State
Record: 24-4
Last week’s ranking: 6
Last week: Defeated Texas Tech 83-64 and Missouri 63-53
This week: at No. 1 Kansas on Wednesday, Iowa State on Saturday
Information:Curtis Kelly's 72.2 free throw rate in 37th in the nation.
6.Purdue
Record: 24-4
Last week’s ranking: 5
Last week: Defeated Minnesota 59-58, lost to Michigan State 53-44
This week: Indiana on Wednesday, at Penn State on Saturday
Information: E'Twaun Moore's 30.2 percentage of shots is 90th in the nation.
7.West Virginia
Record: 23-6
Last week’s ranking: 10
Last week: Lost to Connecticut 73-62, defeated Cincinnati 74-68
This week: Defeated No. 21 Georgetown 81-68, at No. 8 Villanova on Saturday
Information:Da'Sean Butler's 87.4 percentage of minutes played is 67th in the nation.
8.Villanova
Record: 23-5
Last week’s ranking: 7
Last week: Defeated South Florida 74-49, lost to Syracuse 95-77
This week: at Cincinnati tonight, No. 7 West Virginia on Saturday
Information: Antonio Pena's 61.6 true shooting percentage is 83rd in the nation.
9.Brigham Young
Record: 26-4
Last week’s ranking: 8
Last week: Defeated San Diego State 82-68, lost to New Mexico 83-81
This week: at Utah on Wednesday, at TCU on Saturday
Information: Jackson Emery's 5.2 steal percentage is second in the nation.
10.New Mexico
Record: 27-3
Last week’s ranking: 12
Last week: Defeated Colorado State 72-66 and Brigham Young 83-81
This week: TCU on Wednesday
Information: Roman Martinez's 127.2 offensive percentage is 14th in the nation.
11.Wisconsin
Record: 21-7
Last week’s ranking: 14
Last week: Defeated Indiana 78-46 and Northwestern 70-63
This week: Iowa on Wednesday, at Illinois on Sunday
Information: Jason Bohannon's 65.3 true shooting percentage is 15th in the nation.
12.Ohio State
Record: 23-7
Last week’s ranking: 13
Last week: Defeated Penn State 75-67 and Michigan 66-55
This week: Illinois tonight
Information: Evan Turner's 34.2 percentage of possessions is fifth in the nation.
13.Texas
Record: 23-7
Last week’s ranking: 9
Last week: Defeated Oklahoma State 69-59, lost to Texas A&M 74-58.
This week: Defeated Oklahoma 87-76 on Monday, at No. 14 Baylor on Saturday
Information: Damion James' 24.9 defensive rebounding percentage is 30th in the nation.
14.Baylor
Record: 22-6
Last week’s ranking: 16
Last week: Defeated Texas A&M 70-66 and Oklahoma 70-63
This week: at Texas Tech tonight, No. 13 Texas on Saturday
Information: A.J. Walton's 4.4 steal percentage is 26th in the nation.
15.Pittsburgh
Record: 22-7
Last week’s ranking: 11
Last week: Lost to Notre Dame 68-53, defeated St. John's 71-64
This week: Providence on Thursday, Rutgers on Saturday
Information: Travon Woodall's 33.0 assist rate is 39th in the nation.
16.Maryland
Record: 21-7
Last week’s ranking: 21
Last week: Defeated Clemson 88-79 and Virginia Tech 104-100
This week: No. 3 Duke on Wednesday, at Virginia on Saturday
Information: Eric Hayes' 64.5 true shooting percentage is 26th in the nation.
17.Butler
Record:26-4
Last week’s ranking: 17
Last week: Defeated Valparaiso 74-69
This week: Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Illinois-Chicago, Cleveland State or Loyola (Ill.) winner on Saturday in Horizon League tournament semifinals
Information: Gordon Heyward's 24.3 defensive rebounding percentage is 38th in the nation.
18.Xavier
Record: 21-7
Last week’s ranking: 18
Last week: Defeated Saint Louis 73-71 and Richmond 78-76
This week: at Fordham on Wednesday, St. Bonaventure on Saturday
Information: Jamel McLane's 14.5 offensive rebounding percentage is 34th in the nation.
19.Vanderbilt
Record: 22-6
Last week’s ranking: 19
Last week: Defeated Georgia 96-94 and Arkansas 89-72
This week: at Florida tonight, South Carolina on Saturday
Information: John Jenkins' 124.2 offensive rating is 36th in the nation.
20.Temple
Record: 24-5
Last week’s ranking: 20
Last week: Defeated Dayton 49-41 and La Salle 65-53
This week: at Saint Louis on Wednesday, George Washington on Saturday
Information: Lavoy Allen's 23.3 defensive rebounding percentage is 65th in the nation.
21.Georgetown
Record: 19-9
Last week’s ranking: 15
Last week: Defeated Louisville 70-60, lost to Notre Dame 78-64
This week: Lost to No. 7 West Virginia 81-68 on Monday, Cincinnati on Saturday
Information: Greg Monroe's 24.8 defensive rebounding percentage is 31st in the nation.
22.Missouri
Record: 21-8
Last week’s ranking: 22
Last week: Defeated Colorado 92-63, lost to Kansas State 63-53
This week: at Iowa State tonight, No. 1Kansas on Saturday
Information: Keith Ramsey's 60.1 effective field goal percentage is 50th in the nation.
23.Michigan State
Record: 22-7
Last week’s ranking: NR
Last week: Defeated Purdue 53-44
This week: Penn State on Thursday, at Michigan on Sunday
Information: Draymond Green's 24.8 defensive rebounding percentage is 35th in the nation.
24.Texas A&M
Record: 20-8
Last week’s ranking: 25
Last week: Lost to Baylor 70-66, defeated Texas 74-58
This week: Oklahoma State on Wednesday, at Oklahoma on Saturday
Information: Nathan Walkup's 10.7 turnover rate is 62nd in the nation.
25.Northern Iowa
Record: 25-4
Last week’s ranking: 24
Last week: Lost to Evansville 55-54, defeated Illinois State 61-55
This week: Drake or Southern Illinois in Missouri Valley Conference tournament quarterfinals on Friday at St. Louis
Information: Adam Koch's 6.4 fouls drawn per 40 minutes is 76th in the nation.
Dropped out: No. 23 Tennessee
Others to watch: California (20-9), Clemson (20-8), Gonzaga (24-5), Marquette (19-9), Tennessee (21-5).
The Field of 65
ACC (7): Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
America East (1): Vermont
Atlantic 10 (4): Dayton, Richmond, Temple, Xavier
Atlantic Sun (1): Belmont
Big 12 (7): Baylor, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M
Big East (8): Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia
Big Sky (1): Weber State
Big South (1): Coastal Carolina
Big Ten (4):Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Big West (1):UC-Santa Barbara
Colonial (1): Old Dominion
Conference USA (2): UAB, UTEP
Horizon (1):Butler
Ivy (1): Cornell
Metro Atlantic (1): Siena
Mid-American (1): Kent State
Mid-Eastern (1): Morgan State
Missouri Valley (1):Northern Iowa
Mountain West (4):Brigham Young, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV
Northeast (1): Quinnipiac
Ohio Valley (1): Murray State
Pac-10 (1): California
Patriot (1): Lehigh
SEC (5): Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt
Southern (1): Wofford
Southland (1): Sam Houston State
Summit (1): IUPUI
Sun Belt (1): Western Kentucky
SWAC (1): Jackson State
WAC (1): Utah State
West Coast (2): Gonzaga, Saint Mary's
New to the dance: Belmont, Connecticut, IUPUI, Jackson State, Mississippi State, UC-Santa Barbara, Weber State
Tossed off the floor: Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jacksonville, Montana, Oakland, Pacific, Rhode Island, Washington
The bubble team: Rhode Island
Hello NIT: Arizona State, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Illinois, Illinois State, Indiana State, Iona, Lipscomb, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Northeastern, Notre Dame, Oakland, Portland, Rhode Island, St. John's, Seton Hall, South Florida, Stony Brook, Texas Tech, Troy, Tulsa, Virginia Commonwealth, Washington, Wichita State, William & Mary
John Perrotto is an author of Basketball Prospectus.
You can contact John by clicking here or click here to see John's other articles.
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