College Basketball

With about one more month to go in the college basketball regular season, there are still two unbeatens, the first unanimous #1 in three years in Illinois, a top ten looking quite different from a week ago, and still many questions left unanswered. Is there a clear dominant team? Some would say Illinois, but lets face it, the Big Ten is a football conference, not the basketball conference it used to be in the days of the Fab Five and more recently Michigan State. That being said, the Illini had an impressive win at Wisconsin and have another tough test this week in East Lansing. Rounding out the top 10:

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina - still the most explosive team in the country, can beat anyone. The Heels haven't really played anyone since losing at Wake Forest, and they should beat both NC State and Florida State this week.
3. Kansas - bounced back nicely after an embarassing loss at Villanova. The Jayhawks beat Baylor by 20 and blew out then #13 Texas by 25. Granted the Longhorns are injured, but still an impressive showing.
4. Kentucky - Not sold on them being this high. They've squeezed out close games against Mississippi and Arkansas by a combined four points. At Vandy this week....potential upset? maybe but i don't see it happening
5. Boston College - This year's St Joe's? The Eagles have surprised many so far, and have not faltered in a tough Big East. Good close win at Providence, and impressive rout of a dangerous G-town team that has taken down Pitt and just missed 'Cuse.
6. Duke - Not the same Duke teams of the past. This team could go out in the sweet 16 no question. Two more tough games this week - at #7Wake and #23Georgia Tech at Cameron. I'm going out on a limb - Duke loses both.
7. Wake Forrest- Its not even close to time to talk about Wake being a perennial tournament choke team, but there it is -they are. Didn't buy this team at all til they beat Carolina, they've proven they're up there. Coming off a tough loss to Ga Tech, they should put up two more W's against Duke at home and Va Tech.
8. Syracuse - Can't hold a 17 point lead, even though your top two guys scored 25? This team is as good as anyone IF...they make free throws, they put teams away, and they put Billy Edelin at the point and get Craig Forth no where near the court. If this team plays 40 complete minutes of the basketball they are capable of - they are unbeatable. It hasn't happened yet. Notre Dame at the Dome this week....last time these teams matched up the Irish rained down from three but the Orange still came out on top - I'm going with the Orange again.
9. Louisville - 204 points in two games? Winning two games by a combined 83 points? Cinci has its work cut out for it this week.
10. Michigan State - Your time to shine Izzo. A chance to take down Illinois at home and Iowa four days later. Not quite make or break...but both going the same way could have some serious impact.

The rest of the coaches poll:

11. Oklahoma state
12. Washington
13. Arizona
14. Alabama
15. Pittsburgh
16. Oklahoma
17. Cinci
18. Texas
19. Wisconsin
20. UCONN
21. Gonzaga
22. Utah
23. Georgia Tech
24. Maryland
25. Villanova - first time in the polls since 1995-1996. Welcome back boys. Two monster wins.

more to come