TOP 25

1. North Carolina (15-0): Already 2-0 in tough ACC road games.

2. Duke (13-1): Scent of smoked Terrapin lingers.

3. Utah (12-0): Best start since 1944 NCAA title team.

4. Kansas (18-2): Jayhawks hanging in there.

5. Arizona (11-3): Simon says road games key to Pac-10 title.

6. Kentucky (13-2): Dad, Son No. 2 win Smith family reunion.

7. Stanford (13-0): Madsen injured with UCLA on the way.

8. UCLA (10-2): Talent’s there, searching for rhythm.

9. Mississippi (11-1): Ole Miss hit South Carolina hard.

10. Florida State (12-3): Here comes Duke.

11. Connecticut (13-2): Huskies caught in a Miami vise.

12. Purdue (13-3): Can’t wait for Big Ten tournament.

13. Iowa (13-1): Illinois tonight is a good test.

14. New Mexico (11-1): Kenny Thomas MIA against TCU.

15. Princeton (11-1): Played Tar Heels closer than Bruins did.

16. Syracuse (13-1): Awaits Big East showdown with . . . Miami.

17. Xavier, Ohio (9-3): St. Bonaventure a losing venture.

18. Hawaii (11-1): Mainland appearance Saturday at S.D. St.

19. Miami (12-1): UConn upset merits ranking.

20. South Carolina (9-2): Looking for a few good wins.

21. Clemson (10-4): Played Tar Heels tough.

22. Michigan (12-4): Allowed Indiana to avoid disaster.

23. Rhode Island (9-2): On the Rhode to NCAAs.

24. Arkansas (12-2): Next time, play in Hawaii tournament.

25. Marquette (10-1): Louisville win legitimizes record.

GAME OF THE WEEK

DUKE at FLORIDA STATE

* When--Saturday. * Time--4:30 PST. * TV--ESPN.

* Storyline--How far ahead of the rest of the Atlantic Coast Conference are North Carolina and Duke? Until the Tar Heels and Blue Devils meet on Feb. 5, this is perhaps the biggest clash. Duke has been scoring more than 95 points a game and managing unheard of runaway victories over ACC competition despite losing leading scorer Elton Brand for the season because of a foot injury. The Blue Devils’ only loss is to Michigan. Florida State, picked seventh in the ACC in the preseason, is thriving under new Coach Steve Robinson, a former assistant to Kansas’ Roy Williams, and spurred by the arrival of guard Terrell Baker, a junior college transfer. The Seminoles were beaten by the No. 1 Tar Heels in Tallahassee, 81-73. Their only other losses were to Kansas and Maryland, but they have a victory over Arizona.