THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS AND COMMENTS:

*--* Rk Team (Rec.) Comment 1 KENTUCKY (21-3) Defense is holding SEC teams under 60 points a game 2 ARIZONA (20-2) Do Bruins really want to make Pac-10 tourney and likely face Arizona again? 3 KANSAS (20-5) Jayhawks are 26-1 in the Big 12 over last two seasons 4 TEXAS (18-4) Victory over Oklahoma was second over a top-10 team 5 OKLAHOMA (18-4) Sooners have nation’s longest homecourt winning streak: 35 6 FLORIDA (21-4) Despite occasional slips, talent level is amazing 7 DUKE (18-4) Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, the tournament not played in Cameron 8 PITTSBURGH (18-4) If Brandin Knight shot so well more often, Panthers would be scary 9 MARYLAND (16-7) The Terrapins are considerably better than a seven-loss team would seem 10 WAKE FOREST (17-4) Wish that snow-delayed game against Maryland had been canceled 11 LOUISVILLE (19-3) Cardinals beat Marquette but lost two of three to unranked teams 12 MARQUETTE (18-4) The Louisville rematch is Feb. 27 13 XAVIER (19-4) Romain Sato scored 34 and 35 in consecutive games 14 ILLINOIS (17-5) Tom Izzo’s Michigan State team was victim of Self-flagellation 15 NOTRE DAME (20-5) Barely survived against West Virginia 16 MISSISSIPPI STATE (17-5) Bulldogs held Auburn to season-low 46 points 17 CALIFORNIA (18-4) Next guest of honor at Pauley Pavilion 18 SYRACUSE (18-4) Orangemen are 14-0 at home 19 OKLAHOMA STATE (19-5) Consecutive losses to Baylor, Oklahoma 20 STANFORD (19-6) Cardinal will enjoy Westwood hospitality too 21 UTAH (20-4) With OT victory over UNLV, Utes have won 15 of 16 22 GEORGIA (15-7) This team still has troublemaking potential in March 23 CREIGHTON (23-3) Bluejays got a real Shocker from Wichita State 24 DAYTON (18-4) One of three Atlantic 10 teams headed for NCAA tournament 25 MICHIGAN (16-9) It’s no joke that Wolverines are in first place in Big Ten

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