Basketball AP Top 25 – Week 15

By Dan Spritz in College, Featured ⋅ February 14, 2012 at 10:27pm ⋅ Post a comment

Jeff Withey Gives Kansas A Dominant Defensive Presence Down Low (AP Photo)

1. Kentucky (63)

The Wildcats toyed with #14 Florida last week, but it was never a contest. They didn’t seem particularly challenged, pulling away at the beginning of the second half. The only doubts that remain with them are whether their inexperience will cause them to seize up in an important game. No one can match their talent.

2. Syracuse (2)

There’s not much new to report on the Orange. They gutted out a win against a good (#10) Georgetown team and a bad UConn team last week.

3. Missouri

Ridiculous claim: upon entry into the SEC next season, the Tigers will serve as the primary roadblock to Kentucky’s dominance of the conference.

4. Kansas

The Jayhwaks made #9 Baylor look silly last week. Moving towards March, I feel comfortable saying that their frontcourt can play with anyone in the country.

5. Duke

Tyler Zeller gave Austin Rivers too much room. Regardless, that was an absurd comeback.

6. Ohio State
7. Michigan State
8. North Carolina
9. Baylor
10. Georgetown

Baylor’s only losses this season are two each to #3 Missouri and #4 Kansas. I guess we know where they stand. They just can’t beat great teams.

11. UNLV
12. Marquette
13. San Diego State
14. Florida
15. Wisconsin

My passion for conference realignment is well-documented, so you better believe I was excited to hear that after being robbed by the Big East, Conference USA and the Mountain West will for unite a new conference. I know I’ve been clamoring for more matchups between Hawaii and East Carolina. The conference has no name yet, so I’d like to volunteer a few:

Mountain East Conference
Mississippi Valley Conference
Conference of Manifest Destiny
Jet Stream Conference
Under Canada Conference
Transnational Conference
Big America Conference

Moving on…

16. Murray State
17. Michigan
18. Indiana
19. Louisville
20. Florida State

As excited as I’ve been for the Racers this season, they face the very real possibility of completely falling out of the rankings if they lose to #21 Saint Mary’s in their BracketBuster game this weekend. That’s unfair, because the Gaels have been playing much tougher conference competition and are probably a better team in general.

21. Saint Mary’s
22. Virginia
23. Notre Dame
24. Gonzaga
25. Wichita State

Wichita State is one of the few institutions that is viewed as a baseball-first school. Good for them making it into the Top 25. The Valley is looking pretty solid this year.

Tags: AP Top 25, College Basketball, top 25