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College Basketball Power Rankings: Down Goes Duke

Written by Jimmy Boyd

cbb-power 1. Connecticut Huskies (19-1)
With Duke falling to Wake Forest last night and with UConn continuing to roll, the Huskies jump to the No. 1 spot this week. Life at the top has been tough this season though so the Huskies cannot afford to relax. If they take care of Providence Saturday, they will be the new No. 1 when they head to Louisville Monday.

2. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (17-1)
A huge win over Duke has Wake jumping four spots in my power ratings this week. That win more than made up for its letdown against Virginia Tech. This team is long and athletic and has one of the best players in the country in Jeff Teague. However, they seem to play up and down to the level of their opponents and aren’t a good three-point shooting team (outside Teague) so I can see them going down again to someone they should beat.

3. Louisville Cardinals (16-3)
The Cards have won 8 straight, and despite having three losses for the year, are playing right now like a team capable of winning it all. The Cards play pressure defense, they knock down the three, and Earl Clark gives them a go-to guy. No one wants to see Louisville right now.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (18-2)
UNC got a scare on the road last night at Florida State but Mr. Lawson came through with a runner from three-point land for the win. Clearly, this team has some issues on defense and it mostly deals with desire, but perhaps no other team is as talented.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (20-1)
The Sooners are the first team to reach 20 wins on the season and Blake Griffin continues to be an unstoppable force, much the same way Michael Beasley was for K-State last year. I’m not sold on the Big 12 yet and the Sooners’ non-conference schedule didn’t really test them so that’s why I don’t have them higher.

6. Duke Blue Devils (18-2)
Perhaps, it is unfair to drop Duke this many spots after barely losing on the road last night at Wake, but last night we saw how much this team lives and dies by the three and that is going to hurt them when they aren’t falling. Still, there is no better coach the Coach K and I love how hard these boys play.

7. Pitt Panthers (18-2)
Pitt fell from the No. 3 spot in our power rankings last week after going down to Nova last night. This former No. 1 seems to be fading fast after a pair of early losses in conference play. The talent and the toughness is still there, but life doesn’t get any easier as they take on a hungry Notre Dame team next.

8. Marquette Golden Eagles (18-2)
Marquette has the best group of guards in the country and teams can not stop them from getting to the basket at will. With 10 straight wins and seven straight in Big East play, the Eagles are soaring. You don’t here as much about Marquette in the Big East title discussion, but they deserve to be there.

9. Xavier Musketeers (18-2)
I’ll show the A-10 some love this week. Xavier is 6-0 in the conference with a good possibility of running the table. Xavier’s starting five is solid, and while it plays in a weaker conference, it will be ready to throw down with the big dogs come tourney time.

10. Purdue Boilermakers (16-4)
Purdue gets the nod in the top ten this week and not Michigan State or Illinois from the Big Ten. The Boilermakers were my preseason pick to win the conference and now that they are healthy, they are playing like a team capable of doing so. Purdue brings a five-game winning streak into Saturday’s game against Michigan.

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