College Basketball Power Rankings: Huskies Hold On To No. 1

1. Connecticut Huskies (23-1)
Michigan and Syracuse were the two latest teams to take a shot at the target on UConn’s back and both failed. With Marquette dropping a couple games, the Huskies are looking more and more like a lock to take the Big East. They still have to reckon with Pitt twice, including a big matchup in the season’s final game.

2. North Carolina Tarheels (22-2)
Tyler Hansbrough and the Tar Heels made it an unprecedented 4 straight wins at Cameron Indoor and this team is beginning to look more and more like the only team that can stand in the way of UConn winning a national title.

3. Oklahoma Sooners (24-1)
Oklahoma is clearly the cream of the crop in the Big 12 Conference with a 10-0 mark. It continues to get everyone’s best shot each night out, but teams have continually come up short. While you hear a lot about Mr. Griffin, Willie Warren is another prime time player on this roster. Strength of schedule is the only thing holding the Sooners down in the No. 3 spot.

4. Louisville Cardinals (18-4)
The Cards have taken the winner’s circle in 10 of their last 11 games with their only defeat coming to No. 1 ranked UConn. Louisville looks to be UConn’s biggest competition for the Big East title as it has an easier remaining schedule than the Huskies. Louisville is a 3.5 point favorite at Notre Dame tonight.

5. Pittsburgh Panthers (22-2)
As I’ve already mentioned, Pitt gets UConn twice down the home stretch of Big East season. A sweep by the Panthers and we could be looking at them as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and not the Huskies. You hear so much about DeJuan Blair, but point guard Levance Field is the engine that makes this team go.

6. Villanova Wildcats (20-4)
The Big East is dominating right now and perhaps no team in the conference is playing as strong as the Wildcats of Villanova. The Cats have won 7 in a row and many of these wins have been in blowout fashion. Marquette who? Now the Wildcats are the talk of the league and I’m still bigger on these guys than the national pollsters.

7. Clemson Tigers (20-3)
Clemson is a very talented team and when Terrence Oglesby has it going from deep the Tigers have looked unstoppable. A big blowout win over Duke got my attention and a nice double digit win at Boston College as well.

8. Michigan State Spartans (20-4)
Michigan State appears the cream of the crop in the Big Ten again and is rolling off a trio of lopsided wins without key performer Raymar Morgan. I can’t wait for Sparty’s big showdown with Purdue as I feel both of these teams are capable of making Final Four runs.

9. UCLA Bruins (19-4)
The Bruins are rolling with 4 straight wins by 10 points or more. Reigning Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody and the Irish came knocking last weekend and the Bruins have them a 26-point blood bath. The backcourt duo of Josh Shipp and Darren Collision is among the best, if not the best, in the country. UCLA is a 1.5-point favorite at Arizona State tonight.

10. Duke Blue Devils (20-4)
Duke takes a big fall in this week’s rankings but manages to hang onto the Top 10 thanks to a couple other teams enduring some costly defeats. Duke has now lost 3 of 5, and although those defeats were to teams in the top 10, the Devils are going to have to show they can beat the elite. Returning the favor to North Carolina in Chapel Hill would do just that.

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