THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* Rank Team (record) Comments 1 ARIZONA (5-0) Good news for Wildcats: Walton back by end of month 2 PITTSBURGH (7-0) Finally got first test against Ohio State: passed 69-49 3 DUKE (6-0) Blue Devils may have no peers in ACC 4 ALABAMA (7-0) With hiring of Mike Price, ‘Bama fans can think about basketball again 5 INDIANA (8-0) Latest chapter in Kentucky rivalry arrives Saturday 6 NOTRE DAME (9-1) Logic says Creighton, only team to beat Irish, should be higher 7 OKLAHOMA (5-1) Holler if you love Hollis (Price) 8 CONNECTICUT (6-0) Huskies OK without Caron Butler so far 9 ILLINOIS (7-0) Three freshmen in the lineup, and all’s well 10 MARQUETTE (6-1) Dwyane Wade is good enough to spell it however he likes 11 OREGON (6-1) Top 10 on days when Ducks compete -- unlike Cincinnati game 12 MISSISSIPPI STATE (7-1) With Mario Austin back, this team is a real threat 13 TEXAS (5-2) James Thomas is an underrated big man 14 MICHIGAN STATE (6-2) Spartans proved their mettle with victory over Kentucky 15 KANSAS (5-3) If UCLA wants to pull their bounce-back act, Saturday’s the day 16 KENTUCKY (5-2) A Big Blue victory over Indiana would really confuse rankings 17 FLORIDA (7-2) This team is an enigma year after year 18 NORTH CAROLINA (5-2) Freshmen are going to have ups and downs 19 MISSOURI (6-0) Big 12 vs. Big Ten clash with Illinois on Saturday 20 CREIGHTON (8-0) Could win four in a row vs. Nebraska for first time 21 MARYLAND (4-3) Terps and Jayhawks only three-loss teams to deserve rankings 22 TULSA (5-1) Only loss is to Jayhawks 23 XAVIER (5-2) David West points the way 24 CINCINNATI (5-2) Bearcats held Oregon 40 points below its average 25 BUTLER (7-0) Another chance for mid-major to crack the big leagues

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