THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS AND COMMENTS

*--* Rk Team (Rec.) Comment 1 PITTSBURGH (16-2) Our choice for No. 1 even though Brandin Knight’s basket was a split-second late at Syracuse 2 LOUISVILLE (17-1) Very, very solid team will earn No. 1 votes as the last one-loss team 3 KENTUCKY (17-3) There probably isn’t a college team that could have beaten Kentucky on Tuesday 4 ARIZONA (16-2) Candy story must have spoiled Wildcats’ appetite for Stanford 5 KANSAS (16-5) Nick Collison has rebounded his way into player-of-the-year contention 6 FLORIDA (18-3) The Gators were one and done as No. 1 7 TEXAS (14-4) The search is still on for the defender who can keep T.J. Ford in front of him 8 OKLAHOMA STATE (18-2) Another team proving defense can take you far 9 MARYLAND (14-4) The Terrapins, not Blue Devils, could emerge as ACC’s best 10 OKLAHOMA (15-3) Sooners could have become another victim of Kansas State 11 DUKE (15-3) Many expected a dud, but Carolina-Duke game had great juice 12 WAKE FOREST (15-2) Josh Howard could be surprise player of the year in the ACC 13 MARQUETTE (16-3) Held on against St. Louis despite three-of-15 game by Dwyane Wade 14 NOTRE DAME (18-4) Irish looked ahead to Pittsburgh game before taking care of Seton Hall 15 ILLINOIS (15-4) The Illini have plenty of competition in the Big Ten now 16 GEORGIA (13-5) Game at Tennessee on Saturday is hardly a gimme for Bulldogs 17 PURDUE (15-4) Gene Keady’s Boilermakers are the only team to beat Louisville 18 SYRACUSE (15-3) The Carmelo countdown is on: How many games left in Anthony’s college career? 19 CREIGHTON (20-2) First team this season to win 20 games 20 NORTH CAROLINA STATE (12-5) Julius Hodge is ACC’s leading scorer 21 STANFORD (16-5) Mike Montgomery’s coaching ability is showing 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE (14-5) At least Bulldogs haven’t stumbled as badly as Alabama 23 XAVIER (16-4) Return of guard Lionel Chalmers from injury a major plus 24 CALIFORNIA (14-4) Bears hanging on by a claw after lost week in Arizona 25 DAYTON (16-3) After close call against Duquesne, Atlantic 10 showdown with Xavier is Saturday

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