THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* No. Rank (Rec.) Comment 1 STANFORD (20-0) Still No. 1, on a fling and a prayer. 2 DUKE (21-1) Purdue was long time ago, but a loss is a loss. 3 ST. JOSEPH’S (21-0) Unbeaten like Stanford but not Duke’s equal. 4 CONNECTICUT (19-4) Huskies will try to dent Pitt’s unbeaten home record Sunday. 5 PITTSBURGH (22-2) Panthers have been waiting for their second chance at UConn. 6 MISSISSIPPI STATE (20-1) Bulldogs, not Kentucky, have SEC’s best record. 7 LOUISVILLE (17-3) Asterisk in Memphis loss: Two starters missing. 8 GONZAGA (19-2) Can clinch the WCC title as soon as Saturday. 9 OKLAHOMA STATE (18-2) The Cowboys crushed long-ago No. 1 Kansas. 10 KENTUCKY (17-3) Wildcats managing without injured Fitch (sprained finger). 11 ARIZONA (14-6) We’re not taking away points for Stanford loss. 12 TEXAS (17-3) Only Big 12 loss is to Oklahoma State. 13 CINCINNATI (17-3) Seven players have led the team in scoring. 14 N.C. STATE (15-5) A solid second in ACC counts for a lot this season. 15 WISCONSIN (16-4) Badgers still atop the weak Big Ten. 16 GEORGIA TECH (18-5) B. J. Elder is proving his big-game scoring ability. 17 NORTH CAROLINA (14-7) McCants is hot; Tar Heels are not. 18 WAKE FOREST (13-6) Eric Williams leads ACC in shooting percentage. 19 KANSAS (15-5) Beat Texas Tech but stomped by Oklahoma State. 20 TEXAS TECH (17-6) Put your lettuce or salad joke here. 21 FLORIDA (14-6) Gators are underachieving again. 22 SOUTH CAROLINA (19-5) One-point loss at Kentucky is no shame. 23 SETON HALL (16-5) Pittsburgh upset earns Pirates a spot. 24 SO. ILLINOIS (19-2) Salukis might be March upset-makers. 25 UTAH STATE (19-1) Aggies have won 16 in a row.

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