The Times’ rankings

ROBYN NORWOOD’S RANKINGS AND COMMENTS

*--* Rk. Team (Rec.) Comment (last week’s rank) 1 N. CAROLINA (8-0) But don’t look back, UNC, Duke is on your Heels. (2) 2 MEMPHIS (7-0) With win over USC, Tigers have three wins in Garden -- two less than the Knicks. (3) 3 TEXAS (5-0) Durant’s classmates have matured nicely. (8) 4 DUKE (8-0) Bulletin to Blue Devils haters: The Dukies are good again. (5) 5 KANSAS (7-0) Mario Chalmers shows Mayo and Trojans how it’s done. (4) 6 UCLA (7-1) Howland’s want ad after Texas: A zone offense and an extra timeout. (1) 7 WASH. ST. (7-0) Spokane showdown with Gonzaga tonight should tell a lot about both. (7) 8 GEORGETOWN (5-0) Roy Hibbert averages 2.6 blocks per game. (6) 9 PITTSBURGH (7-0) Upcoming schedule includes Washington, Oklahoma State and Duke. (10) 10 MICHIGAN ST. (7-1) Spartans’ game at Brigham Young on Saturday doesn’t look easy. (11) 11 TEXAS A&M (7-1) Some other good teams will lose to Arizona. (9) 12 MARQUETTE (5-1) Jerel McNeal, not Dominic James, has been the leading scorer. (12) 13 BUTLER (7-0) This is the core of team that gave Florida a run in the Sweet 16 last season. (18) 14 INDIANA (7-1) Seemingly, only a back bruise can slow frosh scoring machine Eric Gordon. (13) 15 TENNESSEE (8-1) Road hazard: Volunteers play only one game in Knoxville in December. (14) 16 OREGON (6-1) Plenty of coaches covet Ducks’ Maarty Leunen. (15) 17 BRIGHAM YOUNG (6-1) Cougars’ only loss is to North Carolina. (16) 18 LOUISVILLE (5-1) Sophomore Earl Clark averages 11.8 rebounds. (17) 19 GONZAGA (7-1) Nice Ws vs. St. Joe’s and UConn; big chance tonight vs. Washington St. (24) 20 XAVIER (6-1) Count ‘em: Six players average in double figures. (19) 21 CLEMSON (7-0) This Tigers’ start is too familiar to trust. (22) 22 ARIZONA (5-2) Still no Olson on sideline, but ‘Cats back in top 25 after upset of Texas A&M. (NR) 23 ST. MARY’S (6-0) With Ws over Oregon and Seton Hall, play San Diego St. in Anaheim Saturday. (25) 24 VILLANOVA (5-1) Only flaw in record is a one-point loss to North Carolina State. (NR) 25 USC (6-3) Playing two top-five teams on opposite coasts in three days was a lot to ask. (20) *--*