The Bat Cave

I’m insanely tired and I have a long work day ahead of me tomorrow. I will clean this up and add commentary when I can, but this is my top 25 through today’s action.

TOP 25:

1. Syracuse (10-0)
Last Week: #3
Comments: Consider this a brief stay at the top. While Syracuse is clearly benefiting from recent losses for Kentucky and Ohio State, they have at least emerged as a legitimate national title contender.

2. Ohio State (8-1)
Last Week: #2
Comments: Good to see the national polls feel the same way I do: losing on the road to a good Kansas team without Jared Sullinger on the floor is a loss that comes with an asterisk.

3. Duke (9-1)
Key Wins: (n)MSU, (n)Tennessee, (n)#15 Michigan, (n)#14 Kansas, (n)UW
Key Losses: @#2 OSU
Last Week: #5
Comments: Take away the blowout loss to Ohio State and Duke might have the most impressive resume in the nation.

4. Kentucky (8-1)
Last Week: #1
Comments: Growing pains: that’s what we call the loss at Indiana.

5. Louisville (9-0)
Last Week: #4
Comments: Went against my conventional routine and dropped Louisville one spot even though they haven’t lost a game all season. Anyone care to argue that any of the teams ranked above them haven’t been more impressive?

6. Connecticut (8-1)
Last Week: #6

7. Baylor (7-0)
Last Week: #7

8. North Carolina (8-2)
Last Week: #8
Comments: I have UNC lower than the national polls because they have two losses and struggled against Long Beach State this weekend. I still think this is one of the nation’s top 3 teams, but they haven’t played that way so far.

9. Xavier (8-0)
Last Week: #9
Comments: Hopefully the suspensions that resulted from the brawl with Cincinnati don’t cause this team to lose a game. The Musketeers have looked tough as nails so far.

10. Missouri (9-0)
Last Week: #10

11. Marquette (9-0)
Last Week: #11

12. Kansas (7-2)
Last Week: #16
Comments: Even without Jared Sullinger playing, the win against Ohio State is still impressive.

13. Mississippi State (9-1)
Last Week: #13

14. Florida (7-2)
Last Week: #14

15. Pittsburgh (9-1)
Last Week: #15

16. Georgetown (8-1)
Last Week: #17

17. Michigan (7-2)
Last Week: #18

18. Wisconsin (8-2)
Last Week: #19

19. Indiana (9-0)
Last Week: Unranked
Comments: Okay, the Hoosiers are for real. This team was undefeated before toppling #1 Kentucky and hyped freshman Cody Zeller has exceeded expectations.

20. Alabama (8-2)
Last Week: #12
Comments: I really liked Alabama the first couple weeks of the season, but they’ve been scuffling recently.

21. Illinois (10-0)
Last Week: Unranked
Comments: I might be a week late with this ranking.

22. UNLV (9-2)
Key Wins: #1 UNC, UCSB
Key Losses: @Wichita St, @#14 Wisconsin
Last Week: #20
Comments:

23. Michigan State (8-2)
Key Wins: FSU, @#23 Gonzaga
Key Losses: (n)#1 UNC, (n)#6 Duke
Last Week: Unranked
Comments:

24. San Diego State (9-2)
Key Wins: LBSU, @#23 Arizona, #24 Cal
Key Losses: @# 11 Baylor, Creighton
Last Week: #24
Comments:

25. Texas A&M (8-1)
Key Wins: (n)SJU
Key Losses: (n)Miss St
Last Week: Unranked
Comments:

DROPPED OUT:

21. Memphis (5-3)
Key Wins: (n)Tennessee, @Miami, Murray St
Key Losses: (n)#15 Michigan, (n)G’town
Last Week: #21
Comments:

22. Harvard (9-1)
Key Wins: (n)#22 FSU, (n)UCF
Key Losses: @#9 UCONN
Last Week: #22
Comments:

23. Creighton (7-1)
Key Wins: @SDSU
Key Losses: @St Joes
Last Week: #23
Comments:

25. Gonzaga (5-2)
Key Wins: NDU
Key Losses: Illinois, MSU
Last Week: #25
Comments:

BUBBLE:

Murray State (10-0)
Key Wins: Dayton, @#21 Memphis
Key Losses:

Vanderbilt (6-3)
Key Wins: (n)Oregon, (n)Oregon St
Key Loses: Cleveland State, #11 Xavier, @#6 Louisville
Comments:

Saint Louis (9-1)
Key Wins: Washington, (n)Villanova
Key Losses: @Loyola Marymount

Purdue (9-2)
Key Wins: (n)Temple, Miami
Key Losses: (n)#16 Alabama, @#11 Xavier

Arizona (7-3)
Key Wins: (n)SJU, Clemson
Key Losses: (n)Miss St, SDSU, @#12 Florida

California (8-2)
Key Wins:
Key Losses: (n)#21 Mizzou, @SDSU

Cleveland State (10-1)
Key Wins: @#7 Vanderbilt
Key Losses: @Hofstra

Florida State (7-3)
Key Wins: UCF
Key Losses: (n)Harvard, (n)#4 UCONN, @MSU

Stanford (8-1)
Key Wins: Oklahoma State, NC St
Key Losses: (n)#5 Syracuse

Temple (6-2)
Key Wins: (n)Wichita St, Villanova
Key Losses: (n)Purdue, @Bowling Green

Virginia (8-1)
Key Wins: (n)Drexel, #14 Michigan, George Mason
Key Losses: (n)TCU