25 NC State

Record: 18-6
Last Week: 26
NCAA Tournament Projection: 7

The Wolfpack have won six straight. But here we go with a tough next two weeks, including Louisville, UNC, and Virginia.

24 Saint Louis

Record: 23-1
Last Week: 23
NCAA Tournament Projection: 6

Seriously, how good is this bunch? They’re not blinking with too much offensive punch, but this is a bit of a record-rank.

23 BYU

Record: 17-6
Last Week: 13
NCAA Tournament Projection: 5

After losing five of the last six, it’s uh-oh time with Arizona and Iowa State coming later this month.

22 Alabama

Record: 16-7
Last Week: 24
NCAA Tournament Projection: 5

Forgetting all of the outside noise and chatter, the offense is doing what it’s supposed to. The wins are about to pile up.

21 Tennessee

Record: 16-7
Last Week: 16
NCAA Tournament Projection: 7

There’s no reason to get into a twist over the tough loss at Kentucky. Here comes a good winning run before Vanderbilt.

20 St. John’s

Record: 18-5
Last Week: 22
NCAA Tournament Projection: 6

The Red Storm are playing great, but they have to keep their focus with the return trip to UConn in a few weeks.

19 Texas Tech

Record: 17-6
Last Week: 17
NCAA Tournament Projection: 5

Deep breath after going 1-2 in the last three games – the trip to Arizona on Valentine’s Day will be everything.

18 Iowa

Record: 18-5
Last Week: 21
NCAA Tournament Projection: 5

No one wants to fully buy into the Hawkeyes yet, but they’re on a nice five-game winning streak going into a good stretch.

17 Louisville

Record: 17-6
Last Week: 20
NCAA Tournament Projection: 6

There aren’t any killer wins to get excited about, but the offense has found its groove at the right time.

16 Gonzaga

Record: 23-2
Last Week: 6
NCAA Tournament Projection: 3

The loss to Portland wasn’t okay. Don’t blow off all the big early season wins, but the Santa Clara game will be telling.

15 Virginia

Record: 20-3
Last Week: 19
NCAA Tournament Projection: 4

There haven’t been too many wins of note, but the defense is starting to look the Virginia part in easy wins.

14 North Carolina

Record: 19-4
Last Week: 18
NCAA Tournament Projection: 4

Okay, so you got the emotional win over the big rival. Now win all seven games until the return trip to Duke.

13 Vanderbilt

Record: 19-4
Last Week: 15
NCAA Tournament Projection: 4

A little too flaky, the Commodore defense faltered against Oklahoma, and this week will start a rough run of tests.

12 Florida

Record: 17-6
Last Week: 14
NCAA Tournament Projection: 3

It’s still not back to last year’s version, and the SEC isn’t nearly as nasty, but the offense is cranking up huge.

11 Purdue

Record: 19-4
Last Week: 9
NCAA Tournament Projection: 4

It’s not like everything is totally back to form, but we’re about to find out with Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan up next.

10 Michigan State

Record: 20-4
Last Week: 12
NCAA Tournament Projection: 3

The Minnesota loss was a blip. The Illinois win was the real team, but it has to keep its focus and be more consistent.

9 Nebraska

Record: 21-2
Last Week: 11
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2

The losses to Michigan and Illinois were totally forgivable, but there won’t be any big losses the rest of the way.

8 Kansas

Record: 18-5
Last Week: 10
NCAA Tournament Projection: 3

This is before the showdown against Arizona, but win that, beat Iowa State … this is a HUGE week.

7 UConn

Record: 22-2
Last Week: 4
NCAA Tournament Projection: 1

All will be fine next month, but the Huskies have been a tad too shaky and lost to St. John’s. Easy wins are coming.

6 Iowa State

Record: 21-2
Last Week: 7
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2

Don’t forget the losses to Kansas and Cincinnati yet, and don’t get too crazy over a good win streak against blah teams.

5 Houston

Record: 21-2
Last Week: 8
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2

There but for one rough late loss to Texas Tech a few weeks ago, the Cougars would be in the top three. They’re rolling.

4 Illinois

Record: 20-4
Last Week: 5
NCAA Tournament Projection: 2

The loss to Michigan State was an overtime thriller that was SO close to going the other way. The Illini are loaded.

3 Duke

Record: 21-2
Last Week: 3
NCAA Tournament Projection: 1

Blow off that loss to North Carolina – rough day in a rivalry showdown. There won’t be any problems until Michigan.

2 Michigan

Record: 22-1
Last Week: 2
NCAA Tournament Projection: 1

The Wolverines are dominating the weak and the meh, but the big games are coming soon against Purdue and Duke.

1 Arizona

Record: 23-0
Last Week: 1
NCAA Tournament Projection: 1

This is before the Kansas game, but no matter what, at this point, it’s national championship or bust.