Another week down, another week with the Buckeyes at No. 1. After a week that saw wins against Michigan and Minnesota, Ohio State moved to 24-0 and 11-0 in the Big Ten. This was OSU's fourth straight week in the top spot and second straight week with unanimous votes. Ohio State has a tough two weeks ahead of them with road games against Wisconsin and Purdue and at home against Illinois and Michigan State. If the Buckeyes are going to lose in the regular season, one of these four are the most likely scenarios.
The Big Ten has three strong candidates for the Sweet Sixteen or higher in March. Wisconsin (13 AP/14 ESPN/USA Today) seems to be getting better as the year goes on, and Purdue (14 AP/12 ESPN/USA Today), despite being 3-3 in their last six games, is always a dangerous threat with E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. Illinois
Minnesota slipped again, dropping out of the AP Poll, but clinging to the 25th spot in the Coaches Poll. I guess I'm not seeing what all the fuss is about with the Gophers (KenPom 47), who had two pretty good early season wins (UNC and West Virginia), but have lost 6 of their last 11 games. Notably, Michigan State's decent into the darkness continued with two embarrassing losses to Iowa and Wisconsin.
The rest of the top five is identical in both polls: Kansas, Texas, Pittsburgh and Duke. Texas has quietly won nine of its last 10 games, with their lone loss being the epic 82-81 overtime game against Connecticut. As for Duke, the St. John's game still doesn't make sense to me, but they took care of N.C. State and Maryland fairly easily last week. The Battle of Tobacco Road comes on Wednesday with UNC coming to Cameron Indoor.
Even though they lost to Butler on Saturday, Cleveland State garnered a vote in the AP Poll. Surprisingly, Horizon foe Valparaiso (whom CSU beat on Thursday) earned two votes in the Coaches Poll.
Here is the full Top 25 (from SBNation):
| AP Top 25 | |||
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Ohio State (65) | 24-0 | 1,625 |
| 2 | Kansas | 22-1 | 1,519 |
| 3 | Texas | 20-3 | 1,509 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 21-2 | 1,438 |
| 5 | Duke | 21-2 | 1,341 |
| 6 | San Diego State | 23-1 | 1,259 |
| 7 | Brigham Young | 22-2 | 1,212 |
| 8 | Notre Dame | 19-4 | 1,185 |
| 9 | Villanova | 19-4 | 1,047 |
| 10 | Connecticut | 18-4 | 1,040 |
| 11 | Georgetown | 18-5 | 1,009 |
| 12 | Syracuse | 20-4 | 919 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 17-5 | 790 |
| 14 | Purdue | 18-5 | 754 |
| 15 | Arizona | 20-4 | 630 |
| 16 | Louisville | 18-5 | 604 |
| 17 | Florida | 18-5 | 534 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 16-6 | 519 |
| 19 | Missouri | 18-5 | 511 |
| 20 | North Carolina | 17-5 | 461 |
| 21 | Utah State | 22-2 | 347 |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 17-5 | 231 |
| 23 | Vanderbilt | 16-6 | 128 |
| 24 | Temple | 17-5 | 110 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 15-7 | 93 |
|
ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll |
|||
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Ohio State (31) | 24-0 | 775 |
| 2 | Kansas | 22-1 | 732 |
| 3 | Texas | 20-3 | 721 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 21-2 | 678 |
| 5 | Duke | 21-2 | 642 |
| 6 | San Diego State | 23-1 | 614 |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 19-4 | 575 |
| 8 | Brigham Young | 22-2 | 564 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 18-4 | 496 |
| 10 | Villanova | 19-4 | 495 |
| 11 | Georgetown | 18-5 | 447 |
| 12 | Purdue | 18-5 | 401 |
| 13 | Syracuse | 20-4 | 369 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | 17-5 | 361 |
| 15 | Louisville | 18-5 | 350 |
| 16 | Arizona | 20-4 | 273 |
| 17 | Utah State | 22-2 | 257 |
| 18 | Kentucky | 16-6 | 246 |
| 19 | Florida | 18-5 | 243 |
| 20 | Missouri | 18-5 | 234 |
| 21 | North Carolina | 17-5 | 165 |
| 22 | Texas A&M | 17-5 | 128 |
| 23 | Saint Mary's | 20-4 | 64 |
| 24 | Vanderbilt | 16-6 | 39 |
| 25 | Minnesota | 16-7 | 37 |