There's no room for error in NCAA basketball, and Duke learned that the hard way on Wednesday in Tallahassee against Florida State. The Blue Devils, who have been coasting since the toe injury to Kyrie Irving, couldn't hit their shots and were unable to contain Derwin Kitchen and the Seminoles, losing by a final of 66-61. They bounced back on Saturday after a slow start, defeating Virginia, 76-60.
With the Duke loss, Ohio State moved into the top spot after a week of more close calls. The Buckeyes held off Michigan in Ann Arbor on January 12, winning 68-64, and returned home to take on Penn State on Saturday. The Nittany Lions gave OSU all they could handle, but the Buckeyes kept it together down the stretch to escape with a three point victory. OSU, 18-0 (5-0), has played as a team all season long, and continues to win the close ones. After a test against Iowa on Wednesday, Ohio State faces one of their toughest challenges of the year when they travel to Illinois on the 22nd.
Duke slipped to #5 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Kansas, Syracuse and Pittsburgh all moved up a spot to 2-3-4. The Big East currently fields four teams in the top ten, with Villanova holding their #7 spot after defeating Louisville and mounting an impressive come-from-behind victory over Maryland on Saturday.
The Mountain West saw two teams in the top ten this week, as San Diego State remained undefeated, and BYU, behind some unbelievable play from Jimmer Fredette, pummeled Utah, 104-79.
Here is the full top 25 (from ESPN):
| ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll | |||
| RK | TEAM | RECORD | PTS |
| 1 | Ohio State (28) | 18-0 | 772 |
| 2 | Kansas (2) | 17-0 | 738 |
| 3 | Syracuse (1) | 18-0 | 715 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 17-1 | 653 |
| 5 | Duke | 16-1 | 641 |
| 6 | San Diego State | 19-0 | 633 |
| 7 | Villanova | 16-1 | 594 |
| 8 | Connecticut | 14-2 | 531 |
| 9 | Brigham Young | 17-1 | 529 |
| 10 | Texas A&M | 16-1 | 491 |
| 11 | Texas | 14-3 | 454 |
| 12 | Kentucky | 14-3 | 439 |
| 13 | Purdue | 15-3 | 371 |
| 14 | Missouri | 15-3 | 337 |
| 15 | Louisville | 14-3 | 276 |
| 16 | Notre Dame | 14-4 | 266 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 13-4 | 207 |
| 18 | Michigan State | 12-5 | 187 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 14-4 | 183 |
| 20 | Washington | 13-4 | 182 |
| 21 | Saint Mary's | 16-2 | 153 |
| 22 | Illinois | 13-5 | 120 |
| 23 | Georgetown | 13-5 | 119 |
| 24 | Kansas State | 13-5 | 66 |
| 25 | Arizona | 15-3 | 60 |