Michael Hickey/Getty Images
The Villanova Wildcats handled the Kansas Jayhawks with ease in last season’s Final Four on the way to the national championship, but the No. 1 team in the land had different ideas this time around.
Kansas defeated Villanova 74-71 on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse to maintain its position atop the Associated Press Top 25.
The AP announced the new rankings Monday following notable results, such as the Jayhawks’ win and North Carolina’s 103-90 home victory over Gonzaga.
1. Kansas
2. Duke
3. Tennessee
4. Michigan
5. Virginia
6. Nevada
7. Auburn
8. Gonzaga
9. North Carolina
10. Michigan State
11. Florida State
12. Texas Tech
13. Virginia Tech
14. Buffalo
15. Ohio State
16. Wisconsin
17. Mississippi State
18. Arizona State
19. Kentucky
20. Marquette
21. Houston
22. Indiana
23. Iowa
24. Furman
25. Nebraska
Buffalo likely doesn’t register with casual fans in the way Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina do, but it has positioned itself well in the AP Poll and will be under the spotlight this coming week with two marquee games.
The 10-0 Bulls already have a win over West Virginia and will look to add two more at Syracuse on Tuesday and at Marquette on Friday. The Orange are no longer in the Top 25 after losing to Old Dominion but still represent a notable ACC opponent for Buffalo, while Marquette is coming off a win over Wisconsin.
Buffalo’s high-flying offense has scored at least 80 points in seven of 10 games and will have the opportunity with these matchups to make a national statement that will resonate toward Selection Sunday.
A number of power-conference tilts stand out this coming week as well, including the Thursday showdown between Texas Tech and Duke at Madison Square Garden.
New York Knicks fans will have the chance to see Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett play on their team’s home floor, something they would surely like to have more of as the rebuild continues. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman has Williamson No. 1 and Barrett No. 2 on his latest big board, suggesting the teammates could be the top two picks when June 20’s draft rolls around.
The Blue Devils are loaded with NBA-caliber talent but will be tested against the Red Raiders.
The Big 12 team hasn’t played any true powerhouses yet but has nonconference wins over USC, Nebraska and Memphis that carry some weight. It will also test the Williamson-Barrett combination with a stifling defense that is No. 1 in efficiency (87.5 points allowed per 100 possessions) in Ken Pomeroy’s pace-adjusted rankings.
Duke’s primary rival, North Carolina, also faces a significant test with a Saturday clash against Kentucky at Chicago’s United Center. The showdown between the two blue bloods lost some luster when Duke defeated the Wildcats by 34 points on opening day and Kentucky failed to secure a headlining win since. But this is still a matchup between college basketball royalty.
North Carolina is riding high after a win over Gonzaga and is looking for another resume-building victory in an effort to overcome losses to Texas and Michigan.
The top seed in the AP Poll will also be on the line Saturday when Kansas visits Arizona State. The Sun Devils have wins over Mississippi State and Georgia and built a double-digit lead before losing against Nevada, so they figure to challenge the Jayhawks in front of a raucous crowd at Wells Fargo Arena.
Where to Watch: College basketball games and related coverage are available through Fubo.TV/welcome.
from Top Viral News Blog https://ift.tt/2QXDk6e
0 Comments