College Basketball Top 25

Updated 3/4/14–Week 18

  1. Wichita State
  2. Arizona
  3. Florida
  4. Duke
  5. Villanova
  6. Virginia
  7. Wisconsin
  8. Kansas
  9. Michigan
  10. San Diego State
  11. Louisville
  12. Syracuse
  13. North Carolina
  14. Cincinnati
  15. Creighton
  16. Kentucky
  17. Saint Louis
  18. Iowa State
  19. Oklahoma
  20. Texas
  21. Connecticut
  22. Michigan State
  23. Memphis
  24. Iowa
  25. VCU

29 responses to “College Basketball Top 25”

  1. Matt

    Are you related to Howie Long?

    1. Bob Long

      No I am not. Long is a very common name. Although somewhat ironically I happen to be a huge Villanova fan. I am going to the Division 1 Football Championship in Chattanooga, TN this Friday.

  2. Jack D.

    Bob,
    I was wondering. What do you think about the intentional foul called against Syracuse at the end of the game against Louisville. I personally think it was a terrible call. I think that was a perfect example of a referee taking over the game and not letting the players decide the outcome on the court.

    1. Bob Long

      I agree. I was even saying at the time that my definition of an intentional foul is a play that both appears to be extremely intentional (meaning no attempt at the ball) and is a very rough foul, especially at the end of a game. For example, a push squarely in the back as a player is going for a layup would be an intentional foul. I do not consider a hard swing at a guy’s arms as he goes up for a layup to be an intentional foul at the end of a game, because he was simply doing everything possible not to let him score while not maliciously contacting him. That foul in the Syracuse game was not on the level necessary to, in essence, end the game with a intentional foul call. I thought that the Syracuse player was simply trying to foul the Louisville player as quickly as possible after the rebound.
      The referee of that game, Tim Higgins, has shown an affinity to call intentional fouls at the end of games more than most other referees, like he did in the Syracuse Louisville game. He often makes those calls on plays that do not warrant an intentional foul at the end of the game, and these calls often affect the outcome of the game. In my opinion it is unacceptable for Tim Higgins to continue to make such calls at crunch time in these games. This practice will continue to cost teams their games and their seasons.

    2. Bob Long

      Jack,
      Did you see the intentional foul called in the Mizzou Texas game tonight? It was another absolutely ridiculous call that wasn’t even close to an intentional foul (it was a slap across the wrist). Ed Hightower, the referee, completely overreacted to this play because the Mizzou fans were complaining and wanted an intentional call on a prior play (that also wasn’t close to an intentional foul). These refs need to be impervious to the pressure put on by the crowd, it is what they are paid to do. I know this situation isn’t exactly like the one you were talking about, but it is simply another situation in which refs compromise the outcome of the game by calling an unnecessary intentional foul.

      1. Jack D.

        Sorry for getting back to you late. I usually just read the posts on my email. I did not see this intentional foul in the Mizzou/Texas game but I assume it is similar. I have to say the refs in college basketball have been terrible this year (specifically the Big East). Actually, this is a little funny because Tom and I just had the same conversation in the car the other day. He said that you don’t even yell at the refs anymore it is so bad. I have to agree with you.

      2. Bob Long

        Jack,
        That may (or may not) be false. Haha. But yes, during the UConn game, I was beyond anger, and just had nothing left to say or yell about the officials. I can pick out a few other games, such as Georgetown and West Virginia (a win), where the officials were absolutely atrocious. And let’s just say I was fairly vocal during those games as opposed to the UConn game. Haha.

        In all seriousness, it is a problem that needs to be addressed in the offseason. In a conference as physical, athletic, and talented as the Big East, the officials need to be better in order that they don’t inadvertently decide the games with their calls. Countless games this year (ie. Louisville West Virginia, UConn Syracuse, etc) have been decided in the last few seconds on a terrible call, and that doesn’t even include games ruined by the referees earlier in the game with terrible calls. College Basketball is the greatest sport in the world, and if we want to keep it that way we need to get the right people in the striped shirts, and only this way will fans continue to watch the way they do.

        Consider the NBA. Why hasn’t it succeeded? While some people don’t like the lack of defense, and some don’t like the lack of teamwork, many don’t watch because of the officials. How many times do you hear a fan say, “Travels don’t exist in the NBA,” or “Lebron is the only player that would get that foul called” or something to that end. People do not like when games are not called correctly, and it is enough for some fans to stop watching. And I don’t even need to bring up the Tim Donaghy scandal. The point is, college basketball draws fans because of its game atmosphere, passion of the fans and players, and relatively good officiating compared to the NBA. If the officiating continues to deteriorate, the NCAA basketball interest may dwindle. The NCAA needs to change the quality of officiating in order to retain its monopoly of basketball interest in America.

        Thank you, that is my rant for today.

  3. Brian Winning

    Say my tigers win one of two this week G tech (home) Wake (away), and win game 1 of the ACC tourney, in your opinion what kind of seed are we lookin at?

    1. Bob Long

      Given that situation, I think you are looking at a 9 seed. At 23-10 in the ACC, with a 10-8 record, with good wins against Butler and Maryland and a bad loss to BC, the Tigers would position themselves nicely into a 9 seed or a 10 seed at worst.

      In terms of their bid prospects overall, Clemson looks to be in the tournament with even just 1 more win on the season. I would normally say that you are a lock, but 3 straight and a 1-4 finish for a 20-11 record and 8-9 in the ACC just might not be enough this year. But if you get 1 win, and it doesn’t matter against who, you are in.

      But back to your original comment, with 1 more regular season win and 1 win in the ACC tournament, I would say a 9 seed would be a good bet.

  4. Grant Opalisky

    cuse in the top 5?

  5. yo whats good

    why is nova 13?

  6. Matt

    Purdue below nova? Nova 13? Did you see the NCAA tournament at all?

    1. Bob Long

      Saw every game Matt. Purdue beat Siena and a decent Texas A&M team. Not that #14 is a bad thing, but the Boilermakers didn’t do enough to jump a Nova team that was in the top 10 all year and slipped up late. With Hummel hurt, Purdue just didn’t have the firepower necessary to beat a good offensive team. I don’t quite understand why you have such a problem with Nova, it seems like you aren’t happy with anything positive stated about Nova, or for that matter any statment at all about Villanova. Should the Cats not be ranked at all Matt? Is that what you want to see?

  7. Bob Long

    2010 Preseason Rankings are up!

  8. 2010 College Basketball Preseason Rankings « Bob Long's Sports Blog

    […] College Basketball Top 25 […]

  9. drew

    Davidson should be #1,La Salle #2. just saying lol. but real rap. I think nova is overrated and Purdue should drop with hummel down and out for the count.

    1. Bob Long

      I agree about Purdue, the Hummel loss is devastating. I ranked Purdue 8 spots below the USA Today Poll, I don’t know what they were thinking or why they have so much confidence in the Boilermakers. And to your Nova comment, I’ll chalk it up to your La Salle love and your Nova disdain…haha.

  10. Matt

    wondering why cuse is ahead of uconn and nova ahead of pitt. ( more the syracuse over uconn one) considering I kind of know the answer to the 2nd question.

  11. Matt

    Bob i honestly cant take these rankings seriously with villanova in the top 5. Ive always respected your rankings cause you didnt go based off of popular belief but at this point i would prefer if the name of the website was changed to the villanovasportswebiste.com. If you can honestly tell me that Villanova has looked better than pitt, or even uconn at this point in the season I would double check that basketball kowledge. I havent watched too much of pitt this season but what I do know is that they lost to the same team as villanova (by less points), they actually played an out of conference schedule (something villanova knows nothing about) and beat the likes of texas, maryland, and rhode island. They also just beat the #4 team in the country this week, i guess thats not as reassuring as villanova beating unranked temple. The embarassing thing about villanova is during that Pitt Uconn game they posted Novas key wins and St. Joes was on the list. when one of your key wins is a 5-8 team that hasnt really played that tough of a schedule, what is that saying about villanova. Now to the uconn argument. Bob Uconn has lost one game, on the road at pitt, the then #6 team in the country. Nova lost on neutral court to tennesee who we now have all come to realize sucks. So just going by losses, advantage uconn. Now lets go to wins, hmm uconn with two top ten wins (both neutral court), Novas best win, a 3 loss temple team or a middle of the road pac ten team, take your pick. Uconn has also beat 11-2 Wichita St whose only losses come to top ten oponents (uconn and SDST). If you have watched villanova at all this season i dont understand what has impressed you with this team, i guess there ability to come from behind and squeak one out against shit ass lasalle did it for you. Or the way they came out flat as hell against tennessee and lost to a team that Oakland had no problem taking care of, or charlotte, or college of charleston

  12. Matt

    Well if you watched the Pitt Uconn game you wouldve noticed that similar to the nova tennesee game that the game was floating around an 8 to ten point game for most of the night so the 15 point win wasnt quite as it seemed and Uconn did play fairly well in the second half of that game. Also if you watched the Uconn South Florida game ( as i did every minute) i noticed that Uconn was really staying away from Kemba Walker in the first half and trying to see what their freshman could do. As a Uconn fan i was never at any point concerned about them losing the game or did i think they didnt have it under control. the difference was througout most of the game south florida was knocking down fairly tough contested jump shots which is going to happen on some nights and that obviously was not going to last throughout the night, seeing as they didnt score a point through the first 4 and a half minutes of overtime. As far as those games being played at home, yes they were, as was novas game that they trailed at half time to rutgers, and if the extent of your tough away games is a ten minute trip down the road to the roudy lasalle arena than im sorry i didnt take that into account. But what im still confused about and im sorry if i missed the answer, what has been impressive about nova? They havent really beat anybody good in my eyes and they lost to a tennesee team who granted was playing good at the time, but so was Kentucky who Uconn beat. My point is that based on resumes alone there is no way a one loss team whose only loss is on the road to the number six team in the country and has 2 wins against top ten opponents should be ranked below a team with the same amount of losses (who lost to tennessee on neutral court) and whose only quality win was at temple, which isnt nearly #2 michigan st at the time or #9 Kentucky.

  13. Matt

    I guess we’ll find out on the 17th but as far as the Uconn Pitt point. There was one point in the second half about 5 min left where Kemba Walker tracked down a ball in the corner after knocking it away and shot a 3. If that 3 had gone in it would have been a 2 possession game and Uconn would have had all the momentum in the world so please dont portray that as a lopsided game. I really dont think beating maryland was something you needed to throw on Temples resume, in case you didnt realize they lost their three best players and leaders from last season and theyll finish up the season around .500 so if those are the quality wins you’re looking for, I LOVE how there is no comment on Uconn beating a wichita st team who will no doubt be in tourny. As far as teams containing walker, yes thats a great concept but hes scored 20+ points in every game except one this year and hes the nations leading scorer so its a little easier said than done. In the big east do you honestly think Corey Stokes is going to get those looks from the outside? Yeah he can knock them down against monmouth but lets see what he does when Roscoe Smith, a defender who was compared to Scottie Pippen is guarding him. Michigan St doesnt have any good wins? Bob if Michigan St played villanova’s schedule to this point they’d be undefeated and still the #2 team in the country. You dont take into any account that its pretty easy to look good lately when your playing Monmouth and Delaware. Now that Novas done with their cupcake schedule, probably one of the easiest in the country we’ll see how they fair in the big east.

  14. Matt

    Uconn doesnt play a tough out of conference schedule? Michigan St, Kentucky, at Texas, and Tennessee out of conference Bob. What else do you want them to do? You should be embarassed that you even put them and villanovas out of conference schedules in the same sentence. The best team nova played out of conference, is the 4th best uconn will play, yeah pretty comparable

  15. Andrew Ansel

    ehh, A&M….nahh. Probably gotta say Temple up a bit. Nova to 19. Barely beat Depaul and Seton Hall. Unacceptable for a top team. Regardless of what player is out.

  16. Andrew Ansel

    Nova is too high. All hate aside, Villanova has struggled mightily against mediocre teams and lost to okay and good teams. They should not be that high. 25 if they are lucky.

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