T3R College Hoops Style Week 3

I missed last week being at the Super Bowl, but The Rant is right back on track this week and from here on out.

1. UCONN Huskies (21-1, 10-1)
40 votes (2 first place votes)
Last week: W vs Providence 94-61, W @ #6 Louisville 68-51
This week: Saturday vs Michigan, Wednesday vs #16 Syracuse
Everyone seems to be losing ground at this time of year, yet UCONN appears to be getting stronger. The Huskies have been winning big recently, but doing it in a rather ugly fashion. Not typical of past Jim Calhoun top teams.

2. Oklahoma Sooners (22-1, 8-0)
38 votes
Last week: W @ Iowa State 78-68, W vs Texas A&M 77-71
This week: Saturday vs Colorado, Wednesday @ Baylor
I really struggle to understand why this team continues to win, but they do. Is Blake Griffin that good? Yes. Is the supporting cast that good? No, but it is getting better. When Willie Warren and Austin Johnson are hitting from the outside it give Griffin a ton of room to operate down low. One final very important question, is the rest of the Big XII that bad? Yes.

3. Pitt Panthers (20-2, 7-2)
36 votes
Last week: W vs Notre Dame 93-80, W vs Robert Morris 92-72
This week: Saturday @ DePaul, Monday vs West Virginia
What was the bigger surprise, seeing DeJuan Blair in a car and on stage during the Steelers victory parade or him dominating Luke Harangody on Saturday with a 20-20 performance? I’d say the parade. Blair has been a man amongst boys (in a non Dateline To Catch A Predator type of way) any time he goes up against the top big men in the nation.

4. North Carolina Tarheels (20-2, 6-2)
34 votes
Last week: W @ NC State 93-76, W vs Maryland 108-91
This week: Saturday vs Virginia, Wednesday @ #7 Duke
Still the most talented team in the country and explosive. They seem to lack a killer instinct, and although they blow teams out (when they win) this seems to be more about their style of play and dangerous secondary break than their attitude on the floor. Their defense is about of effective as France’s in WWII.

5. Marquette Golden Eagles (20-2, 9-0)
32 votes
Last week: W vs Georgetown 94-82, W @ DePaul 76-61
This week: Friday @ South Florida, Tuesday @ #11 Villanova
How far can 3 guards take you ? Matthews and McNeal are the real deal, James, and their overall lack of size are the questions. They finally play some of the tougher teams in the Big East coming up. Their last 8 conference games include trips to Villanova, Georgetown, Pitt and Louisville as well as home games with UCONN and Syracuse.

6. Louisville Cardinals (17-4, 8-1)
28 votes
Last week: W vs West Virginia 69-63, L vs #1 UCONN 68-51
This week: Sunday @ St. John’s
Too up and down, live by the press and die by the press. I think they are the most athletic and deepest team in the Big East they just need someone to step up and be the floor leader. If anyone were to do that, they could be a really tough team to beat.

7. Duke Blue Devils (19-3, 6-2)
27 votes
Last week: W vs Virginia 79-54, L @ #10 Clemson 74-47
This week: Saturday vs Miami, Wednesday vs #4 North Carolina
Clemson completely exposed the lack of size and athleticism that Duke has down low. The Tigers outrebounded Duke by 10 and got 52 points from the F-C position. Duke is a puzzler. Henderson is the type of player that can take over a game, but seems hesitant to do so. Duke is almost like the Notre Dame of the ACC, except they have 2 players that can play. Thank you Kyle Singler for re-establishing that goofy looking white guys can play.

8. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (17-3, 4-3)
26 votes
Last week: L @ Georgia Tech 76-74, L @ Miami 79-52
This week: Sunday vs Boston College, Wednesday @ NC State
Which team will show up? The dominant supremely athletic team that can play with and beat Duke and North Carolina, or the team that just got thumped playing in Miami.

8. Xavier Musketeers (19-2, 7-0)
26 votes
Last week:W vs UMASS 82-80
This week: Tonight, vs Temple, Saturday @ Duquesne, Wednesday @ Dayton
This pains me to put an A-10 team in the top 10, but they just keep winning. I would love to see this team in the Big East, any chance we could trade DePaul to the A-10? People in Cincinnati would sure love that idea.

10. Clemson Tigers (19-2, 5-2)
22 votes
Last week: W @ Virginia Tech 86-82, W vs #7 Duke 74-47
This week: Saturday vs Florida State, Tuesday @ Boston College
Pummeling Duke at home, last night was impressive, but does not erase their embarrassing defeat at UNC.

11. Villanova Wildcats (18-4, 6-3)
20 votes
Last week: W vs Cincinnati 71-50, W @ Providence 94-91
This week: Saturday vs #16 Syracuse, Tuesday @ #5 Marquette
Nova is starting to get hot in Big East play, winning 5 of 6. They have a manageable remaining schedule, and are looking to grab one of the first day byes in the Big East Tournament.

12. Memphis Tigers (19-3, 8-0)
18 votes
Last week: W vs Houston 83-68, W @ SMU 79-66
This week: Saturday @ #13 Gonzaga, Wednesday vs Tulsa
This team is sneaky good. Tyreke Evans is finally starting to play like the 5-star blue chip recruit that he was brought in as. Do not forget that despite losing their 3 top overall players from their final four team of a year ago, they have a lot of experience and depth from teams that have won a ton of games the last 4 years. How about this for a stat: Memphis last lost a conference game 1,070 days ago.

13. Gonzaga Bulldogs (16-4, 7-0)
12 votes
Last week: W vs St. Mary’s 69-62, W vs San Diego 64-47
This week: Tonight @ Portland, Saturday vs #12 Memphis
The Zags got lucky when Patty Mills broke his wrist. He was dominating that game before his injury. Now the WCC is theirs for the taking.

14. UCLA Bruins (18-4, 8-2)
11 votes
Last week: W vs Cal 81-66, W vs Stanford 97-63, W vs USC 76-60
This week: Saturday vs Notre Dame
The Bruins take on Notre Dame this week in a battle of the most overrated teams in the West and Midwest…winner plays Duke

15.) Butler Bulldogs (19-2, 10-1)
10 votes
Last week: W vs Valparaiso 59-51, L vs Wisconsin-Green Bay 75-66
This week: Tonight @ Detroit, Saturday @ Wright State
In an impressive display of offense Butler lost to Green Bay 75 - 66. Aaron Rogers must have had a big day to put up that many points on the road. Seriously how does a team that was creeping into the top 10 a week ago lose to a team that no one without Packers season tickets even know exists?

16. Syracuse Orange (18-5, 6-4)
9 votes
Last week: W vs West Virginia 74-61
This week: Saturday vs #11 Villanova, Wednesday @ #1 UCONN
Did anyone else just start laughing aloud when they heard about Paul Harris wanting another shot at Pitt, and then promising a win if they do meet again? Is this guy serious? Harris was recruited heavily by the Panthers but chose Syracuse instead; in the meeting with the Panthers since his recruitment, Harris and the Orange are 0-3.

Others receiving votes:
Purdue 9, Texas 6, Washington 5, Kansas 3, Michigan State 3, Arizona State 2