This Week's Sweet 16

Vito Forlenza's College Basketball Power Rankings

Now that the football season is behind us, it’s time to turn your full attention to the next big event on the sports calendar – March Madness.

The stretch run is sure to deliver the some exciting hoops, even if you are one of those fans who believes the college basketball regular season doesn’t really matter or that it’s simply too long or you can win your office pool simply by copying Joe Lunardi’s bracket.

This year’s tournament will be loaded with a number of heavyweights with a legitimate chance of cutting down the nets in Indianapolis. This isn’t last year, when it felt like a foregone conclusion that Carolina would run away with the title. At least a dozen teams have what it takes to give the big guns all they can handle come tournament time.

And tourney time is just five weeks away.

So beginning this week, I’m giving you my college basketball power rankings, focusing on the teams I believe are best positioned to reach the Sweet 16 – that coveted second weekend of the tournament when everyone left standing is just two wins away from the Final Four.

The rankings will take you right up to tournament time … think of it as a crash course that’ll prepare you for the madness.

New Orleans just might be done partying by then.

(All records and stats are through Monday.) (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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This Week's Swee... Now that the football season is behind us, it’s time to turn your full attention to the next big event on the sports calendar – March Madness.
The stretch run is sure to deliver the some exciting hoops, even if you are one of those fans who believes the college basketball regular season doesn’t really matter or that it’s simply too long or you can win your office pool simply by copying Joe Lunardi’s bracket.
This year’s tournament will be loaded with a number of heavyweights with a legitimate chance of cutting down the nets in Indianapolis. This isn’t last year, when it felt like a foregone conclusion that Carolina would run away with the title. At least a dozen teams have what it takes to give the big guns all they can handle come tournament time.
And tourney time is just five weeks away.
So beginning this week, I’m giving you my college basketball power rankings, focusing on the teams I believe are best positioned to reach the Sweet 16 – that coveted second weekend of the tournament when everyone left standing is just two wins away from the Final Four.
The rankings will take you right up to tournament time … think of it as a crash course that’ll prepare you for the madness.
New Orleans just might be done partying by then.
(All records and stats are through Monday.) (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
16. Butler (21-4... The Bulldogs have won 13 straight, are 14-0 in the Horizon League and haven’t lose since before Christmas. Over the last 10 days, they’ve proven they can win whether or not the shots are falling. “I’m a big believer in the law of averages,” coach Brad Stevens said, “and we shot enough bricks to build houses the last two games. We were just fortunate that more fell” in the 12-point win over Wright State. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
15. UNLV (19-4) The Rebels haven’t just won seven of eight; they’ve won seven of eight while upending New Mexico by 12 and BYU by 14 to create a three-way tie atop the Mountain West. In both of those season-altering wins, UNLV was lights out from behind the arc, connecting on 11 of 26 from 3-point range against the Logos and 12 of 23 against the Cougars. And while leading scorer Tre’Von Willis (18 ppg) led the way with 33 points against BYU, the Rebels are so balanced that Willis’ support comes from a rotation that can go 10 deep. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
14. Texas (19-5) Since grabbing the program’s first No. 1 ranking in the media and coaches’ polls in mid-January, the ‘Horns have lost five of seven. Coach Rick Barnes believes Monday’s 80-68 loss to Kansas was a microcosm of their struggles since the 17-0 start. “You go back, 27 points off turnovers,” Barnes said, “that’s been the biggest killer in us for every game.” Texas is averaging 18.2 turnovers per game in the five losses during the stretch ... and just 7.5 in the two wins. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
13. Gonzaga (19-... The Bulldogs have bounced back admirably from their first loss in conference play – an 81-77 disappointment in OT against San Francisco on Jan. 30 – by winning consecutive games against Portland and Memphis. However, Gonzaga, which has won 11 of 12, needs a win over first-place St. Mary’s on Thursday night to keep alive realistic hope of a 10th straight West Coast Conference regular-season title. (AP Photo/Rajah Bose)
12. Tennessee (1... The Vols have shown some resiliency by winning three straight after back-to-back losses – and doing it in just seven days. But now it’s time to see what Tennessee is really made of. The Vols go on the road for two difficult tests this week at Vanderbilt on Tuesday and at Kentucky on Saturday, then come back home next week to face Georgia before hitting the trail again to face the Gamecocks in Columbia. The number of games and amount of travel resembles tournament play … how the Vols handle it will be an indication of how far they’ll fare in March. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
11. Wisconsin (1... The Badgers are among the hottest teams in the nation, rebounding from a tough loss at Purdue to dump Michigan State and Michigan by 18 points each. The win over the Spartans was particularly meaningful because it gave the Badgers their third win over a top-10 team this season (Duke on 12/2, Purdue on 1/9) and it brought them into the thick of the Big Ten title chase. With Trevon Hughes (15.5 ppg) and Jon Leuer (15.4 ppg) leading a deep rotation, this team appears to be fresh at the most important time of the season. (AP Photo/John Beale)
10. Kansas State... After a heartbreaking OT loss to Kansas in which the Wildcats played their hearts out, a letdown could have easily been in the offing. Denis Clemente made sure that didn’t happen. The senior guard scored 23 points at Nebraska and followed it up with 30 at Iowa State to keep the ‘Cats tied for second in the Big 12. “There’s a reason our team plays with a certain spirit since he started wearing the uniform,” coach Frank Martin said. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
9. Michigan Stat... If we learned one thing about this team over the past week, it’s that they’re a completely different bunch without reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas on the floor. The Spartans had won 10 straight, including nine in a row in conference play, before Lucas left last week’s loss against Wisconsin with an injured ankle. Although Sparty hung tough against surging Illinois in Champaign, they could have used a veteran like Lucas in the waning moments. Last year’s national runner-up is now locked in a battle atop the Big Ten with four other teams, but that could change in a hurry – Lucas expects to be back Tuesday against Purdue. (AP Photo/David Smith)
8. West Virginia... At least the fans behaved themselves during the loss to Villanova. At the risk of sounding old, I agree with WVU’s president that the antics against Pitt were completely “boorish.” And unacceptable. That’s not why you go to a basketball game. Count me among those who will not be pulling for the Mountaineers to make a run in the postseason – the fans don’t deserve it. (AP Photo/David Smith)
7. Duke (19-4) Winners of four of five, the Blue Devils have an interesting week on tap, taking on struggling rival North Carolina on Wednesday before hosting second-place Maryland on Saturday. Although the ACC’s top team is the clear favorite heading into the showdown at the Dean Dome, Duke hasn’t found much success against the Heels in recent years – losing six of seven and seven of nine to UNC. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
6. Purdue (19-3) After opening 2-3 in Big Ten play, the Boilermakers have won five straight and can move into a first-place tie atop the league standings with a win Tuesday against first-place Michigan State. Despite the close one against Indiana, in which a poor defensive performance drew the ire of coach Matt Painter, the win was Purdue’s first in Bloomington since 1999. That’s what you’d expect of a veteran-laden team led by E’Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel and JaJuan Johnson. You’d also expect a deep run in the tournament. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
5. Georgetown (1... The last week aptly summed up Georgetown’s season: The Hoyas’ lackluster performance in a loss to South Florida was sandwiched by impressive, double-digit wins over Duke and Villanova. Leading scorer Austin Freeman (16.8 ppg) and a strong supporting cast put up 89 against the Blue Devils and another 103 on 'Nova. But the focus now has to be on consistency – as the disappointment against USF highlighted. Second-leading scorer Greg Monroe was at a loss for that letdown, saying, “As a team, we have to be more focused to win games like [that one].” AP Photo/Nick Wass)
4. Villanova (21... When Villanova’s 11-game winning was snapped emphatically with a 103-90 loss at Georgetown, critics were quick to say, “I told you so.” Many inside college basketball believe the Wildcats’ success to this point is the product of an easy schedule. And while there’s no debating the fact that ‘Nova’s schedule is indeed back-loaded – upcoming games pit them against UConn, Pitt and South Florida – they flashed some championship mettle by bouncing back in impressive fashion with Monday’s win at West Virginia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
3. Kentucky (22-... Kentucky’s dynamic freshman tandem of John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins has played like veterans, even though the two haven’t always acted like veterans at times this season. Still, two diaper dandies are each averaging 16.4 ppg, while Patrick Patterson is pouring in another 15.1. Although there was some tension between Coach Cal and Wall after the South Carolina loss, the Wildcats have bounced back from the setback to win their last three by double digits. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke)
2. Syracuse (23-... Despite some close calls, the Orange have won 10 straight since losing to Pitt on Jan. 2. During the run, the ‘Cuse has proven that, in addition to kicking it into gear just when the opposition thinks it’s ripe for an upset, it can win even with a starter having an off night. Wes Johnson spent much of Sunday’s win over Cincinnati on the bench, but that only allowed Kris Joseph to flash his talents to the tune of 17 points. The Orange are deep and dangerous. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli)
1. Kansas (23-1) Brent Musberger called them the deepest team in the country during Monday’s shellacking of Texas in Austin. And it’s not a case of Brent getting all caught up in the action (for once). There’s simply no other way to describe Bill Self’s group: Sherron Collins (15.6 ppg), Marcus Morris (13.2) and Xavier Henry (13.1) are scoring in double figures, Cole Aldrich is averaging a double-double (11.4 ppg, 10 rpg) and Brady Morningstar …I just like saying his name. The Jayhawks are so complete that they have a realistic shot of running the table in the Big 12. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
Knocking on the ... Maryland (16-6) - The Terps may be in second place in the ACC, but they don’t have a signature win to their credit. And they certainly don’t have a road W to speak of. All that can change Saturday at Duke.
Ohio State (18-6) – Evan Turner is making a case for Big Ten Player of the Year, the Bucks are looking to go unbeaten at home and OSU is on the middle of the conference title race.
Temple (19-5) – The Owls are one of the best defensive teams in the country. But they need Juan Fernandez back soon to stay in the A-10 race.
Wake Forest (16-5) – Remember when being the third-place team in the ACC meant you were a legit heavyweight? Good times.
New Mexico (21-3) – Steve Alford’s group can jump into the Top 16 with a win over UNLV on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)