TOP 25 / COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. School (Record) Comment

1. Duke (27-4) Dreaded top billing all but kills NCAA title hopes.

2. Michigan State (26-7) Team primed for another Magic moment?

3. Stanford (26-3) First-round field trip planned to nearby Samford.

4. Arizona (26-6) No. 1 in the West, but not out of the Woods.

5. Temple (26-5) Lafayette will be lucky to score 30 on Owls.

6. St. John’s (24-7) Team gets an NCAA escort into the tournament.

7. Iowa State (29-4) Cylcones still a drizzle to national media.

8. Cincinnati (28-3) If you’ve got something to prove, now’s the time.

9. Ohio State (22-6) Early Big Ten exit gave team what it needed . . . rest.

10. Louisiana State (26-5) LSU-SEMO box score could be used for DMV eye chart.

11. Tennessee (24-6) Team volunteers to drive Louisiana Lafayette back to airport.

12. Oklahoma (26-6) Sooners better not overlook tiny Winthrop.

13. Florida (24-7) Nothing to lose for team from Gainesville.

14. Oklahoma State (24-6) Team is OK as long as Gottlieb doesn’t shoot.

15. Texas (23-8) Mihm’s the word as Longhorns prepare for Indiana State.

17. Maryland (24-9) Have penciled in a second-round matchup with UCLA.

18. Tulsa (29-4) Would trade five of those W’s for a first-round win.

19. Kentucky (22-9) Don’t see a Kentucky reign this year.

20. Syracuse (24-5) One of nation’s best teams . . .on Dec. 20.

21. Connecticut (24-9) Dangerous Utah State matchup has Calhoun mixing his metaphors.

21. Illinois (21-9) You’re looking at a No. 1 seed this time next year.

22. Indiana (20-8) Get ready to get peppered by Pepperdine.

23. Fresno State (24-9) NCAA focus on St. John’s takes the heat off Tark.

24. Auburn (23-9) Was trip to SEC finals a second wind or a last gasp?

25. Gonzaga (24-8) Stockton sends team a sweatband for good luck.