We are down to 10 - Villanova (Big East), Kansas (Big 12), Michigan State (Big Ten), Butler (Horizon), Cornell, Princeton (Ivy), Sam Houston State (Southland), Murray State (Ohio Valley), Morgan State (MEAC) and Siena (MAAC).
Gonzaga was 17-3 and poised to move up in the rankings. The Zags were a double-digit favorite at San Francisco, which did not have Bill Russell or K.C. Jones. USF, which had been 7-14, won, 81-77 in OT.
1. Kansas (20-1): Won wildly entertaining OT game at Kansas State, 81-79. Sherron Collins won it with a late layup as KU shot 50 percent.
2. Villanova (19-1): Rare off weekend before sprint to the finish line. Starting tomorrow against Seton Hall, Wildcats play final 10 regular-season games in 33 days, including road games with Georgetown, West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.
3. Syracuse (21-1): Played what coach Jim Boeheim called "2 great minutes" at DePaul and won, 59-57, after trailing 33-15 with 9 minutes left in the first half. Wes Johnson had 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
4. Kentucky (20-1): LeBron was courtside at Rupp for Wildcats' 85-72 win over Vanderbilt. John Wall (19 points, nine assists, seven turnovers) said he's been "frustrated" for 2 weeks.
5. Georgetown (16-4): Shot a ridiculous 71.7 percent in dominating 89-77 win over Duke. When this offense is in rhythm, it is beautiful to watch.
6. Kansas State (17-4): Not sure why Frank Martin did not ask his team to foul and extend the game at the end of OT. Whatever, it was some game. Looked like a regional final.
7. Michigan State (19-3): Several highlight-reel dunks in 79-70 win over Northwestern. Halfway through Big Ten season without a loss.
8. West Virginia (17-3): Led 13-0, trailed 66-53 and won, 77-74, over hard-luck Louisville. Da'Sean Butler had a season-best 27 points for WVU.
9. BYU (21-2): My man Jimmer Fredette had 36 in 82-69 win over Utah.
10. Cornell (18-3): Outscored Harvard by 30 points in the second half and crushed the Crimson, 86-50. Shot 12-for-27 from the arc and set the tone for the Ivy season.
11. Duke (17-4): Overpowered again by a team that threw the first punch and kept on firing. This looks like most recent Blue Devil seasons. Just not going to be good enough to advance against the big boys.
12. NJIT (7-13): Break 'em up. Crushed Utah Valley State, 71-46, after leading 40-18 at the half.
13. Baylor (16-4): Had lost 24 straight to Texas. Now has won two in a row after 80-77, OT win in Austin.
14. Texas (18-3): Lost three of four since ascending to No. 1. Damion James had 20 points and 19 rebounds against Baylor.
15. Northern Iowa (19-2): Won, 55-54, at Missouri State. UNI is going to be a team no BCS conference midpack squad will want to see in the first round of the NCAA.
