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College Basketball Week 19 AP Top 25 Rankings Heading into NCAA Tournament
With Championship week over and the NCAA Tournament kicking off with the play-in game on Tuesday the final AP Top 25 rankings have been released. Ohio State was a vote shy of being the unanimous number one, the lone dissenter casting their ballot in the Kansas Jayhawks direction. Kansas remained at number two while the Florida Gators climbed up the ladder three spots to number three, somehow grabbing the overall number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Ohio State Buckeyes remained #1 in the AP Top 25 after taking care of business in the Big Ten tournament. With wins over Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin the Buckeyes captured the crown and head into the NCAA Tournament a number one seed in the South Region and will open up with Central Connecticut State.
Remaining at #2 are the Kansas Jayhawks who beat Oklahoma, Kansas State and Texas to win the Big 12 tournament. The Jayhawks look poised to make a run at the NCAA championship this year but have a difficult West Region to pick through to get there. While they earned the number one seed and will face the winner of the play-in game between Florida A&M and Niagara their Region is littered with powerhouse programs that include Kentucky, Villanova, Duke, Indiana and UCLA. Getting through that Region would definitely be preparation for a championship.
Jumping three spots in the AP Top 25 and landing at #3 are the Florida Gators who won the SEC tournament without much of a problem. The Gators disposed of Georgia, Ole Miss. and Arkansas and for their efforts were awarded the overall number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will take on Jackson St in the first round of the Midwest Region but then face either Arizona or Purdue in a game that could end the Gators hopes of a repeat as national champs.
North Carolina moved up four spots to take the #4 spot in the AP Top 25. The Tar Heels run through the ACC tournament brought with it a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. Wins over Florida State, Boston College and a pesky N.C. State squad should have the Tar Heels prepared for their first game in the East Region against Eastern Kentucky.
The Memphis Tigers remained at #5 this week despite winning the Conference USA tournament and riding a 22-game winning streak. Memphis had no trouble handling Marshall, Tulane and Houston in the tournament and are now heading into the NCAA Tournament as a number two seed in the South Region where they will face North Texas in their opening game.
Dropping three spots to #6 are the Wisconsin Badgers who lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. The Badgers had beaten Michigan State and Illinois (both in the NCAA Tourney) before falling to the Buckeyes. While losing in the championship cost them a number one seed they were presented with a number two spot in the MidWest Region and look to have a favorable draw to the Great Eight.
A shocking loss to California in the Pac 10 tournament sent the UCLA Bruins tumbling three spots to #7 and kept them from earning a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins go into the Tourney a number two seed in the West Region and will face Weber St. in the opening round. If they get by Weber St. it sets up a match-up with either Indiana or Gonzaga, both tournament savvy teams.
Moving up one spot to #8 are the Big East champions the Georgetown Hoyas. The Hoyas had to beat Villanova, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh (all invited to the dance) to win the Big East yet they moved up just one spot in the AP Top 25. Now with a number two seed in the East Region the Hoyas will face off against Belmont in the opening round.
Despite losing to Oklahoma State in the Big 12 tournament the Texas A&M Aggies fell just two spots to land at #9 in the AP Top 25. Heading into the NCAA Tournament the Aggies were granted a number three seed and have Pennsylvania in the first round.
The Oregon Ducks had the most impressive jump in the AP Top 25 moving up six spots to #10 after winning the Pac 10 tournament. The Ducks knocked off Arizona, California and USC to win the championship and as a result were awarded with a number three seed in the Midwest Region of NCAA Tournament. They will face Miami (Ohio) in the opening round.
AP Top 25 Week 19 Rankings
1. Ohio State (71) 30-3
2. Kansas (1) 30-4
3. Florida 29-5
4. North Carolina 28-6
5. Memphis 30-3
6. Wisconsin 29-5
7. UCLA 26-5
8. Georgetown 26-6
9. Texas A&M 25-6
10. Oregon 26-7
11. Texas 24-9
12. Pittsburgh 27-7
13. Washington State 25-7
14. Southern Illinois 27-6
15. Nevada 28-4
16. Louisville 23-9
17. Notre Dame 24-7
18. Maryland 24-8
19. UNLV 28-6
20. Marquette 24-9
21. Butler 27-6
22. Winthrop 28-4
23. USC 23-11
24. Brigham Young 25-8
25. Tennessee 22-10
