Buckeye Blogger Network
In a season that has been total chaos, the final week of the regular season did not disappoint. Key conference battles rounded out the year and set up seedings for their conference tournaments. More than half of the Top 25 lost at least one game during all the madness this past week. A couple of the mid-major conference tournaments have wrapped up already and the winners of those tournaments are just waiting for their March Madness fate. The Big East and The Big Ten continued to beat up on each other (thanks Michigan for choking in the last minute against Indiana). Despite all that, the two conferences combine for 11 of the Top 25 teams. Let’s take one last look at the Top 25 to see where everyone finished and prepare for the Madness that is……March Basketball!
Here’s a look at the Top 25 Week in Review:
1. Gonzaga (31-2, 16-0) Previous Rank: 1
Past Week: 3/9 Loyola Marymount, W 66-48
Upcoming: Won the West Coast Conference Tourney
Gonzaga ran the table in the WCC finishing 1st and followed that up with a crushing defeat of their rival St. Mary’s in winning the WCC tournament.
2. Duke (27-4, 14-4) Previous Rank: 3
Past Week: 3/9 Virginia Tech, W 85-57 & 3/9 @ North Carolina, W 69-53
Upcoming: Atlantic Coast Conference Tourney
The Blue Devils closed out their regular season with convincing wins in route to a second place finish in the ACC.
3. Indiana (26-5, 14-4) Previous Rank: 2
Past Week: 3/5 (16) Ohio State, L 58-67 & 3/10 @ (4) Michigan, W 72-71
Upcoming: Big Ten Conference Tourney
Indiana won the Big Ten outright with a dramatic win over Michigan. Unfortunately, it was all overshadowed by Classy Tom Crean berating a Michigan Assistant coach. Way to be a good sport Tom!
4. Louisville (26-5, 14-4) Previous Rank: 8
Past Week: 3/4 Cincinnati, W 67-51 & 3/9 (21) Notre Dame, W 73-57
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
Louisville also finished off their regular season on a high note with a win. After it was all said and done the finished in a three way tie for 1st in the Big East.
5. Georgetown (24-5, 14-4) Previous Rank: 5
Past Week: 3/6 @ Villanova, L 57-67 & 3/9 (12) Syracuse, W 61-39
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
The Hoyas loss earlier in the week kept them from winning the Big East outright, but a demolishing of Syracuse (loving it) propelled them to a tie for first in the Big East.
6. Michigan (25-6, 12-6) Previous Rank: 7
Past Week: 3/3 (9) Michigan State, W 58-57 & 3/6 @ Purdue, W 80-75 & (2) Indiana, L 71-72
Upcoming: Big Ten Conference Tourney
Michigan’s inability to finish off and close out teams cost them royally against Indiana. It also cost them a share of the Big Ten as the fell all the way to a 4th place finish in the conference.
7. Kansas (26-5, 14-4) Previous Rank: 4
Past Week: 3/4 Texas Tech, W 79-42 & 3/9 @ Baylor, L 58-81
Upcoming: Big 12 Conference Tourney
Kansas didn’t end the season the way they had hoped by losing to Baylor but the still were able to finish with a share of the Big 12 crown.
8. Michigan State (24-7, 13-5) Previous Rank: 10
Past Week: 3/3 @ (4) Michigan, L 57-58 & 3/7 (17) Wisconsin, W 58-43 & Northwestern, W 71-61
Upcoming: Big Ten Conference Tourney
The Spartans finished the season in a tie for 2nd in the Big Ten despite early season woes and an early week loss to Michigan.
9. Miami (FL) (24-6, 15-3) Previous Rank: 6
Past Week: 3/6 Georgia Tech, L 69-71 & 3/9 Clemson, W 62-49
Upcoming: Atlantic Coast Conference Tourney
Although Miami sputtered a little down the stretch , an early season hot streak pushed the Hurricanes to a 1st place finish in the ACC.
10. Ohio State (23-7, 13-5) Previous Rank: 14
Past Week: 3/5 @ (1) Indiana, W 67-58 & 3/10 Illinois, W 68-55
Upcoming: Big Ten Conference Tourney
The Buckeyes are arguably playing their best basketball of the year down the stretch. Their strong finish helped them tie for 2nd in the final Big Ten standing (and it wasn’t with the Wolverines!)
11. Kansas State (25-6, 14-4) Previous Rank: 9
Past Week: 3/5 TCU, W 79-68 & 3/9 @ (15) Oklahoma State, L 70-76
Upcoming: Big 12 Conference Tourney
Kansas State also lost their final game which cost them the Big 12 outright. They finished sharing the title with Kansas (at least it’s all in the same state!).
12. Marquette (23-7, 14-4) Previous Rank: 15
Past Week: 3/5 @ Rutgers, W 60-54 & 3/9 @ St. John’s, W 69-67 OT
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
Marquette cam on very strong at the end in a tough Big East conference and was able to sneak a share of 1st place with Louisville and Georgetown.
13. Florida (24-6, 14-4) Previous Rank: 11
Past Week: 3/6 Vanderbilt, W 66-40 & 3/9 @ Kentucky, L 57-61
Upcoming: Southeastern Conference Tourney
Florida wasn’t able to escape Lexington with a victory but they were able to escape with 1st place in the SEC.
14. Oklahoma State (23-7, 13-5) Previous Rank: 13
Past Week: 3/6 @ Iowa State, L 76-87 & 3/9 (13) Kansas State, W 76-70
Upcoming: Big 12 Conference Tourney
The Cowboys dropped a game earlier in the week which also dropped them to 3rd in the Big 12.
15. New Mexico (26-5, 13-3) Previous Rank: 12
Past Week: 3/6 @ Nevada, W 75-62 & 3/9 @ Air Force, L 88-89
Upcoming: Mountain West Conference Tourney
New Mexico lost their final game of the year in the MWC but still finished at the top the league.
16. Saint Louis (24-6, 13-3) Previous Rank: 16
Past Week: 3/6 @ Xavier, L 66-77 OT & 3/9 LaSalle, W 78-54
Upcoming: Atlantic 10 Conference Tourney
Saint Louis finished the season in 1st of the A-10 and was one of two A-10 teams to finish the season in the Top 25.
17. Pittsburgh (24-7, 12-6) Previous Rank: 20
Past Week: 3/3 Villanova, W 73-64 OT & 3/9 @ DePaul, W 81-66
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
Despite winning down the stretch, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to overcome early and mid season losses finishing 4th in the Big East.
18. Arizona (24-6, 12-6) Previous Rank: 18
Past Week: 3/9 Arizona State, W 73-58
Upcoming: PAC 12 Conference Tourney
The Wildcats finished ranked high than UCLA but finished 2nd to them in the PAC-12…….interesting huh?
19. Syracuse (23-8, 11-7) Previous Rank: 17
Past week: 3/6 DePaul, W 78-57 & 3/9 (7) Georgetown, L 39-61
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
Much to my liking, Syracuse struggled down the stretch and ended up falling all the they way to 5th in the Big East. I would count them out quite yet though.
20. Memphis (27-4, 16-0) Previous Rank: 25
Past Week: 3/5 @ UTEP, W 56-54 & 3/9 UAB, W 86-71
Upcoming: Conference USA Conference Tourney
Memphis ran the table to an undefeated regular season and a 1st place finish in Conference USA……yes, that’s still a conference.
21. UCLA (23-8, 13-5) Previous Rank: 23
Past Week: 3/6 @ Washington State, L 61-73 & 3/9 @ Washington, W 61-54
Upcoming: PAC 12 Conference Tourney
UCLA split their final two regular season games of the year but was still able to beat out Arizona for 1st in the PAC-12.
22. Wisconsin (21-10, 12-6) Previous Rank: 22
Past Week: 3/3 Purdue, L 56-69 & 3/7 @ (9) Michigan State, L 43-58 & 3/10 @ Penn State, W 63-60
Upcoming: Big Ten Conference Tourney
Wisconsin is just going to have to “Deal with It” since they lost 2 out of their final 3 games and finished 4th in the Big Ten.
23. Creighton (27-7, 13-5) Previous Rank: NR
Past Week: 3/10 Wichita State, W 68-65
Upcoming: Won Missouri Valley Conference Tourney
Creighton won the regular season and the tournament in the MVC after beating the Shockers from Wichita State.
24. Notre Dame (23-8, 11-7) Previous Rank: 24
Past Week: 3/5 St. John’s, W 66-40 & 3/9 @ (10) Louisville, L 57-73
Upcoming: Big East Conference Tourney
The Irish lost to Louisville in a rematch of their 5 OT thriller earlier this season and completed their regular season campaign at 5th in the Big East.
25. VCU (24-7, 12-4) Previous Rank: 21
Past Week: 3/6 Richmond, W 93-82 & 3/10 @ Temple, L 76-84
Upcoming: Atlantic 10 Conference Tourney
Not quite sure what is going on with this VCU team down the stretch but they were still able to finish 2nd in the A-10.
Be sure to check back with us later in the week for our previews and complete coverage of all the Big Ten Tournament Action!
March 12th, 2013 at 2:29 pm
Yes, Tom Crean.. Making the Dwight Schrute Fan Club wince.
Looks like Olynyk is leading the Zags in an O-H-I-O cheer.
[Reply]
March 12th, 2013 at 3:50 pm
That’s what I thought as well…. O – H
[Reply]
March 12th, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Tom Crean continues to confirm his reputation of being a top-notch scumbag.
[Reply]
Ken
March 12th, 2013 at 10:01 pm
Hanging with the Harbaughs will do that. Or, it could be a ‘chicken-or-egg’ thing.
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WVaBuckeye
March 13th, 2013 at 6:54 am
scumbag is putting it nicely
Craft made that top 30 hated players of all time tourney . . ,
there’s NO reason to have a tourney for the coaches, Crean WINS easily
[Reply]
Gary
March 13th, 2013 at 7:50 am
Defintiely from hanging with the Harbaughs…..he thinks he’s above everyone. Watch him during a game…I’ve never seen someone that far on the court all the time…..and they never stop him!
[Reply]