NCAA Basketball Top 25

Bankroll Sports Preseason NCAA Basketball Top 25
These Rankings Were Released & Updated on December 14, 2008

(Next Update: Sunday, 12/28/2008)

1. North Carolina Tar Heels (9-0) – The Tar Heels, at 9-0, still the unanimous # 1 selection atop the Men’s Basketball Top 25. The Tar Heels, led by Tyler Hansbrough and his 22.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game are one of three remaining unbeatens within the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels have six players, scoring double digit points per game. North Carolina is scoring 97.3 points per game, while allowing just 68.6. The Tar Heels have four game remaining in the 2008 calendar year. North Carolina will host Evansville on Thursday, travel to Vanderbilt on December 20th, then host Rutgers and travel to Nevada before New Years.

2. Connecticut Huskies (8-0) – The Connecticut Huskies have started the 2008-2009 season 8-0 on the year. Their latest win was a 68-64 escape at Buffalo. Jerome Dyson, scoring 15.4 points per game, leads the Huskies. Connecticut has five players scoring in double digits per game. The Huskies are one of three remaining Big East teams with an unbeaten record. Connecticut will host Stony Brook on Monday, before a December 20th battle with Gonzaga. A home game with Fairfield will be their final non-conference game before a December 29th battle with Georgetown.

3. Pittsburgh Panthers (9-0) – Another Big East unbeaten; the Pittsburgh Panthers. Pittsburgh moves up from their # 6 spot to the # 3 position. Pittsburgh has won all nine of their games, with a margin no closer than 14 points. Sam Young’s 20.6 points per game, and DeJuan Blair’s 14.6 points and 12.8 rebounds per game lead Pittsburgh. The Panthers will play two more non-conference games – with Siena, and at Florida State, before their December 31st conference game at Rutgers.

4. Gonzaga Bulldogs (6-0) – The Gonzaga Bulldogs have continued their assault up to the top of the collegiate basketball rankings. Moving up from # 7 to # 4, the Bulldogs have won all six of their games thus far in 2008. Gonzaga, out of the West Coast Conference, is the only remaining team within the conference with an unbeaten mark. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by Josh Heytvelt with 16.3 points per game. Gonzaga has five guys scoring double-digit point totals per game, with a sixth at 9.9. On the season, the Bulldogs are scoring 79.1 points per game, and allowing 58.3. The Bulldogs play at the University of Arizona today (Sunday), and then host Texas Southern, before a top five match up with Connecticut on December 20th. A home game with Portland State, followed by a New Years Eve game at Utah will conclude the 2008 portion of the schedule.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (10-0) – The Sooners All American Blake Griffin is putting up player of the year type numbers for the unbeaten Sooners. Scoring 23.1 points per game, and grabbing 15.1 rebounds per game, Griffin has carried his Sooners to ten straight wins. Oklahoma moves up from # 8 to # 5. The Sooners are the last team in the Big 12 to keep an undefeated record. Oklahoma will host Virginia Commonwealth, before taking the road at Rice and Arkansas to finish 2008.

6. Louisville Cardinals (6-1) – The Louisville Cardinals have played inspired basketball since their November 30th loss to Western Kentucky. The Cardinals, with that loss fall from # 3 to # 6 in the rankings. Louisville has won four straight games since that point, with their latest being a 94-75 win over Austin Peay. The Cardinals are led in scoring by forward Samardo Samuels, who is scoring 17.0 points per game. On the year, the Cardinals are scoring 80 points per game as a team. Louisville will take on Mississippi, Minnesota, UAB and UNLV to conclude the 2008 portion of their schedule.

7. Duke Blue Devils (8-1) – The Duke Blue Devils were not as fortunate the second time taking on the Michigan Wolverines. The Big Ten’s Wolverines knocked off Duke 81-73 to hand the Blue Devils their first loss of the season. The loss dropped Duke from # 4 to # 7. Duke is led in scoring by Kyle Singler, at 16.9 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game. The Duke offense is scoring 81.7 points per game, while the defense is allowing just 63. The Blue Devils take on UNC-Asheville, Xavier and Loyola (MD) before the conference action begins.

8. Texas Longhorns (8-1) – The Texas Longhorns moved up four spots from # 12 to # 8. The Longhorns have won eight of their first nine games, with their lone loss coming on November 25th to Notre Dame 81-80. The Longhorns are coming off a win over Texas State 81-73 on Saturday. Texas’ guard A.J. Abrams is one of just two Longhorns scoring in double figures, at 20.2 points per game. Texas will host Texas Southern on Tuesday, and take on Michigan State on Saturday. A December 23rd trip to Wisconsin, to take on the Badgers will finish their non-conference slate.

9. Xavier Musketeers (9-0) – The Xavier Musketeers continue to find ways to win games. The Musketeers moved up six spots from # 15 to # 9. Xavier came up with a big 76-66 win over inter city rival Cincinnati on Saturday. The win was Xavier’s ninth straight to start the season. Derrick Brown, B.J. Raymond, and C.J. Anderson are leading Xavier in scoring with 14.0, 12.2 and 11.8 respectively. The Musketeers are the lone undefeated team left in the Atlantic 10 conference. Xavier will take on Duke on Saturday December 20th, in a game between two top ten teams. After the Duke game, Xavier and Butler will meet in a mid major elite game, before Robert Morris comes into town on December 31st.

10. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-0) – The third Atlantic Coast Conference team to slide into the Top 10, also is the third unbeaten left in the conference. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are scoring 85.5 points per game, and allowing 62.4. Wake Forest has won five games at home, and played and won all three of their neutral site games. Wake Forest is coming off a 81-52 win over Bucknell. The Demon Deacons will host Wright State today, and then take to the road to Richmond and East Carolina, before coming back home to host Radford. The Demon Deacons moved up seven spots from # 17 to # 10.

11. Syracuse Orange (9-0) – The Orange doubled up their rank in the Top 25, with a jump from # 22 to # 11. Syracuse has won all nine of their games to start the season, with a margin of 16.1 per game. Syracuse has won eight of those games at home, with their one road game at Florida. Syracuse’s Johnny Flynn is scoring 18.3 points per game to lead the Orange. There are a lot of questions regarding the possible suspension of second leading scorer Eric Devendorf. Devendorf allegedly struck a female student on campus. Syracuse will host Cleveland State on Monday and Canisus on Wednesday. The Orange will then travel to Memphis to take on the Tigers, before coming back home to host Coppin State, before a conference game on December 30th with Seton Hall.

12. Baylor Bears (8-1) – The Baylor Bears under head coach Scott Drew have gotten off to a 8-1 start. The Bears lone loss came November 30th against Wake Forest. Baylor has five players scoring in double digits, led by LaceDarius Dunn with 16.9. The Bears are scoring 82.2 points per game, and allowing 61.3. Baylor will host Texas Arlington, Hartford, and Portland State to complete the 2008 portion of their schedule. Baylor moves up one spot from # 13 to # 12.

13. Villanova Wildcats (9-1) – Despite the one loss on the season, the Villanova Wildcats moved up from # 14 to # 13. The lone loss on the season was December 9th against Texas. Dante Cunningham leads three Wildcats in double digit scoring per game. Cunningham is scoring 17.5 points per game and 8 rebounds. Villanova is coming off a 59-56 win over St. Joseph on Thursday. Villanova will play at LaSalle today (Sunday), and then host Navy and Temple before the New Years Day game with Marquette.

14. Purdue Boilermakers (8-2) – The first Big Ten team to make their way into the Top 25 is the Purdue Boilermakers. Dropping from # 9 to # 14, Purdue has lost two games in the first two months of the season. The Boilermakers fell to Oklahoma, and Duke. The Big Ten’s overall record is currently 82-19. The Boilermakers on the season have scored 76 points per game, allowing just 57. Robbie Hummel is scoring 15.6 points per game, while E’Twuan Moore is putting up 14.3. The Boilermakers will host Davidson on Saturday, and then Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne, and Valparaiso before a December 30th Big Ten opener with Illinois.

15. UCLA Bruins (6-2) – The UCLA Bruins, with losses to Michigan and Texas have started the season 6-2. With the two losses, UCLA has dropped from # 11 to # 15. Darren Collison, Josh Shipp and Jrue Holiday are all three scoring in double digits for the Bruins. UCLA has won their last two games, with their most recent; 72-54 win over DePaul. The Bruins host Loyola Marymount, Mercer, Wyoming and Louisiana Tech to complete the 2008 portion of their schedule.

16. Tennessee Volunteers (6-2) – The Tennessee Volunteers took a 88-72 hit at Temple on Saturday. The loss, was the second of the season for Tennessee, and dropped them from # 5 to # 16. Tyler Smith, at 17.4 points per game has been the Volunteers leading scorer, with J.P Prince and Wayne Chism also adding 11.3 and 10.0 per game. Tennessee’s other loss on the season was to Gonzaga; 83-74. Tennessee will take on Marquette on Tuesday, and then host Belmont and Louisiana Lafayette, before their conference opener at Kentucky on January 3rd.

17. Marquette Golden Eagles (7-1) – Marquette’s lone loss on the season, 89-75 to Dayton has been recovered well from, winning three straight games. The Golden Eagles move up from # 18 to # 17. On December 6th the Golden Eagles came up with a huge state rivalry win over the University of Wisconsin 61-58. The Golden Eagles are led in scoring by guard Wesley Matthews and Jerel McNeal, at 19.6 and 18.2 points per game. On the season, Marquette is scoring 82.8 points per game, while allowing 67.3. Marquette will take on Tennessee on Tuesday and Western Carolina. Marquette will then take on ACC – North Carolina State on December 22nd, before hosting Presbyterian on December 28th.

18. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) – The Ohio State Buckeyes remain one of the Big Ten Conference’s two unbeaten teams. With six wins in six games, the Buckeyes move up from # 23 to # 18. Ohio State has wins over Delaware State, Bowling Green, Samford, Miami, Notre Dame and Butler. Evan Turner leads the Buckeyes in scoring with 16.2, followed by Jon Diebler with 10.2. The Buckeyes are scoring 64 points on the season, and allowing just 50. The Buckeyes will host Jacksonville on Wednesday, and then Iona, North Carolina Asheville, and West Virginia come in before a New Years Eve conference game with Iowa.

19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-2) – The Fighting Irish have started the season 7-2, with losses to North Carolina and Ohio State. Notre Dame drops from # 10 to # 19 in the rankings. The Fighting Irish are scoring 82.9 points per game, and allowing 68.3. The Irish are 5-0 in true home games, and 1-0 in road games, with a 1-2 mark in games played on neutral courts. The Fighting Irish are led in scoring by Luke Harangody, and Kyle McAlarney, at 23.0 and 18.6 points per game. The Irish will host Delaware State and Savannah State before a December 31st conference game at DePaul.

20. Clemson Tigers (10-0) – Clemson became collegiate basketball’s first ten-win team on Saturday with a 90-63 win over South Carolina State. The ten wins, along with no losses moved the Tigers into the Top 25 for the first time all season. The Tigers marquee win on the season was December 2nd at Illinois, in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, in which the Tigers came away with a 76-74 win. The Tigers will host North Florida on Tuesday, and then start conference play on December 21st at Miami.

21. Illinois Fighting Illini (9-1) – The University of Illinois Fighting Illini have started the season with nine wins in ten games. Illinois’ lone loss came to 10-0 Clemson, 76-74. The Illini are coming off blowout wins over Georgia, Hawaii and Chicago State. Mike Davis leads the Illini in scoring with 13.9 points per game, while also adding 8.7 rebounds per game. Illinois drops from # 20 to # 21 in the rankings, due to their loss. The Illini will take on Detroit on Saturday, and then a rivalry game on December 23rd with Missouri, before hosting Eastern Michigan on December 28th.

22. Georgetown Hoyas (7-1) – The Hoyas are coming off a 79-70 overtime win over the Memphis Tigers on Saturday. In the win, forward DeJuan Summers scored 21 points, and picked up seven rebounds. Four Hoyas scored in double digits in the game. The win, and the seven wins in eight games have moved Georgetown into the Top 25. Georgetown is scoring 76.9 points per game, and is allowing 57.5 points per game. The Hoyas will take on Mount St. Mary’s and Florida International before beginning the conference season on December 29th at Connecticut.

23. Memphis Tigers (5-2) – Despite losing two of three games, the Memphis Tigers still sit at the # 23 position. Down seven from two weeks ago, the Tigers fall from # 16. Memphis is coming off a 79-70-overtime loss to Georgetown, 100-68 win over Marist, and a 63-58 loss to Xavier. The Tigers are scoring 80.7 points per game, while allowing 66.4. Memphis is led in scoring by guard Tyreke Evens, who is scoring 16.7 points per game. Shawn Taggert, Robert Dozier and Doneal Mack are all three scoring in double figures along with Evans. The Tigers will host Arkansas Little Rock, Syracuse, Drexel, Cincinnati and Northeastern to finish their 2008 portion of the schedule.

24. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-1) – The Arizona State Sun Devils move into the Top 25, from being unranked two weeks ago. The Sun Devils come in, winners of three straight games. The Sun Devils lone loss was November 29th to Baylor; 87-78. The Sun Devils are led in scoring by guard James Harden, who is among the nation’s leaders with 25.5 points per game. Harden is also grabbing 7.3 rebounds and dishing out 4.3 assists per game. Arizona State will take on IUPUI today (Sunday), and then host Brigham Young, Idaho State and Central Connecticut State.

25. Davidson Wildcats (8-1) – The Davidson Wildcats move into the Top 25 after winning eight of their first nine games on the year. Stephen Curry continues to assault opposing defenses, scoring 31.9 points per game, and dishing out 6.8 assists per game, as the Wildcats point guard. The Wildcats play within the Southern Conference, where Charleston and Appalachian State have both won two conferences games already. The Wildcats are coming off a 100-95 win over Chattanooga on Saturday. The Wildcats will continue their string of road games on Wednesday at East Tennessee State. On December 20th Davidson will play at Mississippi Valley State, and December 22nd at Alabama. On December 29th, Davidson will be back home again, to take on TWC, and then December 30th with Niagara.

Best of The Rest in College Basketball: 
Dayton Flyers, Florida Gators, BYU Cougars, Michigan Wolverines, Missouri Tigers

Dropped From Our NCAA Basketball Top 25: 
Wisconsin Badgers, Michigan State Spartans, Miami Hurricanes, Kansas Jayhawks