RON'S WEEKLY TOP 25 BALLOTS
(2001-02 SEASON)

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Top 25 - Nov 19 - [] Column

Western Kentucky shocked Kentucky pulling off an unwelcome guest win and taking the NABC CLASSIC title in Lexington. The Rick Pitino era at Louisville began with a 54-point win. Butler made its first splash this season by winning the TOP OF THE WORLD CLASSIC in Fairbanks. NC State won the BCA INVITATIONAL at home in Raleigh.

1. Duke
2. Illinois (1-0)
3. UCLA
4. Kansas
5. Arizona (3-0)
6. Florida (2-1)
7. Maryland (2-1)
8. Missouri (2-0)
9. Memphis (3-0)
10. Virginia (2-0)
11. Western Kentucky (2-0)
12. Oklahoma State (2-0)
13. Iowa (3-0)
14. Alabama (2-0)
15. Stanford (1-0)
16. Kentucky (1-1)
17. Syracuse (3-0)
18. Michigan State (2-0)
19. Boston College (1-0)
20. Utah (1-0)
21. Wake Forest (3-0)
22. Fresno State (2-0)
23. Connecticut
24. Louisville (1-0)
25. Butler (3-0)

Honorable Mention:

NC State (3-0).

Top 25 - Nov 26 - [] Column

Illinois had to rally twice, but they still took the LAS VEGAS THANKSGIVING INVITATIONAL. Ball State beat two Top-5 teams, but not the third (Duke) in the MAUI INVITATIONAL. Host Missouri edged Iowa to take the NABC GUARDIANS CLASSIC title. Oklahoma State won its fifth game in six days and dominated the LAS VEGAS THANKSGIVING CLASSIC. Solid execution won the PRESEASON NIT title for Syracuse. New-look Marquette won tightly contested games against a quality field to take the GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT. South Florida came out ahead of a pretty good pack in the UNIVERSITY HOOPS CLASSIC.

1. Illinois (5-0)
2. Duke (4-0)
3. Ball State (2-1)
4. Kansas (2-1)
5. Arizona (3-0)
6. Florida (2-1)
7. Maryland (3-1)
8. Missouri (5-0)
9. Western Kentucky (4-0)
10. Oklahoma State (6-0)
11. Virginia (3-0)
12. Iowa (4-1)
13. Syracuse (5-0)
14. Alabama (3-1)
15. Stanford (3-0)
16. Kentucky (2-1)
17. Marquette (5-0)
18. UCLA (2-1)
19. Wake Forest (4-1)
20. Fresno State (3-1)
21. Memphis (4-2)
22. Boston College (3-0)
23. Connecticut (1-0)
24. Indiana (3-1)
25. Butler (4-0)

Honorable Mention:

South Florida (4-0), Pennsylvania (3-1), Miami(Florida) (3-0).

Top 25 - Dec 3 - [] Column

Duke (over Iowa) and Maryland (over Illinois) helped pace the ACC to a 5-3 win over the Big 10 in the ACC-BIG 10 CHALLENGE. Kansas' balanced attack won out over Jason Gardner's one-man show at Arizona. Texas edged Stanford in overtime in the CLASSIC FOR KIDS. Southern Illinois knocked off a ranked opponent (Indiana) for the first time in over a decade.

1. Duke (6-0)
2. Kansas (3-1)
3. Maryland (5-1)
4. Florida (4-1)
5. Ball State (4-1)
6. Illinois (6-1)
7. Arizona (3-1)
8. Missouri (7-0)
9. Oklahoma State (8-0)
10. Syracuse (8-0)
11. Alabama (5-1)
12. Iowa (6-2)
13. Virginia (4-0)
14. Kentucky (3-1)
15. Marquette (7-0)
16. Memphis (5-2)
17. Fresno State (6-1)
18. Boston College (5-0)
19. Connecticut (3-0)
20. Stanford (3-1)
21. Wake Forest (5-1)
22. Butler (6-0)
23. South Florida (6-0)
24. Cincinnati (4-1)
25. Southern Illinois (6-1)

Honorable Mention:

Texas (2-3).

Top 25 - Dec 10 - [] Column

Indiana burst Ball State's bubble with a solid home win. On the road, Florida's depth and tempo crushed the upset hopes of South Florida. Illinois continues to look shaky. Counting "moral victories" (losing by only an endplay on the road), Iowa and Western Kentucky still look solid; but Boston College looks suspect.

1. Duke (8-0)
2. Kansas (5-1)
3. Maryland (7-1)
4. Florida (6-1; morally 5-2)
5. Arizona (5-1; morally 4-2)
6. Mizzouri (9-0; morally 8-1)
7. Oklahoma State (9-0; morally 8-1)
8. Illinois (7-2; morally 7-2)
9. Kentucky (5-1)
10. Marquette (9-0)
11. Syracuse (9-1)
12. Iowa (7-3; morally 9-1)
13. Connecticut (4-1)
14. Cincinnati (5-1)
15. Alabama (6-2)
16. Virginia (5-0)
17. Boston College (7-0; morally 5-2)
18. Stanford (3-1)
19. Butler (8-0)
20. Memphis (5-3; morally 6-2)
21. Gonzaga (7-2)
22. Indiana (6-2; morally 5-3)
23. Ball State (5-2)
24. UCLA (4-2)
25. Mississippi (6-2; morally 5-3)

Honorable Mention:

NC State (7-2), Western Kentucky (6-2; morally 8-0).

Top 25 - Dec 17 - [] Column

Iowa more than made up for their earlier gift loss by destroying previously undefeated Missouri on the road in the rematch. Michigan State's no-name frontline outplayed Arizona's on the way to their 50th-straight home win. Miami(Florida) squeaked by Indiana in an ugly game to remain undefeated.

1. Duke (9-0)
2. Kansas (7-1)
3. Florida (7-1)
4. Maryland (8-1)
5. Iowa (9-3)
6. Oklahoma State (9-0)
7. Arizona (6-2)
8. Illinois (8-2)
9. Missouri (9-1)
10. Cincinnati (7-1)
11. Marquette (9-0)
12. Kentucky (5-1)
13. Connecticut (5-1)
14. Alabama (7-2)
15. Gonzaga (9-2)
16. Virginia (5-0)
17. Boston College (9-0)
18. Stanford (4-1)
19. Butler (9-0)
20. Memphis (6-3)
21. Michigan State (6-3)
22. Ball State (6-2)
23. Mississippi (7-2)
24. Western Kentucky (6-2)
25. St. Joseph's (6-1)

Honorable Mention:

Mississippi State (9-0), Miami(Florida) (9-0).

Top 25 - Dec 24 - [] Column

Jason Williams was spectacular bringing Duke back from behind to beat Kentucky in overtime at the JIMMY V CLASSIC. Frank Williams put Illinois on his back once again and preserved the BRAGGIN' RIGHTS over Missouri. Cincinnati destroyed the field (including previously undefeated Mississippi State) at the LAS VEGAS CHRISTMAS CLASSIC. Jim Boeheim is back, and so is Syracuse. Oklahoma (over Maryland) and Oregon (over Arizona) made big splashes onto the scene with a couple of rout victories over Top-10 visitors. Meanwhile, The Little Team That Could (undefeated Butler) made a solid statement by beating four-runner Ball State on the road. College of Charleston (TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS) and Hawaii (RAINBOW CLASSIC) won titles with solid play over fields of slumping opponents.

1. Duke (10-0)
2. Kansas (7-1)
3. Florida (9-1)
4. Oklahoma State (12-0)
5. Cincinnati (11-1)
6. Iowa (10-3)
7. Maryland (8-2)
8. Illinois (10-2)
9. Kentucky (6-2)
10. Missouri (9-2)
11. Arizona (6-3)
12. Connecticut (6-1)
13. Marquette (10-1)
14. Alabama (9-2)
15. Gonzaga (9-2)
16. Virginia (8-0)
17. Butler (11-0)
18. Memphis (8-3)
19. Michigan State (9-3)
20. Oklahoma (9-1)
21. Oregon (8-3)
22. Western Kentucky (8-2)
23. Stanford (6-2)
24. Syracuse (10-2)
25. Mississippi (9-2)

Honorable Mention:

College of Charleston (7-0), Hawaii (9-2).

Top 25 - Dec 31: PRECONFERENCE - [] Column

A partisan crowd spurred Stanford on to a big win over Michigan State. Butler reclaimed the HOOSIER CLASSIC for the home folks over Indiana (and might just run the table the rest of the way). Wake Forest held off Marquette at home. Miami (Florida) is still undefeated with its lodero style.

1. Duke (11-0)
2. Kansas (8-1)
3. Florida (11-1)
4. Oklahoma State (13-0)
5. Cincinnati (12-1)
6. Iowa (11-3)
7. Maryland (10-2)
8. Illinois (11-2)
9. Kentucky (7-2)
10. Arizona (8-3)
11. Oklahoma (10-1)
12. Syracuse (11-2)
13. Missouri (9-3)
14. Alabama (10-2)
15. Stanford (7-2)
16. Michigan State (9-4)
17. Butler (13-0)
18. Memphis (9-3)
19. Marquette (10-2)
20. Gonzaga (10-2)
21. Virginia (9-0)
22. Oregon (9-3)
23. Wake Forest (9-3)
24. Miami (Florida) (13-0)
25. Connecticut (6-2)

Honorable Mention:

BYU (9-2), Bowling Green (9-1), Utah State (10-1), Utah (8-3), St. Bonaventure (8-2).

Top 25 - Jan 7 - [] Column

Welcome to conference play -- all 5 remaining undefeated teams went down: Florida State toppled Duke; Texas won at (less-than-100%) Oklahoma State; Wright State won in double-OT at Butler; N.C. State took it to host Virginia; and Connecticut nipped Miami(Florida). Meanwhile, Mississippi State (over Kentucky), Pittsburgh (at Boston College) and Ohio State (over Iowa) won key games to make them conference contenders.

1. Kansas (10-1)
2. Florida (12-1)
3. Duke (12-1)
4. Cincinnati (13-1)
5. Maryland (11-2)
6. Oklahoma State (13-1)
7. Iowa (12-4)
8. Oklahoma (11-1)
9. Illinois (12-3)
10. Kentucky (8-3)
11. Syracuse (13-2)
12. Arizona (9-4)
13. Missouri (11-3)
14. Alabama (13-2)
15. Mississippi State (14-1)
16. Stanford (8-3)
17. Michigan State (9-5)
18. Gonzaga (11-2)
19. Memphis (10-4)
20. Wake Forest (11-3)
21. Texas (9-4)
22. Oregon (10-4)
23. Pittsburgh (14-1)
24. Ohio State (10-2)
25. Connecticut (8-2)

Honorable Mention:

Florida State (8-5), Wright State (8-4), N.C. State (11-3), Arkansas (9-4), Kent State (8-4).

Top 25 - Jan 14 - [] Column

UCLA knocked off Kansas (after losing to USC), but with their win over Stanford, it's Oregon that just may be the best team in the loaded Pac-10. Streak-busters: Wisconsin ended Michigan State's home win streak at 53; UC-Irvine stopped Utah State's streak at 31; Jacksonville stopped Georgia State's at 25. Georgia won at Kentucky for only the third time ever. Indiana took control of the Big 10 race with two impressive wins.

1. Duke (14-1)
2. Florida (14-1)
3. Cincinnati (15-1)
4. Oklahoma (13-1)
5. Maryland (13-2)
6. Kansas (11-2)
7. Oklahoma State (15-1)
8. Syracuse (15-2)
9. Oregon (12-4)
10. Indiana (11-5)
11. USC (13-2)
12. Gonzaga (14-2)
13. UCLA (12-3)
14. Texas (11-4)
15. Wake Forest (13-3)
16. Ohio State (12-2)
17. Iowa (13-5)
18. Stanford (9-4)
19. Illinois (13-4)
20. Georgia (14-2)
21. Kentucky (9-4)
22. Alabama (14-3)
23. Memphis (12-4)
24. Missouri (12-4)
25. Mississippi (13-3)

Honorable Mention:

Wisconsin (9-8), UC-Irvine (11-4), Jacksonville (12-5).

Top 25 - Jan 21 - [] Column

Duke had two huge wins at home against Maryland and Wake Forest. Kansas separated itself from Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. Arizona was great beating both USC and UCLA at home.

1. Duke (16-1)
2. Kansas (13-2)
3. Cincinnati (17-1)
4. Maryland (14-3)
5. Florida (15-2)
6. Oregon (13-4)
7. Arizona (13-4)
8. UCLA (13-4)
9. Oklahoma (14-2)
10. Ohio State (14-2)
11. USC (14-3)
12. Texas (13-4)
13. Illinois (14-4)
14. Oklahoma State (15-3)
15. Georgia (15-3)
16. Kentucky (11-4)
17. Stanford (11-4)
18. Syracuse (16-3)
19. Indiana (11-6)
20. Alabama (16-3)
21. Memphis (14-4)
22. Gonzaga (15-3)
23. Missouri (14-4)
24. Virginia (12-2)
25. Texas Tech (14-3)

Honorable Mention:

Ball State (10-5).

Top 25 - Jan 28 - [] Column

(After the top 4 teams, 13 of the next 14 teams in the rankings did no better than split their games last week.) Connecticut's OT win at Arizona boosts the profile of the entire Big East (of which Pittsburgh is actually the strongest team, as their rout of Syracuse validated). Alabama is winning on the road this year (including at Kentucky last week).

1. Duke (18-1)
2. Kansas (15-2)
3. Cincinnati (19-1)
4. Maryland (16-3)
5. Florida (15-3)
6. Oklahoma (15-3)
7. USC (15-4)
8. Oregon (14-5)
9. Stanford (12-5)
10. Pittsburgh (18-3)
11. Connecticut (14-3)
12. Indiana (13-6)
13. UCLA (14-5)
14. Alabama (17-3)
15. Arizona (13-6)
16. Memphis (16-4)
17. Ohio State (15-3)
18. Gonzaga (17-3)
19. Georgia (16-4)
20. Kentucky (12-5)
21. Illinois (15-5)
22. Texas Tech (15-3)
23. Oklahoma State (17-3)
24. Miami(Florida) (18-2)
25. Marquette (17-3)

Honorable Mention:

Hawaii (17-3), N.C. State (16-4), Xavier (15-3), Kent State (13-5).

Top 25 - Feb 4 - [] Column

Oregon routed UCLA and edged USC. Marquette knocked Cincinnati down to size.

1. Duke (20-1)
2. Oregon (16-5)
3. Maryland (18-3)
4. Kansas (17-2)
5. USC (16-5)
6. Oklahoma (17-3)
7. Arizona (15-6)
8. Florida (16-4)
9. Cincinnati (20-2)
10. Alabama (19-3)
11. Stanford (13-6)
12. Pittsburgh (19-4)
13. Ohio State (17-3)
14. Kentucky (14-5)
15. Indiana (14-7)
16. UCLA (15-6)
17. Marquette (19-3)
18. Gonzaga (19-3)
19. Memphis (18-4)
20. Connecticut (14-5)
21. Georgia (17-5)
22. Miami(Florida) (19-3)
23. Kent State (15-5)
24. Butler (20-3)
25. Western Kentucky (18-3)

Honorable Mention:

Minnesota (13-7), Southern Illinois (19-4), Rutgers (14-7), Kansas State (9-10).

Top 25 - Feb 11 - [] Column

Oregon dropped two games in OT on the road (at Stanford and at California).

1. Duke (22-1)
2. Maryland (19-3)
3. Kansas (19-2)
4. Oklahoma (19-3)
5. Oregon (16-7)
6. USC (16-6)
7. Arizona (17-6)
8. Florida (18-4)
9. Cincinnati (22-2)
10. Stanford (15-6)
11. Pittsburgh (21-4)
12. Indiana (16-7)
13. Alabama (20-4)
14. Marquette (21-3)
15. Gonzaga (21-3)
16. UCLA (16-7)
17. Kentucky (15-6)
18. Ohio State (17-5)
19. Butler (22-3)
20. Georgia (18-6)
21. Connecticut (15-6)
22. Kent State (17-5)
23. Memphis (19-5)
24. Miami(Florida) (20-4)
25. Western Kentucky (20-3)

Honorable Mention:

N.C. State (18-6), Minnesota (14-7), California (17-5), Yale (15-7).

Top 25 - Feb 18 - [] Column

Maryland's win over Duke marks their ascension to the top of the ACC standings (and the national rankings). Gonzaga beat Pepperdine to move into a tie for the WCC lead.

1. Maryland (21-3)
2. Kansas (21-2)
3. Duke (23-2)
4. Oregon (17-7)
5. USC (18-6)
6. Cincinnati (24-2)
7. Oklahoma (20-4)
8. Stanford (17-6)
9. Gonzaga (23-3)
10. Arizona (17-8)
11. Florida (19-5)
12. Pittsburgh (22-4)
13. Alabama (22-4)
14. Marquette (22-3)
15. Indiana (17-8)
16. Ohio State (18-5)
17. Butler (24-3)
18. UCLA (17-8)
19. Georgia (19-7)
20. Connecticut (17-6)
21. Kentucky (16-7)
22. Oklahoma State (20-6)
23. Kent State (19-5)
24. Illinois (19-7)
25. Western Kentucky (21-3)

Honorable Mention:

Wisconsin (16-11), Tulsa (22-4), Rutgers (17-8), Creighton (18-6), Utah State (20-4).

Top 25 - Feb 25 - [] Column

Cincinnati nipped Marquette at home in a bone-crunching rematch. Alabama's guards found a way to rescue victory from certain defeat at home against Florida. Indiana took control of the Big 10 race with a home win over Ohio State (but gave it up with a road loss at Michigan State). California routed UCLA and USC at home to vault into the thick of the Pac-10 race.

1. Maryland (23-3)
2. Kansas (23-2)
3. Duke (25-2)
4. Oregon (19-7)
5. Cincinnati (26-2)
6. Oklahoma (22-4)
7. USC (19-7)
8. Gonzaga (25-3)
9. Arizona (18-8)
10. Pittsburgh (23-4)
11. Marquette (23-4)
12. Alabama (23-5)
13. Florida (20-6)
14. Indiana (18-9)
15. Ohio State (19-6)
16. UCLA (18-9)
17. Georgia (20-7)
18. Connecticut (19-6)
19. Kentucky (18-7)
20. Illinois (21-7)
21. California (20-6)
22. Stanford (17-8)
23. Oklahoma State (22-6)
24. Kent State (21-5)
25. Butler (25-4)

Honorable Mention:

Notre Dame (19-8), Texas Tech (20-6), Michigan State (17-10).

Final Top 25 - Mar 4 (PRETOURNAMENT) - [] Column

Oregon won the Pac-10 outright with two squeak wins at USC and at UCLA. Illinois earned a share of the Big 10 title by beating Indiana at home and coming back to nip Minnesota on the road; meanwhile, Michigan State finished a game back of the 4-way logjam at the top by beating co-champ Ohio State. Memphis lost in OT at Cincinnati in their biggest game of the season, but showed they belonged in the conversation.

1. Maryland (25-3)
2. Kansas (26-2)
3. Duke (26-3)
4. Oregon (21-7)
5. Oklahoma (24-4)
6. Cincinnati (27-3)
7. USC (20-8)
8. Gonzaga (27-3)
9. Arizona (19-9)
10. Pittsburgh (25-4)
11. Marquette (24-5)
12. Alabama (24-6)
13. Florida (21-7)
14. Illinois (23-7)
15. Indiana (19-10)
16. Connecticut (21-6)
17. Stanford (19-8)
18. Georgia (21-8)
19. Kentucky (19-8)
20. UCLA (19-10)
21. Michigan State (19-10)
22. Ohio State (20-7)
23. Memphis (21-8)
24. Miami(Florida) (23-6)
25. Western Kentucky (23-3)

Honorable Mention:

Texas (19-10), Texas Tech (21-7), Kent State (23-5), Southern Illinois (26-6), Butler (25-5), Louisville (17-11).