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Wisconsin grabs top spot in Top 25 and sets up 1-2 game with Ohio State
Monday, February 19, 2007
Get ready for another 1 vs. 2 showdown in the Big Ten — this time on the hardwood.
Wisconsin was the new No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Monday and Big Ten rival Ohio State was not far behind at No. 2.
Extras
The Badgers (26-2, 12-1), on top of the poll for the first time in school history, play the Buckeyes (24-3, 11-1) in Columbus on Sunday — just a bit more than three months after Ohio State and Michigan played a much-hyped 1 vs. 2 football game at Ohio Stadium.
Florida's 83-70 loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday snapped the Gators' 17-game winning streak and dropped them from the top spot in the media poll for the second time this season.
Wisconsin, which was No. 3 last week, leapfrogged second-ranked Ohio State to become the fourth No. 1 this season, and 52nd different school to hold the top spot in the history of the AP poll.
The Badgers received 35 first-place votes and 1,747 points. Ohio State got 31 first-place votes and 1,728 points. No 3 Florida received four first-place votes and No. 4 UCLA got two.
For the Big Ten, it's the first time the league best known for its football has had the top two teams in the AP basketball poll. The last time the same conference had Nos. 1 and 2 was last season, when the Big East had Connecticut at No. 1 and Villanova No. 2 in the second-to-last poll.
The last 1 vs. 2 game was also last season. No. 1 Duke defeated No. 2 Texas 97-66 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Dec. 10, 2005.
The current Blue Devils returned to the rankings at No. 18 after a one-week absence. A four-game losing streak ended an 11-year run in the Top 25 for Duke. The Blue Devils were ranked in 200 straight polls, the second longest streak ever.
But last week Duke beat Boston College on the road and Georgia Tech at home and the voters rewarded the Blue Devils.
The bottom of the rankings received a major shake-up as teams ranked 18-25 last week went 3-13.
Vanderbilt, Texas, Louisville, BYU and Virginia also moved into the Top 25. For Louisville, which beat two ranked teams — Pittsburgh and Marquette — on the road, and BYU, it's the first time this season they've been ranked. The Cougars haven't been in the Top 25 since March 1993.
Dropping out were Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Boston College, Indiana and Southern California.
Duke's Atlantic Coast Conference rival and Tobacco Road neighbor, North Carolina, slipped a spot to No. 5 after a 1-1 week. Kansas jumped up three spots to No. 6.
Memphis, Texas A&M, Washington State and Pittsburgh rounded out the Top 10.
The Badgers and Buckeyes will not only be playing for the No. 1 ranking Sunday, but also for the inside track to a Big Ten regular-season title.
Alando Tucker, who has seven consecutive 20-point games and is a leading candidate for national player of the year, and the Badgers defeated Ohio State 72-69 last month in Madison and begin the week with a half game lead on the Buckeyes.
Coach Bo Ryan's Badgers started the season ranked ninth, dipped to 12th and have been on the rise ever since. An experienced team that starts three seniors and two juniors, Wisconsin has already set a school record for victories in a season.
The Buckeyes have been in the top 10 all season thanks to one of the best freshmen classes in the country.
Seven-footer Greg Oden leads the team in scoring (15.5) and rebounding (9.5) and is shooting 61 percent from the field with 71 blocked shots in 20 games. Fellow frosh Mike Conley Jr. (10.1) and Daequan Cook (11.9) combine to average 22 points per game.
No. 11 Nevada leads the second 10 in the Top 25, followed by Georgetown and No. 13 Southern Illinois, which has its highest ranking ever. The Salukis reached No. 15 in March 2004.
Air Force was 14th and Butler, which lost to Southern Illinois on Saturday, dropped two spots to No. 15.
No. 16 Marquette has lost three straight games and slipped four spots in the rankings.
No. 17 Duke, Vanderbilt, Texas and Louisville round out the top 20.
BYU, West Virginia, Oregon, which fell eight spots to No. 23 after losing twice last week, Virginia and Alabama are the final five.
Comments
By Keith
February 21, 2007 11:27 AM | Link to this
I am a die hard O.S.U. fan who is loving this years basketball team. However since the badgers have a win over the bucks they are #1, for now. But come monday morning there will be another #1, and they wear the scarlet and grey!
By Bob T
February 20, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this
I don’t think the rankings matter that much. As with football season, records are largely built on playing weak non-conference foes and your own conference teams. When Big Ten played ACC this season, the ACC prevailed. I expect MAYBE one Big Ten team to make the Sweet 16, and none in the Final Four. I hope OSU beats Wisconsin, but the winner of that game might enjoy their last big win of the season.
By Mary WI
February 20, 2007 3:37 AM | Link to this
Go Badgers!! They totally deserve to be #1!
By Big Tony
February 19, 2007 7:54 PM | Link to this
It’s great to see good basketball, as well as football, being played in the Big Ten. For the Buckeyes, it has been fantastic seeing the young guys gel with the vets to create a team that can score big and that is hard to defend. The Buckeyes winning a regular-season conference title would be great. Winning the Big Ten tournament would be even better. Best of all would be a number one seed in the big dance and a trip to the Final Four! Go Bucks!
By YAJEED
February 19, 2007 6:49 PM | Link to this
I’m a Bucks fan but this team has been over-rated all year. Every other teams big man makes Oden look like he’s moving in slow motion. I think Oden’s got that disease that causes you to age way past your years. If he lives to see age 25 I’ll be surprised.
By Brian
February 19, 2007 4:50 PM | Link to this
The only time I really care about rankings is at the end of the year. Having lost to Wisconsin once,they’re welcome to it-for now!
By Kevin
February 19, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
The Bucks have the most talented players in the country top-to-bottom. But you’ve got to like Wisconsin’s experience and chemistry. The Badgers deserve the top spot. I can’t wait for Saturday!
By Brad
February 19, 2007 3:32 PM | Link to this
Polls are so “what have you done for me lately”. Especially in basketball polls. Yes OSU deserves the #1 ranking. But they deserve to get it taken away if they lose Saturday
By PJ
February 19, 2007 3:27 PM | Link to this
IU would beat them both on a nuetral court:)
By Scott Ward
February 19, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this
I am an OSU fan to, but you see what happened to the 1 & 2 Big Ten football teams at the end of the season. My worst fear is that Florida and OSU meet in the basketball championship, and OSU loses to them again
By osufan
February 19, 2007 2:10 PM | Link to this
I’m a buckeye fan, so sure I’d like to see the bucks at #1..but they did lose to Wisconsin earlier this season. However, the bucks win this time the they should move to #1 for sure!
By Michael
February 19, 2007 2:09 PM | Link to this
What a year for Ohio State fans. In football we had No. 1 vs. No. 2 in games against Texas, Michigan and Florida. Now we get a huge matchup in basketball. Go Bucks!