College basketball continued its wild season on Wednesday night
It feels like at least once a week that a couple of top 10 teams fall on the same night in college hoops. Wednesday was no exception. North Carolina knocked off Louisville in a top 10 matchup in Chapel Hill, while Butler handed Villanova its third loss of the season in Philadelphia and Syracuse used a John Gillon buzzer beater to finish Duke in the Carrier Dome.
All of those results will demand a shake up to the top 10 come Monday, so here’s a preliminary look at how the polls could shake down:
1. Gonzaga – If you’re still doubting the Bulldogs, you’re doing it wrong. This roster is stacked with talent and is primed to make the first Final Four run in school history.
2. Kansas – The Jayhawks clinched a share of their 13th straight conference title. Behind the play of Frank Mason and Josh Jackson, they’re primed for a March run.
3. Arizona – The Wildcats have lost just one game since Dec. 6, 2016. They control their own destiny in the Pac-12 title race.
4. Villanova – The Wildcats may be one of the best teams in the country, but Butler appears to be their kryptonite. With a win on Wednesday night, the Bulldogs swept the season series.
5. UCLA – The Bruins are the best offensive team in the country. They’ll have a chance to extract some revenge at Arizona on Saturday.
6. Oregon – Dillon Brooks hit a game-winner to save the Ducks at California on Wednesday. The shot keeps them in the hunt for the Pac-12 title.
7. North Carolina – After knocking off Louisville on Wednesday night, the Tar Heels are two games clear at the top of the ACC, but still have to face Pittsburgh, Virginia and Duke to close out the regular season.
8. Louisville – The Cardinals struggled to score enough in their 74-63 loss at North Carolina, but they’ve got three winnable games — vs. Syracuse, at Wake Forest and vs. Notre Dame — to close out ACC play.
9. Baylor – After back-to-back losses, the Bears held off Oklahoma in Waco on Monday. They haven’t been convincing lately, but they still have one of the best resumes in America.
10. Kentucky – The Wildcats have bounced back from a rough stretch to win five straight games. We’ll find out how much progress they’ve made on Saturday when they host Florida in Lexington.