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College Basketball Rankings: Projected top 10 after Duke loses to Boston College

By Chris Stone

BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils is seen before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on November 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 29: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils is seen before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Assembly Hall on November 29, 2017 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Duke was ranked No. 1, but they lost, so what the heck does the top 10 look like now?

College basketball has had a pretty ridiculous week. Multiple top 10 teams have fallen to presumptively inferior foes meaning next Monday’s polls are going to get a big shakeup. So, we decided to take a stab at what the new top 10 might look like. Here’s our best guess.

1. Villanova – The Wildcats were ranked No. 3 in last week’s AP poll, but they easily handled an impressive Gonzaga team on Tuesday night behind a breakout performance from junior Mikal Bridges. That should be enough to let them jump the two teams previously ranked above them, Duke and Michigan State.

2. Duke – Victims of an “overrated” chant and a court storming after losing to Boston College in the opening game of ACC play, the Blue Devils slip just one spot here. Sure, you can make an argument Michigan State deserves to be ranked higher, but the Spartans lost to Duke on a neutral floor, so the tie breaker favors the former No. 1 team.

3. Michigan State – The Spartans have legitimately turned into one of the top defensive teams in the nation behind a deep frontcourt that limits opponents’ scoring chances inside the arc. A road win over Rutgers, though, isn’t exactly the most impressive addition to the ole resume since the last poll.

4. Kansas – Washington handed the Jayhawks their first loss of the season this week with an impressive game plan designed to limit the number of available 3s to them. Kansas could certainly use Billy Preston to get eligible, but one loss isn’t enough to drop them too far.

5. Wichita State – The Shockers needed a huge second half to knock off South Dakota State at home, but given the Jackrabbits projects as an NCAA Tournament team, that’s not the biggest negative. Remember, Wichita State is still waiting on leading scorer Markis McDuffie to get healthy.

6. Kentucky – The Wildcats’ only loss this season came to Kansas at the Champions Classic. Since then, they’ve reeled off six straight wins. John Calipari’s squad is young, but it seems like the head coach may finally be sorting out his team’s identity ahead of SEC play.

7. Miami – Bruce Brown missing time with an injury doesn’t seem to be too big of a problem. 5-star freshman Lonnie Walker stepped into his starting role on Tuesday and dropped 25 points on Boston. The Hurricanes have the potential to be scary good with Brown healthy and Walker reaching his potential.

8. Texas A&M – A three point loss to Arizona isn’t enough to drop the Aggies too far. The Wildcats may have struggled early this season, but they’re still super talented and the game was played in Phoenix. Texas A&M has one of the most dominant frontlines in the sport and DJ Hogg may finally be having a breakout season.

Next: Best college basketball games of the weekend

9. North Carolina – The Tar Heels have ripped off four straight wins since their embarrassing showing in the finals of the PK80 against Michigan State. This week, they dropped 104 points on Western Carolina as six players scored in double figures.

10. Xavier – The last spot in the top 10 is a tough one, but the Musketeers own wins over Baylor and Cincinnati. They were ranked No. 13 last week and didn’t lose like the teams above them. Up they go!