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College basketball power rankings: What does Saturday’s chaos mean for the Top 10?

By Mike Phillips

Feb 26, 2022; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears forward Jeremy Sochan (top) scores a layup against Kansas Jayhawks forward David McCormack (33) during the second half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2022; Waco, Texas, USA; Baylor Bears forward Jeremy Sochan (top) scores a layup against Kansas Jayhawks forward David McCormack (33) during the second half at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports /
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SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 26: Wendell Moore Jr. #0 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on February 26, 2022, in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 26: Wendell Moore Jr. #0 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball during the second half against the Syracuse Orange at the Carrier Dome on February 26, 2022, in Syracuse, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images) /

5. Week 17 College Basketball Rankings: Duke Blue Devils (6)

  • Record: 25-4 (15-3 in ACC)
  • Last Week: Won 65-61 at Virginia, Won 97-72 at Syracuse
  • This Week: At Pittsburgh 3/1, Vs. North Carolina 3/5

This was a very good week for Duke, which won two road games to move back into the Top 5 of these rankings. Saturday’s game against North Carolina figures to be an emotional one at Cameron Indoor Stadium since it will be legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game with the Blue Devils.

4. Week 17 College Basketball Rankings: Kansas Jayhawks (3)

  • Record: 23-5 (12-3 in Big 12)
  • Last Week: Won 102-83 vs. Kansas State, Lost 80-70 at No. 10 Baylor
  • This Week: At TCU 3/1, Vs. TCU 3/3, Vs. No. 20 Texas 3/5

Losing at Baylor isn’t shocking for Kansas, which split the season series and still has an inside track at the Big 12’s regular-season title. The Jayhawks will be busy this week with three games on tap: an NBA-style home-and-home with TCU as the result of a COVID makeup before Saturday’s regular-season finale against Texas at Allen Fieldhouse.

3. Week 17 College Basketball Rankings: Baylor Bears (9)

  • Record: 24-5 (12-4 in Big 12)
  • Last Week: Won 66-64 (OT) at Oklahoma State, Won 80-70 vs. No. 5 Kansas
  • This Week: At No. 20 Texas 2/28, Vs. Iowa State 3/5

The biggest leap in this week’s rankings comes from the Bears, who capped off an impressive 2-0 week by beating Kansas at home by double-digits to keep themselves alive in the Big 12 title race. Monday’s trip to Austin is the more dangerous game this week for Baylor, which still has an outside shot at landing on the top line in the NCAA Tournament.

2. Week 17 College Basketball Rankings: Arizona Wildcats (2)

  • Record: 25-3 (15-2 in Pac-12)
  • Last Week: Won 97-77 at Utah, Lost 79-63 at Colorado
  • This Week: At No. 16 USC 3/1, Vs. Stanford 3/3, Vs. California 3/5

Losing by 16 at Colorado isn’t ideal but every team has a bad night so we’ll give Arizona the benefit of the doubt here. The Wildcats can officially wrap up the Pac-12 regular-season crown by beating USC on Monday in a makeup game for a contest that was originally scheduled for early January before being postponed due to COVID issues for the Trojans.

1. Week 17 College Basketball Rankings: Gonzaga Bulldogs (1)

  • Record: 24-3 (13-1 in WCC)
  • Last Week: Won 89-73 at San Francisco, Lost 67-57 at No. 23 Saint Mary’s
  • This Week: Idle (Triple Bye in WCC Tournament)

The one team that has given Gonzaga the most trouble over the years in the WCC is Saint Mary’s so we can’t be too surprised that a very good Gaels team knocked off the Bulldogs at home. Gonzaga is done for the regular season and has the week off thanks to a triple-bye in the WCC Tournament before they face either No. 4 seed San Francisco or (most likely) No. 5 seed BYU in the semifinals next Monday.

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