TIMES’ TOP 25

CHRIS DUFRESNE’S RANKINGS AND COMMENTS:

Rk.; Team (Rec.); Comment

1 CONNECTICUT

19-1 OK, top dogs, the No. 1 ball is now in your court. (2)

2 WAKE FOREST

17-1 Yippee! Win over Duke makes you 5-24 all-time against No. 1. (5)

3 OKLAHOMA

20-1In case you’re wondering, the only loss was at Arkansas (4)

4 DUKE

18-2 Didn’t stay at No. 1 long enough to rearrange the drapes. (1)

5 N. CAROLINA

18-2 Fans cheer last-second win over Florida State at Terry’s Tar Heels and Tacos. (6)

6 LOUISVILLE

16-3 Neuheisel’s sleeper pick in NCAA tournament if not for silly company policy. (7)

7 MARQUETTE

18-2 Basically taking care of business by taking care of the basketball. (9)

8 TEXAS

15-4 Beating Baylor for Barnes has become so old 10-gallon cowboy hat. (17)

9 MICHIGAN

STATE 16-3 Expecting a huge, “wrestling type” crowd for tonight’s game at Iowa. (14).

10 XAVIER

18-2 Rankman raises hand to ask why there are 14 teams in the Atlantic 10. (16).

11 ARIZONA

STATE 16-3 Team is 10 times more exciting than Sendek on a conference call. (12)

12 VILLANOVA

16-4 Team to win last college hoop game at famed Spectrum is . . . you ‘Cats. (21)

13 PITTSBURGH

18-2 City hopes loss to Villanova isn’t an omen for the Steelers. (3)

14 CLEMSON

17-2 Team needs to buckle down and limber up for key stretch in ACC play. (8)

15 PURDUE

16-4 Musburger and Lavin brilliantly called ‘Makers to win over Wisconsin. (18)

16 BUTLER

18-1 Coach Stevens so young-looking (32) he could hold staff meetings at Chuck E. Cheese’s. (18)

17 SYRACUSE

17-5 Only thing guard Jonny Flynn really lacks is an “h” in Johnny. (11)

18 UCLA

15-4 A lock this year to make the Final Four . . . of the Pac-10 tournament (15).

19 MEMPHIS

17-3His name is Tyreke Evans, but you can just call him “Ty” or “Reke”. (19)

20 ST. MARY’S

18-1 Game at Gonzaga tonight good enough to be on TV -- and it is! (22)

21 WASHINGTON

15-4 Star player Isaiah Thomas named after mom’s favorite player, Magic Johnson. (NR).

22 ILLINOIS

17-3 Comeback award goes to team that already has surpassed last year’s win total. (23)

23 GONZAGA

14-4 Nutritionist praises Zags for having a balanced lineup and diet. (24)

24 FLORIDA

18-3 Any trip to Vanderbilt where you don’t fall off the court is a good one. (25)

25 UTAH STATE

19-1 Rankman gives some love to non-BCS team from the WAC. (NR)