2012 College Basketball Tip-Off: Week 1 Power Rankings
Let the madness begin!
March Madness and the Final Four, with all of its weirdness, wackiness, intense rivalries and stunning upsets, is still months away.
That said, the party that is the college basketball season has already started. If you're sick of spending your time reading about the SEC instead of college football as a whole, check out a top 10 that is not strictly a rundown of one conference's teams.
Well, except for the Big Ten, but if they stink as much on the hardwood as they have on the football field, you won't be reading about all those schools for long.
10. Florida Gators
Led by sharpshooting extraordinaire, the Gators are coming off back-to-back Elite 8 seasons and have already tipped off their 2012 campaign in style, beating up on a plodding Wisconsin squad, 74-56, on Wednesday night.
9. Duke Blue Devils
It was all smiles for Coach K's squad when his seasoned seniors took down the diaper dandy all-stars of Kentucky in the Champions Classic to open the 2012 season.
Has this squad of well-coached upperclassmen been underrated?
8. Syracuse Orange
The Orange opened the season in a big way. Not only was Jim Boeheim's squad's first game played on a battleship, but Michael Carter-Williams and CJ Fair combined for 34 points to lead 'Cuse over then-No. 20 San Diego State, 62-49.
7. Kansas Jayhawks
Rock chalk fans chomping at the bit for basketball after yet another disappointing year of football were immediately left wincing once again.
Expect a bit of a drop in the rankings after coach Bill Self's squad was beaten by Michigan State in the Champion's Classic, 67-64.
6. North Carolina State Wolf Pack
NC State is not by any means a 'one man wolf pack'. In stomping Miami (OH) to open the season, senior Richard Howell and little man freshman Rodney Purvis piled up 16 points apiece.
5. Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines are one of three Big Ten teams currently enjoying a spot in the nation's top five.
Powered by super-studly sophomore guard Trey Burke, Michigan has looked "so fresh and so clean" in racing out to a 3-0 start to the season.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes' Carrier Classic game against Marquette may have been cancelled, but that didn't stop Aaron Craft from showing fans some love.
In what became the squad's opening game, a win over Albany, Craft did more of the same, but this time from the hardwood. One of the nation's best on-ball defenders put up 20 points in the 82-60 win.
3. Kentucky Wildcats
Freshman Nerlens Noel may have amazing hair, but he did not look precisely the part of amazing freshman in the 'Cats loss to Duke in the Champion's Classic.
Like Kansas, Big Blue Nation has been drooling for basketball since Week 1 of the football season.
No worries, this team has already beaten Maryland and one loss does not make or break any season (except Alabama football, of course).
2. Louisville Cardinals
After collecting 18 first-place votes in the AP Poll to earn a ranking ahead of in-state rival Kentucky, the Cardinals performed as advertised in a 79-51 win over Manhattan to open the season.
More to the point, junior guard Russ Smith was as advertised, scoring 23 points in the win.
1. Indiana Hoosiers
It is impossible to say 'Indiana basketball' without including the transcendent Cody Zeller in the same sentence, so we won't.
The preseason All-everything seven-footer has averaged 20.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in the team's first two games, both blowout wins.
Information and statistics from ESPN.com were used in this article.
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