Petro’s AP Ballot, Week Preview

Petro’s AP Ballot, Week Preview

By Soren Petro, Sports Radio 810

PETRO’S AP BALLOT
 
1.  Villanova
2.  Gonzaga
3.  Kansas
4.  Baylor
5.  UCLA
6.  Arizona
7.  Louisville
8.  Oregon
9.  West Virginia
10.  Kentucky
11.  North Carolina
12.  Duke
13.  Purdue
14.  Wisconsin
15.  Virginia
16.  Florida
17.  Florida St.
18.  Cincinnati
19.  South Carolina
20.  SMU
21.  Notre Dame
22.  Wichita St.
23.  Butler
24.  Xavier
25.  Creighton
 
26.  Maryland
27.  Iowa St.
28.  Northwestern
29.  Saint Mary’s
30.  Michigan
31.  Houston
32.  Dayton
33.  Miami
34.  Kansas St.
35.  USC
36.  Minnesota
37.  Michigan St.
38.  Virginia Tech
39.  Syracuse
40.  Oklahoma St.
 
 
THE LOCALS
Kansas held it’s spot at #3 on my ballot, as the top three are unchanged.  The Jayhawks have their toughest week remaining in the regular season this week, with West Virginia coming to Lawrence for Big Monday and the Hawks traveling to Waco to try to complete the sweep against Baylor on Saturday.  Kansas can wrap up the Big XII if they can win both.
 
Kansas St. has now lost five of its last six and is two games under .500 in the league.  The Cats have ISU at home and UT in Austin.  The ISU game is a must win.  I don’t see the Cats getting back to .500 in the league with a loss at home to the Clones. The Cats have six games left on the season with three on the road.  They have to take down all three home games and look to get at least one on the road.
 
 
TOP 16 TEAMS IN THE BRACKET
The NCAA announced what the S-curve looks like right now for the top 16 teams in college basketball.  The Big XII had three teams listed.  Kansas was the number-two over-all seed, Baylor at number three, and West Virginia at number fourteen.  That’s two #1 seeds and a #4.  Only the ACC had more in the top 16, with #2 seeds, a #3, and one #4.
 
 
GAMES OF THE WEEK
MONDAY
Kansas vs. West Virginia – The only way Kansas doesn’t win the league is if they get swept this week.  I just don’t see the Hawks losing a second straight game at The Phog.
 
WEDNESDAY
Virginia vs. Duke – The Blue Devils got a big win against UNC last week.  This game is their chance to prove that they are rounding into the kind of team people thought they would be before the season when they were the consensus number one team in the country.        Both teams are only one game back of UNC in the loss column for the top spot in the ACC.
 
SATURDAY
Baylor vs. Kansas – This is Baylor’s chance to knock off the Hawks and end the streak.
 
North Carolina vs. Virginia – This is the first of two games in nine days between UNC and UVA.  They are fighting for the ACC and a shot at a number one seed.
 
Wisconsin vs. Maryland – The top two teams in the Big 10 square off.  This is for the driver seat in the Big 10 race, but also will go a long way towards putting the winner into the running for a top seed.  Right now neither is in the top 16.