THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* Rk Team (Rec.) Comment 1 KENTUCKY (23-3) Wildcats are still unbeaten (13-0) in the difficult SEC 2 ARIZONA (21-2) This Cal-Stanford trip was a Bear on the way to 1997 NCAA title 3 FLORIDA (23-4) Killer closing run ahead at Auburn, at Georgia and finally, Kentucky at home 4 OKLAHOMA (19-5) Sooners shot 28% in loss to Missouri, and Ebi Ere was one for 11 5 KANSAS (21-6) Wayne Simien has more shoulder trouble, making it hard to count on him 6 TEXAS (19-5) Loss to Oklahoma State set the Longhorns back a notch or two 7 DUKE (20-4) Ho-hum, seventh 20-win season in a row 8 PITTSBURGH (20-4) Game with UConn will determine which team is primed for Big East tournament 9 MARYLAND (18-7) Terps beat Carolina by 40, Clemson by 39 10 WAKE FOREST (20-4) The Demon Deacons are still on top of the ACC 11 MARQUETTE (20-4) Dwyane Wade and Co. get a second shot at Louisville tonight 12 XAVIER (21-4) Musketeers must have had Duquesne and Duke confused, needing OT to win 13 ILLINOIS (19-5) The Illini beat Michigan State by 30 and Indiana by 26 in one week’s time 14 SYRACUSE (20-4) Defense held West Virginia to 17 first-half points 15 MISSISSIPPI ST. (18-6) Bulldogs just made Alabama’s quest for NCAA bid that much tougher 16 NOTRE DAME (21-6) Connecticut handed Irish first home loss of the season 17 OKLAHOMA ST. (20-6) Cowboys lost three of four -- but beat Texas 18 LOUISVILLE (19-4) Pitino’s gritty Cardinals have been exposed. Marquette seeks revenge next 19 STANFORD (21-6) Sixth-Man Club might make a run on candy bars for Arizona’s visit 20 UTAH (21-4) Sweep of BYU puts Utes in good shape for MWC title 21 GEORGIA (17-7) ‘Dawgs still must play Kentucky and Florida before the SEC tournament 22 CALIFORNIA (19-5) Just guessing: Cal students haven’t forgotten Arizona’s candy caper either 23 CREIGHTON (25-3) These darlings tend to live dangerously 24 DAYTON (20-5) Flyers can’t beat Xavier, but they’re still a very good team 25 CONNECTICUT (18-6) Coach Jim Calhoun is back, and so are the Huskies after victory at Notre Dame

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