Wisconsin is finally ranked #1...

[bsmith_501]

Wisconsin grabs top spot in Top 25

Associated Press




Get ready for another 1 vs. 2 showdown in the Big Ten - this time on the hardwood.

Wisconsin was the new No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 on Monday and Big Ten rival Ohio State was not far behind at No. 2.
The Badgers (26-2, 12-1), on top of the poll for the first time in school history, play the Buckeyes (24-3, 11-1) in Columbus on Sunday - just a bit more than three months after Ohio State and Michigan played a much-hyped 1 vs. 2 football game at Ohio Stadium.

Florida's 83-70 loss at Vanderbilt on Saturday snapped the Gators' 17-game winning streak and dropped them from the top spot in the media poll for the second time this season.

Wisconsin, which was No. 3 last week, leapfrogged second-ranked Ohio State to become the fourth No. 1 this season, and 52nd different school to hold the top spot in the history of the AP poll.

The Badgers received 35 first-place votes and 1,747 points. Ohio State got 31 first-place votes and 1,728 points. No 3 Florida received four first-place votes and No. 4 UCLA got two.

For the Big Ten, it's the first time the league best known for its football has had the top two teams in the AP basketball poll. The last time the same conference had Nos. 1 and 2 was last season, when the Big East had Connecticut at No. 1 and Villanova No. 2 in the second-to-last poll.

The last 1 vs. 2 game was also last season. No. 1 Duke defeated No. 2 Texas 97-66 at the Meadowlands in New Jersey on Dec. 10, 2005.

The current Blue Devils returned to the rankings at No. 18 after a one-week absence. A four-game losing streak ended an 11-year run in the Top 25 for Duke. The Blue Devils were ranked in 200 straight polls, the second longest streak ever.

But last week Duke beat Boston College on the road and Georgia Tech at home and the voters rewarded the Blue Devils.

The bottom of the rankings received a major shake-up as teams ranked 18-25 last week went 3-13.

Vanderbilt, Texas, Louisville, BYU and Virginia also moved into the Top 25. For Louisville, which beat two ranked teams - Pittsburgh and Marquette - on the road, and BYU, it's the first time this season they've been ranked. The Cougars haven't been in the Top 25 since March 1993.

Dropping out were Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Boston College, Indiana and Southern California.

Duke's Atlantic Coast Conference rival and Tobacco Road neighbor, North Carolina, slipped a spot to No. 5 after a 1-1 week. Kansas jumped up three spots to No. 6.

Memphis, Texas A&M, Washington State and Pittsburgh rounded out the Top 10.

The Badgers and Buckeyes will not only be playing for the No. 1 ranking Sunday, but also for the inside track to a Big Ten regular-season title.

Alando Tucker, who has seven consecutive 20-point games and is a leading candidate for national player of the year, and the Badgers defeated Ohio State 72-69 last month in Madison and begin the week with a half game lead on the Buckeyes.

Coach Bo Ryan's Badgers started the season ranked ninth, dipped to 12th and have been on the rise ever since. An experienced team that starts three seniors and two juniors, Wisconsin has already set a school record for victories in a season.

The Buckeyes have been in the top 10 all season thanks to one of the best freshmen classes in the country.

Seven-footer Greg Oden leads the team in scoring (15.5) and rebounding (9.5) and is shooting 61 percent from the field with 71 blocked shots in 20 games. Fellow frosh Mike Conley Jr. (10.1) and Daequan Cook (11.9) combine to average 22 points per game.

No. 11 Nevada leads the second 10 in the Top 25, followed by Georgetown and No. 13 Southern Illinois, which has its highest ranking ever. The Salukis reached No. 15 in March 2004.

Air Force was 14th and Butler, which lost to Southern Illinois on Saturday, dropped two spots to No. 15.

No. 16 Marquette has lost three straight games and slipped four spots in the rankings.

No. 17 Duke, Vanderbilt, Texas and Louisville round out the top 20.

BYU, West Virginia, Oregon, which fell eight spots to No. 23 after losing twice last week, Virginia and Alabama are the final five.

Well deserved :thumbsup:

 

[gopackgo]

Congrats from an Illini fan! Always wish the best for the Big Ten.

 

[PackerLegend]

About damn time BADGERS ARE #1!

 

[TOPackerFan]

How is Ohio State ranked above the Badgers in even one poll? I know it was a while ago, but I still have a hard time agreeing that OSU should be ranked ahead of Wisconsin when the Badgers beat them head-to-head.

 

[uwbadger12000]

Not to mention the Badgers have better wins AND a better record.

They are ranked above UW in one poll because America is in love with Greg Oden. They think he is the second coming of Jesus Christ.....

 

[Raider Pride]

Badgers were ranked number one on this day Feb 20, 2007 at exactly 05:56 AM this morning, Tuesday Feb, 20 2007 on the A.P. Poll

Yes indeed.... The First time ever they are the number one ranked team! Good for the Badgers.

18 Hours later it is over. They lose, they choke. I feel for the kids, because they have never been there before and did not know how to handle it at all. Blame the coach. That is all I can say is blame the coach.

That may be the shortest Number One ranking in the history of NCAA Basketball.

However.... 18 hours as number one is better than zero hours as number one.

Bottom line is UCLA will win it all. They have the history, and the ability to go beyond 18 hours.

Raider Pride.

 

[refpacker]

ADIOS to the number 1 Badgers, you'll never see it again.....Hope yall look forward to the third round knockout in the ncaa tourney, cause its coming!!!

 

[Buckeyepackfan]

Ohio State and Wisonsin played a tough, hard nosed game today, it will benefit both teams come the NCAA Tourney.

Wisconsin had some injuries today which may have cost them the win, the timeout at the end of the game definately changed things.

They will meet again in the Big Ten Tourney, and then hopefully in the NCAA, if that happens it would probably be in the final 4.

Great game today, good luck to both teams, I will be rooting for the Badgers except when they play The Buckeyes.

 

[PackerTraxx]

ADIOS to the number 1 Badgers, you'll never see it again.....Hope yall look forward to the third round knockout in the ncaa tourney, cause its coming!!!

If all you're going to do is tear Wisconsin down why don't you state your team so we can do the same. :noflame:

 

[refpacker]

ADIOS to the number 1 Badgers, you'll never see it again.....Hope yall look forward to the third round knockout in the ncaa tourney, cause its coming!!!

If all you're going to do is tear Wisconsin down why don't you state your team so we can do the same. :noflame:

Texas A&M......Have at it.....But id put them up against Wisconsin any day of the week....Id also put the Texas longhorns up against them, but thats a different story.

I never bashed Wisconsin in fact im a fan of the badgers...I just dont feel like they are a number one ranked team in the polls. I feel the florida or N carolina are at the top.....

In fact my favorite college RB of all time is ron dayne.... I wish he'd get in to better shape and a team in the nfl would let him be their feature back for one year just to see what he could do...

 

[uwbadger12000]

FLORIDA OR UNC????? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Are you watching the same games I am? UF just got steamrolled by Tennessee and LSfrickingU.

I'd play a home-and-home against A&M and Texas. UT for God's sake lost to KSU at home and A&M lost to Texas Tech and Tech sucks.

 

[refpacker]

FLORIDA OR UNC????? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Are you watching the same games I am? UF just got steamrolled by Tennessee and LSfrickingU.

I'd play a home-and-home against A&M and Texas. UT for God's sake lost to KSU at home and A&M lost to Texas Tech and Tech sucks.

florida is still the number one team in the land.....I dont like it but its true...every team loses games they shouldnt, but as far as pure talent goes florida is number one...

Kansas St. is a very underated team with lots of talent and inexperience.....and bobby knight is the best coach in college basketball....However I admit neither should have lost those games...We'll see how far these teams go this month..It will be settled by the madness, however I still say both a&m and UT will go farther than wisc... Oh and florida will be in the final 4..

Let the tourney do the talking....

 

[uwbadger12000]

I will and I'll laugh when UF gets knocked out in the sweet 16.

UT will not go to the Final Four. I do think, though, depending on who they are in a bracket with them, A&M will go to the Final Four.

 

[refpacker]

I will and I'll laugh when UF gets knocked out in the sweet 16.

I agree 100 percent....I never said UT would be in the final four, in my opinion they be knocked out of the sweet 16 or elite 8...however Texas A&M is going to go very deep, at least to the final four!!!

As for Wis. I think they are a very good team...However I think they lose in the elite 8......I feel florida will be in the final four with a chance to repeat, however repeating is not gonna be easy.

I cant wait to see the brackets...

 

[uwbadger12000]

I'd have to see the brackets before I pick my FF teams. If I had to choose now, I'd choose UW, UCLA, Texas A&M, and possibly Georgetown