And then there were four. March Madness has been unusually devoid of upsets and spectacular moments as a whole, but the end result is essentially the same. Four of the best teams in the country will meet in Detroit this weekend to decide a national champion. Let's take a look at those teams and their paths taken thus far.

(1) Connecticut vs. (2) Michigan St. - CBS, Saturday - 6:07pm

Connecticut faced some scrutiny before the tournament even began as some questioned whether or not they were deserving of a #1 seed. That question has essentially been erased as the Huskies ran through the West bracket without too much of a challenge. Tennessee Chattanooga and Texas A&M were both blown out by UConn on the opening weekend and then Purdue and Missouri fell victim in Glendale, Arizona. The Missouri game was the toughest challenge for Connecticut, as the Tigers attempted to use their speed to their advantage. The Huskies were able to adapt however, as freshman guard Kemba Walker had the best game of his career, scoring 23 points in helping secure a Final Four birth with a 82-75 win. So far through 4 games, the Huskies have been shooting the ball very well, 51.5% for the tournament. If they can keep this up, they're going to be difficult to beat.

Michigan St. has continuously proven me wrong. I picked them to lose to Kansas in the Sweet 16 and they held them off in a tight game. I picked them to lose to Louisville and they basically embarrassed them in a 64-52 victory. The Spartans also beat Robert Morris and a talented USC squad to make their way to the Final 4. The game against the Cardinals was a back and forth struggle into the 2nd half, but Michigan St. dropped the hammer on Rick Pitino's team, walking away down the stretch. Big man Goran Suton has been the difference maker for the Spartans so far in the tournament and he lead the way again against Louisville, scoring 19 and adding 10 rebounds. Michigan St. may just be a team of destiny as they certainly have a lot of trends on their side. They've never lost a tournament as 2 seed, going 9-0 so far. This is the 30th anniversary of the National Championship team lead by Magic Johnson. Last but not least, they're now heading to Detroit for the Final 4, which is just 90 miles from East Lansing.

Tom Izzo has proven himself amongst the best coaches in the college game currently, as this is Michigan State's 5th trip to the Final Four in 11 seasons under his leadership. They haven't look exceptional so far in the tournament except for late against Louisville, but they've done enough to get by so far and they're going to have a decidedly home court advantage this weekend. The NCAA has a goal of getting 70,000 fans into Ford Field for the games, and this will be the first time the court has been set up at mid-field rather than in one of the corners of the stadium. Lucky for the NCAA that MSU made it this far and is so close to home, because they might not attain their goal otherwise. I'd expect a lot of Spartan Spirit to be in the house for at least Saturday's game. UConn will have to overcome that, but they look up to the task based on their tournament thus far. The Huskies have made the Final Four two other times and won the championship both times. They'll look to continue that trend this weekend.

One of the key matchups to watch in this one will be the big man as Goran Suton does battle with Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet is perhaps the most dominating presence in the middle that the NCAA has to offer, but Suton will not challenge him there if he's smart. Suton has the ability to shoot the ball fairly well and will look to draw Thabeet away from the basket to open up the lane for his teammates. The problem is that UConn also has 6'7 Jeff Adrien to help out in that area. Another key matchup is at the point guard position. Kalin Lucas runs the offense for the Spartans and is perhaps the most consistent player they have. Conversely, freshmen Kemba Walker holds down that spot for the Huskies and he has only been in that position for a while since Jerome Dyson went down due to injury in mid-February. Connecticut has the better starting 5 in this matchup, but Michigan St. has the deeper bench. Coaching is pretty much a wash as Calhoun and Izzo are two of the best. It hasn't paid off for me so far, but I'm going to pick against Michigan St. yet again. UConn has been one of the two most impressive teams in this tournament so far in my opinion and I like them to advance to Monday's championship game.

(1) North Carolina vs. (3) Villanova - CBS, Saturday - 8:47pm

North Carolina's closest game thus far in the tourney has been a 12 point victory. The Tar Heels have been nothing short of dominant so far, beating Radford, LSU, Gonzaga, and Oklahoma by an average of 22.5 points per game. The Sooners were expected to provide a battle in their Elite 8 matchup, but Blake Griffin is the only person that offered some competition. He finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds, but only one other Sooner scored in double figures. Meanwhile, UNC got 19 from Ty Lawson and 18 from Danny Green, not even needing last year's player of the year, Tyler Hansbrough to do much of anything. Hansbrough took only 4 shots on the game, scoring just 8 points. Roy William's team shot 51% and never trailed in the game. North Carolina had a walk in the park through the South regional and look like a tough out for the remainder of the tournament.

Villanova was perhaps a bit underrated heading into the tournament because of the depth of talent in the Big East, but they've proven themselves amongst the elite teams in the nation this year. They had to squeak past Pitt at the last second to make the Final Four, but prior to that, they had no trouble with American, UCLA, or Duke, whom they embarrassed in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats jumped out to a quick lead against Pittsburgh, but endured a back and forth battle throughout the second half before eventually winning on Scottie Reynolds last second basket. 'Nova had trouble controlling Pitt's big men DeJuan Blair and Sam Young, who combined for 48 points, but countered with 4 players in double figures. The Wildcats also went 22/23 from the free throw line while Pittsburgh was 21/29, a difference that likely decided the game.

North Carolina is at it's best when they get out on the run and score transition baskets. Villanova however, matches up well with that style of play with athletic guards and forwards like Reynolds and Dante Cunningham. Judging by Villanova's difficulty against Pittsburgh's big guys, UNC might be better suited to try and run the offense through Tyler Hansbrough and work the inside. Whichever tactic Roy Williams decides upon, it's going to be difficult for Villanova to keep up with the Heels. Ty Lawson has been playing fantastic ball despite his injury thus far, and Wayne Ellington is capable of contributing at a high level as well. Add in the occasional game like Green had against Oklahoma and it becomes a matter of who do you focus your attention on. The Wildcats rely very heavily on their starting 5 and it's going to be hard for them to avoid wearing down over the course of 40 minutes.

The bottom line is that nobody has made winning look as easy as North Carolina so far in this tournament and I don't see any of the remaining teams being able to match up well with them. It's going to take an off game to slow down the Tar Heels at this point, but somebody always seems to step up for them. As much as it pains me to say so, I simply can't pick against them at this point. Be sure to check back sometime on Monday as I preview the National Championship game!

We've reached the end of the regular season and it appears things have come full circle as UNC has regained the top spot. Smaller conference tournaments are already in full swing and the big boys get under way on Wednesday. More importantly, Selection Sunday is less than a week away now. The two conferences that got all the attention all year long have proven why as 7 of the Top 10 teams come from either the ACC or Big East. Let's take one last look at the AP Top Ten for this season.

1. North Carolina (27-3)

UNC finished up only 3 points ahead of Pitt in the polls, but they're back at #1 where they spent a good portion of the early part of the year. The Tar Heels finished strong with wins over Virginia Tech and #9 Duke last week, and going 13-1 since mid-January, losing only to Maryland in overtime. Carolina is essentially assured a #1 seed in the tournament regardless of how they do in the ACC tourney this week. The only question mark this team faces right now is the health of Ty Lawson. The star junior guard has an injured toe and some have suggested he might sit out part or all of the ACC tournament in order to be healthy for the following week.

2. Pittsburgh (28-3)

The Panthers final week of the year saw them beat both Marquette and UConn with relative ease at home. The Panthers swept the Huskies this season in impressive fashion and wind up 2nd in the Big East behind #5 Louisville. Pitt seems to be firing on all cylinders at this point, and while they might get tripped up in the Big East tourney, it's doubtful that it would cost them a #1 seed. The Panthers are going to be a force in the NCAA tourney and are my early favorites to win, pending how the brackets turn out next Sunday.

3. Connecticut (27-3)

If it weren't for Pitt, Connecticut would have spend the entire 2nd half of the season at #1. The Huskies have been viewed by many as the best team in the country, but a 2nd loss to the Panthers puts that in serious doubt. Finishing 3rd in the Big East assures them 2 extra days of rest while the rest of the conference does battle, and barring a very poor performance, many expect UConn to grab one of the #1 seeds as well. Connecticut has blown out almost all their competition this season, with the obvious exception of their losses, so expect them to go deep in the NCAA tourney. I'd be quite surprised if they didn't make it to the Elite 8 at the very least.

4. Memphis (28-3)

Every week I write virtually the same thing about the Tigers. They continue to pound away on Conference USA like the biggest bully on the playground and all the while, they lose credit with experts around the country because of it. They haven't lost since before Christmas, and barring a miracle, they aren't going to lose in their conference tournament either. Memphis will likely pull down a 2 seed, again because of their lack of competition, but the question on everybody's mind is how long will they last in the Big Dance? I don't think this team has the talent of the last few years, and I expect them to make a fairly early exit, likely on the 2nd weekend.

5. Louisville (25-5)

The Big East regular season champion Cardinals finished out their season with wins over Seton Hall and West Virginia. If Rick Pitino's squad puts in a solid showing in the conference tourney, they could very well be the 3rd #1 seed out of the Big East next Sunday night. The Cards have taken two poundings at the hands of UConn and Notre Dame, but remained otherwise flawless in 2009. This team kind of snuck up on everybody and I think many are still unsure just what they're capable of. I don't like to bet against Pitino in March however, and won't be surprised to see them last deep into the NCAA tourney.

6. Oklahoma (27-4)

The Sooners hit another bump late in the year, dropping a surprise game at #14 Missouri last Wednesday, before knocking of in state rival OSU to finish out the season. This loss likely cost them a 1 seed, but they should still fair well at the #2 spot they are likely to get. I'd be rather surprised if Oklahoma doesn't at least make the finals of the Big 12 tournament, about as surprised as I would be if Blake Griffin doesn't win the Naismith Award this year. The Sooners will go just as far as Griffin can carry them in the NCAA tourney, and I'd be willing to bet that it's quite aways. I still think that OU has what it takes to make it to Detroit and the Final Four.

7. Michigan St. (25-5)

Sparty just keeps on chugging along, finishing up with wins against Indiana and Purdue last week. Of their 5 losses, 3 of them came against quality teams, but UNC and Maryland both destroyed them, which makes you question how they will fair outside of the Big 10. Michigan St. is likely on point for a 2 seed, barring a complete collapse in the conference tourney this week. Tom Izzo has his work cut out for him though in my opinion, as I see MSU having trouble getting past the Sweet 16.

8. Wake Forest (24-5)

Wake Forest polished off their regular season with wins against Maryland and Clemson en route to a 2nd place finish in the ACC. The ACC Tournament should be crazy this week as always and the Demon Deacons will probably be playing for a 2 or 3 seed depending on their performance. The athleticism of this team is going to be very hard for teams outside of the ACC to deal with, and regardless of their seed, I like them to make at least the Elite 8 in the NCAA Tournament.

9. Duke (25-6)

The Blue Devils won a tight game against Florida St. on Wednesday but couldn't overcome #1 UNC in Chapel Hill on Sunday afternoon, winding up 3rd in the ACC. On the plus side for Duke, their top 3 players have established themselves late in the year and the insertion of freshmen Elliot Williams into the starting lineup has paid off for Coach K's squad. Adversely however, their depth has been a question down the stretch with their bench players not performing at the level their capable of. Barring a lousy performance in the ACC Tournament, Duke looks poised for a 3 seed and should finally make it past the Sweet 16 once again in the NCAA Tourney. I expect them to make it to the Elite 8 before a patented cold shooting nice bounces them back to Durham.

10. Villanova (25-6)

The Wildcats trampled Providence on Wednesday to finish the regular season at 4th in the Big East. Georgetown is really the only disappointing loss on their schedule this season, but for the most part Villanova has managed to stay under the radar in their loaded conference. Dynamic guard play from Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher has helped propel Nova this far, but they lack a true big man, which usually proves important in the NCAA tournament. I expect Villanova to last about as long as they don't have to face a Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet, or DeJuan Blair.

Here we are in the final week of the regular season and the top teams continue to shuffle around and nobody wants to keep the #1 ranking it seems. Lots of shifting again in the past 2 weeks since our last look, so let's dive right in.

1. Connecticut (27-2)

Two weeks ago I wrote that UConn would likely fade away from the top spot after a loss to Pittsburgh. Well, I was right about that, but they quickly regained the spot today. Since the lost to Pittsburgh, the Huskies have taken down South Florida, Marquette, and Notre Dame. Oh, and Jim Calhoun had a little incident you might have heard about as well. Connecticut can relax this week as they don't play again until Saturday, but that game is a big one as they have their shot at redemption on the road at Pittsburgh. Regardless of the outcome of that game, the Huskies only need a solid showing in the Big East Tournament to get a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

2. North Carolina (25-3)

UNC has continued to climb back towards the top of the rankings where they were for much of the early part of the season, falling just short of the top spot. Since we last looked, the Tar Heels have knocked off neighboring NC State, as well as ACC bottom dweller Georgia Tech. They dropped a tough battle in College Park in between however, falling to Maryland in overtime thanks in large part to a triple double from Greivis Vasquez. UNC has 2 games left in their regular season, first against a desperate Virginia Tech team who needs one more big win to ensure themselves a spot in the tourney on Wednesday, followed up by a season ending show down at home against #7 Duke on Sunday. Much like the Huskies, a solid performance in the ACC will all but lock up a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney.

3. Pittsburgh (26-3)

Pitt managed to claim the top spot last week after their strong performance at UConn, but it was fleeting as they dropped a game at Providence, where they were outplayed the entire way. Wins over DePaul and Seton Hall didn't do much to help the Panthers as those teams sit near the bottom of the Big East. Jamie Dixon's squad finishes up with 2 tough games though, hosting Marquette on Wednesday and then UConn on Saturday. If the team can at least split those games and make it to the semi-finals of the Big East Tourney, they will likely grab a #1 seed on selection Sunday as well. I personally still think this team will be a beast in the NCAA tournament due to the presence of big man DeJuan Blair.

4. Oklahoma (26-3)

Just as they looked poised to finally take the #1 ranking when Pitt beat UConn, the Sooners had a decided setback. Early in the first half of a big matchup with Texas, Player of the Year favorite, Blake Griffin took a shot to the head and ended up leaving the game with a concussion. Oklahoma battled hard, but couldn't overcome their loss. Further proving how much Griffin means to them, Oklahoma then went on to lose it's next game at home against Kansas as well. Blake is back now though and OU is right back to it's winning ways, winning easily against Texas Tech on Saturday. Oklahoma wraps up at #15 Missouri on Wednesday and hosts Oklahoma St. on Saturday. Barring something unexpected, Oklahoma figures to grab the last of the 4 top seeds.

5. Memphis (26-3)

Memphis just keeps on winning, but can't seem to move up the rankings at all. The Tigers have now won 20 straight games this season and a ridiculous 56 consecutive conference games. But there in lies the problem. Memphis just doesn't get the respect that Big East or ACC schools get due to their vastly inferior conference. The last legit competition they faced (and you might say the only legit competition they've faced all year) was Syracuse, Georgetown, and Xavier. Those 3 teams happen to represent all 3 losses for the Tigers. As I've mentioned before, John Calipari has a way of having his team ready come tourney time despite this, but I won't be all that surprised to see the Tigers make an early exit this time around.

6. Lousiville (23-5)

The Cardinals are perhaps the forgotten Big East team at this point, but they certainly should not be overlooked. Since our last look, they've reeled off 4 straight wins including beating Marquette yesterday. They finish up hosting Seton Hall on Wednesday and at West Virginia on Saturday. Both games should result in wins for Louisville and I would look out for them as a #2 seed in the NCAA tourney. Rick Pitino is a master come March, and with the 1-2 punch of Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, the Cards could make some noise.

7. Duke (24-5)

It took a while, but Duke finally managed to turn things around. After some lineup changes, Coach K seems to have hit upon a winning combination by starting freshman guard Eliott Williams. Williams has provided a big spark since being given the opportunity and it's translated to success for the Blue Devils. They've won their last 4 in a row including an outstanding performance in a rematch against Wake Forest, going for 101 in the 10 point victory. John Scheyer and Gerald Henderson both had career games with 30 and 35 respectively and momentum seems to be back on Duke's side. They close with two tough games, hosting #24 Florida State on Tuesday and then heading 8 miles down the road to Chapel Hill to face the #2 Tar Heels on Sunday. Duke is looking at a 2 or 3 seed for the tournament and seem poised to make their deepest run in the past several years.

8. Michigan St. (23-5)

The Spartans fell off a bit after getting blown out at #19 Purdue two weeks ago, but have rebounded with wins against Wisconsin, Iowa, and #23 Illinois since. Michigan St. heads to Indiana to face a pretty awful Hoosier squad on Tuesday before finishing up at home in a rematch against Purdue. That game should mean a lot to Tom Izzo's squad as they look for redemption and possibly a higher seed for March Madness. Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan have been solid for the team all year, but they'll need to be at their best come tournament time if the folks in East Lansing have hopes of making it very far.

9. Kansas (24-5)

The Jayhawks have quietly chugged along unnoticed for most of the year and now find themselves in the Top Ten in March. Kansas has lost only once in it's last 14 games, that being a narrow 2 point loss on the road at #15 Missouri. Along the way, they've knocked off #4 Oklahoma (without Blake Griffin it should be noted) but not much of anybody else. Still, Bill Self's squad can finish out on top of the Big 12 by winning their last 2 games, at Texas Tech on Wednesday, and home to Texas on Saturday. Junior guard Sherron Collins is extremely talented, scoring 18.5 points per game to go along with 4 assists, and sophomore center Cole Aldrich averages a double double with his 15.1 points and 10.8 boards per game. I'm not sure how well the Jayhawks will hold up against increased competition in the NCAA tournament, but they'll enter as one of the hotter teams in the country if they continue their winning ways.

10. Wake Forest (22-5)

After a bit of a cold spell, Wake Forest has seemingly found it's stride again, having won 4 of it's last 5. The lone loss coming at #7 Duke, when the Blue Devils put on perhaps their best performance of the season. Granted, the other 3 wins the Demon Deacons have had since we last looked at the Top Ten all came against the 3 weakest teams in the ACC, but it provides a confidence boost if nothing else. Wake faces Maryland on the road Tuesday before finishing up at home against #18 Clemson on Sunday. Looking at either a 3 or a 4 seed for the NCAA depending on their finish, Dino Gaudio's team can be a difficult matchup for some. They are one of the longest and most athletic teams in the country and few schools have a defensive answer to the trio of Jeff Teague, James Johnson, and Al-Farouq Aminu. Despite some setbacks, I still like Wake to make it perhaps as far as the Elite 8.

Another week has passed and a lot has changed amongst the AP Top Ten rankings. As March rapidly approaches, many teams are out to prove themselves as contenders while others just hope to hang on to a top seed for the tournament. Let's take a look at the current standings in the polls.

1. Connecticut (24-2)

I think it's safe to say this is the last time you'll see UConn at the top of the heap for awhile. #4 Pittsburgh came to town last night and beat them by 8, which will surely drop the Huskies a few spots next week at this time. The homestretch doesn't get any easier either as Connecticut still has to travel to #10 Marquette and has a rematch with the Panthers in Pittsburgh to finish out the regular season. Hasheem Thabeet has been a monster for UConn, but losing second leading scorer Jerome Dyson for the year could prove very costly.

2. Oklahoma (25-1)

The Sooners are one of the teams that haven't seen much change in the past week, they continue to dominate Big 12 play with no signs of slowing down. They'll surely be #1 in next week's poll and they deserve it. Blake Griffin continued his quest for the National Player of the Year honors by dropping 40 points and 23 boards against Texas Tech on Saturday. That 19 point win coupled with a 15 point victory at Baylor last week proves Oklahoma's conference dominance and a matchup at Texas on Saturday looks to be their only possible challenge between now and tournament time.

3. North Carolina (23-2)

UNC was everybody's preseason pick, but a brief stumble in early January had some wondering. The Tar Heels have been working on erasing that doubt as of late, defeating both #9 Duke and Miami on the road last week. UNC had issues with the red hot Blue Devils in the first half of their matchup, but remained cool and turned it up in the 2nd half before claiming a 14 point victory. Putting up 101 on a Duke team that was only allowing 61 per game goes a long ways towards showing just how incredible the UNC offense really is. The ACC provides a challenge in almost every conference game, but the real test for Carolina will be the season finale at home against Duke, who should be motivated more so than normal.

4. Pittsburgh (24-2)

The Panthers will be on their way up come next Monday too. Knocking off the #1 team on the road and moving within a half game of the Big East lead capped off another great week for Jamie Dixon's squad. Pittsburgh easily handled Cincinnati last Saturday and continued to get the most out of their star big man, DeJuan Blair. If Pittsburgh can finish out the season without any miscues, including hosting UConn on March 7, they should find themselves as a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

5. Memphis (22-3)

Memphis continued to embarass their Conference USA opponents since my last look at the Top 10, defeating Tulane 63-37, and Southern Miss 72-47. Memphis remains hard to gauge as they simply don't have any competition within their conference. Playing low level competition isn't likely going to help them prepare for what they'll face in the tournament, but it'll still likely earn them a 1 or 2 seed. They've fared well the past few years despite the weak conference opposition, so perhaps John Calipari will have his team ready again this season. Either way, one thing is for sure, we'll find out soon enough.

6. Michigan St. (20-4)

The Spartans haven't played since knocking off in state rival Michigan on 2/10, but face #19 Purdue for the first of two matchups tonight. Junior Raymar Morgan has been solid all year for Michigan State, averaging 12.3 points and 6 rebounds per game. He will certainly play a large role in any success they might have in the NCAA tourney, but the question is going to be who else steps up. Due to a lackluster Big Ten conference, MSU will need to essentially run the table to have a hope at a #2 seed.

7. Louisville (19-5)

Louisville has has perhaps the most unusual week of anybody in the Top Ten. They played at Notre Dame last Thursday and were absolutely dismantled 90-57 in a game where Luke Harangody went off for 32 points and 17 boards. In response, the Cardinals took Big East weakling Depaul to the cleaners on Sunday, winning 99-54. #10 Marquette is the only ranked team left on Louisville's schedule, however the Notre Dame game proves that the Big East doesn't offer many nights off. Rick Pitino certainly knows how to get it done in March, but does he have the players to aid his success this time around?

8. Wake Forest (19-4)

Wake Forest suffered another unexpected loss when they played at NC State on Wednesday, dropping the game 82-76. They then turned around and pounded on Florida State at home 86-63 on Saturday. This week brings a chance for revenge when they host Georgia Tech tomorrow night, before heading to Durham and a rematch against the Blue Devils on Sunday evening. Wake Forest currently sits tied for 3rd in the ACC with Clemson, but could find themselves as high as 2nd if they win both matchups this week. Jeff Teague continues to play at a very high level and has plenty of support from very athletic forwards James Johnson and Al-Farouq Aminu. All three will need to continue to play at their best to survive the end of the regular season and an always brutal ACC tourney.

9. Duke (20-5)

The rough stretch for Duke continues to get worse as they went 0-2 last week. The Blue Devils played perhaps their best half of basketball against UNC on Wednesday night before falling apart in the 2nd and giving up 101 to the Tar Heels in a tough home loss. As a followup effort, Duke headed to Boston College on Sunday night, where despite leading for the majority of the game, they eventually fell to the Eagles, 80-74. This week brings an out of conference trip to NYC to face St. John's on Thursday, followed by a home game against Wake Forest on Sunday. Revenge should be a huge motivating factor in that one as Duke lost in the final seconds in Winston-Salem on 1/28.

10. Marquette (21-4)

The Golden Eagles split last week's games, dropping a big matchup with Villanova on Tuesday and then rebounding with a 14 point win at home against St. John's on Saturday. They face Seton Hall and Georgetown this week before taking on a murderer's row of sorts to end February and begin March. 4 teams are within a game of each other at the top of the Big East standings. One of those is Marquette, and the other three are Connecticut, Pittsburgh, and Louisville, who the Golden Eagles play in consecutive games between 2/25 and 3/4. Essentially this means that Marquette has the ability to claim the top spot in the conference heading into the the Big East tourney, but it's a daunting task to say the very least.

It's been a month since I last ran down the AP Top Ten rankings in the NCAA, and a lot has changed in the meantime. Moving forward, we will keep a closer eye on college hoops as March Madness approaches. Number one seems to be a dangerous place to be the past few weeks, but UConn managed to hold on to the top spot for a second week, only time will tell if they can keep themselves there for much longer.

1. Connecticut (22-1)

Simply put, Connecticut is the best team in the best conference in college basketball. While the rest of the Big East has been busy beating up on one another, UConn has just kept plugging along with win after win. Their lone loss came at the end of December to a Georgetown team that has fallen drastically as of late. Since that point, no team has come closer than within 6 points of the Huskies and many have fallen by a far larger margin. While they only have 6 games remaining, 2 of them come against the #4 ranked team in Pittsburgh. A battle against a tough Marquette team also looms, and UConn will need to win just about every game if they want to finish the regular season at the top of the Big East.

2. Oklahoma (23-1)

Oklahoma is the best team that nobody really talks about. Sure, most people recognize Blake Griffin, and he's likely the odds on favorite for the Naismith Award at this point as the best player in the NCAA, but beyond that, Oklahoma remains largely unnoticed. Part of the reason for this is that the Big Twelve just isn't nearly as competitive as some of the other conferences out there. The Sooners haven't been challenged in conference play as of yet, with a 9-0 record , winning with ease more often than not. The only other conference teams in the Top 25 are Kansas and Missouri, both of whom Oklahoma still has a date with. Barring some unforeseen collapse, Oklahoma has a pretty easy road to a #1 seed in the NCAA tourney ahead of them, but will remain largely untested when that time comes.

3. North Carolina (21-2)

As I stated in my previous look at the Top Ten a month ago, the Big East is the best top to bottom conference, but the ACC boasts the best top 4 in the land. Those 4 teams are all in the Top 11, and UNC is at the top of the heap. A huge letdown against Boston College, who has proven to be better than most expected, and a narrow loss against a very good Wake Forest team are the only blemishes on the Tar Heels record at this point. Their remaining schedule is favorable however as #6 Duke is their only ranked opponent in regular season play. They do have to face the Blue Devils twice however, the first of which takes place at Cameron Indoor Stadium tonight. North Carolina will look to finish strong and secure a #1 seed and the ability to play in nearby Greensboro, NC in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tourney.

4. Pittsburgh (22-2)

One of the multiple teams to see #1 and fall this year are the Pitt Panthers. Conference losses to #7 Louisville and #13 Villanova, both on the road, won't hurt their ranking too badly come tournament time, but 2 matchups with #1 UConn as well as hosting #10 Marquette provide serious hurdles beforehand. The Panthers are a very tough, physical, and well-balanced team, a combination that will likely propel them deep into the NCAA tournament. DeJuan Blair has been nothing short of a beast so far this season and will wear down opponents on a nightly basis. The remaining schedule will shed a great deal of light on just how legit a team Pitt really is.

5. Louisville (18-4)

The 3rd Big East time in the Top 5, Louisville has been a bit of a surprise this season. While most expected them to be a very good team, there aren't likely to be many people that can claim they thought they were Top 5 caliber. The Cardinals have only lost one Big East game, to the top ranked Huskies, but have some puzzling losses earlier in the season, including a blowout against Western Kentucky, as well as a 1 point loss at home against UNLV. With a relatively speaking "easy" conference schedule remaining, Louisville could possibly be in line for a 2 seed come tourney time. Nothing can be taken for granted in the Big East however.

6. Duke (20-3)

The Blue Devils gained the #1 ranking a few weeks back and promptly hit a rough patch. After impressively coming back from 13 down late in the game at Wake Forest, Duke tied the game up with 10 seconds left. A turnover call against Duke gave Wake Forest the chance they needed, and after a horrible defensive effort on an inbound play, James Johnson put in an easy layup with under a second left to knock off the top ranked Blue Devils. Duke recovered by pounding Virgina at home, but then put on an abysmal performance at Clemson, losing by 27. Looking to again recover with a home game, Duke was very flat in the first half against Miami, but again made a comeback, this time hanging on for the win. It doesn't get any easier though as #3 UNC makes the 8 mile trip to Durham tonight, and the Blue Devils head to Chapel Hill to finish the regular season. Somewhere in between, Duke gets a rematch with the Deamon Deacons as well. While they would have to virtually run the table to claim a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, a 2 or 3 seed is well within their reach with a decent finish.

7. Wake Forest (18-3)

Yet another of the teams that lost promptly after reaching #1 this season. Wake has lost 3 of the last 5, including a home game against Virginia Tech, a narrow loss at the ACC's cellar dweller Georgia Tech, and a 27 point blowout at the hands of Miami. The win against Duke was a solid one for the Deacs, but the rematch at the Blue Devils on February 22, should prove difficult. The rest of Wake's schedule looks decent on paper however, as they play the bottom 3 teams in the conference before finishing up at home against #12 Clemson. When they are on top of their game, Wake Forest has looked like the most talented team in the country this year, but they'll need consistancy to make a run in the post season.

8. Memphis (20-3)

The biggest downfall for Memphis is the fact that they play in Conference USA and have virtually no competition. The Tigers haven't lost a conference game since March of 2006. This pretty much forces Memphis to play a tough out of conference schedule each year. Their losses this season come to #14 Xavier and previously ranked Syracuse and Georgetown. They are coming off a beatdown of #18 Gonzaga in Spokane, which will help boost their RPI heading into tourney time and it would be a surprise if they didn't run the table in conference to finish the season. Memphis should finish in the Top Ten and will likely be looking at a 2 or 3 seed.

9. Michigan St. (19-4)

The Spartans are another team that has quietly gained steam throughout the year. Losing early to two ACC teams in Maryland and UNC, Michigan St. then went on an 11 game winning streak and moved out to 17-2. Losses at home to Northwestern and Penn State don't look too good at this point, but the middle of the pack teams in the Big Ten have been very competitive with one another this year. Two games against #20 Purdue as well as a tilt with #22 Illinois will give MSU a chance to prove they deserve their spot in the Top Ten. Coach Tom Izzo is one of the best in the business and will certainly look to have his team ready to play their best come March.

10. Marquette (20-3)

Most wouldn't have expected the Golden Eagles to make it until February 6th without losing a Big East matchup, but that's exactly what they did. Their first conference loss came at South Florida, and was only by a single point. Unfortunately for Marquette however, it is going to continue to get tougher from here on out. A three game stretch consisting of home against UConn, at Louisvile, and at Pitt, before finishing up at home against Syracuse, will force them to be at their best if they want to finish up in the Top Ten. Guards Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews are averaging 20 and 19 points per game respectively and provide one of the best backcourts in the nation, but Marquette is completely lacking of a presence inside, which will hurt them desperately against both the Huskies and Panthers.