Had the hardest time I've had all year deciding who's my No. 1 this week. As impressive as Syracuse was in its big win over Villanova on Saturday night, I still feel that Kansas is probably -- barely -- the best team in the country. But the Orange won big this week, while the Jayhawks lost (albeit to a good, NCAA tourney-bound Oklahoma State team, on the road). Kentucky lost, too.

The tiebreaker for me is simply that Syracuse is the best team in the best conference in the country. That's enough to put them on top for this week, in my book. I really think the Orange could win it all this year. That 2-3 zone will cause fits to teams that have never seen it before (heck, look what it did Saturday to 'Nova, which is familiar with the Orange zone).

And so, in the words of R.E.M., "I've got my spine, I've got my Orange crush." For this week, anyway.

What about UConn, UAsk? That Notre Dame game on Wednesday could just about be a play-in game for both teams.

Here's the top 25 I submitted last night:


1. Syracuse 27-2
2. Kansas 27-2
3. Kentucky 27-2
4. Kansas State 24-4
5. Duke 25-4
6. New Mexico 27-3
7. Purdue 24-4
8. Ohio State 23-7
9. West Virginia 22-6
10. Villanova 23-5
11. Brigham Young 26-4
12. Michigan State 23-7
13. Gonzaga 24-5
14. Wisconsin 21-7
15. Butler 26-4
16. Vanderbilt 22-6
17. Temple 24-5
18. Tennessee 21-7
19. Georgetown 19-8
20. Baylor 22-6
21. UTEP 22-5
22. Maryland 21-7
23. Pittsburgh 22-7
24. Xavier 21-7
25. Texas A&M 21-7