We'll go quick-recap style today:
- Colorado and Kansas both dispatched weak opponents at home. Just another holiday tuneup...
- Duke and Gonzaga both continued their respective winning streaks against over-matched opponents.
- Kudos to Savannah State, our Jan. 3 opponent, which won its first game against a Division I team (and only its second game of the season) by beating Southeastern Louisiana on a neutral court.
- As you'll see in tomorrow's conference preview, I haven't predicted a last-place finish for Texas Tech, but I'm already starting to waffle on that stance. The Red Raiders lost their seventh non-conference game last night by one point to New Mexico. They certainly keep finding creative new ways to lose.
- If Washington State has designs upon winning the Pac-10, the Cougars are going to have to figure out a way to win road games against mediocre teams such as UCLA. Witness Washington beating USC at Galen Center. Instead, the Cougs are on a two-game losing streak and their window of opportunity for entering the Top 25 appears to have closed shut for the immediate future.
- BONUS RECAP: What the hell happened to West Virginia? Those expecting the Mountaineers to reload from last year's Final Four squad likely were surprised by their 81-71 loss to St. John's in WVU's Big East home opener. I certainly was. Looks like a rebuilding year in Morgantown...
Associated Press Ranking = 17
ESPN/USA Today Ranking = 17
Overall Record = 10-3
RPI = 13
SOS = 9
Signature Wins (RPI 1-30) = none
Quality Wins (RPI 31-100) = James Madison, Virginia Tech, Presbyterian, Gonzaga, Washington State
Bad Losses (RPI 101 or greater) = none
- James Madison (9-3, 0-1 CAA) | RPI = 69
- Virginia Tech (7-4, 0-1 ACC) | RPI = 36
- Presbyterian (6-7, 1-1 Big South) | RPI = 80
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Gonzaga (8-5) | RPI = 66: Win over Lafayette (83-55)
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No. 1 Duke (12-0) | RPI = 10: Win at UNC Greensboro (108-62)
- Texas Southern (2-8) | RPI = 170
- Emporia State (7-4, 4-1 MIAA*)
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Washington State (10-3, 0-1 Pac-10) | RPI = 60: Loss at UCLA (71-80)
- Alcorn State (0-9) | RPI = 248
- Loyola-Chicago (9-4, 0-2 Horizon League) | RPI = 207
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Florida (9-3) | RPI = 30
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UNLV (11-2) | RPI = 18
- UMKC (8-5, 1-2 Summit League) | RPI = 227
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North Florida (4-8, 1-1 Atlantic Sun) | RPI = 142: Loss at Maryland (62-85)
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Savannah State (2-13) | RPI = 331: Win over Southeastern Louisiana (74-65 in the Hardwood Club Holiday Tournament)
- Oklahoma State (11-1) | RPI = 37
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Colorado (9-4) | RPI = 157: Win over Maryland-Eastern Shore (92-65)
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Texas Tech (6-7) | RPI = 198: Loss to New Mexico (60-61)
- No. 10 Missouri (12-1) | RPI = 42
- No. 18 Texas A&M (11-1) | RPI = 32
- No. 23 Baylor (8-3) | RPI = 147
- No. 3 Kansas (12-0) | RPI = 2: Win over Texas-Arlington (82-57)
- Nebraska (10-2) | RPI = 100
- Iowa State (11-2) | RPI = 113
- Oklahoma (6-6) | RPI = 181
- No. 14 Texas (10-2) | RPI = 31
*Division II