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The last AP Top 25 Men’s College Basketball Poll for February has arrived, bringing up a few questions.
So tell us, 2025, what do you have against Kansas?
The Jayhawks started the season No. 1. Now they’re down in the also-received-votes auxiliary seating of the latest AP poll, just ahead of New Mexico and VCU. Seven losses since New Year’s Eve, three by double digits, one by 34 points. Bill Self signaled a do-over after the BYU shellacking, and the Jayhawks have beaten Oklahoma State and Colorado since. The first 26 games do not count anymore. “Our season started against Oklahoma State because (that’s) all we could do, we screwed up the conference season,” he said. “All we can do is finish the conference season strong to prepare us for postseason. So we’re 2-0 right now. That’s how we’re looking at it. We’re undefeated, so I think we’re a little bit more confident.”
What’s your grudge against Connecticut?
The repeat national champions were ranked as highly as No. 2 in November. Didn’t get a single vote in the Associated Press poll this week. Not one. Your predecessors, 2023 and 2024, absolutely doted on the Huskies and spoiled them like grandkids. With you, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy.
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Why are you trifling with such sturdy names as Gonzaga, Baylor and North Carolina?
All three teams began the season ranked in the top 10. Then you got a hold of them, and now none are ranked. That makes five of the preseason top-10 teams gone from the polls, and that’s only happened four times in 55 years. North Carolina might not even get in your tournament. Speaking of traditional heavyweights, you’ve slapped around Indiana, too.
What’s your beef with teams who have had fun lately in March?
North Carolina State was in the Final Four last year, evoking memories of Jim Valvano’s famous Cinderella Wolfpack; so much for the good times. At last check, North Carolina State was 11-16 and tied for 16th in the ACC.
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Seton Hall won the NIT last April. Now the Pirates are 7-20 and 10th in the conference with a 2-14 record, although they did stun UConn, showing that sometimes you can’t decide which team you’re going to dump upon.
Indiana State was second in the NIT and drew widespread sympathy for being jilted on Selection Sunday. The NIT finals were in Hinkle Fieldhouse, 90 minutes from campus, so it was a warm and cozy story. Then the coach and top players left town, and now the Sycamores are 13-17 and 10th in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Miami was in the 2023 Final Four, another tournament feat for Jim Larranaga. Look what you’ve done. Larranaga is gone, and the Hurricanes are 6-22 and last in the ACC — the worst record among the power conferences, 23 months after the Final Four.
Saint Peter’s was everyone’s darling in 2022, taking its miracle run to the Elite Eight, disposing of Kentucky and Purdue along the way. Now, the Peacocks are 10-14 and tied for 11th in the MAAC.
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How come you don’t like South Carolina?
The Gamecocks were 26-8 in 2024 and earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament. Now, they’ve won one of their first 15 SEC games and are 11-17 overall.
Why’d you sour on Dayton?
The Flyers were an emerging story in December, having taken North Carolina and Iowa State to the wire, thumped UConn and beat Marquette. It sounded as if the Atlantic 10 had a real player for the national stage. Then the calendar flipped, and so did the Dayton karma. The Flyers have gone 7-6 since Jan. 1, and instead of fighting for the Atlantic 10 season title as predicted, they are now in fifth place.
How’d Colorado get on your wrong side?
The Buffs had a nice run in the NCAA tournament in 2024, winning in the First Four, upsetting Florida, and pushing Marquette before losing by four points. They started this season 9-2, including a win over Connecticut. They were thriving. Then you turned into Buffalo Bill Cody, mercilessly thinning the herd. Colorado is 2-15 since Dec. 30 and dead last in the Big 12.
What possessed you to sucker punch UT Martin?
The Skyhawks are 9-11 since Dec. 11. Eight of the 11 losses were either by one point or in overtime.
That’s not to mention what you’ve done to poor Green Bay, who is 3-26. Or Columbia, who started the season 11-1 and then went south just about the time the Happy New Year parties were getting started and is 1-11 since. Or the Citadel, 0-16 in the Southern and owner of the nation’s longest losing streak at 19. The Bulldogs started the season 5-3, but then you pulled out your brass knuckles, and now they’re 5-22.
Oh, you’ve had your teacher’s pets.
Duke just adores you. Houston, St. John’s, Louisville and Michigan State think you’re swell. Yale, with the nation’s longest winning streak, can’t say enough good things. The SEC might name you Year of the Century, but you’ll have to give one of the members a big kiss the night of April 7 for that to happen.
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But still, you’ve been a mean one. 11 teams in the top 25 that rang you on Jan. 1 are not around anymore. You’ve recently turned on Purdue. And while you’ve been so chummy to the top of the SEC, you’ve been no friend to the new guys from Oklahoma and Texas. You’ve unapologetically teased Kansas State with a six-game winning streak, then a six-game losing streak, and now another three-game skid. You’ve bullied Fresno State and Air Force, who are 2-32 in the Mountain West together.
Yeah, 2025, you’ll say it’s all conference play and not your fault. But couldn’t you help?
You’ve had a busy first two months, and it hasn’t always been pretty or polite. Who won’t you smile upon next month?