NCAA Top 25

Congratulations to the Louisville Cardinals on winning the National Championship. It’s been a great and unpredictable year in college basketball, and it’s finally over. But as unpredictable as it was, the champion didn’t come out of nowhere. Most people had Louisville ranked first or second in the preseason (we had them at #2). They were in the Final Four last year and returned most of their team. Rightfully so, they end the 2013 season ranked #1.

Below are our final 2013 Top 25 rankings. Our goal here is to share with you who we think the best teams in 2013 were after everything has been said and done. The NCAA Tournament gave us a lot of insight that the regular season couldn’t provide us with. Thus, these rankings take everything into account, the regular season AND the NCAA Tournament. Enjoy!

NOTE: Our early Top 25 for the 2013-2014 season will be released later this month after more underclassmen have declared their intentions for next year…

2012-2013 Final Top 25 – April 9, 2013

NOTE: Previous ranking in parenthesis (from our final regular season rankings). Final record noted next to each team.

1. (4) Louisville Cardinals: 35-5

Big East regular season champs (tied), Big East Tournament champs, and now NCAA champs. They have been the best team in the country over the last two seasons (sorry Kentucky) combined too. Their great defense combined with timely offense was too much for their opponents, particularly late in the year as they finished by winning 20 of 21 games.

2. (8) Michigan Wolverines: 31-8

Led by Wooden Award winner Trey Burke, this unit was electric offensively all year long. When they played defense well, they were unbeatable. The scary thing is that this was one of the youngest teams in the country. The future is bright!

3. (21) Syracuse Orange: 30 – 10

Did they go through a funk during the backside of their Big East schedule… Yes (hence their final regular season ranking of 21). But they were one of the best teams nationally during non-conference play in November and December, they made it to the Big East Tournament Final, and then the Final Four last weekend. They torched Marquette and Indiana along the way too which was impressive. And if not for Michigan’s bench players, they would have had a chance to win it all.

4. (2) Indiana Hoosiers: 29-7

Indiana had a disappointing finish to their season, but it didn’t mean the season was a failure. They held the #1 ranking more than any team in the country and won the toughest conference (Big Ten) outright. They achieved a #1 seed in the tournament too based on their great season. They solved their road woes from previous years (impressively won at Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan), and were undefeated this season against Top 10 opponents.

5. Kansas Jayhawks: 31-6

The Big 12 Champs had another great year but, like last year, couldn’t bring home the NCAA title. But unlike last year against Kentucky, they actually had a great opportunity this season to advance. They held a big lead against Michigan before letting it slip away. It’s a heartbreaking way to end the season, and it’s even worse for them because now they lose Withey, Johnson, Young, McLemore (likely), and Releford.

6. (1) Duke Blue Devils: 30-6

Duke’s hard to rank. They didn’t win the ACC (regular season or tournament) and only made the Elite 8. But I’m choosing the judge this team based on when they were fully healthy. They only lost two games all year with Ryan Kelly (along with going unbeaten in their great run early in the year), and lost in the NCAA Tournament to the overall champions, Louisville, in the Elite 8. That’s nothing to frown on.

7. (7) Ohio State Buckeyes: 29-8

The Big Ten Tourney Champions will look back at their game against Wichita State and realize they let an opportunity slide by. It isn’t every year that you have a Final Four birth at stake playing a 9-seed. Simply put, they played poorly unlike they had for the month prior. Nonetheless, this team had a great year and they have a lot of potential for the years to come.

8. (10) Florida Gators: 29-8

Billy Donavan does it time and time again; he gets his team to at least the Elite 8 every year. This team easily won the SEC and blew out nearly every opponent they faced. Their issue was not winning close games. It’s what cost them a higher seed in the tournament.

9. (11) Miami Hurricanes: 29-7

The Hurricanes had a terrific year winning the ACC regular season and tournament. A Sweet 16 appearance was good but maybe not what they hoped for. Nonetheless, it was a massively successful year and one of the best in program history.

10. (3) Gonzaga Bulldogs: 32-3

They lost heartbreakers this year to Illinois, Butler, and Wichita State. That’s it! All those teams made the NCAA Tournament and won at least a game. The issue is that they didn’t have as many great wins as the other teams on these rankings. I am placing them ahead of Wichita State (among others) though because these rankings are about the entire year, and these guys defined consistency.

11. (16) Marquette Golden Eagles: 26-9

Big East Champions (tied) and an Elite 8 birth... Not bad for a team that was supposed to be mediocre. Expectations will be high next year but I think they have a great foundation to build upon.

12. (6) Georgetown Hoyas: 25-7

Thanks to the Hoyas, we got to experience “Dunk City” the entire first weekend (and beyond). But that also meant they ended their season in a way that didn’t show how great a year they had. They won the Big East (tied) when nobody thought they could.

13. (8) Michigan State Spartans: 27-9

They just didn’t have enough firepower against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament or Duke in the NCAA Tournament. If Gary Harris stays another year, things could be different next season.

14. (NR) Wichita State Shockers: 30-9

They made the Final Four yet they are only 14^th in the rankings. That goes to show you how inconsistent they were throughout the year. This is a team that couldn’t even win their conference in any respect. But they played well when it mattered the most and created memories the program will never forget.

15. (12) Kansas State Wildcats: 27-8

Being co-Big 12 champions is something they can be proud of. But losing their first game in the NCAA tournament hurts.

16. (NR) Oregon Ducks: 28-9

Pac-12 Tournament champions and a Sweet 16 appearance were outstanding achievements for this young-ish team. They nearly took the Pac-12 regular season trophy too. And they have to feel good about staying with Louisville throughout the game in which they lost to close out the year.

17. (18) St. Louis Billikens: 28-7

The A-10 was a good league and they took both the regular season and tournament title. One win in the NCAA’s was good before a better Oregon team beat them handily in the Round of 32.

18. (24) Arizona Wildcats: 27-8

I’ve spoken a lot about consistency today and that’s what hurt this team this season. They were great in November and December, bad during conference play, then they got it going again during March Madness. The type of effort that got them to the Sweet 16 is what they need all the time next year.

19. (14) New Mexico Lobos: 29-6

In reality, the season they had should have them higher in the rankings. I mean they won the tough Mountain West (regular season and conference tourney). But because they lost to Harvard in their first NCAA Tournament game, I can’t justify putting them any higher on this list.

20. (23) Creighton Bluejays: 28-8

This team bested Wichita State to win the conference regular season and tournament (MVC). But they couldn’t make a NCAA run like the Shockers did hence the lower ranking. If McDermott returns, expect similar success a year from now.

21. (13) Oklahoma State Cowboys: 24-9

They ran into the buzzsaw that was Oregon in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. For being the 5-seed, the committee didn’t give them any favors. But they can look back on this year fondly for they nearly won the Big 12.

22. (NR) Butler Bulldogs (27-9), VCU Rams (27-9), La Salle Explorers (24-10)

I lumped all three of these A-10 teams together because I don’t know how to separate them. Butler was great early in the year but fell off it late. VCU was consistent throughout. La Salle started slow but advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Great seasons for all!

23. (15) Wisconsin Badgers: 23-12

Of all the first round upsets, Wisconsin’s was the most puzzling. They are too disciplined and balanced to lose to a team like Ole Miss. Nevertheless, Bo Ryan did a fantastic job this year, even after losing Gasser to a season-ending injury early.

24. (20) UCLA Bruins: 25-10

Up and down, over and over… They did win the Pac-12 regular season title, but they fell flat in the NCAA Tournament. Part of that was due to the Jordan Adams injury, but part of that was due to their lack of effort I saw throughout the year.

25. (NR) Florida Gulf Coast: 26-11

“Dunk City” had to make my Top 25. And don’t think their Sweet 16 run was a total fluke. They beat Miami by 12 early in the year and played a lot of the “big boys” in the non-conference. It paid off.

25. (24) North Carolina Tarheels: 22-9

They didn’t look good against Duke, but they had been playing great before that. IU lost on Senior Night as well, so did Michigan, so we can’t fault everyone for losing to a great team.

Dropped from Rankings: Pittsburgh, Memphis, St. Mary’s, North Carolina

Other Notables: Illinois, Temple, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Colorado State, SD State, California, Iowa State, Notre Dame, Missouri, UNLV, NC State

By: The Sports Guys