Another massive rankings shuffle brought on by Pitt, Wake and Duke all losing last week. UConn assumes the #1 ranking and the reward for all their trouble? A trip to Louisville where the Cardinals are hotter than Gary Williams chair which means we could see the #1 team fall in their first game at the top for a 3rd straight week.
Oklahoma rides in at #2 and is doing a good job of not being noticed which is not as hard as it sounds for a basketball team in the Big 12 not named Kansas. In the AP poll UNC is #3 and Duke is #4. In the coaches poll the Heels trade spots with the Blue Devils.
Of course the ESPN fantasy scenario is for UConn to lose this evening and Oklahoma to drop their game to Texas A&M midweek while Duke and UNC win their next two games to setup a #1 vs #2 matchup for College Basketball Armageddon 2009, Part 1 on February 11th. I don't see it happening though. Even if UConn loses at UL, Oklahoma will likely handle Texas A&M but even if that end of the bargain holds up Duke travels to Clemson and then gets Miami at home which could be trouble. For UNC it is Maryland(standard warning applies) and then a rematch with UVa. Both are at home which should give the Heels a clear path heading into Durham.