Dominance was the only word that can be used to describe this week's Associated Press top 25 teams. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big East Conference represented 11 teams in the top 25. Not to mention seven of the top 10.
To put this in perspective, eight conferences represented the remaining 14 schools. What made this accomplishment all the more amazing was that these teams play one another on a regular basis. Each team in the Big East will play every other team in their conference once (19 games). The ACC, a smaller conference, will play every other team once while playing five of those teams twice (16 games).
So many games between highly ranked teams will make losses against these teams less damaging. However, losses against unranked teams in these conferences will be devastating. An example of this came last week when unranked Seton Hall University defeated, at that time, 14th ranked Georgetown University.
If teams in the Big East and ACC cannot beat unranked teams then there will be little hope of surviving the conference.
WHO'S #1?
On top, for the first week this year, was the Duke University Blue Devils from the ACC. This was no accident. Since losing to Michigan earlier in the year, Duke held their opponents to 70 or fewer points in 10 consecutive games proving the old theory that defense wins games. Jumping out early on opponents and strong guard play from Jon Scheyer and Gerald Henderson have guided the Blue Devils to the highest ranking in the land.
WHOS HOT?
Rising up to the top of the Big East in stunning fashion were the Marquette Golden Eagles. The 18-2 school was 7-0 in the Big East joining only the University of Louisville Cardinals (6-0) to be undefeated in the Big East. The Golden Eagles won their last ten games in a row including key wins against the Villanova Wildcats at home and on the road against the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
WHOS NOT?
The Georgetown Hoyas dropped their last three in a row including losses at home against unranked West Virginia and on the road against Seton Hall. Key victories against Connecticut and Syracuse brought Georgetown to the eighth ranking before slipping to 25th. Now the Hoyas have the tall task of traveling to Cincinnati and Marquette while desperately in search of a win.
BIGGEST DISSAPPOINTMENT
The entire Southeastern Conference (SEC) had one team in the top 25 (Kentucky). Not only was the SEC's lone team at the 24th spot but the major conference also shared the same number of top 25 teams with mid-major conferences such as the A-10 (Xavier University), Conference USA (University of Memphis), and the Horizon League (Butler). Even more disappointing was the fact that the West Coast Conference had two teams ahead of the SEC (Gonzaga University and St. Mary's University). Defending SEC Champion University of Georgia was 0-4 within the SEC and 9-10 overall.
WHOS NEXT?
Surprise, surprise! The Virginia Tech Hokies seem to be the next team to most likely crack the rankings. Out of the ACC, the Hokies won five straight games including, most recently, a seven-point victory at Wake Forest. With a victory against Clemson this week, Virginia Tech will surely to move into the top 25.
