Halftime score from Tallahassee, Fla. ... Florida State 32, Duke 28.
As the Power 16 committee sits down Sunday night to make sense of the past 24 hours, it only seems appropriate that the sole remaining undefeated team (as of 7:45 p.m. ET, Sunday) is struggling on the road against an ACC team that had lost to ... American?
Will the Blue Devils escape unscathed? We expect they will, but so did fans of Illinois, Kentucky, Iowa, Michigan State, Miami, Fla. and Georgetown on Saturday. Each left town with L's. So, the Power 16 isn't assuming anything at this point, and will wait for the final score before putting together this week's final Power 16.
(Editor's Note: About an hour later, Duke fell 77-76 to become the fourth unbeaten and 11th top-25 teams to lose over the weekend.)
Ah, but that's the point. The carnage that was the first full weekend of conference play can be broken down into two categories: Home or Away. The teams above have an excuse. Just wait, it'll happen to your school, too.
As for Virginia and Oklahoma State? Well, there was no excuse for losing Game 1 on their own court. (Sorry Stillwater fans, a less-than-100-percent Mo Baker just canceled out the Longhorns' loss of Chris Owens). And, as for Boston College's first loss in Chestnut Hill in nearly two years? Well, maybe we should have been paying more attention to 14-1 Pittsburgh.
They've just started the second half in Tallahassee, time to start figuring out this week's Power 16 ... with one eye on the TV, of course.
As always, the Power 16 welcomes your opinions. Click here to voice your approval or disdain for the latest Power 16. Keep it clean, state a clear case for your team, include both a first and last name, city and state, and we'll post the best comments later in the week.
(Records as of Sunday, Jan. 6)
No. 1 Seeds
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TEAM
Duke
Record: 12-1
Kansas
Record: 12-1
Florida
Record: 12-1
Cincinnati
Record: 13-1
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COMMENT
Join the crowd, Dukies. But no, first loss doesn't drop Devils out of top spot. Didn't even consider it.
Up Next: Hosting Tech (Thu.); at N.C. State (Sun)
Overtook Arizona as No. 1 in RPI ... not that we condone such formulas for this weekly ranking.
Up Next: Nebraska (Wed.); Trip to UCLA (Sat.)
Shot 50 percent from the field in SEC opener. Must have been saving best shots for conference.
Up Next: Visits Tennessee (Wed.); Vandy on Sat.
A No. 1 with a bullet. But why not? Won on the road (twice) with usual stifling defense and athletes.
Up Next: Hosting Charlotte (Tue.); at Houston (Sat.)
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No. 2 Seeds
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TEAM
Oklahoma State
Record: 13-1
Virginia
Record: 9-1
Kentucky
Record: 9-3
Maryland
Record: 11-2
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COMMENT
Sitting courtside should come with the same warning as a roller coaster: It's just not for everyone.
Up Next: Trips to Baylor (Tue.) & Iowa St. (Sat.)
Like Gillen said, digging early holes in the ACC games just won't play like it does in non-conference games.
Up Next: Off to Clemson (Tue.) & UNC (Sat.)
Oh, and did we mention, no lead is safe on the road in conference play, either.
Up Next: Hosting Georgia (Wed.); at S.Carolina (Sat.)
Wonder how much the Terps would have loved to be the first to knock off the Blue Devils? Just wondering.
Up Next: Hosting UNC (Wed.); at GaTech (Sun.)
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No. 3 Seeds
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TEAM
Oklahoma
Record: 11-1
Illinois
Record: 11-2
Iowa
Record: 12-4
Syracuse
Record: 11-2
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COMMENT
Can score major Power points by beating Connecticut on Big Monday in Hartford.
Up Next: At UConn (Mon.); Host Knight's boys Sat.
Archibald did his part, but rest of Illini frontline must produce or Wisconsin won't be last road loss.
Up Next: At Purdue (Wed.); Host Michigan (Sat.)
Go ahead, try to explain Ohio State's 20-2 run to start the game. Alford couldn't, neither could Hawkeyes.
Up Next: Hosting N'Western (Wed.) & Indiana (Sun.)
Orange found something extra down 11 at Providence. Namely, Kueth Duany, to go along with steady Shumpert.
Up Next: Home to Hall (Tue.); at W.Va. (Sat.) |
No. 4 Seeds
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TEAM
Boston College
Record: 12-2
Miami, Fla.
Record: 14-1
UCLA
Record: 11-2
Gonzaga
Record: 12-2
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COMMENT
Leave it to last team to win in Conte Forum to be latest team to turn the trick 25 games later.
Up Next: Visits Villanova (Wed.); Hosts G'Town (Sat.)
'Canes can still go 3-1 on the road to start the Big East. And we all know how impressive that would be.
Up Next: At St. John's (Tue.); home at last Saturday.
One week of the Power 16 without a Pac-10 team is one week too long without a Pac-10 team.
Up Next: Short trip to USC (Thu.); Host Jayhawks (Sat.)
It wasn't in conference, but beating St. Joe's in Philly is still really big for little school with big goals.
Up Next: Big Monday vs. N.M., followed by S.C (Thu.), S.D. (Sun.)
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Dropped Out: Butler.