Latest Division I Polls For January 12

Yesterday I come home from a great 80 degree day at the beach with my wife and son (it’s 85 today, so I’m going to make this quick so I can get the boy back to the beach), and I turn on the television to see that the team formally known as North Carolina lost again.

Wake Forest (15-0) handed the Tar Heels (14-2) their second lost of the season 92-89 at Wake Forest.

The loss dropped North Carolina to fifth in the AP poll and sixth in the ESPN/USA Today poll.

The win was good enough for Wake Forest to move up to second in the AP poll and third in the ESPN/USA Today poll.

Can these two polls agree on anything?!

Which brings me to ask, which poll do you think is more legit?

Pittsburgh (15-0) hangs on to the number one ranking for the second week after playing one game. The Panthers rolled over St. John’s 90-67 on Sunday.

I said it before and I’ll say it again – here comes Duke!

The Blue Devils (14-1) are ranked second by ESPN/USA Today and third by the AP. You have to believe that they will be ranked number one sometime with the next few weeks.

I know it’s early, but the way the Big East and Atlantic Coast Conference teams are playing right now, it’s safe to say that one or two will be in the Final Four in March (or is it in April now?).

Here’s are both polls.

AP Top 25
1. Pittsburgh (70) 15-0, 1,798
2. Wake Forest (2) 14-0, 1,686
3. Duke 14-1, 1,678
4. Connecticut 14-1, 1,549
5. North Carolina 14-2, 1,461
6. Oklahoma 15-1, 1,440
7. Michigan State 13-2, 1,356
8. Syracuse 16-1, 1,232
9. UCLA 13-2, 1,222
10. Clemson 16-0, 1,153
11. Texas 12-3, 1,009
12. Notre Dame 12-3, 1,008
13. Georgetown 11-3, 908
14. Marquette 15-2, 752
15. Xavier 13-2, 710
16. Arizona State 14-2, 573
17. Butler 14-1, 521
18. Minnesota 15-1 508
19. Purdue 12-4, 490
20. Louisville 11-3, 433
21. Baylor 13-2, 364
22. California 15-2, 299
23. Villanova 13-3, 229
24. Tennessee 10-4, 198
25. Michigan 13-3, 153

Others Receiving Votes
Gonzaga 137, Arkansas 132, Illinois 115, Memphis 86, Saint Mary’s 50, Miami (FL) 25, Florida 25, Wisconsin 24, Brigham Young 18, Davidson 12, West Virginia 12, Boston College 11, Kansas 6, Florida State 5, South Carolina 3, George Mason 2, Oklahoma State 2, Harvard 1, TCU 1, Texas A&M 1, Virginia Military 1, Missouri 1.

Dropped From Rankings
Boston College 17, West Virginia 25.

ESPN/USA Today Poll
1. Pittsburgh (29) 15-0, 773
2. Duke 14-1, 729
3. Wake Forest (2) 14-0, 725
4. Connecticut 14-1, 660
5. Oklahoma 15-1, 617
6. North Carolina 14-2, 611
7. UCLA 13-2, 576
8. Syracuse 16-1, 560
9. Clemson 16-0, 528
10. Michigan State 13-2, 503
11. Texas 12-3, 421
12. Georgetown 11-3, 365
13. Notre Dame 12-3, 363
14. Marquette 15-2, 353
15. Arizona State 14-2, 328
16. Xavier 13-2, 279
17. Minnesota 15-1, 262
18. Butler 14-1, 256
19. Purdue 12-4, 182
20. Louisville 11-3, 173
21. Baylor 13-2, 159
22. Villanova 13-3, 110
23. California 15-2, 109
24. Michigan 13-3, 78
25. Saint Mary’s 15-1, 62

Others Receiving Votes
Arkansas 51, Illinois 47, Memphis 42, Brigham Young 37, Gonzaga 17, Dayton 14, Tennessee 11, Utah State 11, Wisconsin 10, Florida 9, Illinois State 9, West Virginia 7, Davidson 6, Boston College 6, Ohio State 5, Miami (FL) 4, Washington 3, Missouri 2, Texas A&M 1, UNLV 1.

Dropped From Rankings
West Virginia 22, Boston College 24, Tennessee 25.