Kansas had plenty of elite company in losing. Six of the eight teams ranked from No. 4 through No. 11 lost Saturday.
How did that happen?
All but one of the losses happened in road games, another reminder that parity places even greater importance on a game’s location.
Somewhat surprisingly given all the losing going on near the top, KU’s loss at Oklahoma State dropped the Jayhawks three spots in the Associated Press college basketball poll released Monday.
The top 25 teams in the AP poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through March 2 and total points, based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Florida (46) 27-2 1,606 1
2. Wichita St. (14) 31-0 1,555 2
3. Arizona (5) 27-2 1,514 3
4. Duke 23-6 1,364 6
5. Virginia 25-5 1,304 12
6. Villanova 26-3 1,292 8
7. Syracuse 26-3 1,240 4
8. Kansas 22-7 1,200 5
9. Wisconsin 24-5 1,075 14
10. San Diego St. 25-3 995 13
11. Louisville 24-5 959 7
12. Michigan 21-7 899 16
13. Creighton 23-5 892 9
14. North Carolina 22-7 755 19
15. Cincinnati 24-5 737 11
16. Iowa St. 22-6 613 15
17. Saint Louis 25-4 539 10
18. SMU 23-6 427 23
19. UConn 23-6 423 NR
20. Memphis 22-7 364 21
21. New Mexico 23-5 338 25
22. Michigan St. 22-7 322 18
23. Oklahoma 21-8 183 NR
24. Iowa 20-9 94 20
25. Kentucky 21-8 92 17
**Others receiving votes:** Texas 70, VCU 58, UCLA 45, Gonzaga 38, Stephen F. Austin 38, Kansas St. 19, Saint Joseph’s 19, Ohio St. 17, Green Bay 13, Harvard 7, Arizona St. 5, UMass 5, Colorado 2, Pittsburgh 2, Xavier 2, NC Central 1, Oklahoma St. 1, Southern Miss. 1.
**My AP top 25 ballot:**
**1 – Wichita State:** In the eyes of some, not even a 31-0 regular season, nonconference victories at Saint Louis and Alabama, a home victory vs. Tennessee and attempts to schedule schools that wanted no part of the Shockers are enough to make believers out of some national college basketball analysts. Too bad. No way Wichita State doesn’t earn a No. 1 seed if it wins the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
**2 – Florida:** Projecting high school point guards is more difficult than any other position. For example, Florida senior Scottie Wilbekin, from Gainesville, was offered scholarships from Liberty, Nevada and his hometown university. He’s averaging 13.4 points, shooting .388 from three, .754 from the line and has nearly as many steals as turnovers.
**3 – Arizona:** Since starting power forward Brandon Ashley suffered a season-ending injury, Wildcats have gone 6-1 and freshman Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has averaged 10.9 points and six rebounds.
**4 – Virginia:** No more operating under the radar for the Cavaliers. Not now that they have won their first outright ACC regular-season championship in 33 years, Ralph Sampson’s sophomore year.
**5 – Kansas:** Jayhawks clinched the Big 12 because they are only ones with winning record (5-3) on the road. Oklahoma (4-4) is next best.
**6 – Duke:** Freshman Jabari Parker leads Blue Devils in scoring (18.8), rebounds (8.9) and blocked shots (1.4).
**7 – Syracuse:** Has lost 3 of 4, including 75-56 at Virginia on Saturday when Cavaliers closed on a 33-14 run.
**8 – Villanova:** Three losses have come by a combined margin of 65 points, but they really know how to close close ones. Wildcats are 4-0 in overtime. Won last two games by combined 36 points.
**9 – Creighton:** Not even 27 points and 10 rebounds from Doug McDermott, nation’s leading scorer, could ride Blue Jays to victory Saturday at Xavier.
**10 – San Diego State:** Aztecs have reached 25 victories five times in past six seasons, the five highest victory totals in school history.
**11 – Michigan:** Wolverines clinched at least a share of Big Ten title Saturday, an amazing feat considering Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. are in the NBA and Mitch McGary is sideline by back surgery.
**12 – Wisconsin:** More consistent teams can be found throughout country, but nobody has a more impressive six-pack of victories than Badgers: Florida, Saint Louis, at Virginia, Iowa twice, Michigan State, at Michigan.
**13 – North Carolina:** Another impressive list of victories: Lousiville, at Michigan State, Kentucky, Duke twice.
**14 – Cincinnati:** Feisty coach Mick Cronin got into ref Ted Valentine’s face, was restrained by a few players and then shoved assistant coach Larry Davis. All in all, not a great day for Cronin during loss to Connecticut.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RUDRnkdTCU
**15 – Louisville:** Cardinals swept in season series with Memphis. Next up: Wednesday battle of coaching legends Rick Pitino and Larry Brown at SMU. Pitino won the first one, 71-63, in Louisville.
**16 – Michigan State:** Banged-up Spartans on two-game losing streak, including a 53-46 loss to Illinois.
**17 – Iowa State:** Terrific at home, Cyclones only 3-5 on road in Big 12. Even 30 points and 16 rebounds from Melvin Ejim couldn’t get the job done in Manhattan.
**18 – Oklahoma:** Sooners have good shot to break from three-way tie to finish second alone, which would make Lon Kruger favorite to win Big 12 Coach of the Year honors.
**19 – Texas:** Three losses in past four games, which in Big 12 lingo is another way of saying three of the past four games have been on the road.
**20 – SMU:** Winners of 7 of 8, Mustangs staring at a tough week with home game Wednesday vs. Louisville and Saturday road trip to Memphis.
**21 -New Mexico:** Lobos could do wonders for their seeding with victory Saturday night at San Diego State.
**22 – Connecticut:** Shabazz Muhammad has appeared in 22 games for Minnesota Timberwolves and averaged seven minutes and three points. Senior Shabazz Napier averaging 17.8 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists for Huskies. Muhammad making more money. Napier having more fun.
**23 – Memphis:** Two leading scorers, Joe Jackson and Shaq Goodwin, combined for eight points on 2 of 18 shooting and Tigers still defeated Louisville. Great sign.
**24 – Saint Louis:** Billikens doubled season loss total in one week, losing at home to Duquesne and at Virginia Commonwealth.
**25 – Harvard:** Tommy Amaker has coached Harvard to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Pre-Amaker, the school had made one appearance and that was in 1946.
