The Confidential

The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for February 7, 2012

With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore.  Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for February 7, 2012 (before tonight’s games):

1. Syracuse (23-1).  The return of Fab Melo injected life into Syracuse.  However, a massively tough schedule awaits.  Next up: Georgetown.
2. Kentucky (23-1).  The Florida game is finally here.  Winner gets some serious momentum.  Next up: Florida.
3. Ohio State (20-3).  Big win at Wisconsin.  Can they hold off Michigan State?  Next up: Purdue.
4. Missouri (22-2).  Got the needed win over Kansas to stay solidly on the top line in bracket predictions.  Then won at Oklahoma.  Next up: @ Kansas.
5. Baylor (21-2).  Very tough week for the Bears, who seem to be feast or famine on the schedule.  Road trip to Missouri looms after the next game.  Next up: Kansas.
6. North Carolina (20-3).  North Carolina is really on a roll since the Florida State embarrassment.  The Duke game is finally here.  Next up: Duke.
7. Michigan State (18-5).  Missing the extra-point to lose at Illinois 42-41, hurts.  But MSU has been better for the past few weeks than Duke.  Will it continue? Next up: Penn State.
8. Duke (19-4).  The Florida State loss was understandable–even at home.  But a home loss to Miami?  Next up: @ North Carolina.
9. Florida (19-4).  The Gators have been on a mini-roll lately.  But the Kentucky game will be a true test of where this team is at.  Next up: @ Kentucky.
10. Kansas (18-5).  All of the sudden, Kansas has five losses.  And it gets Baylor next.  Next up: @ Baylor.
11. Georgetown (18-4).  Looked real good in beating UConn.  Looked even better beating a much improved South Florida team.  Next up: @ Syracuse.
12. Murray State (23-0).  This team should not be this high, but the other teams in the second ten keep losing.  Next up: Tennessee State.
13. Florida State (16-6).  Who has done more lately?  Six losses are high, but this team is on fire.  Next up: @ Boston College.
14. Creighton (21-3).  Creighton finally dropped a game–at Northern Iowa.  Still a solid resume.  Next up: @ Evansville.
15. San Diego State (20-3).  Yet another 20-win season for San Diego State.  Next up: @ UNLV.
16. Virginia (18-4).  Ran into the unstoppable Seminoles.  Almost stopped them too.  Next up: Wake Forest.
17. Wisconsin (18-6).  The home loss to Ohio State was disappointing, but not the end of the world.  Still on a roll lately.  Next up: @ Minnesota.
18. Marquette (20-5).  The blowout loss at Notre Dame was a shocker.  But the Irish have been pretty good at home and Marquette was due for a loss.  Next up: @ DePaul.
19. UNLV (21-4).  Losing at Wyoming is not as damaging as it sounds.  Still, UNLV only has so many chances to impress.  A missed opportunity.  One awaits.  Next up: San Diego State.
20. Indiana (18-6).  Split a tough road swing at Michigan and Purdue.  The wins are slowing down a bit for this young team.  Next up: Illinois.
21. Michigan (17-7).  Beat Indiana, before losing to Michigan State in East Lansing.  That latter would have been a huge win.  Next up: @ Nebraska.
22. Mississippi State (18-5).  Got the win over Auburn.  Two more home games ahead on the schedule.  Next up: Mississippi.
23. St. Mary’s (22-2).  Was able to focus against San Diego.  The big game is next though.  Next up: @ Gonzaga.
24. Southern Mississippi (20-3) Debuted in this ranking last week.  Moves up after the win over Memphis.  Next up: @ UAB.
25. Louisville (18-5).  The Cardinals demolished UConn last night.  Big weekend ahead with a trip to West Virginia before hosting Syracuse.  Next up: @ West Virginia.
26. Notre Dame (15-8).  The win over Syracuse could be rationalized by the absence of Fab Melo.  But the Irish stopped Marquette’s momentum.  Next up: @ West Virginia.
27. Iowa State (17-6)  All of the sudden Iowa State is making a move.  Swept the Kansas schools and then won at Oklahoma.  Next up: @ Oklahoma State.
28. Virginia Commonwealth (20-5).  The Rams have won 9 straight.  The out-of-conference performance was a little weak, so they need this late run.  Next up: Towson.
29. New Mexico (19-4).  Going to have to upset either San Diego State or UNLV to make some real noise.  Those opportunities will both come next week.  Next up: Wyoming.
30. Washington (16-7).  The Huskies have won 5 in a row.  Not a lot of horrible losses, really… just too many of them.  Next up: @ Oregon.

Tell us what you think.  Is anyone unfairly missing?  Anyone too high or too low?