The latest NCAA basketball rankings are out -- the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll -- and the Duke Blue Devils have fallen off their perch as the No. 1 team in the country. They're replaced by Ohio State as the new No. 1 team in the country while the Kansas Jayhawks move up one spot to No. 2. Syracuse comes in third followed by Pittsburgh at fourth and then Duke at No. 5.
Kansas has had three straight close games including two last week against Iowa State and Nebraska. KU pulled both games out and stand a perfect 17-0 on the season. They play Baylor tonight as part of ESPN's Big Monday schedule.
The Missouri Tigers, 15-3 on the season, fall to No. 14 from No. 12 last week. They have lost two of their last three games and host the Kansas State Wildcats this evening. Texas A&M is now No. 10 after beating Mizzou last week and Texas is No. 11 meaning the Tigers are the fourth highest ranked Big 12 team.
Kansas State tumbles again going from No. 20 to No. 24. Kansas State had lost two consecutive games before beating Texas Tech by 34 points. They'll travel to Columbia, Mo. this afternoon to play Missouri.
All three of these teams were in the top 10 in the league at one point but only Kansas has kept the momentum going. Even Kansas has struggled lately but they've been able to come away with the close games. Kansas State would likely fall out of the top 25 if they lost to Mizzou and moved to 13-6 on the season.
Some of the focus in the Big 12 now comes to Texas A&M and Texas as they pass Missouri. Texas A&M looks like a tough team that's on a major hot streak right now after beating Missouri last weekend.
For review, the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll has the Kansas Jayhawks at No. 2, Missouri Tigers at No. 14 and Kansas State Wildcats at No. 24.