Basketball.com - Men's College

College Basketball Tracker
By Dave Harrison
Courtesy of www.ATS411.com

The Fighting Illini only have one fight left and that's to win the national championship. (Speaking of that, visit www.ATS411.com/GameDay for their unique Bracket Buster contest to win cash and prizes!)

Illinois not only maintained its No. 1 spot for a 15th straight week, but it also reclaimed the unanimous selection after winning the Big Ten Tournament. So anything but a NCAA Tournament win will be seen as a big disappointment for the might Illini who will hope for better success than the last few No. 1's who entered the tournament.
Duke was the last No. 1 overall seed to win the tourney back in 2001.

Illinois hogged the top spot, with only Kansas and Wake Forest ascending to the perch in 2005. And, each of them only held the crown for two weeks.

There were a few interesting moves in the rankings this week including Duke, a No. 1 seed in the tournament moving into the No. 3 hole. Another No. 1 seed, Washington, had a successful week in winning the PAC 10 Tourney and was rewarded with a six-point jump and a move into the Top 10. Despite the jump the Huskies are still the lowest-ranked No. 1 seed since it was expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

This week's biggest gainer is clearly Florida. The Gators who did not register in last week's ranking catapulted themselves into the No. 16 position after they claimed the SEC Tournament. Two other new teams also found their way in, Texas Tech and Georgia Tech, but they entrances at No. 24 and 25 weren't quite as grand.

Exiting the rankings were Pittsburgh (22), Nevada (24) and Charlotte (25), who all lost in the quarterfinals of their conference tournaments.

For matchup breakdowns, multiple previews on every tournament game, an exclusive Tourney Database, updated odds and a great bracket contest, visit www.ATS411.com

1(1) Illinois -32-1 - The Fighting Illini capped off the Big Ten Tournament with a 54-43 win over Wisconsin in the final. Illinois is the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney and takes on Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round.

2 (2) North Carolina - The Tar Heels had an up and down weekend, losing to Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament on Saturday, but they were named a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney on Sunday. The Tar Heels get the winner of the play-in game, either Oakland or Alabama A&M in the first round.

3 (5) Duke - 25-5 - The Blue Devils moved into the Top 3 after winning the ACC Tournament, 69-64 over Georgia Tech, and garnering a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney. Duke takes on Delaware St in the first round.

4. (6) Louisville - 29-4 - The Cardinals continued their run up the rankings after they won the Conference USA Tournament in a tight 75-74 win over Memphis. Louisville entered the NCAA Tourney as the No. 4 seed in the Albuquerque Division and will take on La Lafayette in the first round.

5. (3) Wake Forest - 26-5 - The Demon Deacons fell two spots in the rankings after they lost their only game in the ACC Tournament, 81-65 to N.C. State. Wake Forest received the No. 2 seed in the Albuquerque region, and get Chattanooga in the opening round.

6. (10) Oklahoma St - 24-6 - The Cowboys moved up four spots after they won the Big 12 Tournament with a 72-68 win over Texas Tech. Oklahoma St was selected as the No. 2 seed in the Chicago Region and faces SE Louisiana in the first round.

7. (4) Kentucky - 25-5 - The Wildcats got rocked in the SEC Tournament final, 70-53 by Florida to lose three spots in the rankings. Kentucky's late season swoon cost them a chance at a No. 1 seed, but they still earned No. 2 in the Austin region and will take-on Eastern Kentucky in the first round.

8. (14) Washington- 27-5 - The Huskies flew up the rankings after winning the Pac 10 Tournament, 81-72 over Arizona, and earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tourney. Washington was placed in the Albuquerque region and will get Montana in the first round.

9. (8) Arizona 27-6 - The Wildcats were upset in the PAC 10 final, 81-72 to Washington and lost a spot in the rankings. Arizona was given the No. 3 seed in the Chicago region and meets-up with Utah St in the first round.

10. (11) Gonzaga - 25-4 - The Bulldogs rolled through the Mountain West Tournament, defeating St. Mary's 80-67 in the final. Gonzaga got the No. 3 seed in the Albuquerque region and takes on Winthrop in the first round.

11. (16) Syracuse- 27-6 - The Orange went through Rutgers (81-57), Connecticut (67-63) and West Virginia (68-59) to win the Big East Tournament and move up five spots in the rankings. Syracuse was named the No. 4 seed in the Austin region and takes on Vermont in the first round.

12. (9) Kansas - 23-6 - The Jayhawks late season woes continued last week as they lost to Oklahoma 78-75 in the semi-finals of the Big 12 Tournament. Kansas earned the No. 3 seed in the Syracuse region and clashes with Bucknell in the first round.

13. (12) Connecticut - 22-7 - The Huskies fell to Syracuse 67-63 in the Big East Tournament semi-finals, and as a result fell a spot in the rankings. Connecticut got the No. 2 seed in the Syracuse region and get UCF in the first round.

14. (7) Boston College - 24-4 - The Eagles bowed out early in the Big East Tournament losing to West Virginia, 78-72 in the second round to drop seven spots in the rankings. Boston College secured the No. 4 seed in the Chicago region and takes on the Ivy leaguers from Pennsylvania in the first round.

15. (13) Michigan St - 22-6 - The Spartans were upset in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament, 71-69 to Iowa. Michigan St garnered the No. 5 seed in the Austin region and get Old Dominion in the first round.

16. (-) Florida - 23-7 - The Gators leapt into the Top 25 after a strong showing at the SEC Tournament, where they defeated Kentucky 70-53 in the final. Florida's strong finish to the season paid off in a No. 4 seed in the Syracuse region and a first round match-up with Ohio.

17. (17) Oklahoma - 24-7 - The Sooners are stuck at No. 17 for another week after losing to Texas Tech 69-63 in the semi-finals of the Big 12 Tourney. Oklahoma heads into the NCAA as the No. 3 seed in the Austin region and get Niagara in the first round.

18. (15) Utah - 27-5 - The Utes lost the Mountain West Tournament final, 60-56 to New Mexico and fell a spot in the rankings. Utah enters the tourney as the No. 6 seed in the Austin region and takes on UTEP in the first round.

19. (19) Villanova - 22-7 - The Wildcats held onto the No. 19 spot after losing to West Virginia 78-76 in the semi-finals of the Big East Tournament. Villanova enters the Tourney as the No. 5 seed in the Syracuse region and it get New Mexico in the first round.

20. (23) Wisconsin - 22-8 - The Badgers fell to Illinois 54-43 in the final of the Big Ten Tournament, but they still gained three spots in the rankings. Wisconsin got the No. 6 seed in the Syracuse region and take-on Northern Iowa in the first round.

21. (20) Alabama - 24-7 - The Crimson Tide lost to Florida in the semi-finals of the SEC Tournament and fell a spot in the rankings. Alabama entered the NCAA as the No. 5 seed in the Chicago region and get Wisc. Milwaukee in the first round.

22. (18) Pacific - 26-3 - The Tigers made it to the final of the Big West Tournament, but their 65-52 loss to Utah St caused them to fall four places. Pacific got the No. 8 seed in the Albuquerque region and take on Pittsburgh in the first round.

23. (21) Cincinnati - 24-7 - The Bearcats didn't get very far in the Conference USA Tournament as they dropped their first game to South Florida 80-68 in the first round. Cincinnati heads into the NCAA as the No. 7 seed in the Austin region and get Iowa in the first round.

24. (-) Texas Tech - 20-10 - The Red Raiders defeated the No. 1 seed Oklahoma to get into the Big 12 Tournament final, but could not get past Oklahoma St in a 72-68 loss. Texas Tech moved into the Top 25 for only the second time this season and enters the NCAA as the No. 6 seed in the Albuquerque and take-on UCLA in the first round.

25. (-) Georgia Tech - 19-11 - The Yellow Jackets finally got some of the sting back last week as they defeated Virginia Tech and North Carolina in the ACC Tournament, but fell to Duke, 69-64 in the final. Georgia Tech earned the No. 5 seed in the Albuquerque region and will take on George Washington in the first round.

David Harrison is a college basketball analyst at www.ATS411.com, the directory for against the spread winning information. Play ATS411 Bracket Buster for $3,500 in cash

Dave Harrison is a college basketball analyst for www.ATS411.com