The Saxon Top 25
(The Saxon Top 25 appears every Monday at JoeTorosian.com)
By Riley Saxon
1.) Gonzaga – Best team until proven otherwise
2.) Baylor – there’s a clear-cut top 2
3.) Villanova – Will get back into form after Covid Pause
4.) Michigan – Final Four contender in Juwan Howard’s second year
5.) Texas – Shaka Smart’s best chance at a return to the Final Four
6.) Iowa – Defense holds them back, but it usually doesn’t matter
7.) Houston – will they lose a conference game?
8.) Virginia – down ACC year gives defending champs a chance at a high seed
9.) Wisconsin – oldest, most experienced team
10.) Creighton – follows 2 tough losses with Top 25 win over UConn
11.) Ohio St. – Big win over Wisconsin after buzzer beater loss to Purdue
12.) Kansas – lost 3 in a row
13.) Texas Tech – Hung tough with Baylor
14.) Alabama – Real chance to win SEC
15.) Missouri – victories over Illinois, Oregon and Tennessee
16.) Tennessee – rough week getting manhandled at Florida then losing at home to Mizzou.
17.) West Virginia – Huge matchup vs Tx Tech today
18.) Illinois – Potential, potential, potential
19.) Clemson – Covid Pause ruined momentum
20.) Virginia Tech – could not solve Syracuse zone
21.) Boise St. – taken over the Mountain west
22.) UConn – tough loss to Creighton, but hung tough
23.) Minnesota – finally lost at home
24.) Oregon – Return from Covid Break off on the wrong foot with loss to rival Beavers
25.) UCLA – As Tyger Campbell goes, so go the Bruins
