INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 11: Head coach Bruce Weber of the Illinois Fighting Illini coaches against the Michigan Wolverines during the quarterfinals of the 2011 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse on March 11, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Illinois Fighting Illini (15-3) return to the Top 25 of the USAToday Coaches Poll following their win over the Ohio St. Buckeyes (16-3).
The Illinois Fighting Illini (15-3) have once again found their way into the Top 25 of the USAToday Coaches Poll. The latest rankings (see below) have the Illini ranked No. 25 after falling off the charts in late December.
Despite their three December losses, the Illini have charged back in relevancy with three Big Ten conference wins in January -- including a 79-74 upset win over the No. 6 Ohio St. Buckeyes on January 10. Undefeated in 2012, Illinois looks to build their mid-season surge into a March Madness run.
The Illini now sport a Big Ten best 4-1 conference record, tied for first with the No. 9 Michigan St. Spartans. Elsewhere in the Big Ten, the Michigan Wolverines (13-4) fell to No. 19 after 59-75 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes.
|
Rank
|
Team (first-place votes) |
Record
|
Points
|
Last week
|
|
|
1.
|
Syracuse (31) |
19-0
|
775
|
1
|
|
|
2.
|
Kentucky |
17-1
|
742
|
2
|
|
|
3.
|
Baylor |
17-0
|
714
|
4
|
|
|
4.
|
Duke |
15-2
|
654
|
6
|
|
|
5.
|
Missouri |
16-1
|
629
|
9
|
|
|
6.
|
Ohio State |
16-3
|
619
|
5
|
|
|
7.
|
Kansas |
14-3
|
591
|
10
|
|
|
8.
|
North Carolina |
15-3
|
569
|
3
|
|
|
9.
|
Michigan State |
15-3
|
509
|
7
|
|
|
10.
|
Murray State |
18-0
|
449
|
14
|
|
|
11.
|
Connecticut |
14-3
|
416
|
16
|
|
|
12.
|
Georgetown |
14-3
|
410
|
-11
|
|
|
13.
|
Indiana |
15-3
|
358
|
8
|
|
|
14.
|
Florida |
14-4
|
304
|
19
|
|
|
15.
|
Mississippi State |
15-3
|
288
|
20
|
|
|
16.
|
San Diego State |
15-2
|
282
|
22
|
|
|
17.
|
Virginia |
14-2
|
269
|
17
|
|
|
18.
|
Creighton |
16-2
|
260
|
21
|
|
|
19.
|
Michigan |
14-4
|
259
|
13
|
|
|
20.
|
UNLV |
16-3
|
252
|
12
|
|
|
21.
|
Louisville |
14-4
|
130
|
15
|
|
|
22.
|
Marquette |
14-4
|
119
|
24
|
|
|
23.
|
Saint Mary's |
17-2
|
100
|
NR
|
|
|
24.
|
Harvard |
15-2
|
61
|
25
|
|
|
25.
|
Illinois |
15-3
|
58
|
NR
|
|
| Dropped out | |||||
| No. 18 Kansas State, No. 23 Gonzaga. | |||||
| Others receiving votes | |||||
| Vanderbilt (13-4) 47; Kansas State (12-4) 46; New Mexico (15-2) 41; Wisconsin (14-5) 27; Gonzaga (14-3) 21; Middle Tennessee (17-2) 21; Seton Hall (15-3) 16; West Virginia (13-5) 13; Wichita State (15-3) 13; Alabama (13-4) 7; Nevada (14-3) 3; California (15-4) 2; Brigham Young (15-4) 1. | |||||
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