Just call us the anti-"Wizard of Oz" poll because, no matter what Villanova, the putative Number One team in most polls, does we're still going to be in Kansas, or at least in the Jayhawks' camp, until they give us a reason to jump off their bandwagon.
So, with that in mind, click your heels, kids, and check out our CBB rankings for the week of February 22, 2016 (won-loss records are as of the time of this writing).
NCAA College Basketball (CBB) Rankings
1. Kansas, 23-4
Yes, Toto, we believe in Bill Self's team, because they have both heart and brains, and point guard Frank Mason III, who is averaging 13.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 4.6 APG.
2. North Carolina, 22-5
Roy Williams isn't a wizard. He's just a heck of a recruiter. He's got a whole bunch of players who are quick and long, and can score and create for teammates. Guard Marcus Paige (12.1 PPG, 3.6 APG) may be the prototypical Tar Heel.
3. Villanova 24-3
Okay, we'll give the Wildcats their due. But is Jay Wright's team, with its eight-man rotation, deep enough to make a deep run in March? Only time will tell if the Wildcats are a team of champions or munchkins.
4. Oklahoma, 21-5
"There's no place like home... There's no place like home..." Buddy Hield and the Sooners proved just that with their tough loss at Texas Tech. Good thing they get in-state rival Oklahoma State in Norman this week.
5. Arizona, 22-5
Sean Miller is hardly the "Wicked Witch of the West," but he and his team carry the added burden of trying to uphold the Pac-12's reputation as a basketball conference in the coming weeks. The Wildcats are a team with no clear-cut star--and that may be their biggest advantage heading into the tournament.
6. Xavier, 24-3
Will the Musketeers' house come crashing down this week when they face-off against Big East rival Villanova?
7. Michigan State, 22-5
Tom Izzo may be college basketball's "Glinda the Good Witch," but he'll need to prove his team has more than the Spartans' Mr. Everything Denzel Valentine (19.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 7.3 APG).
8. Virginia, 21-5
We know. The make-up of our Top 10 has your head spinning like a tornado. But don't blame us. It's been a tumultuous season. The Cavaliers have made our list for a few weeks running now, and their collective carriage doesn't seem ready to turn into a pumpkin just yet--oh wait, that's a different story.
9. Maryland, 23-5
Forget the Yellow Brick Road. Just fellow top Terp Melo Trimble (14 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 5.2 APG) and you'll be fine.
10. Louisville, 21-6
Alas, the Cardinals' story in 2015-16 will not have a happy ending--at least on the court. Too bad. Damion Lee (16 PPG) can shoot the rock.
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