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HQ's Bob Asmussen researched all 345 Division I men's programs in order to rank which state is producing the best basketball this season. We'll continue our countdown until we reach No. 1.

1. Indiana

SCHOOL    LEAGUE
1. Purdue    Big Ten
2. Notre Dame    Big East
3. Valparaiso    Horizon
4. Butler    Horizon
5. IUPUI    Summit
6. Indiana State    Missouri Valley
7. Evansville    Missouri Valley
8. Indiana    Big Ten
9. IPFW    Summit
10. Ball State    MAC
Best player: JaJuan Johnson, Purdue. Senior's scoring, rebounding making up for missing Robbie Hummel.
Best coach: Matt Painter, Purdue. Forty-year-old heading to his fifth consecutive NCAA tournament.
Best team: Purdue. In a squeaker over Notre Dame. Last Sunday's win against Ohio State pushed the Boilermakers to the top.
Why Indiana is No. 1: The top two teams in the state are NCAA locks. And the next three are going to be dangerous in tournament play. When the Hoosiers are No. 8 in a 10-school field, you know everybody is playing at a high level.

2. Kansas

1. Kansas    Big 12
2. Kansas State    Big 12
3. Wichita State    Missouri Valley
Best player: Marcus Morris, Kansas. Accurate shooter (60 percent) leads Jayhawks in scoring.
Best coach: Bill Self, Kansas. Former Illinois coach has won at least 23 games in all eight seasons in Lawrence.
Best team: Kansas. Yes, the Jayhawks lost to Kansas State the day they moved to No. 1, but Self's team is on its way to a top seed in the NCAA tournament.
Why Kansas is No. 2: Kansas State's win against Kansas likely moves it into the NCAA tournament field, and Wichita State gives the Missouri Valley hope for an at-large bid.

3. Ohio

1. Ohio State    Big Ten
2. Cincinnati    Big East
3. Xavier    Atlantic 10
4. Cleveland State    Horizon
5. Dayton    Atlantic 10
6. Kent State    MAC
7. Miami    MAC
8. Wright State    Horizon
9. Akron    MAC
10. Ohio    MAC
11. Bowling Green    MAC
12. Youngstown State    Horizon
13. Toledo    MAC
Best player: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State. Ranks among national leaders in points and rebounds.
Best coach: Thad Matta, Ohio State. Hoopeston native lost the national Player of the Year (Evan Turner) yet continues to produce at a high level.
Best team: Ohio State. Despite a short bench, Buckeyes have the talent and experience to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
Why Ohio is No. 3: The Buckeyes don't have depth, but the state sure does. Cleveland State leads the Horizon, Xavier is at the top of the Atlantic 10 and Miami and Kent State are first and second in the MAC East.

4. Pennsylvania

1. Pittsburgh    Big East
2. Villanova    Big East
3. Temple    Atlantic 10
4. Penn State    Big Ten
5. Drexel    Colonial
6. Duquesne    Atlantic 10
7. Bucknell    Patriot
8. Robert Morris    Northeast
9. La Salle    Atlantic 10
10. Pennsylvania    Ivy
11. Lehigh    Patriot
12. St. Joseph's    Atlantic 10
13. Lafayette    Patriot
14. St. Francis    Northeast
Best player: Talor Battle, Penn State. In a tight, well, battle for the Big Ten scoring title with Purdue's JaJuan Johnson.
Best coach: Jay Wright, Villanova. Last six seasons have included a Final Four, Elite Eight and two Sweet 16 appearances.
Best team: Pitt. Despite an upset loss to St. John's, Panthers are still in line for one of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. Maybe this is the year.
Why Pennsylvania is No. 4: See that team at No. 7? They have every power worried they will be the first-round draw.

5. Kentucky

1. Kentucky    SEC
2. Louisville    Big East
3. Morehead State    OVC
4. Murray State    OVC
5. Western Kentucky    Sun Belt
6. Eastern Kentucky    OVC
Best player: Kenneth Faried, Morehead State. National leader in rebounds and double-doubles. Oh, yeah, he just broke Tim Duncan's record for career rebounds. Nice.
Best coach: Rick Pitino, Louisville. Why not John Calipari? Pitino has the ring and four other trips to the Final Four. With three schools.
Best team: Kentucky. This one is easy because they've played No. 2 Louisville. And won by 15 points.
Why Kentucky is No. 5: The two blueblood programs in the state (Kentucky and Louisville) aren't having great seasons. But look to the next two schools, Morehead State and Murray State, which are first and second in the Ohio Valley.

6. Tennessee

1. Vanderbilt    SEC
2. Tennessee    SEC
3. Memphis    Conference USA
4. Belmont    Atlantic Sun
5. East Tennessee St.    Atlantic Sun
6. Lipscomb    Atlantic Sun
7. Austin Peay    OVC
8. Middle Tennessee    Sun Belt
9. Chattanooga    Southern
10. Tennessee Tech    OVC
11. Tennessee State    OVC
12. Tennessee-Martin    OVC
Best player: John Jenkins, Vanderbilt. Sophomore guard ranks among the top 25 nationally in scoring and hits 89 percent of his free throws.
Best coach: Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt. What, you thought we were going to pick Bruce Pearl? Former Illinois State coach heading to his fourth NCAA appearance in five years.
Best team: Vanderbilt. The Commodores pinned one of the two losses on SEC West leader Alabama and also own a victory against Kentucky.
Why Tennessee is No. 6: Nobody besides Vanderbilt is a threat to reach the Sweet 16. But Belmont, ETSU and Lipscomb dominate the Atlantic Sun.

7. Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin    Big Ten
2. Marquette    Big East
3. UW-Milwaukee    Horizon
4. UW-Green Bay    Horizon
Best player: Jon Leuer, Wisconsin. Ranks among the nation's top 35 scorers and also leads the Badgers with more than seven rebounds per game.
Best coach: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin. William Francis Ryan waited a long time to get to the Big Ten but has been a pain for the league since his arrival. His first eight Wisconsin teams reached the NCAA tournament, and No. 9 is a lock, too.
Best team: Wisconsin. They aren't pretty to look at. But they are deadly at home, where they pinned the first loss this season on Ohio State.
Why Wisconsin is No. 7: One team is going to the NCAA tournament, and Marquette has a chance to join the Badgers. Wisconsin-Milwaukee will play in some kind of postseason tournament.

8. Missouri

1. Missouri    Big 12
2. Missouri State    Missouri Valley
3. UMKC    Summit
4. St. Louis    Atlantic 10
5. Southeast Missouri    OVC
Best player: Kyle Weems, Missouri State. In a close call over Missouri's Marcus Denmon. Weems leads the Missouri Valley's best team in scoring and rebounding.
Best coach: Mike Anderson, Missouri. He made the NCAA tournament his final three seasons at UAB and is about to have a three-year streak at Missouri. Just as important: He's broken through against Illinois.
Best team: Missouri. Finally won a game on the road in the Big 12, beating Iowa State last Saturday.
Why Missouri is No. 8: The top two should be in the NCAA tournament, and the Fighting Kangaroos are improving under fourth-year coach Matt Brown. Not sure what's wrong with the Billikens.

9. North Carolina

1. Duke    ACC
2. North Carolina    ACC
3. North Carolina State    ACC
4. East Carolina    Conference USA
5. Davidson    Southern
6. Western Carolina    Southern
7. UNC-Asheville    Big South
8. UNC-Wilmington    Colonial
9. Appalachian State    Southern
10. Charlotte    Atlantic 10
11. Wake Forest    ACC
12. North Carolina A&T    MEAC
13. High Point    Big South
14. Campbell    Atlantic Sun
15. Elon    Southern
16. Gardner-Webb    Big South
17. UNC-Greensboro    Southern
18. North Carolina Central    Indy
Best player: Nolan Smith, Duke. Top 10 scorer for defending national champions.
Best coach: Mike Krzyzewski, Duke. Not only is he on his way to becoming the winningest coach in Division I history but the four-time NCAA champion also has helped fix the U.S. Olympic team.
Best team: Duke. It might be the most quiet two-loss team in Blue Devils history. The loss of freshman star Kyrie Irving has taken away some of the hype. So did losses to Florida State and St. John's. Still, it is Duke.
Why North Carolina is No. 9: There is power at the top with the ACC's two best teams. But it gets a bit murky after that. There isn't anything close to an NCAA tournament lock after the Blue Devils and Tar Heels. The hyphens are down a bit this season. But don't be stunned if one of the schools makes a run at the Big South or Southern tournament title.

10. West Virginia

1. West Virginia    Big East
2. Marshall    Conference USA
Best player: Kevin Jones, West Virginia. The junior forward leads the Mountaineers in rebounding and is second in scoring.
Best coach: Bob Huggins, West Virginia. Probably the one coach in the country who could give Frank Martin a challenge in a scaredown. He wins, too. A lot. Fresh off a Final Four, he is seeking his 19th NCAA tournament bid.
Best team: West Virginia. The Mountaineers might want to pick up another win or two before playing in the Big East tournament. Nonconference wins against Purdue, Vanderbilt and Cleveland State help their nitty-gritty report card.
Why West Virginia is No. 10: Both teams in the state are going to the postseason. Both teams in the state rank among the top 70 in RPI.

11. Texas

1. Texas    Big 12
2. Texas A&M    Big 12
3. UTEP    Conference USA
4. Baylor    Big 12
5. North Texas    Sun Belt
6. Texas Southern    SWAC
7. Texas Tech    Big 12
8. Rice    Conference USA
9. Sam Houston State    Southland
10. TCU    Mountain West
11. SMU    Conference USA
12. Houston    Conference USA
13. Stephen F. Austin    Southland
14. Texas-San Antonio    Southland
15. Texas State    Southland
16. Texas A&M-C.C.    Southland
17. Texas-Arlington    Southland
18. Lamar    Southland
19. Prairie View A&M    SWAC
20. Texas-Pan Am.    Great West
21. Houston Baptist    Great West
Best player: Jordan Hamilton, Texas. In a close call over Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn and UTEP's Randy Culpepper. Leads the Longhorns in scoring and rebounding.
Best coach: Rick Barnes, Texas. Counting this season's expected trip, he will make his 16th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, 13 in a row with the Longhorns.
Best team: Texas. Put that loss to Nebraska out of your mind. The Longhorns had won 11 straight before the trip to Lincoln. Look for a similar streak going into the NCAA tournament.
Why Texas is No. 11: In another year, the state would be among the top six. But Texas Tech is struggling without the older Knight on the bench. After the first five, you'll find a mass of teams struggling to stay at .500. Or worse.

12. Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma State    Big 12
2. Tulsa    Conference USA
3. Oklahoma    Big 12
4. Oral Roberts    Summit
Best player: Justin Hurtt, Tulsa. Senior guard ranks among the nation's top 20 scorers and has hit double figures in every game.
Best coach: Travis Ford, Oklahoma State. Former Missouri/Kentucky point guard has his team in position for a third consecutive NCAA tournament berth.
Best team: Oklahoma State. Cowboys have work to do, especially in the Big 12. Nonconference wins (Alabama, Missouri State) help Oklahoma State's case.
Why Oklahoma is No. 12: The weakest program in the state, Oral Roberts, isn't weak at all. After a 4-9 nonconference against a nasty schedule, the Golden Eagles are tied for second in the Summit. Oklahoma's troubles keep the state from being ranked higher.

13. Utah

1. BYU    Mountain West
2. Utah State    WAC
3. Utah    Mountain West
4. Weber State    Big Sky
5. Utah Valley    Great West
6. Southern Utah    Summit
Best player: Jimmer Fredette, BYU. Nation's leading scorer put up 47 against Utah.
Best coach: Dave Rose, BYU. In a close call over Utah State's Stew Morrill. Keon Clark's junior college coach is on his way to a fifth consecutive NCAA tournament.
Best team: BYU. It's more than just Fredette. How do we know this? Because last weekend, Fredette struggled at TCU and the Cougars still won by 23.
Why Utah is No. 13: BYU and Utah State are capable of making deep runs in the NCAA tournament. Utah's recent struggles don't make a whole lot of sense.

14. California

1. San Diego State    Mountain West
2. UCLA    Pac-10
3. Saint Mary's    West Coast
4. California    Pac-10
5. Southern Cal    Pac-10
6. Long Beach State    Big West
7. Stanford    Pac-10
8. San Francisco    West Coast
9. Pacific    Big West
10. UC Santa Barbara    Big West
11. Santa Clara    West Coast
12. Cal Poly    Big West
13. Fresno State    WAC
14. San Jose State    WAC
15. Pepperdine    West Coast
16. UC Riverside    Big West
17. Cal State-Northridge    Big West
18. UC Davis    Big West
19. UC Irvine    Big West
20. Loyola Marymount    West Coast
21. Cal State-Bakersfield    Indy
22. Cal State-Fullerton    Big West
23. San Diego    West Coast
24. Sacramento State    Big Sky
Best player: Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State. Sophomore forward leads the team in scoring and rebounding and is second in assists.
Best coach: Steve Fisher, San Diego State. The national title at Michigan was great. But what he has done with the Aztecs - three NCAA tournament berths and a potential No. 1 seed this season - is close to a miracle.
Best team: San Diego State. Except for one rough night in Provo (who hasn't had one of those?), the Aztecs have been perfect. They have balanced scoring, take good shots and put teams away when they have the chance. Which is often.
Why California is No. 14: The top three are going to the NCAA tournament, and we like the work being done by Dan Monson at Long Beach State. With more schools than any other state, you'd think there would be more NCAA locks with two weeks left in the regular season. The bottom teams help drag the state down.

15. Arizona

1. Arizona    Pac-10
2. Arizona State    Pac-10
3. Northern Arizona    Big Sky
Best player: Derrick Williams, Arizona. Sophomore forward, the team's top scorer and rebounder, leads the nation in field goal percentage. And he's hit an amazing 68 percent of his three-pointers.
Best coach: Sean Miller, Arizona. The former Pitt point guard basically followed legendary Lute Olson as coach, though there were a pair of interim coaches in charge of the Wildcats. After a 16-15 first season, Miller has Arizona in first place and on its way back to the NCAA tournament. It will be his fifth trip in seven seasons as a head coach.
Best team: Arizona. Landing Williams in Miller's first year was a good start for the Wildcats. Other than two bad trips to the Northwest (losses to Oregon State and Washington), Arizona has dominated the Pac-10.
Why Arizona is No. 15: Mostly, it's the resurgent Wildcats. Northern Arizona, a middle-of-the-pack team in a middle-of-the-pack midmajor conference, helps a little. Arizona State is in a free fall with Herb Sendek and soon could look for another coach.

16. Connecticut

1. Connecticut    Big East
2. Fairfield    MAAC
3. Central Conn. State    Northeast
4. Quinnipiac    Northeast
5. Yale    Ivy
6. Sacred Heart    Northeast
7. Hartford    America East
Best player: Kemba Walker, Connecticut. Mr. Clutch ranks among the nation's top 10 scorers.
Best coach: Jim Calhoun, Connecticut. About to turn 69, two-time national champion still going strong. He's been to the Sweet 16 and beyond 12 times at UConn.
Best team: Connecticut. Though they are just above .500 in the rugged Big East, Huskies own nonconference wins against Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan State and Wichita State.
Why Connecticut is No. 16: Sure, UConn is its usual solid self. But the school that really catches your attention is Fairfield, which is dominating the MAAC and went 8-3 against a challenging nonconference schedule.

17. Colorado

1. Colorado State    Mountain West
2. Colorado    Big 12
3. Air Force    Mountain West
4. Northern Colorado    Big Sky
5. Denver    Sun Belt
Best player: Alec Burks, Colorado. Sophomore guard, who is averaging close to 20 points per game, came up big in upset win against Missouri with 36 points.
Best coach: Tim Miles, Colorado State. Has built the Rams into a Mountain West contender, increasing the win total in each of his four seasons.
Best team: Colorado State. Rams scared San Diego State in a two-point loss and own wins against UNLV, New Mexico, Southern Miss and Mississippi.
Why Colorado is No. 17: Four of the five schools are ranked among the nation's top 130 in RPI. Colorado State and Colorado should earn postseason berths, and Northern Colorado and Air Force will be close.

18. Florida

1. Florida    SEC
2. Florida State    ACC
3. Miami    ACC
4. Central Florida    Conference USA
5. Jacksonville    Atlantic Sun
6. Florida Atlantic    Sun Belt
7. South Florida    Big East
8. North Florida    Atlantic Sun
9. Bethune-Cookman    MEAC
10. Florida International    Sun Belt
11. Stetson    Atlantic Sun
12. Florida Gulf Coast    Atlantic Sun
13. Florida A&M    MEAC
Best player: Malcolm Grant, Miami. Villanova transfer leads the team in scoring and assists.
Best coach: Billy Donovan, Florida. Two-time national champion, who has the Gators in control of the SEC East, is on his way to his 11th NCAA tournament in 15 years with Florida.
Best team: Florida. Like their title teams, this season's Gators are balanced offensively. Four players are averaging in double figures. One bit of a concern for a team with nonconference wins against Florida State, Kansas State and Xavier: poor free throw shooting.
Why Florida is No. 18: Solid at the top with Florida, Florida State and Miami contending for NCAA tournament berths and Central Florida hanging close. The bottom four teams in the state are among the 50 worst in the country.

19. Virginia

1. George Mason    Colonial
2. Old Dominion    Colonial
3. VCU    Colonial
4. Virginia Tech    ACC
5. Richmond    Atlantic 10
6. James Madison    Colonial
7. Liberty    Big South
8. Hampton    MEAC
9. Virginia    ACC
10. Virginia Military    Big South
11. William & Mary    Colonial
12. Norfolk State    MEAC
13. Radford    Big South
14. Longwood    Indy
Best player: Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech. Senior guard leads Hokies in points and assists while hitting 42 percent of his threes and 87 percent of his frees.
Best coach: Jim Larranaga, George Mason. The Final Four buster in 2006 has won at least 22 games for the third time in four years.
Best team: George Mason. They're back. The Patriots are dominating the Colonial and have a high RPI. If they don't win their postseason tournament, they'll have a pretty good claim on one of the expanding at-large spots.
Why Virginia is No. 19: It isn't the schools from the big leagues, though Virginia Tech and Richmond are playing well. George Mason, Old Dominion and VCU are the top three teams in the Colonial. And James Madison features one of the best players you've never heard of, senior forward Denzel Bowles.

20. Massachusetts

1. Harvard    Ivy
2. Boston College    ACC
3. Massachusetts    Atlantic 10
4. Boston University    America East
5. Northeastern    Colonial
6. Holy Cross    Patriot
Best player: Reggie Jackson, Boston College. Junior guard leads team in scoring and assists.
Best coach: Tommy Amaker, Harvard. It didn't work for the former Duke point guard at Michigan, but he's been a hit in Cambridge. His win total has climbed each of his four seasons, and the current team leads the Ivy League.
Best team: Harvard. In a close call over Boston College. The Crimson beat the Eagles by nine earlier in the season. Four Harvard players average in double figures. The Crimson shoots free throws like its coach, hitting 80 percent. The team that draws Harvard in the first round of the NCAA tournament won't be happy.
Why Massachusetts is No. 20: Two solid NCAA possibilities in Harvard and Boston College. But everybody else will need to make a run in the conference tournaments. Holy Cross is having an awful season.

21. Iowa

1.  Northern Iowa    Missouri Valley
2. Iowa State    Big 12
3. Iowa    Big Ten
4. Drake    Missouri Valley
Best player: Diante Garrett, Iowa State. Next year, it will be Drake's Rayvonte Rice. But for now, go with the senior guard, who ranks among the national leaders in assists.
Best coach: Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa. After leading the Panthers to the Sweet 16 in 2010, the 40-year-old appears to be staying in Cedar Falls for a long time. That will make the locals happy. They didn't like it when Greg McDermott left for Iowa State.
Best team: Northern Iowa. Despite the loss of three starters from last season's team that beat Kansas in the NCAA tournament, the Panthers are again contending for the Missouri Valley title. Guard Kwadzo Ahelegbe leads the team in scoring and assists.
Why Iowa is No. 21: Northern Iowa is going to be in somebody's postseason tournament, and Iowa State has a chance. Drake and Iowa have had their moments.

22. Nevada

1. UNLV    Mountain West
2. Nevada    WAC
Best player: Dario Hunt, Nevada. Junior forward leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging a double-double.
Best coach: Lon Kruger, UNLV. Former Illinois head coach looking for his fourth NCAA tournament in his last five seasons. He has led Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and UNLV to a combined 12 berths.
Best team: UNLV. Runnin' Rebels own nonconference wins against Wisconsin, Kansas State and Virginia Tech. In the Mountain West, four of the five losses are to BYU and San Diego State. UCLA transfer Chace Stanback leads the team in scoring and rebounding.
Why Nevada is No. 22: Among the two-school states, Nevada gets a slight edge because of UNLV's advantage over New Mexico in the Mountain West. Nevada is hanging in the upper half of the WAC after a 4-8 nonconference season.

23. Minnesota

1. Minnesota    Big Ten
Best player: Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota. Marquette transfer leads the team in scoring and ranks among the top 15 nationally in rebounding.
Best coach: Tubby Smith, Minnesota. Anybody else in the state have a national championship ring? Didn't think so. "Orlando" is hoping for his third consecutive NCAA trip with the Gophers.
Best team: Minnesota. This is not the Gophers we expected to see. They are playing without Devoe Joseph (transfer) and Al Nolen (injury). The home loss to Illinois could hurt when the selection committee meets in Indianapolis. But the Gophers beat Purdue and North Carolina.
Why Minnesota is No. 23: There are five states with one Division I school. Minnesota is the only one of the five with a clear path to the NCAA field that doesn't include winning its conference tournament.

24. New Mexico

1. New Mexico    Mountain West
2. New Mexico State    WAC
Best player: Troy Gillenwater, New Mexico State. Junior from Boston ranks among the top 25 nationally in scoring and leads the Aggies in rebounding.
Best coach: Steve Alford, New Mexico. In his first three seasons, Alford led the Lobos to the postseason, including last season's 30-5 team that reached the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Best team: New Mexico. The Lobos are currently off the bubble but could make a push in the Mountain West tournament. A pair of losses to Utah and a one-point decision by Wyoming makes an at-large berth impossible.
Why New Mexico is No. 24: Both schools are competitive within their leagues. New Mexico State struggled in the nonconference, going 6-9, but stands second in the WAC. Of course, power Utah State has a four-game lead.

25. Vermont

1. Vermont    America East
Best player: Evan Fjeld, Vermont. Senior forward leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding. He's in the top 50 nationally in blocked shots.
Best coach: Mike Lonergan, Vermont. Replacing popular Tom Brennan couldn't have been easy. After a slow start, Lonergan is on pace to win at least 24 games for the third consecutive season.
Best team: Vermont. The Catamounts have a wide gap in the America East and will be heavy favorites to win the league's postseason tournament.
Why Vermont is No. 25: Maple syrup ratings? Vermont is No. 1. Teddy bears and ski resorts? The state is in the top five. That Vermont is in the upper half for basketball speaks to the work done by Brennan and Lonergan.

26. Washington, D.C.

1. Georgetown    Big East
2. American    Patriot
3. George Washington    Atlantic 10
4. Howard    MEAC
Best player: Austin Freeman, Georgetown. Team's leading scorer hitting 41 percent of his three-pointers, 51 percent from the field and 85 percent at the line.
Best coach: John Thompson III. Hard to believe the former Princeton coach has been in charge of Dad's school for seven seasons. Five of the first seven, including this one, will have ended in the NCAA tournament.
Best team: Georgetown. There is depth and balance, with five players averaging at least eight points per game. The Hoyas have a pair of signature wins outside the Big East, beating Missouri and Memphis, both on the road.
Why Washington, D.C. is No. 26: The Hoyas are a lock for the big tournament, and American will compete for the Patriot title. George Washington is hanging above .500 in the Atlantic 10.

27. Michigan

1. Oakland    Summit
2. Michigan State    Big Ten
3. Michigan    Big Ten
4. Western Michigan    MAC
5. Detroit    Horizon
6. Central Michigan    MAC
7. Eastern Michigan    MAC
Best player: Keith Benson, Oakland. Averaging a double-double and is third in the nation in blocks.
Best coach: Tom Izzo, Michigan State. He's been to six Final Fours and won a national title. As hard as this season has been, you shouldn't count out his Spartans just yet.
Best team: Oakland. In a very close call over Michigan State and Michigan. Yes, the Spartans beat the Golden Grizzlies in December. By a point. Oakland is dominating the Summit and will be a giant pain for whomever draws it in the NCAA tournament.
Why Michigan is No. 27: It's a down year for the Spartans. That lowers the state. Other than Western Michigan, the MAC schools are struggling big time.

28. Nebraska

1. Nebraska    Big 12
2. Creighton    Missouri Valley
Best player: Lance Jeter, Nebraska. Team leader in points and assists, the former Cincinnati football player has been at his best in the most important games.
Best coach: Doc Sadler, Nebraska. Five seasons into his coaching tenure in Lincoln, he gained the signature win last weekend against Texas.
Best team: Nebraska. This one is easy because the future Big Ten school beat the other team in the state by five earlier in the season.
Why Nebraska is No. 28: Both schools have hopes for a postseason berth. Nebraska wants to go back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998. Barring three wins at Arch Madness, Creighton will have to settle for a lesser tournament.

29. Rhode Island

1. Rhode Island    Atlantic 10
2. Providence    Big East
3. Brown    Ivy
4. Bryant    Northeast

Best player: Marshon Brooks, Providence. Senior forward third in the country in scoring.

Best coach: Jim Baron, Rhode Island. In 23 years at St. Francis (Pa.), St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island, Baron has gone to two NCAA tournaments. But his teams have qualified for the NIT eight times. Last season's team reached the semifinals.
Best team: Rhode Island. In a close call over Providence, which just lost at home to DePaul. The Rams are in the upper division of the Atlantic 10 and will spend the postseason somewhere.
Why Rhode Island is No. 29: The Rams and Friars are respectable, but the Bears and Bulldogs bring down the rest of the state.

30. Washington

1. Washington Pac-10

2. Gonzaga West Coast

3. Washington State Pac-10

4. Seattle Indy

5. Eastern Washington Big Sky

Best player: Klay Thompson, Washington State. Among the nation's Top 15 scorers, he leads the team in assists and is second in rebounds.

Best coach: Mark Few, Gonzaga. Much more was expected from this year's team, but Few's record is overwhelming. If the Bulldogs earn an NCAA berth, it will be Few's 12th with the school. In 12 years.

Best team: Washington. Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning form one of the best one-two punches in the country. Both are averaging more than 16 points per game. The Huskies are playing well in the Pac-10 while recovering from heartbreaking nonconference losses to Kentucky, Michigan State and Texas A&M. By a combined 13 points.

Why Washington is No. 30: The top three are legitimate NCAA tournament contenders. The bottom two aren't even close. With a better year by Gonzaga, the state would be in the low to mid 20s.

31. Mississippi

1. Southern Miss. Conference USA

2. Mississippi SEC

3. Mississippi State SEC

4. Jackson State SWAC

5. Mississippi Valley State SWAC

6. Alcorn State SWAC

Best player: Gary Flowers, Southern Mississippi. Senior forward, who ranks among the Top 30 nationally in scoring, also leads the Golden Eagles in rebounds and hits 43 percent of his three-pointers.

Best coach: Larry Eustachy, Southern Mississippi. The disgraced former Iowa State coach has found success, finally, in Hattiesburg. His first five Southern Miss teams didn't reach the postseason, but last year's team did. And the current squad is trying to force its way into the NCAA field.

Best team: Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles piled up 11 wins in the nonconference against mostly suspect competition. In the league, two of the four losses came against Memphis. Southern Miss beat current leader UTEP and hasn't played UAB yet.

Why Mississippi is No. 31: Nice work being done by Southern Miss and the two SEC schools. And Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State are near the top in the SWAC. But once-proud Alcorn State is one of the worst teams in the country.

32. New York

1. Syracuse Big East

2. St. John's Big East

3. Long Island Northeast

4. Hofstra Colonial

5. St. Bonaventure Atlantic 10

6. Iona MAAC

7. Buffalo MAC

8. Columbia Ivy

9. Wagner Northeast

10. Canisius MAAC

11. Siena MAAC

12. Albany America East

13. Cornell Ivy

14. Stony Brook America East

15. Fordham Atlantic 10

16. St. Francis Northeast

17. Army Patriot

18. Niagara MAAC

19. Manhattan MAAC

20. Binghamton America East

21. Colgate Patriot

22. Marist MAAC

Best player: Charles Jenkins, Hofstra. NBA scouts know all about sweet-shooting guard, who ranks in the Top 10 nationally in scoring.

Best coach: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse. In his 35th season with the Orange, 2003 champion is on his way to a 28th NCAA tournament appearance.

Best team: Syracuse. First-year coach Steve Lavin and St. John's are closing fast. But in the only game between the schools, Boeheim's team won by 17. At Madison Square Garden. Four players average in double figures and Rick Jackson is fifth in the country in rebounding.

Why New York is No. 32: Only California has more schools. The top five have NCAA tournament hopes. But the MAAC schools other than Iona are at the bottom of the league standings. The bottom four in the state are among the worst 50 teams in the country.

33. New Jersey

1. Princeton Ivy

2. Rider MAAC

3. Rutgers Big East

4. Seton Hall Big East

5. St. Peter's MAAC

6. Monmouth Northeast

7. NJIT Great West

8. Fairleigh Dickinson Northeast

Best player: Jonathan Mitchell, Rutgers. Florida transfer leads the team in scoring and rebounding.

Best coach: Sydney Johnson, Princeton. After a rough start at the school (6-23 his first season), he is in the middle of his second consecutive 20-win season and battling Harvard for the Ivy title.

Best team: Princeton. Tigers are hanging close to first-place Harvard with a bit more scoring than in the past and beat the Crimson in their first meeting. Ian Hummer and Kareem Maddox lead a balanced offense.

Why New Jersey is No. 33: Nobody is guaranteed an NCAA tournament berth. The two Big East schools will be out early in the conference tournament. The bottom two rank with the worst 30 teams in the country.

34. Oregon

1. Oregon    Pac-10
2. Portland    West Coast
3. Oregon State    Pac-10
4. Portland State    Big Sky
Best player: Luke Sikma, Portland. Don't know if Jack's son will have a long NBA career, but he's been an ace for the Pilots. He ranks among the national leaders in rebounding and is second on the team in scoring.
Best coach: Dana Altman, Oregon. If he can keep the Ducks above .500, the longtime Creighton coach will qualify for his 14th consecutive postseason tournament, including seven NCAAs.
Best team: Oregon. By a smidge over Portland. The Ducks got off to a terrible start, losing to San Jose State, Virginia and Idaho. But with the fancy new court, they went 6-2 to move up the Pac-10 standings. No pressure, but the football team played for the national title.
Why Oregon is No. 34: One of the two major conference schools in the state, the one coached by President Barack Obama's brother-in-law, is near the bottom of the Pac-10 standings. Would you want to be the one making that "should he stay or should he go" call?

35. South Carolina

1. Coastal Carolina    Big South
2. Clemson    ACC
3. Charleston    Southern
4. Furman    Southern
5. South Carolina    SEC
6. Wofford    Southern
7. Winthrop    Big South
8. Presbyterian    Big South
9. Charleston Southern    Big South
10. Citadel    Southern
11. USC Upstate    Atlantic Sun
12. South Carolina State    MEAC
Best player: Andrew Goudelock, Charleston. Senior guard among the nation's top 10 scorers.
Best coach: Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina. Yes, that Cliff Ellis. The former Auburn and Clemson coach has the Chanticleers in a dominating position atop the Big South. Ellis is looking for his ninth NCAA tournament berth.
Best team: Coastal Carolina. Remember the name Desmond Holloway. The junior guard from Indianapolis will be the one who helps Coastal Carolina scare one of the major powers early in the NCAA tournament.
Why South Carolina is No. 35: The Gamecocks would be lower if Winthrop was playing like it did in the old days. One of two power conference schools in the state, South Carolina is not a factor in the SEC. And that hurts the state's overall ranking.

36. Hawaii

1. Hawaii    WAC
Best player: Bill Amis, Hawaii. Second on the team in scoring and rebounding while hitting 56 percent of his shots from the field.
Best coach: Gib Arnold, Hawaii. First-year coach had stops at Southern Cal, Pepperdine, Vanderbilt and Loyola Marymount. Lauded as a great recruiter.
Best team: Hawaii. Warriors went 10-3 in the nonconference, with wins against Utah and Mississippi State. They took league power Utah State to double overtime.
Why Hawaii is No. 36: You'd think the right guy could recruit a superstar team to the islands. But the distance is a problem for some. Football has worked better.

37. Maine

1. Maine    America East
Best player: Troy Barnies, Maine. Senior forward leads the team in scoring and rebounding.
Best coach: Ted Woodward, Maine. Former UConn assistant looking for a second consecutive winning season after starting his career 45-72.
Best team: Maine. Black Bears are in the upper half of the America East after losing nonconference games to Notre Dame and Maryland. They won at Penn State.
Why Maine is No. 37: It's a hockey school. But the 19 wins last season got the fans thinking about a second indoor sport.

38. Montana

1. Montana    Big Sky
2. Montana State    Big Sky
Best player: Brian Qvale, Montana. Senior center leads the team in scoring and rebounding and is third in the country in field goal percentage.
Best coach: Wayne Tinkle, Montana. Former assistant to Larry Krystkowiak and Pat Kennedy is looking for his second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. Like Krystkowiak, Tinkle is a former Montana player.
Best team: Montana. In the two games against rival Montana State, the Grizzlies won by a combined 35 points. They are leading the Big Sky.
Why Montana is No. 38: Typical, one school in the state brings the other one down. Out on their own, the Grizzlies would be top 30 material. But the Bobcats lower the curve.

39. Idaho

1. Boise State    WAC
2. Idaho    WAC
3. Idaho State    Big Sky
Best player: La'Shard Anderson, Boise State. Senior guard, who leads team in scoring and assists, ranks among the national leaders in steals.
Best coach: Leon Rice, Boise State. First-year coach learned from one of the best, working at Gonzaga with Mark Few for more than a decade. He'll be a pain for the rest of the Mountain West starting next season.
Best team: Boise State. By a whisker over rival Idaho. The Broncos own a pair of wins this season against the Vandals. Oh, and the football team was pretty good, too.
Why Idaho is No. 39: None of the three teams is a threat to get into the NCAA tournament and might be hard-pressed to earn a berth in any postseason event.

40. Georgia

1. Georgia    SEC
2. Georgia Tech    ACC
3. Georgia State    Colonial
4. Mercer    Atlantic Sun
5. Savannah State    Indy
6. Kennesaw State    Atlantic Sun
7. Georgia Southern    Southern
Best player: Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech. Former Oak Park-River Forest star leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Best coach: Mark Fox, Georgia. Ex-Nevada coach, who went to five postseason tournaments with the Wolfpack, is in line for his first with the Bulldogs. He won at least 21 games all five seasons at Nevada.
Best team: Georgia. Bulldogs are above .500 in the SEC East and have wins against Kentucky, UAB, Colorado and Tennessee. Leading scorers Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie have work to do to secure an NCAA berth.
Why Georgia is No. 40: Only a handful of schools are playing worse than Georgia Southern. And Kennesaw State isn't much better. There also might need to be a coaching decision made at Georgia Tech.

41. Illinois

1. Illinois Big Ten

2. Northwestern Big Ten

3. Loyola Horizon

4. Southern Illinois Missouri Valley

5. DePaul Big East

6. Illinois State Missouri Valley

7. Bradley Missouri Valley

8. Illinois-Chicago Horizon

9. Northern Illinois MAC

10. Eastern Illinois OVC

11. SIU-Edwardsville Indy

12. Western Illinois Summit

13. Chicago State Great West

Best player: Demetri McCamey, Illinois. In an inconsistent season, he is among the nation's Top 10 in assists and is hitting 48 percent of his three-point tries.

Best coach: Bruce Weber, Illinois. A former national Coach of the Year, he rebuilt Southern Illinois and won at least 21 games in six of his first seven seasons at Illinois.

Best team: Illinois. Hold serve in the final month, and maybe win a game in the Big Ten tournament, and the team will still be going to the NCAA tournament. In the nonconference, the Illini beat North Carolina, Gonzaga, Maryland and Oakland.

Why Illinois is No. 41: Only Illinois and Northwestern seem likely to earn postseason berths. The bottom five schools in the state are among the worst in the nation.

 

42. Maryland

1. Maryland ACC

2. Loyola MAAC

3. Morgan State MEAC

4. Mount St. Mary's Northeast

5. Coppin State MEAC

6. Towson Colonial

7. Navy Patriot

8. UMBC America East

9. Maryland-Eastern Shore MEAC

Best player: Jordan Williams, Maryland. Sophomore center third in the nation in double-doubles.

Best coach: Gary Williams, Maryland. In stops at American, Boston College, Ohio State and Maryland, Williams has been to 17 NCAA tournaments. Whether or not he makes it to No. 18 this season is a close call.

Best team: Maryland. A low RPI and an 11-4 record against a soft nonconference schedule could hurt the Terps on Selection Sunday. They had chances in games against Pitt, Illinois and Temple but couldn't get the wins.

Why Maryland is No. 42: Three schools rank among the worst 50 in the nation. And Maryland is the only school in the state with an RPI above 170.

 

43. Delaware

1. Delaware Colonial

2. Delaware State MEAC

Best player: Jawan Carter, Delaware. Senior guard leads the team in scoring and is hitting 84 percent of his free throws.

Best coach: Monte Ross, Delaware. Coming off of a 7-24 season, the Blue Hens should double that total. Ross has a chance for his first winning season at Delaware.

Best team: Delaware. The Blue Hens are hoping to get above .500 in the Colonial, which is loaded at the top this season.

Why Delaware is No. 43: Being called "The First State" has nothing to do with basketball. Ross and his rival at Delaware State face difficult challenges.

44. South Dakota

1. South Dakota State    Summit
2. South Dakota    Great West
Best player: Nate Wolters, South Dakota State. Sophomore guard ranks among the nation's top 50 scorers and leads team in assists.
Best coach: Scott Nagy, South Dakota State. Centennial product is in his 16th season in charge of the Jackrabbits, guiding the team from Division II powerhouse to starting over in Division I.
Best team: South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are in the middle of their best season in Division I, topping the previous win total in early February. South Dakota State won at Iowa and beat Nevada. The Jackrabbits are in the upper half of the improving Summit.
Why South Dakota is No. 44: Struggling South Dakota doesn't help and will have a difficult time as it moves into South Dakota State's league next season.

45. North Dakota

1. North Dakota State    Summit
2. North Dakota    Great West
Best player: Michael Tveidt, North Dakota State. Senior forward leads the team in scoring.
Best coach: Saul Phillips, North Dakota State. Fourth-year coach led Bison to NCAA tournament in his second season, losing to Kansas by 10.
Best team: North Dakota State. Following up on the run two years ago hasn't been easy for the Bison, which is in the bottom half of the Summit standings.
Why North Dakota is No. 45: The transition to Division I hasn't been easy for either school. Check back in a decade.

46. Wyoming

1. Wyoming    Mountain West
Best player: Desmar Jackson, Wyoming. Sophomore guard leads the team in scoring and is second in assists and rebounds.
Best coach: Fred Langley, Wyoming. He took over for fired Heath Shroyer this month. The team beat TCU with him in charge and played OK in a pair of road losses.
Best team: Wyoming. There once was a day when a guy named Fennis Dembo made Cowboys Nation proud. That seems like a long time ago.
Why Wyoming is No. 46: It doesn't get much worse than firing your coach late in the season.

47. New Hampshire

1. New Hampshire    America East
2. Dartmouth    Ivy
Best player: Tyrone Conley, New Hampshire. Senior guard leads the team in scoring.
Best coach: Bill Herrion, New Hampshire. Former East Carolina and Drexel coach won his 300th game earlier this season.
Best team: New Hampshire. The Wildcats are in the middle of the pack in the America East and beat Dartmouth by two.
Why New Hampshire is No. 47: As Reese Bobby says in "Talladega Nights": If you aren't first, you're last. Or, in this case, 47th. Thank goodness for those basketball-inept states in the South.

48. Arkansas

1. Arkansas    SEC
2. Arkansas State    Sun Belt
3. Arkansas-Little Rock    Sun Belt
4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff    SWAC
5. Central Arkansas    Southland
Best player: Solomon Bozeman, Arkansas-Little Rock. South Florida transfer leads the team in scoring and is converting 48 percent of his three-pointers.
Best coach: John Pelphrey, Arkansas. In his fourth season, he's got the Razorbacks pointed up after consecutive losing campaigns. He is looking for his third NCAA tournament berth and second in Fayetteville.
Best team: Arkansas. The Razorbacks have a chance to help their NCAA cause with winnable games against Mississippi, Mississippi State and Auburn. Scoring has been an issue, with only two players averaging in double figures.
Why Arkansas is No. 48: Other than winless Centenary, which is leaving Division I, we can't find a team worse than Central Arkansas.  

49. Alabama

1. UAB    Conference USA
2. Alabama    SEC
3. Troy    Sun Belt
4. Auburn    SEC
5. Samford    Southern
6. South Alabama    Sun Belt
7. Alabama A&M    SWAC
8. Alabama State    SWAC
9. Jacksonville State    OVC
Best player: Cameron Moore, UAB. Junior forward ranks among the nation's top 30 rebounders.
Best coach: Mike Davis, UAB. Former Indiana coach has made a smooth transition to Conference USA. What he wants next is his first NCAA trip with the Blazers. He probably will need to win the conference tournament.
Best team: UAB. Blazers won a triple-overtime thriller against league leader UTEP but have two losses to contender Memphis.
Why Alabama is No. 49: Four schools ranked 300 or lower in the RPI. Just two schools among the first 90. Luckily, the folks two states to the west are even worse.

50. Louisiana

1. McNeese State - Southland
2. Southeastern La. - Southland
3. LSU - SEC
4. Tulane - Conference USA
5. Louisiana-Lafayette -Sun Belt
6. Louisiana Tech- WAC
7. Nicholls State - Southland
8. Northwestern State -Southland
9. Louisiana-Monroe - Sun Belt
10. Grambling - SWAC
11. Southern  - SWAC
12. Centenary - Summit
Best player: Anatoly Bose, Nicholls State. The senior guard from Sydney, Australia, ranks among the top 10 nationally in scoring.
Best coach: Dave Simmons, McNeese State. After a rough start in his first four seasons with the Cowboys, Simmons is in the middle of his first winning season. Simmons figures to double last season's win total (10).
Best team: McNeese State. The Cowboys lead the Southland East. McNeese is the team to beat in the conference tournament and has the highest RPI among the state's 12 Division I schools ...
Why Louisiana is No. 50: ... of course, McNeese's RPI as of a week ago was 167. Among states with at least five Division I schools, that was the lowest RPI among the leaders by 57 spots. Ouch. LSU, the state's lone power-conference program, is far down the RPI list.