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NBC Sports Top 25: Duke is still No. 1, Texas Tech to No. 6

Duke v Syracuse

SYRACUSE, NY - FEBRUARY 23: Zion Williamson (C) of the Duke Blue Devils reacts from the bench against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the Carrier Dome on February 23, 2019 in Syracuse, New York. Duke defeated Syracuse 75-65. (Photo by Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

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I don’t think that keeping Duke at No. 1 should be a controversial thing, but I have a feeling that it might be.

So before I get into anything else, the reasoning: I think that Duke is the best team in college basketball when they are healthy. The evidence is pretty simple -- they have only lost once this season when they were at full strength, and that came against the team that I have second in this ranking on a neutral floor by two points. When they lost at home to Syracuse, Cam Reddish was ruled out right before tip-off with an illness and Tre Jones was injured six minutes into the game. When they lost to North Carolina, Zion Williamson was lost in the first 30 seconds.

And yes, I know, those are excuses, you have to play the games, they still have five players on the floor and two top five picks, yadda yadda yadaa.

I get it.

I still think Duke is the best team in college basketball with their full roster, and unless something wild happens with Zion in the very near future, they are going to continue having their full roster when it matters.

So Duke is No. 1 in my rankings.

Beyond that, where I had the most trouble was figuring out what to do with Texas Tech. This is a team that is as good defensively as any team that we have seen in the KenPom era, but just three weeks ago -- when they get blown out by Kansas in Phog Allen Fieldhouse -- they were ranked outside the top 100 in adjusted offensive efficiency. That is because they couldn’t shoot. Well, over the course of the last five games, they are shooting 58-for-124 (47%) from three, and during that stretch they have beaten West Virginia, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Kansas by an average of 27 points.

So I have them No. 6.

I’ve been high on the Red Raiders all season long, and I think they are about to pay off my trust.

Here is the rest of the top 25:

1. Duke (24-3, Last Week: 1)
2. Gonzaga (27-2, 2)
3. Virginia (24-2, 3)
4. Kentucky (23-4, 4)
5. North Carolina (22-5, 7)
6. Texas Tech (22-5, 11)
7. Tennessee (24-3, 5)
8. Michigan State (23-5, 17)
9. Michigan (24-4, 6)
10. Marquette (23-4, 8)
11. Houston (26-1, 12)
12. Nevada (25-2, 9)
13. Purdue (20-7, 16)
14. Kansas State (21-6, 19)
15. LSU (22-5, 15)
16. Wisconsin (19-8, 20)
17. Kansas (20-7, 13)
18. Iowa State (19-8, 10)
19. Virginia Tech (21-6, 18)
20. Maryland (21-7, NR)
21. Iowa (21-6, 22)
22. Buffalo (24-3, 23)
23. Florida State (21-6, 24)
24. Wofford (24-4, 25)
25. Villanova (20-8, 14)

Dropped Out: 21. Louisville
New Additions: 20. Maryland