Originally Published: January 7, 2005

Power 16: Expert Lists

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The ESPN.com Power 16 is compiled each week by a panel of ESPN experts and ESPN.com's college basketball editor. These individual lists help create the final rankings each week.

Here is how ESPN.com's experts ranked the top teams in the country.

(Through games played on Wednesday, Jan. 6)

ESPN.com Experts' Top 16s
Andy Katz
Boston College leaps into the top 16 with a road win at Connecticut, which came on the heels of the win at UMass. The Eagles needed to secure a big-time road win to get attention and they delivered Wednesday night. GW lost at West Virginia but the Mountaineers' embarrassing loss at Villanova bounced them out of the poll. It's hard to argue at the top where the first five teams continue to cruise. The sleeper in the bunch continues to be Texas, which might have the goods to make a long-distance run in March.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Kansas
5. Duke
6. Kentucky
7. Gonzaga
8. Oklahoma State
9. Georgia Tech
10. Syracuse
11. Texas
12. Washington
13. Arizona
14. Boston College
15. George Washington
16. Mississippi State


Joe Lunardi
It's hard to argue with back-to-back national championships, but the Big East is once again being exposed for who it plays (or, rather, doesn't play) in non-conference games. All those who weren't fond of me omitting Pitt and UConn from previous Power 16s may now help yourself to a plateful of crow. In the meantime, I'll be trying to figure out where to seed these and other "paper tigers" when weekly Bracketology projections make their debut on Monday, January 10.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Kansas
4. Wake Forest
5. Duke
6. Kentucky
7. Gonzaga
8. Oklahoma State
9. Syracuse
10. Washington
11. Georgia Tech
12. Texas
13. Arizona
14. Boston College
15. Cincinnati
16. Mississippi State


Pat Forde
Thank goodness for January, when everyone has to come out of hiding. Now it's time for playing road games and conference peers and to see who's legit and who isn't. But in the biggest non-conference game of the week, look for Kentucky to give Kansas its first loss.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Duke
5. Kansas
6. Oklahoma State
7. Iowa
8. Washington
9. Georgia Tech
10. Gonzaga
11. Kentucky
12. Texas
13. Syracuse
14. Connecticut
15. Boston College
16. West Virginia


Andy Glockner
What a week of tumult. You buy strong into the Zags and they lose at Mizzou. West Virginia gets two big wins ... and then loses by 38 to Villanova. Iowa dumps a game at home to a gritty Michigan team. Kansas wins two more very close home games. Who knows what to believe any more, other than the ACC continues to prove it is very, very good.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Duke
5. Kansas
6. Georgia Tech
7. Oklahoma State
8. Kentucky
9. Texas
10. Gonzaga
11. Boston College
12. Syracuse
13. Washington
14. Michigan State
15. Iowa
16. George Washington

 Dick Vitale
Kansas remains No. 1 in my Sensational 16 following a come-from-behind win over Georgia Tech and a close W against Texas A&M. Illinois was impressive in blowing out Cincinnati. Unbeaten West Virginia was closing in with wins over George Washington and NC State before the Villanova disaster. Pittsburgh? Gone after stunning home losses to Bucknell and Georgetown.

1. Kansas
2. Illinois
3. North Carolina
4. Duke
5. Wake Forest
6. Kentucky
7. Georgia Tech
8. Oklahoma State
9. Syracuse
10. Connecticut
11. Texas
12. Washington
13. Louisville
14. Gonzaga
15. Iowa
16. Arizona


Jay Bilas
Nobody has more power than North Carolina, and the Heels are the best team (despite the loss to Santa Clara), but Illinois is a very close second, and stays at No. 1 because it has yet to lose. Raymond Felton is the key to UNC's success. He's the engine that makes Carolina go. Wake Forest has played the toughest slate, and has toughened up as a result. Kansas has not yet played its best, but has the most room to improve of any of the top ten teams. Now that college football is over, college basketball teams can prepare for a championship ... because college hoops actually HAS one. No computers, no media arguing about who is best. No opinion ... just one champion. Three undefeated teams at the end of the year -- you gotta be kidding. College football: Every game counts ... except for the bowl games!

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Kansas
4. Wake Forest
5. Oklahoma State
6. Georgia Tech
7. Duke
8. Syracuse
9. Texas
10. Michigan State
11. Gonzaga
12. Kentucky
13. Wisconsin
14. Iowa
15. Arizona
16. George Washington


Doug Gottlieb
Why in so many polls is Gonzaga penalized more for a loss to a talented Missouri team (who played terrific, by the way) than its is rewarded for its win versus Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City? Why is UConn ranked so high? Who have the Huskies played and who have they beaten? Hello and good bye to West Virginia in the Top 25. Hofstra's only loss was by 5 at Syracuse.

1. Illinois
2. Kansas
3. North Carolina
4. Wake Forest
5. Gonzaga
6. Kentucky
7. Duke
8. Oklahoma State
9. Washington
10. Texas
11. Michigan State
12. Syracuse
13. Boston College
14. Georgia Tech
15. Arizona
16. Hofstra


Fran Fraschilla
I am not penalizing Gonzaga for a loss at Missouri when very few teams in America would split the Oklahoma State/Mizzou road trip. Their wins over the Cowboys, Georgia Tech and Washington were the three best by any one team in the preseason.

1. Illinois
2. Kansas
3. North Carolina
4. Wake Forest
5. Syracuse
6. Oklahoma State
7. Duke
8. Kentucky
9. Gonzaga
10. Connecticut
11. Georgia Tech
12. Washington
13. Iowa
14. Texas
15. Arizona
16. West Virginia

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