Originally Published: February 24, 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, Feb. 23)

ESPN.com Experts' Top 16s
Andy Katz
BC lost and I still didn't move them down, in large part because everyone else around them lost a game, too. The Eagles lost a close road game at Villanova. There is no shame in that, and the Eagles shouldn't necessarily be dinked for losing that game. Arizona is on a tear right now and deserves to be recognized. So, too, does Connecticut. The Huskies were extremely impressive in their win over Notre Dame. LSU and Alabama played an entertaining game Tuesday night, but the Tigers, the hottest team in the SEC, prevailed. Charlotte is playing the best basketball in Conference USA and should get a nod for a top-four seed.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Boston College
4. Kentucky
5. Arizona
6. Duke
7. Wake Forest
8. Michigan State
9. Louisville
10. Connecticut
11. Oklahoma State
12. Washington
13. LSU
14. Alabama
15. Kansas
16. Charlotte


Joe Lunardi
We see it every year about this time. Top teams lose games, yet their ranking is barely (if at all) affected. The reason is that almost all of these teams are losing games at the same time, so the status quo is essentially maintained. For instance, of the 16 teams on my list below, nine have lost at least once in the last 10 days. It's no wonder why "finishing strong" is highly prized by the NCAA selection committee, mainly because it is so hard to do.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Boston College
5. Kentucky
6. Duke
7. Arizona
8. Kansas
9. Oklahoma State
10. Michigan State
11. Louisville
12. Washington
13. Alabama
14. Gonzaga
15. Utah
16. Connecticut


Pat Forde
It's starting to look more like a two-team nation: Illinois and North Carolina, and a huge pack of pursuers. Conference upsets are keeping the races interesting in several locales, most notably the Big 12 and Big East. The two games I can't figure this week: Oklahoma State losing at Nebraska and Pittsburgh losing at home to West Virginia -- and blowing a 14-point lead along the way. Two teams that have yet to play dazzling basketball over sustained periods, but keep winning games and sneaking up the rankings: Kentucky and Michigan State. Like so many other teams, their March fates could depend on how the bracket breaks.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Kentucky
5. Oklahoma State
6. Arizona
7. Boston College
8. Connecticut
9. Duke
10. Michigan State
11. Kansas
12. Syracuse
13. Louisville
14. Charlotte
15. Washington
16. Villanova


 Dick Vitale
Illinois and North Carolina remained 1-2, but there were several surprises earlier in the week. Boston College and Oklahoma State went down to defeat, leading to a few moves.

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


Andy Glockner
With what we are seeing lately, the big-conference tourneys could be the most exciting we have seen in recent years. The upper echelon teams in the ACC, Big 12, Big East, SEC and C-USA just keep taking turns beating up on each other. After Illinois at No. 1, you probably could make legitimate arguments for about 10 teams in the rest of the top five.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Arizona
5. Kentucky
6. Boston College
7. Duke
8. Kansas
9. Oklahoma State
10. Alabama
11. Louisville
12. Washington
13. Michigan State
14. Utah
15. LSU
16. Charlotte


Fran Fraschilla
Because we are in the heart of conference play, road losses are piling up, even among the elite teams.

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

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