Projected AP College Basketball Rankings, Week 16

Projected AP college basketball rankings for Week 16. Here’s how we predict the top 25 will look.

There was absolutely no change in tone during Week 15 of the college basketball season. Rankings and numbers meant nothing as a number of AP Top 25 teams fell.

In another classic Duke-North Carolina showdown, the Blue Devils upset the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Top 10-ranked West Virginia suffered two losses on the week, to Texas and Oklahoma.

It’s been a wild, wild ride this season, and the twists and turns are still coming in full force. Below are the projected AP college basketball rankings for Week 16.

1. Villanova (24-3), RPI: .6586

The Wildcats ran through Temple on the road Wednesday with ease, 83-67, but they didn’t stop there. Villanova then extended its winning streak to seven games by taking down Butler, 77-67, on Saturday.

2. Kansas (23-4), RPI: .6615

Bill Self’s team absolutely handled its business on Monday with a big, 94-67 win over Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks followed that up by going on the road and taking down Kansas State, 72-63, on Saturday.

3. Xavier (24-3), RPI: .6438

The Muskeeteers picked up a solid 85-74 win over No. 23 Providence on Wednesday and then extended their winning streak to three games after beating Georgetown, 88-70, on Saturday.

4. Oklahoma (21-5), RPI: .6546

After a very close, gut-wrenching loss on the road against Texas Tech on Wednesday, the Sooners got back on the saddle with a road win over the No. 10-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers, 76-62.

5. North Carolina (22-5), RPI: .6358

Saturday ended nicely for the Tar Heels with a 96-71 win over the Miami Hurricanes, but it still doesn’t make up for a loss to the hated-rival Blue Devils. North Carolina fell in the Dean E. Smith Center to Duke on Wednesday, 74-73.

6. Iowa (20-6), RPI: .6234

7. Virginia (21-5), RPI: .6487
8. Maryland (23-5), RPI: .6279

9. Michigan State (22-5), RPI: .6202
10. Arizona (22-5), RPI: .6050
11. Miami (21-5), RPI: .6348

12. Louisville (21-6), RPI: .6135
13. Oregon (21-6), RPI: .6528
14. Duke (20-7), RPI: .6271
15. Iowa State (19-8), RPI: .6168
16. Kentucky (20-7), RPI: .6273

17. West Virginia (20-7), RPI: .6212
18. Notre Dame (18-8), RPI: .6049
19. Purdue (21-7), RPI: .6108

20. Indiana (22-6), RPI: .6009
21. Dayton (21-5), RPI: .6177
22. Baylor (20-7), RPI: .6096
23. SMU (22-4), RPI: .6260

24. Texas (16-9), RPI: .6033
25. Providence (19-8), RPI: .5905