Michigan holds the top spot in college basketball rankings with a dominant 24-1 record, but reigning NCAA Tournament champion Florida just cracked the top 2 in the latest power rankings. The two powerhouses are setting up as the favorites heading into March Madness, though Duke's shocking upset over Michigan 68-63 is forcing a major rankings shuffle this week.
No. 1 Michigan lost to No. 3 Duke 68-63 as the Wolverines suffered their second loss of the season. The Blue Devils' upset victory came despite Michigan being favored, showing that Duke's freshman Cameron Boozer is leading the team in points at 22.8 per game — which is also fourth best in the nation. The defensive battle highlighted Duke's elite defensive performance, with the Blue Devils controlling the paint and limiting Michigan's scoring opportunities in crunch time.
Michigan, the title favorite, and Florida, the reigning title winner, are No. 1 and No. 2 in this week's updated rankings. What makes Florida's rise remarkable is that Florida has not been higher than No. 4 in the Power Rankings all season until today. The Gators have been climbing steadily through the season, and their dominant road victories are helping them build resume credentials for the tournament. Meanwhile, Arizona came into last week unbeaten and left it with two losses, dropping at Kansas and then at home against Texas Tech.
With Duke proving it can beat anyone on a neutral floor and Florida knocking down opponents, the race for March Madness seeding is wide open. Matchups involving the top 4 teams on Saturday afternoon are potentially giving previews of potential Elite 8 or Final Four matchups. Every week matters now as teams jockey for position before Selection Sunday, and upsets like Duke's are reminding everyone that no team is untouchable heading into tournament time.