Luke DeCock’s AP Top 25 basketball poll ballot: NC State emerges on Week 17

N.C. State finally gets into my top 25 this week. It may not have played the cream of the ACC crop over the last two weeks, but four solid wins – including a road win at Syracuse and Sunday’s blowout against Florida State – over the past two weeks makes the Wolfpack as good a candidate as anyone for a spot in the bottom of the poll. Kentucky, Butler and TCU have all had their time in the poll; might as well let someone else claim one of those spots.

Michigan State stays on top, although Virginia's case remains strong. The Spartans have won 12 straight but the Cavaliers might have had a claim if they played someone better than Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh this week.

Other than that, things are largely solidified as we head down the stretch. At this point, generally speaking, teams are what they are.

PAST BALLOTS

Week 1 (Preseason) Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16

MY TOP 25

1. Michigan State (Last week: 1)

2. Virginia (2)

3. Duke (3)

4. North Carolina (5)

5. Xavier (6)

6. Villanova (4)

7. Purdue (7)

8. Kansas (8)

9. Gonzaga (9)

10. Cincinnati (12)

11. Wichita State (14)

12. Ohio State (15)

13. Auburn (10)

14. Tennessee (17)

15. Michigan (18)

16. Nevada (19)

17. Rhode Island (21)

18. St Mary's (22)

19. Clemson (16)

20. Texas Tech (11)

21. West Virginia (24)

22. Arizona (13)

23. Middle Tennessee State (25)

24. TCU (NR)

25. N.C. State (NR)

OUT Houston (20), Florida State (23)

This story was originally published February 26, 2018 at 8:13 AM.