The latest AP poll came out this morning, and it couldn’t have been more interesting. I wasn’t expecting North Carolina to jump over Memphis. I was thrilled to see Davidson hit the poll at 25. I still think that the poll is too flattering to my beloved Big Ten – they have four ranked teams, but that makes the conference seem stronger than it will prove to be in the tournament.

As I looked over the poll, these were five other things that popped into my mind:

1. North Carolina moved up to number one, but I don’t trust this team at all. Just look at their play since the start of February – they lost to Duke, squeaked by Virginia, needed overtime against Clemson and Florida State, and needed a huge comeback against Boston College. The return of Ty Lawson will help, but this is not a team that seems to have a killer instinct.

2. Stanford (24-4, #7) could be an illusion. Ever since a mystifying loss to Siena in November, the team has performed very well. Their only home loss has been to UCLA. Still, there are some things I don’t like. They have road games against UCLA and USC remaining, which is a tough way to finish strong. They are far from balanced, with only two players in double digit scoring. Their non-conference schedule was ridiculously easy. At 14-14 ATS they haven’t done much of a job of exceeding expectations. In short, these guys could go deep, but I won’t be betting on it.

3. Indiana is dead to me. I feel bad for D.J. White and company for the mess they have had to live through this year, but I refuse to bet on a game they are playing for the rest of the year. They struggled against Northwestern, barely beat Ohio State at home, and then got crushed lifeless by Michigan State. There is no upside in playing this team until next year.

4. Tennessee will be fine. There is a lot not to like about the week the Volunteers had, but I think that they will be fine. I like that Chris Lofton stepped up strong to lead his boys over Kentucky. That, combined with what we know of him already, gives me a sense that he and the team will bounce back form this setback. Bruce Pearl can use this week as a rallying point for the rest of the year. I still think that they are doomed without an inside presence, but they won’t go down easily.

5. The Big East tournament is going to be a barn burner. No conference is packed with as many teams that I like. Louisville may be my favorite team in the country right now. Against the odds, UConn is very competitive. Luke Harangody is leading Notre Dame to new heights. Georgetown has its moments, and Marquette isn’t a pushover. Those are just the ranked teams. Add in a frustrating Pitt squad, the intriguing Mountaineers, and pesky squads from Villanova and Syracuse, and you’ll have a show well worth the price of admission. Whoever emerges from the tournament will be battle-tested for the big show.

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