Rivalry week kicked off in a big way on Monday with highly anticipated conference collisions in the Big 12 and Big East taking center stage.

Cole Aldrich (AP)

Let's start in the Big 12, where No. 1 Kansas really started to solidify itself as the top team in the nation. Utilizing a 22-0 run in the first half against No. 14 Texas, Kansas was largely in control throughout. The end result was an 80-68 road victory.

The Jayhawks now have a firm lead in the Big 12. At 9-0 in conference, Kansas has a three-game lead over second-place Kansas State and Texas A&M. Texas, once considered a contender for the Big 12 crown, is now 5-4 in conference. The Longhorns have lost five of their last seven.

This week is the Division I Men's Basketball Mock Selection, and these teams are currently going opposite directions in terms of seeding. Currently, Kansas looks like a lock for a No. 1 seed. Right now, the Jayhawks are the clear-cut No. 1 team in the nation, and their remaining schedule doesn't contain too many potential roadblocks. Texas, once considered a No. 1 seed, is dropping. With seven regular season games left - four of which are on the road - Texas is going to need some victories soon if it wishes to get a favorable seed. Rick Barnes' team no doubt has the talent, as seen by its 17-0 start, but Texas is really in need of a jolt.

Forward Marcus Morris, who has really helped this Jayhawk team hit full stride, led Kansas with 18 points and eight rebounds. For Texas, freshman guard J'Covan Brown was a bright spot, scoring a game-high 28 points. He may be in line to get more playing time. Texas' Damion James finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks.

In the Big East, we had a matchup of teams both ranked in the top 5 for the first time this season when No. 4 West Virginia hosted No. 5 Villanova.

Villanova senior Scottie Reynolds continued his stellar season with 21 points - 19 of them coming in the last 13 minutes - to lead the Wildcats to an 82-75 win. Reynolds also chipped in with five assists and three steals. This was the sixth time in Big East play that Reynolds topped 20 points.

With the win, Villanova moved into a first-place tie with No. 2 Syracuse atop the Big East, with a 10-1 record. West Virginia sits two games back in third place. Although a multitude of things can happen, Syracuse and Villanova have a fairly strong stranglehold over the conference race.

Five Mountaineers scored in double figures, led by Darryl Bryant's 15. For West Virginia, the loss snaps a six-game win streak. For Villanova, it's redemption for a loss suffered at the hands of No. 7 Georgetown over the weekend.

Speaking of the Big East title, Syracuse will be in action on Wednesday against Connecticut, losers of six of its last nine games. This is a matchup of two perennial powers headed in different directions. For Syracuse, this game is a must win to keep pace with Villanova. For UConn, the Huskies need a few statement wins just in order to help their NCAA Tournament chances.

A very similar matchup occurs in the ACC on Wednesday as well. Arguably college basketball's best rivalry, Duke and North Carolina, heads to Chapel Hill. Where No. 8 Duke, much like Syracuse, is looking to keep its top spot in conference, North Carolina, which has lost six of its last seven, needs to improve its NCAA Tournament resume with big wins. This is certainly an opportunity for Tar Heels.

A busy week of college basketball will continue in Indianapolis for the Division I Men's Basketball Mock Selection on Thursday and Friday. Members of the NCAA Selection Committee will facilitate as members of the media determine what the bracket would look like if the season ended this week. This will also explain the entire process the selection committee goes through in order to set the field for the purpose of demystifying the selecting, seeding and bracketing of the teams in the annual Division I Men's Basketball Championship. Stay tuned to NCAA.com and this blog for complete coverage of the event, including a live blog and videos.  

For complete results from Monday, click here.

For more on the AP Poll released on Monday, click here.

President Obama was not in attendance this Saturday like he was for Georgetown's triumph over Duke last week, but the Hoyas were every bit as impressive this Saturday. Behind Austin Freeman's 25 points, No. 7 Georgetown was dominant in a 103-90 victory over No. 2 Villanova.

Austin Freeman (AP)

The Hoyas controlled throughout and led by as many as 23 points in the first half. This was Villanova's first loss in Big East play and first loss since Dec. 13. Next up for the Wildcats is No. 6 West Virginia on Feb. 8.

Despite a measure of inconsistency - as seen by losses to South Florida and Marquette - Georgetown proved once again that it can be one of the elite teams in the nation. Freeman is one of the big reasons for that. The junior guard leads the team with 16.8 points per game, but he has been at his best in Big East play. He has scored over 20 points in each of the last four games.

Freeman's presence on the wing, combined with Greg Monroe's impact in the post, gives Georgetown a formidable inside-outside tandem.

Scottie Reynolds continued his stellar play with 24 points in the loss.

In the Big 12, the struggles continue for No. 9 Texas. Despite a late rally, the Longhorns lost to arch-rival Oklahoma, 80-71. Texas was down by 18 points by halftime.

Texas has now lost four of six after starting 17-0. The Longhorns travel to Kansas to take on the top-ranked Jayhawks on Feb. 8. The game will not have the Big 12 title race implications that many thought it would before, but it will still be a big-time matchup between two of the nation's top teams. This is an opportunity for Texas to improve its seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Once considered a No. 1 seed, the Longhorns will now want to earn some quality wins so they can move them up a few slots.

Tommy Mason-Griffin scored a game-high 24 points for the Sooners. Avery Bradley led Texas with 21 points.

In the Big Ten, Illinois defeated a Kalin Lucas-less Michigan State, 78-73. The win pulls Illinois and Wisconsin within a game of the conference-leading Spartans. Ohio State and Purdue sit only a game and a half back.

The Fighting Illini were led by Demetri McCamey who had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Since losing three in a row in late January, Illinois has rattled off four consecutive wins. Illinois will travel to Wisconsin on Feb. 9 for a game with huge ramifications in the Big Ten title race.

No. 5 Michigan State was led by Draymond Green's 17 points and 16 rebounds. Lucas, the team leader who sprained his ankle on Feb. 4 against Wisconsin, expects to play against No. 8 Purdue on Feb. 9. Michigan State has now lost two in a row.

Things are heating up in the Big Ten and the conference is very much up for grabs. This week will be critical for many teams in the race.

No. 12 BYU, No. 19 Temple, No. 18 Vanderbilt and No. 20 Baylor also lost on Saturday.

For complete results from Saturday, click here.

Despite all the powerhouses in the Big East - some struggling, some thriving - little-known South Florida is starting to make some noise.

Last night, the Bulls ousted No. 7 Georgetown, 72-64, on the road. This comes after South Florida defeated No. 22 Pittsburgh on Jan.31. South Florida has now won four in a row in conference play for the first time in school history.

Dominque Jones (AP)

At 5-5 in the Big East and 15-7 overall, South Florida has put themselves on the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls will need to get a few more quality wins and stay at or above .500 in conference play, but it's not foolish to think that they could make it at this point.

A big reason for this: Dominque Jones. One of the best-kept secrets in the Big East, Jones has been on a tear as of late. During this four-game win streak, Jones is averaging 35 points a night. The junior guard is also averaging 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in that span. He hasn't scored less than 20 points in a game in 2010.

If Jones keeps this us, South Florida is a dangerous team the rest of the way. Next up for Jones and USF is a road game against Luke Harangody and Notre Dame on Feb.7.

In the Big 12, we saw once again that it's not easy to be No. 1. Top-ranked Kansas, in its first game since regaining the top spot in the rankings, got all it could handle from Colorado on the road.

The Buffaloes, who got 18 points and 11 rebounds from Marcus Relphorde, actually took the Jayhawks into OT, only to lose, 72-66.

Despite shooting 18-for-38 from the free-throw line, Kansas was able to hold off a determined Colorado team. It wasn't until the extra period that Kansas was able to pull away.

Marcus Morris, who has really come on as of late for the Jayhawks, scored six of his 15 points in OT. Morris also added eight rebounds. His contribution is giving this offense an entirely new element. Morris teams with preseason All-American Cole Aldrich to form one of the nation's best duos in the post. Aldrich ended with 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

Guard Sherron Collins added 15 points and five assists.

Kansas knows that it'll have a bulls eye on its back as long as it's the No. 1 team in the nation, but Kansas has the depth and upper-echelon talent to potentially go on a long winning streak.

Kansas travels to No. 9 Texas on Feb. 8 for one of the biggest games of the year.

In the Big East, No. 6 West Virginia defeated No. 22 Pittsburgh, 70-51.

Da'Sean Butler led the Mountaineers to their fifth straight win with 18 points. Pittsburgh has lost four of its last five after having won its previous eight games.

For complete results from Wednesday, click here.

We're back to square one.

The Kansas Jayhawks, our heavily hyped preseason No. 1 team, is back as the top team in the nation. Thanks to a big week that saw Kansas oust Missouri, 84-65, and outlast then No. 11-Kansas State in OT on the road, the Jayhawks are right back where many pundits belived they deserved to be all along.

To find out why Kansas is back where it started in the preseason, look no further than its preseason All-Americans - Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. Against Kansas State, Collins fought off a bout of back spasms to return to the game and make the key bucket with nine seconds left. The point guard is leading the team with over 15 points and four assists per game. Aldrich is starting to really assert himself in the post and has been dominant as of late. He has a double-double in his last three games, averaging 16.3 points, 12.7 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in that span.

Marcus Morris (AP)

Swimngman Xavier Henry has continued his excellent freshman campaign, but it is forward Marcus Morris that is really starting to emerge as another star for the Jayhawks. In the past six games, Morris is averaging 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a night. If Morris keeps this up and teams with Aldrich in the post, Kansas would have a frightening inside-outside combo to complement Collins, Henry and others on the wing.

A game against No. 9 Texas, which beat Oklahoma State by 12 on Monday night, on Feb. 8 looms large for the Jayhawks.

Kentucky, last week's No. 1, fell to No. 4 after a loss to Suuth Carolina. Villanova and Syracuse claim the second and third spots in the poll respectively. Butler at No. 23 and Northern Iowa at No. 24 jumped back into the rankings. Connecticut and UAB fell out of the top 25.

Connecticut, a Final Four team last year, lost to Louisville, 82-69, on Monday night - its third loss in a row and sixth loss in its last eight games. A win against Texas certainly bolsters UConn's resume, but the Huskies are going to need to finish the Big East schedule strong if they wish to return to the NCAA Tournament.

For more info on this week's AP Poll, click here.

On a different note, this weekend - Jan. 31 to be exact - was the 40th anniversary of LSU's Pete Maravich breaking the Division I scoring record. Maravich brought a rare flare to college basketball, and his legacy will likely live on forever. His records may equally stand the test of time. With 3,667 career points, Maravich is still the all-time Division I leader in points scored.

In any era, Maravich's record would be hard to break, but in today's game, with many elite players leaving early for the NBA, his record seems that much more unbreakable. Maravich, who played an entertaining blend of basketball that was well ahead of his time, is certainly one of the greatest players in college basketball history.

To read more about the Pistol's record-breaking night, click here for an article by LSU Public Address Announcer Dan Borné.

If you're a fan of college basketball, Saturday was entertaining from start to finish. And, If you're a fan of the Big 12, you got a real treat.

Marquee matchups, improbable comebacks and presidential visits were all on display. The Big 12, however, stole the show with two OT thrillers.

Sherron Collins (AP)

We'll start in Kansas where No. 2 Kansas, likely to take the top spot this week, defeated No. 11 Kansas State, on the road. Sherron Collins, who was plagued with back spasms all game, returned to the contest and made a crucial layup with nine seconds left in OT to put Kansas up by three. The gritty point guard finished with 16 points.

This game was a back-and-forth affair and the K-State crowd was raucous throughout all 20 lead changes and 14 ties.

Cole Aldirch was a force in the middle for the Jayhawks, scoring 18 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking three shots.

Kansas State was led by Jacob Pullen who had 22 points and five assists.

In Austin, No. 6 Texas was upended by No. 24 Baylor, 80-77. Baylor freshman guard A.J. Walton provided three clutch free throws in the last 17 seconds of the extra period to preserve the win. Walton's ability to make those free throws in the clutch in a hostile environment was remarkable. On the season, he is just a 47 percent free-throw shooter.

The win is Baylor's first regular-season win over Texas since 1998. Texas has now dropped three of four after starting 17-0.

Tweety Carter led Baylor with 27 points and six rebounds. Damion James continued to look like a candidate for Player of the Year for Texas as he scored 20 points and grabbed 19 rebounds.

From two former No. 1 teams to No. 4 Syracuse, a team that could potentially be No. 1 in the near future. The Orange survived a scare as they were down by as many as 18 to Depaul, but used a late run to triumph, 59-57.

Syracuse was once again paced by Wesley Johnson, who had 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Syracuse has now won eight in a row.

Speaking of cutting the deficit, President Obama was in attendance for the Duke-Georgetown game in Washington, DC. No. 7 Georgetown put on a show for the commander in chief, and the Hoyas toppled No. 8 Duke, 89-77. Georgetown shot nearly 72 percent from the floor. This was Georgetown's best shooting percentage in 30 years.

Greg Monroe, Chris Wright and Austin Freeman all scored at least 20 points for the Hoyas. Collectively, the trio shot 23-for-31 from the field.

Duke was led by Nolan Smith's 19 points.

In the SEC, No. 1 Kentucky bounced back from a loss with an easy win over No. 21 Vanderbilt, 85-72. Kentucky and Vanderbilt are now tied atop the SEC with a 5-1 record.

On the west coast, No. 13 Gonzaga was upset by San Francisco, 81-77, in OT. Dior Lowhorn led the way for the Dons with 22 points and nine rebounds, including some clutch 3-pointers.

For complete scores from Saturday, click here. 

With all the hype surrounding Kentucky's fabulous freshmen John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins, it was a relative old-timer - 21-year-old senior Devan Downey - that stole the show on Tuesday night as South Carolina knocked off No. 1 Kentucky, 68-62.

Devan Downey (AP)

Downey, who is leading the SEC in scoring, poured in 30 points, and carried the Gamecocks on his back since they were playing without key players Dominique Archie and Mike Holmes.

The 5-foot-9 Downey has been a big-time player all year for South Carolina, but he has really outdone himself in conference play. In six SEC games, Downey has scored over 30 points four times and is averaging 30.3 points a game.

This is the first time in school history that South Carolina defeated the No. 1 team in the nation. The Gamecocks had lost their last three games heading into the contest.

In the middle of the SEC with a 3-3 conference record, South Carolina may not contend for a conference championship, but this game should prove that as long as it has Downey, the Gamecocks can beat any team in the SEC on any given night.

For Kentucky, its reign at No. 1 will probably only last a week. Barring any other major upsets, preseason No. 1 Kansas will likely take over the top spot next week.

With a team this young it was far-fetched to see this squad running the table, so this loss may actually work in Kentucky's favor. It will serve as a wake-up call to the team. John Calipari will be able to stress how important it is to take every game seriously and not let up. His messages will surely be heeded more now that this team has shown a measure of vulnerability. Sure, it's a disappointing loss, but it's nothing Kentucky can't come back from.

Even in the loss, Wall and Cousins were terrific. Cousins scored a career-high 27 points and dragged down 12 rebounds. Wall had 19 points.

A big game looms for Kentucky against Vanderbilt on Jan. 30. Vanderbilt now sits atop the SEC with a 4-0 record, but it has to travel to play Tennessee on Wednesday.

In other action Wednesday night, No. 11 Kansas State needed 25 points and two late free throws from Jacob Pullen to pull out a 76-74 victory over No. 24 Baylor.

In Conference USA, No. 25 UAB defeated Tulsa, 65-55, to take sole possession of first play in C-USA.

In the ACC, Boston College topped Clemson, 75-69. Clemson has now lost three in a row.

Reggie Jackson scored 18 points and handed out seven assists for Boston College.

For complete results from Tuesday, click here.

For the third time this season we have a new No. 1 team. Kentucky, by virtue of being the nation's last unbeaten team, unanimously takes over the top spot. At 19-0, Kentucky has to the top ranking for the first time in six seasons.

Darius Miller (AP)

Kentucky steps in as the nation's No. 1 for Texas, which lost two games in a six-day span. The Longhorns fell to No. 6 after suffering road defeats at the hands of Kansas State and Connecticut. Both of those teams are ranked in the top 20 in this week's poll, so those two setbacks cannot be considered bad losses. Texas is still an elite team, and it is still very much in the race for a Big 12 title. Next up for Texas is Texas Tech on Jan. 27.

The win over Texas was just what Connecticut needed. Before back-to-back wins against St. John's and Texas last week, Connecticut had lost three in a row. The win also came on the heels of Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun announcing an indefinite leave of absence. With George Blaney coaching, the Huskies used a second-half surge to topple Texas, 88-72, on Saturday. Jerome Dyson scored a career-high 32 points for UConn as the Huskies outscored the Longhorns 54-32 in the second half.

Connecticut is inexperienced down low so it will need these kinds of effort from Dyson in order for the Huskies to be potent offensively. Despite not having great range, the combo of Kemba Walker and Dyson can be lethal at times.

UConn jumped back up to No. 19 in the rankings. Vanderbilt (21), New Mexico (23) and UAB (25) also ascended into the top 25.

While Clemson, Northern Iowa and Mississippi State all fell from the rankings, the most notable team that dropped from the top 25 was defending champion North Carolina. The Tar Heels have lost three in a row and four of five. UNC will try to get back on track against NC State on Tuesday. The Tar Heels need to start accumulating quality wins in order to bolster their NCAA Tournament resume. They have really struggled finding perimeter scoring, and they'll look to Marcus Ginyard, Larry Drew II, Dexter Strickland and Will Graves for some scoring punch.

Georgetown moved up in to the top 10 at No. 7 with a win over Pittsburgh as the Panthers dropped from No. 9 to No. 17 after back-to-back losses.

For more on this week's AP Poll, click here.

We're nearly three months into this season and we don't have a clear-cut favorite for player of the year. Last year, Oklahoma's Blake Griffin dazzled us from the onset. Two years ago, it was hard to turn on the TV and not hear about North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough. And, the year before that, Texas' Kevin Durant burst on the scene and immediately became one of the biggest stories.

This year is different. There is no one player that has separated himself from the pack. There is a lot of basketball left, and whoever shines brightest from here to March could be in line to get some hardware. Here are a few of the candidates, broken up into three different categories of players.