Monday is when the new rankings come out, and you can expect a shake-up at the top of the polls...

Going into the 2008-2009 NCAA Men's basketball season, the North Carolina Tar Heels were the favorites to win it all, but the honeymoon has ended...for now.  Is this cause for concern?  No way in h-e-double hockey sticks is this panic time in Chapel Hill.

In their ACC opener, Boston College traveled to UNC and upset the top team in the land, winning 85-78.  BC was unranked, but had only lost 2 of their first 14 games, so you can bet they'll be ranked after knocking off #1.  Why is there no reason to panic?  It's very simple, no team in college basketball will go undefeated this year, the competition is just too tough.  Don't believe me?  Just ask any coach in the Big East.  I guarantee the winner of that conference will have at least 2 losses.  The Tar Heels have 16 more games, 30 in all before the conference tournaments begin.  So don't worry, all you UNC fans, they'll drop a couple spots in the rankings, but they'll bounce back.  Now the question becomes, who's the new #1?

The Connecticut Huskies were the #2 team in the league heading into their Big East opener against Georgetown on Dec. 29th.  The Hoyas came up to UConn and stunned the #2 team in the country, beating Jim Calhoun and the Huskies by 11 points, with a final score of 74-63.  The Huskies bounced back against Rutgers yesterday with a very impressive victory...but it is Rutgers.  So the Huskies lost a game this week also...that brings us to the #3 team in the country, and that would be Pitt.  So what about the Panthers?

Yes, the Pitt Panthers...ladies and gentlemen, when the rankings come out tomorrow, the Pitt Panthers should be ranked #1 for the first time in school history.  The Panthers are 13-0, and are 2-0 in Big East play.  On New Year's Eve, they traveled to Rutgers and won, having to come from behind after trailing at halftime for the first time all year.  However, they had no problem winning the game, and kept their perfect season alive.  Then yesterday, they traveled to Georgetown to face the same team that had just come off a huge win in Connecticut.  They were riding a 29-game home winning streak, but the Panthers stiffled the Hoyas, winning 70-54.

Don't fret, Huskies and Tar Heels fans, you can't win them all.  The Panthers won't remain undefeated either, and that's because the Big East is a complete crapshoot.  But for now Pittsburgh, party it up at the Pete tonight!

Until next time, here's hoping the Panthers can keep the #1 spot past their next game against St. John's.

BK over and out