The 15th regular-season editions of the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today Coaches’ Poll were released on Monday with the Syracuse Orange sticking around as the No. 1-ranked team in the country. Syracuse received 64-of-65 first-place votes from the AP voters and all 32 first-place votes from the coaches.

The Florida Gators (23-2, 12-0 SEC) – fresh off a pair of difficult road victories – 67-58 over Tennessee on Tuesday and 69-59 against Kentucky on Saturday – moved up one spot to No. 2 in the AP top 25 and two spots to No. 2 in the USA Today rankings.

Florida checked in with 1,543 points (+66) in the AP poll and 752 points (+41) in the USA Today top 25. The Gators at No. 2 first achieved their highest ranking since Feb. 4, 2013 (No. 2).

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Check out the complete top 25 rankings and see where UF stands…after the break!



UF’s 2013-14 opponents in italics. Wins in blue; losses in red.

ASSOCIATED PRESS TOP 25

This Week 1-5: Syracuse (64), Florida (1), Wichita State, Arizona, Duke

6-10: San Diego State, Cincinnati, Kansas , Villanova, Saint Louis

11-15: Creighton, Louisville, Michigan State, Virginia, Iowa

16-20: Wisconsin , Iowa State, Kentucky , Texas, Michigan

21-25: UConn , Memphis , UCLA, Ohio State, Gonzaga

Last Week 1-5: Syracuse (65), Arizona, Florida, Wichita State, San Diego State

6-10: Villanova, Kansas , Duke, Michigan State, Cincinnati

11-15: Iowa State, Saint Louis, Louisville, Kentucky, Michigan

16-20: Iowa, Virginia, Creighton, Texas, Memphis

21-25: Wisconsin , Ohio State, SMU, UConn , Pittsburgh

USA TODAY COACHES’ POLL

This Week 1-5: Syracuse (32), Florida, Wichita State, Arizona, Louisville

6-10: Duke, San Diego State, Kansas , Cincinnati, Saint Louis

11-15: Villanova, Creighton, Virginia, Michigan State, Iowa

16-20: Kentucky , Texas, Wisconsin , Iowa State, Michigan

21-25: UConn , Gonzaga, Ohio State, Memphis , UCLA

Last Week 1-5: Syracuse (32), Wichita State, Arizona, Florida, San Diego State

6-10: Villanova, Kansas , Louisville, Duke, Michigan State

11-15: Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Kentucky, Iowa State, Iowa

16-20: Virginia, Creighton, Michigan, Texas, Ohio State

21-25: Wisconsin , Memphis , Pittsburgh, Gonzaga, Oklahoma

* UConn was the first team out of the poll last week.

S-CURVE AND RPI STANDINGS

By Jake Sillick – OnlyGators.com Contributor

With the 2014 NCAA Tournament fast approaching, focus turns to selecting and bracketing the event. To many, this may seem like a mysterious process, but the NCAA actually accomplishes it in three phases: selecting the field, ranking the field and then placing those chosen teams on the bracket. The NCAA adds 36 at-large teams to the 32 league champions, ranks all 68 teams in order and then puts them into a seed list called an “S-curve” (it snakes right to left, then left to right, as seen below).

Criteria used for rankings teams are as follows:

» RPI rank

» Strength of schedule rank (overall and non-conference)

» Record vs. RPI top 25, RPI top 50, and RPI top 100 opponents

» Bad losses (typically against teams ranked 150+ in RPI)

» Rankings from computer systems (KenPom, Sagarin, etc.)

» Road/neutral-site records

» “Eye test” (personal opinions from watching games)

Here is how Florida stands is in the aforementioned criteria:

» RPI: 4th (+)

» SOS: 24th overall, 19th non-conference

» Record vs. RPI top 25: 2-2 | vs. RPI top 50: 5-2 (+) vs. RPI top 100: 11-2 (+)

» Bad losses: none (+)

» Computer rankings: top-three in most systems (+)

» Road/neutral-site record: 9-2 (+)

The first four teams (No. 1 seeds) determine the regional match-ups. Teams are then placed into the region closest to them (based on availability). Being ranked No. 1, No. 5, No. 9 or No. 14 is best for the top seed on the first four lines. When a team in the top 16 is placed, a sub-regional site is also assigned based on availability (each site can be assigned twice).

What does this mean for the Gators? It is almost a certainty that the Gators will play in Orlando, FL for the second third rounds. There is also a high probability that as a No. 1 or high No. 2 seed, UF will play in the South region in Memphis, TN.

If Florida…

» Finishes 18-0 in SEC play, regardless of performance in the league tournament, it will be a No. 1 seed.

» Finishes 17-1 in SEC play, it will be a No. 1 seed with only one SEC Tournament win needed.

» Finishes 16-2 in SEC play, an appearance in the SEC Tournament final will be necessary to achieve a No. 1 seed, otherwise it will finish with a No. 2 seed.

» Worst case: Even with seven-straight losses to end the season, the Gators would receive no worse than a No. 4 seed in the tournament.

NCAA RPI Standings

RPI Top 25 Wins

vs. Kansas (1)

at Kentucky (13)

RPI Top 25 Losses

at Wisconsin (6)

at UConn (25)

Record: 2-2

RPI 26-50 Wins

vs. Memphis [New York, NY] (34)

vs. Missouri (38)

vs. Richmond (39)

Record: 5-2

RPI 50-100 Wins

vs/at Tennessee [two games] (54)

vs. Florida State (61)

vs. Middle Tennessee (74)

at Arkansas (75)

vs. Georgia (88)

Record: 11-2