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Power 16: Expert Lists

The ESPN.com Power 16 is compiled each week by a panel of ESPN experts and ESPN.com's college basketball editor. These individual lists help create the final rankings each week.

Here is how ESPN.com's experts ranked the top teams in the country.

(Through games played on Wednesday, Feb. 16)

ESPN.com Experts' Top 16s
Andy Katz
The top three teams are starting to create some distance. Illinois, Wake Forest and North Carolina have the look of Final Four teams. Kansas has had that at times but couldn't close out Texas Tech. Oklahoma State seems to be on a roll and is headed for a showdown with Kansas next weekend. The back end of the Power 16 is for teams that are playing well this week and that's why Charlotte, Pacific, Utah and Wisconsin deserve praise. Pittsburgh is probably the biggest climber. The Panthers continue to show that they are tougher than most teams, with road wins at Connecticut and Syracuse.

1. Illinois
2. Wake Forest
3. North Carolina
4. Oklahoma State
5. Kansas
6. Boston College
7. Duke
8. Pittsburgh
9. Kentucky
10. Syracuse
11. Louisville
12. Arizona
13. Wisconsin
14. Charlotte
15. Pacific
16. Utah

Joe Lunardi
The losses earlier in the week by Kansas and Kentucky do juggle the rankings a bit, particularly with respect to the Wildcats. If you take the label "SEC" off of Kentucky, what you have is a team much more like a No. 3 or No. 4 seed than one pushing for a spot at the top of the NCAA bracket. The Wildcats played a much weaker (by their standards) non-conference schedule this year, and their best conference win was by three points (at home) vs. Florida. With road games remaining at Florida and Alabama, I'll have a wary eye out for UK.

1. Illinois
2. Wake Forest
3. North Carolina
4. Kansas
5. Boston College
6. Duke
7. Arizona
8. Oklahoma State

9. Kentucky
10. Louisville
11. Michigan State
12. Pittsburgh
13. Syracuse
14. Gonzaga
15. Washington
16. Utah

Pat Forde
After Illinois, no team in the upper portion of the Power 16 did much to distinguish itself this past week. But watch out for Pittsburgh, which seems to be back to its trademark sausage-grinder defense. And watch out for Utah, which might have America's best player tucked away in the quiet Mountain Time Zone. And keep an eye on Louisville-Marquette Thursday night, to see if the Golden Eagles can perpetrate a 47-point turnaround of their crushing loss in Freedom Hall. It's not out of the question.

1. Illinois
2. Wake Forest
3. North Carolina
4. Kansas
5. Boston College
6. Oklahoma State
7. Duke
8. Kentucky
9. Arizona
10. Pittsburgh
11. Utah
12. Syracuse
13. Michigan State
14. UConn
15. Louisville
16. Pacific

Dick Vitale
Illinois continues to roll on with its win at Penn State. There have been shakeups already this week with Kansas and Kentucky both going down on the road. Watch out for Michigan State, a team that has been warming up lately.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Wake Forest
4. Kansas
5. Oklahoma State
6. Duke
7. Boston College
8. Kentucky
9. Arizona
10. Gonzaga
11. Connecticut
12. Washington
13. Syracuse
14. Michigan State
15. Utah
16. Louisville

Jay Bilas
Illinois should finish the season unbeaten, although it does not matter whether the Illini finish the year with a bagel, one or two losses. This team is good enough to win the national championship, and a few stumbles won't change that. North Carolina is second, but on even footing with Illinois. I like Kansas, because the Jayhawks continue to win, and Wake Forest as my four No. 1 seeds. A few other teams can still sneak out a top seed, but these four are solid. The more you look at the Pac-10 and the SEC, the more you think that this will be the year of the mid-major -- somebody has to gobble up those at-large bids.

1. Illinois
2. North Carolina
3. Kansas
4. Wake Forest
5. Boston College
6. Duke
7. Syracuse
8. Oklahoma State
9. Kentucky
10. Michigan State
11. Louisville
12. Arizona
13. Pittsburgh
14. Gonzaga
15. Washington
16. Charlotte

Andy Glockner
I was among those most critical of Pittsburgh several weeks ago. Now I'm here to praise the Panthers, who are peaking at the right time and could be a very tough out in the postseason. I also like the look of Oklahoma State again. Was very disappointed in Washington's no-show at Oregon State and Louisville's home follies against Memphis.

1. Illinois
2. Wake Forest
3. Kansas
4. North Carolina
5. Duke
6. Boston College
7. Arizona
8. Syracuse
9. Kentucky
10. Oklahoma State
11. Gonzaga
12. Pittsburgh
13. Utah
14. Louisville
15. Washington
16. Connecticut

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