Marquette, just eight mornings ago, was preparing to play a game at Villanova -- where a victory would give Steve Wojciechowski's team at least a share of the Big East title. Things were good. But the Golden Eagles lost that game 67-61. Then they backed that loss with a 66-60 loss at home to Creighton this past weekend. And then, on Wednesday night, they backed those losses with a 73-64 loss at Seton Hall in which they were outscored 18-0 in the final 4:22.
In other words, things are no longer good.
Things are bad.
This three-game losing streak has taken Marquette from 12-2 in the Big East to 12-5 in the Big East. And considering Villanova is 13-4 in the league, the Golden Eagles now have to beat Georgetown this weekend -- and hope Seton Hall upsets Villanova -- or else Jay Wright's Wildcats will be outright Big East champs for the fifth time in a six-year span. Obviously, that's quite a turn of events. A lot can change from one week to the next. Nobody understands this better right now than Marquette.
I dropped Marquette to 17th in Thursday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. Villanova remains No. 24. And, yes, Gonzaga is No. 1 for the 19th consecutive morning.
Thursday's Top 25 And 1
Biggest Movers
1
Purdue
4
Marquette
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | The Zags are 12-2 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with zero losses to schools ranked outside of the top six of the Top 25 And 1. Gonzaga has won 20 straight games by an average of 29.9 points. | -- | 27-8 |
| 2 |  | The Cavaliers are 15-2 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with both losses coming to Duke. Virginia will take a seven-game winning streak into Saturday's game with Louisville. | -- | 23-11 |
| 3 |  | The Blue Devils are 14-4 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's win over Wake Forest. Duke has lost only once this season when it wasn't missing a starter. | -- | 27-9 |
| 4 |  | The Vols are 13-3 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with victories over Gonzaga and Kentucky. All three of UT's losses are to schools ranked in the top 20 of the Top 25 And 1. | -- | 27-9 |
| 5 |  | The Tar Heels are 15-5 in Quadrant1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with victories over Gonzaga and Duke. North Carolina is 13-1 in its past 14 games heading into its regular-season finale with Duke. | -- | 29-8 |
| 6 |  | The Wildcats are 15-5 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's win at Ole Miss. UK is a game back of UT and LSU in the loss column of the SEC standings with one regular-season game left. | -- | 23-10 |
| 7 |  | The Wolverines are 17-4 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Sunday's win at Maryland. Michigan is 6-3 in its past nine games heading into Saturday's game at Michigan State. | -- | 8-24 |
| 8 |  | The Red Raiders are 15-5 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with wins over Kansas and Kansas State. Texas Tech will take an eight-game winning streak into Saturday's game at Iowa State. | -- | 23-11 |
| 9 |  | The Tigers are 16-5 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Wednesday's win at Florida. LSU needs only to beat Vanderbilt on Saturday to secure at least a share of its first SEC title since 2009. | -- | 17-16 |
| 10 |  | The Spartans are 15-6 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's win over Nebraska. Michigan State is 6-1 in its past seven games heading into its regular-season finale with Michigan. | -- | 20-15 |
| 11 |  | The Cougars dropped to 13-2 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Saturday's loss to UCF. Houston is tied with Cincinnati atop the AAC standings with two regular-season games remaining. | -- | 32-5 |
| 12 |  | The Seminoles are 12-6 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's win over Virginia Tech. Florida State is 11-1 in its past 12 games with the lone loss in that stretch coming at North Carolina. | -- | 17-16 |
| 13 |  | The Boilermakers are 15-7 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with wins over Michigan State and Maryland. Purdue's five-game winning streak was snapped Tuesday at Minnesota. | 1 | 34-5 |
| 14 |  | The Wolf Pack are 8-2 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's win at Air Force. Nevada needs to beat San Diego State on Saturday to share the MWC title with Utah State. | 1 | 26-8 |
| 15 |  | The Hokies are 10-7 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's OT loss at Florida State. Virginia Tech is 4-2 in its past five games with the lone losses in that stretch coming to Virginia and FSU. | 1 | 19-15 |
| 16 |  | The Wildcats are 12-7 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Monday's win at TCU. KSU is tied with Texas Tech atop the Big 12 standings heading into Saturday's game with Oklahoma. | 1 | 19-15 |
| 17 |  | The Golden Eagles are 14-7 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Wednesday's loss at Seton Hall. Marquette has dropped three straight games heading into Saturday's game against Georgetown. | 4 | 27-10 |
| 18 |  | Kansas is 15-8 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Tuesday's loss at Oklahoma. The Jayhawks can now finish no better than third in the Big 12. | -- | 23-11 |
| 19 |  | The Terrapins are 12-9 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Sunday's loss to Michigan. Maryland will take a two-game losing streak into its regular-season finale with Minnesota. | -- | 16-17 |
| 20 |  | The Badgers are 13-9 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities after Saturday's win over Penn State. Wisconsin is 9-3 in its past 12 games with wins over Michigan and Maryland. | -- | 22-14 |
| 21 |  | The Bulls are 7-2 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with one additional loss coming in a Quadrant 3 game at Northern Illinois. Buffalo will take an eight-game winning streak into Friday's game with Bowling Green. | -- | 4-27 |
| 22 |  | The Bearcats are 10-3 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with one additional loss coming in a Quadrant 4 game at East Carolina. Cincinnati is 13-1 in its past 14 games after Saturday's win over Memphis. | -- | 22-15 |
| 23 |  | The Terriers are 7-4 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with zero losses to sub-40 KenPom teams. Wofford finished 18-0 in the Southern Conference with 12 double-digit league wins. | -- | 17-15 |
| 24 |  | The Wildcats are 15-8 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with wins over Marquette and Florida State. Villanova is tied with Marquette in the loss column of the Big East standings with one regular-season game remaining. | -- | 18-16 |
| 25 |  | The Tigers are 12-9 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with zero losses to sub-80 KenPom teams. Auburn is 5-1 in its past six games with the lone loss in that stretch coming at Kentucky. | -- | 27-8 |
| 26 |  | The Bulldogs are 11-9 in Quadrant 1/Quadrant 2 opportunities with zero losses to sub-80 KenPom teams. Mississippi State is 5-2 in its past seven games with the lone losses in that stretch coming at UT and at Auburn. | -- | 21-14 |
