THE TIMES’ RANKINGS / TOP 25

No. School (Record): Comment

1. Duke (20-1): Devastatingly deep and talented.

2. North Carolina (22-1): Won vs. No. 1 Duke in ’94.

3. Arizona (19-3): Wildcats have hit their stride.

4. Kansas (25-3): Won’t lose to Missouri again.

5. UCLA (17-3): Bruins approaching potential.

6. Kentucky (20-3): DRupp Arena not so sacred to Florida.

7. Connecticut (20-3): Huskies play host to Stanford on Saturday.

8. Stanford (19-2): Almost lost third in row, versus Cal at Oakland.

9. Purdue (19-4): Boilermakers still solid.

10. Utah (18-1): Barely beaten in New Mexico’s Pit.

11. New Mexico (16-3): Utes will return favor Feb. 28.

12. Arkansas (18-3): Big SEC game against Mississippi tonight.

13. Mississippi (14-4): Not as sharp as earlier in season.

14. South Carolina (17-3): Stunning comeback against Cincinnati.

15. Cincinnati (16-4): Still wondering what happened.

16. Princeton (16-1): NCAA Sweet 16, maybe, but no further.

17. West Virginia (19-3): From the land of Jerry West.

18. Michigan State (16-4): Fueled by Mateen Cleaves.

19. Michigan (16-6): So far, only team to beat Duke.

20. Syracuse (17-4): Won’t have to go to NIT this season.

21. Indiana (15-6): Light schedule now could help later.

22. George Washington (18-3): Top 25? That’s Koul.

23. Maryland (13-7): Does Coach Gary Williams ever cool it?

24. Xavier (15-5): The X is for exasperating.

25. Rhode Island (15-5): Harrick’s team lost three of four.

Game of the Week

DUKE at NORTH CAROLINA

* When--Tonight. Time--6. TV--ESPN2.

* Story line--The season’s most anticipated game has arrived, bringing with it only the sixth No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup in the last dozen years. The most recent such meeting was when Kentucky beat top-ranked Massachusetts in the 1996 Final Four. It is the second time in the 198-game history of the series that Duke and North Carolina have met as No. 1 and No. 2. In 1994, Carolina beat No. 1 Duke, 89-78, at Chapel Hill. Duke has tremendous depth and a penchant for blowouts. The Tar Heels stick mostly with a six-man starting rotation but lead with Antawn Jamison, the probable national player of the year.