College basketball top 25: Behind nine straight wins, Indiana basketball surges into rankings

After being left largely for dead in November, the Indiana Hoosiers, yes, those Indiana Hoosiers, are back in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

The Hoosiers jumped nine teams, falling into a The Gentleman's 25th spot in the rankings -- right behind in-state rivals Butler (23) and Purdue (24). Maryland and Michigan State are 3rd and 4th in the rankings, while Iowa sits in 19th. Indiana's only ranked non-conference opponent is Duke -- in the poll in the 6th spot. The Big 12 leads the the poll once again -- with Kansas and Oklahoma in the top two positions.

Since getting housed by the Blue Devils in a 94-74 blowout in Durham, Tom Crean's 14-3 club sits atop the Big Ten Conference after reeling off nine straight wins, including four consecutive wins to start Big Ten play. Indiana's future schedule sets up favorable for the Hoosiers to remain in the rankings for weeks to come -- the Hoosiers don't play a team currently receiving votes in the Coaches' Poll in any of their next seven contests. The schedule steepens, however, when Iowa comes to Bloomington on February 11 and the Hoosiers face 5 ranked teams in 7 games to close the conference slate.

We'll have the full poll shortly.