As we take our weekly look at the top 10 NCAA Tournament résumés with conference play in full swing, we are almost 40 percent through the regular season. That's a good chunk, but also leaves plenty of time for change between now and Selection Sunday.

When the NCAA selection committee evaluates teams, they are looking to answer the following about each team:

  • Who did they play?
  • Where did they play them?
  • Who did they beat?
  • And who beat them?

It's a subjective process guided by objective data (RPI). There are five other computer ranking systems averaged together to help inform the committee, but no team gets in or seeded based on any individual or collective computer ranking alone.

This early in the season, there will be a lot of disagreement between various computer rankings because there aren't enough games played. The rankings will tend to converge later in the season, though some disagreements and anomalies will persist.

For those of you who follow the football selection committee, note that head to head is not necessarily a decisive criterion in basketball. It is not unusual to see a team selected or seeded ahead of a team it lost to during the season.

Here is how things stand through Jan. 10:

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Last week: NR

Best win: Louisville

Losses: vs. Villanova, vs. Purdue

The Irish have won five straight, including victories over Louisville and Clemson, since consecutive losses to Villanova and Purdue. They start a three-game trip that includes games at Virginia Tech and Florida State.

9. Oregon Ducks

Last week: NR

Best win: UCLA

Losses: at Baylor, vs. Georgetown

The Ducks are the only team to knock off UCLA and lead the Pac-12 because of it. Star Dillon Brooks missed some early games, including the loss to Baylor, not that it likely mattered much. His first game back was the loss to Georgetown. His relative readiness that game is a consideration for the committee, but losses are losses.

8. Kentucky Wildcats

Last week: 8

Best win: vs. North Carolina

Losses: vs. UCLA, at Louisville

The Wildcats are on their march through the SEC, which is a no-win situation. Every loss will hurt more than any win will help, with the possible exception of games against Florida.

7. Creighton Bluejays

Last week: 6

Best win: Wisconsin

Loss: Villanova

The Bluejays will find that wins over Big Ten teams won't help as much as usual, but luckily for them, they play in the Big East, so there are plenty of chances for high-quality wins.

6. Gonzaga Bulldogs

Last week: 5

Best wins: vs. Florida, vs. Arizona

Losses: None

The Zags have played a decent schedule, haven't lost and might be favored every game the rest of the way. Now that they are into conference play, their strength of schedule will slowly slide down the rankings. Saint Mary's is the only top-100 team left on the schedule.

5. UCLA Bruins

Last week: 4

Best win: at Kentucky

Loss: at Oregon

The Bruins are like Kansas because they have only one win over a sure tournament team. Their loss at Oregon is better than the Jayhawks' loss to Indiana, but Kansas has played a better schedule.

4. Kansas Jayhawks

Last week: 3

Best win: vs. Duke

Loss: vs. Indiana

Indiana beat KU 103-99 in overtime on a neutral floor in the opener, and that loss looks worse every week as the Hoosiers continue to play below their talent level. The Jayhawks have played a good schedule, but lack wins over sure tournament teams.

3. Florida State Seminoles

Last week: 10

Best wins: vs. Duke, vs. Florida, vs. Minnesota, at Virginia

Loss: vs. Temple

The Seminoles have rocketed up this list. They have five wins against teams in the RPI top 25 and seven against the top 50. No other team can match that. FSU will get more chances to add to those totals quickly because their next three games are at North Carolina and at home vs. Notre Dame and Louisville.

2. Baylor Bears

Last week: 2

Best wins: vs. Louisville, vs. Xavier, vs. Oregon

Loss: at West Virginia

Baylor is the No. 1 team in the AP poll for the first time, but lost 89-68 at West Virginia in its first game at the top. Despite the margin, there's no shame in losing to the Mountaineers at their place. The number of quality wins allows the Bears to hold on to their spot.

1. Villanova Wildcats

Last week: 1

Best wins: at Creighton, at Purdue, vs. Notre Dame, vs. Xavier

Loss: at Butler

The Wildcats would have dropped to No. 2, but Baylor's loss to West Virginia helped them hold their position despite a loss to Butler last week. Beating Xavier over the weekend helped as well. Villanova's schedule will cool off a bit the next couple of weeks.