CBB Round-Up: 1/25/18

Okay, I’m doing a little better now. I only skipped one week this time, which means soon enough I’ll be posting every week, and I’m sure it’ll be multiple times a week as we inch closer and closer to the Big Dance.

This week, I wanted to tell you all about some teams that are flying under the radar right now that you will definitely want to pay attention to as the season rolls along. I hope that it will help you immensely when you are filling out your brackets in March.

These teams all belong to mid-major conferences, except for the first one (depending on your definition of “major”), but I’ve included them because I don’t think anyone really realizes just how good they are this year.

 

Cincinnati Bearcats (18-2, 7-0 American)

This may be the best team Mick Cronin has had during his tenure as Cincy’s head coach. They are the 6^th best team in the nation according to KenPom, where they also rank 2^nd in defensive efficiency. They have given up more than 70 points just twice this season (1-1 in those games) while giving up 50 points or less five times. They are led by a pair of seniors, forwards Gary Clark (12.8 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and Kyle Washington (11.0 PPG, 52.2 FG%) who have played in a combined six NCAA Tournaments (Washington’s first two were during his time at NC State). That experience could be a driving force to help this team make a deep run in 2018.

Nevada Wolfpack (18-4, 7-1 Mountain West)

It’s rare for the Mountain West to only have one team reach the NCAA Tournament, but it looks like that could be the case this season. Nevada is the heavy favorite to be that team. KenPom ranks them 18^th, 11^th in offensive efficiency. They play a style that is suited for a Tournament team. They like to play fast on offense while slowing down the game on the defensive end and limiting their opponents’ shot attempts. They are very experienced, with junior guard Jordan Caroline (16.1 PPG, 9.1 RPG) and the Martin twins, Caleb and Cody, playing their first season at Nevada after transferring from NC State. As freshmen, they were members of the NC State team that upset 1-seed Villanova in the Round of 32 in 2015. That kind of experience can go a long way in March.

Saint Mary’s Gaels (19-2, 8-0 West Coast)

Gonzaga has been the class of the West Coast Conference for the better part of the last few decades, and Saint Mary’s has always played second fiddle. That may be changing this season. The Gaels are 17^th on KenPom, who also has them rated 3^rd in offensive efficiency and in the top-5 in both effective FG% and TO% on offense. They protect the ball and they make over half of the shots they take. They are one of the oldest teams in the country, and they are led by senior center Jock Landale (22.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 65.7 FG%), who is probably the best player that you know nothing about. He is 2^nd on KenPom’s Player of the Year ranking, only trailing Oklahoma’s super frosh Trae Young. Saint Mary’s knocked off Gonzaga last week 74-71 in Spokane. That win could be what drives the Gaels towards overtaking the Zags on top of the WCC pedestal.

Rhode Island Rams (16-3, 8-0 Atlantic 10)

It feels like we are finally getting the Rhode Island team that everyone expected to get when Dan Hurley became head coach. They are ranked 26^th by KenPom, and they scored non-conference wins over likely Tournament teams Providence and Seton Hall (the Hall win coming on a neutral floor). Oft-injured guard EC Matthews missed six games early in the season, but the team is 10-0 since his return. The Rams entered last season’s NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed, defeating Creighton, then falling by just three points to eventual Final Four team Oregon. They will look to go much deeper this year.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (14-6, 6-1 C-USA)

Rick Stansbury thought he had a sure-fire tourney team when he secured the commitment of future NBA player Mitchell Robinson, a top-10 recruit in the 2017 class. Unfortunately, Robinson chose to sit out this season, but the Hilltoppers have been great despite losing Robinson. They had a fantastic run in the Battle 4 Atlantis in Nassau, Bahamas, holding Villanova to its second-lowest point total of the year in a losing effort, then defeating Purdue and SMU in consolation games. They don’t have the dominant interior presence they thought they had in Robinson, but they have gotten great guard play, led by Buffalo-transfer Lamonte Bearden (11.6 PPG) and freshman Taveion Hollingsworth (12.7 PPG, 43.8 3PT%). Great guard play can lead to a deep run in March.

New Mexico State Aggies (17-3, 5-0 WAC)

This is a team that just expects to make the NCAA Tournament every year now. They have been there five of the last six seasons, but they have yet to have a team with a legit chance to make a run. That is different this year. The Aggies are ranked 47^th on KenPom, 15^th in defensive efficiency and in the top-20 in both block % and steal %. They also picked up a resume-defining win over Miami in Hawaii during the Diamond Head Classic. Beating a team like Miami, who was undefeated at the time, could give this team the confidence they need to make a decent run in the Tournament.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (14-5, 6-1 C-USA)

If Western Kentucky doesn’t represent the C-USA in the Tournament, Middle Tennessee will be the reason why. The Blue Raiders are #51 on KenPom, and they are battle tested, having played the 18^th toughest schedule in the country to this point. They had big games against Auburn, USC and Miami, and while they lost them all, they were all very close games. Their biggest win to date is a road win over the previously mentioned Western Kentucky. They have Tournament experience as well, having been there the last two seasons, upsetting 2-seed Michigan State in the Round of 64 in 2016. Senior guard Giddy Potts was the star of that game, and he will look to make another star-quality performance in the Big Dance this season.

 

Jayson’s Top-25

1. Villanova
2. Purdue
3. Virginia
4. Duke
5. Michigan State
6. Xavier
7. West Virginia
8. Arizona
9. Kansas
10. Cincinnati
11. Oklahoma
12. North Carolina
13. Ohio State
14. Saint Mary’s
15. Gonzaga
16. Texas Tech
17. Rhode Island
18. Tennessee
19. Wichita State
20. Clemson
21. Florida
22. TCU
23. Miami FL
24. Arizona State
25. Nevada

 

Must Watch Games

#25 Michigan at #3 Purdue, Thursday 1/25 7:00 pm ESPN

The Boilermakers are one of the hottest teams in the country, but they’ll face a stiff test against the Wolverines, who lost by just one point in these teams’ last meeting in Ann Arbor a few weeks back.

UCF at #17 Wichita State, Thursday 1/25 9:00 pm ESPN2

The Shockers have been shocked two games in a row, losing at home to SMU and at Houston over the last week. They will look to get back on track against a strong defensive UCF team who is also looking to right the ship, having lost two of their last three games.

#2 Virginia at #4 Duke, Saturday 1/27 2:00 pm CBS

The biggest game of the weekend, and one of the biggest games of the season will take place in Durham Saturday when the red hot Blue Devils host the Cavaliers, who are riding an 11-game winning streak which includes wins over North Carolina and Clemson.

Kentucky at #7 West Virginia, Saturday 1/27 7:00 pm ESPN

The Big 12/SEC Challenge will take place this weekend, and the marquee matchup will be in Morgantown where the Mountaineers will look to bounce back from a loss to TCU by hosting John Calipari’s scuffling Wildcats, who have lost three of their last six games.

#1 Villanova at Marquette, Sunday 1/28 1:00 pm FOX

The best team in the land will travel to Chicago to take on a tough Marquette team who will be looking for the signature victory. It will be the first game for Villanova without guard Phil Booth, who fractured his hand earlier this week in a win over Providence.

CBB Roundup: 1-10-2018

I wanted to try to start posting weekly at the very least, but sometimes life gets in the way, so I apologize for that. But I am back, and more has changed over the last three weeks in college basketball than anyone could have imagined.

Since the last time I posted (December 20^th), the teams I had in my Top-10 are a combined 30-16. Yes, you read that correctly. The teams that I believed were the 10 best teams in the nation have lost 16 games over the last three weeks. That is unheard of.

A staggering number of those losses are to unranked teams as well. Villanova was upended at Butler, Michigan State got dominated by Ohio State, Duke was pretty soundly defeated by NC State, Miami lost games to New Mexico State and Georgia Tech and Texas A&M was dealt with a number of key injuries and suspensions, resulting in losses to Alabama, Florida and LSU.

“Parity” is an overused term in sports, but it may just be the perfect word to describe the Division I college basketball scene in 2018. Villanova and Michigan State are pretty clearly the top two teams, and Duke is definitely the most talented, but we’ve already seen that all of those teams are susceptible to losses on any given night.

With conference play now in full swing, this week I’m going to look at each of the major conferences and choosing who I believe are the current favorites, as well as the early surprises, disappointments and sleepers in each. The conferences will be in order of their ranking on KenPom.com.

 

Big 12:

Preseason Favorite – Kansas
Current Favorite – West Virginia
Biggest Surprise – Oklahoma
Biggest Disappointment – Baylor
Sleeper – Oklahoma State

When a team has won a conference in 13 consecutive seasons, they have to be considered the favorite, especially when they are once again extremely talented. That being said, this year’s Kansas team has a few cracks, and they have shown in multiple home losses, a rarity for a Bill Self-coached Kansas team. The current Big 12 favorites are Bob Huggins’s Mountaineers, who have rattled off 15 consecutive wins after a season-opening loss to Texas A&M in Germany.

It has been very surprising to see Texas Tech win all these games, but they were expected to be a good team, therefore, Oklahoma has to be the biggest surprise thus far. Nobody expected the Sooners to compete for a Big 12 title, but that’s because nobody realized just how good freshman Trae Young was going to be. He leads the nation in points and assists per game, and I can’t wait to watch him perform in March.

It was hard to pick a disappointing team from this conference, but I’ll go with Baylor, who is off to a 1-3 start in conference play. Road losses to Texas Tech and West Virginia are nothing to be upset with, but they should have beaten TCU at home. With a non-conference SOS rank of 317 by KenPom, the Bears will need to play better in conference if they are going to reach the NCAA Tournament.

Oklahoma State is a bit under the radar right now, but that is exactly what makes them a sleeper in my eyes. Their four losses this season are to teams ranked in the Top-25 by KenPom, and they have a nice win over Florida State. They are loaded with upperclassmen, and that experience could lead them to some big wins in conference play.

ACC:

Preseason Favorite – Duke
Current Favorite – Virginia
Biggest Surprise – Clemson
Biggest Disappointment – Duke
Sleeper – Boston College

Duke is the most talented team in the country, but they have struggled at times this season. They do not play a lick of defense, and that has hurt them in losses to Boston College and NC State. Duke is still a title contender, but they haven’t met their potential yet. For this reason, I believe Virginia is the current favorite to win the ACC. They have the best defense in the country, and their lone loss this season is at West Virginia, which is not a bad loss at all. They will need to get better on offense, but they are an extremely talented team.

I’m not sure if Clemson can sustain their red-hot start, but it’s that red-hot start that has them as the biggest surprise in the ACC they are 14-1, with their lone loss coming to Temple in the Charleston Classic. They have 10 straight victories, including wins over Florida and Ohio State, which both came away from home. They are another team loaded with upperclassmen, and that should prove extremely valuable as the season progresses.

Boston College announced their presence this season with the huge win over Duke back in early December. They don’t have any other major wins yet this season, but they will benefit by having one of the easiest schedules in the ACC. They are done with Duke, Virginia (who they lost to by just one point in Charlottesville) and North Carolina. They will have to play Notre Dame, Miami and Florida State on the road, but they are set up to have success in ACC play.

Big East:

Preseason Favorite – Villanova
Current Favorite – Villanova
Biggest Surprise – Seton Hall
Biggest Disappointment – St. John’s
Sleeper – Marquette

Villanova was expected to be among the best teams in the country again this year, and they have lived up to those expectations. Mikal Bridges looks more and more like a lottery pick, and Jalen Brunson has taken the keys to the Porsche and handled it with relative ease, looking like a Naismith Player of the Year candidate. Nobody will be surprised to see the Cats win the Big East yet again.

Many had high expectations for Seton Hall and their seniors Desi Rodriguez, Angel Delgado and Khadeen Carrington, but I’m not sure if those expectations included a run to the Final Four, but they look every bit the part of a Final Four team. They have wins over Indiana, Texas Tech, Louisville and Creighton, and I could easily see them ending the year at the top of the Big East.

The Big East is a gauntlet this year, and St. John’s is the first team to be seriously impacted by it. Not that many people expected a whole lot from Chris Mullin’s squad this year, but they are off to an 0-5 start in Big East play, which includes home losses to perennial bottom-feeders DePaul and Georgetown. Villanova and Xavier are next on the schedule, so it might only get worse for the Johnnies.

It’s hard to call Marquette a sleeper after their 20-point victory over Seton Hall last night, but I don’t think may people realize how good the Golden Eagles really are. Sophomore Markus Howard is on a tear, putting up 52 and 37 points last week against Providence and Villanova. Then senior Andrew Rowley put up 33 last night. With two guards capable of scoring in bunches like Howard and Rowley, this Marquette team could do big things this season.

SEC:

Preseason Favorite – Kentucky
Current Favorite – Kentucky
Biggest Surprise – Auburn
Biggest Disappointment – Texas A&M
Sleeper – Georgia

This is easily the youngest, most inexperienced team John Calipari has had during his tenure in Lexington, so it’s not a surprise to see them struggle a little bit at times early this season. They have losses to UCLA and Tennessee, and they just barely beat a short-handed Texas A&M team. I still consider them the favorites to win the conference.

An FBI probe into college basketball has been tied to Auburn’s head coach Bruce Pearl and a couple of his players who have been held out this season. So nobody would be shocked if the Tigers struggled this season. Instead, they are off to a 15-1 start including a current 13-game winning streak. They already have two huge conference wins, defeating Tennessee in Knoxville and Arkansas at home. They only have to play Kentucky and Florida once, and they’re done with Tennessee, so this could be a big season for Auburn.

What a wild season it’s been for Texas A&M already. They opened the season with a win over West Virginia in Germany, defeated Oklahoma State and Penn State in Brooklyn and picked up a road win over USC. Then came injuries to Admon Gilder and Duane Wilson and DJ Hogg’s suspension, and the Aggies have started SEC play 0-4, including a home loss to LSU. Gilder and Hogg are back, and Wilson is expected back soon, so things could and should turn around, but it’s been a rocky few weeks.

I could very easily see Georgia at the top of the SEC standings come the end of the season. I believe they have the best player in the conference in 6-8 senior Yante Maten, who is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since his freshman year, where he played just 13 minutes in a 1^st Round loss to Michigan State. The Bulldogs have non-conference wins over Saint Mary’s, Marquette and Temple, and they won’t have to play Kentucky again this season. This is a team that should end up on the right side of the bubble.

Big Ten:

Preseason Favorite – Michigan State
Current Favorite – Michigan State
Biggest Surprise – Ohio State
Biggest Disappointment – Northwestern
Sleeper – Wisconsin

There are two teams at the top of the Big Ten, Michigan State and Purdue. Michigan State is probably the more talented team, but Purdue is red hot right now. It’s going to be fun to watch these two teams battle at the top of the conference standings and on the court. Mark your calendars for Saturday February 10^th, when the Boilermakers will travel to East Lansing.

Ohio State shocked America over the weekend with an 80-64 victory over Michigan State, announcing that they are here to compete for a Big Ten title. They are off to a 4-0 start in conference play, and while they didn’t pick up a signature non-conference win, they look on their way to a great Big Ten season. Their losses this season are to Gonzaga (neutral court), Butler (in OT), Clemson and North Carolina (neutral court). None of those are bad losses. Avoid bad losses, and the Buckeyes will make the NCAA Tournament.

Oh Northwestern, what happened? The Cinderella story of last season was expected to come right back and do it again this year, but what has actually happened is far from that. The Wildcats are 10-7 with losses to Georgia Tech and Nebraska, and their best win is against DePaul. That is not how you make it back to the Big Dance.

Another team that has limped through the season thus far is Wisconsin, sitting at just 9-9 overall, 2-3 in conference play. I haven’t given up on them yet though. Ethan Happ is a future NBA player, and I think if some of his supporting cast improves a little, this team could make a late-season push and sneak into the Tournament. Keep an eye on the Badgers.

Pac 12:

Preseason Favorite – Arizona
Current Favorite – Arizona
Biggest Surprise – Arizona State
Biggest Disappointment – USC
Sleeper – Colorado

There were a large number of people who expected Arizona to be the best team in the country. They have the coach, they have the experience, they have the talent. Then they went to the Bahamas and went 0-3, including a 25-point loss to Purdue. They bounced back upon returning to the states by winning nine in a row before suffering a setback to Colorado over the weekend. Sean Miller went after his team following the loss, and I think that could light a fire under them rather than alienate them. The Wildcats are still my favorite to win the league.

If you would have asked me a couple weeks ago, though, I would have definitely said Arizona State. Bobby Hurley has done an incredible job with this team, which started the season 12-0 before opening Pac 12 play with losses to Arizona and Colorado. The Sun Devils have a win over Xavier and a road win over Kansas. That tells me that they can beat anybody, which will give them a chance to make a deep run in March.

Experts aren’t sure what to make of USC this season. They were a preseason Top-25 team, but they suffered three straight losses to Texas A&M, SMU and Oklahoma early in the season. Those aren’t bad losses, but they would later add home losses to Princeton and Washington, and they lost to Stanford on Sunday night. The Trojans have a lot of work to do if they want to reach the NCAA Tournament.

I’ve mentioned Colorado twice already here, with their wins over Arizona and Arizona State, arguably the top two teams in the conference, so that is why they are my sleeper team in the Pac 12. The issue is that they have losses to Colorado State, San Diego, Oregon State and Oregon on their resume, so they’re going to have to keep collecting big wins. I think they can.

American:

Preseason Favorite – Wichita State
Current Favorite – Wichita State
Biggest Surprise – Tulane
Biggest Disappointment – Temple
Sleeper – UCF

Wichita State made the jump this season from the Missouri Valley Conference to the American, and it’s been good so far. Their only losses this season are to Notre Dame and Oklahoma, and they are 3-0 in AAC play. They’ve done it for the most part this season without junior Markis McDuffie, who has just recently returned from an injury that kept him out of the team’s first 11 games. Once he rounds into form, this team will look like the Final Four contender that many expect them to be.

After going 6-25 last season, I don’t think anybody expected to even remotely discuss Tulane with regards to the NCAA Tournament. But Mike Dunleavy’s Green Wave are 11-5, and despite a weak non-conference schedule, they have picked up wins over Temple and SMU in conference play, and who knows, maybe they can keep it up and shock the world by reaching the Big Dance.

Speaking of Temple… ugh, this is hard for me to write about. The Owls opened the season by winning the Charleston Classic with wins over Old Dominion (a top CUSA contender), Auburn (1^st place in the SEC) and Clemson (1^st place in the ACC). Temple is the only team to beat Auburn and Clemson. Owls’ fans were rightfully excited. They also have wins over South Carolina and Wisconsin. Those are five of their seven wins. They are 0-4 in conference play, and they play at SMU tonight. It’s about to be 0-5. I’m so upset.

UCF just dominated Temple to the tune of a 60-39 victory on Sunday, and I think they could be a surprise team to advance to the Tournament out of the American. They are one of the best defensive teams in the nation, anchored by 7-6 junior Tacko Fall. It’s hard to score at the rim with a man that tall in the paint. Pay attention to the Knights, they aren’t just good at football this year.

Jayson’s Top-25

1. Villanova
2. Michigan State
3. Virginia
4. West Virginia
5. Purdue
6. Wichita State
7. Xavier
8. Oklahoma
9. Duke
10. Cincinnati
11. Texas Tech
12. Gonzaga
13. Clemson
14. Arizona State
15. Kansas
16. Arizona
17. Seton Hall
18. Auburn
19. North Carolina
20. TCU
21. Tennessee
22. Creighton
23. Kentucky
24. Florida
25. Miami FL

Must Watch Games

#10 Xavier at #1 Villanova, Wednesday 1/10 8:00 pm FS1

The top two teams in the Big East do battle for the first time this season at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges will look to lead the Wildcats to a massive victory, but Trevon Bluiett and JP Macura are looking to bounce back from a loss to Providence by handing the #1 team their second loss of the season. It should be a great one.

#19 Clemson at NC State, Thursday 1/11 9:00 pm ESPN

NC State is coming off a massive victory over Duke on Saturday, and they will look for a second consecutive upset win when they take on the 14-1 Clemson Tigers. Clemson is coming off an overtime victory over Louisville, and they will be highly motivated to extend their win streak to 11 games.

#16 TCU at #9 Oklahoma, Saturday 1/13 1:00 pm ESPNU

Trae Young. That’s why you should watch this game. That’s really all you need to hear, but on top of that, TCU is a team that could use a signature win, and beating Oklahoma in Norman would certainly accomplish that.

#2 West Virginia at #8 Texas Tech, Saturday 1/13 2:00 pm ESPN

The Mountaineers just barely hung on to defeat Baylor at home 57-54 on Tuesday, and they’ll have a much tougher test Saturday in Lubbock. The Red Raiders are off to a tremendous start this season, but they are coming off a loss to Oklahoma. A win over West Virginia would be a great way to bounce back.

#20 North Carolina at Notre Dame, Saturday 1/13 6:00 pm ESPN

The Tar Heels snapped a two game losing streak by destroying Boston College on Tuesday night. It’s been an up and down season for UNC, and they’ll have another tough test Saturday when they travel to South Bend. The Irish will be without Bonzie Colson, but they hope to have point guard Matt Farrell back in the lineup after he missed the win at Syracuse.

CBB Round-Up: 12/20/17

Football season is still in full swing, with bowl season kicking off for the college ranks this past weekend, and two weeks of the regular season left in the NFL, but as each day goes by, we inch closer and closer to the start of conference play in college basketball (way to mess things up with those two conference games the other week Big Ten…), and things are starting to heat up!

I, for one, am ready to get fully invested in a sport where simple rules aren’t constantly confused and debated (other than block/charge of course), and pieces of paper aren’t used to determine outcomes (although once the football season ends and Gene Steratore starts officiating basketball games, I am sure he will make an attempt).

We are approximately a month into the college basketball season, and even though I haven’t been fully invested due to football, I have observed a few things thus far.

1. Villanova is the best team in the nation.

The Wildcats won the title in 2016, and they had a team capable of going back-to-back in 2017 but got a really tough Tourney draw. And now, once again, Jay Wright’s squad is a National Title contender. And not only that, but they are definitely the best team in the country. They have fantastic guard play, led by National Player of the Year candidate Jalen Brunson and surefire NBA lottery pick Mikal Bridges. They have a freshman stud in big man Omari Spellman. They have Phil Booth, the star of the 2016 title game, back after an injury derailed him last season. And they have fantastic role players in Eric Paschall and Donte Divincenzo that will be key to making a deep run in this year’s Tournament. They shoot threes extremely well, they get to the rim with ease and they play suffocating defense. Villanova is the most complete team in the country, and they are built to contend for another championship.

2. Duke is awesome, but they are not without their flaws.

There isn’t a team this season with more pure talent than Duke. Say what you will about the type of person Grayson Allen is, but there’s no denying that he is an extremely good basketball player. Marvin Bagley should be a senior in high school right now, but instead, he is dominating everyone he faces, and you can easily argue that he’s the best player in the nation. Gary Trent, Trevon Duval and Wendell Carter are all fantastic freshmen, and each would be the best player on a large number of Division I teams. I haven’t even mentioned sophomores Javin DeLaurier and Marques Bolden, two big men who play significant minutes. Despite all of the talent they have, they have already gained a reputation as a slow-starting team who becomes unstoppable down the stretch of games. Their play in the last five minutes of contests is going to get them a lot of victories, but they’re also going to dig themselves some holes that they won’t be able to get out of. They also struggle on the defensive end, which is apropos for a young team, but if they can’t make shots, they can’t rely on shutting the other team down. They are one of the five best teams in the nation, but they could have their difficulties during ACC play.

3. Trae Young is the best player in the country.

If you are a casual college basketball fan, you probably haven’t heard this name. But if you are fully invested in college basketball this season, you definitely know about the 6-2 freshman point guard from Norman, Oklahoma that is lighting up the scoreboard for his hometown team. The Sooners, who won 11 games all last season, are off to an 8-1 start that includes wins over Oregon, USC and then #3 Wichita State, and they have Trae Young to thank. He leads the nation in scoring with just under 29 points per game, and he’s not just a scorer, averaging nearly 9 assists per game, which is also among the country’s leaders. He is drawing comparisons to Stephen Curry, which is high praise. I think it’s difficult to compare him to Curry now, but he is definitely reminiscent of Curry at Davidson. Young takes a lot of shots, but he makes a lot of them, and he is good enough to single-handedly carry Oklahoma to a very good season. *UPDATE: This was written on Monday, before Young decided to go for 26 points and 22 assists against Northwestern State on Tuesday night. Yes, TWENTY-TWO assists. Just incredible. Oklahoma games might be must-watch.*

4. The Big Ten is…

Well, I’m not really sure what to make of the Big Ten. Michigan State is easily one of the top five teams in the land, but after them, the league is mediocre when compared to the other major conferences. Purdue is probably the second best team, and they are a very good team, but they had some struggles at the beginning of the season, losing to Tennessee and Western Kentucky in the Battle 4 Atlantis. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had just five Big Ten teams in his most recent Bracketology, with the aforementioned Spartans and Boilermakers joined by Minnesota, Michigan and Maryland. After a storybook season last year, there were very lofty expectations for Northwestern, but they have stumbled out of the gates, their best win thus far coming over Illinois in overtime. Wisconsin has played in 19 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, tied with Gonzaga for the 4^th longest current streak, but that streak appears to be in jeopardy, as the Badgers are just 5-7 thus far. They have played one of the most difficult schedules, but they will need to really ramp it up in Big Ten play if they are going to reach another Tourney. Penn State is off to a 9-3 start, but they lack a signature win. Archie Miller is going through some growing pains at Indiana, as the Hoosiers are just 6-6, the same record as an Iowa team that has been consistently near the top of the Big Ten standings in recent years. Michigan State and Purdue are two National Title contenders, but beyond them, the league just isn’t very good.

5. Kansas might actually not win the Big 12.

I know this sounds pretty farfetched considering the Jayhawks have won 13 straight Big 12 titles, tying UCLA for the longest streak of conference championships, but Kansas appears to be taking a step or two backwards while much of the league leaps forward. Don’t get me wrong, Kansas is still one of the best teams in the country, led by Devonte’ Graham, Lagerald Vick and Mississippi State transfer Malik Newman, but unlike in previous seasons, they lack a true dominant inside presence, something that has hurt them in early season losses to Washington and Arizona State. With the quality of the Big 12 this season, the Jayhawks will not have an easy road in attempting to win a 14^th straight title. Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Iowa State, while not as good as they have been in recent years, still have the potential to beat top teams. Texas is led by freshman phenom Mohamed Bomba, and they could be a sleeper pick. Baylor is a Top-25 team yet again, and their size could give Kansas fits. Texas Tech is off to a 9-1 start, and they will be right in the mix. I already discussed Oklahoma and Trae Young, so you know they are a threat. TCU is one of just four undefeated teams remaining in America, and with Jamie Dixon manning the fort, they’ll be right there. And oh yeah, can’t forget about Jevon Carter and the West Virginia Mountaineers. They’ve been tough for Kansas in recent years, and will be yet again. It’s hard to pick against Kansas here, but they will have a tougher trek this season than any that I can remember.

 

In coming weeks, that previous section will be a wrap-up of the previous week in college basketball, and it will be followed by my Top-25 and a look at the week ahead. In keeping with that theme, here is my Top-25 teams (here is a link to the current AP Top-25).

1. Villanova
2. Michigan State
3. Duke
4. Miami (FL)
5. Texas A&M
6. North Carolina
7. West Virginia
8. Kentucky
9. Arizona State
10. Gonzaga
11. Wichita State
12. Purdue
13. Kansas
14. TCU
15. Xavier
16. Oklahoma
17. Baylor
18. Arizona
19. Virginia
20. Tennessee
21. Creighton
22. Texas Tech
23. Notre Dame
24. Cincinnati
25. Florida State

 

We have one more taste of early March Madness coming up this weekend with the Diamond Head Classic taking place in Honolulu, Hawaii this Friday, Saturday and Christmas Monday (bracket here). The most likely championship game would pit the USC Trojans and the Miami Hurricanes, but those teams could get tripped up. Middle Tennessee faces Princeton in the First Round, and the Blue Raiders are led by Giddy Potts, the man who helped lead them to a massive 15-over-2 upset against Michigan State in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. They would face USC in the semis as long as the Trojans get past Akron. Miami will be playing a road game in the opening round against the host Warriors of Hawaii, but they should easily get past them. They will take on the winner of Davidson facing New Mexico State. The Aggies have been the class of the WAC the last few seasons, and they will be right there again this season. Davidson is off to a 4-4 start this year, but with Bob McKillop still at the helm, they have to be respected. A Davidson-Miami semifinal clash would be a fun game to watch.

Other games to look forward to this weekend include…

Connecticut at #18 Arizona, Thursday 12/21 9:00 pm ESPN2

The Wildcats were expected to be one of the top teams in the country, but after going 0-3 in the Battle 4 Atlantis, everybody wrote them off. Rightfully so I’d say, but they have bounced back with six straight wins, including a win over Texas A&M. UConn doesn’t have the talent they normally do, but Kevin Ollie is a fantastic coach, and they could go into Tucson and give Arizona some trouble, especially if they get caught looking ahead to their Pac-12 opener against rival Arizona State.

#12 Gonzaga at San Diego State, Thursday 12/21 10:00 pm CBS Sports Network

You can count on Gonzaga being one of the top teams in the land year in and year out, and after coming one victory away from a National Championship last season, Mark Few has another team that can get to the Final Four. They have a tough road test here against a San Diego State team looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 under first year coach Brian Dutcher.

Northwestern at #17 Oklahoma, Friday 12/22 7:00 pm ESPN2

Oklahoma has cracked the Top-25 thanks to a road win over Wichita State, and they’ll look to continue their momentum with a big home game against Northwestern. The Wildcats have had a little hangover this season after reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history last season. I do think they are still a talented team, and could easily come in and knock off the Sooners.

CBB Top-25: 2/21/17

I apologize for this coming a day later than usual, but with some unseasonably warm weather here in Southeast PA, I was pretty busy at work this weekend. So I’m a day late, but I’m definitely not a dollar short!

Anyway, being unable to afford the same amount of time to this as I normally do, I’ve switched it up a little bit this week. With just under three weeks until Selection Sunday, the Bubble is as exciting as ever. With most teams having just three or four games left in their regular season, some Bubble teams are better positioned to improve their resume than others. So before I get to my Top-25, here’s a look at five Bubble teams that can really increase their Tournament chances over the next couple weeks, and three teams that have quite the uphill battle ahead of them.

 

Bubble Teams with Best Chance to Improve Resume:

Iowa State (18-9, 10-5 B12)

The Cyclones may have played their way off of the Bubble recently, having won four in a row after last night’s 82-80 overtime win at Texas Tech. That being said, they could play their way right back onto the bubble if they struggle down the stretch. They finish with home games against Baylor and Oklahoma State, then travel to Morgantown to face West Virginia to close out the regular season. Win one of those three games against likely Tournament teams, and I’d say they’re in for sure. But if they go 0-3 in those games (which is not likely, but possible), a win in the Big 12 Tournament could be essential to their Tourney hopes.

Miami FL (19-8, 9-6 ACC)

Speaking of teams that have probably worked their way off the Bubble, the Hurricanes outlasted Virginia in overtime last night, picking up a huge road win, one that could stamp their ticket to the Dance. If they are still on the Bubble, though, they have a few marquee games remaining to enhance their resume. They’ll host Duke this weekend, which will be followed by trips to likely Tournament teams Virginia Tech and Florida State. Similarly to Iowa State, I think one more win gets Miami into the Tournament. If they can find a way to win two of their last three, or even possibly all three, I could see them rising to as high as a 6 or 7-seed believe it or not.

TCU (17-10, 6-8 B12)

The Horned Frogs have been on the Bubble for most of this season, and I don’t see that ending anytime soon. Jamie Dixon has done a remarkable job in his first season in Fort Worth, but his work is not done if he wants to get his team into the Tournament. Their next two games are at Kansas and versus West Virginia. A win in one of those games is exactly the kind of win TCU’s resume is lacking. I don’t expect them to win either of those, which will make their last two games, versus Kansas State and at Oklahoma, absolute must-wins. Otherwise, it’s NIT for TCU.

California (18-8, 9-5 P12)

In most seasons, a team with Cal’s resume would probably be fighting for their Tournament lives. But it’s a pretty soft Bubble this season, so right now, most experts have the Golden Bears in the field. That being said, they could use a few more big wins, and they’ll get chances. They host Oregon this week, and a win could punch their ticket to the Big Dance. If they aren’t able to knock off the Ducks, they close their season with the Utah-Colorado trip that has proven very tough for teams this year. Two wins there could impress the Committee enough to get them in.

Syracuse (16-12. 8-7 ACC)

The Orange started the year 11-9, 3-4 in the ACC with a loss to Boston College, and nobody had them even sniffing the Bubble. Then they won five in a row, including wins over Florida State and Virginia, and that got them back into the conversation. Now, they are currently on a three-game losing streak, they have 12 losses, and they need to finish at least 2-1 in their last three games to have a shot, and it won’t be easy. They host Duke on Wednesday, then travel to Louisville Sunday. The following weekend, they close with a home game against Georgia Tech. They are not easy games, but lose two of them, and I think Syracuse is out.

 

Bubble Teams with Worst Chance to Improve Resume:

Kansas State (17-10, 6-8 B12)

Wins versus West Virginia and at Baylor are driving the Wildcats’ hopes for making the Tournament. Outside of those two wins, it’s a very lackluster resume, and unfortunately for K-State fans, there aren’t any potential marquee wins left in the regular season. They still have to face fellow Bubble teams Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech, but two of those games are at home, and in my opinion, they cannot afford to lose either of those games. Win all three and I think they have a good shot to get in, but getting to face, and defeat, one of the top teams in the league in the Big 12 Tournament could end up as the only chance they have to get into the Tournament.

Texas Tech (17-11, 5-10 B12)

It’s amazing to me that a team five games under .500 in their own league is being discussed as a possible Tournament team, but that is what this year’s Bubble has given us. The Red Raiders have lost two consecutive games in overtime, missing out on two wins that could have greatly improved their chances to get into the Big Dance. Just like Kansas State, Texas Tech has wins over West Virginia and Baylor that they hope can be enough to get them in. They have road games against Oklahoma State and Kansas State left on their schedule, and I’m saying they need to win both of those games, or they have no chance to get in.

Clemson (14-12, 4-10 ACC)

Clemson sees Texas Tech’s 5-10 Big 12 record and raises them a 4-10 record in the ACC. Now, in my opinion, the ACC is tougher than the Big 12 this year, and with that, I believe that Clemson is a better team than Texas Tech, but equally as deserving (or undeserving) of a berth in the Tournament. Clemson has one huge resume-booster left when they host Florida State this weekend. The Seminoles have struggled on the road in conference play, so Clemson needs to win that game. Especially considering that their final two games are at home against basement-dwellers NC State and Boston College. Wins in those games won’t help Clemson’s chances at all.

 

And now, here’s this week’s Top-25!

 

25. VCU (Prev: NR)

This Week: Wed 2/22 vs Saint Louis (7:00 pm); Sat 2/25 @ Rhode Island (2:00 pm, ESPN2)

24. Virginia (Prev: 16)

This Week: Sat 2/25 @ NC State (12:00 pm, ESPN)

23. Oklahoma State (Prev: NR)

This Week: Wed 2/22 @ Kansas State (9:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/25 vs Texas Tech (2:00 pm, ESPNU)

22. Saint Mary’s (Prev: 25)

This Week: Thu 2/23 @ Pepperdine (10:00 pm); Sat 2/25 vs Santa Clara (10:00 pm)

21. Notre Dame (Prev: 24)

This Week: Sun 2/26 vs Georgia Tech (6:30 pm, ESPNU)

20. Wisconsin (Prev: 21)

This Week: Thu 2/23 @ Ohio State (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/26 @ Michigan State (4:00 pm, CBS)

19. Creighton (Prev: 19)

This Week: Wed 2/22 vs Providence (9:00 pm); Sat 2/25 @ Villanova (3:00 pm, FOX)

18. Florida State (Prev: 11)

This Week: Sat 2/25 @ Clemson (12:00 pm, ESPN3)

17. Butler (Prev: 20)

This Week: Wed 2/22 @ Villanova (9:00 pm, FS1); Sun 2/26 @ Xavier (3:30 pm, FS1)

16. Florida (Prev: 17)

This Week: Tue 2/21 vs South Carolina (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/25 @ Kentucky (2:00 pm, CBS)

15. Cincinnati (Prev: 14)

This Week: Thu 2/23 vs Memphis (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/26 @ UCF (3:00 pm, CBSSN)

14. West Virginia (Prev: 12)

This Week: Sat 2/25 @ TCU (2:00 pm, ESPN)

13. SMU (Prev: 15)

This Week: Sat 2/25 @ Connecticut (12:00 pm, CBS)

12. Purdue (Prev: 13)

This Week: Tue 2/21 @ Penn State (6:00 pm, BTN); Sat 2/25 @ Michigan (4:00 pm, ESPN2)

11. Baylor (Prev: 4)

This Week: Tue 2/21 vs Oklahoma (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/25 @ Iowa State (4:00 pm, ESPN)

10. Kentucky (Prev: 10)

This Week: Tue 2/21 @ Missouri (9:00 pm, SECN); Sat 2/25 vs Florida (2:00 pm, CBS)

9. Duke (Prev: 18)

This Week: Wed 2/22 @ Syracuse (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/25 @ Miami FL (4:00 pm, CBS)

8. Arizona (Prev: 9)

This Week: Thu 2/23 vs USC (10:00 pm, P12N); Sat 2/25 vs UCLA (8:15 pm, ESPN)

7. UCLA (Prev: 6)

This Week: Thu 2/23 @ Arizona State (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/25 @ Arizona (8:15 pm, ESPN)

6. Oregon (Prev: 7)

This Week: Wed 2/22 @ California (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/25 @ Stanford (4:00 pm, P12N)

5. North Carolina (Prev: 8)

This Week: Wed 2/22 vs Louisville (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/25 @ Pittsburgh (12:00 pm, ESPN3)

4. Louisville (Prev: 5)

This Week: Wed 2/22 @ North Carolina (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/26 vs Syracuse (2:00 pm, CBS)

3. Kansas (Prev: 3)

This Week: Wed 2/22 vs TCU (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/25 @ Texas (6:00 pm, ESPN)

2. Gonzaga (Prev: 1)

This Week: Thu 2/23 @ San Diego (10:00 pm); Sat 2/25 vs BYU (10:00 pm, ESPN2)

1. Villanova (Prev: 2)

This Week: Wed 2/22 vs Butler (9:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/25 vs Creighton (3:00 pm, FOX)

CBB Top-25: 2/13/17

Yesterday was February 12, and Selection Sunday is March 12. So as of yesterday, we are just one month away from Selection Sunday, and it feels like there is still SO MUCH more basketball yet to play!

A lot of teams will be playing desperation basketball over the next month to try and stake their claim to a spot in the Big Dance, while other teams, those that seem to have their spots locked up, will try their hardest not to screw it up (we’re looking at you Northwestern!!!).

I don’t claim to be right all the time, but for this week’s Top-25, I’m going to try to see how right I can actually be. In order to do that, I have attempted to predict the winners AND final scores for each game to be played by my Top-25 this week. The results will probably show how wrong I can actually be, but I’m giving it a shot anyway, so here we go!

 

25. Saint Mary’s (Prev: 18)

This Week: Thu 2/16 vs Loyola Marymount (11:00 pm); Sat 2/18 @ BYU (10:00 pm, ESPN2)

The Gaels had a huge opportunity to get a signature win on Saturday when they hosted Gonzaga, but they could not get the job done. They should cruise past Loyola Marymount on Thursday, then they have a tricky trip when they travel to Utah to take on BYU. They should win, but it’s not a sure thing.

Predictions: SMC 79 LMU 55; SMC 69 BYU 65

 

24. Notre Dame (Prev: NR)

This Week: Tue 2/14 @ Boston College (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/18 @ NC State (12:00 pm, ESPN)

The Irish got back on track this past week with home wins over Wake Forest and Florida State. This week they’ll hit the road with trips to Boston and Raleigh, and it won’t be easy, but I think they’ll win two close games.

Predictions: ND 86 BC 77; ND 71 NCST 68

 

23. Northwestern (Prev: 25)

This Week: Wed 2/15 vs Maryland (7:00 pm, BTN); Sat 2/18 vs Rutgers (6:00 pm, ESPNU)

We can just about pencil Northwestern in for their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in school history. A huge road upset of Wisconsin last night could be the stamp on the resume that they needed. They have another big game Wednesday when they host Maryland. A win over another top team in the conference could be huge. Rutgers at home Saturday should be no problem.

Predictions: NW 62 MARY 60; NW 84 RUTG 61

 

22. South Carolina (Prev: 21)

This Week: Wed 2/15 vs Arkansas (6:30 pm, SECN); Sat 2/18 @ Vanderbilt (8:30 pm, SECN)

The Gamecocks were taken to four overtimes last week by Alabama, with the Crimson Tide eventually coming out on top. It’s never good to lose, but if the ball bounces their way one other time, they might have won that game. This week they’ll host Arkansas and then face Vanderbilt on the road. I’ll predict that they win one and lose one this week.

Predictions: SCAR 63 ARK 57; VAND 74 SCAR 66

 

21. Wisconsin (Prev: 15)

This Week: Thu 2/16 @ Michigan (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/19 vs Maryland (1:00 pm, CBS)

Wisconsin has been surviving as of late, but their luck finally ran out yesterday when they were upset at home by Northwestern. A trip to Michigan on Thursday will be tough, as the Wolverines are red-hot. That is followed by a big home game against Maryland, who is hot on their tails in the race for the Big Ten.

Predictions: MICH 70 WISC 62; WISC 58 MARY 55

 

20. Butler (Prev: 17)

This Week: Wed 2/15 vs St. John’s (8:30 pm, FS1); Sun 2/19 vs DePaul (1:30 pm, FS1)

It’s been a rough couple weeks for Butler, as they’ve lost three of their last four, including two at home. They were a 4-seed in the Selection Committee’s Top-16 reveal, so they are safe, but any loss they suffer this week would be a very bad loss. I don’t see it happening.

Predictions: BUT 89 SJU 65; BUT 76 DEP 56

 

19. Creighton (Prev: 23)

This Week: Wed 2/15 @ Seton Hall (8:00 pm, CBSSN); Sun 2/19 vs Georgetown (3:30 pm, FS1)

The Bluejays have continued to play well without star point guard Maurice Watson, but the Big East is tough, and they face a couple teams this week fighting to prove that they deserve a bid to the Tournament. The game at Seton Hall on Wednesday is the toughest, as the Pirates are looking to avenge their 14-point loss to Creighton earlier in the year.

Predictions: SHU 80 CRE 70; CRE 77 GU 61

 

18. Duke (Prev: 22)

This Week: Wed 2/15 @ Virginia (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/18 vs Wake Forest (1:00 pm, ESPN3)

I admit that I may have Duke ranked a little low still, but I need to see more from this team. The UNC win was great, but they were nearly upset by Clemson following that, so who knows if this team has figured it out or not. A road game against a Virginia team coming off a loss to VT will be extremely difficult.

Predictions: UVA 67 DUKE 62; DUKE 79 WAKE 74

 

17. Florida (Prev: 19)

This Week: Tue 2/14 @ Auburn (7:00 pm, SECN); Sat 2/18 @ Mississippi State (2:00 pm, ESPN)

The Gators have won six in a row, and they should make it through this week easily, as they’ve played extremely well on the road in SEC play. The following week will be massive for them though, when they host South Carolina and travel to Rupp Arena to take on Kentucky.

Predictions: UF 86 AUB 75; UF 101 MSU 81

 

16. Virginia (Prev: 16)

This Week: Wed 2/15 vs Duke (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/18 @ North Carolina (8:15 pm, ESPN)

Virginia continues to be a little perplexing. They easily took care of Louisville on Monday, but followed that up with a double overtime loss to rival Virginia Tech yesterday. They’ll take on Duke and UNC this week, and I think they’ll go 1-1.

Predictions: *See Duke entry*; UNC 72 UVA 62

 

15. SMU (Prev: 20)

This Week: Wed 2/15 vs Tulane (9:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 2/18 @ Houston (6:00 pm, ESPN2)

The Mustangs have very quietly been on a crazy hot streak. They’ve won 18 of their last 19, and avenged the only loss in that stretch last night with a win over Cincinnati. The American is weak this year, but those two teams are legit. They are now tied with the Bearcats at the top, so each game from here on out is crucial.

Predictions: SMU 83 TUL 55; SMU 70 HOU 69

 

14. Cincinnati (Prev: 12)

This Week: Wed 2/15 @ South Florida (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/18 vs Tulsa (12:00 pm, ESPNU)

Cincy had a 15-game winning streak snapped yesterday by conference foe SMU, but the Bearcats are still one of the top teams in the country. They’ll get a couple easier games to recover before a tough finish to their regular season over the final two weeks.

Predictions: CIN 90 USF 61; CIN 68 TUL 54

 

13. Purdue (Prev: 13)

This Week: Tue 2/14 vs Rutgers (7:00 pm, BTN); Sat 2/18 vs Michigan State (4:00 pm, ESPN)

The Boilermakers are just a game back of Wisconsin in the Big Ten, and they are probably playing the best of any team in the conference right now (right up there with Michigan anyway). They need to take care of business at home before closing with three of their last four games on the road.

Predictions: PUR 87 RUTG 52; PUR 75 MSU 70

 

12. West Virginia (Prev: 14)

This Week: Mon 2/13 @ Kansas (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/18 vs Texas Tech (2:00 pm, ESPN2)

West Virginia has won five of their last six, and that run started with a 16-point domination of #1 Kansas in Morgantown. Tonight, the Jayhawks look for revenge. I think West Virginia can keep it close, but I don’t know if they’ll be able to close the deal.

Predictions: KU 78 WVU 73; WVU 82 TTU 60

 

11. Florida State (Prev: 5)

This Week: Sat 2/18 @ Pittsburgh (4:00 pm, ESPN2)

For as good as Florida State has been, they have a tendency to really struggle on the road. That was very evident in their loss at Notre Dame on Saturday night. It’s amazing that they have road wins over Virginia and Miami, but those are their only wins in true road games this season. That makes a Saturday trip to Pitt a little tricky.

Predictions: FSU 69 PITT 63

 

10. Kentucky (Prev: 11)

This Week: Tue 2/14 vs Tennessee (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/18 @ Georgia (6:00 pm, ESPN)

I’m still trying to get a feel for Kentucky, and I think they’ll go 1-1 this week as they continue to try and figure themselves out. Revenge will be a factor in the game against Tennessee, but Georgia will have that on their minds as well following an OT loss at Rupp Arena a few weeks ago.

Predictions: UK 85 TENN 70; UGA 78 UK 76

 

9. Arizona (Prev: 9)

This Week: Thu 2/16 @ Washington State (9:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/18 @ Washington (8:00 pm, ESPN2)

Arizona is playing very well right now, but I couldn’t bring myself to put them ahead of Oregon after how badly the Ducks beat them up a couple weeks ago. The Washington trip is not very difficult for teams this year, especially one as good as Arizona.

Predictions: ARZ 75 WSU 64; ARZ 81 UW 66

 

8. North Carolina (Prev: 6)

This Week: Wed 2/15 @ NC State (8:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 2/18 vs Virginia (8:15 pm, ESPN)

North Carolina is obviously going to be disappointed that they couldn’t beat Duke, but they’ll get them at their place to finish off the regular season. The Tar Heels are still one of the best teams in the ACC and the country, and they have a huge home game against Virginia on Saturday. I think they’ll win that game.

Predictions: UNC 90 NCST 82; *See Virginia entry*

 

7. Oregon (Prev: 7)

This Week: Thu 2/16 vs Utah (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/18 vs Colorado (3:00 pm, FOX)

It was quite a collapse for Oregon on Thursday night in the loss to UCLA. They were dominating the game, and then in the snap of the fingers, Lonzo Ball happened and the Bruins won the game. They’ll host two teams that could steal a game from them this week, but I think they’ll handle their business.

Predictions: ORE 79 UTAH 73; ORE 80 COLO 65

 

6. UCLA (Prev: 10)

This Week: Sat 2/18 vs USC (10:00 pm, P12N)

Collapse aside, it was a huge win for UCLA on Thursday. I don’t feel that comfortable having them this high in the rankings, but I couldn’t keep them below Oregon. I’d say they are neck-and-neck right now. They’ll get the week off before hosting crosstown rival USC on Saturday night. The Trojans upset UCLA a couple weeks ago, so the Bruins will be out for revenge.

Predictions: UCLA 103 USC 80

 

5. Louisville (Prev: 4)

This Week: Mon 2/13 @ Syracuse (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/18 vs Virginia Tech (1:00 pm, ESPN3)

Rick Pitino suspended two of his key players for the Virginia game, and they were missed for sure. This team is still a favorite to get a least a share of the ACC title. Syracuse is extremely tough at home, so that game tonight will be a big one for the Cardinals.

Predictions: LOU 67 SYR 65; LOU 73 VT 61

 

4. Baylor (Prev: 8)

This Week: Mon 2/13 @ Texas Tech (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/18 vs Kansas (1:00, CBS)

Two big wins for the Bears last week to get back to their winning ways, which sounds weird considering they are 22-3 on the season. I think a lot of people don’t want to admit it, but this is one of the best teams in the nation, and they are a legit title contender. They’ll get a chance for revenge on Kansas Saturday, and I think they get the job done this time.

Predictions: BAY 62 TTU 58; BAY 72 KU 67

 

3. Kansas (Prev: 3)

This Week: Mon 2/13 vs West Virginia (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/18 @ Baylor (1:00, CBS)

The Jayhawks were tested twice on the road this past week, but they were able to squeak out wins anyway, proving their mettle. They should beat West Virginia at home tonight, but I see it being close, and then they’ll have their hands full in Waco on Saturday.

Predictions: *See West Virginia and Baylor entries*

 

2. Villanova (Prev: 2)

This Week: Mon 2/13 @ DePaul (9:00 pm, CBSSN); Sat 2/18 @ Seton Hall (12:30 pm, FOX)

Coming into the season I felt that Villanova had the potential to be better than the team last year that won the National Championship. So far, they are proving me right. They’ll hit the road for two more games this week, one should be easy, they other could give them issues. Ultimately, I think they’ll add two more wins to the resume.

Predictions: NOVA 80 DEP 62; NOVA 71 SHU 67

 

1. Gonzaga (Prev: 1)

This Week: Thu 2/16 vs San Francisco (9:00 pm); Sat 2/18 vs Pacific (4:00 pm)

Simply put, the Zags continue their winning ways. Some expected Saint Mary’s to give them problems this time around. Not the case. This team is going to enter the postseason undefeated, and they have a great shot to make a run to the Final Four.

Predictions: GONZ 89 SF 81; GONZ 88 PAC 73

CBB Top-25: 2/6/17

Yes, this is a college basketball post, but I want to start it off with some of my thoughts from last night’s Super Bowl 51:

• What a football game. That was without question the best football game that I have ever watched live from start to finish, all circumstances considered. We’ll be talking about that game for a very long time.
• For my money, that was the biggest choke job in the history of sports. Yes, that includes Bill Buckner. That includes the Warriors last season. That includes the myriad of blown 3-0 leads in basketball, hockey and baseball. All factors considered, blowing a 25-point 3rd Quarter lead in the Super Bowl, and the way it happened, the 2016-17 Atlanta Falcons will now be known, to me, as the biggest choke artists in sports history.
• Finally, despite the incredible choke job, there is now no doubt in my mind that Bill Belichick is the greatest head coach in NFL history and Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the history of the league. I was one of the few remaining people that wasn’t ready to crown either of them with those respective honors, but last night sealed it. I always thought Brady’s success was mostly due to Belichick and Belichick’s success was mostly due to Brady, but even if that’s the case, you can’t deny that they are each the best of all time anymore. You just can’t do it.

Alright, football season is over now, time to turn your undivided attention to college basketball, and to start it off, here is this week’s Top-25!

 

25. Northwestern (Prev: 20)

There aren’t many teams that go into Purdue and win. That’s why it’s not that surprising to find out that the Wildcats went in there and got smoked, 80-59. Northwestern will get a chance for revenge when they host the Boilermakers to close the regular season, but in the meantime, they’ll get another chance for a massive road win when they take on Wisconsin this Sunday.

This Week: Tue 2/7 vs Illinois (8:00 pm, BTN); Sun 2/12 @ Wisconsin (6:30 pm, BTN)

 

24. Oklahoma State (Prev: NR)

What a strange season it’s been for the Cowboys. They have now won five straight games after losing six in a row to open Big 12 play. That includes a win at West Virginia on Saturday, a signature victory to add to a resume that was sorely lacking one. Oklahoma State is one of the best offensive teams in the nation, and I hope they’ll get a chance to light up the scoreboard in the Big Dance.

This Week: Wed 2/8 vs Baylor (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/11 vs Texas (4:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

23. Creighton (Prev: 25)

The Bluejays are playing better than I thought they would without point guard Maurice Watson. They got a huge victory at Butler last week before suffering a somewhat disappointing home loss to Xavier on Saturday. The road win against Butler helps to prove why Creighton still has a very good chance to take the Big East title from Villanova.

This Week: Sat 2/11 @ DePaul (2:00 pm, FS1)

 

22. Duke (Prev: 24)

A great road win over Notre Dame followed by a victory over Pitt in Coach K’s return to the sidelines. It was a good week for the Blue Devils. They haven’t had many of those this season. They’ll need all the momentum they can get though, as they host their bitter rivals, the North Carolina Tar Heels, this Thursday. A win in that game could vault Duke up most rankings.

This Week: Thu 2/9 vs North Carolina (8:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/11 vs Clemson (1:00 pm, ESPN3)

 

21. South Carolina (Prev: 21)

The Gamecocks continued to roll with wins over LSU and Georgia this past week, and they will need to keep winning games. A road game against Florida a couple weeks is really the only big chance in the regular season for SC to improve their resume. So they’ll definitely need to keep beating the teams that they should beat. I think they will.

This Week: Tue 2/7 vs Alabama (6:30 pm, SECN); Sat 2/11 @ Mississippi State (8:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

20. SMU (Prev: NR)

I kind of overlooked the Mustangs the last couple of weeks, but a two point road loss to AAC-leading Cincinnati is the only loss in the last 17 games for SMU. Sometimes it doesn’t matter as much who you beat, but how many wins you accumulate. The American is not strong this season, but it’s strong enough that a 20-4 team playing in that conference is probably one of the 25 best teams in the nation. They get a chance for revenge when they host Cincy on Sunday.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ Temple (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sun 2/12 vs Cincinnati (4:00 pm, ESPN)

 

19. Florida (Prev: 23)

The Gators punked Kentucky on Saturday, winning by 22 points, the biggest margin of defeat for the Wildcats under John Calipari. It was an extremely impressive victory, but Florida has to avoid a letdown when they travel to Athens on Tuesday night. The eye test has not been great for Florida so far (other than Saturday), but the advanced analysts love them. We’ll see if they can continue to backup that standing.

This Week: Tue 2/7 @ Georgia (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/11 vs Texas A&M (12:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

18. Saint Mary’s (Prev: 18)

The Gaels are avoiding any slip-ups against the weak West Coast Conference, and they are just one game away from their massive home game with undefeated Gonzaga. They were extremely disappointed at their performance the first time they took on the Zags, so on Saturday night on national TV in primetime, I’ll bet they’ll be more than ready to go.

This Week: Thu 2/9 vs Portland (10:00 pm); Sat 2/11 vs Gonzaga (8:15 pm, ESPN)

 

17. Butler (Prev: 15)

The Bulldogs only had one chance to impress me last week, and they lost at home to Creighton. I wasn’t impressed, but Creighton is a great team, so I gave Butler a pass for the most part. But they have to regroup this week, as they face two tricky road tests against Marquette and Providence. This team is safely in the Tournament for now, but winning both those games will help for sure.

This Week: Tue 2/7 @ Marquette (9:00 pm, CBSSN); Sat 2/11 @ Providence (4:00 pm, CBSSN)

 

16. Virginia (Prev: 13)

Syracuse just doesn’t lose at home in ACC play I guess. I would not have expected a team as good as Virginia to fall to them, but they did. Luckily for the Cavaliers, they get a quick turnaround as they host Top-5 Louisville tonight. I’ll call it right here right now, Virginia will win tonight. Now go prove me right!

This Week: Mon 2/6 vs Louisville (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/12 @ Virginia Tech (6:30 pm, ESPNU)

 

15. Wisconsin (Prev: 17)

It has not been very pretty lately for the Badgers, but they just continue to win games. Indiana gave them a battle yesterday, but they were able to come out on top. Rutgers and Minnesota each took them to overtime recently as well, but in the end, Wisconsin has been on the winning end. Can Nebraska or Northwestern topple them this week? I guess we’ll find out.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ Nebraska (9:00 pm, BTN); Sun 2/12 vs Northwestern (6:30 pm, BTN)

 

14. West Virginia (Prev: 12)

Is West Virginia the most inconsistent team in college basketball this year? I say yes. They have wins over Virginia, Baylor and Kansas, and losses to Temple, Oklahoma (at home) and Oklahoma State (also at home). This week they get Oklahoma and Kansas State, two teams that knocked them off the first time around. They should be able to get revenge on both, but anything can happen!

This Week: Wed 2/8 @ Oklahoma (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/11 vs Kansas State (12:00 pm, ESPN)

 

13. Purdue (Prev: 16)

Purdue already has three losses in Big Ten play, but they had two extremely impressive wins this past week, as they dominated Northwestern and went into Maryland and stole one from the Terrapins. They’ll have a tricky one this week when they head to Assembly Hall to take on the reeling Indiana Hoosiers.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ Indiana (7:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

12. Cincinnati (Prev: 14)

Don’t look now, but Cincinnati is legit. They are 21-2 and one of those losses is at Butler, which is nothing to hang your head over. Mick Cronin has had a lot of great players over the years, but this might be his best complete team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a long run in the Tournament this season.

This Week: Wed 2/8 vs UCF (9:00 pm, ESPNU); Sun 2/12 @ SMU (4:00 pm, ESPN)

 

11. Kentucky (Prev: 5)

It’s been a rough couple weeks for Kentucky. The home loss to Kansas, surviving in overtime at home against Georgia and then getting embarrassed on Saturday by Florida. Luckily for them, they get a home meeting with LSU this week, and it’s exactly what the doctor ordered for the struggling Wildcats. They’ll be fine, but they need to figure some stuff out, sooner rather than later.

This Week: Tue 2/7 vs LSU (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/11 @ Alabama (1:00 pm, CBS)

 

10. UCLA (Prev: 11)

The Washington trip was no problem for the Bruins, as they easily disposed of both the Cougars and the Huskies. It was a nice, easy lead-in for their massive home game with Oregon this week. It seems like forever ago that UCLA went to Rupp Arena and knocked off Kentucky. As the Wildcats struggle, that win doesn’t look as great, so they could use a win over a team like Oregon.

This Week: Thu 2/9 vs Oregon (10:00 pm, ESPN); Sun 2/12 vs Oregon State (5:00 pm, FS1)

 

9. Arizona (Prev: 6)

Speaking of Oregon, Arizona can tell UCLA how difficult they are to beat. The Ducks wiped the floor with the Wildcats on Saturday, 85-58. It’s no need for fans to panic, as that snapped a 15-game winning streak for Arizona, so they are going to be just fine. They’ll host Cal and Stanford this week, and should beat both to get right back on track.

This Week: Wed 2/8 vs Stanford (11:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/11 vs California (10:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

8. Baylor (Prev: 4)

It was a tough week for the Bears. They played great at Kansas, but just couldn’t finish off the victory. Unfortunately for them, they suffered a brutal hangover, losing at home to Kansas State on Saturday. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for them either, as they head to Stillwater on Wednesday to take on the red-hot Oklahoma State Cowboys. They could really use a win in that game.

This Week: Wed 2/8 @ Oklahoma State (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/11 vs TCU (2:00 pm, ESPNU)

 

7. Oregon (Prev: 10)

After surviving the Arizona State upset attempt, the Ducks shot the lights out en route to a dominating victory over Arizona. They’ll look for back-to-back massive victories on Thursday night when they travel to LA to take on the Bruins. A win at UCLA could propel Oregon towards the top line of the bracket for a lot of experts.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ UCLA (10:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/11 @ USC (10:30 pm, P12N)

 

6. North Carolina (Prev: 9)

The Tar Heels are one of the hottest teams in the nation, having won nine of their last ten, including wins this past week over Pitt and Notre Dame. UNC has a claim for being the best team in the ACC, and they can improve that claim with a win over hated rivals Duke this Thursday night. Most of America will be tuning in, and the Tar Heels can make a huge impression if they play well.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ Duke (8:00 pm, ESPN)

 

5. Florida State (Prev: 8)

I told you all last week that Florida State would be fine, and they proved me right with a road win against Miami and a dominating performance yesterday against Clemson, winning 109-61. They’ll have another big road game next weekend when they head to South Bend to take on the struggling Fighting Irish. ND will be desperate for a big win, so the Seminoles will have to be at their best.

This Week: Wed 2/8 vs NC State (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/11 @ Notre Dame (6:00 pm, ESPN)

 

4. Louisville (Prev: 7)

The Cardinals are the best team in the ACC right now in my opinion, but this week will put them to the test. They head to Virginia tonight, and key pieces Mangok Mathiang and Deng Adel were suspended for the game for missing curfew. After that game, they’ll return home Saturday to take on a solid Miami team that could use a signature win. This team could be even higher in my rankings next week, or they could be a whole lot lower.

This Week: Mon 2/6 @ Virginia (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/11 vs Miami FL (2:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

3. Kansas (Prev: 2)

Well, the Jayhawks survived the tough test from Baylor, but on Saturday, their 54-game home winning streak was snapped in overtime by the Iowa State Cyclones. It was a classic letdown game, but I thought Kansas would be good enough to avoid that. They have no time to feel bad about it though, with a road game against rival Kansas State on tap tonight. The Wildcats were screwed in their first meeting against Kansas, so they’ll be hungry for revenge.

This Week: Mon 2/6 @ Kansas State (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/11 @ Texas Tech (2:00 pm, ESPN)

 

2. Villanova (Prev: 3)

Nova took care of business this past week with wins at Providence and at home against St. John’s. A pretty ho-hum week for the defending National Champs. It’ll be a little tougher for them this week as they host Georgetown Tuesday, then head to Xavier on Saturday, the first of three straight road games for the Cats. They have a claim to the top spot for sure, and I can’t remember the last time a team had this good a chance to repeat as National Champions.

This Week: Tue 2/7 vs Georgetown (7:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/11 @ Xavier (2:30 pm, FOX)

 

1. Gonzaga (Prev: 1)

The only undefeated team remaining also remains on the top of my rankings, but that could very easily change come next week. Some thought BYU could give the Zags some problems on Thursday night, but the Bulldogs easily handled their business. The biggest game left on their schedule comes up this Saturday when they travel to take on Saint Mary’s. If they get past the Gaels, there’s no reason they can’t finish the regular season undefeated.

This Week: Thu 2/9 @ Loyola Marymount (10:00 pm); Sat 2/11 @ Saint Mary’s (8:15 pm, ESPN)

CBB Top-25: 1/30/17

So, it’s not March yet, but damn if this past week didn’t feel like it! What a week it was. It all started on Tuesday with three of the top four teams in the AP Poll going down on the road, two of them against unranked opponents.

#1 Villanova seemed to have things in control against Marquette, but the Golden Eagles made a furious comeback and were able to prevent a last-second layup from Jalen Brunson to secure the massive victory!

That same night, #2 Kansas had their 18-game winning streak snapped in dominating fashion by West Virginia, 85-69. It was a disappointing loss, but the Jayhawks rebounded in a big way with a road win over #4 Kentucky on Saturday.

Speaking of the Wildcats, the loss to Kansas was their second loss of the week, as they went to Knoxville on Tuesday and were upset by the Tennessee Volunteers 82-80. It was a rough week for Kentucky, but I still think they are one of the five best teams in the country.

In addition to the those losses, #6 Florida State suffered two losses last week, losing on the road against Georgia Tech and Syracuse. #8 UCLA and #9 North Carolina also fell this week, to USC and Miami respectively. It was a chaotic week, and that just made me even more excited for March!

My Top-25 this week looks a little different from the AP Poll, but that’s only because these are who I think are the best 25 teams in the country. The teams are actually the same, just in a different order, but that’s to be expected. There’s a lot of parity this season, so my ranking just goes right along with that.

 

25. Creighton (Prev: 23)

The Bluejays went 18-1 with PG Maurice Watson in the lineup. Since he went down with a season-ending knee injury, they are 1-2 including a 20-point loss to Georgetown last week. Creighton is in danger of slipping down the seed-line if they don’t pick up a few more quality wins, and they get two opportunities this week.

This Week: Tue 1/31 @ Butler (7:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/4 vs Xavier (3:00 pm, FOX)

 

24. Duke (Prev: 21)

I was very tempted to drop Duke from my Top-25 this week, but when I looked at the teams I’d have ranked 26-30, I didn’t see one worth replacing them. The Blue Devils needed a late surge and 30 second half points from Luke Kennard to avoid an upset against Wake Forest on Saturday. I don’t think it is crazy to consider tonight’s game at Notre Dame a must win for Duke.

This Week: Mon 1/30 @ Notre Dame (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/4 vs Pittsburgh (1:00 pm, CBS)

 

23. Florida (Prev: NR)

The Gators got back on the right track this past week with road wins over LSU and Oklahoma, which followed back-to-back losses the previous week. The advanced stats love the Gators, who are ranked 10th in the country by KenPom.com, but the eye test hasn’t been as kind. They have a huge home game this Saturday when they face off with the SEC-leading Kentucky Wildcats. Florida could really use a win in that game.

This Week: Thu 2/2 vs Missouri (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Kentucky (8:15 pm, ESPN)

 

22. Maryland (Prev: NR)

The Terrapins have been flying under the radar this season, so it may be a shock to learn that they are 19-2 and tied with Wisconsin atop the Big Ten. One reason they’ve been quiet is because they’ve played a fairly easy schedule thus far, but this week could be a major turning point for them as they travel to Columbus followed by a home game against Purdue.

This Week: Tue 1/31 @ Ohio State (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/4 vs Purdue (12:00 pm, ESPN)

 

21. South Carolina (Prev: 25)

When the Gamecocks have every player at their disposal, they are undefeated this season. They also play one of the easier schedules in the country down the stretch, so they very easily could continue to rise in my rankings. A trip to Gainesville in late February is the only truly tough test remaining for them. If Kentucky slips up at all, they could easily steal the SEC regular season title.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ LSU (9:00 pm, SECN); Sat 2/4 vs Georgia (2:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

20. Northwestern (Prev: 24)

Barring a collapse of epic proportions, Northwestern is going to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. That is a story worth paying attention to. If they can continue at their current pace, they won’t even be on the bubble, and that is awesome. If they can find a way to upset Purdue this week, I think more people will start to take them seriously.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Purdue (8:30 pm, BTN)

 

19. Notre Dame (Prev: 11)

The Fighting Irish have now lost three of their last four games heading into a week where they have to take on a desperate Duke team and a North Carolina team that is still trying to establish themselves as a legit championship threat. They’re picking a bad time to start struggling, but I think they are good enough to figure it out and get a couple wins this week.

This Week: Mon 1/30 vs Duke (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/4 @ North Carolina (6:00 pm, ESPN)

 

18. Saint Mary’s (Prev: 19)

The Gaels continue to take care of business in the weak West Coast Conference, as they are two weeks away from their biggest game of the year, a home game against undefeated Gonzaga. They have two road games this week, and have to avoid getting caught looking ahead to the Bulldogs.

This Week: Thu 2/2 @ Pacific (11:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 2/4 @ San Diego (7:00 pm)

 

17. Wisconsin (Prev: 17)

Wisconsin nearly fell in what could have been considered upset of the season. Thankfully for them, sophomore Ethan Happ came to the rescue, and the Badgers were able to fend off Rutgers in overtime. This is a good team with a lot of postseason experience, but they need to play better than they did against Rutgers if they are going to be considered a title contender.

This Week: Tue 1/31 @ Illinois (9:00 pm, BTN); Sun 2/5 vs Indiana (1:00 pm, CBS)

 

16. Purdue (Prev: 13)

Purdue is a really good team with some really questionable losses, including Saturday to Nebraska. Caleb Swanigan is one of the best players in the country, but the rest of the team needs to step up and help him. They face two Top-25 opponents this week, and wins in both games would go a long way.

This Week: Wed 2/1 vs Northwestern (8:30 pm, BTN); Sat 2/4 @ Maryland (12:00 pm, ESPN)

 

15. Butler (Prev: 14)

Butler has won a lot of big games this season. They’ve also lost a few bad ones, including this past weekend at home to Georgetown. I have no doubts that they are one of the 20 most talented teams in the country, but these bad losses are forcing them to win all of their big games, and they have another this week as they host Creighton.

This Week: Tue 1/31 vs Creighton (7:00 pm, FS1)

 

14. Cincinnati (Prev: 18)

Unfortunately for the Bearcats, there just aren’t many quality wins to be had in the American Conference, but a non-conference win over Xavier this past week helps their resume. To secure a top seed in the Tournament, Cincy can’t afford many losses down the stretch. That might not be a worry though, as they are on quite the roll right now.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Tulsa (9:00 pm, CBSSN); Sat 2/4 vs UConn (4:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

13. Virginia (Prev: 16)

The Cavaliers gave Villanova everything they had and then some, and still couldn’t come out on top. It was the best game they played this season, and it answered some questions that I had about them. KenPom loves them, AP voters love them, I just don’t love them. If they can continue to play like they did Sunday, then maybe they can make a run at an ACC title.

This Week: Wed 2/1 vs Virginia Tech (8:00 pm, ACCN/ESPN3); Sat 2/4 @ Syracuse (12:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

12. West Virginia (Prev: 15)

A great response from the Mountaineers this past week, following their back-to-back losses with home wins over Kansas and Texas A&M. But in the Big 12, there’s no time to rest on your laurels, as they’ll travel to Ames to take on Iowa State Tuesday, then they’ll host one of the top offensive teams in the nation, Oklahoma State, on Saturday.

This Week: Tue 1/31 @ Iowa State (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Oklahoma State (5:00 pm, ESPNU)

 

11. UCLA (Prev: 9)

The Bruins had a chance to bounce back from the disappointing loss to Arizona with a trip across LA to take on USC. Unfortunately for them, they suffered yet another disappointing setback. UCLA struggles mightily on the defensive end, and they have become way too dependent on super frosh Lonzo Ball. The rest of the team needs to step up if this team is going to reach their lofty goals.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Washington State (9:00 pm, P12N); Sat 2/4 @ Washington (10:30 pm, P12N)

 

10. Oregon (Prev: 10)

The Ducks had their 17-game winning streak snapped by Colorado on Saturday, and it will be extremely important to see how they respond. After surely getting through Arizona State on Thursday, Oregon’s next two games are against Arizona and UCLA, their toughest competition for the Pac 12 crown.

This Week: Thu 2/2 vs Arizona State (11:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/4 vs Arizona (4:00 pm, ESPN)

 

9. North Carolina (Prev: 6)

I don’t think it’s that surprising that North Carolina fell on the road to Miami. However, I do think it’s surprising how they lost. The Hurricanes dominated the whole game, winning by a 77-62 margin. The Tar Heels are still a championship contender in my opinion, but they can help solidify that standing with wins this week over Pitt and Notre Dame.

This Week: Tue 1/31 vs Pittsburgh (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Notre Dame (6:00 pm, ESPN)

 

8. Florida State (Prev: 5)

Quite a disappointing week for the Seminoles. After going 5-1 against six straight ranked conference foes, Florida State followed it up with back-to-back losses on the road to unranked Georgia Tech and Syracuse. I find it hard to blame them though, as a letdown should have been expected. They need to bounce back with wins over Miami and Clemson this week.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Miami FL (8:00 pm, ACCN/ESPN3); Sun 2/5 vs Clemson (12:30 pm, ESPNU)

 

7. Louisville (Prev: 12)

The ACC is stacked this season, and the best team in the conference, at least right now, might be the Louisville Cardinals. Despite the obvious distractions, Rick Pitino has his team focused on the task at hand, which is winning a National Championship. They’ll head to Boston College on Saturday, before a massive game in Charlottesville against Virginia next Monday.

This Week: Sat 2/4 @ Boston College (3:00 pm, ACCN/ESPN3)

 

6. Arizona (Prev: 8)

Other than the undefeated Zags, I don’t think there’s a hotter team in the country than the Arizona Wildcats, and that’s scary, because they just got back maybe their best player in Allonzo Trier, so conventional wisdom says that they’ll only get better from here. They have a huge game this Saturday in Eugene against Oregon. That game could go a long way in determining who wins the Pac 12.

This Week: Thu 2/2 @ Oregon State (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 @ Oregon (4:00 pm, ESPN)

 

5. Kentucky (Prev: 4)

Kentucky does not lose at Rupp Arena under John Calipari. That’s just the way it is. And that is why it is extremely surprising that Kansas was able to go in there and come away victorious on Saturday, handing the Wildcats their second home loss of the season. Kentucky will be okay (I think), but some comments that Calipari has made recently give me some pause. They need to go into Gainesville and beat Florida on Saturday.

This Week: Tue 1/31 vs Georgia (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 2/4 @ Florida (8:15 pm, ESPN)

 

4. Baylor (Prev: 7)

The Bears are far from the most talented team in the country, but it’s hard to deny that they are one of the top five teams in the nation given the results. They are somewhat quietly building what I believe is the best Tournament resume of any team (including Gonzaga), and they have a great chance to add to it with a trip to Lawrence coming on Wednesday. If they can beat Kansas at the Phog, I think that would possibly solidify them as the top team in the country.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Kansas (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Kansas State (3:00 pm, ESPNNEWS)

 

3. Villanova (Prev: 1)

A very rare late-game collapse led to Nova being handed their second loss of the season at the hands of Marquette last week. They were able to bounce back thanks to a buzzer-beating tip-in from redshirt freshman Donte DiVincenzo to defeat Virginia on Sunday. They fell to 4th in the AP Poll this week, but I still think they have a claim to the top spot for sure.

This Week: Wed 2/1 @ Providence (7:00 pm, FS1); Sat 2/4 vs St. John’s (8:00 pm, CBSSN)

 

2. Kansas (Prev: 2)

Morgantown is one of the toughest places to play this year, so it’s not surprising that Kansas fell there. And when it comes to bouncing back, they did it in a big way by going into Lexington and knocking off Kentucky in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. That was without question Kansas’s biggest win of the season, and they have a chance to follow it up at home Wednesday when they take on the red-hot Baylor Bears.

This Week: Wed 2/1 vs Baylor (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Iowa State (2:00 pm, ESPN)

 

1. Gonzaga (Prev: 3)

It took losses from the teams ahead of them, but Gonzaga is finally getting the respect that they deserve, from AP voters, from Ken Pomeroy and from me. It’s hard to deny the Zags the top spot right now, given their undefeated record which includes wins over Florida, Iowa State, Arizona and Saint Mary’s. BYU could trip them up at home this week, and a trip to Saint Mary’s is not far off. But if the Bulldogs keep winning, they’ll stay at the top.

This Week: Thu 2/2 @ BYU (11:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 2/4 vs Santa Clara (11:00 pm, ESPNU)

CBB Top-25: 1/24/17

We are almost in February already. Can you believe it? I can’t, especially considering the lack of snow we’ve had so far this winter in southeast Pennsylvania. Anyway, this is significant because it means we are that much closer to March Madness!

There’s a big week in store for college basketball fans with a number of huge games, starting tonight when #2 Kansas travels to Morgantown to take on #18 West Virginia. In addition, the Jayhawks will then travel to Rupp Arena on Saturday to take on #4 Kentucky in a non-conference clash between two traditional powers.

For this week’s Top-25, I have included with each team a key number/statistic, just for something a little different. Trying to mix it up a little each week, I hope you all can appreciate that. Without any more hesitation, here is this week’s Top-25!

 

25. South Carolina

14.6: Points that PG P.J. Dozier averages per game this season. Dozier missed the game Saturday against Kentucky with back spasms. When fully healthy this season, the Gamecocks are undefeated. They could make a run at Kentucky in the SEC if they can get back to full strength.

This Week: Tue 1/24 vs Auburn (6:30 pm, SECN); Sat 1/28 @ Missouri (8:30 pm, SECN)

 

24. Northwestern

0: The number of times Northwestern has made it to the NCAA Tournament in school history. They are one of five original D-1 programs to never reach the Tourney, but they have a really, really good shot to leave that club this season.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs Nebraska (8:00 pm, BTN); Sun 1/29 vs Indiana (6:30 pm, BTN)

 

23. Creighton

8.5: Assists per game average this season for PG Maurice Watson Jr., whom the Bluejays recently lost for the season to an ACL injury. Watson led the nation in assists, and it will be near impossible for Creighton to make up for his production. They are still good enough to reach the Tournament, but any hopes of making a deep run were likely dashed.

This Week: Wed 1/25 @ Georgetown (7:00 pm); Sat 1/28 vs DePaul (2:30 pm, FS1)

 

22. Xavier

0-4: The Musketeers record against teams in KenPom’s Top-25. For a team considered one of the best 25 teams in the country by most pollsters, it is alarming that they have yet to secure a signature win. Their best win so far is at home against Utah, who is just now gaining some steam. That needs to change soon if Xavier is going to be taken seriously.

This Week: Thu 1/26 @ Cincinnati (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sun 1/29 @ St. John’s (6:00 pm, FS1)

 

21. Duke

26.8: Percentage of bench minutes this season. It is alarming that a team that should have more talent than anybody in the country isn’t very deep at all. That percentage is ranked 308th in the country out of 351 teams. Deeper teams usually have an advantage come Tourney time, so this could hurt the Blue Devils come March.

This Week: Sat 1/28 @ Wake Forest (3:00 pm, ESPN3/ACCN)

 

20. Kansas State

1: Number of teams in KenPom’s Top-100 that Kansas State played in non-conference this season. The Big 12 will give K-State plenty of chances to improve their resume, but that one team they played was Maryland, and they lost to them. That weak non-conference slate could come back to haunt the Wildcats if they struggle at all in conference play.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Iowa State (9:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 1/28 @ Tennessee (2:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

19. Saint Mary’s

60.2: The Gaels’ adjusted tempo (according to KenPom), which is 2nd slowest in the nation. Saint Mary’s loves to grind games virtually to a halt, in the same mold of teams like Virginia, which is the only team with a slower tempo this year. As efficient as Saint Mary’s is on offense, playing slow could be their key to a deep run in the Tournament.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs San Francisco (11:00 pm); Sat 1/28 @ Santa Clara (11:00 pm)

 

18. Cincinnati

5.6: Offensive steal percentage (according to KenPom), which is the second best in the country. What this basically amounts to is the Bearcats’ opponents get a steal on just 5.6% of their possessions, so in layman’s terms, Cincinnati takes care of the basketball. That will do them wonders when the postseason rolls around.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs Xavier (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sun 1/29 vs South Florida (4:00 pm, CBSSN)

 

17. Wisconsin

0-3: Record against KenPom’s Top-25. Similarly to Xavier, Wisconsin has a weak resume for a top team. Making matters worse is that as of this writing, Wisconsin does not have a game left on their schedule against KenPom’s Top-25. They have only three games left against the Top-40, and all three of those games are at home. Any loss from here on out will be considered a bad loss for the Badgers.

This Week: Tue 1/24 vs Penn State (9:00 pm, BTN); Sat 1/28 @ Rutgers (12:00 pm, BTN)

 

16. Virginia

3: Number of wins against teams in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s most recent Bracketology (posted yesterday, 1/23). KenPom always loves Tony Bennett’s squad, but a deeper look shows a lack of quality wins. Their win at Louisville is great, but their next best victory is at home against Wake Forest, who Lunardi has as one of his “Last Four Byes.” The third victory is over current SoCon leaders UNC Greensboro, who Lunardi has as a 16-seed. The Cavaliers will get two huge chances this week to improve their resume.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Notre Dame (8:00 pm, ESPN3/ACCN); Sun 1/29 @ Villanova (1:00 pm, FOX)

 

15. West Virginia

10: Ranking in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency on KenPom.com. The Mountaineers, despite two consecutive losses, are one of just two teams ranked in the Top-10 in both Offensive and Defensive Efficiency by KenPom (Gonzaga, KenPom’s #1 team, is the other). I still believe West Virginia is a title contender, but they need to bounce back tonight against Kansas, a massive opportunity.

This Week: Tue 1/24 vs Kansas (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/28 vs Texas A&M (12:00 pm, ESPN)

 

14. Butler

7: Butler has played the 7th toughest schedule in the country according to CBS Sports. It is extremely impressive that the Bulldogs have been able to go 17-3 so far against their brutal schedule. Even more so when you consider that two of their losses are to St. John’s and Indiana State, two teams that barely have a prayer of making the Tournament.

This Week: Wed 1/25 @ Seton Hall (8:30 pm, FS1); Sat 1/28 vs Georgetown (8:00 pm, CBSSN)

 

13. Purdue

4: Number of games this season in which Caleb Swanigan has scored at least 20 points AND secured at least 20 rebounds. The number of games Swanigan has done this in is greater than the number of different players who have done it once this season. The dreaded sophomore slump has not happened to Swanigan, as he is instead leading the Boilermakers towards a possible Big Ten crown.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Michigan State (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sun 1/29 @ Nebraska (4:30 pm, BTN)

 

12. Louisville

6.3: The Cardinals are one of the top defensive teams in the country, and they average 6.3 blocks per game, led by their trio of big men: 6-10 sophomore Ray Spalding, 7-0 junior Anas Mahmoud and 6-10 senior Mangok Mathiang. The trees in the middle force teams to beat Louisville from the perimeter, where the Cardinals are also extremely talented defensively.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Pittsburgh (7:00 pm, ESPNU); Sun 1/29 vs NC State (1:00 pm, ESPN3/ACCN)

 

11. Notre Dame

82.9: ND’s free throw percentage this season, good for #1 in the nation. There are a few things that tend to separate teams come March. Good guard play, suffocating defense and free throw shooting are probably the three biggest things. The Irish are the top free throw shooting team in the country, and that could help them win some close games late down the stretch and into the postseason.

This Week: Tue 1/24 vs Virginia (8:00 pm, ESPN3/ACCN); Sat 1/28 @ Georgia Tech (12:00 PM, ESPNU)

 

10. Oregon

16: Consecutive wins for the Ducks. A tough start to the season saw Oregon lose two of their first four games, but since a loss to Georgetown in the Maui Invitational opening round, Oregon has rattled off 16 wins in a row. They just lost star Dillon Brooks to a foot injury, so it will be interesting to see if they can keep it going.

This Week: Thu 1/26 @ Utah (10:30 pm, FS1); Sat 1/28 @ Colorado (9:30 pm, P12N)

 

9. UCLA

93: Points per game for the Bruins this season, second best in the country. They are the most efficient offensive team in the nation according to KenPom, as in addition to the 93 points per game, they lead the country in field goal percentage and are second in three-point percentage. A good offensive team can score on their porous defense, so if they have any off games offensively in March, they could be in a lot of trouble.

This Week: Wed 1/25 @ USC (11:00 pm, FS1)

 

8. Arizona

14.8: Points per game last season for Allonzo Trier, who the Wildcats just got back from suspension Saturday in their huge road victory over UCLA. Arizona had been playing great without Trier, so getting back a star like him only catapults them to the next level. I think they are probably now the favorites to win the Pac 12.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs Washington State (9:30 pm, P12N); Sun 1/29 vs Washington (3:30 pm, FOX)

 

7. Baylor

29: Number of turnovers in Baylor’s only loss of the season, 89-68 at West Virginia. Now, I realize that West Virginia forces turnovers at a greater clip than any team in the nation, but 29 turnovers is absolutely horrendous. It’s clear that if you can get Baylor uncomfortable, they can crumble. It’s also clear that since the Bears haven’t lost another game this season, that it’s difficult to make them uncomfortable.

This Week: Wed 1/25 vs Texas Tech (8:00 pm, ESPNNEWS); Sat 1/28 @ Ole Miss (6:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

6. North Carolina

6: Number of regular season games in February/March that UNC will play against teams in KenPom’s Top-20. The Tar Heels have played a tough schedule this season, but it will only get tougher, as six of their last eight games will be against Top-20 teams, including two games each against Duke and Virginia. That is a tough way to close a regular season, so if North Carolina gets a 1-seed in the Tournament, they will have earned it for sure.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs Virginia Tech (8:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/28 @ Miami FL (1:00 pm, CBS)

 

5. Florida State

6: Yes, same number, but this time it is the number of consecutive games Florida State has played against ranked opponents, going an extremely impressive 5-1 in those games. The last team to face that many consecutive ranked opponents in the ACC was Maryland in 1993. They went 0-6. Before that it was NC State and Duke in 1980, with those teams going 2-4 and 5-1 respectively in those stretches. The Seminoles are for real, and they have a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way.

This Week: Wed 1/25 @ Georgia Tech (7:00 pm, ESPN3/ACCN); Sat 1/28 @ Syracuse (12:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

4. Kentucky

62-3: Kentucky’s record in Rupp Arena over the last four season (including this year). The Wildcats are one of the toughest teams to beat at home in the nation, and this Saturday they’ll host #2 Kansas in what is probably the biggest game of the season for each team. Kentucky can truly establish themselves as one of the top two or three teams in the country with a win over the Jayhawks.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Tennessee (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/28 vs Kansas (6:15 pm, ESPN)

 

3. Gonzaga

18: Number of consecutive seasons Gonzaga has reached the NCAA Tournament. Mark Few is a perfect 18 for 18 in getting the Bulldogs to the Big Dance, and he might have his best team yet this season. The Zags have a legit chance to enter the Tournament undefeated, something that hasn’t been accomplished since Kentucky in the 2014-15 season.

This Week: Thu 1/26 vs San Diego (9:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 1/28 @ Pepperdine (10:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

2. Kansas

4: Number of games this season versus KenPom’s Top-30. The Jayhawks have won 18 straight following a season-opening loss to Indiana, but they have faced just four teams in KenPom’s Top-30, and none of those teams are in the Top-15. It’s about to get tough though, as their next three games and five of their next eight are against teams in KenPom’s Top-10. If Kansas can get through these next eight games with a 6-2 or better record, I’ll be extremely impressed.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ West Virginia (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/28 @ Kentucky (6:15 pm, ESPN)

 

1. Villanova

7: Number of schools that have won consecutive NCAA D-1 Championships in men’s basketball. Villanova is looking to join that group, which includes Florida, Duke, UCLA, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Kentucky and Oklahoma State, this season, and right now, they look like the favorites to take home the title this season. It’s going to be a difficult task, but the Wildcats seem up to the challenge.

This Week: Tue 1/24 @ Marquette (8:00 pm, FS1); Sun 1/29 vs Virginia (1:00 pm, FOX)

CBB Weekend Preview: 1/21-1/22

It’s been an interesting week in the college basketball world. The Big East had their showcase on Monday, with Villanova blowing out Seton Hall, Creighton securing a huge road win over Xavier but losing star Maurice Watson to a season-ending knee injury and Butler coming back from a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat Marquette.

In addition to the Watson injury, Indiana also suffered a huge loss, with the news coming out today that OG Anunoby will have season-ending knee surgery, and Oregon superstar Dillon Brooks left the game Thursday with a left leg injury. No more specifics have come out in regards to his injury, but he missed the beginning of the season with a left foot injury, so there is concern that he may have re-injured the foot.

This is an extremely important point in the season for just about every team, and there are a number of marquee matchups that you should definitely tune in to, and I am here to tell you a little bit about them!

Providence (13-7, 3-4 BE) @ #1 Villanova (18-1, 6-1 BE)
Saturday 1/21, 12:00 noon, FOX

They were knocked off of the perch at the top of the rankings for one week, but Villanova is right back there this week, and after a dominating win over Seton Hall on Monday, they will host the Providence Friars tomorrow at Noon. Providence always seems to give Nova a challenge, but the Friars are a little down this season. A home loss to them would be quite damaging to the Wildcats’ resume.

 

Syracuse (11-8, 3-3 ACC) @ #15 Notre Dame (16-3, 5-1 ACC)
Saturday 1/21, 12:00 noon, ESPN

Wednesday night in Tallahassee, the Fighting Irish were 15 for 21 from three-point range against Florida State. That is an astonishing stat, especially when you find out that they lost the game. It’s kind of baffling, but that just shows how good Florida State is. The Irish will be fine, and they will host a struggling Syracuse team tomorrow afternoon, the perfect bounce-back opponent.

 

#12 Louisville (16-3, 4-2 ACC) @ #10 Florida State (17-2, 5-1 ACC)
Saturday 1/21, 2:00 pm, ESPN

Speaking of that really good Florida State team, their brutal opening to the ACC slate will finally come to an end Saturday when they host the Louisville Cardinals. Louisville smoked Clemson on Thursday night, and come in with just as much momentum as the Seminoles. Jonathan Isaac, Florida State’s star freshman big man, had an incredible game against ND, going for 23 points, 10 rebounds and 7 blocks, and he’ll look to lead the way again tomorrow.

 

Marquette (12-7, 3-3 BE) @ #7 Creighton (18-1, 5-1 BE)
Saturday 1/21, 2:30 pm, FS1

What a brutal blow to the Bluejays. Creighton lost star point guard Maurice Watson Jr. to a torn ACL in their victory over Xavier on Monday. He’ll miss the rest of the season, severely affecting Creighton’s chances at Final Four run. Watson was leading the nation with 8.5 assists per game, and Coach Greg McDermott has already said that they will now go point guard-by-committee. They have no time to sulk though, as they host a Marquette team looking for a big win to add to their Tourney resume.

 

#14 Arizona (17-2, 6-0 P12) @ #3 UCLA (19-1, 6-1 P12)
Saturday 1/21, 4:00 pm, CBS

This will be the biggest game in the Pac-12 so far this season. UCLA is solidifying themselves as a legitimate National Championship contender, but they need all of the massive wins they can get to improve their chances at getting a #1 seed. They will take on the current Pac-12 leaders in the Arizona Wildcats. Sean Miller has done an incredible job leading this team without star Allonzo Trier. Freshman big man Lauri Markkanen is a matchup problem for the Bruins, and could be the X-factor towards a huge road win.

 

#17 Wisconsin (15-3, 4-1 B10) @ Minnesota (15-4, 3-3 B10)
Saturday 1/21, 4:30 pm, BTN

Minnesota has very quietly built an early resume that would likely have them among the top 24 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. They have road wins over Purdue and Northwestern, but they have also lost to Michigan State twice and to Penn State. They have a massive chance to add another feather to their cap when they host the new favorites to win the Big Ten, Wisconsin. They Badgers have the perfect blend of experience and talent, and a win over them would go leaps and bounds for the Golden Gophers.

 

#24 South Carolina (15-3, 5-0 SEC) @ #5 Kentucky (16-2, 6-0 SEC)
Saturday 1/21, 6:00 pm, ESPN

The SEC schedule will not provide many challenges for John Calipari’s Wildcats, but they’ll get one of those challenges tomorrow when they host South Carolina, who just knocked off Florida on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten in conference play. With star guard Sindarius Thornwell in the lineup, the Gamecocks have not lost. I don’t know if they have the firepower to go into Rupp Arena and get the win, but I think they’ll definitely give Kentucky a test.

 

#7 West Virginia (15-3, 4-2 B12) @ Kansas State (14-4, 3-3 B12)
Saturday 1/21, 6:00 pm, ESPN2

Thanks a lot West Virginia. I’ve done nothing but hype you up as one of the best teams in the country over the last week, so what do you do to repay me? You go and lose at home to 8-9 Oklahoma. Really? REALLY?! Ugh, I really hope Huggy Bear uses that loss to light a fire under their rear ends. They’ll have another tough one tomorrow though, as they travel to Manhattan to take on a Kansas State team that is desperate for a huge victory.

 

Miami FL (12-5, 2-3 ACC) @ #18 Duke (14-4, 2-3 ACC)
Saturday 1/21, 8:15 pm, ESPN

The primetime showcase game on Saturday will pit two teams who are off to rough starts in ACC play, but both have much loftier goals. Duke has had a week off since losing to Louisville, and will return home looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have lost three of their last four, and are looking for a huge resume-building victory at Cameron Indoor. Miami has won their last two games against Duke, including a win in Durham in 2015.

 

La Salle (11-5, 5-1 A10) @ VCU (14-5, 4-2 A10)
Sunday 1/22, 2:00 pm, NBCSN

Yet again there are no huge games on Sunday (mostly due to the NFL Playoffs), but before the NFC Championship starts, tune into NBC Sports Network to see two of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 do battle. La Salle has been the surprise of the league so far. After losing their conference opener to Dayton, they have rattled off five wins in a row, including a road win against Rhode Island. They’ll look to make it six in a row when they travel to take on VCU, who has lost two in a row, including a stunner in overtime to Fordham on Wednesday. La Salle will hope to catch VCU looking ahead to a matchup with Dayton next Friday.

CBB Top-25: 1/16/17

At the end of my post from last Friday, I gave a quick look at who I believed were the Top-25 teams in the country. I did not expect much of that to change over the weekend, but to my surprise, it definitely did.

Most teams are only about five games or so into their conference schedules, so it’s still a little tough to determine which teams are for real and which are just pretenders. I don’t submit an AP ballot (yet…), but if I would, here is an extensive look at what I believe are the Top-25 teams in college basketball.

 

25. Northwestern

The Wildcats are the real deal ladies and gentlemen! The Big Ten is wide open, as there are just two teams left with one conference loss (Maryland, Wisconsin). Northwestern sits at 4-2 in the conference, including an 89-54 drubbing of a solid Iowa team on Sunday night. Bryant McIntosh and Scottie Lindsey lead a great backcourt, and they showed what they are capable of against Iowa (20 pts 10 ast for McIntosh, 22 pts 8 reb 5 ast for Lindsey). Northwestern is looking to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, and I believe they are well on their way to accomplishing that feat.

This Week: Sun 1/22 @ Ohio State (1:00 pm, BTN)

 

24. Xavier

Xavier is an interesting team right now. Many expected them to be the biggest threat to Villanova in the Big East, but right now they sit as maybe the 4th best team in the conference. They have legit stars in Edmond Sumner and Trevon Bluiett, but they have struggled against top competition. They have a poor resume, and some experts think they need to get a couple big wins, or they could be in danger of missing the Tournament. I would find that very surprising, and I still think they are capable of figuring it out. They have a great chance as they look to stay undefeated at home today against Creighton. A win over the Blue Jays could go a long way for the Musketeers.

This Week: Mon 1/16 vs Creighton (2:00 pm, FS1); Sun 1/22 vs Georgetown (2:00 pm, CBS)

 

23. Kansas State

Bruce Weber’s Wildcats had a terrific chance for a blockbuster win Saturday against Baylor, but the Bears were able to pull it out 77-68. Despite the loss, which dropped them to 2-3 in the conference, I believe Kansas State is quietly a very good team, and should give the top teams in the Big 12 a lot of trouble this season. They’ll get another chance to knock off a top opponent in Manhattan next weekend when they host West Virginia.

This Week: Wed 1/18 @ Oklahoma State (9:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 1/21 vs West Virginia (6:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

22. Saint Mary’s

The Gaels could have put the whole nation on notice if they could’ve ruined Gonzaga’s quest to enter March undefeated. Unfortunately, they were dominated in a 79-56 home win for the Zags. Don’t look too much into that though, because Gonzaga is a legitimate title contender. Saint Mary’s will be a team that nobody wants to face in the Tournament. Jock Landale is one of the top players in the country, and the Gaels will get another crack at Gonzaga in February, the next time at home. That will be a game to look forward to for any basketball fan.

This Week: Thu 1/19 vs Pacific (11:00 pm); Sat 1/21 vs Pepperdine (11:00 pm)

 

21. Florida

The SEC is extremely weak this season, and that is why every conference game will be important for the top teams. Florida needed overtime to defeat Georgia in Gainesville this past Saturday, and that could easily be seen as a knock on this team. KenPom has Florida ranked 13th in the nation. I don’t think they’re quite on that level, but they have a few games this week that could help their case, including a huge trip to Columbia to take on Frank Martin’s South Carolina Gamecocks. If Florida can win that game and improve to 6-0 in the SEC, they could begin to make a believer out of me.

This Week: Wed 1/18 @ South Carolina (6:30 pm, SECN); Sat 1/21 vs Vanderbilt (12:00 pm, CBS)

 

20. Cincinnati

The Bearcats are without question the best team in the down American Conference this season. Mick Cronin’s team is 15-2, and already have wins over Houston and SMU, the two teams with the best chance to keep them from a conference title. They’ll play each of those teams again before the season is done, and they also have a non-conference tilt with in-state rival Xavier in a couple weeks. So despite the conference being weak, Cincy will have plenty of opportunities to improve their resume.

This Week: Wed 1/18 vs Temple (7:00 pm, CBSSN); Sat 1/21 @ Tulane (4:00 pm, CBSSN)

 

19. Wisconsin

Remember how I mentioned that the Big Ten is wide open right now? Well, Wisconsin is a team that certainly has an argument that they are the best team in the conference. Nigel Hayes, Ethan Happ and Bronson Koenig are a legit Big Three, and by the end of the season, they could certainly end up on top of the Big Ten. Their three losses this season are to Creighton (a top ten team), North Carolina (another top ten team) and Purdue (who I think is the best team in the Big Ten). That just proves how good this team is. The Badgers do not have to face Purdue again this season, and they won’t take on Northwestern and Michigan State until February, so they have plenty of time to become one of the top teams not only in the conference, but in the country.

This Week: Tue 1/17 vs Michigan (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/21 @ Minnesota (4:30 pm, BTN)

 

18. Arizona

The Wildcats are flying a bit under the radar right now, but I think that’s exactly how Sean Miller wants it. Arizona is a classic West Coast power, and they will be a factor in the Pac-12 race this season. Their two losses this year are to a very good Butler team and to undefeated Gonzaga, both on neutral courts. This week coming up will probably be the biggest of the Pac-12 season for Zona, as they make the LA trip to take on USC and UCLA. If they could find a way to win both of those games, they could skyrocket up my rankings, and the official rankings as well.

This Week: Thu 1/19 @ USC (9:00 pm, P12N); Sat 1/21 @ UCLA (4:00 pm, CBS)

 

17. Duke

Oh Duke. You all know that I love to hate Duke, and I love to cheer against their success, and you probably think I’m crazy to have them ranked this low, but consider all the factors. Back-to-back losses, 2-3 in the conference, Grayson Allen’s issues, Amile Jefferson’s injury, Coach K’s absence. I’d be willing to bet that they will go up my rankings as the season wears on, and I do still believe that this is a National Title contender, but as of this writing, the Blue Devils have a lot of issues that they need to solve. Talent can only get a team so far, especially in basketball.

This Week: Sat 1/21 vs Miami FL (8:15 pm, ESPN)

 

16. Virginia

The advanced stat darlings, as I like to refer to them. I’ve watched numerous Virginia games this season, and I have been less than impressed. They play great defense, as every Tony Bennett team does, but they can look anemic at times on offense. KenPom has them rated as the 5th best team in the country. I don’t see it. They are one of the top teams in the ACC, that’s for sure, but they are going to lose their fair share of conference games this season based on what I’ve seen. They have an easy week coming up, but the following week they will play back-to-back road games against Notre Dame and Villanova. That week could be the turning point for the Cavaliers’ season, whether it’s a positive turn or a negative one will be determined by the outcome of those two games.

This Week: Wed 1/18 @ Boston College (8:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 1/21 vs Georgia Tech (2:00 pm, ESPN3)

 

15. Notre Dame

Raise your hand if you had the Fighting Irish as the last undefeated team in the ACC! Anybody? Nope? Okay, that’s kinda what I figured. It was expected to be a somewhat down year for the Irish after losing Demetrius Jackson and Zach Auguste, but this year’s team might actually be better than last season, as crazy as that is. Matt Farrell has become one of the best point guards in the country, and along with Steve Vasturia, VJ Beachem and Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame has a legit chance to win the super-competitive ACC. They need to learn how to put away teams though, as it seems like every game they build a lead, and then let the opponent get back into it. I know a lot of ND fans, and they are tired of sweating out every game.

This Week: Wed 1/18 @ Florida State (7:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 1/21 vs Syracuse (12:00 pm, ESPN)

 

14. Purdue

Confession… I love Purdue. They are one of my favorite teams to watch this season. Their size is incredibly difficult to deal with, between 7-2 center Isaac Haas and 6-10 forward Caleb Swanigan. Swanigan, a Wooden Award front-runner, has four games this season with 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds. That is absurd. He is an incredible basketball player, and is probably capable of single-handedly leading the Boilermakers to a Big Ten Championship. They were upset in the First Round of the Tourney last season, but I expect them to go much further this year. This team is legit, you heard it here.

This Week: Tue 1/17 vs Illinois (7:00 pm, BTN); Sat 1/21 vs Penn State (12:00 pm, BTN)

 

13. Butler

I’m not always sure how, but it just seems like Butler always finds a way to be one of the top teams in the country. On paper, they are nothing special. They’re led by junior forward Kelan Martin (6-7) and senior center Andrew Chrabascz (also 6-7). Yeah, their center is only 6-7. They don’t have much size, and they don’t do anything spectacularly, but what they do is win basketball games. They’re the only team to defeat Villanova so far this season, and they also boast wins over Arizona, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Indiana and Xavier. But they have losses to Indiana State and St. John’s, so that makes me think that they are just as capable of reaching the Final Four as they are of losing in the First Round. We’ll see how it goes!

This Week: Mon 1/16 vs Marquette (12:00 pm, FS1); Sat 1/21 @ DePaul (2:00 pm, FS1)

 

12. Oregon

The Ducks entered this season with very high expectations, but didn’t get off to the best start with star Dillon Brooks on the shelf. They lost two of their first four games, and then needed overtime to beat Tennessee. Well, that win over the Volunteers was the first of what is now 14 wins in a row for Dana Altman’s team. Brooks is healthy, Chris Boucher is healthy and Villanova-transfer Dylan Ennis is healthy. Oh yeah, and they still have Tyler Dorsey and Jordan Bell. This is one of the most talented rosters in the nation, and they will once again be one of the top teams come March, mark my words.

This Week: Thu 1/19 vs California (9:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 1/21 vs Stanford (6:00 pm, P12N)

 

11. Louisville

Rick Pitino is doing a great job once again. Louisville is rated as the 2nd most efficient defensive team in the nation by KenPom, and after suffering losses in their first two ACC games (vs Virginia and @ Notre Dame), the Cardinals have rattled off three conference wins in a row to remind everybody that they are going to be a factor in the race for the ACC crown. Donovan Mitchell and Quentin Snider lead the way offensively for the Cardinals, while Mangok Mathiang, Anas Mahmoud and Ray Spalding lock down the interior on defense. This is another extremely talented team that you’ll want to keep a close eye on this season.

This Week: Thu 1/19 vs Clemson (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/21 @ Florida State (2:00 pm, ESPN)

 

10. Creighton

Now that I think about it, maybe I have Creighton ranked a little low, considering their lone loss this season is at home to the defending National Champions. Experts thought that Creighton had some serious potential this season, but I don’t think anybody expected them to start 17-1 including wins over Wisconsin and Butler. They are one of the top offensive teams in the nation, led by Boston-transfer Maurice Watson and Kansas State-transfer Marcus Foster, two of the best guards in the Big East (and the Big East has a lot of great guards). They have a huge game today against a desperate Xavier team. If they can win that one, it would be a huge feather in their cap.

This Week: Mon 1/16 @ Xavier (2:00 pm, FS1); Sat 1/21 vs Marquette (2:30 pm, FS1)

 

9. North Carolina

The Tar Heels, for the most part, have been a little quiet this season. They have had great showings in wins over Wisconsin and Florida State, and also in a 103-100 loss to Kentucky, but they’ve also struggled mightily at times, needing overtime to top Clemson, and falling to Georgia Tech. They have one of the best frontcourts in the ACC, led by Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks, but their guard play will need to improve if they are going to make a return to the National Championship game.

This Week: Mon 1/16 vs Syracuse (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/21 @ Boston College (12:00 pm, ESPN3)

 

8. Florida State

If the Seminoles could have gone into Chapel Hill and knocked off the Tar Heels, they would have been 5-0 in the conference and solidified themselves as a legitimate title contender. Despite the loss, I still believe this is one of the best teams that you are not paying attention to. Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Dwayne Bacon are fantastic scoring guards, and they have Jonathan Isaac, a surefire lottery pick, manning the middle. They have already beaten Florida, Virginia and Duke, and they have two more massive games this week against Notre Dame and Louisville. I’m hoping they can win both of those games so that everyone will join me in viewing this team as one of the best in the nation.

This Week: Wed 1/18 vs Notre Dame (7:00 pm, ESPN3); Sat 1/21 vs Louisville (2:00 pm, ESPN)

 

7. Baylor

Well, being ranked #1 in the country isn’t going to last very long, but this is still one of the best teams in college basketball. West Virginia created all sorts of matchup problems for the Bears, and I think that played a huge factor in the big loss. Being able to bounce back with a road win against Kansas State showed a lot of grit. Kansas has a few teams standing in their path towards another Big 12 Championship, and Baylor is definitely one of those teams. The Bears are four games out from their trip to Lawrence, and if they can enter that game 20-1, it will end up as one of the biggest games of the season. I sincerely hope that happens.

This Week: Tue 1/17 vs Texas (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 1/21 @ TCU (8:00 pm, ESPNU)

 

6. UCLA

The Bruins have one of the most crowded bandwagons in the country, but that’s for good reason. When they went into Rupp Arena and knocked off Kentucky 97-92, everybody hopped on board. Led by senior Bryce Alford and star freshmen TJ Leaf and Lonzo Ball, UCLA is one of the top three teams in the Pac-12, and have the potential to make a Final Four run in March. The Bruins have a great combination of talent and experience, and that should do them well down the stretch. They have a huge game this weekend against Arizona, that will be one to watch.

This Week: Thu 1/19 vs Arizona State (11:00 pm, FS1); Sat 1/21 vs Arizona (4:00 pm, CBS)

 

5. Kentucky

I mentioned earlier that the SEC is not very strong this season, but that doesn’t mean that Kentucky, the undisputed best team in the conference, isn’t easily one of the best teams in the nation. I don’t expect the Wildcats to be tested very much in the conference (although they do host Kansas in late January), as they should pretty well cruise into the postseason. They have a lot of inexperience, as they are led by freshmen DeAaron Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo (who all could wind up lottery picks in next year’s NBA Draft), but John Calipari has proven in the past that he can take an inexperienced team to the promised land.

This Week: Tue 1/17 @ Mississippi State (7:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/21 vs South Carolina (6:00 pm, ESPN)

 

4. West Virginia

There’s still plenty of room on the Mountaineer bandwagon if anybody wants to join me! This is the most fun team to watch this season without question. They don’t have a true superstar, but they play as a team better than most. Nathan Adrian, Jevon Carter, Tarik Phillip, and Daxter Miles lead the way for a team that forces turnovers on a whopping 32.7 percent of their opponent’s possessions (according to KenPom). Fordham is 2nd best at 27.3 percent. So yes, West Virginia plays a suffocating form of defense, and that gives them a chance to win every time the step on the floor, regardless of the team they are facing. They’ll have a tough road game against Kansas State this coming weekend, and then next week they host Kansas in what could be a battle between Top-5 teams. Mark your calendars for that one!

This Week: Wed 1/18 vs Oklahoma (7:00 pm, ESPN2); Sat 1/21 @ Kansas State (6:00 pm, ESPN2)

 

3. Gonzaga

Gonzaga and the NCAA Tournament are just a given at this point, but it’s not every year that the Zags are a legit title contender, and any team that starts out 17-0 is a title contender. This may be the best team Mark Few has had at Gonzaga, and he’s had a lot of really good teams. They put a stamp on that this past weekend when they obliterated Saint Mary’s, their only competition in the West Coast Conference. They have to travel Moraga, CA later in the season to battle the Gaels one more time, but that is probably the only thing standing between them and an undefeated record entering the Tourney.

This Week: Thu 1/19 @ Santa Clara (11:00 pm, ESPNU); Sat 1/21 vs Portland (8:00 pm, ESPN3)

 

2. Kansas

I am willing to acknowledge that Kansas is one of the top teams in the country, but from what I’ve seen of them, I’m not sure that they’re even the best team in their own conference. They most certainly have the talent, between guards Frank Mason and Devonte’ Graham and star freshman wing Josh Jackson. But after a season-opening loss to Indiana, they have now won 16 in a row, but the only victory of note is over a now-struggling Duke team. They head to Ames to take on Iowa State tonight, a game I could easily see them losing, and then next week they start a brutal three-game stretch (@West Virginia, @Kentucky, vs Baylor). I could easily see them losing three of their next five games, which would drastically change their ranking for me.

This Week: Mon 1/16 @ Iowa State (9:00 pm, ESPN); Sat 1/21 vs Texas (2:00 pm, CBS)

 

1. Villanova

It’s crazy to consider, but I believe this Villanova team is better than the National Championship team from last season. Josh Hart has taken a massive step in his development, adding a great outside jump shot to his already fantastic repertoire. Jalen Brunson kind of took a backseat to Ryan Arcidiacono last season, and now the restraints are off and he’s showing why he was once considered a one-and-done type player. Kris Jenkins still shoots the lights out and Mikal Bridges is slowly but surely becoming a Round 1 draft prospect. They still struggle some on the interior, as Darryl Reynolds is the lone physical presence in the middle, but when it come to talent and experience, there’s no team in the nation that compares to the Wildcats. This team has a very real chance to repeat as National Champions.

This Week: Mon 1/16 vs Seton Hall (6:30 pm, FS1); Sat 1/21 vs Providence (12:00 pm, FOX)