NCAA Basketball Top 25 for 12/22
FYI: All ratings, including SOS, Offensive Efficiency, and Defensive Efficiency, are courtesy of the KenPom.
None of the unbeaten squads lost this week. Miami (OH) remains the last mid-major with that distinction. The MAC is too difficult for a team to go unbeaten. We have two potential unbeaten matchups, though Michigan doesn’t play Nebraska until January 27th, while Iowa State plays Arizona on March 2nd. In other words, neither is happening.
Top 25:
1. Michigan (11-0) (1) – The Wolverines, who are the only team in the top five offensively and defensively, had no issue with La Salle as they compiled their fifth 100+ point game in their last six contests. Their quest to be perfect heading into 2026 relies on their performance against McNeese, who won an NCAA Tournament game last season and is off to a 10-2 start.
2. Arizona (11-0) (3) – Michigan’s metrics are slightly better, though the Wildcats are mauling opponents. Their closest game since a 71-67 win over UConn is a 21-point win over Alabama.
3. Iowa State (12-0) (4) – It’s only a coincidence that my top three match the KenPom. Like many teams, they are closing out 2025 with easier opponents heading into conference play.
4. Purdue (11-1) (5) – They played a terrible game against Iowa State, but have rebounded in a big way. They mauled Auburn by 28 and remain the nation’s top offense.
5. Duke (11-1) (2) – Their neutral court loss to Texas Tech, where they blew a 17-point lead to an undermanned opponent, was shocking. That said, it was their fourth game against a ranked squad in their last five games and came during a stretch where they aren’t playing much. They don’t play again until New Year’s Eve.
6. UConn (12-1) (6) – Other than Gonzaga, no big-name school may “suffer” more than UConn when it comes to conference opposition. As of now, there is nothing that will keep them from putting together a gaudy season.
7. Gonzaga (12-1) (7) – Oregon gave them a fight, but it wasn’t enough. They head into their final WCC season as overwhelming favorites to win the conference, with a legitimate shot at running the table.
8. Houston (11-1) (8) – The key for the Cougars will forever be the offense. Arkansas forced Houston to play at its pace. The Cougars passed the test by winning, 94-85. They are on the cusp of being a top 20 offensive team in the country.
9. Vanderbilt (12-0) (10) – The Commodores are a scoring machine. That said, Memphis slowed the game down and took them to overtime, where Vanderbilt pulled out a win. They followed that up by destroying a Wake Forest team that came within a whisker of defeating Michigan.
10. BYU (11-1) (11) – The Cougars are on cruise control, with only one game remaining in 2025.
11. Michigan State (11-1) (12) – Recent wins over Penn State and Oakland were too close for comfort, but the Spartans continue to roll. How rare is it for a Tom Izzo team to be overlooked? In a conference with Michigan, Purdue, and the fun Nebraska story, that is what is happening.
12. North Carolina (11-1) (13) – The computers continue to downplay how good they really are, and I get it, as I have no idea how they won that game over Ohio State. Nothing stands out about them, but they keep winning.
13. Louisville (10-2) (9) – The offense is there. Their defense, however, was exposed by Tennessee.
14. Tennessee (9-3) (18) – It looks like the Volunteers have put their 3-game losing streak in the rearview mirror.
15. Alabama (9-3) (14) – Top-notch offense. A defense that is ranked 69th. A schedule that is ranked 5th. Regardless of what you think of the Crimson Tide, they aren’t boring.
16. Nebraska (12-0) (16) – The Cornhuskers’ schedule is the only thing weighing them down. The Big Ten will continue to offer opportunities to prove themselves.
17. Illinois (8-3) (17) – They haven’t played since losing to Nebraska. Missouri isn’t likely to be as good as its 10-2 record, but it’s a reasonable test.
18. Texas Tech (9-3) (20) – The way they came back against Duke shows their grit. More importantly, they played a tough non-conference schedule, which lacked a signature win. No longer.
19. Kansas (9-3) (21) – The Jayhawks are offensively challenged but own the 7th-best defense.
20. Virginia (10-1) (22) – I still am not sure what to make of this team, but they are winning games. As stated before, they didn’t intentionally schedule poorly. The typically good teams they did schedule aren’t playing well.
21. Georgia (10-1) (23) – See Virginia. This team scores a lot, gives up a lot, and needs some competition. That won’t come until the calendar turns to 2026.
22. Kentucky (8-4) (NR) – No team needed “good competition” wins more than the Wildcats. They got them with wins over Indiana and, especially, St. John’s.
23. Arkansas (9-3) (19) – Their non-conference was a mixed bag with wins over Louisville and Texas Tech and losses to Michigan State, Duke, and Houston. They should be in the mix in the SEC race.
24. USC (12-1) (25) – The computers hate them, and it’s easy to see why. The good thing is we will find out in a hurry about how good they are. Their first two games after the holiday break are road contests against Michigan and Michigan State.
25. Seton Hall (11-1) (NR) – This is Shaheen Holloway squad. They are a menace defensively, though their offense needs help. We’ll get some clarity when they play Villanova on Monday.
Dropped Out:
St. John’s (7-4) (15) – Struggling to beat good teams. How will they fare in the watered-down Big East?
Auburn (8-4) (24) – Other than Houston, their losses have been blowouts. They lost to Michigan by 30, Arizona by 29, and Purdue by 28.
Just Missed:
Iowa (10-2) – The Hawkeyes are going to frustrate Big Ten squads all season.
Florida (8-4) – The KenPom ranks them 11th. They will re-enter the Top 25 in due time.
Utah State (10-1) – They appear to be the class of the Mountain West, though expect things to be as tight as ever.