Category: College Basketball

Top 25

1. Purdue (12-1) (1) – A dominant win over Eastern Kentucky was expected, but you never know what to expect in college basketball. It’s all conference play from here on out for the Boilermakers, owners of the 18th-best non-conference schedule.

2. Kansas (12-1) (2) – The computers don’t love the Jayhawks, though they defeated Kentucky, Tennessee, and UConn. A solid schedule and a top defense (4th in the nation in defensive efficiency) puts them in this position.

3. Houston (13-0) (3) – Unbeaten. Extraordinary defense. Not-so-hot schedule (9-0 in Quad 3/4 games). The Big 12 will provide plenty of tests, with a game at Iowa State (1/9) offering up such a challenge.

4. Tennessee (9-3) (5) – One more non-conference tilt (Norfolk State) before a game with unbeaten Ole Miss to begin conference play.

5. UConn (11-2) (6) – While the loss to Seton Hall may stand out, it was a Big East road game. Strange things happen in big conference road games sometimes. Their non-conference schedule is 251st in the nation, but that is mostly because they mixed a lot of strong opposition with some very weak opposition – not much in between the two extremes.

6. Marquette (11-3) (8) – Winning tough home games will be imperative in the Big East race – the Golden Eagles did that against Creighton. They take a road trip to Seton Hall this coming week.

7. BYU (12-1) (9) – Negative: 300th-ranked non-conference schedule. Positive: Top ten in the nation in both offensive and defensive efficiency. It is time to prove just how good they are as Big 12 play commences.

8. Illinois (10-2) (10) – If Michigan State can get rolling, they will factor into the Big Ten. However, for now, Purdue’s main competition appears to be Illinois. There will be a bunch of teams fighting for NCAA Tournament scraps in this league. Speaking of Purdue, Illinois takes on the Boilermakers’ nemesis (Northwestern) next.

9. Kentucky (10-2) (11) – Their resume is dinged by playing only four Quad 1/2 games (3-1) plus their Quad 3 loss to UNC-Wilmington. Plenty of difficult conference games are upcoming, though they don’t play a currently ranked AP Top 25 team until February.

10. Colorado State (12-1) (13) – The preliminaries are over. Now the Mountain West fun begins: The Rams take on New Mexico (12-1) and Utah State (12-1, road game) in their next two games.

11. North Carolina (9-3) (14) – The Tar Heels (9th in the country in offensive efficiency) play their next three conference games on the road: Pitt, Clemson, and North Carolina State.

12. Duke (9-3) (15) – Their January ACC schedule is not tough – it is their time to start stacking wins while building up the resume. The ACC is not deep, and the Blue Devils play Clemson and Miami only once apiece.

13. Arizona (10-3) (7) – Hopefully, for the Wildcats’ sake, Stanford going crazy from three was a fluke and not a sign of weakness. Even after that effort, they are in the top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

14. Florida Atlantic (10-3) (4) – They are 2-1 in Quadrant 1 games and 3-0 in Quadrant 2 games. However, those two Quad 4 losses (Bryant, Florida Gulf Coast) are killers.

15. Baylor (10-2) (12) – No games last week. The Bears have another non-conference warm-up (Cornell) before they travel to Oklahoma State to begin Big 12 play. Their offense is stellar – their defense is vulnerable.

16. Clemson (11-1) (17) – If you are skeptical about the Tigers, their next two games will either prove you wrong or right: at Miami and at home against North Carolina.

17. Memphis (11-2) (19) – I want to jump Memphis over Oklahoma thanks to their 25th-ranked non-conference slate. They are 7-2 in Quad 1/Quad 2 games and will be the main competition for Florida Atlantic in the AAC.

18. Oklahoma (12-1) (18) – The fact remains that the Sooners are 8-0 in Quadrant 4 games and have one of the weakest schedules in college basketball. The good thing about big conference teams is that you can’t hide forever.

19. San Diego State (11-2) (NR) – No bad losses and the 15th-ranked non-conference schedule in the nation. The win over Gonzaga iced their spot in the Top 20 for me.

20. Colorado (11-2) (20) – The two Washington schools visited Colorado last week. The games weren’t as easy as perhaps they should have been, but wins are wins. A huge game at Arizona awaits.

21. James Madison (13-0) (22) – As Michigan State tries to heat up, that only helps out the Dukes’ resume. Now comes the part of the season that is a nearly impossible situation: The Sun Belt, which is traditionally a decent mid-major league (the conference ranks 21st out of 33), has only one other team in the Top 100 in the NET (Appalachian State). Three of the teams are ranked in the 300s. They simply cannot afford to lose to those teams.

22. Ole Miss (13-0) (23) – Then you have Ole Miss. The Rebels are 10-0 in Quad 3/Quad 4 games. Unlike James Madison, however, they will have plenty of games to boost their resume. Of course, those games could also expose them. They start SEC play with a game at Tennessee. Good luck.

23. Texas (10-2) (24) – At least Ole Miss and James Madison own Quad 1 wins. Texas is 0-2 in Quad 1 games and a whopping 9-0 in Quadrant 4 games. The Longhorns need to have a strong Big 12 campaign or that will be held against them. If it isn’t, there is something wrong.

24. Wisconsin (9-3) (25) – The Badgers had the holiday week off. Their upcoming schedule isn’t daunting, though it does include a game at Ohio State.

25. Creighton (9-4) (16) – I will keep them in the Top 25 because their is better than that of a team like Providence. That said, the Blue Jays are 0-2 in the Big East while the Friars are 2-0. It is time to start winning.

Dropped Out:

Gonzaga (9-4) (21) – I don’t see the justification to keep the Zags ranked. They are 0-4 in Quadrant 1 games, and that is supposed to be their early-season bread and butter. Unless St. Mary’s wakes up, the WCC is going to likely be a breeze.

Just Missed:

New Mexico (12-1), Nevada (13-1), Utah State (12-1) – They remain in this spot for another week. The Mountain West will start sorting these teams out this week.

Providence (11-2) – I was within an eyelash of putting them in the Top 25 over Creighton.

Iowa State (11-2) – I am not extremely impressed, but every computer loves the Hawkeyes so I should give them some respect. They have played only one Quadrant 1 game (a loss) and are 8-0 in Quadrant 4.

Top 25

1. Purdue (11-1) (1) – After a tough schedule that included wins over Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, and Arizona, the Boilermakers finally received a break in a 100-57 drubbing of Jacksonville. No team is more deserving of the top spot heading into 2024.

2. Kansas (11-1) (2) – The computers don’t love the Jayhawks (16th in the KenPom; 15th in the NET), but they still own three Quadrant 1 wins. Admittedly, they have their share of close wins against teams they should crush on paper.

3. Houston (12-0) (3) – The Cougars sit at the top of the computer rankings, and for good reason. My ding comes from a relatively mediocre schedule, though they are 4-0 in Quad 1 games.

4. Florida Atlantic (10-2) (8) – There is no other way to describe their non-conference slate as anything but a success – even with that weird loss to Bryant. After a game against Florida-Gulf Coast, the Owls begin conference play. Memphis will be their main competition on paper, but we will see how it shakes out.

5. Tennessee (9-3) (7) – The computers love the Vols, given that they have eight games in Quad 1/Quad 2 and only four games in Quad 3/Quad 4. They will play Norfolk State before starting their conference slate against Ole Miss.

6. UConn (11-2) (4) – While the Huskies continue their dominance against non-conference foes, Seton Hall proved to be a tough opponent. They did rebound with an impressive win over St. John’s, however.

7. Arizona (9-2) (5) – So, they had a stretch of games where they played Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Alabama, and Florida Atlantic. In those five games, the Wildcats went 3-2.  The rest of their schedule will be all in-conference foes.

8. Marquette (10-3) (6) – The Golden Knights struggled mightily at Providence (72-57), but bounced back by slaughtering Georgetown. Before the calendar starts to 2024, a tough matchup with Creighton awaits.

9. BYU (11-1) (9) – I am simply going to point to their 1/9 game at Baylor. They may not win that game, but we must see just how “real” the Cougars are.

10. Illinois (9-2) (12) – Their non-conference is essentially a win over Florida Atlantic and losses to Tennessee and Marquette. They have a huge game with Purdue coming up (1/5), assuming they can beat 2023 NCAA Tournament Bracket Buster FDU and Northwestern leading into it.

11. Kentucky (9-2) (13) – Maybe the Wildcats should apply to play in the ACC, given their 3-0 record against the conference this year (Miami, North Carolina, Louisville). They have regained some trust after that loss to UNC Wilmington.

12. Baylor (10-2) (10) – Those losses to Michigan State and Duke will raise some eyebrows, as their schedule was far from strong heading into those games. I might be over-ranking them, but there is still a lot to like here – especially on the offensive side of the ball.

13. Colorado State (11-1) (14) – The Rams only have one Quad 1 game (a win over Creighton) but are also 3-1 against Quad 2 opponents. While I have identified them as the best in the Mountain West, there is a lot of season to go and the league promises to be one of the most fun leagues to follow this season.

14. North Carolina (8-3) (15) – Oklahoma is no longer unbeaten thanks to the Tar Heels, who finished 4-3 in their gauntlet of seven games (OK, including Florida State on the list is dubious).

15. Duke (8-3) (21) – Their 110th-ranked schedule included a win over Michigan State but little else until they took care of business against Baylor at Madison Square Garden. They play Queens next, a team that just lost to Clemson by 30.

16. Creighton (9-3) (11) – A tough loss to Villanova to start off their conference slate – they will try to right their ship at Marquette on 12/30.

17. Clemson (10-1) (17) – The Tigers keep their ranking, as their only game last week was a non-conference tilt against Queens. Radford (10-4, 5-game winning streak) awaits. The Highlanders lost to James Madison by only three earlier this season.

18. Oklahoma (10-1) (16) – North Carolina put an end to the Sooners’ undefeated dreams. I have never ranked Oklahoma too high due to their 275th ranked schedule, but their defense ranks in the top ten in the nation (by defensive efficiency).

19. Memphis (10-2) (20) – Vanderbilt (4-8) played the Tigers very well, losing by only two. While that isn’t impressive, Memphis has won five in a row with three wins over strong competition (Texas A&M, Clemson, Virginia). They own a 7-2 record against Quad 1/Quad 2 competition.

20. Colorado (9-2) (22) – Colorado has won four straight games by a combined 101 points, though only one of those games was high quality (Miami).

21. Gonzaga (9-3) (23) – When was the last time Gonzaga was as low as 45th in the NET? An 0-3 record in Quad 1 games will do that to you. Their upcoming game against San Diego State may not be a Quadrant 1 game, but it would be a nice feather to add to their cap.

22. James Madison (12-0) (24) – The Dukes are doing what they need to do – win, win, win. If they want any shot at an at-large berth (if they don’t win the conference tournament), they will need a gaudy record for the committee to look at.

23. Ole Miss (12-0) (NR) – The Rebels have zero Quad 1 games, but it is time to recognize their undefeated record. The tests will come soon enough, starting with a 1/6 game against Tennessee.

24. Texas (9-2) (19) – I can excuse a team like James Madison having trouble finding opponents. The Longhorns have the nation’s 318th-ranked non-conference schedule and that is not acceptable.

25. Wisconsin (9-3) (25) – The Badgers didn’t fall into the same trap as Northwestern, as they were able to take care of business against Chicago State. The rest of their schedule is in-conference games only.

Dropped Out:

Virginia (9-2) (18) – A 23-point loss to Memphis is enough to knock that out of the Top 25. Their defense is, at times, great. Their offense is, most of the time, not good at all.

Just Missed:

New Mexico (11-1), Nevada (12-1), Utah State (12-1) – A trio of 1-loss Mountain West squads. According to the NET, they are ranked 34th, 36th, and 40th, respectively.

Princeton (11-1) – Ranked 24th in the NET, the Tigers have a resume issue as they are only 0-1 in Quadrant 1. They need Rutgers to improve to turn that win into a Quad 1 conquest.

Providence (11-2) – The Friars are stacking wins, including conquests of Wisconsin and Marquette.

Top 25:

1. Purdue (10-1) (2) – Non-conference wins: Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, and Arizona. I don’t care what the NET rankings say – how can this squad not be the best in the country?

2. Kansas (10-1) (3) – Their non-conference conquests include Kentucky, Tennessee, and UConn with a solid win over Indiana. Before the 2023 calendar runs out, an in-state rivalry game with Wichita State will need to be conquered.

3. Houston (11-0) (4) – At first glance, you may not love Houston’s schedule (204th non-conference strength of schedule). However, they do own four Quadrant 1 wins (only Purdue has more) and their defense is the most suffocating in the nation. The should get through 2023 unbeaten, as their final two games are against Texas State and Penn.

4. UConn (10-1) (5) – Their non-conference slate ends with a win over Gonzaga, adding the Bulldogs to their conquests of Texas and North Carolina. Every win has been by double digits.

5. Arizona (8-1) (1) – Technically, they lost a neutral-court game against Purdue – but it was played in Indianapolis. Their schedule has been light (only three games since November 23rd) but that now change as they have four games before the calendar changes to 2024, including matchups with Alabama and Florida Altantic. By the way, the Wildcats are the only team in the country that is in the top ten in both offensive and defensive efficiency.

6. Marquette (9-2) (6) – The Golden Eagles had a major scare against a hot shooting St. Thomas (MN) squad last week. In a season filled with fun early-season upsets, that one would have ranked near the top. Anyway, they survived it and will hope for less drama in their conference game at Providence on Tuesday.

7. Tennessee (8-3) (11) – They have turned things around after a 3-game losing streak, as they are the owners of a 4-mgae winning streak (including a win over Illinois). I am giving them extra credit for their tough schedule, though they will need to improve on their 2-3 mark aganinst Quadrant 1 competition.

8. Florida Atlantic (9-2) (10) – The Owls needed to grind one out against St. Bonaventure – but they did end up winning by double-digits. They are 5-1 against Quad 1/Quad 2 competition, though they get dinged for their Quadrant 4 loss to Bryant. They got a shot at Arizona next before ending their 2023 slate with a game at Florida Gulf-Coast.

9. BYU (10-1) (14) – Am I turned off by their 8-0 mark in Quad 3/Quad 4 games? Yes. Their schedule is weak and 2023 doesn’t end with a bang (Bellarmine and Wyoming).

10. Baylor (9-1) (8) – Every team is going to lose at some point. Every team is going to get destroyed at some point. Baylor’s first loss certainly met that criteria, as Michigan State finally woke up to beat them by 24 (and it didn’t even feel that close). The Bears have yet to play a true road game, and that won’t change against Duke (Madison Square Garden).

11. Creighton (9-2) (7) – UNLV (a 4-5 squad that is the only Mountain West team under .500) somehow beat the Blue Jays by 15. They bounced back to knock off Alabama, which just shows you how crazy of a game college basketball is.

12. Illinois (8-2) (13) – Sometimes, the best way to improve your ranking is by having a quiet week (a win over Colgate).

13. Kentucky (8-2) (17) – The Wildcats are loving their games against the ACC in the non-conference, beating Miami and North Carolina. They can add a third win by beating Louisville this week.

14. Colorado State (10-1) (16) – Predictable demolition of Colorado – St. Pueblo. The Rams have another non-Division I game coming up (Adams State). The beginning of 2024, however, promises to be much tougher: Back-to-back conference games against one-loss New Mexico and Utah State.

15. North Carolina (7-3) (9) – Back-to-back losses against UConn and Kentucky heading into a game against unbeaten Oklahoma. One can’t deny their relatively tough schedule, but you still want to see better than 1-3 record in Quad 1.

16. Oklahoma (10-0) (20) – On one hand, it isn’t their fault that USC and Arkansas have faltered (neither win is a Quad 1 win). On the other hand, they are 0-0 in Quad 1 games and have yet to play a true road game. Let’s see what the Sooners do against North Carolina on Wednesday.

17. Clemson (9-1) (15) – The Tigers played only one game this week, a 2-point loss at Memphis. It dropped their Quad 1 record to a still impressive 3-1.

18. Virginia (9-1) (18) – Northeastern (a 4-7 Colonial school) played Virginia to the wire on Saturday before succumbing by two. The Cavaliers have no offense to speak of but remain one of the strongest defensive schools in the country.

19. Texas (8-2) (19) – Computer rankings can be wacky early in the season, but it should be noted that the Longhorns are 57th in the NET. Why is that? They are 0-2 in Quad 1 games and 7-0 in Quad 4 games. They have a game coming up against UNC-Greensboro, the squad that knocked off Arkansas earlier this season.

20. Memphis (8-2) (25) – After losses to Villanova (neutral) and Ole Miss (road), Memphis has won three in a row, including wins over Texas A&M and Clemson. Their non-conference strength of schedule ranks 10th, and they have enough solid wins over big-time schools to justify this ranking. They aren’t done yet, as they play Virginia next.

21. Duke (7-3) (22) – It’s been a strange season for the Blue Devils. Typically the owner of one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Duke has only two Quadrant 1 games (a loss to Arizona and a win over Michigan State). It would serve them well to beat Baylor on Wednesday.

22. Colorado (8-2) (21) – For now, their neutral court demolition of Miami is “only” a Quadrant 2 conquest while their loss to Florida State is a Quadrant 3 loss. That leaves a resume that is light but solid. The new year brings three straight conference road games, including one against Arizona.

23. Gonzaga (8-3) (12) – Where’s the big resume-boosting win this year? They are 0-3 in Quadrant 1 games and their 2-0 record in Quadrant 2 is not great (USC and Syracuse). They get a crack at San Diego State as their last big non-conference game.

24. James Madison (10-0) (23) – Beating Michigan State looks better after the Spartans crushed Baylor. It’s hard for the Dukes to earn big wins the rest of the way, though Appalachian State is helping boost the Sun Belt.

25. Wisconsin (8-3) (24) – Chicago State, who just defeated Northwestern (the only team to beat Purdue) is up next for the Badgers, a team that has its share of big wins (Virginia, Marquette, Michigan State) and forgivable losses (Arizona (though it was a blowout), Tennessee).

Dropped Out:

None.

Just Missed:

Ole Miss (10-0) – Their win over Memphis remains their best conquest, though it was a home game (which puts it just below the Quad 1 line). As one of the remaining unbeaten teams in the country, they still deserve respect.

Princeton (10-1) – It seems crazy that their Quadrant 1 win is their road win over Duquesne instead of their neutral court win over Rutgers (Quad 2). Like with many similar schools, they will need a gaudy record to have a shot at an at-large if they were to lose in the Ivy League tournament.

New Mexico (10-1) – It is nearly time for the Mountain West to start sorting itself out. As of now, four teams are in the NET Top 30 (Colorado State, San Diego State, New Mexico, Utah State) with one other team in the Top 50 (Nevada). It will be a fun ride and many of these teams will receive NCAA Tournament bids.

Top 25:

1. Arizona (8-0) (1) – It wasn’t a busy week, but it was a productive one as the Wildcats mauled Wisconsin by 25. The crazy end to their non-conference schedule has three more games: Purdue, Alabama, and Florida Atlantic.

2. Purdue (9-1) (2) – Purdue is pouring it on offensively, including a 92-point effort against Alabama. Coming up next is a big game against Arizona – it is one of those games that the committee could look at when determining the #1 overall seed, etc.

3. Kansas (9-1) (3) – Their offensive efficiency is concerning for a top-tier school, but only Marquette has registered a win over the Jayhawks. A tricky road game against Indiana awaits.

4. Houston (10-0) (4) – One of two Division I schools with double-digit wins (Purdue-Fort Wayne is the other), the Cougars’ defense remains elite even if the competition hasn’t been. Texas A&M isn having an up-and-down start, but they should provide some competition for Houston.

5. UConn (9-1) (5) – The Huskies added North Carolina to their list of non-conference conquests (including Texas and Indiana). Every win has been by double-digits – can they keep that up against Gonzaga this week?

6. Marquette (8-2) (6) –  The Golden Eagles, who own the 15th-best non-conference schedule in the country, avenged their loss to Wisconsin by destroying Texas. They own wins over Illinois, Kansas, and Texas this season – their final non-conference game will bring down the strength (St. Thomas), but they have earned their stripes.

7. Creighton (8-1) (9) – There is a certain top-heaviness to the Big East, and it should be fun watching them battle for the league title. The Blue Jays haven’t flashed great schedule strength, but they are on the cusp of being a top ten school in both offense (11th) and defense (8th).

8. Baylor (9-0) (11) – The Bears finally enter my Top 10. Will they be 11-0 following their games against Michigan State and Duke?

9. North Carolina (7-2) (7) – Their 7-game gauntlet is going as well as it reasonably can for the Tar Heels, as they are 3-2. The final two games are against Kentucky and unbeaten Oklahoma.

10. Florida Atlantic (7-2) (10) – The Owls only played one game this week, a competitive loss to Illinois. As their non-conference gets closer to conclusion, the Owls’ resume includes a strong win over Texas A&M, a decent win over Virginia Tech, a good loss to Illinois, and a bad loss to Bryant. They have one more big test: Arizona.

11. Tennessee (6-3) (NR) – I am always willing to admit a mistake: Unranking Tennessee last week was stupid. While they did own a three-game losing streak, those losses were to Purdue (4 points), Kansas (9), and North Carolina (8). They made up for that somewhat with a win over Illinois. The rest of their non-conference isn’t nearly as difficult.

12. Gonzaga (7-2) (8) – Life hasn’t been so easy for the Bulldogs, who lost a non-conference game to in-state rival Washington. They have played only one game against a ranked opponent, a loss to Purdue by ten. A huge game looms against UConn.

13. Illinois (7-2) (16) – A mixed-bag week for the Fighting Illini, who took care of Florida Atlantic before losing to Tennessee. The KenPom continues to like them, as they are in the top 25 both offensively (24th) and defensively (14th).

14. BYU (8-1) (14) – Their run to an undefeated non-conference slate came to an abrupt end in a 4-point loss to Utah (road).

15. Clemson (9-0) (24) –  A decent non-conference schedule (55th) that features a solid win on Alabama’s home court. In a battle of unbeaten squads this week, they knocked off TCU. The Tigers have a path to enter 2024 undefeated, but a roadblock is coming up next (a true road game against Memphis).

16. Colorado State (9-1) (12) – The Rams take a loss to St. Mary’s, a team that is hoping to right their ship after uneven early-season results. The rest of the month should offer little resistance before a big conference opener against New Mexico (9-1).

17. Kentucky (7-2) (18) – A predictable rebound win over Penn after their loss UNC Wilmington. Now let’s see what happens in their game against North Carolina this week.

18. Virginia (8-1) (20) – Their biggest feather is a win over Texas A&M while they are still licking their wounds after that bad loss to Wisconsin. On 12/19, they travel to Memphis for what promises to be a tricky contest.

19. Texas (7-2) (13) – The Longhorns aren’t instilling a lot of confidence. They were destroyed by Marquette this past week to add to their 10-point loss to UConn earlier this season. Essentially, they are winning the games they should win but have yet to pull off an impressive victory. I don’t think LSU provides that opportunity, but they better avoid a loss.

20. Oklahoma (9-0) (NR) – It is time to rank the Sooners, who own wins over USC and Arkansas. Intrigued to see what they do against North Carolina (12/20).

21. Colorado (7-2) (NR) – The Buffaloes outscored Miami, 53-27, in the second half in one of the most dominating performances you will find this season. Things ease up the rest of the year before they start the new year with a conference game against Arizona.

22. Duke (6-3) (21) – Charlotte provided little resistance. Hofstra may be a tougher contest leading into their game against Baylor. The Blue Devils have their share of critics thus far in 2023 – a win over the Bears (12/20) will shut those concerns down a tad.

23. James Madison (9-0) (23) – They started off conference play with a 15-point win over Old Dominion. If they want at-large consideration in March, the Dukes will need a gaudy record. Using the KenPom, the only other Sun Belt school in the top 100 is Appalachian State (7-2 with a win over Auburn).

24. Wisconsin (7-3) (17) – The Badgers own three impressive double-digit wins (Virginia, Marquette, Michigan State). However, they lost by 25 to Arizona, showing the world they are not in that class. They should win their final two games in 2023.

25. Memphis (7-2) (NR) – The Tigers own wins over Texas A&M and Arkansas, with losses to Villanova (16 points) and Ole Miss (3). Ole Miss is still undefeated (their overall resume just isn’t yet worthy of my Top 25). Tough games with Clemson and Virginia await.

 

Dropped Out:

Miami (7-2) (15) – The loss to Colorado was alarming, as is their #55 ranking in the KenPom (likely due to a bad defensive ranking).

Texas A&M (7-3) (19) – The Aggies are  2-3 after a 5-0 start. Regardless, they play Houston on Saturday – win that game, and their free-fall in my rankings will turn into a surge upward.

Ohio State (8-2) (22) – The Buckeyes were cruising along until a weird loss to Penn State, though at least it was a road game.

San Diego State (8-2) (25) – I give them credit for playing Grand Canyon on the road, but they did end up losing the game. The Aztecs followed that up with an uninspiring 1-point win over UC Irvine.

Just Missed:

Northwestern (7-1) – That win over Purdue keeps them just on the cusp of entering the Top 25.

Mississippi (9-0) – The win over Memphis is impressive, but they are currently ranked 90th in the KenPom without any metric favoring an argument that they deserve a top 25 spot. Why do I list them at all? Undefeated teams from power conferences should always earn attention for as long as they stay unbeaten.

New Mexico (9-1) – The Mountain West promises to be competitive once again. The head-to-head matchups will weed out the NCAA Tournament contenders from the pretenders. For now, New Mexico should be firmly in the contenders column.

We are down to 12 unbeaten teams (half of them reside in the Big 12). It is hard to project a big conference team as the potential “last team standing” so I will look elsewhere. Here is how I rank those who are unbeaten, based solely on their potential to be the last unbeaten team:

12. Oklahoma – Their schedule to date is light – that changes with Providence, Arkansas, and North Carolina before the calendar changes to 2024.

11. Clemson – Their next two games are against fellow unbeaten squads South Carolina and TCU. Win those, and a date with Memphis awaits.

10. Cincinatti – Not that Xavier has impressed early, but a trip to their gym is never fun for the Bearcats.

9. South Carolina – I could  have ranked them 12th (given that the game against Clemson is on the road), but their schedule after that is so light that I give them a shot to reach 2024 without a loss.

8. Baylor – Their next three games are against power conference schools (Seton Hall, Michigan State, Duke). Those three teams are far from perfect, but it is going to be tough to get through it unscathed.

7. TCU – First, they need to get past Clemson. Do that, and they have a chance to enter 2024 unbeaten – once there, however, they begin their conference journey with games at Kansas, vs. Oklahoma, and vs. Houston.

6. Princeton – They beat Rutgers and squeaked past Furman. Their next two games are against Drexel (recently beat Villanova) and Saint Joseph’s (just won the first-ever Big Five Classic championship game). If they can win those games, they could be the #1 team on this list.

5. BYU – They won’t be favored this week at Utah in all likelihood. However, I rank them here because a win there gives them a big chance to enter conference play 13-0.

4. Houston – The early portion of their Big 12 schedule isn’t tough – but they have Texas A&M to get through first.

3. Colorado State – To me, it is all about St. Mary’s. If that squad wakes up, they can beat the Rams. If not, they should get to 2024 unbeaten – where New Mexico would await in their first conference game.

2. Nevada – Nobody is paying attention to the Wolf Pack, which is due to their crazy easy schedule. Can a trip to Hawai’i be their downfall? A game against Temple? Hard to say because it is hard to read this team.

1. James Madison – Old Dominion isn’t off to a good start, but James Madison has to face them on the road. The Sun Belt isn’t an easy conference, and they will run into roadblocks. Based on the current schedule, however, I still give them the best shot to be the last of the unbeaten teams.

Top 25:

1. Arizona (7-0) (2) – The Wildcats took it easy this week, knocking off Colgate by 27 in their only game. Now, life gets tougher: Wisconsin, Purdue, Alabama, and Florida Atlantic between now and December 23rd.

2. Purdue (7-1) (1) – The Maui Tournament win >>>> road loss to Northwestern.

3. Kansas (7-1) (5) – A less-than-inspiring win over Eastern Illinois was erased by a victory over a stubborn UConn squad that had a chance to win it late. The rest of the month features five games, including three in-state contests (Kansas City, Missouri, Wichita State)

4. Houston (8-0) (6) – The KenPom ranks the Cougars as the nation’s best team, despite a schedule that is light on stiff competition. Houston has the nation’s best Adjusted Defense Efficiency and allows only 50.4 points per contest. They will finally get a test on 12/16 against in-state rival Texas A&M.

5. UConn (7-1) (3) – Their streak of double-digit non-conference wins predictably came to an end at Kansas, but they kept it close (had a chance to take the lead with few seconds left in the game). Up next, they get to play in the Jimmy V Classic against North Carolina at Madison Square Garden.

6. Marquette (6-2) (4) – Tough road loss to in-state rival Wisconsin. They can ease the pain with a win over Texas this week.

7. North Carolina (7-1) (12) – In typical North Carolina fashion, they appeared on their way to a clunker against Florida State after knocking off Tennessee. However, they overcame a 14-point deficit to knock off the Seminoles. Their next three games: UConn, Kentucky, Oklahoma.

8. Gonzaga (6-1) (9) – USC isn’t playing well, and the Bulldogs knocked them down even further with a 13-point victory. They have a few tough non-conference games left (UConn, San Diego State) before we see if anyone is up to the challenge in conference play. Given that St. Mary’s is off to a stunning 3-5 start and BYU is no longer around, methinks Gonzaga will be once again in cruise control heading into March Madness.

9. Creighton (7-1) (11) – Forgotten in the Blue Jays’ big run in the NCAA Tournament was their early-season loss to Nebraska. They certainly avenged that on Saturday, destroying the previously unbeaten Cornhuskers by 29.

10. Florida Atlantic (7-1) (14) – The Owls are certainly making up for that loss to Bryant. This week, they knocked off Liberty (unbeaten entering the game) and Charleston (not the same team that went 31-4 last year). The rest of their non-conference features games against Illinois (Tuesday) and Arizona (12/23).

11. Baylor (8-0) (15) – Their non-conference slate includes wins over three power conference squads (Auburn, Oregon State, Florida), but their 252nd-ranked non-conference SOS likely reflects how mediocre those teams are. The Bears still have games with Michigan State and Duke before conference play begins.

12. Colorado State (8-0) (18) – The Rams are piling up wins, adding Colorado and Washington to their list of victims that includes Creighton. Their last major test before conference play begins is against St. Mary’s. Yes, the Gaels are off to a slow start but who knows when something might click?

13. Texas (6-1) (19) – Texas State is hardly a team that scares anyone, but in this crazy season, you take every win you can get. With that game out of the way, they can now concentrate on Marquette in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

14. BYU (7-0) (20) – Their game this coming Saturday at Utah may be their last roadblock in their quest to enter conference play 13-0. The KenPom loves the Cougars, as they are ranked 8th based on being strong both offensively (14th in Adjusted offense efficiency) and defensively (13th).

15. Miami (6-1) (8) – Kentucky proved to be quite the test for the Hurricanes as the Wildcats didn’t hold back in a 95-73 drubbing. Miami did bounce back to beat Notre Dame in their ACC opener.

16. Illinois (6-1) (25) – The Fighting Illini suffocated Rutgers in a 76-58 trouncing in their Big Ten opener. Their only loss remains a respectable 7-point game against Marquette. How much higher can they go? We’ll find out this week, as they play Florida Atlantic (Jimmy V Classic) and Tennessee (road).

17. Wisconsin (6-2) (NR) – Boasting a 43rd-ranked non-conference schedule, the Badgers can brag about wins over Virginia and Marquette to balance out their losses to Tennessee and Providence. This week, they travel to Michigan State (Big Ten opener) and Arizona (final non-conference test).

18. Kentucky (6-2) (13) – College basketball, defined: Destroying Miami. Losing to UNC Wilmington.

19. Texas A&M (6-2) (16) – The Aggies have scored between 73-79 points five times this season. That is their “happy” zone, as they are 5-0 in those games and 1-2 in their other matchups (including an ugly 59-47 loss to Virginia last time out)

20. Virginia (7-1) (NR) – Their ugly 65-41 loss to Wisconsin was evened out by their 59-47 win over Texas A&M. This is your prototypical Virginia squad – win with defense and just enough offense. They have a tricky 12/19 game at Memphis coming up. They shouldn’t lose before then, but how can anyone say that with much confidence?

21. Duke (5-3) (7) – Duke went on the road this week and promptly lost to two unranked teams. The Blue Devils better hope that Michigan State picks things up, or their non-conference slate won’t be filled with many quality wins. They can rectify that with a win over Baylor on 12/20 in Madison Square Garden.

22. Ohio State (7-1) (NR) – Last week’s AP poll included only Purdue and Illinois from the Big Ten. That should change this week, courtesy of Wisconsin and maybe Ohio State. The Buckeyes have a quality win over Alabama and a 7-point loss to Texas A&M.

23. James Madison (8-0) (21) – Nobody is going to earn points by beating Keystone, but the Dukes continue to pile up wins after their Michigan State triumph to start the year. Their margin for error is not high and they can probably only lose 1-2 conference games if they want at-large consideration (if they don’t win their conference tournament).

24. Clemson (7-0) (NR) – It is tough to get a read on the Tigers. They are unbeaten (good) but some of their wins leave something to be desired (77-76 over UAB, 68-65 over Davidson). That said, they have a win over Alabama and will try to add to their non-conference resume with games against South Carolina, TCU, and Memphis coming up.

25. San Diego State (7-1) (NR) – With their loss to BYU looking “better” by the day, it is time to rank the Aztecs. However, it isn’t lost on me that they needed a buzzer-beater to defeat UC-San Diego this week.

Dropped Out:

Villanova (6-3) (10) – I ranked Villanova high in my first Top 25, dropped them out after their loss to Penn, jumped them considerably after they won the Battle 4 Atlantis, and will now take them out again after their losses to Saint Joseph’s and Drexel. In the first year of the “Big 5” competition in its new format, the Wildcats went 0-3.

Tennessee (4-3) (17) – The Volunteers receive a lot of bonus points for their tough schedule. They have lost three in a row – the opponents were Purdue, Kansas, and North Carolina. The win over Wisconsin is looking better, at least and will get another shot at a quality win against Illinois this week.

Mississippi State (6-2) (22) – Losing at Georgia Tech may not be so bad (Duke did the same, after all). However, losing to Southern is more than enough to get you bounced from the rankings.

Alabama (5-2) (23) – The Crimson Tide don’t own any bad losses (Ohio State, Clemson) but they also do not own any quality wins.

Memphis (5-2) (24) – The Tigers have lost two in a row after a 5-game winning streak (Villanova, at Ole Miss).

Just Missed:

Oklahoma (7-0) – They remain on my radar but their 353rd-ranked non-conference schedule is just a tad off-putting.

Arkansas (5-3) – The Duke win is their early-season resume maker. Their upcoming game with Oklahoma is a nice test for both teams.

Northwestern (6-1) – A nice mid-tier win (Dayton) and a top-tier win (Purdue) place the Wildcats in Top 25 contention.

Thanksgiving Week never seems to disappoint, and 2023 was no different. The Maui Invitational was one of the most loaded fields in recent history, with Purdue emerging from the pack. The Battle 4 Atlantis was a great platform for Villanova to jump from, and Florida Atlantic bounced back strongly from their loss to Bryant to take the ESPN Invitational. UConn continued its streak of double-digit non-conference victories by winning two more to take home the Empire Classic.

Once again, Purdue’s season will come down to their guard play. If this is the year that their guards are able to carry some momentum into the NCAA Tournament, watch out. However, it is tough to get past that they lost to St. Peter’s in 2022 and FDU in 2023.

“Are the tournaments over with?” No. There is one more big tournament (Diamond Head Classic, which starts on 12/21), though it doesn’t feature any currently ranked teams. The Big 5 Classic (the annual games that involve all schools in the Philadelphia area) is finishing up its preliminary games this week, with the championship on Saturday. As it stands right now, Villanova won’t be in that title game. If they beat St. Joseph’s this week, however, the three Pod 2 schools will finish 1-1. I don’t know how they will determine the winner of the pod if that happens. Pod 1 is much easier: Whoever wins the LaSalle-Temple game on Wednesday goes to the championship game.

In case you are wondering why it is called the “Big 5” when there are six schools in the field, this is the first year that Drexel is involved. It is also the first year where they will determine the winner through a championship game. In the past, it was simply best record in a round-robin format.

Top 25:

1. Purdue (6-0) (2) – Gonzaga. Tennessee. Marquette. The Boilermakers ran through a gauntlet to win the Maui and should garner every first-place vote amongst the writers and the coaches.

2. Arizona (6-0) (4) – The Wildcats closed out their November schedule with a win over Michigan State. They own non-conference wins over Duke (road) and Michigan State (neutral) and still have non-conference games remaining with Wisconsin (home), Purdue (neutral, but in Purdue’s home state), Alabama (neutral), and Florida Atlantic (neutral, but in Arizona’s home state). Those four games are consecutive and begin on December 9th.

3. UConn (6-0) (3) – Defeating Texas by ten is considered a close win by the Huskies’ current standards. A road game at Kansas awaits them on Friday night.

4. Marquette (5-1) (5) – Before losing to Purdue in the title game, the Golden Eagles dismantled Kansas by 14 in the semifinals. A well-deserved break comes to an end on Tuesday, when they take on 1-5 Southern. That’s a tune-up for the in-state rivalry game with Wisconsin on Saturday.

5. Kansas (5-1) (1) – The Jayhawks went 2-1 in Maui (one of the wins was over the host Chaminade, but we will excuse that as they beat Kentucky prior to taking a trip over the Pacific). Next is a tune-up game with Eastern Illinois before their big game against UConn.

6. Houston (7-0) (7) – There are 362 Division 1 schools this season, and Houston’s non-conference schedule is currently 257th (KenPom). They won the Charleston title with a win over Dayton and have won every game by double-digits, but their non-conference slate is mostly non-existent and doesn’t get much better (they have a true road game against Xavier and a home game against Texas A&M).

7. Duke (5-1) (8) – The Blue Devil Challenge (a round-robin event against mid-majors) went as expected. The Blue Devils take a trip to Arkansas on Wednesday in the inaugural ACC-SEC Challenge.

8. Miami (5-0) (9) – It’s been over a week since the Hurricanes defeated Kansas State to win the Bahamas Championship. Their break ends with a huge game at Kentucky on Tuesday in the ACC-SEC Challenge. As much as I like this squad, they are currently only 37th in the early season according to KenPom (yes, it is still too early to read much into that)

9. Gonzaga (4-1) (14) – The Bulldogs went 2-1 in Maui, though the way the tournament played out meant games against Purdue-Syracuse-UCLA, allowing them to avoid Kansas, Marquette, and Tennessee. Their remaining non-conference slate includes games against USC, Washington (road), UConn, and San Diego State.

10. Villanova (6-1) (NR) – The loss to Penn stands out, but they made up for that by defeating Texas Tech, North Carolina, and Memphis to take the Battle 4 Atlantis crown. I should have stuck to my guns and kept them ranked even after the Penn loss, but I can’t take that back now. St. Joseph’s, who took Kentucky to overtime and is a local rival, is next on the slate.

11. Creighton (5-1) (6) – The Hall of Fame Classic, where the Blue Jays were heavily favored, didn’t quite go their way as Colorado State destroyed them by 21 points in the title game. Their next two games are true road games against Oklahoma State and in-state rival Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are currently unbeaten (poor schedule, however)

12. North Carolina (5-1) (12) – In one of the best games thus far this season, the Tar Heels lost by two to Villanova in the Battle 4 Atlantis before knocking off Arkansas in the third-place game.

13, Kentucky (5-1) (13) – The Wildcats lost their only difficult game (Kansas by five) to date. They averaged over 100 points per game during the round-robin Wildcat Challenge, though St. Joseph’s took them to overtime. It is hard to get a good read on them – their upcoming games against Miami and North Carolina should provide more clarity.

14. Florida Atlantic (5-1) (19) – There may have been questions about the Owls after their crazy loss to Bryant, but they put those fears to rest by winning the ESPN Events Invitational (wins over Texas A&M and Virginia Tech). Future games against Illinois and Arizona will provide a challenge, but they shouldn’t overlook their next opponent (Liberty).

15. Baylor (6-0) (17) – The NIT Season Tip-Off went the Bears’ way, as they knocked off Oregon State and Florida to take the title. Three of their six victories are over big-name schools (though none are ranked). They still have games with Michigan State and Duke remaining.

16. Texas A&M (6-1) (11) – Considered as the co-favorites to win the ESPN Events Invitational, they lost to Florida Atlantic in the semi-finals. That said, they avenged last year’s NCAA Tournament loss to Penn State and took home third place with their win over Iowa State.

17. Tennessee (4-2) (10) – A top team was destined to lose twice in Maui, and the Volunteers ended up being that team (lost to Purdue by four and Kansas by nine). It doesn’t get easier, as they close out their November with a road game against North Carolina. Their strong defensive play remains their calling card (first in adjusted defense according to KenPom)

18. Colorado State (6-0) (NR) – The Rams didn’t just beat Creighton – they suffocated Creighton. The Mountain West may be San Diego State’s to lose, but Colorado State has placed itself on the list of contenders. An in-state battle with Colorado is coming up on Wednesday.

19. Texas (5-1) (16) – The Longhorns played UConn about as tight as anyone over the last several months, but still came up short by ten. Their upcoming game against Texas State serves as a warm-up heading into their matchup against another Big East power: Marquette in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

20. BYU (6-0) (NR) – The move to the Big 12 figures to provide the Cougars with a massive challenge. They are tuning up for that challenge in grand fashion by winning the Vegas Showdown (wins over Arizona State and North Carolina State). The rest of their non-conference slate isn’t difficult (a road game against Utah is a roadblock) and they can easily enter Big 12 play with a 13-0 record.

21. James Madison (6-0) (20) – The Cancun Challenge was a battle of mid-majors, and the Dukes took it home with wins over Southern Illinois and Fresno State (a 95-64 demolition). One never knows what will happen in conference play, but this squad at least has a shot to put together a gaudy record (the rest of their non-conference slate isn’t difficult on paper).

22. Mississippi State (6-0) (15) – Obviously, the Bulldogs did nothing wrong and they have an early-season tournament win to fall back on. That said, the schedule is mostly atrocious and other teams jumped over them. The ACC-SEC Challenge doesn’t even give them a big opponent, as they take on Georgia Tech on Tuesday.

23. Alabama (5-1) (21) – The high-flying Crimson Tide (97.8 points per game, tops in the nation) lost to Ohio State by 11 before bouncing back with an 8-point win over Oregon. As mentioned last week, their schedule is one of the toughest in the nation: Unbeaten Clemson in the ACC-SEC Challenge and games against Purdue, Creighton, and Arizona.

24. Memphis (5-1) (18) – The Tigers ran away from Michigan and earned a win over Arkansas before losing to Villanova in the title game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Their next three games are true road games (Mississippi, VCU, Texas A&M) before a date with Clemson.

25. Illinois (5-1) (25) – Their only quality game is a respectable 7-point loss to Marquette. If they want to truly be the second dog in the Big Ten, they should start with quality performances in their next three games (Rutgers (road), Florida Atlantic, and Tennessee).

Dropped out:

Arkansas (4-3) (22) – The Razorbacks are 1-3 in their last four games (including a loss to UNC Greensboro) with their only win a 3-point triumph over Stanford. They can right the ship with a win over Duke in a home game this week.

Virginia (5-1) (23) – When the Cavaliers have an off-night, it can be ugly. That is what happened in a 65-41 loss to Wisconsin (4-2). The Badgers went on to win the Fort Myers Tip-Off. As for Virginia, Texas A&M is their opponent in the ACC-SEC Challenge.

Liberty (6-0) (24) – I think the Flames are a legit mid-major, but other teams simply surpassed them this week. If they can beat Florida Atlantic on Thursday, the Top 25 will welcome them again.

Just Missed:

Oklahoma (6-0) – The Rady Children’s Invitational was a wide-open affair and it was the Sooners that came through with wins over Iowa and USC to take the championship.

San Diego State (5-1) – Their loss to BYU looks to be more excusable now than it did then (especially since it was a road game). The Aztecs will next play Point Loma Nazarene University (Division II). The Sea Lions went 29-4 last season, winning a pair of games in the Division II Tournament.

Colorado (5-1) – The Buffaloes lost a tough overtime game to Florida State in the Sunshine Slam title game. We’ll see what they do at Colorado State this week as they try to establish themselves as the second-best team behind Arizona in the Pac-12.

Ohio State (5-1) – The Buckeyes have four straight wins after their 7-point loss to Texas A&M. That includes taking out Alabama in the Emerald Coast Classic. It is not easy to differentiate several Big Ten schools at the moment, and this squad is right in the mix.

 

The early season has its usual collection of madness games, including Penn outclassing Villanova, Bryant knocking off Florida Atlantic, UC Irvine defeating USC,  and Greensboro taking care of business against Arkansas in this past week alone.

Do these games mean anything? In the long run, not really – though it continues to prove that parity in college basketball is getting more pronounced, not less. The games above (and others that didn’t involve Top 25 schools, such as Long Beach State – Michigan and Jackson State – Missouri) were not the type of games you saw regularly 20 years ago. What was once truly shocking is becoming more commonplace.

The early-season tournaments are in full swing, with all eyes on the ultra-competitive Maui Invitational. Barring an upset winner, it is probable that the winner will be the #1 team in the country when the dust settles. Kansas, Purdue, Marquette, Tennessee, and Gonzaga all have Final Four aspirations this season.

Top 25:

1. Kansas (3-0) (2) – A big win over Kentucky moves them ahead of Purdue in my rankings. Now it is off to Maui.

2. Purdue (3-0) (1) – A quiet week for the Boilermakers, who knocked off Xavier in a Gavitt Tipoff game (essentially, a Big Ten – Big East challenge). A very strong Maui is next – their opener is against Gonzaga.

3. UConn (4-0) (3) – The 4-team Empire Classic features squads from the Big East, Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12.  In the Opening Round, the Huskies dismantled Indiana and will now take on Texas on Monday Night for the championship. It’s only four games and the competition hasn’t been great, but UConn is continuing its momentum which started in the NCAA Tournament.

4. Arizona (5-0) (4) – A sluggish start against UT-Arlington was quickly erased as the Wildcats used a 58-19 second-half run to maul the Mavericks. Next up is a date with Michigan State on Thanksgiving in the inaugural “Acrisure Classic.” While this is a one-and-done game (multiple teams participated in the preliminaries, but it wasn’t a tournament) in the newly constructed arena, expect this Classic to become a premier tournament in the future.

5. Marquette (3-0) (5) – The Golden Eagles will start their Maui journey against UCLA. They took down Illinois by seven in last week’s Gavitt Tipoff game.

6. Creighton (4-0) (6) – As expected, Iowa – Creighton was a high-scoring affair. The Blue Jays pulled away in the second half and will now concentrate on the Hall of Fame Classic, where they are the heavy favorites in a field of four (Creighton vs Loyola Chicago, Boston College vs Colorado State).

7. Houston (6-0) (7) – The Cougars finished off their four-win week with a victory over Dayton in the Charleston Classic final. Their schedule becomes scattered for a while, as they only have one more game this month (Friday against Montana).

8. Duke (3-1) (8) – The Blue Devils had a nice bounceback win over Michigan State. The “Blue Devil Challenge” offers some mid-major schools some national TV coverage. They defeated Bucknell and have two more games (La Salle, Southern Indiana) before a date with Arkansas on the road in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.

9. Miami (5-0) (13) – Perhaps looking forward to their trip to the Bahamas, Miami had to hold off a stubborn Florida International squad, 86-80, on Monday. That didn’t impact their trip at all as they defeated Georgia and Kansas State to cruise to the title. The Hurricanes will take Thanksgiving week off before a date with Kentucky next Tuesday.

10. Tennessee (3-0) (9) – It feels as if Tennessee is lost in the Maui Invitational crowd, which is indicative of the strength of the tournament more than anything. The tournament starts a stretch of tough games for the Volunteers. Immediately following the tournament, they go on the road to take on North Carolina.

11. Texas A&M (4-0) (10) – Oral Roberts played them tough, but the Aggies were able to pull off an 8-point win. The 8-team ESPN Invitational starts on Thanksgiving, where they will try to avenge their loss to Penn State from the NCAA Tournament. If they win that, a semifinal matchup against Florida Atlantic may await.

12. North Carolina (3-0) (15) – The Tar Heels haven’t challenged themselves yet, but the Battle 4 Atlantis will show them where they stand in the early going. They start their journey with Northern Iowa. Other teams in the field include Memphis, Villanova, Arkansas, and Michigan. Three of those four teams (all but Memphis) suffered losses to mid-major squads earlier this week.

13. Kentucky (3-1) (17) – Saint Joseph’s and Marshall shouldn’t provide much competition. The game I have circled is on 11/28 against Miami in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

14. Gonzaga (2-0) (19) – Business has been slow but it is about to pick up in Maui. Beyond that crazy tournament, they have dates with USC, UConn, and San Diego State before the conference season begins. How good are they? We are about to find out.

15. Mississippi State (5-0) (NR) – Maybe the Hall of Fame Tipoff wasn’t the deepest of fields, but the Bulldogs took care of business with wins over Washington State and Northwestern. That said, the rest of their non-conference schedule is lacking and they will probably move down from here as other teams play stronger competition leading into the conference schedule (it is possible that they will be 13-0 heading into conference play, though North Texas and Rutgers should provide competition)

16. Texas (4-0) (24) – Louisville provided them a massive scare and probably should have won the game. As expected, they will play in the title game against UConn. A win there and a massive jump in the rankings awaits.

17. Baylor (4-0) (25) – They haven’t played strong competition after their season-opening win over Auburn. The Bears are solid favorites to take down the NIT Tip-off, where they start off with a game against Oregon State (if they win that, they play the winner of Florida – Pittsburgh).

18. Memphis (3-0) (22) – The Jackson State win over Missouri brings down Memphis’ signature win to date. That said, the Tigers will have a chance to pile up some quality wins in the Battle 4 Atlantis (they start their journey against Michigan).

19. Florida Atlantic (2-1) (11) – Losing to Bryant certainly raises eyebrows (it was Bryant’s first win over a ranked opponent), but the Bulldogs aren’t necessarily an awful squad (they entered this season 54-29 over the last three years). It comes down to how the Owls respond to that loss. A date with Butler in the ESPN Invitational is next.

20. James Madison (4-0) (23) – Radford did their best to spoil the party, but the Dukes held on for a 76-73 victory. That was a campus game in the Cancun Challenge, a tournament that features a wide assortment of mid-major squads. James Madison plays Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley) in the first round on Tuesday.

21. Alabama (4-0) (NR) – On Friday, Mercer was the first team to hold the Crimson Tide under 100 points (98). They are a part of the Emerald Classic, where they will play Ohio State in the first round. A win there sets up a championship game against either Oregon or Santa Clara. While their schedule hasn’t been strong to date, they have upcoming games against Clemson, Purdue, Creighton, and Arizona. Wow.

22. Arkansas (3-1) (16) – Greensboro went on the road and lost to Vanderbilt by four. They followed that up with a 78-72 win over Arkansas. The Spartans won 20 games last season, losing to Arkansas by only seven in the process. Anyway, back to the Razorbacks: They can certainly make up for that loss in the coming weeks, as they are in the competitive Battle 4 Atlantis before a home game against Duke.

23. Virginia (4-0) (NR) – The Cavaliers suffocated poor Texas Southern, allowing only 33 points. They should be considered the favorites to win the Fort Myers Tip-Off, with an opening-round game against Wisconsin. That could be ugly.

24. Liberty (5-0) (NR) – The Myrtle Beach Invitational featured a group of traditionally solid mid-major teams and it was the Flames who defeated  Furman, Wichita State, and Vermont to take home the crown. All five of their wins have been by double digits. A date with Florida Atlantic awaits at the end of the month.

25. Illinois (4-1) (21) – A 7-point loss to Marquette is certainly not a bad loss, but it would have been a nice feather in their early-season cap (especially since it was a home game). The Big Ten underneath Purdue (and perhaps Michigan State if they get rolling) is going to be fun to watch. The committee loves to give the conference a lot of bids and it is hard to figure out where those bids will come from at this moment.

Dropped out:

Michigan State (12) – The Spartans mauled Bulter and Alcorn State after losing to Duke. They can jump back into the Top 25 with a win over Arizona on Thursday.
Villanova (14) – I likely overrated the Wildcats a bit last week. That said, I still expect them to have a bounce-back season.
USC (18) – A bad loss against UC Irvine followed up with an uninspiring win over Brown. I considered them the favorites to win the Rady Children’s Invitational, but the tournament (which features Seton Hall, Iowa, and Oklahoma) appears to be wide open now.
St. John’s (20) – I give them credit for their win over Utah, but it was a tough week overall for St. John’s (losses to Michigan and Dayton). The top of the Big East is strong – which team is going to be the best of the rest?

Just Missed:

San Diego State (4-1) – It was a toss-up between the Aztecs and Illinois for the 25th spot in my rankings. San Diego State completed its run to a Continental Tire Main Event with a thrilling 100-97 overtime victory over Washington.

BYU (4-0) – Moving to the Big 12 from the West Coast Conference may be a bit of a culture shock for the Cougars, who are the only team to knock off San Diego State thus far.

Colorado (3-0) – I am trying to figure out which team will present any kind of challenge to Arizona this year. The Buffaloes have the potential to be near the top of the conference, but I can say that about a handful of teams.

 

The 2022-2023 college basketball season ended with one of the craziest tournaments in history. For the first time ever, a 15-seed and a 16-seed both won in the first round (15th-seeded Princeton won a second-round game as well) while a #9 seed (Florida Atlantic) made a run to the Final Four, where they were eliminated on a buzzer-beater by San Diego State.

Before we get to see how the 2024 tournament will unfold, we first have to get through what promises to be a fun regular season.  James Madison owns the biggest early upset with their win over Michigan State (that isn’t the only mid-major win over a power conference school) while Arizona-Duke was a high-profile matchup that met expectations.

Speaking of high-profile matchups, if you are a true college basketball fan, you can’t possibly miss the upcoming Maui Invitational, which starts next Monday. Some of the top teams in the country (Kansas, Purdue, Tennessee, Marquette, Gonzaga) are competing in the 8-team tournament. And one should never discount Syracuse or UCLA, though both will be underdogs in this loaded field. Given the madness of March, we are often “robbed” of some intriguing matchups due to major upsets. In this tournament, you will need to survive a gauntlet to take home the trophy. I will pick my winner in next week’s entry.

My first Top 25:

1. Purdue (2-0) – The Boilermakers will try to repeat the feat of the 2019 Virginia Cavaliers, a school that lost in the 2018 tournament to #16 UMBC before bouncing back to win the title in 2019. Purdue will need to break a long streak to make it happen: The Big Ten hasn’t won a title since Michigan State in 2000.

2. Kansas (2-0) – The Jayhawks “acquired” one of the nation’s biggest transfers this year when they pried Hunter Dickinson away from Michigan. With all the chaos in last year’s tournament, it is easy to forget that Kansas was a #1 seed that lost in the second round (Arkansas). Many top schools are trying to avenge poor showings.

3. UConn (2-0) – The defending champions lost a few important pieces in their quest to become the first team to win back-to-back titles since Florida. The Huskies will get their first test this coming Sunday when they take on Indiana in the first round of the Empire Classic. A win there likely means a date with Texas in the championship.

4. Arizona (2-0) – The final year of the current Pac-12 doesn’t appear to be strong on paper. The Wildcats’ big win over Duke can be the appetizer to a big season, though they have a tough non-conference schedule to get through (Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Alabama, Florida Atlantic)

5. Marquette (2-0) – The Big East is loaded at the top, and the Golden Eagles are another team trying to bounce back from an early NCAA Tournament exit. After a tough time down in Texas, Shaka Smart seems to have found his footing in Marquette, a team that is heavy on experience coming off of their Big East title.

6. Creighton (2-0) – I told you that the Big East is top-heavy. While UConn was destroying the competition in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Jays made an impressive run of their own. They could have easily been UConn’s opponent in the title game. Creighton will be the heavy favorite to win the upcoming Hall of Fame Classic.

7. Houston (2-0) – This week’s Charleston Classic will provide a test for the Cougars. They will be the highest-ranked team in the field (and may be the only ranked team, depending on how one feels about St. John’s). We’ll see how they get through the Big 12 grind in their first year since moving on from the AAC.

8. Duke (1-1) – The Blue Devils lost a home game to Arizona, and that knocked them down a few pegs in the early going. They are uncharacteristically not playing in one of the big early-season tournaments (they host smaller schools in the Blue Devil Challenge), but their non-conference slate includes matchups against Michigan State, Arkansas, and Baylor.

9. Tennessee (2-0) – A victim of the Florida Atlantic Express in the Sweet 16, Tennessee will once again try to ride a strong defense to a deep NCAA Tournament run. Rick Barnes’ history isn’t a great one in the NCAA Tournament, but the Volunteers have a Final Four-capable roster.

10. Texas A&M (2-0) – The Aggies challenged themselves with a road game against Ohio State last week. They left with an impressive 73-66 victory that sets themselves up for the rest of the non-conference slate. That slate includes the ESPN Events Invitational, where they take on Penn State in the opening round (11/23). The Nittany Lions knocked off this squad in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

11. Florida Atlantic (1-0) – The Owls entered the 2023 Tournament with a gaudy 31-3 record. It was reasonable to wonder just how good they were, however. They lost a non-conference game to an Ole Miss squad that would go on to finish 12-21. Their win over Florida was great for in-state bragging rights, though the Gators would go on to finish under .500. They proved their mettle on the court, however, as their high-wire act took them to the Final Four, where they lost to San Diego State on a buzzer-beater. A shift from Conference USA to the American Athletic Conference should be a step up in competition, even with former top-dog Houston now in the Big 12. Another step up is their involvement in the ESPN Invitational, where they take on Butler in the opening round.

12. Michigan State (1-1) – The Spartans have the look and feel of a top-five squad, but one can’t just ignore a loss to James Madison. They have plenty of time to make up for that, however, including their big game with Duke on Tuesday.

13. Miami (2-0) – Most “big” schools aren’t feel-good stories in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes, however, certainly fit the bill in 2023 as their fun style of play made a run to the Final Four for likable coach Jim Larranaga. This year’s squad has a different look, as top guards Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller are now in the NBA while four other players transferred to other schools. Incoming transfer Matthew Cleveland (Florida State) should ease some of the pain,

14. Villanova (2-0) – The sudden departure of Jay Wright left a void for the Wildcats, who had to fight just to finish the season 17-16 (before losing in the first-round in the NIT). Second-year coach Kyle Neptune hopes for a less chaotic 2023-2024 season, and we will find out soon enough just how good they may be as they are a part of the Battle 4 Atlantis field that promises to be highly competitive (North Carolina and Arkansas are in the field, along with Michigan, Texas Tech, and Memphis)

15. North Carolina (2-0) – While some teams rose from the ashes last season, the Tar Heels crashed and burned. Coming off their miracle run to the championship game in 2022, they were considered a top-five team heading into 2023. They have a lot to prove this year, and an experienced squad to do it with.

16. Arkansas (2-0) – The SEC promises to be a tough conference top-to-near-bottom and Arkansas should be right in the mix. The Razorbacks have two Elite Eight appearances and one Sweet 16 appearance in their last three seasons, and their hodgepodge roster this season is capable of another run. Four players from last year’s team declared for the NBA draft, replaced mostly with a wide variety of transfers. It’s certainly become a popular way to rebuild a roster.

17. Kentucky (2-0) – While we think of the Wildcats as a prime example of NCAA Tournament success, they haven’t reached the Sweet 16 since 2019 and the Final Four since 2015. Many schools would see that as a success, but that is not the case for Kentucky. While there is experience on this team if you look deep enough (ie, transfer Tre Mitchell), the reality is that they will rely a lot on freshmen in an effort to reverse their fortunes. How good are they? Let’s see how they do against Kansas on Tuesday.

18. USC (2-0) – Arizona is the overwhelming favorite to win the Pac-12, but USC may have something to say about that. The Trojans have superstar recruit Isaiah Collier leading the charge, joined by positional top-ten recruits at center (Arrinten Page) and shooting guard (Bronny James). They participate in the four-team Rady Children’s Invitational over the Thanksgiving holiday – the tournament includes Seton Hall, Iowa, and Oklahoma.

19. Gonzaga (1-0) – The engine for this squad (Drew Timme) is gone, as are nine other players from the 2023 tournament squad. They are trying to make up for that by bringing in three transfers who have double-digit scoring pedigrees. As usual, the Bulldogs have several strong games on their non-conference schedule, including their inclusion in the ultra-tough Maui. It is there where they can show us if talk of their dominance fading is overstated.

20. St. John’s (1-0) – The arrival of Rick Pitino has created a buzz around the program that hasn’t been seen in several years. Now it is time for them to prove they belong amongst the nation’s elite in his first season. You may think the expectations are unfair, but I am of the mind that Pitino craves the expectations and we should hold him to the standard he wants. Their Monday game against a down Michigan program should still present a challenge, as should their participation in the Charleston Classic.

21. Illinois (2-0) – With Purdue and Michigan State at the top of the conference, the question is: Who is willing to step up underneath them?  Maryland is a wise-guy choice, but they crashed and burned in the Asheville Championship, where they lost two games. Can Illinois be that team? The Fighting Illini haven’t made a significant NCAA Tournament run since 2005, and they are going to try to break that spell with an experienced, transfer-laden squad.

22. Memphis (2-0) – While Florida Atlantic will take on the role as the preseason AAC favorites, Memphis should be right in the mix. An astonishing 14 players from last year are no longer with the team this year. However, they once again have a strong recruiting class to mix in with a group of transfers. The Tigers defeated Missouri this past week and are a part of the Battle 4 Atlantis, where they will take on Michigan in the opening round.

23. James Madison (3-0) – Do I expect James Madison to be in the Top 25 all year? No. Do I think a road win over Michigan State warrants them a shoutout in November? Yes. After all, they followed up that win by putting up 113 points against Kent State, a perennially good team out of the MAC (they are the defending champions). The Dukes are a part of the mid-major-laden Cancun Challenge.

24. Texas (2-0) – Texas is the likely championship opponent for UConn in the Empire Classic. Rodney Terry took over for Chris Beard after the latter was fired early last season, and promptly took his team to the Elite Eight. It was their first appearance since 2008. The Longhorns lost several players from last year’s team to graduation but scored big with transfer Max Abmas, the hyper-scoring guard from Oral Roberts (20.8 points per game in his career).

25. Baylor (3-0) – The Bears haven’t been able to repeat their 2021 NCAA Tournament success, but they continue to string together solid seasons under coach Scott Drew (399-222 since being hired). They are the favorites to take down the NIT Preseason Tip-Off and feature a solid recruiting class.