More madness and more movement is the story of this week in college basketball as seven more ranked teams fell to unranked foes. 11 ranked teams lost in total and drastically shifted our rankings as we approach the final month without postseason hoops. Keep reading to discover what changed and what’s going on in the unpredictable world of college hoops!
1. UConn (17-2)
Survive and advance is the story of the Big East season for UConn so far, but it’s clearly working as they’ve taken sole control of the conference with seven straight wins. Tristen Newton (pictured) is starting to generate some draft buzz. Donovan Clingan returned from injury this week, which had an immediate impact as the Dan Hurley’s group held two quality opponents to an average of just 56.5 points.
2. Purdue (17-2)
Is it possible that Zach Edey is still improving? The Canadian giant is taking it to another level with three straight 30-point games and an average of 17 rebounds in those wins. The Boilermakers are currently the best 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten, which is a recipe for disaster when trying to contain the reigning NPOY. Finding ways to slow him down is only getting more difficult as the games get more important.
3. Kentucky (14-3)
Big Z is free. Zvonimir Ivisic finally gained eligibility for Kentucky and is already adding another element to what is the best offense in college basketball. The 7’2 forward drained his first three triples of the season and posted 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and three stocks in his first five minutes of action against Georgia.
Any kind of contribution from him is a bonus for the Cats but the elite production from his debut makes them one of the favorites for a national championship.
4. North Carolina (15-3)
The Tar Heels pulled away late for their eighth straight win, all by double digits, against Boston College on Saturday afternoon. They now hold a two-game lead over three unranked foes after Duke fell to Pittsburgh at Cameron Indoor Stadium. UNC will have a chance to grow that conference lead by facing two of those three teams, Wake Forest and Florida State, this week.
5. Kansas (15-3)
11 teams in the Big 12 are now separated by just one game after West Virginia upset the Jayhawks in a stunner Saturday afternoon. The depth of this conference might be even better than we thought, as the win by the Mountaineers showed. Kansas’ individual depth remains a concern and could make for a long few months for Bill Self’s team.
6. Tennessee (14-4)
Nobody should overlook just how impressive this week by Tennessee was. While they were able to enjoy home court advantage for both wins, the Vols put a beatdown on two frisky teams in the SEC who could shock you any night. Carried by its offense for a change, Tennessee is a legit national championship contender with a brand new identity.
7. Arizona (14-4)
Winning at home has not been a problem for Arizona this season. It’s what is coming next week that fans want to see their team improve upon: road challenges. The Wildcats travel to The Beaver State to take on both Oregon State and Oregon at the end of the week. If they can win one, or both, of these games, the Wildcats could have new life down the stretch as it is something they have not done this calendar year.
8. Auburn (16-2)
Three SEC teams in the top-eight? Are we sure we’re not talking about football? That’s 11 straight wins for Bruce Pearl and the Tigers after a pair of routs over Vanderbilt and Ole Miss this week. If they can get through Alabama and Mississippi State on the road this week, we might need to start a dialogue about putting them in the top-five.
9. Houston (16-2)
It took UCF 30!!! minutes to make a two-point basket on Saturday and it was only one of three they made in the game! The same UCF team that defeated No. 3 Kansas and Texas on the road in two of its last three games. It’s this version of the Cougars that could be the best team in the nation, but we need to see it more consistently to rank them any higher.
10. Duke (14-2)
Being down two starters is a challenge for any team in college basketball, but it shouldn’t result in a home loss to a team you just beat by 22 points on the road 11 days prior. The loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for the Blue Devils, but I would expect them to regain momentum with 6-12 Louisville up next on the schedule.
11. Illinois (14-4)
The Illini got Terrence Shannon back on Sunday and used that momentum to pull away from Rutgers in an 86-63 win. They’re now back to full strength and within a game of the Big Ten lead without a ranked opponent on the schedule until March. With Shannon back, Illinois could get hot in a hurry over the next month.
12. Wisconsin (14-4)
The Badgers shook off an upset loss to Penn State on Tuesday with a win over Indiana that had a magic number of 20. The 91-79 marked the 20th straight win against the Hoosiers at the Kohl Center and was spearheaded by 20 straight team points by Max Klesmit in the second half.
13. Oklahoma (15-3)
It was a great bounce back week for Oklahoma who went 2-0 after two straight losses to TCU and Kansas last week. The Sooners will return home to face Texas and Texas Tech as they continue to quietly emerge as one of the top contenders in the conference under Porter Moser.
14. Baylor (14-4)
Tyrese Hunter’s layup at the buzzer sealed Baylor’s fate in Austin and handed the Bears their second loss of the week after a heartbreaker in the Octagon of Doom. This team has looked less than impressive in conference play and needs some drastic changes before things fall completely off the rails in a loaded Big 12 schedule.
15. Dayton (15-2)
The Flyers extended their winning streak to 12 this week with wins over Saint Louis and Rhode Island, which made me realize that their resume is much stronger than people think. Their only losses came to Northwestern (on the road) and Houston (neutral) and they have beaten LSU, St. John’s and Cincinnati as well.
It doesn’t match the wins of some of the high-major teams, but this is a team that deserves more national recognition than they are receiving.
16. Marquette (13-5)
You never know what you’re going to get when Marquette takes the court, but one thing is certain: at their best, this is one of the best teams in the nation. They have a 14-point win over Kansas but will need to improve their 3-point shooting (263rd in D1) to bring about more consistent success.
Next 5: Colorado State, Creighton, Iowa State, Texas Tech, Kansas State
Players of the Week:
Zach Edey, No. 3 Purdue Boilermakers
Back-to-back weeks as the player of the week have Edey firmly in the driver’s seat to capture player of the year honors in consecutive seasons. If he does so unanimously, Edey will become the first player since Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973 to sweep the NPOY awards in back-to-back seasons. I’m starting to like his chances more and more.
Tyler Kolek, No. 17 Marquette Golden Eagles
After putting on a clinic with 21 points and 11 assists against Villanova on Monday, Kolek led the Golden Eagles to a massive win over St. John’s at MSG with another double-double. The lefty point guard is the heart and soul of Shaka Smart’s team and boy, did they need him after a dreadful week with losses to Seton Hall and Butler.
Dalton Knecht, No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers
Knecht finds himself on this list for the second consecutive week after throwing some NBA Jam fireballs at the rim in an 85-66 win over Florida on Tuesday night. The Northern Colorado transfer scored 39 points on just 23 shots in the win, and while the efficiency dropped against Alabama, Knecht scored 25 more to lead the Vols in a blowout victory.
Cody Williams, Colorado Buffaloes
Williams returned from injury last week with decent performances but truly shined in a pair of wins over Oregon and Oregon State this week to crack this list for the first time all season. The potential No. 1 overall pick shot 10-13, including 3-4 from distance, in a 23-point outburst against the Ducks while displaying his defensive brilliance as well with two blocks and a steal. More showings like this, and the 16-point effort against the Beavers, and it will be difficult to deny the five-star freshman of top prospect status this summer.
Tramon Mark, Arkansas Razorbacks
The Houston transfer delivered early in the week for Arkansas with 35 points and a game-winning shot to get past Texas A&M. He was the only Razorback to get into double figures in the loss to South Carolina on Saturday but his aggressive slashing ability and complimentary perimeter shooting was on full display to remind scouts how talented he is with the ball in his hands.
Play of the Week
Just days after criticizing UCF for jumping up and down after beating his Longhorns on the road, Rodney Terry couldn’t help but mimic this reaction as Tyrese Hunter levitated for a buzzer-beating layup to compete a top-10 win for Texas. The bucket came just seconds after Jalen Bridges drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with five seconds on the clock. Check out the awesome sequence below!
https://x.com/TheFieldOf68/status/1748786008739414272?s=20
Video Credit: The Field of 68 Twitter/X account (via MrMatthew_CFB)
