RADIO
Welcome back, hoop fans! As another electrifying week of college basketball wraps up, it's time to shake up the power rankings. A handful of top-ranked teams fell this week, but some underrated teams also came away with huge victories, which has rattled these power rankings. My power rankings are updated and listed here at RotoBaller and updated weekly!
Unlike traditional polls, these rankings will also show similarities and differences between teams, breaking down not only team wins but crucial losses. This past week included wild finishes, upsets, and strong victories.
Let's break it down, team by team, and see who's falling and rising in this week's power rankings.
(25) BYU (21-8)*
Last week: W 76-68 at Kansas and W 87-75 vs. TCU
BYU rejoins the top-25 rankings this week after securing a win over TCU and then upsetting top-ranked Kansas on the road. BYU has been ranked for most of the season, so after going 2-0 this week, it was a no-brainer that BYU should be welcomed back into the rankings. The Cougars now stand fourth in the Big 12 and have two games remaining. Jaxson Robinson leads the team with 13.9 points per game, and BYU as a team sits 5th in the nation in most assists totaling 18.9 assists.
(24) South Florida (22-5) ⇔
Last week: W 76-61 at Charlotte
South Florida remains ranked 24th after winning their only game this week against unranked Charlotte. The win this week doesn’t do much to the resume, but South Florida comfortably sits first in the American standings with a three-game lead over FAU, who sits in second. South Florida will have a bye and be the number one overall seed in the American conference tournament.
(23) Saint Mary’s (24-7) ⇓5
Last week: W 83-57 at Pepperdine and L 70-57 vs. Gonzaga
Saint Mary’s saw their first conference loss this season when they were defeated by 13 against Gonzaga this weekend. Dropping five spots may be a little harsh, but the teams ranked in front of them have better resumes on the season; even though Saint Mary’s went 1-1 this week, they will have the number one seed in the WCC conference tournament with a conference record of 15-1. Aiden Mahaney leads the league with 13.7 points per game this season.
(22) Gonzaga (24-6) ⇑3
Last week: W 86-68 at San Francisco and W 70-57 at Saint Mary’s
The Zags moved up three spots this week after going 2-0, including wins over San Francisco and Saint Mary’s, both of which sit in the top three in the WCC standings. The biggest story here was Gonzaga getting revenge over ranked Saint Mary’s, who was undefeated in conference play until this weekend's game against the Zags. Gonzaga improves to 14-2 in conference play and 24-6 on the season.
(21) Florida (20-9) ⇓2
Last week: W 83-74 vs. Missouri and L 82-76 at South Carolina
Florida drops two spots after going 1-1 this week with a win over Missouri and then a road loss against South Carolina in a thrilling game. The Gators have wins over Kentucky and Auburn recently but see a tough Alabama team this week, which can set the tone before tournaments begin. The Gators rank 15th in the country in points scored, with 84.4 points per game. Walter Clayton Jr. leads the team in scoring with 16.9 points per game and has quickly become one of the SEC's most electric guards to watch.
(20) San Diego State (22-7) ⇑2
Last week: W 72-64 vs. San Jose State
San Diego State moved up two spots in the rankings by winning their only game of the week against San Jose State. Despite how well the Aztecs have played this season, they sit tied for third in the Mountain West conference, along with Nevada and UNLV. San Diego State has two games remaining in conference play against Boise State and UNLV; both would have a significant influence on how the Mountain West conference concludes. Jaedon LeDee is averaging 20.8 points per game for San Diego State this season.
(19) Utah State (23-5) ⇑2
Last week: W 77-73 at Fresno State and W 72-60 vs. Air Force
Utah State moves up two spots to the number 19 slot after two wins this week over Fresno State and Air Force as Utah State improves to 12-4 in conference play and stands in first place in the Mountain West conference. The team has won three games and has two remaining on the schedule. Forward Great Osobor is leading the team with 17.5 points per game and is doing so well, shooting 58.2 percent from the field.
(18) Washington State (22-7) ⇑5
Last week: W 75-72 vs. USC and W 77-65 vs. UCLA
The Cougars moved five spots this week after capturing two more conference victories over USC and UCLA, improving their record to 14-5 in the Pac-12. Washington State has just one game this season against Washington and has a chance to finish first in the Pac-12 conference with a win over Washington and at least one Arizona loss this week. Myles Rice leads the team with 15.5 points per game for the Cougars.
(17) South Carolina (24-5) ⇔
Last week: W 70-68 at Texas A&M and W 82-76 vs. Florida
The Gamecocks won both conference games this week against Texas A&M and a tough Florida team in a thriller. South Carolina has been one of the more enjoyable teams to cheer for and sit tied for second in the SEC standings with Alabama. South Carolina has two challenging conference games remaining, as they will see Tennessee and Mississippi State this week. Meechie Johnson leads South Carolina as the guard averages 14.2 points per game this season.
(16) Illinois (22-7) ⇔
Last week: W 105-97 vs. Minnesota and W 91-83 at Wisconsin
The Fighting Illini see no movement this week despite defeating Minnesota and Wisconsin. Illinois is a team that is ranked a little low, but due to other teams winning, it was challenging to have them jump to other groups accordingly. Illinois has a comfortable two-game lead as the second place spot in the Big10 standings and has just two games remaining, including a home game against Purdue.
(15) Alabama (20-9) ⇓1
Last week: W 103-88 at Ole Miss and L 81-74 vs. Tennessee
Alabama went 1-1 this week with a win over Ole Miss but then fell at home with a loss against Tennessee on Saturday. There is no surprise that the Crimson Tide can score points, as Alabama has been one of the more electric offensives this season, currently 2nd in the country, averaging 90.9 points per contest. Still, the team heavily depends on top prospect Mark Sears who has quickly become must-watch television as the guard is averaging 20.7 points while shooting 51 percent from the field.
(14) Baylor (21-8) ⇑1
Last week: W 62-54 at TCU and W 82-74 vs. Kansas
Baylor climbed only one spot despite having an incredible week defeating TCU on the road and then taking down the Kansas Jayhawks by eight points on Saturday. With the win over Kansas, Baylor is third in the Big 12 standings and holds a full-game lead over BYU and Kansas. Baylor has two games remaining this season against Texas and Texas Tech. If the Bears can go 2-0 in that span, this team could fit in the top ten by next week.
(13) Auburn (22-7) ⇓3
Last week: L 92-84 at Tennessee and W 78-63 vs. Mississippi State
Auburn drops three spots this week after going 1-1 with a decisive win over Mississippi State but comes up short on the road against Tennessee. Auburn has been unstable recently, with just three wins in their last six games, despite all three losses against Florida, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Auburn has two conference games remaining against Missouri and Georiga, so the Tigers should be ending conference play with a three-game winning streak.
(12) Kentucky (21-8) ⇔
Last week: W 91-89 at Mississippi St and W 111-102 vs. Arkansas
Kentucky responded with two wins this week after the 117-point display against Alabama last week. Kentucky has been able to score easily as the team scored a total of 202 points through their two games this week and is currently averaging 89.6 points per game, which is fourth in the country. Antonio Reeves is the team’s leading scorer with 20 points per game, shooting 50.9 percent from the field this season.
(11) Kansas (21-8) ⇓7
Last week: L 76-68 vs. BYU and L 82-74 at Baylor
Kansas drops seven spots this week after losing both games, including an at-home shocker against a BYU team that hasn’t entered the Allen Field House in over 20 years. This loss was the most significant reason for the seven-spot drop this week, but the Jayhawks could not come away with a victory at Baylor on Saturday. The only good news Kansas can take from last week was the return of starting forward Kevin McCullar. McCullar is the leading scorer in the Big12 conference and has missed a chunk of time due to a knee injury.
(10) Marquette (22-7) ⇓1
Last week: W 91-69 vs. Providence and L 89-75 at Creighton
Marquette drops one spot this week after going 1-1 with a win over Providence but then suffered a double-digit loss to Creighton on the road. The biggest story here was that Marquette did not have star guard Tyler Kolek on the court as he was dealing with an oblique injury that kept him out against Creighton. Without Kolek, Marquette is an entirely different team, so hopefully, the guard can return momentarily. Marquette has two games remaining against UConn and Xavier as the Golden Eagles have a chance to hold a share of the Big East conference.
(9) Duke (23-6) ⇓1
Last week: W 84-59 vs. Louisville and W 73-48 vs. Virginia
Despite winning both games, Duke moves down one spot due to teams such as Creighton and Iowa State jumping over the Blue Devils this past week. Don’t let that fool you, as Duke did have an excellent week with a win over Louisville and then finished the week off with a 25-point victory on recently ranked Virginia. With the win over Virginia, Duke has a two-game lead over the Cavaliers and sits just one game behind North Carolina. Duke will wrap up the season playing NC State and North Carolina.
(8) Creighton (22-8) ⇑5
Last week: W 85-64 vs. Seton Hall and W 89-75 vs. Marquette
The Bluejays are welcomed into the top ten for the first time this season and could be considered long overdue as Creighton has quickly become one of the most complete teams in the country. From shooters to big-man play, this team can do it all. Don’t let Creighton get hot, as they are top ten in the NCAAB in most three-point attempts per game, which gives them the ability to put points on you in a hurry. With just one game remaining on the season, Creighton should be able to finish at least top three in the Big East standings.
(7) Iowa State (23-6) ⇑4
Last week: W 58-45 vs. Oklahoma and W 60-52 at UCF
The Cyclones went 2-0 this week with wins over Oklahoma and UCF. Iowa State sits second in the Big 12 standings and is just one game behind Houston. The Cyclones love to run and push the ball, leading to up-tempo games. Iowa State hasn’t been able to score as quickly as they were at the beginning of the season but still should be considered one of the country's best. The team depends on Keshon Gilbert, averaging 13.8 points per game this season.
(6) Arizona (23-6) ⇑1
Last week: W 85-67 at Arizona State and W 103-83 vs. Oregon
Arizona went 2-0 this week against two unranked teams but defeated a solid Oregon team by 20 points at home. Arizona is starting to get hot at the right time, as the team has reached 85 or more points in three straight victories. The Wildcats are currently first in the Pac-12 and are led by Caleb Love, averaging 19.4 points per game this season. Arizona moves up one spot this week.
(5) North Carolina (22-6) ⇔
Last week: W 75-71 vs. Miami and W 79-70 vs. NC State
North Carolina improves to 22-6 after tackling Miami and NC State this week as ACC play is starting to wrap up. The Tar Heels have a one-game lead on Duke for the top spot in the ACC conference standings and have just two games remaining on the schedule this season, including the season finale against the Blue Devils. RJ Davis continues to impress this season as the guard averages 21.4 points per game.
(4) Tennessee (23-6) ⇑2
Last week: W 92-84 vs. Auburn and W 81-74 at Alabama
Tennessee moves up two spots this week after securing two quadrant one victories over Auburn and Alabama. With those two wins, Tennessee has a full-game lead over South Carolina and Alabama for first place in the SEC conference standings. The biggest question this season has revolved around Tennessee’s ability to score, but the team proved that this week against two of the league’s highest-scoring teams.
(3) Purdue (26-3) ⇔
Last week: W 80-74 vs. Michigan State
Purdue went 1-0 this week with a six-point victory over unranked Michigan State. Purdue has just three losses this year and currently has a two-game lead over Illinois in the Big10 conference standings. Star center Zach Edey has paved a clear path to winning the National Player of the Year award again, averaging 24 points and 11.8 rebounds per game this season.
(2) UConn (26-3) ⇔
Last week: W 91-61 vs. Seton Hall
UConn defeated Seton Hall by 30 points in their only game this week but ultimately remains ranked second. UConn could still be considered the best team in the country, with the strongest starting five in the conference. Expect the Huskies to climb the rankings if they can win their remaining two games.
(1) Houston (26-3) ⇔
Last week: W 67-59 vs. Cincinnati and 87-85 at Oklahoma
Houston remains at the number one spot in the rankings after winning both conference games this week against Cincinnati and Oklahoma. Houston currently sits in first place in the Big12 standings and continues to play excellent defense, as the team holds opponents to just 57.2 points per game this season. The team is led by L.J. Cryer, averaging 15.5 points per game this season.
Others Receiving Votes
- Indiana State
- Texas Tech
- Clemson
- Wake Forest
- Oklahoma
Stay tuned for the college basketball rankings here at RotoBaller throughout the entire season!
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