RADIO
Mike's college basketball rankings for Week 19 of the 2025-26 season. His top college basketball teams. Where are Duke, Houston, Arizona, and Gonzaga ranked?
We are on the eve of the greatest four days of sports on the planet. None of my ranked teams missed the NCAA Tournament. The perfect run for the Miami Redhawks was spoiled in the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. Some are disappointed with the draw in a "play-in" game, but why?
Dayton is right around an hour from the Miami campus, and they get to claim an NCAA Tournament win if they advance. Giving Miami a home game in the NCAA Tournament feels like a reward for a regular season well done. Now they get a chance to prove that they belong. I'm fine with that, and most Miami fans that I have talked to are as well.
Did the Selection Committee get it right? No. It's not all their fault. The system is more rigged now than ever before, thanks to the NET and Quad systems. It's what they are told to follow. That's how you get 10 teams from the SEC and only one from the Mountain West...a conference that was sixth out of 31 conferences in NET rankings. I would be completely happy if San Diego State and New Mexico were let in over SMU and Texas. Other than that, I think they did pretty well. As for the seedings...we'll get to that later. Let's take a look at the power rankings before we get this thing underway!
25. Santa Clara (26-8)
Last week: NR
Results: W 76-68 vs. Pacific, W 76-71 vs. (21) Saint Mary's, L 79-68 vs. (13) Gonzaga
Saint Mary's is the only big win for Santa Clara, but this team beat McNeese back in November and beat Minnesota by double digits. The committee saw the body of work and rewarded the Broncos with a 10 seed.
4. SANTA CLARA
First tournament appearance since Steve Nash.
5 of their 6 worst games came in one ugly stretch in early December — rest of the year? Much better.
Top-25 offensive efficiency, force turnovers, get on the glass
Don't let the potential double-digit seed fool you
— PoolGenius (@PoolGenius) March 15, 2026
Santa Clara hasn't been in the NCAA Tournament since 1996. Steve Nash and the Broncos upset Maryland in the first round that year, also as a 10 seed.
24. Utah State (28-6)
Last week: NR
Results: W 80-60 vs. UNLV, W 79-66 vs. Nevada, W 73-62 vs. San Diego State
The Mountain West had a NET ranking of 113 as a conference. That's sixth out of 31 conferences, but the Aggies are only a nine seed. On top of that, the MWC is a one-bid league for the first time since 2017.
It's unfair to the conference and unfair to the Aggies. Utah State is in its school-record fourth straight NCAA Tournament. The Aggies made the Elite Eight in 1970, but are just 2-20 in NCAA Tournament games since.
23. Saint Mary's (27-4)
Last week: 21 (⇓2)
Results: L 76-71 vs. Santa Clara
The loss to Santa Clara made the WCC a three-bid league. Two of the five losses for Saint Mary's were to Santa Clara. It didn't affect the seeding for the Gaels as they are still a seven seed.
Saint Mary's is 5-1 vs. double-digit seeds in the NCAA Tournament since 2013. They are 0-6 against everyone else.
22. Miami (FL) (25-8)
Last week: 24 (⇑2)
Results: W 78-73 vs. Louisville, L 84-62 vs. (14) Virginia
Miami is not at the upper tier of the ACC, but they are much better than they were in January. This is nothing new for Miami. They usually make the NCAA Tournament as a lower seed.
The Hurricanes went to the 2023 Final Four as a 5 seed. In 2022, Miami made the Elite Eight as a 10 seed.
21. Alabama (23-9)
Last week: 18 (⇓3)
Results: L 80-79 vs. Mississippi
Basketball thoughts only...
-Very unlikely that Aden Holloway plays in the NCAA Tournament no matter how far the Tide advances.
-Missing one of the nation's best shooters and one of the most efficient, analytically effective offensive players in the country is not good.
-We…
— Bama Perspective (@bamaperspective) March 17, 2026
Even before Aden Holloway attempted to smoke up the entire population of Tuscaloosa, I was low on Alabama for losing to an awful Ole Miss team. Kneelers will tell you that it's SEC depth, but it's not.
Mississippi is better than they were in January, but if you're a team like Alabama, which finished third in the conference, that's a game you need to win.
Even though the loss of Holloway is a big deal, Alabama has good enough bench players (Houston Mallette and Taylor Bol Bowen) to help ease the loss. A first-round exit is not a foregone conclusion without Holloway.
20. Wisconsin (24-10)
Last week: 22 (⇑2)
Results: W 85-82 vs. Washington, W 91-88 vs (9) Illinois, L 68-65 vs. (3) Michigan
Honestly, that was a good showing for the Badgers in Chicago. They have wins over Illinois and Purdue in March, and played Michigan very tough.
Everyone is picking High Point to upset Wisconsin, but this team is playing well right now. The bad news for Wisconsin is that the Badgers have lost to an 11 or 12 seed in three of the last five NCAA Tournament appearances.
19. Texas Tech (22-10)
Last week: 17 (⇓2)
Results: L 75-53 vs. (5) Iowa State
The Red Raiders have wins over Duke, Arizona, and Iowa State. They have a 30-point loss to Purdue and four losses to unranked teams. This isn't just a JT Toppin issue.
They handed Iowa State its only conference loss of the season at home this year without Toppin. They turn around and get blown off the floor in Kansas City by the Cyclones.
This team is finally starting to feel the full effect of life without Toppin. I like Luke Bamgboye, but he's not Toppin, and opponents are starting to realize that. Tech has a glaring weakness heading into the tournament.
Unfortunately, the rest of the roster was primed to make a run. It could still happen if Tech gets rolling, but it's far less likely now.
18. Vanderbilt (26-8)
Last week: 23 (⇑5)
Results: W 75-68 vs. Tennessee, W 91-74 vs. (11) Florida, L 86-75 vs. (19) Arkansas
Vanderbilt needed a run like that after losses to Tennessee and Kentucky at the end of February. Since Vanderbilt made the Sweet 16 in 2007, they have lost seven of eight NCAA Tournament games.
Five of those losses were by three points or less. Six of those losses were against seven seeds or worse. That said, they haven't entered the NCAA Tournament playing this well since 2012, their only win since 2007.
17. Arkansas (26-8)
Last week: 19 (⇑2)
Results: W 82-79 vs. Oklahoma, W 93-90 vs. Mississippi, W 86-75 vs. (23) Vanderbilt
This wasn't some gauntlet that Arkansas ran in the SEC Tournament to the title. They beat two double-digit (in the SEC!!!) seeds and Vanderbilt. Forgive me if I'm not that impressed.
All-American Darius Acuff Jr. is going to be a PROBLEM in the NCAA Tournament. His numbers against Vandy in the SEC Tournament Title game:
37 MIN | 30 PTS | 3 REB | 11 AST | 9-20 FG | 5-8 3PT | 7-8 FT
How far do you have Arkansas going in the tourney?? 🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/qKYtOet1Jn
— MBB Performances (@mbbperformances) March 17, 2026
That said, Arkansas still has better non-conference wins than Florida. The last four times that Arkansas has made the NCAA Tournament, they have made it out of the first weekend.
16. North Carolina (24-8)
Last week: 10 (⇓6)
Results: L 80-79 vs. Clemson
This is a different North Carolina team without Caleb Wilson, and not in a good way. It's not their fault. The thing that Carolina has going for them is that they have had more than a week to prepare for the NCAA Tournament.
Losing a guy like Wilson in the middle of the season is really hard to recover from when you play two games a week. The week off will help the team learn how to properly function without Wilson.
They didn't have time to devote to it immediately after his injury, especially after he returned to practice last week before breaking his wrist.
15. Kansas (23-10)
Last week: 12 (⇓3)
Results: W 78-73 vs. TCU, L 69-47 vs. (4) Houston
Kansas is 10-2 without Darryn Peterson and 13-8 with him. That's a problem.
Getting blasted by Houston shouldn't have dropped the Jayhawks that far, but hot teams running through conference tournaments made it worse. There really is that big of a gap between Kansas and Houston this year.
Kansas has lost in the first round in four of the last five tournaments. The only time they made it out of the first round (2022), they won the whole thing.
14. Gonzaga (30-3)
Last week: 13 (⇓1)
Results: W 65-56 vs. Oregon State, W 79-68 vs. Santa Clara
More puff pieces for Gonzaga allow the Bulldogs to slide in the rankings despite winning the WCC Tournament. Purdue picked up some big wins, and St. John's clobbered UConn.
Gonzaga doesn't have wins of that caliber. Gonzaga has made 27 consecutive NCAA Tournaments. They have not lost in the first round since 2008.
Gonzaga’s last first round loss ? To this man 17 years ago today pic.twitter.com/jMnhuSXWkk
— . (@30Burner_) March 21, 2025
13. Virginia (29-5)
Last week: 14 (⇑1)
Results: W 81-74 vs. North Carolina State, W 84-62 vs. (24) Miami (FL), L 74-70 vs. (1) Duke
Virginia has only lost twice in the last 15 games. Both losses were to Duke. The bad news is that Virginia hasn't won an NCAA Tournament game since cutting down the nets in 2019.
They haven't advanced to the Sweet 16 as a seed lower than first since 1995. The Wahoos only have three Sweet 16 appearances in the last 30 years. All were as a No. 1 seed.
12. Nebraska (26-6)
Last week: 8 (⇓4)
Results: L 74-58 vs. (15) Purdue
The Cornhuskers were blown out in two of the last three games of the season. That's not how they wanted to enter the NCAA Tournament.
Nebraska is the only power conference team to never win an NCAA Tournament game (0-8). This should be the year to break that curse. The 4 seed is the highest in school history.
11. Florida (26-7)
Last week: 11 ⇔
Results: W 71-63 vs. Kentucky, L 91-74 vs. (23) Vanderbilt
There is no way that Florida deserved a No. 1 seed. Houston did, but I won't raise too much of a fuss because Houston is still in Florida's bracket.
Florida is getting too much credit for beating the worst Kentucky team in SEC history (the Wildcats had never finished lower than 8th in the SEC).
Florida gets the fourth No. 1 seed in school history. The other three times that Florida got a 1 seed, they made the Final Four. However, UConn (2024) is the only defending National Champion to get past the Sweet 16 since 2007.
10. Illinois (24-8)
Last week: 9 (⇓1)
Results: L 91-88 vs. (22) Wisconsin
Illinois, at least, lost to a team that is playing well. Nebraska got blown out by Purdue, and Florida got rolled by Vanderbilt. Florida still doesn't have that marquee win.
The SEC doesn't own RotoBaller, so I am under no obligation to kneel for their teams. Illinois has beaten Texas Tech, Purdue, and Nebraska. Those are all better than any win Florida has.
9. St. John's (28-6)
Last week: 16 (⇑7)
Results: W 85-72 vs. Providence, W 78-68 vs. Seton Hall, W 72-52 vs. (6) Connecticut
UConn's non-conference work keeps them in front of St John's, but the Red Storm beat UConn twice this year.
St John's is hitting its stride at the right time. The bad news is that Rick Pitino hasn't made it past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament since 2015 at Louisville. St John's hasn't made it out of the first weekend since 1999. Is this the year?
8. Connecticut (29-5)
Last week: 6 (⇓2)
Results: W 93-68 vs. Xavier, W 67-51 vs. Georgetown, L 72-52 vs. (16) St. John's
It's not that UConn lost to St. John's...it's how they lost to St John's. After whipping the Johnnies in Storrs, they laid an egg in the Garden, getting smacked by 20 points.
Connecticut has made it to the Elite Eight or better nine of the last 11 times they had a four-seed or better. The Huskies have won four titles since the tournament expanded to 68 in 2011. Villanova is the only other team with more than one.
7. Michigan State (25-7)
Last week: 7 ⇔
Results: L 88-84 vs. UCLA
UCLA is one of the hottest teams in the country right now, so I'm not going to dock the Spartans for losing to them. It was not the way that the Spartans wanted to close the regular season, and it leaves more questions than answers.
That said, wins over North Carolina, Arkansas, Purdue, and Illinois need to matter.
6. Purdue (27-8)
Last week: 15 (⇑9)
Results: W 74-58 vs. (8) Nebraska, W 73-66 vs. UCLA, W 80-72 vs. (3) Michigan
Conference tournaments matter. That's why Purdue got a two seed in the NCAA Tournament and why they flew up my rankings. No one else in the Big Ten, aside from Michigan, thought winning was important. The Boilermakers showed why they were the Preseason No. 1 in the AP Poll.
Braden Smith picked up 46 assists in the run through the Big Ten Tournament. He is now just one assist away from tying Bobby Hurley's NCAA record.
Just last week, it seemed unlikely that Smith would be able to catch Hurley. It should happen against Queens on Friday evening.
Purdue guard Braden Smith has 317 assists going into the NCAA tournament, the 14th most in a single season.
If Purdue made it to the National Championship with Smith averaging 15 assists per game, he would break the single season record (not happening).
Breaking into the top 5… https://t.co/0Q3mj9kH43 pic.twitter.com/MbpVAhPnRS
— Jim Miloch (@podoffame) March 17, 2026
5. Iowa State (27-7)
Last week: 5 ⇔
Results: W 91-42 vs. Arizona State, W 75-53 vs. (17) Texas Tech, L 82-80 vs. (2) Arizona
Houston and Iowa State could have a rematch of that epic Big 12 semifinal if both teams reach the Final Four.
The bad news is that Iowa State hasn't made the Final Four since 1944, when only eight teams made the NCAA Tournament. The last Elite Eight appearance for the Cyclones was in 2000.
4. Houston (28-6)
Last week: 4 ⇔
Results: W 73-66 vs. BYU, W 69-47 vs. (12) Kansas, L 79-74 vs. (2) Arizona
I wouldn't be shocked if Arizona and Houston meet again this season. The only time that could happen is in the National Championship game. Houston has made six consecutive Sweet 16 appearances.
If they make it to the National Championship again, it would be the first time since 1983 and 1984. Houston still has not won a National Championship. This could be the best chance for the Cougars since the 1983 team.
3. Michigan (31-3)
Last week: 3 ⇔
Results: W 71-67 vs. Ohio State, W 68-65 vs. (22) Wisconsin, L 80-72 vs. (15) Purdue
The only team that could have conceivably overtaken Michigan was Houston. There's still a fairly significant gap there as we go into the NCAA Tournament.
Michigan has made the tournament six times since 2017. They have made it to at least the Sweet 16 in every one of those tournaments. Michigan has entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed three times.
The first time (1985), they lost to eventual champion Villanova in the second round. They lost to North Carolina in the 1993 Championship game. The last time was in 2021, when they lost in the regional final to 11-seed UCLA.
2. Duke (32-2)
Last week: 1 (⇓1)
Results: W 80-79 vs. Florida State, W 73-61 vs. Clemson, W 74-70 vs. (14) Virginia
Duke's road to the ACC Championship was much easier than Arizona's was in the Big 12. Duke was narrowly clinging to the top slot last week. Arizona did enough to overtake them this week. Duke is a No. 1 seed in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011.
1. Arizona (32-2)
Last week: 2 (⇑1)
Results: W 81-59 vs. Central Florida, W 82-80 vs. (5) Iowa State, W 79-74 vs (4) Houston
For those of you saying that the Conference Tournament doesn't matter, you're wrong. It means something for the teams that win them, and who they go through to get there.
Arizona beat six AP top-10 teams this season. Five were at road or neutral sites. The Wildcats also beat 12 NCAA Tournament teams this year. That's the most for any team in history.
