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NCAA Basketball: What does the top 25 look like before Christmas?

Dec 13, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) gets congratulations from head coach Jay Wright and guard Jalen Brunson (1) after leaving the game late in the second half against the Temple Owls at The Pavilion. Villanova defeated Temple, 78-57. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Josh Hart (3) gets congratulations from head coach Jay Wright and guard Jalen Brunson (1) after leaving the game late in the second half against the Temple Owls at The Pavilion. Villanova defeated Temple, 78-57. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 13, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright with Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) against the Temple Owls during the second half at The Pavilion. Villanova defeated Temple, 78-57. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 13, 2016; Villanova, PA, USA; Villanova Wildcats head coach Jay Wright with Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) against the Temple Owls during the second half at The Pavilion. Villanova defeated Temple, 78-57. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

Which NCAA basketball teams are moving up and down the rankings before Christmas?

If you want some new top 25 action to debate during Christmas week; you’re in luck! Fans will have noticed some mainstays drop out and new names take their places. We are almost to conference play, so every resume-building non-conference game’s importance is magnified.

Much of the movement has taken place outside of the top 10. The only major upsets from the last couple of weeks were ISU losing at Iowa, Xavier going down at Colorado and Saint Mary’s home loss to Texas-Arlington. Otherwise, the few movements are due to some teams playing harder ones than others, even if both won.

We are about to enter conference play, so we will soon have the fun of conference leaders trading punches the rest of the way until late February. Rankings will assuredly shift as races tighten or wide through the middle of winter.