Busting Brackets
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NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Duke rises, newcomers snag spots

By Lukas Harkins

DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Army Black Knights during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: Cam Reddish #2 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after a play against the Army Black Knights during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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BOISE, ID – MARCH 15: Massinburg
BOISE, ID – MARCH 15: Massinburg /

Nobody picked up a better resume-building win this week than Buffalo. Sure, there were other teams that secured top-25 victories but Buffalo’s road victory over West Virginia was the most impressive, in my opinion. The Bulls entered this season projected as one of the top mid-major teams in the country and they followed through with a huge week. Head coach Nate Oats built a non-conference schedule that may eventually be worthy of an at-large bid this season and his team is so far rewarding him with victories.

For starters, the Bulls opened the year with an underrated win over St. Francis (PA). As already mentioned, the Red Flash should compete for their conference title this season. Then, Buffalo put up another strong performance by forcing overtime against West Virginia and handling overtime comfortably for a 99-94 win. This was an extremely impressive week for Buffalo, who more than deserves a spot in these power rankings.

The star of the week for Buffalo was clearly CJ Massinburg. An elite scorer who can beat you from anywhere on the court, the 6-foot-3 guard put up a ridiculous 43 points in Morgantown against WVU. He has started this season shooting 10-for-20 from three across two games. Three other Bulls are also averaging in double-figures so far.

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