1. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Last Week: No. 2
Gonzaga put together an incredibly difficult non-conference schedule this season. And even though the team is still playing without star big man Killian Tillie, they currently stand at 8-0 and more than deserve to be the top team in these power rankings. Sure, Kansas hasn’t lost yet either but Gonzaga just continues to impress in every single game. During this past week, the Bulldogs moved ahead by snagging a true road win against Creighton in one of the most hostile environments in the nation.
To this point in the year, Gonzaga has scored over 80 points in every single game and has hit the 100-point mark on four separate occasions. The Bulldogs’ offense is simply on a different level compared to most everyone else in the country. Nevada and Duke can make their claims for the top offensive unit in the nation but it is also hard to argue against Gonzaga. Even without Tillie, the three-headed scoring monster of Rui Hachimura (21.9 points), Zach Norvell Jr. (18.6 points), and Brandon Clarke (17.3 points) are nearly impossible to stop.
Looking ahead, Gonzaga has three more difficult tests left in their non-conference schedule. Over the course of the next two weeks, the Bulldogs will face off against Washington (home), Tennessee (neutral), and North Carolina (away). Will they still be No. 1 at the end of this stretch or will someone else take the throne?