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NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Indiana, Marquette quietly rising

By Lukas Harkins

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 08: Joey Hauser #22 and Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles celebrate after beating the Wisconsin Badgers 74-69 in overtime at the Fiserv Forum on December 08, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 08: Joey Hauser #22 and Sam Hauser #10 of the Marquette Golden Eagles celebrate after beating the Wisconsin Badgers 74-69 in overtime at the Fiserv Forum on December 08, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 08: Hagans #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 08: Hagans #2 of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

Another week in NCAA basketball is complete and here comes a new edition of the power rankings. Five new teams joined the top-25+ this time.

NCAA basketball season is heating up on the national stage. With football season coming to a close for fans around the nation, the attention can now turn to the hardwood as top teams take the court seemingly every night. The unpredictability of NCAA basketball is extremely and it is just part of why the sport is so compelling to watch on a nightly basis. So, for those who missed the first few weeks of the year, it is time to catch.

With conference play nearly upon us, teams around the nation are starting to solidify their positions in the national rankings. Yet, as per usual, there were many shifts in my top-25+ NCAA basketball power rankings this time around. In fact, five teams dropped out of the rankings, leaving opportunities for others to fill the voids. Also, after Gonzaga’s loss to Tennessee, there is a new No. 1 team. So, without any further ado, let’s dive into this edition of my NCAA power rankings.

(Rankings are based on results through Dec. 9, 2018. All statistics were found via Sports-Reference and KenPom.)

10 others to watch

Iowa State Cyclones: After managing to reach the top-25 during last week’s edition, Iowa State fell out of the rankings following a tough road loss to Iowa. The Cyclones are, though, still an extremely dangerous team that could turn some heads in the Big 12. Tyrese Haliburton and Talen Horton-Tucker are starting to gain attention as elite freshmen.

Maryland Terrapins: Another team that fell out of my top-25, Maryland suffered a close loss on the road to Purdue this past week. They did rebound, though, with a neutral-site win over Loyola-Chicago. The Terps have six very capable scorers who can explode on any given night. They might not be extremely deep but they are balanced on the offensive front.

Kansas State Wildcats: I still felt comfortable leaving Kansas State in my top-25 last week following their loss to Marquette. After falling on the road to Tulsa, though, they had to fall considering they do not have the elite wins to stay in the rankings. The Wildcats, though, should be favorites in each of their last four non-conference games and could rejoin the rankings soon.

Kentucky Wildcats: Okay. Before you jump into my Twitter mentions to blast me for leaving Kentucky out of my top-25, let me explain. In short, would Kentucky be ranked if you took away the brand name? Probably not. Through nine games, the Wildcats, like many teams, only have two losses but have also played one of the easier schedules in the nation. Their best win to date, in fact, came at home against UNC-Greensboro. Because of this, it is hard to make an argument for UK over other teams in the rankings.

Butler Bulldogs: After back-to-back dominant home wins, Butler is back on the “others considered” list. But can they get over the hump and join the ranks? That will come down to the Dawgs’ neutral-site matchup against Indiana this coming weekend. Butler is currently 7-2 with a couple of losses to A10 opponents (Dayton, SLU) and two wins over the SEC (Ole Miss, Florida).

St. John’s Red Storm: St. John’s is still undefeated at 9-0 but their lack of a strong schedule makes them tough to include in the top-25. The Red Storm have not looked particularly great en route to their undefeated record so far and they have played the 324th (of 353) most difficult schedule. If the Red Storm are not an undefeated 12-0 before Big East play, their NCAA Tournament hopes could suffer quickly.

Syracuse Orange: Following their disappointing start to the season that saw losses to UConn and Oregon, the Syracuse Orange seem to be back on track. Head coach Jim Boeheim’s team has won five consecutive games, including a road victory over Ohio State. With a matchup against Buffalo coming up, ‘Cuse could be back in the top-25 soon.

Furman Paladins: As one of the few undefeated teams left in the nation, Furman definitely belongs on this list. The Paladins are a perfect 10-0 and they rank in the top-100 nationally in both points scored and allowed. A road matchup against LSU looms as a huge opportunity for their at-large bid hopes.

NC State Wolfpack: An ACC school is 8-1 but not in the top-25? How? Well, the Wolfpack have played the easiest schedule in the nation to this point (per KenPom) and it is hard to move them up because of that. Their best two wins to date came over Vanderbilt and Mercer.

Nebraska Cornhuskers: Nebraska fell out of the rankings this week due to its loss to Minnesota. And while the Cornhuskers rebounded very well by dismantling Creighton, it was not enough to retain their spot in the top-25. They should be back soon, though.

Dropped Out: Kentucky (9), Kansas State (14), Maryland (18), Iowa State (22), and Nebraska (25).

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