NCAA Basketball Power Rankings: Kentucky rises, Wisconsin falls
13. Houston Cougars
Record: 13-0 (0-0 AAC)
Last Week: No. 13
While many may complain about Houston’s placement in these rankings due to their relatively weak strength of schedule, they are one of the last four undefeated teams in the country and that means something. Quite simply, the other three undefeated teams are clear-cut top-10 teams so the Cougars belong fairly high in the top-25. Also, it’s not as though Houston does not have a few strong wins. They might not be resume-defining victories but their performances against BYU, Oregon, Oklahoma State, LSU, Saint Louis, and Utah State should not go unnoticed.
To explain how the Cougars have gotten off to such a fast start, it all starts with their defense. Ranked at 11th in the nation by KenPom (in AdjD), this team locks down opponents better than just about anyone else. And while the Cougars do not force a ton of turnovers, they do an incredible job forcing and contesting jump shots. For the year, opponents are displaying just a 41.4% effective field goal percentage. This is the second-best defensive mark nationally (only Texas Tech is better – 37.5%).
Additionally, it is important to mention the potential that Houston is the last remaining undefeated team in the nation at some point down the road. as of right now, it seems as though Cincinnati is the only other major contender for the AAC title and Houston does not match up with them until Feb. 10. There is a fair possibility that the Cougars stand at 23-0 heading into that one.