8. Michigan State Spartans
Record: 11-2 (2-0 Big Ten)
Last Week: No. 8
Michigan State entered this season as a top-15 team in the nation and they have done nothing to drop. The Spartans might already have two losses but both came against strong teams in Kansas (by five in the season-opener) and Louisville (in OT on the road). On the plus side, the team holds wins over UCLA, Texas, Iowa, and Florida. They have also won six consecutive games and have four wins away from home.
In terms of individual production, it is hard to find a better performer in the country than Nick Ward on a per-minute basis. To this point in the year, the 6-foot-8 forward has been absolutely dominant in seemingly all facets of the game while averaging 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in just 21.8 minutes per game. Additionally, point guard Cassius Winston is leading the team in scoring at 17.5 points per game while shooting 45.0% from three.
To put it simply, this is one of the most efficient offenses in the country and they are playing at a fairly quick pace as well. The Big Ten is full of elite defenses but even they will have trouble slowing down this high-octane attack. MSU might not be the favorite to win the conference right now (more on Michigan in a bit) but they are surely one of the top contenders.