NCAA Basketball: Ranking the unbeaten teams that aren’t ranked in 2020-21

There are nine NCAA Basketball teams who are currently unranked and have a minimum of five wins entering week 5 play. Which ones are the best right now?

There have been multiple mid-major NCAA Basketball programs that have done well this season due to major conferences unable to play at most seven multiple non-conference games.

Mid-majors teams such as SMU and Drake who are both undefeated have not been given respect this season by both of them not being ranked in the top 25. However, even the three Power Five teams in these power rankings have not been given the respect that they may deserve as they have all won at least seven games and are undefeated after week four play.

There also were teams like Winthrop and Chattanooga who entered this weekend undefeated and hope to remain undefeated after Saturday.

Let’s take a look at nine teams and how they ranked in the undefeated unranked rankings.

9. The Citadel Bulldogs

Team: The Citadel

Conference: Southern

Record: 7-0

Victories: North Carolina A&T, @ Longwood, Presbyterian, Piedmont, Toccoa Falls, Columbia International, and Carver College.

KenPom ranking: 315

Leading Scorer: Hayden Brown is averaging 21.2 points per game.

Why they are undefeated: Their offense is the main reason that the Bulldogs are undefeated. They have scored 91 points or more five times and scored over 100 points two times. Their defense against non-division one opponents is very solid as they had three games where they contained the opposing team’s offense and held them to only 58 or fewer points.

The offense is the reason though why they are defeated especially of late as they have scored 91 plus points in their last five games this season. The Citadel has won a road game which a good portion of division one teams have still failed to do.

Reasons to be Pessimistic: The level of competition for the Citadel has not been very challenging. They have played four non-division one teams and the three division one teams they have defeated have a combined record of 6-18.

Next Opponent:  UNC Greensboro on 12/30

Team: Winthrop

Conference: Big Sky

Record: 5-0

Victories: @South Carolina Upstate (twice), UNC Greensboro (neutral court), Little Rock (neutral court), and Furman

KenPom ranking: 99

Leading Scorer: Charles Falden and Adonis Arms are both averaging 12.8 points per game.

Why they are undefeated: Their defense is why the Eagle is undefeated as Winthrop is a defensive lockdown machine that has been able to limit opposing teams’ ability to put points on the scoreboard this season. The Eagles defense has not given up more than 77 points a game this season. Their offense has been consistent, they have scored over 95 points in both games against South Carolina Upstate.

Their season-high was achieved when they put up 107 and they have scored 80 or more points in their last four games. They have won four of their five games not on their home court which is very impressive. Three of their wins have been against teams that currently have winning records.

Reasons to be Pessimistic: Like the Citadel, the level of competition that they have faced has not been overly challenging. The two wins over South Carolina Upstate are not that impressive as the Spartans are winless at this point of the season. Winthrop does not have at this time, a strong opponent remaining on their schedule but that could change as they could technically schedule two more non-conference games.

Next Opponent: Campbell on 12/30