18. BYU (4-0)
It’s pretty much the case that no matter what happens in the rest of the WCC, Gonzaga is going to be the top dog in the conference. That being said, what BYU has done already this season is extremely impressive, especially as a mid-major program in Gonzaga’s shadow. Last week they got great home wins over Cleveland State and San Diego State, but a 32-point victory over #12 Oregon in Portland is another level of impressive. Throw in Saturday night’s win over Central Methodist and it’s clear that BYU is rolling.
Alex Barcello (25 points against the Ducks) and this BYU offense has been efficient, while the defense hasn’t given up more than 61 points yet in a game. They’ve handled two of their toughest non-Gonzaga games of the season and this Cougars team gets better with each game. It remains to be seen how they’ll match up with BYU in a few months, but this team looks like a tough matchup.
17. Auburn (3-0)
Bruce Pearl has led quite the revival at Auburn, including that Final Four run back in 2019, and has another top 25 team on his hands this season. The Tigers played just a single game this past week, a rough effort on the road against South Florida, albeit a 58-52 victory. Auburn’s offense mightily struggled against the Bulls and trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half, but they did enough to win the game.
Offensive struggles cannot continue for Auburn, especially when they start playing teams like Alabama and Kentucky in SEC play, but there’s still time for them to work the kinks out of the offense. They can afford these kinds of games against South Florida, but they can’t do this against Connecticut next week or in a few months in SEC play. These next few games will go a long way to telling us how real this Auburn team is this season.
16. Seton Hall (3-0)
Back on Sunday, Seton Hall beat Yale 80-44 in a smothering defensive effort that stood out to several people. It was their second big win of the season, though this one was against a slightly stronger opponent. However, what they did two days later was a bit more impressive, heading to Ann Arbor and leaving with a win over #4 Michigan in a 67-65 decision. The Pirates missed more than twenty 3-pointers but made enough shots and defensive stops to pull off this biggest upset of the season to date.
The Pirates’ defense is now 15th in defensive efficiency and it’s been on full display. They have a balanced offensive attack, which does enough even when the outside shots aren’t falling, and have one of the best exterior defenses in the nation. Next week starts off fast for the Pirates at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, facing Ohio State on Monday and then either Florida or California a few days later. Next week is another opportunity for the Pirates to prove they belong in the national conversation; the team that can still be dynamic even without Myles Powell.