4. Arizona (9-0)
Preseason expectations can be ignored here because no matter what we thought of Arizona before the season, they’ve proven us wrong. The Wildcats have run off nine straight wins to start the season, an already impressive feat, but it’s about who they’ve beaten and how they’ve done it.
They already had that big win over Michigan then picked up three more wins this week, including two on the road. They got Pac-12 play off to a great start with a 90-65 win at Oregon State, then handed Wyoming their first loss of the season in an easy 94-65 victory. The Wildcats got their most impressive win of the season at Illinois, pounding out an 83-79 win on the road.
The Wildcats look like the real deal, and those two Big Ten wins are just part of their fantastic start to the season. The offense has been dynamic and the defense ranks in the top 10 in the efficiency rankings. They get home dates with Northern Colorado and Cal Baptist this week, two games that should add to their win total and give them their last chance to catch their breath before Pac-12 play begins in late December.
3. Duke (7-1)
It’s been more than two weeks since the Blue Devils knocked off #1 Gonzaga, though that remains their most recent win. They haven’t played a game in nearly two weeks, with their most recent effort being that tough loss at Ohio State back on November 30th. Even before this long break, the Blue Devils were playing some impressive basketball and looked like one of the top teams in the nation, though they’ll have to wait a few more weeks for their next challenging effort.
The ACC is not looking great this year, but Duke has already beaten Kentucky and Gonzaga and look like they should run away with their conference this season. They’ll get back on the court this next week, with home games against South Carolina State, Appalachian State, and Cleveland State; not exactly a murderer’s row after their recent pair of games.
Still, the Blue Devils get a chance to get back on the court and prove to the nation that they belong at or near the top of the rankings, especially since they’ll likely be expected to win virtually every game once ACC play begins.