NCAA Basketball top 25 rankings: Gonzaga, Providence rise, Alabama falls

5. Arizona (11-0)

Any season that begins with eleven straight wins is already shaping up to be a fantastic season and there’s no doubt that there’s excitement buzzing for the Wildcats. Not only has Arizona run their record to a perfect 11-0, but they’ve done so with some impressive performances, including games away from home against Michigan and Illinois. This past week was more simple, scoring a 101-76 win over Northern Colorado and an 84-60 triumph over Cal Baptist, getting a nice 19-point effort from Azuolas Tubelis in the latter.

Defensively, the Wildcats have played much better than expected and it’s a major reason why this is a top team just one month into Tommy Lloyd’s tenure as head coach. With the weapons they have on both sides of the ball, it’s no wonder that this program is firing on all cylinders at this point. However great the unbeaten start has been, it will get tested in a major way. The Wildcats’ next four games are on the road, starting next Wednesday at Tennessee before some tough Pac-12 road trips.

Arizona is firing on all cylinders in the early going, but is that a trend that’s going to continue? Pac-12 play will provide its share of challenges, but in all seriousness, this isn’t the strongest conference. Last year was a fantastic postseason showing for the Pac-12, but this season it might be Arizona’s time to shine in the national spotlight.