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NCAA Basketball top 25 power rankings: Tennessee and Villanova rise, Alabama falls

By Joey Loose

Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler (1) drives to the goal during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Arizona Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021.Kns Vols Arizona Hoops Bp
Tennessee guard Kennedy Chandler (1) drives to the goal during a basketball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Arizona Wildcats at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021.Kns Vols Arizona Hoops Bp /
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NCAA Basketball Bennedict Mathurin Arizona Wildcats (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball Bennedict Mathurin Arizona Wildcats (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) /

8. Arizona (11-1)

After two decades building history as an assistant at Gonzaga, Tommy Lloyd took over Arizona this past offseason and the results have been immediate. It’s still early, but these Wildcats look like they’re going to be a contender again, especially after jumping to an 11-0 start this season. Arizona has played great basketball and is already exceeding expectations, but can they maintain the momentum?

The big first step was an 18-point win over Michigan back in November, but that was just the beginning for these Wildcats. They got another huge win in mid-December, knocking off a talented Illinois team on the road. Throw in a number of other solid wins and you have eleven straight wins to start the season. This past Wednesday, the Wildcats fell for the first time this season, losing on the road to a very talented Tennessee team.

Upcoming games at UCLA and USC have been scratched due to COVID protocols, meaning Arizona’s chance to get back on the wagon will come against a struggling Washington team. This Arizona defense is now top 10 in efficiency, while Bennedict Mathurin has really emerged this season on both sides of the ball. Arizona looks the part of a top team this season, though it’ll be interesting to see how they fare against some of the other solid teams in the Pac-12, though it’s not exactly the strongest conference again this season.

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