NCAA Basketball: Kansas State, Providence on the rise on latest top 25 power ranking

4. Alabama (13-2)

Nate Oats certainly seems to know what he’s doing down in Tuscaloosa. The Crimson Tide have played a rough slate in the past five or six weeks and have come through that stretch looking like one of the nation’s elite teams. Wins against Michigan State, North Carolina, and Mississippi State look good but it’s that road win at then-unbeaten Houston that shines above all the others. That string of great play continued this past week.

The week began with an impressive 84-62 home win over Ole Miss, continuing a run of misfortune for those Rebels. Freshman star Brandon Miller led the Crimson Tide with 17 points while Mark Sears added 16 points and 6 rebounds in the easy win. Their performance on Saturday was far more impressive, totally manhandling Kentucky in a 78-52 rout. Miller (19 points, 7 rebounds) and Sears (16 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals) were both electric again as the defense smothered the Wildcats, limiting them to just 29% from the field.

Now 3-0 in SEC play and winners of eight of their last nine games, the Crimson Tide continue to prove that they belong in that top echelon of basketball teams. There’s no question that the SEC is full of challenges, especially with some of these road games, but they’ve won their first three conference games each by double digits and look the part of the potential favorite in this league. They’ll get one of those road tests next week as they head to Arkansas before a weekend date at home with LSU.