NCAA Basketball: Duke, Michigan State fall in latest top 25 power ranking

12. Florida Atlantic (1-0)

Last season was a legendary performance at Florida Atlantic in every sense of the word. Not only did the Owls win a crazy amount of games, but they marched all the way to the Final Four as a 9-seed, losing only on a buzzer beater to San Diego State. Expectations remain high in Boca Raton, as nearly every player (and every starter) from that Final Four team is back, thrusting the Owls right back into the national spotlight and the rankings.

Surprisingly enough, the opening week did not include Florida Atlantic’s home opener, as they’ll have to wait until next week to raise that Final Four banner. For their lone performance this week, the Owls headed to Chicago and came away with a 75-62 win against Loyola-Chicago, beating a Ramblers program that had its own Cinderella run to the Final Four just half a decade earlier. The Owls held serve, getting 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks from Vladislav Goldin in a phenomenal performance.

While those Ramblers were coming off a rough season last year, they providing an intriguing early test for a Florida Atlantic squad hoping to prove that they belong. The Owls won a ton of games last year and will have a chance to repeat the feat in their first season in the AAC, though a few more challenges await in the nonconference slate. Those challenges don’t come next week, as they’ll welcome Eastern Michigan and Bryant to Boca Raton.