With just a few weeks left of conference play throughout college basketball, it’s cool to note the teams left that haven’t lost a game in their respective conferences. After North Dakota State’s loss on Thursday and UConn falling at St. John’s on Friday night, there are only five teams left without a blemish to their conference peers.
Last year, zero teams ultimately went unbeaten in league play. But the way these teams played, there’s a chance that at least one could get there. Here’s a closer look at each team’s remaining conference opponents and their odds of winning them all before Championship Week gets here.
Arizona Wildcats - 22-0 (9-0 Big 12)
The Wildcats have gotten past their toughest part of the schedule, landing non-conference wins over Florida, UConn, Auburn, UCLA, and Alabama. Plus, they got a road win over BYU last week. Arizona has two of the best freshmen in the nation in Koa Peat and Brayden Burries, while senior Jaden Bradley (13.9 ppg and 4.5 apg) is one of the best point guards in the nation.
Toughest games remaining
- At Kansas
- Texas Tech
- BYU
- At Houston
- Kansas
- Iowa State
That’s six ranked teams the Wildcats still have to face, including two of the toughest venues in the nation. Playing star freshman Darryn Peterson twice at Kansas will be a difficult task in itself, with the Big 12 arguably the toughest league when it comes to the top teams. Odds are great that Arizona will lose at least one of them, but they’re still a national title contender.
Sell
Duke Blue Devils - 21-1 (10-0 ACC)
After a few close games to open league play, Duke has been dominant in the past few weeks, including 20+ point wins over Louisville and Wake Forest. They’re led by one of the best players in the nation, Cameron Boozer (23.3 ppg and 9.9 rpg), and have one of the best team defenses in the country as well.
Toughest ACC games remaining
- At UNC
- Clemson
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- At NC State
The toughest game left for Duke is actually a non-con game against Michigan on the 21st. But while the ACC is as good as it's been in a few years at the top, the opportunities left for one of them to beat Duke are slim, with the local battles at UNC and NC State representing the best chances. But if this team plays its A or even B games, it should be able to win.
Buy
Liberty Flames - 19-3 (11-0 Conference USA)
The Flames won CUSA last year with a 13-5 record but are clearly better this time around, with five double-digit scorers on the season, led by sophomore guard Brett Decker Jr. (17.3 ppg). The defense remains elite, while the offense is as potent as it's been in years.
Toughest games remaining
- At Kennesaw State
- At Jacksonville
- Sam Houston
Several of the Flames' remaining home games are against the current bottom teams in the standings, except for the regular-season finale against second-place Sam Houston. But the away games include the top half of the league, with a road trip to Kennesaw and Jacksonville in late February likely deciding whether they can do it. Liberty had close calls with them at home earlier, and while they’re the clear favorites in the league, the Flames likely will lose to one of them.
Sell
Miami (OH) - 23-0 (11-0 MAC)
Joining Arizona as the other unbeaten team is Miami, which, despite a notable 363rd-ranked SOS, has yet to lose. They’re a balanced unit, with six double-digit scorers on the year, led by Brant Byers with 15.2 ppg. The Redhawks have been close as of late, including a narrow road win over Buffalo this past week.
Toughest MAC games remaining
- At Ohio
- At UMass
- Toledo
- Ohio
The Redhawks play Akron and Kent State only once this season, and they have already beaten both. Ohio has been a consistent quality MAC program and should put up a fight, while UMass has been feisty in most of its games. Maybe if they lose to Marshall this weekend in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge, that’ll free them up the rest of the way without the pressure of an unbeaten season. But right now, it’s hard to envision them running the gauntlet without tripping up once.
Sell
Saint Louis Billikens - 22-1 (10-0 Atlantic 10)
Unlike Miami (OH), Saint Louis had lots of expectations coming into this season. They’ve somehow surpassed them with their play, having a top-10 scoring offense, with eight players averaging between 8 and 13 ppg. They recently dropped 101 points on Dayton and have blown out most of their A-10 competition.
Toughest games remaining
- VCU
- At Dayton
- At George Mason
VCU and George Mason are the clear next-best teams in the A-10 after Saint Louis, with the road regular-season finale at the Patriots being the Game of the Year in the league. And sweeping the Flyers will not be easy, especially after their recent blowout defeat. It’s very difficult for a team to go unbeaten in A-10 play, but this is a special Billikens roster that can beat you in many ways. If they can get past GMU, then 18-0 will be theirs.
Buy