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NCAA Basketball: Auburn, Florida, Mississippi State rise in latest top 25 power rankings

Auburn Tigers guard Miles Kelly (13) takes a jump shot as Auburn Tigers take on Purdue Boilermakers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Auburn Tigers lead Purdue Boilermakers 41-26 at halftime.
Auburn Tigers guard Miles Kelly (13) takes a jump shot as Auburn Tigers take on Purdue Boilermakers at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. Auburn Tigers lead Purdue Boilermakers 41-26 at halftime. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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15. Connecticut (10-3)

The only thing preventing the two-time national champions from a perfect season is a very imperfect trip to Maui. The Huskies looked extremely mortal during three straight losses in Hawaii but have responded nicely since returning to the mainland. Recent wins over Baylor, Texas, and Gonzaga really heightened our expectations once again, but would this team keep rolling once Big East play began?

Their first conference game was a doozy, as the Huskies survived at home in a 94-89 overtime thriller over Xavier. The defense struggled to stop the Musketeers, but Solo Ball had 22 points while Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. added 20 points apiece in a nice win. Another close call came on Saturday, but UConn put together a 78-74 road win against Butler. Alex Karaban had 21 points and 6 rebounds while the team shot 46% from the 3.

Now winners of six straight games, the Huskies have spent the last month eliminating doubts from the Maui Invitational, though a few questions still remain. Their defense really let them down during that event and some of those issues reared up against Xavier earlier this week. This team has immense talent and experience but do they have the ability to keep up when hungry Big East teams are scoring at will against them?