Outside of a few matchups in the coming days, the non-conference slate in NCAA Basketball is about completed. There have been a number of teams that have stood out as national title contenders, while others have massively underachieved and are nowhere near the top-25 rankings.
For this week’s edition, here’s a power ranking of the 25 best teams before the start of conference play.
Honorable Mention: Drake - 12-0
The Bulldogs are one of four teams left in NCAA Basketball without a loss. But with Miami and Kansas State being underachieving teams, their resume isn’t good enough to be in the top 25. But they’re the clear favorite to win the MVC regular-season title, led by star guard Bennett Stirtz (17.5 ppg and 5.9 apg).
HM: Baylor Bears - 8-3
The Bears lost to its three toughest opponents on the schedule (Gonzaga, Tennessee, and UConn) but do have wins over Arkansas and St. John’s. Miami transfer Norchad Omier has been the top player for Baylor, leading them with 16.2 ppg and 10.6 rpg.
HM: Ole Miss Rebels - 11-2
Although they’re coming off a loss at Memphis, the Rebels still have wins over BYU and Louisville in a solid non-con slate. Virginia Tech transfer Sean Pedulla has been the team’s most impactful newcomer, averaging 14.7 ppg and 3.8 apg on 41% shooting from deep.