NCAA Basketball: Kentucky, Purdue, Wisconsin rise in latest top 25 power rankings
By Joey Loose
1. Kansas (4-0)
The Jayhawks aren’t sitting at the top of polls like this because of any type of fluke. Bill Self has put together an extremely talented squad that will only continue coming into their own as the season progresses. Any team returning an All-American center like Hunter Dickinson is going to be in great shape, let alone all the backcourt talent and new transfers around him in Lawrence.
The week began at the Champions Classic with success, as the Jayhawks dealt with Michigan State 77-69 in Atlanta. Dickinson starred with 28 points and 12 rebounds in a game where the defense played tough. After taking care of the Spartans, the Jayhawks were back home to finish off the week, beating Oakland 78-57 on Saturday afternoon. AJ Storr’s 16 points off the bench led the fight as the Jayhawks shot 57% from the field for another win.
This is an electric roster that can beat anyone this season, especially if Dickinson keeps playing this way in his fifth collegiate season. While the Jayhawks are still figuring out the who’s who in the rest of the rotation, the pure talent on this squad is sensational; we didn’t mention elite point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. or other transfers like Zeke Mayo. Next week’s only contest is at home against UNC Wilmington, meaning even more time for Self and his staff to configure these lineups.
This marks the end of this week’s run through the Top 25 rankings and the best teams in the nation right now. Which of these teams will make the best impression in the coming weeks? Which ones won’t we see in the rankings by this time next week?