On a nightly basis we continue to learn and relearn that college basketball is an incredible sport. We’re still in November, months away from the postseason and the spectacle of March Madness and yet there have been crazy moments, games, and performance each and every day. Whether it’s a game-winner, a standout effort, a crazy upset, or something in between, this sport continues to deliver.
Many have been moved by recent triple overtime stunners and crazy shots, but the best teams in the nation clearly get most of the attention, especially this time of year. In fact, we’re in the time of year where the holiday tournaments are underway, attracting schools to notable locations for impressive neutral-court matchups before and around Thanksgiving. We’ve barely scratched the surface on those events but already seen some thrills.
November won’t end until many more bigtime matchups, but let’s not act like we haven’t been treated to numerous ranked showdowns already. It’s been an oddly exciting start to the college basketball season and that transcends to beyond those games. Even with the transfer portal and other major changes, college basketball is here to stay and continues to deliver, from the top ranked teams to the forgotten mid-majors alike.
Clearly today’s focus is on those top ranked teams as we give our weekly update to the Top 25 rankings. It’s been just three weeks so we’re still extremely far away from this being anything of an indicative ranking of what’s to come. We’ve simply seen each team play a number of games and we’re giving our best effort to rank the best of the best right now. We’ll see if you agree with our placements and especially who we’ve selected near the bottom of the list this week.
25. Saint Mary’s (6-0)
Randy Bennett can’t really surprise us at this point, as he’s spent a quarter century keeping Saint Mary’s as a prominent mid-major program. The Gaels have been awesome in recent years and certainly have gotten this year started on the right foot. In the early weeks of the season this team has been kicking butt against some strong mid-major foes, blowing out Ohio and North Texas this past week alone.
While it wasn’t as much of a blowout, the Gaels secured another solid win on Wednesday getting an 85-72 victory over Arkansas State. Paulius Murauskas had 24 points and 9 rebounds while Andrew McKeever starred with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Back in blowout form, Saint Mary’s used a strong second half to blow the doors off UC Merced in a 96-42 win on Saturday night. Joshua Dent led the scoring with 24 points as the Gaels coasted to 6-0.
Everything has gone according to plan and it’s hard not to give the Gaels some respect for their early work. Yes they aren’t beating ranked teams or power conference stalwarts but they’ve made strong opposition look insignificant and are riding quite the start to this year. They’re next off to the Battle 4 Atlantis while looking to make a real statement, starting Wednesday against Wichita State.
24. Indiana (5-0)
Basketball history at Indiana has seemingly been a long and winding road filled with underachievement in recent memory. Darian DeVries is desperately trying to change that trajectory and he certainly has his first season in town off to a good start. The Indiana offense was operating at a high level in the first weeks of the season, including in that resounding 23-point win over Marquette.
The offense wasn’t quite operating at the same level but the Hoosiers did enough last Sunday to win 69-61 over Incarnate Word. Despite poor outside shooting, Indiana got 16 points from Sam Alexis and 14 points from Tucker DeVries in another win at home. The Hoosiers were back on the court with a 73-53 win against Lindenwood on Thursday, getting 25 points from DeVries in a stellar performance.
It’s true that Indiana hasn’t played the same level of schedule as some of the top contenders in the Big Ten but it’s hard to argue against the initial results here for DeVries and his new Hoosiers. Obviously, there will be many games in the weeks and months ahead that show us what this team is really about, especially after two less impressive showings on offense this week. They’ll host Kansas State right before the holiday and Bethune Cookman right after with the very real potential of 7-0.
23. NC State (4-0)
The expectations with Will Wade’s arrival at NC State were that this program would be in a better situation in the long term. The short term hasn’t been too bad either, as the Wolfpack are off to a perfect start in their first season. While this team hasn’t necessarily faced the toughest challenges, they did make easy work of a talented UAB squad a few weeks ago and just kept winning this week.
Their lone test was way back on Monday as NC State won 85-79 at home over VCU. While not their best game in the early going, the Wolfpack found a way to get the job done with another solid offensive performance. Darrion Williams showcased his immense talent with a 28-point, 7-rebound performance while Tre Holloman added 25 points himself in the win.
Regardless of how you look at things, NC State has four wins they deserved already under their belt. These new pieces like Williams and Holloman came with high expectations and are delivering early, though we’ve yet to really see this team properly tested. Next week casts some light on the Wolfpack as they head to the Maui Invitational, beginning Monday against Seton Hall. A few weeks from now we’ll certainly know a lot more about Wade’s crew.
22. Vanderbilt (5-0)
Not every team is playing a murderous nonconference slate but it’s still important to weigh teams against each other in the right way. Vanderbilt has a great double-digit win at UCF and a slew of solid wins at home, but the metrics really like the Commodores this season and it’s hard to argue against what we’ve seen. Mark Byington engineered a great turnaround last year in Nashville and might have even bigger things ahead in year two.
Despite some streaky shooting from Texas Southern, the Commodores easily dispatched of the Tigers on Thursday in a 109-74 win. Vanderbilt put together another outstanding offensive performance and has scored 100 points in four of their five games to date. Both Tyler Nickel and Tyler Tanner had 20 points apiece in another easy contest.
There are some questions about the defense that will be addressed or answered further into the season, but it’s hard not to enjoy what the Commodores have produced already. This team is regularly eclipsing the century mark and has a balanced offense that imposes its will inside the arc. That first chance to really prove their strength comes at the Battle 4 Atlantis next week, beginning with a matchup against Western Kentucky in just a few days.
21. Arkansas (5-1)
Something that John Calipari has thrived at throughout his collegiate coaching career has been bringing talent into his programs. He’s done that once again with the Razorbacks and is hoping to make an even bigger splash in year two in Fayetteville. His Razorbacks blew a big chance at Michigan State a few weeks ago and are fresh off a close call against Samford, but surely they could break into another gear?
The immediate answer was no, as Arkansas barely scraped by Winthrop on Tuesday, clinging to an 84-83 victory. They survived a really rough effort on defense thanks to 26 points from freshman Meleek Thomas off the bench. Fortunately, Friday was more what Calipari and the Arkansas faithful are used to seeing, as the Razorbacks won 115-61 in a blowout against Jackson State. Malique Ewin scored 21 points and was one of 7 Arkansas players in double figures, including a double-double from Karter Knox.
Close calls against Samford and Winthrop don’t exactly help Arkansas’s cause, but the Razorbacks have at least avoided the bad loss early this season. This team is certainly still figuring things out and coming together, but frankly it needs to happen very quickly if they want to remain in the national rankings. Arkansas has a Thanksgiving battle against Duke in just a few days and have three more very tough nonconference games in the next month.
20. Auburn (4-1)
Some alarm bells went off in Auburn on opening night for Steven Pearl’s head coaching debut as the Tigers needed overtime to take care of Bethune Cookman. While many have been wary of the Tigers since that performance, this team has actually stabilized since that dreadful start. After a pair of blowout wins, Auburn entered this past week with a real opportunity to prove something.
Unfortunately, they came up just short, falling 73-72 against top-ranked Houston last Sunday in Birmingham. Keyshawn Hall was impressive with 20 points and 11 rebounds but the Tigers just needed one more shot or play to go their way. After proving they belonged against a top team, Auburn was back in blowout mode on Wednesday, winning 112-66 over Jackson State. KeShawn Murphy had 19 points, Filip Jovic scored 18, and the Tigers made quick work of another lowly mid-major foe.
Ever since opening night, Auburn has been playing at a fantastic level on offense. They don’t have a truly impressive win yet, but are scoring nearly 100 points a game when not playing Houston’s elite defense, and nearly pulled off quite the win against those Cougars this past weekend. Regardless, Auburn really gets that chance to show their mettle at the Players Era Festival, with guaranteed matchups against Oregon and Michigan very soon.
19. UCLA (5-1)
Had everything gone according to plan, Mick Cronin’s group would’ve finished the job last week and knocked off Arizona, but your lone blemish being to those Wildcats isn’t the end of the world. Suffice to say, UCLA hasn’t exactly looked overpowering to begin this season but this team has the talent to make noise in the Big Ten and finally started to display that this week.
Fresh off that effort, the Bruins secured a blowout win over Sacramento State in a 79-48 effort. That Tuesday night game saw 15 points and 10 rebounds from Eric Dailey Jr. and great defense from the Bruins as a team. The action on Friday was thankfully more of the same, as UCLA coasted 86-46 in another blowout against Presbyterian. Skyy Clark stood out with 22 points, Donovan Dent added 14 points and 5 assists, and the Bruins shot well and played strong defense again.
After a few questionable games in the first weeks of the season, UCLA seems to be back into their mojo as Dent is back in the lineup. He’s expected to be the star for the Bruins and when he starts to step up we could really see the Bruins doing serious week. Next up is the Empire Classic in San Francisco and a matchup with former league rival California, but there’s no shortage of chances for Dent and this lineup to prove themselves ahead.
18. North Carolina (5-0)
To this point it’s hard to find too much to complain about in Chapel Hill, though we’re still very early in this season. Hubert Davis’s team has won all of their games to this point, but they’ve yet to play away from home, even hosting Kansas for that nice win a few weeks ago. We’ve seen great work out of new faces like Henri Veesaar and Caleb Wilson but we’re still in the process of seeing just what the ceiling is for these Tar Heels.
We honestly didn’t learn much this week, as the only game for the Tar Heels was a 73-61 win over Navy. That Tuesday effort wasn’t the most inspiring, but North Carolina did what they needed to get to a 5-0 start on the season. Wilson led all players with 23 points and 12 rebounds in another great performance while Luka Bogavac added 16 points and 6 rebounds himself.
An underwhelming start to the season from the Jayhawks may have downplayed North Carolina’s big early win, but this team is simply beating who’s on their schedule. They’ve had a few blowouts and have won every game by double figures, but we’ll have to see how this team handles stiffer opposition this upcoming week. After all, they’ll be down at the Fort Myers Tip-Off, getting a look at St. Bonaventure and Michigan State very soon.
17. Tennessee (5-0)
Recent results out of Tennessee have been great, as the Volunteers have had a few deep postseason runs and maintained their standing as a top team in the SEC. A few new faces in Knoxville are looking to continue that success for this program and are achieving that in the early weeks of the season, though it’s hard to truly judge a Tennessee team that has yet to leave home or play a strong opponent.
Monday brought probably their toughest test in the early season and that’s saying a lot, seeing as how they dispatched of Rice in a 91-66 win. Felix Okpara had 20 points and 8 rebounds while Nate Ament added 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Volunteers soared again. Things were no different on Thursday, with the Volunteers winning 89-60 against Tennessee State. This time it was new point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie leading the charge with 17 points and 5 assists, with another 15 points out of Ament in the team’s fifth-straight win.
The work has been pretty good but it’s all come from the confines of Nashville against mid-major foes. The Volunteers have showcased a solid offense and impressive defense but we can’t really pass judgment on where this team could be as the season develops. We’ll learn a lot about their potential at the Players Era Festival in the days ahead, with a major opportunity looming against Houston right before the holiday.
16. Kentucky (4-2)
A new direction is still being worked out for a Kentucky program that went to the Sweet Sixteen in their first year under Mark Pope. That great first result hasn’t necessarily calmed all complaints and the early play this season is only adding to those question marks. When they’re playing inferior opponents, this Kentucky team can really take advantage of teams, but it’s been those other games where the trouble has brewed.
That trouble really showed up on Tuesday night in New York, as the Wildcats were outdone 83-66 by Michigan State in the Champions Classic. A struggle from beginning to end, Kentucky got 12 points from Otega Oweh but some rough shooting in the loss. Friday was the opposite once again, as the Wildcats made quick work of Loyola Maryland in an 88-46 blowout win. All five starters scored in double figures including 13 points apiece from Collin Chandler and Kam Williams while significantly outrebounding the Greyhounds.
These losses to Louisville and now Michigan State begin an upsetting trend that isn’t necessarily new in Lexington. Kentucky has been a monster at home against weak foes but their two marquee matchups outside of Lexington have not ended well. There are problems for this talented rotation to fix and time to get to that, as the Wildcats’ only game this upcoming week is against Tennessee Tech and will likely be a fifth blowout victory.
15. Iowa State (4-0)
The work has again been fantastic out of Iowa State as the earliest weeks of the season have seen this team imposing their will on their opposition. Last week’s 16-point win over Mississippi State was the clear highlight and you can’t ignore a win over an SEC opponent, even if the rest of the early schedule has been underwhelming. Regardless, T. J. Otzelberger’s squad has taken care of who lines up across from them and that definitely continued this week.
Business was conducted yet again on Monday night, as Iowa State won 96-57 in another good showing against Stonehill. Both Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey had 23 points apiece as the Cyclones shot 59% from the floor as a team. Most of the scoring came from a strong starting five in another brilliant performance.
The interior offense has been very impressive, as the Cyclones are among the nation’s leaders in 2-point field goal percentage. Obviously, this team has their eyes on the Big 12 title race and will play much stronger foes in the near future, but these games have been a great starting point for a team still adjusting to a few new faces. That trial by fire comes immediately at the Players Era Festival with an initial matchup against St. John’s and two more games in Las Vegas to follow.
14. Illinois (5-1)
An unmistakable shift has happened in Champaign under Brad Underwood’s leadership and there’s another sort of shift this season there as well. The Fighting Illini have a roster packed with talent and it’s got more international flair than ever before. This team impressed with a nice win over Texas Tech last week and are now starting to get all of their talent healthy an on the court.
Unfortunately, the first loss of the season came their way, as Illinois fell 90-86 to Alabama in Chicago on Wednesday night. The Illini came out on the wrong side of a great matchup despite 26 points from Andrej Stojakovic and 22 out of Kylan Boswell. There were no struggles on Saturday in Illinois’s 98-58 win against Long Island to close out the weekend. Stojakovic had another 20-point performance as the Illini shot 63% from the floor as a team.
All things considered it’s an acceptable start for Illinois, who are finally starting to get healthy and split their pair of tough games in the opening weeks of this season. Stojakovic, one of those players who missed time early, is really coming into his own and it’s only a matter of time before another great performance out of this frontcourt. Right after Thanksgiving comes the next big challenge, as Underwood’s group heads to New York to face a strong UConn team.
13. Gonzaga (5-0)
Something we’ve certainly learned over the last quarter century is that you have to keep an eye on Gonzaga early in every season. Even when the Bulldogs aren’t loaded with an elite level of talent, this program has a way of making waves in nonconference play. We’re certainly not saying that about this team, as this rendition of Gonzaga has some brilliant playmakers, showcasing that talent with three straight double-digit wins over power conference teams.
No tough battle was had this past week, as Gonzaga soared over Southern Utah with a 122-50 win in a laugher. Virtually everything went right in Spokane for the Bulldogs, led by a 22-point, 6-rebound effort from Braden Huff over the Thunderbirds. They also got 19 points off the bench from Davis Fogle while shooting 68% from the floor as a team.
We learned a lot about this team in their blowout against Creighton and in those other previous wins. Going up more than 70 points on any D1 team is clearly an impressive statement, but the week ahead is where Gonzaga can truly make a statement. The Bulldogs head to the Players Era Festival, an event they’ll begin Monday with a huge matchup against Alabama before two other contests. This right here is when the Bulldogs show us what they’re made of and build that resume.
12. St. John’s (3-1)
We’re not focusing on ancient history here but there were higher preseason expectations for St. John’s this season than anytime in recent memory. Rick Pitino’s work has been on full display already, with the Red Storm truly storming to that Big East championship last year. An impressive group of transfers buoy heightened expectations and even after that recent loss to Alabama there’s still plenty of reason for great things from this program.
Frankly, this wasn’t one of those weeks where we learned much about St. John’s, as the only game was a blowout win. They took care of business on Thursday night, routing Bucknell in a 97-49 victory. The defense was elite while Bryce Hopkins led with 20 points while Dillon Mitchell had a double-double off the bench, just two of the new faces this season helping to pace this success.
Nobody in New York was panicking after that tough home performance against the Crimson Tide two weeks ago. St. John’s is clearly focused on moving forward and legitimately has the talent to be a top team this season. It all depends on how these pieces come together and perform. They’ll get a chance to bounce back against stronger foes at the Players Era Festival, with guaranteed matchups against Iowa State and Baylor in the days to come.
11. Michigan State (5-0)
A perfect start to the season and a strong November already paints a picture about these Spartans. The expectations weren’t quite this high out of the gate, even though Tom Izzo’s team did claim the Big Ten crown last season in another surprise. The Spartans got a nice win over Arkansas in the opening week of the season but built on that success with an even more impressive showing just a few days ago.
That brilliance came Tuesday as Michigan State knocked off a talented Kentucky squad 83-66 in the Champions Classic. Jaxon Kohler emerged with 20 points, Jeremy Fears Jr. had 13 assists, and the Spartans surprised many with a resounding effort in New York City. The work on Friday was just as successful, as the Spartans downed Detroit 84-56 to finish another strong week. Fears had 18 points and 11 assists and lead the fifth straight win for this team.
In the first few weeks, there were legitimate concerns about Michigan State’s outside shooting, but that part of their game came alive in the win over Kentucky. If the Spartans offense has truly turned a new leaf, then this is a team that can contend for another Big Ten title and even make some noise on the national level; after all they’ve already been doing that here. They next head to the Fort Myers Tip-Off which includes a notable matchup against North Carolina.
10. Florida (4-1)
The expectations for a team always skyrocket coming off a national title but with the talent accumulated in Gainesville that was for a good reason. Todd Golden’s crew lost on opening night in a tough battle against Arizona but has been spending these first few weeks of the season clawing back from that early blemish.
Another solid step came back on Sunday, as the Gators won 82-68 over in-state rival Miami. Alex Condon had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Thomas Haugh added 17 points, and the frontcourt carried the load in Jacksonville. Friday brought far less excitement, as Florida coasted to an 80-45 win against Merrimack. The Gators’ fourth win in a row came thanks to Condon, with 20 points and 11 rebounds, and a fantastic night from Rueben Chinyelu, who had 14 points and 21 rebounds.
You’ll notice in discussing those recent games that we pointed out brilliant work from the returning forwards from the national title team. The issue in Florida is the new pieces not living up to the early expectations, as both Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee have underwhelmed and the long-range shooting has been cold at times. Next on the agenda is a trip to San Diego for the Rady Children’s Invitational, starting off against a TCU team that the Gators hope to make a statement against.
9. BYU (4-1)
Not even the most talented team in the nation is going to be perfect from start to finish of the college basketball season and BYU spent this past week proving that early struggles weren’t truly indicative. After all, the Cougars entered the season with immense expectations, though their only blemish was understandable close loss to a very strong UConn team. Still, BYU sleepwalked through their game against Delaware and couldn’t afford to repeat that behavior.
Their effort in Salt Lake City this past week was the opposite of that, as the Cougars beat a ranked Wisconsin team 98-70 in a resounding performance. The Big 3 of the Cougars each showed up in a major way, led by 26 points from Richie Saunders. Freshman stud AJ Dybantsa added 18 points while Robert Wright III had a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists against the Badgers.
When on their game, BYU has one of the best offenses in the entire nation, and they certainly showed that this past Friday afternoon. The problems come up when someone else needs to take charge, as the Cougars are looking for reliable options outside of their top three players. Regardless, BYU couldn’t have played much better against the Badgers and now head to Florida for the ESPN Events Invitational, getting exciting games against Miami and Dayton.
8. Alabama (3-1)
There’s something of a major disparity between certain teams at this point in the season. Some programs are staying at home and having easy starts to the season, whereas Alabama has been greatly challenged already. The Crimson Tide have had massive ballgames in each of the first three weeks of the season, winning at St. John’s and then losing at home to Purdue.
Fortunately, Alabama was back in the win column in this week’s big event, heading to Chicago and getting a 90-86 win over a Top 10 Illinois team back on Wednesday night. Labaron Philon Jr. was impressive all night with 24 points and 5 assists while Amari Allen neared a double-double off the bench. Alabama made enough shots and plays late to take care of the Illini.
Questions may remain about where this Alabama team can go this season but there’s no question that Nate Oats challenges his team. The Crimson Tide now possess two extremely impressive wins away from home that should only age well as the season continues, and they’re far from done with the big time battles. This team heads to the Players Era Festival and has a fourth-straight ranked team waiting for them in Gonzaga on Monday night; can they make another statement?
7. Michigan (4-0)
The very fabric of Michigan basketball has evolved and changed drastically since Dusty May came to campus a year and a half ago. The Wolverines were back in national contention and they aren’t exactly a Top 10 team this season by accident. An impressive offseason splurge of transfer talent has Michigan not just competing for a Big Ten title but in the thick of things in those national conversations yet again.
After being tested twice last week, it was a much simpler time for the Wolverines, who won their only game of the week at home 86-61 over Middle Tennessee. Michigan put together their best defensive performance of the early season while getting a 25-point, 12-rebound effort out of Yaxel Lendeborg, one of those key transfers. Aday Mara also had a double-double as the Wolverines survived a cold shooting night from beyond the arc.
There are no losses on this resume after three weeks but there are still reasons for concern in Ann Arbor. May’s lineup is still coming together with all these new pieces and they had really close calls earlier against both TCU and Wake Forest. There’s also been a pair of nights where the 3-pointers just weren’t falling, but this tough frontcourt helps alleviate those concerns. We’ll see if they’re enough to make major waves at the Players Era Festival, with contests at least against Auburn and San Diego State next week.
6. Connecticut (4-1)
After winning consecutive national championships, Dan Hurley’s program took a step back last season. Regardless, the Huskies again have the talent to be a national contender and still have people in this program and on the court involved in that recent success. Last weekend’s win over BYU really cemented the potential for this team, but how would they handle a second straight big challenge in November?
Despite a strong effort, the Huskies fell at home to Arizona in a Top 5 battle, losing 71-67 to those Wildcats. Eric Reibe led the Huskies with 15 points while Solo Ball added 14 points. The shooting wasn’t horrid but the Huskies were badly outrebounded and just couldn’t make enough plays down the stretch to get the job done.
UConn shouldn’t panic by any means, losing to that Arizona team that looks the part of a national contender. While they’re still figuring things out, the Huskies have played really strong on offense for the most part this season while the defense has played solidly for the most part as well. Looking ahead, they’re back in another major matchup against Illinois at Madison Square Garden next week with a chance to really bounce back.
5. Louisville (5-0)
The transformative effort at Louisville has been on full display under Pat Kelsey and it’s becoming more and more evident with each passing week. The Cardinals really jumped into the national eye with last week’s win over rival Kentucky as that elite offense just keeps churning out wins and great performances. Even though the offense didn’t play at the same level, the Cardinals proved themselves in a different way this week.
This team went on the road for the first time and came back with a victory, knocking off Cincinnati 74-64 on Friday night. Their first action in nearly a week was the first game they didn’t score at least 96 points, but the defense picked up the slack. Ryan Conwell starred with 25 points while freshman Mikel Brown Jr. stood out with his 22-point, 6-assist effort over the Bearcats.
Now winners of five in a row to kick off the season, Louisville arguable has national title aspirations if they can keep playing basketball this way. There’s still a lot of game to be played and a few bitter ACC rivals standing in their way, but this offense has been outstanding and it’s all about how the season comes together for Kelsey and this group. While many teams have holiday tournaments next week, the Cardinals stay comfortable at home against Eastern Michigan and NJIT.
4. Duke (6-0)
You’d be hard pressed to find much to complain about at this point for Duke. We’re sitting here looking at an unblemished record with big win after big win for the team many expect to win another ACC title this season. The Blue Devils have another very talented roster of young skill players and their results in recent days show that they can make another serious run at postseason glory.
Tuesday’s effort was by far the most profitable, as Duke took down Kansas 78-66 at the Champions Classic for their first ranked win of the year. Cameron Boozer had his latest standout effort with 18 points and 11 rebounds. It was business as usual in Durham on Friday night as the Blue Devils won 100-42 over Niagara. Practically unchallenged, the Blue Devils soared, getting 17 points and 8 rebounds from Patrick Ngongba II while shooting over 50% from outside the arc.
There’s a lot of basketball left to be played but Boozer looks like the real deal as a pro prospect and the Blue Devils are getting contributions from many faces on this lineup. This team has six straight double-digit wins including over Texas and Kansas away from home. They’re far from done with the challenges of nonconference play, including a Thanksgiving battle against Arkansas coming up in the near future.
3. Houston (5-0)
In what looks like it could be another standout season, Houston is just getting started. Kelvin Sampson’s program has taken control of the Big 12 with a pair of conference titles since joining the league in 2023 and certainly look the part of a top team once again. It’s been an acceptably impressive start to the campaign, including decent enough work as the Cougars were tested for the first time this past week.
That major test came all the way back on Sunday, as Houston went to Birmingham and left town with a 73-72 win over a ranked Auburn squad. Avenging a loss from last season, freshman Kingston Flemings had 22 points and 7 assists while Chris Cenac Jr. added 18 points and 9 rebounds. There was far less drama Thursday night, with the Cougars coming away with a 91-45 blowout win over Rider. Flemings again led the charge with 18 points while defensive stud Joseph Tugler stood out with 12 points, 9 assists, and 4 blocks.
The freshmen in this starting lineup have played a very high level in the first few weeks of the season, helping cover up for what’s been a slow start for a few other pieces, notably returning star Milos Uzan. At some point he’ll figure things out and have one of those legendary games, which Houston hopes comes very soon. The team heads to the Players Era Festival next week, with a notable matchup against Tennessee in just a few days.
2. Arizona (5-0)
A college basketball resume cannot be completely built or destroyed in only a few weeks but Arizona has done a great job disproving that theory. The Wildcats entered the season with a different look on their roster, with major changes and a few notable freshmen joining the show. What’s resulted has been a pair of standout wins over Florida and UCLA and that wasn’t the end of the early magic.
Wednesday night saw the Wildcats grab their most impressive win to date, going to Storrs and upending UConn on the road 71-67. Jaden Bradley had a great game with 21 points while freshman Koa Peat continued a brilliant start to his season with a 16-point, 12-rebound effort. Despite shooting just 20% from outside the arc, Arizona made just enough plays to get this sensational win.
Echoing our sentiments from last week, there’s no other team in the nation that can boast three wins quite like this on the early resume. Time will tell how the season develops but these November conquests are insane currency for the Wildcats’ resume by season’s end. The freshmen are playing well, Bradley is stepping into a bigger role, and Arizona can relax for a week, facing only Denver and Norfolk State in the next seven days.
1. Purdue (6-0)
If we’ve learned anything through a few weeks of play it’s that a healthy Purdue team is probably the best in the nation. The Boilermakers were at their best in last week’s road win at Alabama, securing their place again atop the national polls, but Purdue was far from done impressing us as another week of action beckoned.
Purdue actually played way back on Sunday, topping Akron 97-79 thanks to a 17-point, 15-rebound effort from Trey Kaufman-Renn, one of three Boilermakers with a double-double. Purdue then headed to the Bahamas and made a splash at the Baha Mar Championship, first downing Memphis 80-71 on Thursday. Fletcher Loyer emerged with 20 points while Braden Smith had double-digit assists yet again. Friday’s effort in the final was their best game of the season, blowing out a great Texas Tech team 86-56. There were 7 different Purdue players in double figures, led by a 15-point, 15-rebound effort out of Oscar Cluff.
All systems were go as the Boilermakers cemented their place perhaps as the nation’s top contender. We pointed out four of their five starters in action this past week as Purdue boasts an incredible starting lineup with the talent and skills to win these types of big games all the way through March. After the rigors of the Bahamas, the Boilermakers rest easy through Thanksgiving, merely hosting Eastern Illinois next week.
Time will tell just how this college basketball season develops even with all the action we’ve seen through three weeks of game play. Which of these teams are really going to stand out in the weeks to come and which won’t we see in these rankings for much longer?