The current headlines in college athletics may be focused on football, especially with their playoffs now underway, but college basketball still soldiers on. We’re in the part of the season where there isn’t quite as much going on for these basketball programs, as finals and the holidays lead us into the excitement of the New Year, but there’s still something to watch on a daily basis.
The Saturdays in December have still been loaded with exciting matchups and that was no different this weekend. Midweek battles between contenders and other prominent programs are just as important, and we’re certainly starting to get a feel for this season and these teams. Injuries, suspensions, and other issues are valuable excuses, but we’re long past the time for slow starts and tough breaks to be acceptable.
Some leagues like the Big Ten and Big East are already playing conference games, but a great excitement begins when all leagues are in that mode after the holiday break. Believe that there were many great moments from nonconference play, but bitter rivals and exciting league races are about to ensue for the next two months. It’s a time when potential champions show their stuff and All-Americans begin to shine.
With what we’ve seen in these recent days, we’re spending some time updating our Top 25 rankings once more. Even though there may not have been many games of note this month, we’re still getting a firmer feel about who are the best teams in the nation and which teams are going to be real contenders in the weeks ahead. Nothing is concrete but let’s start running through those top teams and what we feel about them heading into Christmas.