Two weeks of college basketball action is now behind us and we’ve barely scratched the surface on what this season can become. We’re far from March Madness and honestly much of the nation’s attention is still on football and other sports, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of college basketball worth consuming at this point.
We’ve actually seen numerous ranked matchups already this season as nonconference play has delivered even before the holiday tournaments get started. Some top teams have survived early tests while others are still figuring things out. Nothing we learn in these first few weeks is permanent, though a few teams are certainly off to a great start.
Our focus is on the best of the best today, but before we get into that let’s consider a few things. Some teams have only played mid-major foes or haven’t left their homecourt, while others have been significantly tested at this point. It’s impossible to properly weigh teams against each other at this point with any hopes of predicting the future.
With that in mind, we’re halfway through November and ready to update our Top 25 rankings after two weeks of basketball. Some battle tested teams are rising up the ranks while a few others haven’t exactly looked stellar even against subpar opposition. Many people will have different opinions on how teams should be ranked right now, but this is our best effort in judging what we’ve seen after three or four games for each of these teams.
25. NC State (3-0)
While NC State has had quite the rocky recent history, Will Wade has arrived in Raleigh and is looking to turn this program back into an ACC contender. His first week with the Wolfpack was a step in that direction with two dominant wins, including a game where they made quick work of a talented UAB squad. This team has plenty of chances to prove themselves later in the year but Wade’s new crew is passing the early tests at the very least.
We saw NC State on the court just once this week but it was another fantastic showing by the offense, with the Wolfpack winning 110-64 against UNC Greensboro. NC State made 50% of their 3-pointers and were efficient throughout the night. Darrion Williams starred yet again with 32 points and 10 rebounds while Paul McNeil Jr. had his own standout effort with 27 points against the Spartans.
Talented teams win these kinds of games with ease and that’s just what the Wolfpack have done to open Wade’s first year in town. We could go on about the important faces in this rotation but the results have already spoken for themselves. The upcoming weeks give NC State a big opportunity to showcase that they belong, starting with VCU next week before some more significant power conference foes around Thanksgiving.
24. Vanderbilt (4-0)
It’s hard to complain about the early work out of Vanderbilt this season and many of the metrics and analytics agree. You didn’t see the Commodores enter last season with great expectations, but Mark Byington did brilliant work and now has even more talent in year two in Nashville. What happens in the weeks and months ahead is still a mystery, but it’s a good start, especially after last week’s win at UCF.
The good times kept rolling on Wednesday with a 92-62 win over Eastern Kentucky. The Commodores soared at home again, led by 17 points and 7 rebounds from Tyler Harris off the bench. Yet another great showing came over the weekend, with Vanderbilt triumphant over Arkansas-Pine Bluff by the score of 104-75. All five starters were in double figures, led by Duke Miles with 20 points, 6 assists, and 5 steals in a remarkable effort as the Commodores won yet again.
With this level of opposition, you won’t find Vanderbilt near the tops in the nation in strength of schedule after the opening weeks of the season, but they’re still putting up 100 points per game with regularity. They’ve got an undeniable road win against a Big 12 foe and have the building blocks for success this season in the SEC. Their next big challenge doesn’t come next week, as Texas Southern is the only game we’ll see them play.
23. UCLA (3-1)
Great things could come from the Bruins this season, though the first few weeks of the season have left us scratching our heads a few times. The haul from the transfer portal was notable as Mick Cronin reloaded the talent of a team that made its mark last season and is hoping for more this year. However, the opening week saw a few games closer than expected and it was more of the same in week two.
First came Monday night, as the Bruins knocked off West Georgia 83-62 with a final result a little closer than some may have expected. Still, Tyler Bilodeau had 21 points, Trent Perry added 17 points and 9 assists, and the Bruins survived without star Donovan Dent. He was back in the lineup and the Bruins had their best effort on Friday but still fell 69-65 in a tough contest against a Top 5 Arizona team. Bilodeau led with 19 points while Eric Dailey Jr. added 13 points but UCLA fell just short against a former Pac-12 rival.
The level of play has been a bit inconsistent early in the season, but that injury to Dent isn’t something we can just ignore. Still, Cronin and his UCLA squad clearly have a lot to build and work on in the weeks ahead before Big Ten play begins. It’s just home dates with Sacramento State and Presbyterian next week and the hope that the Bruins can look much more like a top team with a fluid lineup in those outings.
22. Kansas (3-1)
Bouncing back from some recent struggles is a key goal this season for Bill Self and this crew but it’s a tough start all things considered. The Jayhawks faltered in their first big test last week, falling by double-digits against North Carolina, but we’re far from making any sweeping statements about this team. Did the Jayhawks spend this week getting back on track?
It was hard to complain about the effort on Tuesday, with Kansas winning 77-46 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The defense was great in limiting the Islanders, while Kohl Rosario shined with 16 points and 5 rebounds in the win. Over the weekend, Kansas secured another win, surviving a feisty effort from Princeton in a 76-57 victory. The key asset for the Jayhawks was Flory Bidunga, who starred with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
Freshman star Darryn Peterson has yet to really get going and there’s enough other talent in Kansas for this team to make a run. However, it all comes down to fit and a very talented Jayhawks team last season just didn’t have the secondary playmakers to be near the top of the Big 12 standings. Whether or not that’s different this year, we’ll see a trial by fire at the Champions Classic with a major showdown awaiting against Duke.
21. Arkansas (3-1)
While the opening week of the season didn’t go exactly as planned there’s still plenty of reason for optimism for the Razorbacks. The work ahead won’t be easy, but John Calipari has brought significant talent to town yet again. His Arkansas team hung with Michigan State in a hostile road environment before falling last weekend and will have many opportunities to bounce back in the weeks and months to come.
They didn’t really have that chance this week with easier foes, beginning with Tuesday’s 93-56 win over Central Arkansas. The defense was great in the second half while Darius Acuff Jr. led the charge with 21 points and 6 rebounds. There were more concerns shown on Friday with Arkansas holding on for a 79-75 victory at home against Samford. Regardless of the result or final margins, Acuff starred with 20 points, while fellow freshman Meleek Thomas looked the part with 17 points and 8 rebounds.
The freshmen are playing at a high level for the Razorbacks, it’s all about getting players like Maliqe Ewin and Nick Pringle more involved. Calipari has never shied away from bringing great talent into his programs and has a pair of freshmen that are really getting the job done early. Imagine the level they could be playing at by season’s end. For now it’s just more tuneups at home, as the Razorbacks welcome Winthrop and Jackson State next week, with hopes for two easy contests.
20. Wisconsin (3-0)
The college basketball season is a long road and Wisconsin is hoping that by the time it ends they’re national contenders and making major plays in the Big Ten yet again. They’ve replaced All-American John Tonje with other new talent and the Badgers haven’t really been challenged out of the opening gate this season. Those opportunities are certainly coming, but week two didn’t bring anything new yet to Madison.
Wisconsin opened with a third consecutive home game and treated their fans to another victory, this time winning 86-55 against Ball State. Nolan Winter led all scorers with 19 points and 10 rebounds while transfer Nick Boyd put up 12 points and continues to be a solid addition into this lineup. The Badgers made quick work of another mid-major foe and are just humming along right now.
There are a few games of note on the nonconference slate and Big Ten play will provide interesting matchups, but for now Wisconsin is just taking care of their own business. You won’t find too many complaints in these first three games, even if the defense wasn’t exactly perfect at times. A fourth straight home game will see them host SIU Edwardsville before that major opportunity comes in Salt Lake City on Friday with a marquee matchup against BYU.
19. North Carolina (4-0)
We’ve seen about what was expected out of North Carolina in the early going this season, as the Tar Heels have done more than enough to survive unscathed to this point. The big performance was that 13-point win last week against Kansas, as it’s been just mid-majors at home outside of that. The chance for this team to prove themselves is coming, but it’s hard to deny that some of these new pieces are fitting in just right.
The Tar Heels took on a talented Radford team to start the week and came away with an 89-74 win in the process. Luka Bogavac had 19 points, star freshman Caleb Wilson had 13 points and 14 rebounds, and North Carolina did exactly what was needed for win #3. The fourth win was much more of a sure thing, as the Tar Heels coasted 97-53 over North Carolina Central on Friday night. Wilson led the charge with 21 points and 13 rebounds, Henri Veesaar had a double-double, and it was more than enough to take care of business again.
What’s getting the job done to this point for North Carolina is outdoing teams inside the arc, an easier task when adding a talented 7-footer like Veesaar into the attack. We learned plenty about both sides in their win over Kansas and it’s hard to deny at this point that this looks like a team that can compete for an ACC title this season. Alas we’ll be waiting a little longer to see another true test, as the Tar Heels host Navy in their next contest.
18. Michigan State (3-0)
It’s usually around March when Tom Izzo gets Michigan State playing their best basketball though his Spartans are off to a pretty solid start here in November. After a ranked win over Arkansas in the opening week of the season, the Spartans are flying high and looking for another Big Ten title. This team may not jump off the page as much as some other Big Ten rivals but it has the talent to be a major factor in this league once again.
The lone outing for Michigan State last week came Thursday night, doing battle with San Jose State before coming away with a 79-60 victory. This was another night where the long-range shooting was suspect, but the Spartans dominated inside the arc. Jaxon Kohler led the charge with 17 points and 18 rebounds while Carson Cooper had 17 rebounds and 7 rebounds over their fellow Spartans.
These 3-point shooting numbers are an early concern but have still resulted in three wins, including against Arkansas. This is clearly an aspect that Izzo’s squad needs to improve on in the coming weeks, especially before conference play begins but let’s not act like it’s easy sailing until then. We’re just a few days away from the Champions Classic where Michigan State will do battle with a tough Kentucky squad.
17. Tennessee (3-0)
Based on what really hasn’t been an inspiring early schedule, we knew that we weren’t going to be able to make many conclusions about the Volunteers right out of the gate. Tennessee has new talent making plays and another strong defense, but their best opponent two weeks into the season has been Mercer. This guys the Volunteers a few weeks to get their lineups together, but can this team be an SEC champion?
Like we mentioned above, we weren’t going to learn any real answers this week, with Tennessee taking it to North Florida in a 99-66 victory. This was another great effort for the Volunteers on offense, getting 23 points and 10 rebounds from J. P. Estrella. The two major newcomers stood out as well, as Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 21 points and 7 assists while stud freshman Nate Ament dropped 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists.
When you look ahead, Tennessee does have some significant tests in the nonconference schedule, but for now they’re doing exactly what they need to do. Rick Barnes and his team have new pieces playing new roles and he’s using these games to get the lineups just right. Tennessee has great talent and should be a factor in the SEC race again, but we’re still going to learn much next week in matchups against Rice and Tennessee State.
16. Texas Tech (3-1)
The Red Raiders brought Grant McCasland to town two and a half years ago and have already reaped the benefits of that decision. Texas Tech advanced all the way to the Elite Eight last season and brought back a team this year that can make that same kind of run. We did see the Red Raiders take a bit of a stumble this week and there’s plenty of work left in Lubbock, but their big star gives them plenty of reason for optimism.
That first loss of the season came 81-77 at Illinois despite a great late effort from the Red Raiders. JT Toppin proved he’s a star with 35 points and 11 rebounds while LeJuan Watts added 21 points in the close-fought defeat. The Red Raiders licked their wounds and got back in the win column on Friday, topping Milwaukee 80-63 back in Lubbock. It wasn’t Toppin’s best night, but Christian Anderson had 18 points and 7 assists as the team got enough offense to take care of business.
Nobody expects perfection right out the gate, but Texas Tech has a very talented lineup that’s been on full display already this season. They clawed back into that game in Champaign before coming just short in the end. The Red Raiders look like a group that can hang with just about everyone, especially when Toppin is on his game like he was in primetime. Looking ahead it’s a trip to the Bahamas, facing Wake Forest and then potentially a matchup with Purdue.
15. BYU (3-1)
In Kevin Young’s first year coaching BYU he took the Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen and another strong performance in the Big 12. During the offseason, they added a nice haul from the transfer portal and also highly-touted freshman AJ Dybantsa. The results were definitely solid off the bat with a decent win over Villanova on opening night, but it’s fair to say that week two didn’t live up to the expectations.
The final score won’t reflect it, but the Cougars struggled at home in an 85-68 win over Delaware. They actually trailed at the half before turning it on in the second half, led by 26 point efforts from both Richie Saunders and Robert Wright III. BYU faced a much tougher challenge Saturday night in Boston, but used a strong second half again, this time falling 86-84 to UConn. Dybantsa starred near his hometown with 25 points and 6 rebounds while Saunders and Wright each had solid efforts once again.
Here’s the issue for BYU: they have a fantastic Big 3 of talent in Dybantsa, Saunders, and Wright but need to get more from the rest of this lineup. Keba Keita getting injured on Saturday certainly didn’t help matters, let alone the recent arrest of Kennard Davis. The Cougars need to find those pieces, especially after some tough efforts on defense this past week. We’ll see if they can answer those questions before a big Friday matchup against a ranked Wisconsin squad at the end of next week.
14. Gonzaga (4-0)
Our attention on Gonzaga in the early season hasn’t quite been as strong as some other years. After all, the Bulldogs are coming off a season that was still brilliant but was a down year by their own set of standards. Gonzaga did impressive work in the opening week, including a nice win against Oklahoma, but two more challenges awaited them this week and they passed those with flying colors as well.
There weren’t many struggles in their first ranked test, dispatching of Creighton 90-63 on Tuesday night. Graham Ike had his usual effort with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Braden Huff added 14 points of his own. The work was just as strong late Friday night, with the Bulldogs winning their first road test of the season in a 77-65 victory at Arizona State. Another solid game saw 20 points and 9 rebounds from Ike while Tyon Grant-Foster added a double-double off the bench.
Three straight outings against power conference foes have resulted in three straight double-digit wins for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga has spent nearly a decade’s worth of nonconference schedules to build their resume for later in the year and appear to be doing that again this year. Ike and this frontcourt look like the real deal and the defense is playing at a high level. It’s just an easy outing against Southern Utah next week but more notable games are looming.
13. Iowa State (3-0)
Things are a little different at Iowa State this season but the story has been pretty similar since T. J. Otzelberger showed up and rejuvenated this program. The Cyclones typically play strong consistent team basketball and have been a contender in the Big 12 in recent years. They’re looking to repeat that feat and had a strong opening salvo in their first two games of the season.
The first big opportunity came for the Cyclones on Monday night and they took full advantage, winning 96-80 against Mississippi State in South Dakota. That neutral-site win saw another strong offensive outing as the team shot 51% from the field. Tamin Lipsey continued proving his worth with 25 points and 6 assists while Joshua Jefferson added 18 points as well.
The Cyclones survived a tough game from Milan Momcilovic and have the balance and depth to take care of business even when some of their best players aren’t on their game. They survived this first real test of the season, winning by double digits even with a bad shooting night from outside the arc. Tougher tests are ahead, especially in Big 12 play, but it’s just Stonehill on the schedule in the coming seven days.
12. St. John’s (2-1)
Last season saw Rick Pitino and his talented group take the Big East and the nation by storm, but the season fizzled out due to an upset in the second round of the Big Dance. This year St. John’s has even more talent on the roster but were already handed their first loss of the season in that shootout last weekend against Alabama. There are other opportunities to build that resume before conference play but this week did not provide those.
Our only chance to see the Red Storm didn’t come until Saturday and it was still something of a laugher, as St. John’s won 93-60 over William & Mary. Despite a poor day shooting outside the arc, the Red Storm surviving against a solid mid-major program, with five players scoring in double figures. Bryce Hopkins had 15 points while Dylan Darling and Oziyah Sellers added 13 apiece against the Tribe.
Time will tell just what this team can do and one outing against the Crimson Tide isn’t going to change much about their potential. It’s only a matter of time before the Red Storm get Dillon Mitchell, Ian Jackson, and Joson Sanon involved at a high level as well as they truly do pose a packed lineup full of talent. We’ll see them again later in the week against Bucknell, with major resume-building opportunities coming soon after.
11. Alabama (2-1)
As the season tipped off, it was new faces in new places for an Alabama team depending on a few key figures to replace their departed talent after an Elite Eight run. Instead of needing time to settle in, the Crimson Tide went on the road and grabbed one of the most impressive November wins of the year at St. John’s. Riding that high, Alabama headed home this week to face another significant change and familiar foe.
Another highly-anticipated early season battle with Purdue unfortunately went the Boilermakers’ way yet again, as Alabama fell 87-80 at home. The game turned into quite the slugfest but the Crimson Tide were significantly outrebounded by the Purdue front. Aden Holloway stood out with 21 points, including 5 of Alabama’s 16 3-pointers, but the defense just couldn’t do enough to slow the roll of perhaps the nation’s best team.
Less than two weeks into the regular season you could already argue that this Alabama squad is battle tested. Oats has never shied from challenges in nonconference and it’s gone a long to way prepare his teams for when March comes around. For now, the Crimson Tide are coming off a performance with too many long-range shots and not enough pressure in the paint. We’ll see if they can fix some of these issues before a major test against another ranked team in Illinois next week.
10. Illinois (4-0)
There’s a new flavor of talent at Illinois and a strong offense was on full display in the opening week of the season. The Fighting Illini dropped 113 points in each of their first two performances in easy wins, but let’s not act like that was going to be the case in every game this season. In fact, the Illini were significantly tested this week but Brad Underwood’s squad passed the year’s first real test for them.
That big win came Tuesday, as Illinois won 81-77 at home over a ranked Texas Tech in a great ballgame. Andrej Stojakovic had his first breakout game as a member of the Illini with 23 points off the bench while Kylan Boswell added 22 points in the win. Things were slightly smoother later in the week, with the Illini winning 84-65 over Colgate. This time it was David Mirkovic unloading with 27 points and 21 rebounds in a dominant performance.
The addition of Mirkovic and Stojakovic is part of that new flavor on a roster filled with European talent and the early returns have certainly been acceptable in Champaign. This Illinois team can put up offense in a hurry and has the interior talent to limit teams defensively. Both that offense and defense will be tested again at a high level next week against an Alabama team looking to make another early statement this season.
9. Kentucky (3-1)
While the on-court coaching from Mark Pope has clearly been impressive since returning to his alma mater, he and his staff have also done an excellent job building this team from the ground up. The transfer portal became quite a useful research in his first season and after a Sweet Sixteen run he’s hoping to top that this year. There weren’t many complaints about these Wildcats in the opening week of the season but this team is far from perfect.
Kentucky fell in a tough challenge to their bitter rivals, losing 96-88 at Louisville on Tuesday night. Denzel Aberdeen came to play with a 26-point, 7-rebound effort but the defense just couldn’t contain the Cardinals. Fortunately it was business as usual by Friday night, as Kentucky soared to a 99-53 win against Eastern Illinois. Mouhamed Dioubate had 20 points and 11 rebounds as the Wildcats made 61% of their field goal attempts in another blowout win.
In their three wins, Kentucky has looked the part of a dominant team that can make significant moves this season with a balanced offensive attack. The loss didn’t really expose too much about the Cardinals, but it did show that they have work to do defensively moving forward. There isn’t much time for the Wildcats to rest, as they’ll be at the Champions Classic next week against a hungry Michigan State team.
8. Florida (2-1)
After winning the national championship last season, Florida entered this year with high expectations once again. Despite losing a few critical pieces, the Gators returned their frontcourt intact and added a few major names from the transfer portal. Regardless, they fell short on opening night in a big matchup against Arizona and certainly haven’t quite hit their stride two weeks into this new season.
Still bouncing back from that loss to the Wildcats, the Gators had another night of struggle on Tuesday, coming back for a 78-76 home win over rival Florida State. Thomas Haugh had 20 points and 13 rebounds while Rueben Chinyelu added 10 points and 16 rebounds in another example of that returning frontcourt leading the charge for the Gators.
Frankly, Florida’s outside shooting has been horrible in each of their first three games and that absolutely must improve. The Gators cannot be a national contender and SEC favorite when they’re chucking and missing so many 3-pointers. The good news is that the frontcourt is very tough and one of the best in the nation and can help carry this team until the backcourt stabilizes. They’ll see fellow in-state rival Miami on Sunday, with hopes for a smoother team performance.
7. Michigan (3-0)
Dusty May began year two at Michigan with heightened expectations after the way this program turned things around under his leadership last year. Additionally, his staff landed an incredible group of talent through the transfer portal and showcased that potential by putting up 121 points in their season opener last week. However, week two of the season turned out to be much more of a challenge.
The Wolverines barely survived Tuesday’s matchup in Detroit, beating Wake Forest 85-84 in overtime. Michigan shot abysmally from outside the arc, but got 18 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists from Aday Mara and a great effort (17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) out of Elliot Cadeau in the win. Another close call came Friday, with Michigan fighting for a 67-63 win at TCU. Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg both had double-doubles as the Wolverines survived a tough fight from the Horned Frogs.
We just mentioned four new faces in Michigan’s lineup this year, as those players were each notable additions from the transfer portal. Obviously, Michigan isn’t going to score 100 points every night, but they need more consistency from this lineup as a whole. They aren’t going to win the Big Ten by shooting 16% from the 3 every night. It’s just a home date against Middle Tennessee on next week’s slate and hopefully a chance for the lineup to continue to meld.
6. Louisville (4-0)
The difference between Louisville before and after the hiring of Pat Kelsey was like night and day for this program. Stuck in purgatory, the Cardinals looked the part of a team on a rise last season and have been impressive early again this year. After all Kelsey and his staff put together another strong transfer class, added a few key freshmen, and have a team they believe came make national waves just a few months from now.
They made their first big wave of the season with an electric effort on Tuesday, winning 96-88 over rival Kentucky. That brilliant offensive showing gave them a Top 10 win, with 29 points from Mikel Brown Jr. and 24 out of Ryan Conwell. Another great offensive performance came in Saturday’s 106-81 victory against Ohio. Conwell led the charge with 22 points and 6 rebounds while Brown added 19 points and 7 assists over the Bobcats.
The Cardinals have a very talented lineup and the offense has been firing basically on all cylinders. Will this team continue averaging over 100 points per game? The answer is probably not yes, but between Brown and Conwell and the rest of the lineup there’s definitely the talent to be a national contender. Louisville’s first test away from home comes next week at Cincinnati.
5. Arizona (4-0)
The story in Tucson in recent years has been about Tommy Lloyd making the Wildcats nationally relevant on a yearly basis again. They transitioned smoothly into the Big 12 and continue to be a national power. Additionally, the Wildcats have had a brilliant start to this season thanks to a few new faces in town. Fresh off that big win on opening night over the defending champions, the Wildcats followed that up with more impressive play.
There wasn’t much drama to start the week, as the Wildcats won 84-49 over Northern Arizona on Tuesday. It was a breakout performance from Dwayne Aristode with 18 points, with Jaden Bradley added 13 in a nice team win. What transpired Friday night was another stellar performance, as Arizona headed to Los Angeles and got a 69-65 win over UCLA. They took care of a former league rival while getting 20 points off the bench from Anthony Dell’Orso.
There’s no other team in the nation that can boast two wins quite like this on the early resume. Arizona did brilliant work to hang on against both Florida and UCLA and those results are fantastic currency for later in the season when bracketology becomes a big focus. For now, the Wildcats and their talented rotation look to keep building on this hot start, though Wednesday’s challenge at UConn might be the hardest
4. Duke (4-0)
The Blue Devils opened their season with a strong win against a talented Texas squad out of the SEC. Jon Scheyer has put together another crew of great talent and the early returns have been very solid in Durham. It’s nothing less than we’ve grown accustomed to expecting from Duke over the years as this program just keeps rolling on even after Coach K’s retirement.
Tuesday was a special matchup at Army on Veteran’s Day, with the Blue Devils rolling to a 114-59 win at West Point. Dame Sarr led the charge with 19 points, Isaiah Evans added 17, and the Blue Devils shot 57% from the floor in the win. Another smooth performance came Friday, with Duke knocking off Indiana State 100-62 back on their home floor. Cameron Boozer proved why he’s one of the nation’s top freshman with a 35-point, 12-rebound effort.
There really isn’t much to complain about two weeks into the new season, as Boozer has been electric and the Blue Devils have enough talent to be a national contender again this year. The interior offense shouldered by Boozer has been efficient and impressive while the defense is allowing less than 60 points a game so far. Another bigger test comes at the Champions Classic against Kansas this upcoming week, while also providing another early showcase for Boozer and the rest of this rotation.
3. Connecticut (4-0)
Dan Hurley seems to have quickly built a superpower program with those back-to-back national championships. The Huskies weren’t on the same level last year but these first few weeks have shown that this team could be looking like a superpower once again, especially with what this squad did over the weekend.
After an easy start to the week, game three wasn’t much tougher, as the Huskies won 89-62 at home over Columbia. Great work was done by Solo Ball with 23 points and Alex Karaban adding 20 points with 6 rebounds as the returning stars helped get things done. This team’s brilliance was on display in Boston on Saturday night as they beat a Top 10 BYU team 86-84, hanging on late against the Cougars. The Huskies got 21 points each from Silas Demary Jr., Karaban, and Tarris Reed Jr.
The rotation isn’t super deep for the Huskies right now but its full of talent, both new and returning. Hurley has made a quick knack out of bringing great talent to Storrs and getting the best out of his players. The Huskies built a double-digit lead against a Top 10 team and did enough to secure a win that keeps them on a great path early this season. UConn is far from done from challenges, as a home date against a really strong Arizona team greets them this upcoming Wednesday.
2. Houston (3-0)
There truly is a lot to like about this Houston program under Kelvin Sampson’s leadership, especially fresh off last year’s trip to the national title game. Houston has built their strength in recent years off defense and still boast one of the nation’s most elite defenses. After all, they’ve allowed just 50 points per game in the first two weeks of the season, even if just against mid-major foes.
That great start to the season continued with the Cougars’ best effort yet, winning 78-45 over Oakland back on Wednesday. The defense clearly limited the Golden Grizzlies while Houston shot the ball better than in their previous two games. Kingston Flemings had another stellar outing with 19 points and 9 assists while Emanuel Sharp added 19 points of his own.
Through these first three games, Houston has taken care of business and are getting great contributions from those freshmen in Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. The one thing to note is that Milos Uzan hasn’t had the best start to his season but it’s only a matter of time for him to find his footing. Houston certainly hopes that happens very soon because there’s a big Sunday matchup looming against Auburn, with the Cougars hoping to avenge a tough loss from early last season.
1. Purdue (3-0)
Many heads were scratched in West Lafayette last week, first when the Boilermakers had a closer than expected call against Oakland, and then a few days later when Purdue was dropped from the top spot in the national polls. Sure, the Boilermakers didn’t put that program away as expected, but this elite crew were playing without star forward Trey Kaufman-Renn and you could certainly excuse a performance that wasn’t quite 100%.
Kaufman-Renn was back this week and you could tell how important he is to this Purdue team. On Thursday night, the Boilermakers went to Tuscaloosa and knocked off a Top 10 program, winning 87-80 over Alabama. Kaufman-Renn was essential with 19 points and 15 rebounds while preseason All-American was the true star of the show, putting up 29 points and 7 rebounds in an electric performance on the road.
Whatever disdains anyone had for Purdue’s performances early was washed away with Thursday’s effort in Tuscaloosa. When healthy, as they were against the Crimson Tide, Purdue can beat anyone in any building and proved how strong this starting lineup truly can become. The Boilermakers battle Akron on Sunday night before heading to the Bahamas for an event with matchups against Memphis and potentially Texas Tech.
Two weeks is far from enough time to clearly say which teams are the best in the nation, but we’ve judged from what we can to determine this Top 25. Have we picked the right teams for this early ranking? Was someone overrated or forgotten among our list?