Play.
The 3-pointer was hit by Sasha Stefanovic.
The defender draped over him covered the 3-pointer by it. (0:17)
7:30 AM
We're already onto our third top ranked team in the men's college basketball season. This time, it was much easier than last time.
Based on its upcoming schedule, it doesn't appear that Purdue will change its position any time soon. The Boilermakers will be heavily favored in each of their next seven games before they face Michigan. This year's Big Ten is not the same as last year's Big Ten, which featured two 1-seeds, two 2-seeds, another 4-seed and six teams ranked in the top 15 at KenPom.
A marquee win over Villanova on a neutral court is one of the marquee wins for the Boilermakers.
It ticks all the boxes on the court. It has the top adjusted offensive efficiency in the country, ranking in the top five in both 2-point percentage and 3-point percentage, while also ranking in the top 10 in offensive rebound percentage and in the top 25 in free-throw rate. How do you stop that type of balance? The best low-post duo in the country are the ones that have Matt Painter surrounding them with capable shooters and role players, and Jaden Ivey is playing himself into the conversation for top-five pick.
There's no need for a debate this week, as Purdue narrowly lost to Duke last week. The Boilermakers are the top ranked team. They'll be the top ranked team in school history in the AP poll.
The team of the week is Alabama.
The last couple days have been the greatest for Alabama athletics. The Alabama football team took down Georgia in the SEC championship game on Saturday, and just a few hours later, they knocked off third-ranked Gonzaga in Seattle.
Alabama jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half, and finished the first 20 minutes on a 15-2 run in what would become something of a theme for the second half. The Tide took a big lead after the first half, but the Zags came back with runs to cut the lead to four points. Alabama responded with a couple of 3-pointers or a run to provide some separation.
Jaden Shackelford was outstanding in the first half with 20 points and then made a couple of key baskets late in the game after a quiet start to the second half. At the point guard spot, Andrew Nembhard was outplayed by Jahvon Quinerly, and the bench player,JD Davison, made four 3-pointers, something he's struggled to do so far this season. Alabama made 13 3s, kept the ball out of the air, and threw multiple bodies at Drew Timme down low, making him battle for everything around the rim.
Fardaws Aimaq is the player of the week.
Aimaq was a revelation last season, winning theWAC Player of the Year and leading the nation in rebound. After declaring for the NBA draft, he decided to return to the UM.
In Utah Valley's overtime upset win over BYU last week, he finished with 24 points, 22 rebound, eight assists, three blocks and four steals. He played 44 minutes in the victory. He has recorded double-doubles in all but one game this season, helping lead the UM to a 7-1 start and seven straight wins.
The Canada native is currently averaging 20.8 points and 14.8 rebound per game, which is the most points and rebound per game in the country.
Play.
E.J. Liddell hit a clutch shot for Ohio State while Paolo Banchero hit a long 3-pointer.
The Ohio State Buckeyes won the week.
Justice Sueing and the rest of the team were out of the game in the first half. Apparently not a problem for Ohio State.
The top-ranked Blue Devil looked like they were going through a motions in the first half, but they were able to get out to a 13 point lead at the break. Ohio State missed free throws and made mistakes. After the break, the game changed, with Zed Key dominating in the post and EJ Liddell making plays at both ends of the floor. Chris Holtmann might have found another asset in Louisiana transfer Cedric Russell, who made three 3s and scored 12 points in 15 minutes after playing just 23 minutes this season.
The second half saw the Buckeyes' defense turn it up a notch. The Blue Devil's scored just 23 points after the break. Ohio State held Duke without a point for the final four and a half minutes, as Paolo Banchero couldn't get shots to fall.
Steve Forbes is the Wake Forest coach.
Forbes has been one of the few bright spots in the abysmal season of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The only blemish on the record is a neutral-court loss to LSU. They are poised for a top-half finish in the conference after this past week.
Jake LaRavia and Alondes Williams, both transfer players from Indiana State and Oklahoma, scored 42 points and 16 rebound in the overtime win over Northwestern. The statement of the week was a 19-point road victory for Virginia Tech. Two more former transfers were leading the way, in Daivien and Dallas.
Forbes has Wake Forest playing disciplined but aggressive defense and scoring efficiently at all three levels of the floor. After just a season and a half, the well-traveled coach has won wherever he's been, and it's happening again with the Demon Deacons.
Three teams have questions.
The most disappointing team in the country so far this season is the Memphis Tigers. After falling to Georgia and Ole Miss last week, Memphis has now lost three straight games. The chemistry issues thatPenny Hardaway spoke about after the losses were not the only problem the Tigers have.
St. John's Red Storm: Mike Anderson's team harbored NCAA tournament hopes coming into the season, and while the Red Storm can still get there, their schedule is going to be completely bereft of anything noteworthy entering Big East play. They lost by 20 to Kansas on Friday in a game that was closer than the final score, but they're now 0-2 in their only two non-conference games.
We've mentioned the struggles of the Oregon Ducks before, but Sunday might have been a new low for them. They lost at home to Arizona State, which had lost five in a row and had scored just 29 points in a home loss to Washington State earlier in the week. The preseason top 25 talk feels like a long time ago, as Oregon is just 4-4 against Division-I competition this season.
Although he was challenged by Iowa on Friday, Trevion Williams is still one of the best low-post players in the country.
The power rankings.
1. The Boilermakers are 8-0.
The previous ranking
2
This week: at Rutgers, NC State.
In its win over Iowa on Friday, the Boilermakers had their worst offensive outing of the season, and the main culprit was its struggles inside the 3-point line. The Boilermakers' previous lowest percentage on 2-pointers was 59.4%. Iowa isn't a particularly imposing defense at the rim with shot-blockers all over the floor, so what happened?
They didn't get a great position on their post-ups, and I went back and watched the game again. Edey played only 16 minutes due to foul trouble, while Williams played only 11. Edey and Williams were both forced to take contested shots because of the way Iowa collapsed on them.
2. The Duke Blue Devils are 7-1.
The previous ranking was 1
None this week.
Duke lost to Ohio State last Tuesday, when the Buckeyes completely stifled the Blue Devil offense in the second half and came back from a double-digit halftime deficit to win. I don't think there's anything to worry about. In true road games against good teams, there are periods of uncharacteristic play and offensive slumps. Duke's perimeter shooting is something we've mentioned before, and it might be worth keeping an eye on.
Duke is shooting below 30% from 3-point range on the season, inflated by games against inferior competition. In the three games against Kentucky, Ohio State and Gonzaga, the 3-point shooting percentage drops to 25%. Jeremy Roach isn't a very good shooter, so he would prefer to score going to the rim rather than from the perimeter. It won't matter most nights, but watch out for teams that keep the Blue Devil out of the paint.
3. The Bears are 8-0.
The previous ranking
4
This weekend: vs. Villanova.
According to the stat from the website, the first player in Big 12 history to score at least 10 points on 60% shooting in each of his first eight games of the season is a freshman from the Bears. Brown has scored between 10 and 19 points in every game he has played, shooting 73.7% on 2-pointers and making four 3-pointers and 11 free throws. He's one of the best two-way freshmen in the country.
The Bears will get a chance to show off their skills this week, with a trip to Oregon next Saturday and a game against the Villanova team on Sunday. The key to the game will be whether 'Nova can keep the Bears' offensive rebounders from getting second-chance opportunities or if they can take care of the ball.
4. The UCLA Bruins are 7-1.
The previous ranking
5
This weekend: at Marquette.
There's been a lot of talk about the best point guard in the country this season, from Marcus Carr to Andrew Nembhard, to whoever is next on the carousel. Tyger Campbell is playing the best basketball of his career right now, and deserves some notice, even though he is unlikely to get that recognition by the end of 2021. He made several big shots in the second game of the season, helping UCLA to a win over Villanova. He is shooting a career best 48.6% from 3-point range and has a ridiculous 30-to-9 assists-to-turnover ratio. Campbell had his best offensive game of the season against Colorado last week, finishing with 21 points, four 3-pointers, seven rebound and five assists.
5. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are 7-2.
The previous ranking
3
This weekend: vs. Merrimack and Washington.
What's going on with the school? There are some questions worth asking, since the Zags still own a pair of wins over Texas and UCLA, but they aren't dropping too far in the rankings. I don't think it's on the defensive. Alabama scored 91 points on Saturday and Duke scored 84 two weeks ago, but they weren't even the worst defensive efforts of the season.
There are some offensive issues. The teams are starting to be more aggressive with the guards coming out of the ball-screens, making them make decisions quicker than they would like. The Zags were forced to play in the half-court by Duke and Alabama. Timme is having to really fight for anything he gets around the rim because teams are collapsing in the paint because of the fact that they haven't shot the ball well from 3.
6. The Wildcats have a 6-2 record.
The previous ranking
6
This week: at Syracuse, and at Baylor.
After missing a few weeks with an injury, Gillespie took a few weeks to get back to his pre-injury form, and is now playing like a preseason All-American. He had been playing well before, with an average of 15 points, 4.2 assists and shooting 42.9% from 3-point range over the first six games. Over the last two games, he's found that extra gear. Against both Penn and Saint Joseph's, he scored 49 points, shooting 7-for-12 on 2-pointers and 9-for-15 from 3-point range. Jay Wright's team will be in for a big week, with two big games against Syracuse's zone on Tuesday and then Baylor on Sunday.
7. The Kansas Jayhawks are 6-1.
The previous ranking
7
This week: against UTEP, and against Missouri.
Bill Self has an advantage over most teams due to his veteran-laden lineup, which features three seniors in Ochai Agbaji, David McCormack and Remy Martin, and one junior in Christian Braun. Self doesn't have to micromanage when an opponent goes on a run because they have experience on the floor. The Red Storm were able to cut the lead to three on Friday. The game was out of reach when Kansas responded with a 22-3 run. Braun was 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 800-273-3217 Braun has taken another step on the offensive side and gives Self another consistent perimeter scorer.
Play.
Christian Braun dunked the ball for the Jayhawks.
8. The Texas Longhorns are 6-1.
The previous ranking
8
This week, it's at Seton Hall.
Marcus Carr has been in a slump. He was arguably the best transfer in the portal last year. He had double-figures in his first two games of the season, but waited too long to become aggressive against the other team, and then had three straight games with a combined 11 points on 4-for-14 shooting. Carr was going to have to be more assertive on the offensive end in order for Texas to live up to its preseason Final Four hopes.
He did that against Sam Houston State and UT Rio Grande Valley. He had 19 points and four assists against the former, followed by 11 points, four assists and zero turnovers against the latter. He was 3-for-13 in the first five games, but he was 5-for-10 in the two games.
9. The Arkansas Razorbacks have a perfect record.
The previous ranking
9
This week: against Charlotte and Oklahoma.
It has been an interesting few weeks for Devo Davis. After bursting onto the national scene last season with an impressive NCAA tournament at both ends of the floor, Davis entered the upcoming season with heightened expectations and a potential All-SEC campaign in his future. He had five turnovers and zero points on zero shots in the first game of the season. Davis averaged just 6.3 points in the first six games.
He averaged 16.0 points and shot 14-for-20 in wins over Central Arkansas and Little Rock last week. He gave out 10 assists and turned it over twice. Eric Musselman has a lot of scorers on the roster, but one of the best defenders in the country is Davis.
10. The Kentucky Cats are 5-1.
The previous ranking
11
This week's game is against Central Michigan.
Kentucky is mostly still here because of its preseason ranking, even though it has yet to be tested since its season- opening loss to Duke. That's going to change a bit. Kentucky will play Notre Dame, Ohio State and Louisville after Tuesday's home game against Southern.
The people that haven't paid attention to Kentucky since the Duke game have seen a change in the player. In the six games since his first college game, Washington has averaged 15.8 points, 5.8 rebound and 2.8 assists while shooting 50% from the field and 42% from the 3-point range.
Washington is going to be a huge factor in the future.
11. The Arizona Wildcats are.
The previous ranking
There were 12.
This week: at Wyoming and Illinois.
Arizona has been one of the early-season surprises under new head coach Tommy Lloyd, and while clear improvements from the likes of Christian Koloko and Azuolas Tubelis are at the heart of that fast start, last season's leading returning scorer Bennedict Mathurin is He had 25 points in an overtime win against Wichita State, went for 15 in the win over Michigan, and then had a 29-point performance in the road win at Oregon State. Mathurin's 3-point shooting has taken a step back from last season, but he went 4-for-9 from behind the 3-point line on Sunday and was the best player on the floor. The Wildcats are loaded with offensive talent with Kerr Kriisa running the show and Mathurin starting to fill it up again.
Play.
Alabama'sJD Davison gets the steal and runs down the court to throw down a dunk on the break.
12. The Alabama Crimson Tide is 7-1.
The previous ranking
Unranked.
Houston is this week's opponent.
Perhaps the most promising sign in Alabama's win over Gonzaga on Saturday night was the performance off the bench by Davison. A five-star recruit coming out of high school, Davison relied on his athletic ability and open-court ability to make plays. He was 4-for-5 from the bench on Saturday night, and looked confident with his stroke.
That's a good sign for Davison, who continued to show impressive two-way ability, locking in on the defensive end and turning that into transition opportunities going the other way. He seems to have bought into his role as a sixth man behind Shackelford, Quinerly and Keon Ellis. If he can become more consistent from the perimeter, that will benefit his draft stock and Alabama's ceiling.
13. The USC Trojans are.
In the waiting room.
This week: against Eastern Kentucky and Long Beach State.
USC knocked on the door of the rankings last week and two wins, including a road win at Washington State on Saturday, makes it into the top 16. While the attention has been on the scoring of the USC's Boogie Ellis and Chevez Goodwin, the step forward of a former Wofford transfer has been noteworthy. He started one game for the USC last season and was a nice rotation piece.
The go-to guy on the interior this season has been Goodwin. He's shooting over 70% from the field, has scored in double figures six times in eight games, and is one of the best offensive rebounders in the country. Most of the offense was struggling against Washington State, but that didn't stop Goodwin from scoring 14 points.
14. Tennessee Volunteers are 6-1.
The previous ranking
14.
This week: against Texas Tech, UNC-Greene and Texas Tech.
As in-state rival Memphis deals with point guard issues, Memphis native Kennedy Chandler is taking his game to another level for the Volunteers. In four games since the loss to Villanova, the guard has averaged 17.8 points, 5.3 assists, and eight turnovers. He scored 27 points in Tennessee's 15-point win over Colorado on Saturday, his best game as a scorer.
While he hasn't shot the ball well from 3-point range, he's getting into the paint and finishing, while taking care of the ball and running the show for an experienced Tennessee team. He will be tested by Texas Tech's "no-middle defense" this week.
15. The Michigan State Spartans are 7-1.
The previous ranking
15.
This week: at Minnesota and Penn State.
Michigan State's defense has held its other seven opponents to an average of 0.90 points per possession or less. Potential NCAA tournament teams Loyola Chicago, Louisville, and the University of Connecticut are included. One of the main reasons for the Spartans' success at that end of the floor is Marcus Bingham, one of the nation's premier interior defenders. He has blocked at least six shots this season and ranks in the top 10 nationally in block rate. His emergence on the offensive end has people excited. He's scored in double-figures six times this season, after scoring in triple-figures three times in college.
16. The Houston Cougars are 7-1.
The previous ranking
16.
This week: at Alabama and Alcorn State.
Houston has rebounded from its lone loss of the season to Wisconsin with three straight wins, a streak that is likely to get to four against Alcorn State on Monday. The Alabama team seems to have rediscovered its identity after losing to Iona on Thanksgiving. The key to the game will be whether Houston can slow down Alabama from the outside. The nation's best defense isn't the only thing that teams can get from 3. In the first half against Alabama, Houston will have to watch out for the Crimson Tide getting hot, as they didn't do a good job of running Shackelford off the 3-point line. The return of Tramon Mark, who missed the first three games of the season, has been a positive for Houston, as he had 22 points against Bryant on Friday.
The Florida Gators and the BYU Cougars were dropped out.
In the waiting room.
Florida drops out of the top 16 after a loss to Oklahoma. The Gators struggled to stop the inside duo of the Sooners, and had a bad night shooting the ball from the perimeter. Before facing Maryland in Brooklyn, there should be two home games against Texas Southern and North Florida.
The University of Connecticut is about to play 10 straight opponents ranked in the top 90 at KenPom. Adama Sanogo and Tyrese Martin are both dealing with injuries. Freshman Jordan Hawkins scored 15 points in 22 minutes against Grambling on Saturday.
If you were wondering if Iowa State's performance in Brooklyn during Thanksgiving week was a bad one, the Cyclones went on the road on Saturday and knocked off a good team. Iowa State improves to 8-0 because the Bluejays aren't as good as previous years. On Thursday, there will be an in-state clash with Iowa.
