Compared to the last several weeks, it was a relatively calm slate of games in college basketball this week as the national picture starts to round into form. A few of the major takeaways? The SEC could hypothetically occupy the Elite Eight on its own, Rutgers has two potential top 3 draft picks and Duke could run away with the ACC.
There shouldn’t be a whole lot more drama before the calendar flips to 2025, so catch your breath while you still can because things are about to heat up in just a few weeks. Until then, here’s what you need to know about the best teams and players in college hoops.
1. Tennessee (10-0)
The Vols couldn’t get anything going offensively, battled foul trouble and endured a raucous crowd on the road at Illinois and still found a way to keep its undefeated season alive. That’s the resolve of a champion and a true contender, leaving them atop our rankings for at least another week.
2. Auburn (9-1)
Clipping at Tennessee’s heels are the Auburn Tigers who impressed again with a lopsided victory at Ohio State on Saturday. Johni Broome appears to be a NPOY contender and an endless supply of dynamic guards surround him to bolster one of Bruce Pearl’s most talented teams ever.
3. Iowa State (9-1)
Not even a double-digit lead just before halftime could propel Iowa to a considerable upset over its in-state rival as the Cyclones rallied for an 89-80 win over the Hawkeyes. The Cyclones added their sixth straight win on Sunday since a narrow loss to Auburn and are clearly one of the nation’s top teams.
4. Kentucky (10-1)
It hasn’t been as pretty as the first few games of Mark Pope’s tenure, but his team just continues to win, including over the weekend in one of the sport’s great rivalries. The Cats know how to score and defend just well enough to win. They’re the third SEC team in the top four and as well-deserving as any of them.
5. Kansas (8-2)
Not many teams needed a win more than Kansas on Saturday and the Jayhawks controlled their contest with NC State from start to finish. With one more game before Big 12 play begins, they’ll get a small reprieve before the season really heats up.
6. Duke (8-2)
The Blue Devils faced three of the five teams ahead of them in these rankings and fared well in a pair of nail-biting losses followed by a win over No. 2 Auburn. They’re clear favorites in a weak ACC with conference play kicking off this week.
7. Alabama (8-2)
Another SEC team checks in here, and two more will follow, to show just how impressive the start for this conference has been. The Tide played seven consecutive high-major programs, who could all be NCAA Tournament teams, and walked away with an impressive 5-2 record. They’ll catch their breath for a few weeks before a gauntlet in conference play awaits them in the new year.
8. Florida (10-0)
The first of two SEC unbeatens, although the power of the conference suggests that won’t last for long, is the Florida Gators. Preseason controversy around Todd Golden continues to be an afterthought as his team keeps piling wins together. The latest was a neutral-site statement against previously 8-1 Arizona State who looked impressive before running into the Gators in Atlanta.
9. Oklahoma (10-0)
Oklahoma is next after taking down a Big 12 opponent of its own in rival Oklahoma State. The game was never really in question as all five starters reached double figures, and in typical Porter Moser fashion, the defense dominated to hold their opponent under 70 points for the seventh time this season.
10. Oregon (10-1)
It’s been a terrific turnaround season for the Ducks so far and despite a loss to UCLA last week, they responded with a nice win over Stephen F. Austin to get back on track. In a Big Ten without any clear juggernaut, why can’t Oregon win another debut conference championship in a different sport?
11. Memphis (8-2)
I choose to overlook the upset loss to Arkansas State in favor of some of the more impressive wins in the country over UConn, Michigan State and now on the road at Clemson. The only other blemish on Memphis’ resume is a loss to Auburn, which is nothing that deserves to be punished.
12. Michigan State (8-2)
Speaking of the Spartans, they enjoyed a stagnant week because of finals and hung around at 8-2 because of it. They’ll return to action against Oakland, FAU and Western Michigan before Big Ten play continues in the new year.
13. San Diego State (7-2)
It was supposed to be a stress-free week for the Aztecs, and was on its way to being one, before Cal Baptist nearly erased a 19-point deficit to pull off a major upset on Wednesday. Still, Brian Dutcher’s group survived ahead of Mountain West play picking up in the next few weeks.
14. Houston (6-3)
Since losing to those Aztecs in late November, Houston is back to its roots of making opponents want to quit basketball because of its relentless defensive effort. Butler and Troy couldn’t even combine for 100 points in those two contests and its unlikely that Toledo and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi will this coming week either.
15. UConn (8-3)
The Huskies are back in the rankings following a four-game winning streak that includes wins over Baylor, Texas and Gonzaga. Maui is looking more and more like a fluke with Dan Hurley’s group finding its rhythm heading into Big East competition this week.
16. UCLA (8-2)
The Bruins have been flying under the radar since a loss to New Mexico in the second game of the season, but all of a sudden, they are 9-1 with back-to-back wins over Oregon and Arizona. North Carolina and Gonzaga await them before the calendar turns, so we’ll learn even more about the legitimacy of this revival.
Next 5: Maryland, Texas, Gonzaga, Texas A&M, Purdue
Players of the Week:
Dylan Harper, Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The race for the No. 1 pick is far from a formality, especially with the way Harper is playing of late. The freshman was already having a great week with a brilliant display to knock off Penn State, which paled in comparison to the show he put on Saturday against Seton Hall. The New Jersey native introduced himself to the rivalry with 24 points and a dramatic buzzer-beater to seal the win for the Scarlet Knights. Needless to say, he’s our clear choice as the player of the week.
Johni Broome, No. 2 Auburn Tigers
Broome is becoming a fixture on this list, but it’s impossible to deny him after a 21-point, 20-rebound performance against Ohio State with six assists as well. After first being known as a shot-blocker, Broome has expanded his game each season with the Tigers and now looks like a bona fide NBA prospect.
Lamont Butler, No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats
How does 33 points and six assists without missing a shot from the field (10-10 FG, 6-6 3-PT) sound for a return from injury? Butler, who is credited more for his defense, broke out like this in a big way, on a big stage, as the Wildcats hosted Louisville in a rivalry that looks renewed after a few dull years amidst the Cardinals’ destruction.
Andrej Stojakovic, California Golden Bears
Since transferring from Stanford this summer, Stojakovic is living up to the family name as a superstar with the Golden Bears. The 6-7 sophomore is averaging 20 points per game and is fresh off a 31-point domination of Northwestern State on 10-14 shooting (4-6 3PT) on Saturday. Stojakovic is proving he belongs on draft boards for far more than just his last name in a breakout sophomore campaign.
Jordan Gainey, No. 1 Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee would’ve been lost against Illinois without Gainey’s heroics off the bench in the second half. The senior guard scored or assisted on 15 of the team’s final 17 points, including a game-winning reverse layup that broke a 64-64 tie in the final seconds. These kinds of performances from unpredictable places are what makes Tennessee so dangerous both now and in the NCAA Tournament.
Play of the Week
Our player of the week provided the play of the week when Dylan Harper decided he didn’t want to stick around for overtime and instead buried a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to hand Seton Hall a crushing loss at Jersey Mike’s Arena. Check out the remarkable finish to an outstanding game below!
Video Credit: Bleacher Report
