Males’s NCAA High 25 Rankings: Houston, Illinois Climbing; Purdue Falls

[ad_1] That is essentially the most attention-grabbing males's faculty basketball season I can keep in mind prior to now 15 years.

This freshmen class is unimaginable. NIL signifies that expertise is staying put and the standard of play I’m watching is implausible.

What's extra, the race for the top-4 seed traces of the NCAA match has by no means been extra compelling.

Right here’s the most recent version of my males's faculty basketball rankings, as of Feb. 1.

*Word: Miami (Ohio) is 22-0, however its energy of schedule is 332nd within the nation. The RedHawks are an important story, however I’m unsure that I am going to rank them in any respect this 12 months. Being undefeated is cool and all, however it's a must to put it into context.

(Picture by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)

Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillian is pushing all the proper buttons with this workforce. The Aggies sit atop the SEC with a 7-1 document and are averaging 91.0 factors of their previous three video games. Nonetheless, there are large challenges forward.

Arkansas misplaced an emotional affair with Kentucky on Saturday. The Razorbacks have six losses, however none of them are unhealthy losses. They will’t discover a rhythm, although, as their longest win streak of the season is simply 4 video games.

St. John's has gained seven video games in a row and beat Butler by 22 factors on Wednesday. Guard Ian Jackson had 18 factors and is beginning to determine his scoring function.

Kentucky is popping its season round. The Wildcats beat Arkansas, led by their former coach John Calipari, on Saturday in an emotional sport. Guard Otega Oweh has scored 20 or extra factors in seven of his previous 9 video games.

Clemson boasts one of many 15 greatest defenses within the nation, and the Tigers used it to suffocate Pitt on Saturday; the Panthers might solely muster 52 factors. Clemson is now 8-1 within the ACC with its solely loss in extra time to NC State.

(Picture by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Photographs)

Tennessee is on a three-game win streak, beating Alabama, Georgia and Auburn. The Vols have a top-15 protection (once more).

St. Louis is now 21-1 after crushing Dayton by 31 factors on Saturday, with its solely loss approaching a miracle shot towards Stanford again in November.

North Carolina picked up one other street win at Georgia Tech on Saturday. I take pleasure in watching the frontcourt duo of ahead Caleb Wilson and heart Henri Veesaar. The pair mixed for 42 factors and 18 rebounds.

Virginia has the seventeenth greatest offense within the land and acquired two street wins this week, regardless of going 14-for-52 from behind the arc mixed. That’s signal that this workforce is legit and may discover methods to win.

Three losses in a row for Purdue appeared unfathomable when it began the preseason because the top-ranked workforce. This workforce can rating towards anybody, however the Boilermakers wrestle to protect elite, athletic groups like Iowa State and Illinois.

Understandably, BYU went 0-2 this week towards Arizona and Kansas. Cougars star ahead AJ Dybantsa was solely outscored by one level (17 to 18) by Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, however it felt like greater than that. Guard Richie Saunders had 33 factors and tremendously improved his NBA Draft inventory in entrance of the throng of scouts that had been in attendance.

I used to be a bit stunned that Texas Tech misplaced at UCF after taking pictures above 50% as a workforce, however the Purple Raiders couldn’t get stops in an 88-80 shootout. Texas Tech star ahead JT Toppin continued his stellar season with 27 factors on Saturday. I nonetheless assume the Purple Raiders can beat any workforce — anyplace.

Vanderbilt smashed Kentucky workforce earlier this week and is again to its profitable methods — three straight wins, in truth. Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner is just 6-foot, however his sport is very large.

(Picture by Ed Zurga/Getty Photographs)

I used to be so jacked up for the matchup between Dybantsa and Peterson — till the ball was tipped, and Peterson utterly took over with 18 factors in 17 minutes within the first half. After all, he solely performed three minutes within the second half (cramping?), however his Kansas teammates stored it going, taking pictures 57% total. Kansas is hitting its stride.

Florida made an announcement with its thrashing of Alabama at dwelling. Alex Condon had his greatest sport of the season with 25 factors and 6 assists on the heart place. Florida ranks sixth in KenPom and is 7-2 within the SEC.

[Men's College Hoops Spotlight: Villanova Eyes NCAA Tournament Berth]

Michigan State squeaked out an extra time win at Rutgers early within the week, and the Spartans couldn’t get better quick sufficient for his or her top-10 showdown towards Michigan on FOX on Friday evening, dropping 83-71 (the sport wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating). Spartans star Jeremy Fears Jr. did his half with 31 factors, however no person else actually confirmed up.

Graham Ike returned from harm this week, and he scored 30 factors in Gonzaga's win over Saint Mary’s on Saturday evening. The Zags' solely lack of the season was a 40-point beatdown by the hands of Michigan in November.

Depend me as one of many individuals who was extra impressed with Nebraska in defeat (at Michigan) than another sport I’ve seen the Huskers play. Their loss on Sunday to a surging Illinois workforce doesn’t change their potential, however it does carry them (and their fan base) again to Earth a bit.

Illinois owns the No. 1 offense within the sport and used it to avenge its loss to Nebraska. Exterior of Arizona, is anybody taking part in higher within the sport proper now? Illinois has gained 11 consecutive video games.

Moreover these back-to-back street losses a number of weeks in the past to Kansas and Cincinnati, Iowa State appears each bit like a No. 2 or No. 3 seed within the NCAA match.

[NCAA Bracket Projections: Michigan Reclaims No. 1 seed, ACC Rising]

Houston freshman guard Kingston Flemings solely had seven factors on Saturday towards Cincinnati, however fellow freshman ahead Chris Cenac Jr. had 13 and senior guard Milos Uzan closed issues out with 16. The Bearcats had no shot in that sport.

On Saturday, Duke star ahead Cameron Boozer posted 24 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists in a street win at Virginia Tech. That could be a career-best day for many gamers, however it’s simply one other day on the workplace for the very best participant within the sport.

After narrowly escaping most of their Large East opponents, UConn demolished Creighton on the street by 27 factors. The Huskies broke out of a stoop by hitting 16 of their 31 3-pointers.

Michigan adopted up its come-from-behind win over Nebraska by controlling many of the sport at Michigan State. Wolverines star ahead Yaxel Lendeborg lastly had a breakout sport in convention play with 28 factors and 12 rebounds.

(Picture by Chris Coduto/Getty Photographs)

Arizona is essentially the most bodily workforce within the nation and continued to impress, getting street wins at BYU and Arizona State. It appears possible the Wildcats will win the Large 12 by a number of video games.