College Basketball Rankings: Heavy’s Top 30 for December 5

Caleb Swanigan is a key part of one of the best front courts in college basketball (Getty)

20. Notre Dame

Record: 8-0

Wins over Colorado and Northwestern at the Legends Classic may not be on par with the conquests picked up by teams such as Baylor and UCLA this season, but it’s hard to imagine that many people expected Notre Dame to get off to an 8-0 start after losing Demetrius Jackson and Zach Auguste from last season’s Elite Eight team. But head coach Mike Brey has once again found ways to put his players in spots where they can be successful, beginning with seniors V.J. Beachem and Steve Vasturia and junior Bonzie Colson. With those three leading the way the Fighting Irish are ranked seventh nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, and they take better care of the basketball than any team in America (first in turnover percentage). There are still some strides to be made defensively, due primarily to the team’s lack of size inside, but the versatility of this group is what makes Notre Dame such a tough matchup. We’ll learn more about this group and their potential for this season when they face defending national champion Villanova Saturday in Newark.

19. Xavier

Record: 7-1

Winners of seven straight to open the season, Chris Mack’s Musketeers suffered their first defeat of the season Saturday when they lost 76-61 at Baylor. There’s no shame in losing to a team as good as the Bears, who now have three wins over AP Top 10 teams this season, but the result did show that perimeter shooting is still an issue for Xavier. As a team the Musketeers shot 9-for-28 from beyond the arc Saturday, and that includes Trevon Bluiett going 6-for-10. While Xavier has struggled with three-point shooting all season long, shooting 9-for-30 from two against Baylor’s length was even more problematic in that loss. Guard Edmond Sumner, who shot 4-for-8 inside the arc, was the only Musketeer to make multiple two-point shots.

Should that be a concern? Not yet, because Xavier had been converting two-point shots at a solid clip in each of their first seven games. The greater concern long-term is the perimeter shooting, as that can help provide cleaner driving lanes for the likes of Sumner and Bluiett when those shots are falling. J.P. Macura is one player to look to for improvement from three, and there’s still the question of whether or not suspended senior guard Myles Davis can do what’s needed to make a return.

18. Florida

Record: 7-1

With three players, led by guard KeVaughn Allen, averaging between 11.8 and 12.4 points per game on the season Mike White’s Gators have relied on balance to get the job done offensively. Florida’s made noticeable strides on that end of the floor, with two point guards in Kasey Hill and Chris Chiozza who can push the tempo and get the ball to the right guys in the spots where they’re most successful. Florida has also managed to get even better defensively, as they’re ranked eighth in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.com after finishing last season 14th in that category. Centers John Egbunu and Kevarrius Hayes are combining to block 4.1 shots per game, and having that kind of “safety net” allows the guards to be more aggressive in passing lanes and defending dribble penetration. Florida was a team pegged by many (along with Texas A&M) as the one most likely to challenge prohibitive favorite Kentucky in the SEC, and thus far they’ve looked the part with their lone defeat coming against Gonzaga.

17. Purdue

Record: 6-2

Neither of Purdue’s losses were anything to shake one’s head at, as they lost to Villanova at home and to Louisville on the road. Head coach Matt Painter has one of the nation’s best front courts, led by juniors Isaac Haas and Vince Edwards and sophomore Caleb Swanigan, and that triumvirate is a big reason why Purdue has been so good offensively. Having post presences such as Haas and Swanigan help Purdue in two ways: one, opposing teams have to account for those two posting up and either scoring or getting to the foul line as a result of overmatched defenders choosing to give up two free throws instead of two points. And two, the attention paid to the big men results in open shooting opportunities for the guards, with Purdue ranking fifth in the country in three-point percentage (43.3 percent).

The Boilermakers are still adjusting to life without Rapheal Davis and A.J. Hammons defensively, but while the block percentage has dropped (Hammons) they’re still ranked 21st in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.com. Some may continue to question Purdue’s guard play, but freshman Carsen Edwards has been a major addition and returnees Dakota Mathias and P.J. Thompson have chipped in as well. Purdue will definitely be heard from in the Big Ten race.

16. Wisconsin

Record: 7-2

Neither of Wisconsin’s two defeats would be labeled as “bad,” as they’ve lost on the road to Creighton and in the championship of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational to North Carolina. Since the loss to North Carolina the Badgers have added quality home wins over Syracuse and Oklahoma to their résumé, with senior forward Nigel Hayes being a major factor. After finishing one point short of a triple-double in the win over the Orange, Hayes racked up 28 points and six assists in the Badgers’ 20-point win over the Sooners.

He, Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ form an incredibly tough trio for opponents to deal with, and Vitto Brown, D’Mitrik Trice and Zak Showalter have all chipped in as well for Greg Gard’s team. Their game at in-state rival Marquette is the toughest left on the schedule for Wisconsin before they begin Big Ten play against Rutgers in late December, and they’ll be a contender for the conference title.

Click on the “next page” graphic below for teams 15-11