NCAA Basketball Rankings: Heavy’s Top 30 for December 19

We’re another week closer to the end of the non-conference portion of the schedule for many college basketball teams, and Saturday’s action provided some highly entertaining games. At the top of the list was Kentucky taking on North Carolina at the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas, with Kentucky’s Malik Monk scoring 47 points to lead the Wildcats to a 103-100 victory. Also on Saturday, Purdue and Butler picked up wins at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis to add quality wins against Notre Dame and Indiana, respectively.

As for this week’s power rankings, Wichita State was the lone team to drop out after being ranked last week. The Shockers were soundly defeated by Oklahoma State Saturday night in Wichita, and their loss means that Virginia Tech makes its debut appearance in the power rankings.

You can also check out the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches’ polls. Here’s our weekly top 30:

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30. Virginia Tech

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 113-71 vs. The Citadel

Games this week: vs. Charleston Southern (December 20)

Breakdown: Buzz Williams has the Hokies off to a 9-1 start, with the most recent result being a blowout victory over The Citadel that was essentially two games within one. The Citadel took a four-point lead into the intermission, playing harder and with greater focus than the Hokies. That changed in the final 20 minutes, as Virginia Tech outscored The Citadel 73-27 with Ahmed Hill (22 points) and Chris Clarke (13 points, 12 rebounds, ten assists) leading the way in a game that saw seven of the eight Hokies that scored finishing in double figures. This is a versatile group, similar to Williams’ teams at Marquette where he was able to employ “switchables” at most of the positions on the court. That, and playing with maximum effort, will be the keys for Virginia Tech as ACC play approaches.

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29. Iowa State

Record: 7-3

Last week’s ranking:30th

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 97-80 vs. Drake

Games this week: vs. Mississippi Valley St. (December 20)

Breakdown: Like many teams in college basketball the Cyclones had just one game on the schedule last week, and after a slow start Steve Prohm’s team found its groove offensively as they defeated Drake 97-80 Saturday night in Des Moines. Naz Mitrou-Long made eight of his 12 three-point attempts in scoring a career-high 37 points, snapping out of a three-game slump in which he shot 3-for-16 from three. Mitrou-Long (33.3 percent) and Matt Thomas (35.1 percent) haven’t been shooting the ball as well as they can, and when those shots are falling everything else opens up offensively for the Cyclones, most especially driving lanes for point guard Monté Morris.

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28. Cincinnati

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking:27th

AP ranking: 24th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 23rd

Games last week: W 96-58 vs. Texas Southern, W 119-68 vs. Fairleigh Dickinson

Games this week: vs. Marshall (December 22)

Breakdown: Mick Cronin’s Bearcats did what was expected of them last week, blowing out Texas Southern and Fairleigh Dickinson to move to 9-2 on the season. Kevin Johnson led seven Bearcats in double figures with 18 points in the win over FDU, and he’ll be a key supplementary offensive figure when Cincinnati begins American Athletic Conference play against Temple on December 28. Guard Jacob Evans and forward Kyle Washington are combining to average 30.1 points per game, but this is a group that doesn’t lack capable scorers beyond those two.

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27. Seton Hall

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking: 28th

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 67-64 vs. South Carolina, W 81-68 vs. Delaware

Games this week: vs. Rutgers (December 23)

Breakdown: Kevin Willard’s Pirates have won five straight, and their win Tuesday night against then-No. 16 South Carolina is a result that could have an even greater impact come March. Khadeen Carrington scored 21 points, offsetting a rough night from the field by shooting 9-for-10 from the foul line, Desi Rodriguez added 16 points and Angel Delgado 13 and 12 rebounds in the three-point win. While Isaiah Whitehead going pro was a big loss, the Pirates have largely been successful thanks to the remaining players from that highly regarded 2014 recruiting class. Those players, Carrington, Delgado and Rodriguez, are now junior leaders for one of the Big East’s best teams.

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26. Florida

Record: 8-3

Last week’s ranking:26th

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 87-46 vs. Charlotte

Games this week: vs. Little Rock (December 21)

Breakdown: Mike White’s Gators rebounded from their road loss at Florida State in a big way, blowing out Charlotte at the Orange Bowl Classic Saturday. After giving up 84 and 83 points in the two games prior, both losses, Florida got back to basics defensively against the 49ers. Charlotte turned the ball over on nearly 28 percent of their possessions, and they also shot 28.6 percent from inside of the three-point line (and 4-for-16 outside of it). The competition will be tougher for Florida in SEC play, but if they can get after teams the way they did Charlotte (Chris Chiozza had five of their 13 steals) the Gators will be fine.

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25. USC

Record: 10-0

Last week’s ranking: 25th

AP ranking: 23rd

Coaches’ poll ranking: 25th

Games last week: W 82-77 vs. Troy

Games this week: vs. Cornell (December 19), vs. Missouri State (December 22 in Las Vegas), vs. DePaul or Wyoming (December 23 in Las Vegas)

Breakdown: USC had some issues with Troy on Saturday, with their ball screen defense not being as sharp as it should be before they managed to clean some things up down the stretch. Andy Enfield’s team is now 10-0 on the season, and while they’re the lone undefeated team that isn’t in the Top 10 that has more to do with their starting point than anything else. USC’s still awaiting the return of Bennie Boatwright, but with point guard Jordan McLaughlin running the show the Trojans are still plenty dangerous on the offensive end. The next three games, which they’ll be favored to win, give USC the opportunity to clean some things up before they begin Pac-12 play at Oregon State on December 28.

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24. South Carolina

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking:18th

AP ranking: 22nd

Coaches’ poll ranking: 20th

Games last week: L 67-64 vs. Seton Hall, W 77-67 at South Florida

Games this week: vs. Clemson (December 21)

Breakdown: Playing without suspended guard Sindarius Thornwell, who has been South Carolina’s best offensive player, shrinks the Gamecocks’ margin for error when they face teams that can handle their defensive pressure. That’s what happened last Tuesday against Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden, as they Pirates regained their footing after initially struggling to deal with South Carolina’s aggressive defense. Add in Duane Notice shooting 1-for-10 from the field, and P.J. Dozier’s 20-point night went for naught. South Carolina rebounded to take care of South Florida in Tampa over the weekend, and they face another challenge this week as in-state rival Clemson visits Columbia.

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23. Florida State

Record: 11-1

Last week’s ranking: 23rd

AP ranking: 21st

Coaches’ poll ranking: 22nd

Games last week: W 83-67 vs. Manhattan

Games this week: vs. Samford (December 19)

Breakdown: The Seminoles won their seventh consecutive game Saturday, as they beat Manhattan by 16 at the Orange Bowl Classic. Dwayne Bacon scored 16 points to lead the way offensively, but the big takeaway from that win is how Florida State defended. Manhattan committed 18 turnovers, giving up the ball on 25.4 percent of their possessions, and Florida State turned those miscues into 22 points. That, combined with Florida State’s size inside, proved to be too much for the Jaspers to handle Saturday afternoon. Florida State still has some things to clean up (16 turnovers vs. Manhattan), because their ACC schedule will be full of talented foes, but Bacon, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Jonathan Isaac and company have the tools required to reach the NCAA tournament.

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22. Xavier

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking: 24th

AP ranking: 17th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 17th

Games last week: W 69-65 vs. Wake Forest

Games this week: vs. Eastern Washington (December 20)

Breakdown: Xavier has won its last two games, most recently beating Wake Forest by four in the Skip Prosser Classic. Despite turning the ball over 15 times, Xavier’s superior scoring inside of the three-point line proved to be the difference. Wake Forest attempted seven more two-pointers than Xavier, 41 to the Musketeers’ 34, but Xavier made 61.8 percent of its attempts to just 45.5 percent for Wake Forest. Edmond Sumner shot 6-for-6 from two and RaShid Gaston 6-for-9, and the rate at which Xavier converts two-point shots will be key for them. Xavier’s shooting just 32.3 percent from three, and that’s an area where suspended guard Myles Davis can help them provided he do what it takes to be reinstated.

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21. Notre Dame

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking:19th

AP ranking: 25th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 24th

Games last week: L 86-81 vs. Purdue

Games this week: vs. Colgate (December 19)

Breakdown: After winning their first nine games of the season the Fighting Irish have lost their last two, with both defeats coming against ranked teams. In their loss to Purdue at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis, Notre Dame was done in by Purdue’s decision to go “small” with Caleb Swanigan at the five and 7-foot-2 Isaac Haas playing just 14 minutes. Vince Edwards came off the bench to grab six of Purdue’s 14 offensive rebounds, and the area where Notre Dame appeared to be in some trouble entering the game came back to haunt them in the end. With Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell playing as well as they have recently, Notre Dame will be fine heading into ACC play. And while missing out on quality wins against Villanova and Purdue does sting, they won’t lack for opportunities in conference play.

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20. Maryland

Record: 11-1

Last week’s ranking: 21st

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 92-66 vs. Jacksonville St.

Games this week: vs. Charlotte (December 20 in Baltimore)

Breakdown: While they aren’t ranked in either major poll, the Terrapins continue to chug along as Big Ten play approaches. Maryland used more full-court pressure in their win over Jacksonville State, forcing 16 turnovers with freshmen Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson combining for five steals. With those two on the wings, and vets Dion Wiley and Jared Nickens back them up, Mark Turgeon has enough depth to use the pressure on a more regular basis. Last season Maryland called on the 1-2-1-1 on occasion, with Jake Layman at the head of it, but depth issues kept them from doing it too much. That doesn’t appear to be a problem in 2016-17.

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19. Oregon

Record: 10-2

Last week’s ranking: 22nd

AP ranking: 20th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 21st

Games last week: W 81-67 vs. Montana, W 83-63 vs. UNLV

Games this week: vs. Fresno State (December 20)

Breakdown: Winners of eight straight games, Dana Altman’s Ducks look much more comfortable than they did in the first games of Dillon Brooks’ return. Oregon averaged 82 points per game against overmatched foes Montana and UNLV last week, with Brooks scoring 20 points, Tyler Dorsey 18 and Jordan Bell 16 (with 12 rebounds and three blocks) in the 20-point win over UNLV. Oregon’s got one last non-conference game before their Pac-12 opener against No. 2 UCLA on December 28, in what will be a showdown between the team picked to win the conference in the preseason (Oregon) and the team that has looked the most impressive to this point in the season (UCLA).

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18. Saint Mary’s

Record: 8-1

Last week’s ranking: 17th

AP ranking: 19th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 19th

Games last week: W 73-51 vs. Western Kentucky

Games this week: vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (December 20), vs. South Carolina St. (December 22)

Breakdown: Saint Mary’s has won two straight since its lone defeat of the season thus far, most recently limiting Western Kentucky to 0.85 points per possession on Saturday. The Gaels have one of the nation’s most efficient offenses, as they’re ranked eighth in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom.com. Saint Mary’s, which doesn’t turn opponents over at a high rate, has done a good job thus far of making their foes take (and make) challenged shots. Opponents have an effective field goal percentage of 47.2 this season, and their defense will be critical in the WCC showdowns to come against Gonzaga and BYU when league play begins.

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17. Arizona

Record: 10-2

Last week’s ranking: 20th

AP ranking: 18th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 18th

Games last week: W 64-54 vs. Grand Canyon, W 67-63 vs. Texas A&M

Games this week: vs. New Mexico (December 20)

Breakdown: For all of their injury issues the Wildcats continue to win games, with their win streak up to four after they hung on to beat Texas A&M Saturday afternoon in Houston. Arizona led the game by as much as 20 before the Aggies made their furious rally, and the rotation used will be what head coach Sean Miller goes to in big games until guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright returns from an ankle injury. Four of Arizona’s five starters played at least 36 minutes Saturday, with the fifth starter (center Dusan Ristic) scoring a team-best 18 points despite dealing with four trouble and Lauri Markkanen adding 17 points and seven rebounds. After their non-conference finale against New Mexico, Arizona will play four of its first seven Pac-12 games on the road, but by then the hope is that Jackson-Cartwright will be able to return (Allonzo Trier? We’ll see).

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16. Wisconsin

Record: 10-2

Last week’s ranking: 15th

AP ranking: 14th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 14th

Games last week: W 73-59 vs. Green Bay

Games this week: vs. Florida A&M (December 23)

Breakdown: Wisconsin led by as much as 24 in their win over Green Bay Wednesday night, with Nigel Hayes continuing his run of high-level play with 24 points and five rebounds. Wisconsin doesn’t lack for talent or depth, with fellow senior Bronson Koenig and sophomore Ethan Happ among their other standouts. But when it comes to the “difference-maker” who can take Wisconsin a long way both within the Big Ten and in the NCAA tournament, that man is Hayes. He’s done it in a variety of ways of late, scoring in some games while serving as a distributor in others (Syracuse) with the rebounding being a constant.

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15. Indiana

Record: 8-2

Last week’s ranking: 10th

AP ranking: 16th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 16th

Games last week: L 83-78 vs. Butler

Games this week: vs. Delaware St. (December 19), vs. Austin Peay (December 22)

Breakdown: Indiana got off to a slow start against Butler at the Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis, trailing by as much as 16 points before mounting a rally that fell short. The difference was the three-point line, as Indiana shot 6-for-21 from three and Butler was 10-for-21. And if you remove James Blackmon Jr.’s 4-for-7 night, the other Hoosiers combined to shoot 2-for-14. That shouldn’t happen too often to the Hoosiers given their many scoring options, but it reinforces the need to make sure that big man Thomas Bryant is getting consistent touches in the post. Bryant attempted ten shots on Saturday, and given the matchup issues he can cause getting the sophomore even more shots wouldn’t be a bad thing.

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14. Purdue

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking: 16th

AP ranking: 15th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 15th

Games last week: W 86-81 vs. Notre Dame

Games this week: vs. Western Illinois (December 19), vs. Norfolk St. (December 21)

Breakdown: Purdue was forced to play a smaller lineup for large stretches of Saturday’s game against Notre Dame, and the move worked out just fine for Matt Painter’s team. Caleb Swanigan, who’s been dominant to this point in the season, finished with 26 points, ten rebounds and four blocks, and Vince Edwards gave the Boilers some good minutes off the bench as he finished with 20 points and ten boards. Edwards is an interesting case, as he was moved from the starting lineup to the bench. He’s still getting good minutes, but for some guys that shift can be an issue. That hasn’t been the case for Edwards, and if he continues to embrace the sixth man role Purdue will be better for it.

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13. Butler

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking: 14th

AP ranking: 13th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 13th

Games last week: W 83-78 vs. Indiana

Games this week: vs. Vermont (December 21)

Breakdown: With Indiana wing OG Anunoby returning to their lineup for Saturday’s game, it appeared as if they would have an answer for Kelan Martin. Not the case, as Martin got off to a hot start and finished with a game-high 28 points as the Bulldogs beat Indiana by five. Andrew Chrabascz and Kamar Baldwin added 14 apiece, and Butler’s 12-point advantage from beyond the arc proved to be too much for the Hoosiers to overcome. And when you score nearly 1.2 points per possession and commit just six turnover as Butler did Saturday, there aren’t many teams that will be able to knock you off.

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12. Virginia

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking: 13th

AP ranking: 12th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 10th

Games last week: W 79-39 vs. Robert Morris

Games this week: at California (December 21)

Breakdown: Playing for the first time in 11 days, the Cavaliers put together a dominant second half in their 79-39 win over Robert Morris. Virginia limited RMU to 7-for-31 shooting inside of the three-point line, and this is the third time this season that the Cavaliers have held an opponent under 40 points. They’ll face far tougher competition in ACC play, as well as their game at Cal Wednesday night. But you’ll win more than you’ll lose when the defense remains consistent. London Perrantes continues to lead the way for Tony Bennett’s team, which may not have an elite scorer in the bunch but there are multiple players capable of chipping in with double-digit scoring nights on occasion.

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11. West Virginia

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking: 12th

AP ranking: 11th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 12th

Games last week: W 112-67 vs. UMKC

Games this week: vs. Radford (December 20), vs. Northern Kentucky (December 23)

Breakdown: Bob Huggins joined the 800 career wins club on Saturday, as the Mountaineers rolled to a 45-point win over UMKC. Similar outcomes should be expected in the Mountaineers’ final two non-conference games before they face Oklahoma State in the Big 12 opener. West Virginia forced 27 turnovers Saturday, with 34.6 percent of UMKC’s possessions ending in a turnover. That’s just below WVU’s turnover percentage number for the season, as their defensive turnover percentage of 34.7 percent leads the nation.

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10. Louisville

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking: 11th

AP ranking: 10th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 11th

Games last week: W 87-56 vs. Eastern Kentucky

Games this week: vs. Kentucky (December 21)

Breakdown: After rolling past Eastern Kentucky in the Billy Minardi Classic Saturday, Louisville prepares for its penultimate non-conference game and it’s a big one. Rival Kentucky visits the KFC Yum! Center Wednesday night, and Louisville will have the task of slowing down guards De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk. Monk went off for 47 in the Wildcats’ win over North Carolina Saturday, but the good news for Louisville is that they lead the nation in both effective field goal percentage defense and adjusted defensive efficiency. Guards Quentin Snider and Donovan Mitchell will be key for Rick Pitino’s team offensively, and Louisville will have a shot to win thanks to their defense.

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9. Creighton

Record: 11-0

Last week’s ranking: 9th

AP ranking: 9th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 9th

Games last week: W 66-65 vs. Oral Roberts

Games this week: at Arizona State (December 20)

Breakdown: After winning many of their first ten games thanks to their offensive firepower, the Bluejays had to call on their defense to hold off ORU on Saturday. Creighton went more than five minutes without a field goal to end the game, but they still had enough points to win the game. Tuesday night Maurice Watson Jr. and company visit an Arizona State team that has struggled defensively, and after starting the season 2-0 the Sun Devils have lost five of their last nine. ASU has alternated wins with losses during this stretch, and with their last game being a loss to New Mexico St. Bobby Hurley’s team could be due. At minimum, they’ll be motivated to salvage something from a disappointing non-conference portion of their schedule, so Creighton needs to be mentally ready to go from the start.

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8. Gonzaga

Record: 11-0

Last week’s ranking: 8th

AP ranking: 7th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 7th

Games last week: W 86-76 vs. Tennessee

Games this week: vs. South Dakota (December 21)

Breakdown: Gonzaga’s depth has been praised throughout the first 11 games of the season, and their reserves came through in Sunday’s win over Tennessee in Nashville. With multiple starters saddled with foul trouble, Silas Melson, Zach Collins and Killian Tillie combined to score 24 points and grab 14 rebounds. Add in four assists from Melson, and the trio had a very good day against a Tennessee squad that managed to trim the margin to four points with just over four minutes remaining. Unless something wild happens in their game against South Dakota, the Bulldogs will start WCC play undefeated. And with neither Saint Mary’s nor BYU being on the schedule until mid-January (Saint Mary’s visits on January 14), Mark Few’s team could be unblemished for quite some time.

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7. North Carolina

Record: 10-2

Last week’s ranking: 7th

AP ranking: 8th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 8th

Games last week: L 103-100 vs. Kentucky

Games this week: vs. Northern Iowa (December 21)

Breakdown: It’s hard to drop North Carolina much further than this given how their game against Kentucky at the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas went. Sure they were down for most of the game, but the Tar Heels managed to hang around thanks to Justin Jackson’s 34 points and led by two with 20 seconds to go. Malik Monk hit a three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining that gave Kentucky the lead for good, a fitting conclusion to his 47-point night. UNC had trouble defending Monk and De’Aaron Fox, but that’s something a lot of team will be faced with. And with Joel Berry II back and looking healthy, the Tar Heels don’t have much to fret about.

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6. Kentucky

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking: 7th

AP ranking: 6th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 5th

Games last week: W 103-100 vs. North Carolina

Games this week: at Louisville (December 21)

Breakdown: While there’s certainly reason to celebrate Kentucky’s win over North Carolina, the players don’t have that kind of time on their hands thanks to the schedule. Next up for John Calipari’s team is in-state rival Louisville, which will be a good test in multiple ways for his young team. First and foremost, Louisville’s a very good team that has been the best defensive team in the country per Ken Pomeroy’s numbers. Secondly, going from North Carolina to Louisville with no game in between tests the ability of Calipari’s team to focus on the next task in front of them. This is a week that could help Kentucky not only now but down the line as well, and it would be even bigger if they managed to knock off the Cardinals.

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5. Kansas

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking:4th

AP ranking: 3rd

Coaches’ poll ranking: 3rd

Games last week: W 89-71 vs. Davidson

Games this week: at UNLV (December 22)

Breakdown: Kansas certainly has a case that they should be higher on this list, especially when factoring in their head-to-head win over Duke at the Champions Classic (more on that later). Bill Self’s team has won its last ten games, most recently beating Davidson by 18 after struggling with the Wildcats for most of the first half. Josh Jackson and Frank Mason scored 18 points apiece to lead the way, and Carlton Bragg and Landen Lucas combined to add 15 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. The front court remains a question, but the good news for Kansas is that they have multiple players they can call upon (Bragg, Lucas and Udoka Azubuike) to man the middle.

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4. Baylor

Record: 11-0

Last week’s ranking: 3rd

AP ranking: 4th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 6th

Games last week: W 89-59 vs. Southern, W 82-57 vs. Jackson St., W 107-53 vs. John Brown

Games this week: vs. Texas Southern (December 21)

Breakdown: Baylor coasted to wins over three overmatched opponents last week, with the win over Jackson St. coming at Fort Hood. That will likely be the case when the Bears host Texas Southern Wednesday night. The good thing about those games is that they give Scott Drew the ability to work forward Nuni Omot into the rotation. The 6-foot-9 Omot was cleared for competition ahead of Baylor’s game against Southern. Omot gives Baylor yet another long, athletic forward to go along with Johnathon Motley, Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. and Terry Maston.

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3. Duke

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking:5th

AP ranking: 5th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 4th

Games last week: Idle

Games this week: vs. Tennessee St. (December 19), vs. Elon (December 21)

Breakdown: Duke presents an interesting dilemma when it comes to where to place them in the power rankings. Is their résumé as strong as Baylor’s? No. Is it fair to ignore the fact that Kansas beat them on a neutral court? No. But to counter those questions, Duke has yet to field its full rotation, with Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden just recently making their season debuts. And in time, Harry Giles will do the same. Luke Kennard has played like a national player of the year candidate, and Grayson Allen looks healthy after struggling with a toe injury earlier this season. Mike Krzyzewski likely has the best team in the country when every player is available, but for now we’ll split the difference.

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2. UCLA

Record: 12-0

Last week’s ranking: 2nd

AP ranking: 2nd

Coaches’ poll ranking: 2nd

Games last week: W 102-62 vs. UCSB, W 86-73 vs. Ohio State

Games this week: vs. Western Michigan (December 21)

Breakdown: Steve Alford’s Bruins moved to 12-0 with wins over UCSB and Ohio State, with the win over the Buckeyes coming in Las Vegas. The Bruins are ruthlessly efficient on offense, with Lonzo Ball running the point and multiple players not only willing to shoot the ball but pass it as well. UCLA averaged 1.1 points per possession against Ohio State, and had they not shot 10-for-31 from three the Bruins could have won the game by even more than 13 points. UCLA has one non-conference game remaining before they open Pac-12 play at Oregon, in what should be a highly entertaining matchup.

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1.Villanova

Record: 11-0

Last week’s ranking: 1st

AP ranking: 1st

Coaches’ poll ranking: 1st

Games last week: W 78-57 vs. Temple

Games this week: vs. American (December 21)

Breakdown: Jay Wright’s Wildcats wrapped up another Philadelphia Big 5 title with their win over Temple, and the senior class of Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds made history as a result. Hart, Jenkins and Reynolds are the first class in the history of the Big 5 to go 16-0, which is no small feat considering just how intense those games are. Now Villanova sets their sights on another Big East regular season title, and with two of their first three conference games being on the road against Creighton and Butler (Nova opens league play at home against DePaul), it won’t be easy to get off to a hot start.