10. Indiana
Record: 8-1
Last week’s ranking:10th
AP ranking: 9th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 9th
Games last week: W 103-61 vs. Houston Baptist
Games this week: vs. Butler (12/17 in Indianapolis)
Breakdown: Since losing at Fort Wayne the Hoosiers have won five straight games, most recently blowing out Houston Baptist on Saturday. The big news for Tom Crean’s team ahead of Saturday’s game against Butler at the Crossroads Classic is that wing O.G. Anunoby, who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury suffered in a win over North Carolina on November 30, has been cleared to return. Anunoby is Indiana’s best defender, and while Juwan Morgan has filled in admirably in his absence Anunoby is a difference-maker for the Hoosiers. After three comfortable victories Indiana’s game against Butler will be a good test for both teams as they get closer to the start of conference play in their respective leagues.
9. Creighton
Record: 10-0
Last week’s ranking:9th
AP ranking: 10th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 10th
Games last week: W 77-62 at Nebraska, W 113-58 vs. Longwood
Games this week: vs. Oral Roberts (12/17)
Breakdown: At 10-0, Creighton is off to its best start since the 2003-04 season, and with their offensive firepower the Bluejays have the look of a Big East title contender. The versatile Khyri Thomas is averaging 13.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this season, serving as a more than adequate supplement to Maurice Watson Jr. and Marcus Foster on the perimeter. Similar to UCLA, how good Creighton can be will depend upon how well they defend. With Watson, Foster, Thomas, Cole Huff and Justin Patton (to name five) Creighton has more than enough offensive firepower. But the difference between simply getting to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament and going further tends to hinge upon a team’s ability to get stops when needed.
8. Gonzaga
Record: 10-0
Last week’s ranking:8th
AP ranking: 8th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 8th
Games last week: W 98-71 vs. Washington, W 61-43 vs. Akron
Games this week: vs. Tennessee (12/18 in Nashville)
Breakdown: Mark Few’s Bulldogs continue to roll to start the season, and they picked up two dominant wins in different ways last week. In their 98-71 win over Washington it was Gonzaga’s offense that stole the show, as they shot 53.8 percent from the field and 8-for-16 from three. In Saturday’s 61-43 win over Akron, the Bulldogs limited the Zips to 26.7 percent shooting from the field and 5-for-25 from beyond the arc. Guards Nigel Williams-Goss and Josh Perkins continue to play well alongside each other, and in the court Przmek Karnowski leads the way for a group that has an answer for just about any matchup. Gonzaga is going to put points on the board, but they’re also a top 20 team when it comes to defensive efficiency.
7. Kentucky
Malik Monk and the Wildcats have won their last two by comfortable margins (Getty)
Record: 9-1
Last week’s ranking:7th
AP ranking: 6th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 7th
Games last week: W 87-63 vs. Valparaiso, W 96-73 vs. Hofstra in Brooklyn
Games this week: vs. North Carolina (12/17 in Las Vegas)
Breakdown: John Calipari’s Wildcats rebounded nicely from their home loss to UCLA last weekend, taking care of Valparaiso and Hofstra to move to 9-1. Ranked seventh in adjusted offensive efficiency and third in adjusted defensive efficiency, the Wildcats have the attributes that recent national title contenders have possessed when it comes to executing on both ends of the floor. Perimeter shooting (32.4 percent 3PT) is still a concern for Kentucky, with guard Malik Monk and forward Derek Willis being the Wildcats’ most trusted shooters. When Kentucky can use its defense as the starting point of its offense, forcing live-ball turnovers, they’re an incredibly difficult team to beat. But the question that will hover over this team is what happens when they run into a high-level offensive team. Saturday’s game against North Carolina will show just how much the Wildcats learned from their loss to UCLA.
6. North Carolina
Record: 10-1
Last week’s ranking:6th
AP ranking: 7th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 6th
Games last week: W 83-74 vs. Davidson, W 73-71 vs. Tennessee
Games this week: vs. Kentucky (12/17 in Las Vegas)
Breakdown: Roy Williams’ Tar Heels have been without starting point guard Joel Berry II for the last three games due to an ankle injury, and while they’ve won all three there’s a noticeable difference on the defensive end. At the point Berry serves as the first line of defense for North Carolina, and without him they haven’t been able to apply as much pressure to opposing point guards. Sunday afternoon UNC edged out Tennessee in Chapel Hill, with guard Kenny Williams scoring a team-best 12 points. Freshman Tony Bradley grabbed seven offensive rebounds and the Tar Heels’ size advantage was a major factor in the paint. Next up for North Carolina is Tennessee in the biggest game of the upcoming week.
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