5.Duke
Record: 10-1
Last week’s ranking:5th
AP ranking: 5th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 4th
Games last week: W 84-74 vs. Florida, W 94-45 vs. UNLV
Games this week: Idle
Breakdown: Duke navigated their early schedule without five-star freshmen Marques Bolden, Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum with just one loss, a two-point defeat against Kansas at the Champions Classic. Since then the Blue Devils have rolled, with guard Luke Kennard being one of the nation’s most improved players and veterans such as Grayson Allen and Amile Jefferson serving as the leaders. In recent games Bolden and Tatum have returned to the court, and Allen looked to have no issues with a nagging toe injury in Duke’s beating of UNLV Saturday afternoon. They’ll get Giles back, and when the rotation is complete Duke may very well be the best team in college basketball. They currently lead the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency and are a more than respectable 14th in adjusted defensive efficiency. There will be questions as to how the minutes will be distributed once Giles returns, but when you have a Hall of Fame head coach like Mike Krzyzewski the assumption is that everything will work itself out.
4. Kansas
Bill Self picked up his 600th career victory when Kansas beat UMKC last week (Getty)
Record: 9-1
Last week’s ranking: 4th
AP ranking: 3rd
Coaches’ poll ranking: 3rd
Games last week: W 105-62 vs. UMKC, W 89-72 vs. Nebraska
Games this week: vs. Davidson (12/17 in Kansas City)
Breakdown: Despite picking up comfortable wins over UMKC and Nebraska, last week didn’t come without issues for the Jayhawks. Sophomore forward Carlton Bragg was suspended indefinitely following his arrest on suspicion of battery, resulting in his missing Saturday’s game against Nebraska. Without Bragg, Bill Self’s search for consistent play from his big men continues without one possible option, with freshman Udoka Azubuike and senior Landen Lucas both playing well Saturday. Azubuike got the start, finishing with seven points, six rebounds and four blocks, with Lucas adding 12 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Given how good Kansas’ perimeter rotation is, led by Frank Mason, Devonté Graham and Josh Jackson, Kansas merely needs consistent rebounding and defending from their big men with the scoring being a welcome bonus.
3. Baylor
Record: 8-0
Last week’s ranking:2nd
AP ranking: 4th
Coaches’ poll ranking: 5th
Games last week: Idle
Games this week: vs. Southern (12/14), vs. Jackson State (12/17)
Breakdown: After picking up three wins over teams ranked in the AP Top 10 earlier this season, the Bears have reached the less strenuous portion of their non-conference schedule. With games against Southern, Jackson State, John Brown and Texas Southern remaining before they open Big 12 play at Oklahoma on December 30, Scott Drew’s Bears should be 12-0 when they head to Norman. Baylor didn’t play at all last week, giving the team time to not only prepare for (and take) final exams but to rest up for what will be a busy three-plus months. Point guard Manu Lecomte and forward Johnathan Motley have led the way offensively for Baylor, and if anything these next four games will allow Drew to try out different lineups and give more minutes to players who haven’t seen the court very often during Baylor’s first eight games.
2.UCLA
Record: 10-0
Last week’s ranking: 3rd
AP ranking: 2nd
Coaches’ poll ranking: 2nd
Games last week: W 102-84 vs. Michigan
Games this week: vs. UCSB (12/14), vs. Ohio State (12/17 in Las Vegas)
Breakdown: Steve Alford’s Bruins had just one game to play last week, and as has become commonplace this season they had it rolling offensively. In their 102-84 home win over Michigan, UCLA shot 67.2 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from beyond the arc, with the biggest issue being their 9-for-18 night from the foul line. T.J. Leaf led five Bruins in double figures with 21 points, and defensively center Ike Anigbogu came off the bench to block four shots. With point guard Lonzo Ball leading the way the Bruins have a lethal seven-man rotation that is ranked third in adjusted offensive efficiency per KenPom.com. They may not be an elite defensive team, but UCLA’s execution on the offensive end can more than make up for that.
1.Villanova
Record: 10-0
Last week’s ranking: 1st
AP ranking: 1st
Coaches’ poll ranking: 1st
Games last week: W 89-79 vs. La Salle, W 74-66 vs. Notre Dame
Games this week: vs. Temple (12/13)
Breakdown: Jay Wright’s team did nothing that would cost them the top spot in the power rankings, picking up two wins away from home. The win over La Salle may not appear to be much, but Philadelphia Big 5 games are tough to win regardless of the strength of the opposition. The big win came Saturday in Newark, New Jersey, as senior wing Josh Hart added another standout performance to his early national player of the year résumé in Villanova’s 74-66 win over No. 23 Notre Dame. Hart was Villanova’s lone double-figure scorer as he tallied 37 points (10-for-14 FG, 14-for-14 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals to lead the way. Hart’s one of three senior leaders on this team, with forwards Kris Jenkins and Darryl Reynolds being the others, and while there’s still the concern of what they’ll do when faced with the task of defending high-level big men Villanova’s talent, experience and toughness are attributes they’ll be able to lean on all season long.
