NCAA Basketball Rankings: Heavy’s Top 30 for December 11

The past week in college basketball was one in which some teams fell victim to opposition they were expected to take care of comfortably on paper. Ohio State suffered a surprising overtime loss to Florida Atlantic on Tuesday, with a 4-for-20 night from three being the difference as the visiting Owls shot 10-for-25 from beyond the arc. On Wednesday two ranked Big East teams fell on the road, with No. 13 Xavier losing 68-66 at Colorado and No. 16 Butler losing 72-71 at Indiana State.

Add in losses by No. 12 Saint Mary’s and No. 25 Iowa State on Thursday, and four AP Top 25 teams suffered losses before the weekend. In total six teams ranked in the AP Top 25 lost over the last seven days, and that will lead to some changes in this week’s Heavy Top 30 as well. Nine teams in last week’s Heavy Top 30 suffered defeats, which will impact the back end of the power rankings immensely.

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

30. Iowa State

Record: 6-3

Last week’s ranking:24th

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: L 78-64 at Iowa

Games this week: vs. Drake (12/17 in Des Moines, Iowa)

Breakdown: The Cyclones have lost three of their last four games, most recently falling by 14 at Iowa Thursday night. Iowa State struggled offensively in the loss, shooting 35.7 percent from the field overall and 8-for-30 from three, and it didn’t help matters that Iowa’s Peter Jok scored a game-high 23 points. Through nine games Steve Prohm’s team has been better defensively than they were last season, but their lack of size inside is something that could get the Cyclones in trouble in Big 12 play if their forwards (Deonte Burton chief among them) aren’t able to force mismatches on the other end. That requires consistency on the offensive end of the floor, where a team that lost Georges Niang and Abdel Nader from last year’s Sweet 16 team hasn’t been as fluid (as one would expect).

---

29. Wichita State

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking: Unranked

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 75-45 vs. Saint Louis, W 76-73 vs. Oklahoma

Games this week: vs. Oklahoma State (12/17)

Breakdown: The question asked of Gregg Marshall’s program by some was just how big of a drop-off would there be with guards Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker now in the NBA. There’s been no such issues through 11 games for the Shockers, whose losses came against Louisville and Michigan State at the Battle 4 Atlantis Thanksgiving week. Wichita State was dominant in its home win over Saint Louis Tuesday night, limiting the Billikens to 0.66 points per possession and 25.9 percent shooting. Saturday’s game against Oklahoma was much tougher, but Zach Brown scored 17 points, Daishon Smith 13 and Darral Willis 12 in the Wichita State victory. Wichita State has this week off to deal with final exams, with a home game against a good Oklahoma State team set for Saturday. According to KenPom.com the Shockers are ranked third nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, and regardless of who’s wearing the jerseys Wichita State’s track record makes it known that they will “play angry” and get stops.

---

28. Seton Hall

Record: 7-2

Last week’s ranking:Unranked

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 68-57 vs. Hawai’i, W 60-57 vs. California

Games this week: vs. South Carolina (12/12 in Brooklyn), vs. Delaware (12/17)

Breakdown: Since going 1-2 in Orlando the Pirates have won three straight games, most recently edging out Cal Wednesday night. The perimeter tandem of Khadeen Carrington and Desi Rodriguez combined to score 29 points in the win, and big man Angel Delgado tallied 16 points and 12 rebounds as he outplayed Cal’s Ivan Rabb. Seton Hall gets another chance at the quality non-conference win that eluded them in Orlando last month on Monday, as they face a ranked South Carolina team in Brooklyn. If point guard Madison Jones can take care of the ball against the Gamecock pressure, the Pirates are more than capable of heading back to New Jersey with a win.

---

27. Cincinnati

Record: 7-2

Last week’s ranking: 22nd

AP ranking: 25th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 23rd (tied)

Games last week: L 75-65 at Butler

Games this week: vs. Texas Southern (12/13), vs. Fairleigh Dickson (12/17)

Breakdown: Mick Cronin’s Bearcats played just one game this week, losing by ten at Butler on Saturday. Butler’s defense was a major factor, as they managed to make the Bearcats get away from who they’ve been offensively this season. On the season only 33 percent of Cincinnati’s field goal attempts have been three-pointers, which makes sense given their lack of consistent perimeter shooting and the presence of big men Kyle Washington and Gary Clark Jr. Against Butler, 26 of Cincinnati’s 65 field goal attempts were three-pointers, which is two high of a number for the Bearcats. Cincinnati shouldn’t have much of an issue with their next three games before opening league play at Temple on December 28, which will provide them with the chance to get back to who they are offensively.

---

26. Florida

Record: 7-3

Last week’s ranking:18th

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: L 84-74 vs. Duke in New York, L 83-78 at Florida State

Games this week: vs. Charlotte (12/17 in Sunrise, Florida)

Breakdown: This was a tough week for the Gators, as they had games away from Gainesville against one of the nation’s best teams in Duke and their bitter in-state rival Florida State. The issue in both games for Mike White’s team was their defense, as Duke shot 52.5 percent from the field and Florida State making nearly 46 percent of its attempts Sunday. Defense hasn’t been a concern for Florida overall, as they’re ranked 10th in adjusted defensive efficiency, but maintaining that level of play against quality competition will be key as they go into SEC play and ultimately the NCAA tournament.

Click the next page link below or keep scrolling for teams 25 through 21.

---

25. USC

Record: 9-0

Last week’s ranking:30th

AP ranking: 24th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 25th

Games last week: W 93-67 vs. Pepperdine

Games this week: vs. Troy (12/17)

Breakdown: The Trojans remained undefeated, beating Pepperdine 93-67 Sunday night in their lone game of the week. Once again good offensively, USC’s made noticeable strides defensively and that will serve them well in conference play. Opponents have an effective field goal percentage of just 43.9 percent per KenPom.com, and the Trojans also manage to defend without sending their opposition to the foul line too often (19th in defensive free throw rate). Jordan McLaughlin’s been a good leader at the point, and the team’s offensive versatility has served them well with sophomore forward Bennie Boatwright still sidelined with a sprained left knee.

---

24. Xavier

Record: 8-2

Last week’s ranking: 19th

AP ranking: 17th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 17th

Games last week: L 68-66 at Colorado, W 77-69 vs. Utah

Games this week: vs. Wake Forest (12/17)

Breakdown: Xavier’s two-point loss at Colorado on Wednesday was their second consecutive defeat, with the first coming against a very good Baylor team in Waco. No shame in losing a close game on the road, and Chris Mack’s team took a step forward as they managed to rebound and beat Utah Saturday. In the eight-point victory Trevon Bluiett and J.P. Macura scored 18 points apiece, with Rashid Gaston and Edmond Sumner adding 11 points apiece. The keys in the win were the foul line, where Xavier outscored Utah 15-8, and 14 turnovers committed by the Runnin’ Utes. Xavier has another tough home game Saturday when they host Wake Forest in their penultimate non-conference game before Big East play gets going against Providence on December 28.

---

23. Florida State

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking: 29th

AP ranking: 23rd

Coaches’ poll ranking: 23rd (tied)

Games last week: W 98-49 vs. Southern Miss, W 118-63 vs. Nicholls St., W 83-78 vs. Florida

Games this week: vs. Manhattan (12/17 in Sunrise, Florida)

Breakdown: Leonard Hamilton’s Seminoles have now won six straight games, and on Sunday they added a quality win to their résumé by outlasting the rival Gators in Tallahassee. Florida State’s offense has been the story this season, as they rank 19th in adjusted offensive efficiency and eighth in two-point field goal percentage. Players such as Dwayne Bacon, Xavier Rathan-Mayes and Terrence Mann can break down opponents off the dribble, which results in scoring opportunities in the paint for themselves and others. Florida State may be ranked 46th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, but they’re also 13th in effective field goal percentage defense. They have the physical tools to be a very good defensive team, and there’s plenty of time for the Seminoles to grow into that.

---

22. Oregon

Record: 8-2

Last week’s ranking:26th

AP ranking: 22th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 22nd

Games last week: W 65-56 vs. Alabama

Games this week: vs. Montana (12/13), vs. UNLV (12/17 in Portland)

Breakdown: While the offense has been a work in progress thanks in large part to the need to work Dillon Brooks back into the flow of things, the defense has been quite good for Oregon so far. KenPom.com has the Ducks ranked 12th in adjusted defensive efficiency, as they lead the nation in block percentage and also have good effective field goal and three-point percentage defense numbers. As for Brooks, he’s shaken off the rust that comes with missing time due to a foot injury, and as he gets better so will Oregon. In Sunday’s win over Alabama the Ducks limited the Crimson Tide to 2-for-19 shooting from three, a major factor in the outcome given Oregon’s struggles in keeping Alabama big man Donta Hall (7-for-9 FG, 14 points) away from the basket.

---

21. Maryland

Record: 10-1

Last week’s ranking: 23rd

AP ranking: Unranked

Coaches’ poll ranking: Unranked

Games last week: W 79-56 vs. Howard, W 66-56 vs. Saint Peter’s

Games this week: vs. Jacksonville State (12/12)

Breakdown: Maryland took care of business against two teams they were expected to beat last week, and the freshman class has continued to stand out for Mark Turgeon’s team. In the win over Saint Peter’s, freshmen Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter led the way offensively with Jackson scoring a game-high 19 points and Huerter adding 14. Jackson, Huerter and point guard Anthony Cowan make up three-fifths of Maryland’s starting lineup, and with reserves such as Dion Wiley and Jared Nickens struggling to find their groove offensively the newcomers have been welcome additions to the rotation. They’ve been quality supplements to junior guard Melo Trimble, and if Maryland is to be a factor in the Big Ten race that they need this to remain the case.

Click the next page link below or keep scrolling for teams 20 through 16.

20. Arizona

Record: 8-2

Last week’s ranking: 25th

AP ranking: 19th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 19th

Games last week: W 79-57 vs. UC Irvine, W 79-60 at Missouri

Games this week: vs. Grand Canyon (12/14), vs. Texas A&M (12/17 in Houston)

Breakdown: Given the many injuries, not to mention Allonzo Trier still being sidelined for undisclosed reasons, it’s amazing that Arizona is 8-2 through ten games. Head coach Sean Miller has only seven available scholarship players, which takes away any margin for error that the Wildcats enjoyed with a full allotment of players. On Saturday Arizona pulled away from Missouri in the second half to win by a comfortable margin, and while Missouri isn’t very good it should be noted that they took Xavier to overtime last month. Kadeem Allen and Lauri Markkanen are among the leaders for the Wildcats, with freshmen Rawle Alkins and Kobi Simmons (19 points apiece vs. Missouri) also figuring prominently in the offensive attack. Arizona will face another test Saturday when they play Texas A&M in Houston, with the Aggies having good size and depth in their front court.

---

19. Notre Dame

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking:20th

AP ranking: 21st

Coaches’ poll ranking: 21st

Games last week: W 87-72 vs. Fort Wayne, L 74-66 vs. Villanova

Games this week: vs. Purdue (12/17 in Indianapolis)

Breakdown: Notre Dame moves up a spot despite losing to the top-ranked Wildcats Saturday, due in large part to the fact that they were a Herculean effort from Villanova’s Josh Hart away from leaving Newark with the win. Mike Brey’s team needed a quality performance to get the “wait and see” crowd to buy in, as Notre Dame’s best wins came against Colorado and Northwestern. Even in defeat Notre Dame, which boasts on of the best offenses in college basketball, managed to gain some believers. Steve Vasturia and Matt Farrell scored 18 points apiece to lead three Notre Dame players in double figures Saturday, and they aren’t going to shoot 6-for-22 from three in many games this season.

---

18. South Carolina

Record: 8-0

Last week’s ranking: 21st

AP ranking: 16th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 15th

Games last week: Idle

Games this week: vs. Seton Hall (12/12 in Brooklyn), at South Florida (12/17)

Breakdown: The Gamecocks didn’t play at all last week, giving head coach Frank Martin time to work with a team that’s currently without the suspended Sindarius Thornwell. Without him Duane Notice and P.J. Dozier will do more of the heavy lifting offensively, but nothing really changes defensively. South Carolina will still get after opponents for a full 40 minutes, which will be key Monday night against a Seton Hall team that has quality scoring options both inside and on the perimeter. According to KenPom.com the Gamecocks are currently ranked in the top five nationally in four defensive categories: adjusted efficiency (5th), effective field goal percentage (2nd), three-point percentage (4th) and two-point percentage (4th).

---

17. Saint Mary’s

Record: 7-1

Last week’s ranking: 15th

AP ranking: 20th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 20th

Games last week: L 65-51 vs. UT-Arlington, W 84-53 vs. UC Irvine

Games this week: vs. Western Kentucky (12/14)

Breakdown: Randy Bennett’s Gaels haven’t been all that active when compared to other teams in college basketball, as they’ve played just seven games entering Sunday. On Thursday Saint Mary’s suffered its first defeat of the season, with UT-Arlington going into Moraga and limiting the Gaels to just 51 points. In the loss Saint Mary’s shot 8-for-27 from three and 31.4 percent from the field, with forward Jock Landale being the lone scorer in double figures. The Mavericks managed to make things difficult for Saint Mary’s with their defensive ability, and the Gaels put forth their worst performance of the season as a result. With Emmett Naar and Joe Rahon manning the guard spots, that won’t happen very often this season. Sunday night the Gaels bounced back with an 84-53 win over UC Irvine.

---

16. Purdue

Record: 8-2

Last week’s ranking: 17th

AP ranking: 15th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 16th

Games last week: W 97-64 vs. Arizona State in New York, W 77-53 vs. Cleveland State

Games this week: vs. Notre Dame (12/17 in Indianapolis)

Breakdown: Purdue took the trek east for the Jimmy V Classic last Tuesday, and they whipped Arizona State in every facet of the game in the 33-point victory. Isaac Haas and Caleb Swanigan are an incredibly difficult interior tandem for opponents to match up with, and Purdue’s been a very good three-point shooting team as well. The Boilermakers are ranked fifth nationally in three-point percentage, making 44.1 percent of their attempts, with Dakota Mathias, Vince Edwards and P.J. Thompson among those benefitting from the spacing that comes with having two big men who demand so much attention in the post. Saturday’s opponent, Notre Dame, isn’t the biggest team so that will be another matchup where Matt Painter looks to take advantage of the edge in size that his team will have.

Click the next page link below or keep scrolling for teams 15 through 11.

---

15. Wisconsin

Record: 9-2

Last week’s ranking: 14th

AP ranking: 16th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 14th

Games last week: W 78-44 vs. Idaho State, W 93-84 at Marquette

Games this week: vs. Green Bay (12/14)

Breakdown: Nigel Hayes has continued his run of strong play, finishing with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals in Wisconsin’s win over in-state rival Marquette Saturday. Hayes struggled early on, due in large part to not being as much of a playmaker as he’s capable of being. When Hayes is at his best he’s creating not only for himself but for his teammates as well, and Wisconsin’s offense moves more smoothly as a result. Bronson Koenig and Ethan Happ have both played well, but how far the Badgers ultimately go will depend largely upon the play of Hayes.

---

14. Butler

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking: 11th

AP ranking: 18th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 18th

Games last week: L 72-71 at Indiana State, W 75-65 vs. Cincinnati

Games this week: vs. Indiana (12/17 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis)

Breakdown: Chris Holtmann’s team suffered its first loss of the season last week, with a Bryson Scott free throw being the deciding play. Butler rebounded with a ten-point win over Cincinnati, adding a quality win to its credentials with another opportunity coming up as they face Indiana in the Crossroads Classic. Forwards Kelan Martin and Andrew Chrabascz have led the way for the Bulldogs, with point guard Tyler Lewis distributing the ball well and players such as Kamar Baldwin stepping forward as well. In Saturday’s win over Cincinnati, Martin scored 20 points off the bench to make the difference.

---

13. Virginia

Record: 8-1

Last week’s ranking: 14th

AP ranking: 13th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 12th

Games last week: W 76-53 vs. East Carolina

Games this week: vs. Robert Morris (12/17)

Breakdown: The Cavaliers have played just once since their loss to West Virginia on December 3, beating East Carolina by 23 Tuesday night. Freshman guard Kyle Guy led five double-figure scorers with 13 points in the win over ECU, and defensively the Cavaliers limited the Pirates to 8-for-26 shooting inside the three-point line. Virginia’s ranked 11th in adjusted offensive efficiency and second in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.com, remaining successful despite not having a clear number one scoring option. But given how efficient Tony Bennett’s team can be on that end of the floor, do they truly need a marquee scorer?

---

12. West Virginia

Record: 8-1

Last week’s ranking: 13th

AP ranking: 12th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 13th

Games last week: W 90-37 vs. Western Carolina, W 90-55 vs. VMI

Games this week: vs. UMKC (12/17)

Breakdown: The Mountaineers are currently on a four-game win streak, with the win at Virginia being sandwiched in between three wins against overmatched opponents. That’s essentially how the remainder of non-conference play will go for Bob Huggins’ team, with UMKC, Radford and Northern Kentucky being the opponents before West Virginia opens Big 12 play at Oklahoma State on December 30. With their “Press Virginia” system WVU is forcing a turnover on 34.7 percent of its opponents’ possessions, a number that ranks first nationally. The win over Virginia showed that Nathan Adrian, Esa Ahmad and company can win a half-court style of game, as that isn’t something they’ve been asked to do very often this season.

---

11. Louisville

Record: 9-1

Last week’s ranking:12th

AP ranking: 11th

Coaches’ poll ranking: 11th

Games last week: W 74-51 vs. Southern Illinois, W 102-71 vs. Texas Southern

Games this week: vs. Eastern Kentucky (12/17)

Breakdown: Since losing to Baylor in the title game of the Battle 4 Atlantis the Cardinals have won four straight games, with their best win coming against Purdue in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Louisville won’t be test again until they face in-state rival Kentucky December 21, and through their first ten games the Cardinals are ranked first nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Louisville isn’t forcing turnovers at a particularly high rate, but what they have managed to do is force their opponents to make tough shots as they rank seventh in effective field goal percentage defense. Freshman V.J. King led a balanced offensive effort Saturday with 18 points off the bench, and in total six Cardinals scored in double figures. That’s how Louisville will get things done offensively, and that’s not a bad formula to use given the number of skilled options on Rick Pitino’s roster.

Click the next page link below or keep scrolling for teams 10 through 6.

---

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

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.

---

Click the next page link below or keep scrolling for teams 5 through 1.

---

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

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.