Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all you college basketball fans! The absence of sports in 2020 showed us how much of a gift they truly are, so be sure not to take them for granted and enjoy them as much as you can.
Plenty of teams have plenty to be merry about this holiday season but in what order? Find out that and more below in our latest power rankings and players of the week in college hoops!
1. Purdue (11-1)
The Boilermakers have looked unstoppable to start the season, outside of their house of horrors in Evanston. With wins over four teams ranked in the top-15, Purdue looks like an early favorite to cut down the nets in March, as long as they’ve figured out how to beat the double-digit seeds in their region.
2. Kansas (11-1)
It’s not every year you find a team who can make the argument for two first-team all-Americans. The Jayhawks have that opportunity with Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar playing at the level they’re at right now. How the rest of the role players step up will determine how far this team can go in 2024.
3. Houston (12-0)
How Houston avoided a ranked opponent until late January is beyond me, but the Cougars have dominated inferior competition to earn their spot in the top-four in the country. It starts with the defense, which showed out on Thursday, holding Texas State to 37 points.
4. Arizona (9-2)
Playing in the game of the year is always exciting. Until you’re the team going home without an addition to the win column. That’s what happened to the Wildcats on Saturday night as they blew an early 14-point lead in a loss to FAU in Las Vegas. Don’t fret Cats fans, this is still one of the best teams in the nation and among the elite contenders for a national championship.
5. UConn (11-2)
With Donovan Clingan out for a few weeks, the Huskies will be tested as Big East play opens up. They already dropped their opener to Seton Hall on Wednesday but sustained a late surge by St. Johns to pick up their first conference win of the season on Saturday night. It’ll be up to some inexperienced big men to keep the season afloat in Clingan’s absence.
6. Kentucky (9-2)
Kentucky’s 95 points at Louisville on Thursday broke a record for most points by an opponent at the KFC Yum! Center. Look for these Cats to continue to break offensive records with the most versatile and talented guards in the country, anchored by five-star center Aaron Bradshaw who only continues to improve in his return from an injury.
7. North Carolina (8-3)
The Tar Heels came up with an impressive response to back-to-back losses, handling previously unbeaten Oklahoma in Charlotte. If RJ Davis isn’t an all-American this season, I’ll be the first advocate for finding a new voting system. He’s simply playing like the best guard in college basketball right now.
8. Marquette (10-3)
UConn wasn’t the only top-10 team to go down in the Big East this week. The Golden Eagles trailed for the final 32 minutes against Providence as they got off to an 0-1 start in conference play. A 30-point rout of Georgetown got them back on track heading into a major showdown with Creighton on Saturday.
9. Tennessee (9-3)
The Vols are done until 2024 and have to be proud of their non-conference performance so far. All three losses came to top-10 teams, and they also boast a pair of Big Ten wins in Wisconsin and in Knoxville against No. 13 Illinois. Rick Barnes was also nominated as a finalist for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this week.
10. Illinois (9-2)
Speaking of Illinois, the Fighting Illini are flying high after a blowout win in the Braggin’ Rights rivalry game against Missouri. Terrence Shannon dropped 30 in the win, extending his hot start to the year that his him rising up draft boards in a hurry this Winter.
11. FAU (10-2)
Are there still people out there calling FAU’s run last March a fluke? Anyone? In what was virtually a road game against the No. 4 team in the country, the Owls pulled off the win of the year in the game of the year against Arizona. Dusty May brought everyone back and has his team ready for another deep run with elite guard play and a never-quit mindset.
12. Gonzaga (9-3)
The WCC had a revival in recent years, but it looks like it will be all Gonzaga once again when conference play starts in 2024. Unlocking their talented guards, getting Graham Ike going and developing more consistency will be the keys for the Zags as they prepare for another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
13. Duke (9-3)
Even without Tyrese Proctor, Duke picked up a much-needed signature win against Baylor to build some confidence heading into the new year. The ACC is as much for the taking as it has ever been, so if the Blue Devils can get it rolling, the conference could be theirs for the taking in 2024.
14. Baylor (10-2)
While a loss to Duke is nothing to be ashamed of, it might be time to pump the brakes on the Bears after their 9-0 start to the year. Without a true signature win and a devastating Big 12 schedule ahead of them, Baylor could slip out of the national spotlight faster than you think.
15. Oklahoma (10-1)
Oklahoma enjoyed a hot start to the season, climbing to No. 7 in the AP Poll, but things are about to get a whole lot trickier for Porter Moser and the Sooners. A loss to North Carolina is just a sign of what’s to come in the aforementioned Big 12 that already features six ranked teams with more potentially on the way.
16. Colorado State (11-1)
The Mountain West might be the best conference west of Texas this season and Colorado State is a big reason why. With wins over Creighton and Colorado already, the Rams are off to a terrific start and look poised to lead one of the top conferences in college basketball behind Isiah Stevens leading the backcourt.
Next 5: Texas, Creighton, Ole Miss, Memphis, Clemson
Players of the Week:
Kevin McCullar, No. 2 Kansas Jayhawks
McCullar scored 20 of his career-high 34 points to stave off an upset bid by Yale to send the Jayhawks into Christmas as happy as they could be. His return to college continues to look like one of the best decisions of the offseason as he shows he is so much more than just a 3-and-D wing.
Antonio Reeves, No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats
First it was Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley. Now it’s Antonio Reeves. I am, of course, referring to the elite scoring guards from Kentucky who possess unstoppable floaters in the lane. Reeves used that, and 80% shooting from beyond the arc, to send the Cats past Louisville with a 30-point showing in this bitter rivalry.
Terrence Shannon, No. 13 Illinois Fighting Illini
It might be time to give Shannon a frequent flyer card on this list with how often he earns a spot as a player of the week. This time it was for a 30-point, 11-rebound game as he led the Illini to a beatdown of Missouri on Friday night. Shannon’s stock is soaring heading into 2024, so get on the hype train while you still can.
Johnell Davis, No. 14 FAU Owls
The best player of the best game this season needs to find a spot on this list. For FAU’s win over Arizona, it was Johnell Davis. Last season’s darling of the NCAA Tournament took over the game with 35 points in 49 minutes as the Owls took down No. 4 Arizona in double-overtime.
Jahmir Young, Maryland Terrapins
One of the top returning guards in college hoops was feeling it as he added to UCLA’s problems with a 69-60 win over the Bruins. Young was scorching hot from all over the floor, scoring 37 points on 13-19 shooting, including 4-6 from beyond the arc. If the Terps are going to turn things around this season, it’ll start with more of Jahmir Young running the offense.
Play of the Week:
Rob Dillingham’s monster windmill slam was the exclamation point on an electrifying win for Kentucky over Louisville on Thursday night. The freshmen class in Lexington is as exciting as we’ve ever seen in the John Calipari era. This dunk is one of many reasons why you should check out the Wildcats if you want to enjoy a 40-minute show.
Video Credit: UK Sports Video
