We've always prided ourselves on these Power Rankings being heavily based on rsum, able to justify the order or inclusion by pointing to metrics or quality wins rather than making decisions based on which teams we believe would win on a neutral court tomorrow.
But why the reminder?
Because we're moving Arizona back to No. 1.
The Wildcats jumped to the top spot after winning at UConn last month, then relinquished their position following Michigan's romp through Las Vegas in which the Wolverines solidified themselves as the most dominant team in college basketball. And that's probably still the case, as evidenced by their lofty KenPom ranking, which positions them as the third-best team since the 1996-97 season. But Arizona's rsum is among the best of all time at this point in a season, with the Wildcats becoming the first team in AP poll history to beat five ranked teams in their first nine games.
The Wildcats, No. 1 in ESPN's Strength of Record, have wins over Florida and UCLA at neutral sites as well as UConn, Alabama and Auburn on their home courts.
Arizona vs. Michigan at No. 1 is likely to be a constant debate over the next several weeks with Arizona likely comfortably favored in every game until the Wildcats travel to BYU on Jan. 26 and Michigan's Jan. 30 trip to Michigan State figuring to be the Wolverines' toughest test in the foreseeable future.
1. Arizona Wildcats (10-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Brayden Burries has added a new dimension to the offense since he began his breakout stretch in late November. After averaging 7.8 points in his first five games, Burries is averaging 19.8 points over his past five contests -- a stretch that included a 28-point outing against Alabama in which he made five 3-pointers. The Wildcats have scored at least 1.26 points per possession in all five of those games, a mark they failed to reach in four of their first five. They have also made at least six 3s in three straight games after doing it just four times in their first seven.
Next seven days: vs. San Diego State in Phoenix (Dec. 20), vs. Bethune Cookman (Dec. 22)
2. Michigan Wolverines (10-0)
Previous ranking: 1
For a stretch in Saturday's win over Maryland, Michigan's invincibility was called into question. The Wolverines trailed by nine points early in the second half, only to put up 54 points in the final 18:48 en route to another blowout win. Their offense was truly remarkable. They shot 60% from the field, 63% from 3 and 86% from the free throw line. They made 12 3-pointers and turned it over just nine times, dishing out 28 assists on their 35 made field goals. And their 1.45 points per possession were the most they've scored in a Big Ten game since Jan. 26, 2017, against Indiana. The most impressive part? It wasn't even their most efficient offensive performance of the season; Michigan's 1.56 points per possession against Oakland in the season opener tops those charts.
Next seven days: vs. La Salle (Dec. 21)
3. Duke Blue Devils (11-0)
Previous ranking: 3
There's not much more to say about Cameron Boozer that hasn't already been said -- he's the runaway favorite for Freshman of the Year and the front-runner for Player of the Year, a candidacy only further cemented after going for 26 points and 13 rebounds against Lipscomb on Tuesday. So let's shift our eyes toward Duke's wing rotations. Dame Sarr started the first seven games but moved to the bench and played a season-low 14 minutes Tuesday. Nikolas Khamenia replaced Sarr in the lineup for the past three games but has played only 12 and 14 minutes in two of those three starts. Darren Harris, meanwhile, played 22 minutes Tuesday after totaling just 15 in his three previous games; he scored 11 points and made a pair of 3s. It will be interesting to see how Jon Scheyer allocates minutes moving forward.
Next seven days: vs. Texas Tech in New York (Dec. 20)
4. Iowa State Cyclones (11-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Much has been written about most of Iowa State's starting five, but Blake Buchanan has emerged as a key player for the Cyclones. The Virginia transfer is averaging career highs across the board and is coming off a 14-point, 6-rebound, 2-block performance against Eastern Illinois on Sunday. That was his fifth double-figure scoring effort of the season. And while he wasn't much of a scorer in Charlottesville, he was a highly effective offensive rebounder and shot blocker -- and he's improved in both of those aspects since joining TJ Otzelberger's program.
Next seven days: vs. Long Beach State (Dec. 21)
5. UConn Huskies (11-1)
Previous ranking: 5
It didn't take long for Braylon Mullins to stake his claim as one of the wings in Dan Hurley's starting lineup. The former five-star recruit and projected lottery pick missed the first six games with an ankle injury, and after coming off the bench for four games -- a stretch that included going for 17 points in 23 minutes against Kansas -- Mullins has been in the starting five for each of the past two contests. He had 10 points against Texas and 12 against Butler, making a pair of 3s in each game.
Next seven days: at DePaul (Dec. 21)
6. Gonzaga Bulldogs (11-1)
Previous ranking: 6
It shouldn't have been hard to predict a Braden Huff breakout. He started only four games last season, but three of them were in the postseason. In those three games, he averaged 15.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. A full-time starter this season, Huff has been one of the best big men in the country. He had his most dominant performance yet with 37 points on 16-for-18 shooting and 8 rebounds in Tuesday's win over Campbell. He went 12 for 12 from the field in the first half, joining Luka Garza in 2020 as the only Division I players in the past eight seasons to make 12 shots in a half without a miss, per ESPN Research. Huff is averaging 25.5 points and 5.3 rebounds over his past four games, shooting 75.9% from the field.
Next seven days: at Oregon in Portland (Dec. 21)
7. Purdue Boilermakers (10-1)
Previous ranking: 7
Purdue has responded nicely to getting blown out by Iowa State at home earlier this month, taking care of Minnesota and Marquette with relative ease. It was the defense that stood out after allowing at least one point per possession in six of the previous eight games. The Boilermakers held the Gophers and Golden Eagles to fewer than 60 points, with Minnesota scoring just 0.87 points and Marquette just under 0.91 points per possession -- two of Purdue's five best defensive performances of the season.
Next seven days: vs. Auburn in Indianapolis (Dec. 20)
8. Michigan State Spartans (10-1)
Previous ranking: 8
There was some surprise Saturday, when Michigan State announced its starting lineup and Divine Ugochukwu was included for his first start of the campaign -- he played only eight minutes in the previous game and entered last weekend averaging just 3.9 points with six made 3s all season. Tom Izzo knew what he was doing, though, as Ugochukwu had 23 points on 5-for-5 shooting from 3 in the Spartans' win over Penn State. The Miami transfer came back to Earth with two points against Toledo on Tuesday, but Kur Teng (whom Ugochukwu replaced in the starting lineup) responded with 14 points and 4 made 3s.
Next seven days: vs. Oakland in Detroit (Dec. 20)
9. BYU Cougars (10-1)
Previous ranking: 9
Kevin Young has BYU and its three stars absolutely humming right now. AJ Dybantsa has scored at least 22 points in four straight games, also dishing out 20 assists over that span. Richie Saunders struggled against Clemson in last week's Jimmy V Classic but has averaged 21.5 points and shot 5 for 8 from 3-point range in the two games since. And Robert Wright III has now made multiple 3s in seven of his past eight games, totaling 25 assists to eight turnovers over his past four. In Tuesday's win over Pacific, each of the Cougars' big three scored at least 22 points, the first time in the past 15 seasons BYU has had three different players hit that mark.
Next seven days: vs. Abilene Christian (Dec. 19), vs. Eastern Washington (Dec. 22)
10. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-2)
Previous ranking: 16
Darius Acuff Jr. and Trevon Brazile are quietly becoming one of the most dynamic inside-outside duos in the country. Acuff has established himself as an elite point guard after going toe-to-toe with Mikel Brown Jr. and Christian Anderson, leading the Razorbacks to wins over Louisville and Texas Tech, respectively. Meanwhile, Brazile is looking more and more like the matchup nightmare he's shown flashes to be, scoring at least 21 points in three of his past four games while shooting 12 for 18 from 3 in those contests.
Next seven days: vs. Houston in Newark, New Jersey (Dec. 20)
11. North Carolina Tar Heels (10-1)
Previous ranking: 12
How will Seth Trimble's return -- which seems to be just around the corner, potentially as early as Saturday against Ohio State -- impact the Tar Heels' personnel? Hubert Davis has used only two starting lineups this season: Trimble started the first two games before suffering his arm injury, then Luka Bogavac replaced Trimble in the starting five for the past nine games. Does Bogavac automatically return to the bench? The Montenegrin wing has scored in double-figures in all but two games this season, while fellow wing starter Jarin Stevenson has been inconsistent offensively. Davis could opt to go smaller and start Trimble alongside Bogavac. While that would make UNC smaller, the tandem of Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar up front ensures very few teams can overpower the Tar Heels down low.
Next seven days: vs. Ohio State in Atlanta (Dec. 20), vs. East Carolina (Dec. 22)
12. Houston Cougars (10-1)
Previous ranking: 14
It wasn't against the stiffest of competition, but Houston is coming off its best offensive performance since Nov. 29, 2022. The Cougars scored 1.46 points per possession in their 99-57 win over New Orleans on Saturday, making 11 3-pointers for the third consecutive game. After ranking in the bottom 100 nationally in 3-point attempt rate last season, attempting just 34.7% of their field goals from outside the arc, the Cougars are up to 42.4% this season -- their highest rate since the 2018-19 season. And they're getting nearly 36% of their scoring from 3-pointers, their highest percentage since 2020-21.
Next seven days: vs. Arkansas in Newark, New Jersey (Dec. 20)
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-0)
Previous ranking: 17
Nebraska is off to its best start in program history after Saturday's win at Illinois, the Cornhuskers' first victory in a ranked vs. ranked matchup since 1991, per ESPN Research. While Pryce Sandfort's 32-point performance -- more specifically, his 15 straight points to start the game and 26 in the first half -- drew headlines, it mostly highlighted the fantastic season he's been having through 11 games. After hitting 20 points just once in his two seasons at Iowa, Sandfort has scored at least 20 in five games. He has also doubled his previous career-high average in assists (1.3 to 2.7).
Next seven days: vs. North Dakota (Dec. 21)
14. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-3)
Previous ranking: 10
Alabama's defense is showing some real deficiencies through the first six weeks of the season, allowing seven opponents to score 1.09 points per possession or better. The Tide also gave up 189 combined points in their past two games, 96 in a 21-point loss to Arizona and 93 in a win over South Florida on Wednesday. Two injuries worth monitoring: Amari Allen missed Tuesday's game with a hip injury, while London Jemison suffered a knee injury in the first half.
It's not all negative, though. Labaron Philon Jr. has been arguably the best guard in the country this season, with Tuesday's 29-point, 7-assist performance bringing his season averages to 22.4 points and 5.5 assists. He's also shooting 43.1% from 3.
Next seven days: vs. Kennesaw State in Huntsville, Alabama (Dec. 21)
15. Louisville Cardinals (9-2)
Previous ranking: 13
It was inevitable that Louisville would struggle without star guard Mikel Brown Jr. against Tennessee on Tuesday, but the Cardinals were also completely overmatched physically. It was Louisville's worst offensive performance of the season by a wide margin, as well as its worst defensive showing of the campaign. The Cards have now allowed at least 1.01 points per possession in four straight games, each against top-100 opponents, highlighting an interesting chasm in their defensive efforts: Against Quad 3 and 4 opponents, they have the No. 11 defensive rating at CBB Analytics. But against Quad 1 and 2 opponents, they're No. 121.
Next seven days: vs. Montana (Dec. 20)
16. Kansas Jayhawks (9-3)
Previous ranking: 18
Melvin Council Jr. entered Kansas' game against NC State with five made 3s in his first 10 games, shooting 18.5% on attempts. Against the Wolfpack, Council broke loose, shooting 9 for 15 from deep and finishing with 36 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. It was one of the most impressive performances we've seen all season. Bill Self will need more of those games, as Darryn Peterson is once again sidelined, this time with quad cramping. It forced him to leave in the final minutes of Saturday's overtime win against NC State, then popped up in practice before Tuesday's victory over Towson.
Next seven days: vs. Davidson (Dec. 22)
17. Vanderbilt Commodores (11-0)
Previous ranking: 15
Vanderbilt stayed unbeaten with a road win at Memphis on Wednesday, the Commodores' hardest-fought victory of the season. The Tigers led by five with nine minutes to go, but Vanderbilt held them to just three field goals the rest of regulation and then pulled away in overtime. It was another terrific performance for Mark Byington's backcourt of Duke Miles and Tyler Tanner. The two guards combined for 38 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists and an eye-popping 10 steals.
Next seven days: at Wake Forest (Dec. 21)
18. Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3)
Previous ranking: 11
Last season, Illinois' defense was something of a "flat-track bully," to steal a European soccer term. In games against Quad 4 opponents, the Fighting Illini had the best defensive rating in the country at CBB Analytics. In Quad 1 games, they were down at No. 82 in the country. They're once again struggling at that end of the floor, ranking No. 108 in defensive rating at CBB Analytics against Quad 1 and 2 opponents and No. 40 in Quad 3 and 4 opponents. They gave up 1.31 points per possession to Nebraska and have allowed five straight opponents to surpass the one point per possession mark.
Next seven days: vs. Missouri in St. Louis (Dec. 22)
19. Tennessee Volunteers (8-3)
Previous ranking: 21
Tennessee won for the first time in three weeks Tuesday, battering a Mikel Brown Jr.-less Louisville team, soundly dominating the Cardinals at both ends of the floor. Vanderbilt transfer Jaylen Carey was the physical leader for the Vols, as he continues to solidify himself as a legitimate threat on the interior. He finished with 12 points, 10 boards and 3 assists -- the fourth time in his past five games that he's scored in double figures after not doing it once in his first six games. He's also been an elite offensive rebounder, ranking fourth nationally by grabbing more than 21% of Tennessee's misses.
Next seven days: vs. Gardner-Webb (Dec. 21)
20. Auburn Tigers (8-3)
Previous ranking: 20
Auburn made a lineup adjustment for Saturday's game against Chattanooga, its first contest since losing by 29 at Arizona the week before -- but it wasn't Steven Pearl's idea. The Tigers coach said after the win that Elyjah Freeman came into his office and volunteered to come off the bench, allowing freshman Sebastian Williams-Adams to move into the starting lineup. It worked for all parties. Freeman had 19 points and 7 rebounds in 33 minutes, while Williams-Adams posted 8 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists.
Next seven days: at Purdue in Indianapolis (Dec. 20)
21. Virginia Cavaliers (9-1)
Previous ranking: 22
Rim protection was one of the staples of Ryan Odom's defenses at VCU, particularly last season when Luke Bamgboye was patrolling the paint for the Rams. Odom amplified that approach with this year's Virginia roster. German freshman Johann Grunloh was one of the best young shot blockers in Europe last season, while Kansas State transfer Ugonna Onyenso has been a high-level shot blocker multiple years in college. The Cavaliers rank third nationally in block percentage and second in blocks per game -- and their 7.2 blocks per contest is among the top three marks in the past decade of college basketball.
Next seven days: vs. Maryland (Dec. 20), vs. American (Dec. 22)
22. USC Trojans (11-1)
Previous ranking: 23
Shortly before Wednesday's win over UTSA, the Trojans announced that star guard Rodney Rice is expected to miss the rest of the season with the right shoulder injury that has sidelined him since the Maui Invitational. He's missed the past six games with the injury but was averaging 20.3 points and 6.0 assists to start the season. Rice is the second USC player likely out for the campaign after Amarion Dickerson suffered a hip injury earlier this month that will keep him out three to four months. On the plus side, there's renewed optimism that five-star guard Alijah Arenas could be back in January.
Next seven days: vs. Brown (Dec. 21)
23. Florida Gators (7-4)
Previous ranking: 24
Xaivian Lee had a terrific first half against UConn at last week's Jimmy V Classic, scoring 13 points to keep Florida in the game against the Huskies. It might have sparked something in the Princeton transfer, as Lee has been playing his best basketball in a Florida jersey over the past three games. He finished the loss to UConn with 19 points and 5 assists, followed it with 24 points and 4 assists against George Washington, then had 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting in a blowout win over Saint Francis on Tuesday. His 3-point numbers are still way down from what they were last season, but Todd Golden will happily take the consistent offensive production.
Next seven days: vs. Colgate (Dec. 21)
24. St. John's Red Storm (7-3)
Previous ranking: 25
St. John's is gathering momentum heading into a showdown against Kentucky in Atlanta on Saturday. The Red Storm have won three in a row since their disappointing trip to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival, where they lost to Iowa State and Auburn, with Rick Pitino continuing to tweak his perimeter group. Ian Jackson was thrust back into the starting lineup for the first time since the season opener and responded with double-figure scoring in each of his past two games. Dylan Darling was moved to the bench but had 17 points and 3 made 3s in Tuesday's win over DePaul. The Johnnies also made 10 3s in each of their past two games, the first time they've done it in consecutive contests since November of last season.
Next seven days: vs. Kentucky in Atlanta (Dec. 20), vs. Harvard (Dec. 23)
25. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-3)
Previous ranking: 19
We're still waiting to see the Texas Tech team that was so highly regarded entering the season, as the Red Raiders have lost to their three toughest opponents following last weekend's defeat to Arkansas in Dallas. They'll get another marquee opportunity this weekend, facing Duke at Madison Square Garden. To have a chance, Grant McCasland's team will need to be much better defensively; it has allowed at least 1.31 points per possession in two straight games. In addition to the usual production from Christian Anderson and JT Toppin, they'll also need LeJuan Watts to carry over his momentum from Tuesday night's performance against Northern Colorado. Watts finished with 36 points on 12-of-13 shooting against the Bears, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to have 35 points on 90% shooting.
Next seven days: vs. Duke in New York (Dec. 20)
Dropped out: None
