It’s the beginning of the year, and many things are already on my mind.

Here’s five things on my mind:

1. Cooper Flagg could be the first freshman to win the Naismith Award since 2019 when fellow Duke player Zion Williamson won the award. The list of freshmen winners is small, with Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012) and Texas’ Kevin Durant (2007) also winning the award. Hopefully, Auburn’s Johni Broome won’t be out long with an ankle injury. The two could have a great race to the award in the season’s final month. Flagg has lived up to the hype, which rarely happens. He’s not just scoring and rebounding but doing a tremendous job of leading, defending, and getting the offense flowing. Flagg is averaging 19.1/8.3 but is the No. 1 scout and continues to excel despite the attention. 

2. There is strength in numbers in conferences. The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC are proving that, and it will pay off in NCAA Tournament bids. That’s why I wish the new Pac-12 and Mountain West would get together and form one conference. Men’s basketball in the Mountain West has been sensational in past years and continues this season. Sure, Utah State and Boise State, which played a terrific, late-possession game Saturday night, will continue to play each other. But New Mexico and San Diego State will not. The Lobos and Aztecs have consistently had high-quality games at Viejas and the Pit. I’m not naive. These leagues are formed from a football perspective, although the new Pac-12 is adding Gonzaga for hoops. But if they had formed one league — the current Mountain West — with the additions of Gonzaga (Pac-12), Oregon State (Pac-12), Washington State (Pac-12), Hawaii, UTEP, and Grand Canyon (all 3 joining in 2026) — would have made for a super conference in the West. UC Davis is also joining, and men’s basketball has progressed. Instead, the MWC and the Pac-12 could have years where they have a low of 2 bids (and in a bad year, just one) instead of the potential to be a league where they could have 5-6. It’s a shame that neither league commissioner could see this and come together for one super league. 

3. Shout out to Bryant coach Phil Martelli Jr. The Bulldogs got blasted 116-66 at Grand Canyon. And all Martelli Jr. did with Bryant was turn around a week later and beat Maine and league favorite Vermont back-to-back to start the America East 2-0. Great job erasing a poor non-conference performance and not letting it affect the start of conference play. 

4. A healthy Saint Louis is atop the A-10. Two Billikens’ top scorers came with Josh Schertz from Indiana State: Isaiah Swope and Robbie Avila. Gibson Jimerson leads the team in scoring and was a returnee with Saint Louis. The Billikens took down two of the A-10 favorites at home, Saint Joseph’s and St. Bonaventure. 

5. The SEC is brutal. Consider this: Oklahoma was 13-0 and is now 0-3 in the SEC. The Sooners started the league with two of three road games at Alabama and at Georgia, with Texas A&M wedged in between. Oklahoma, Arkansas, LSU, Texas and South Carolina all started 0-3 in the SEC, yet each could be in some sort of postseason event. All 16 SEC schools are at least four games above .500 overall. 

RANKINGS: AP Top 25 Poll | NET rankings

The Power 37 for Jan. 13:

1. Auburn (Prev. 1, 15-1): Auburn beat South Carolina in Columbia despite losing Johni Broome to an ankle injury early in the game. 
2. Iowa State (Prev. 3, 14-1): The Cyclones are proving that the Big 12 goes through Ames after a thrilling overtime comeback win at Texas Tech. 
3. Duke (Prev. 4, 14-2): The Blue Devils continue to create separation in the ACC. 
4. Alabama (Prev. 5, 14-2): The Tide had a massive road win at Texas A&M. 
5. Florida (Prev. 7, 15-1): The Gators had a tremendous week (see the team of the week) by blasting Tennessee and winning at Arkansas. 
6. Tennessee (Prev. 2, 15-1): The Vols were the last team to lose this season but rebounded to beat Texas. 
7. Marquette (Prev. 9, 14-2): The Golden Eagles are 5-0 in the Big East and looking like another potential Final Four team. 
8. Memphis (Prev. 14, 13-3): The Tigers are the class of the American. 
9. Michigan State (Prev. 15, 14-2): The Spartans have dominated the Big Ten, crushing the competition, including Northwestern, on the road Sunday. 
10. UConn (Prev. 8, 13-4): The Huskies bounced back after the Villanova loss with a convincing win at Georgetown. 
11. Kentucky (Prev. 6, 13-3): Georgia got Kentucky in Athens, but then the Wildcats got a monster win at Mississippi State. 
12. Michigan (Prev. 23, 13-3): The Wolverines won convincingly at UCLA and then over Washington. 
13. Houston (Prev. 16, 12-3): The Cougars have flipped the narrative on the season and are rolling. 
14. Texas A&M (Prev. 11, 13-3): The Aggies did win at Oklahoma before losing to Alabama. 
15. Purdue (Prev. 18, 13-4): The Boilermakers have hit their stride in the Big Ten, blitzing the competition home or road. 
16. Kansas (Prev. 20, 12-3): The Jayhawks are starting to get the rotation down and will still be in the thick of the Big 12 title chase. 
17. Utah State (Prev. 21, 16-1): The Aggies had a crazy last-possession home win over Boise State to stay undefeated in the MWC. 
18. New Mexico (Prev. 32, 14-3): The Lobos are 6-0 in the MWC after a comeback win at Wyoming and a win over San Diego State at the Pit. 
19. Arizona (Prev. NR, 10-5): Guess who is 4-0 in the Big 12 after a slow non-conference start? Yes, the Wildcats. 
20. West Virginia (Prev. 19, 12-3): The Mountaineers did lose to Arizona, but that’s the only Big 12 blemish. 
21. Illinois (Prev. 10, 12-4): The Illini beat Penn State without Kasparas Jakucionis but couldn’t beat USC with him still sidelined. 
22. Gonzaga (Prev. 22, 14-4): The Zags knocked back Washington State in the Cougars’ first WCC game against their rival. 
23. Mississippi State (Prev. 12, 14-2): The Bulldogs did lose to Kentucky at home, but they are still a major force in the SEC. 
24. Oregon (Prev. 26, 15-2): The Ducks picked up their first Eastern road swing in the Big Ten with wins at Ohio State and Penn State. 
25. Wisconsin (Prev. 28, 13-3): The Badgers won at Rutgers and then handily beat Minnesota. 
26. Louisville (Prev. NR, 12-5): The Cardinals are 5-1 in the ACC and making a case to be No. 2 in the league. 
27. Clemson (Prev. 17, 13-4): The Tigers lost to Louisville but beat Florida State to remain tied for second.
28. Ole Miss (Prev. NR, 14-2): The Rebels are off to a 3-0 start in the SEC. 
29. Maryland (Prev. 29, 12-4): The Terps bounced back from a rough Northwest road trip by pounding UCLA. 
30. St. John’s (Prev. 31, 14-3): The Red Storm had a great win over Villanova and has emerged as a top-three Big East team. 
31. Baylor (Prev. 34, 11-4): The Bears will find a way to challenge for a top-three Big 12 finish. 
32. Missouri (Prev. 33, 13-3): The Tigers aren’t going anywhere in the SEC. This is an NCAA Tournament team after going winless in the SEC last season. 
33. Georgia (Prev. NR, 14-2): The Bulldogs had a great week, beating Kentucky and Oklahoma. 
34. Saint Louis (Prev. NR, 10-6): SLU is healthy and is the latest team to move to the top of the A-10. 
35. Wake Forest (Prev. NR, 12-4): The Demon Deacons have won three in a row and are poised to stay in the chase for second in the ACC. 
36. North Carolina (Prev. NR, 11-6): The Tar Heels continue to flirt with losses but have found a way to stay in the chase for second at 4-1 in the ACC. 
37. Iowa (Prev. NR, 12-4): The Hawkeyes continued to pour on the points and controlled Indiana. 

Dropped out: Oklahoma (13), Nebraska (24), UCLA (25), San Diego State (27), Pitt (30), Arkansas (35), Vanderbilt (36), St. Bonaventure (37). 

Under consideration: UC Irvine, Saint Mary’s. 

March Madness National Team of the Week

Florida: The Gators have been one of the biggest surprises and, at times, one of the most dominating teams in the country. The Gators pounded previously undefeated Tennessee 73-43 in Gainesville and then went on the road and beat Arkansas by nine. Florida enters the week 15-1, 2-1 in the SEC, with a strong chance to be 19-1 overall and 6-1 in the SEC before the return game in Knoxville on Feb. 1. 

March Madness National Player of the Week

Cooper Flagg, Duke: The top freshman in the country, projected No. 1 draft pick in June, is now one of the top two choices for national player of the year. Flagg is hitting second gear in the ACC. He scored 42 points with seven assists, six rebounds, and 16 of 17 at the free-throw line in an 86-78 win over Notre Dame. Flagg scored 19 with 10 boards and five assists in a 76-47 blowout win over Pitt. Flagg has scored double figures in six straight and eight of the last nine games. 

March Madness Top 10 Games to Watch

Illinois at Michigan State, Sunday: The Big Ten schedulers did this right by ensuring two likely conference title contenders play twice this season. The key for the Illini will be whether or not Kasparas Jakucionis plays. 

Kansas at Iowa State, Wednesday: The Big 12 runs through Ames this season. If the Jayhawks want to assume their usual spot atop the league, winning at Iowa State would undoubtedly help the cause. 

Alabama at Kentucky, Saturday: The Tide pulled off a monster road win at Texas A&M. Win at Rupp, and the Tide will hold an advantage in the chase to stay with Auburn, Tennessee and Florida. 

Purdue at Oregon, Saturday: The Ducks play from behind after losing two home games. The Boilermakers are back to looking like a Big Ten title contender. This game could indicate where they will stand in the chase. 

Ole Miss at Alabama, Tuesday: The Rebels have proven they can win on the road in the SEC. This is a tall task, but it still will be a barometer for them. 

Texas A&M at Kentucky, Tuesday: The Aggies, when healthy, are one of the best teams in the SEC. This should be yet another major test for Kentucky. 

Auburn at Georgia, Saturday: The Bulldogs look like an NCAA Tournament team after beating Kentucky and Oklahoma at home. Take out Auburn, and the Bulldogs may also be an SEC title contender. 

Illinois at Indiana, Tuesday: The Illini have quite a challenging week on the road, especially if they don’t have KJ. Indiana is in desperation mode. The Hoosiers must win this home game after getting blasted at Iowa. 

Baylor at Arizona, Tuesday: The Wildcats are back into NCAA Tournament-bid contention after a shaky non-conference. Arizona enters the week 4-0 in the Big 12, while Baylor is just behind the Wildcats at 3-1. 

Clemson at Pitt, Saturday: The battle for the second-best team in the ACC is on, and Clemson and Pitt are in the thick of the chase with Louisville, North Carolina and possibly Wake Forest. This result could have a say in who gets that second seed.