This has been a spectacular men’s college basketball season. Generally, the players are better and more skilled than ever, and the schemes coaches are running are very creative and interesting. Overall, the game is in a good place. Could it be better? Absolutely, and we will get to some suggestions shortly. However, it is worth stating and celebrating that overall, things are good.
How good? The SEC is having a historically great season and stacks up as arguably the most powerful conference, top to bottom and relative to the field, that has ever been. That is not to say that Duke, Houston, Iowa State or some other team can’t emerge as the best team and win the national championship, or that the Final Four and Elite Eight will be made up of only SEC teams. Nobody is saying that, and stating that the SEC is the best league (which it is) does not imply that every other league sucks. They do not.
We have seen spectacular performances and moments this season, both team and individual. Michigan State’s Tom Izzo just passed former Indiana coach Bob Knight to become the Big Ten’s all-time winningest coach. Izzo is a treasure of this game, as treasured a person as he is a winner and coach. Gonzaga leads the nation in assists at 20 per game and just set a record with 33 in a game. Zags point guard Ryan Nembhard is the nation’s top dime-dropper, averaging 10 assists. Villanova’s lefty big man Eric Dixon leads the nation in scoring, and Auburn’s Johni Broome, Duke’s Cooper Flagg and UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg each lead their respective teams in scoring, rebounding, assists and blocks. Broome and Flagg appear to be in a two-man race for national player of the year, and both play on title-contending teams. Rick Pitino has St. John’s back in the national spotlight. Pat Kelsey has Louisville back in the AP Top 25, winning more games than the Cardinals won in the previous two seasons combined.
How can the game be better? By changing some of its archaic rules. First, men’s college basketball needs to go to four 10-minute quarters. Right now, this is the only level of basketball in the entire world that does not have quarters. Should the men’s college game finally join the rest of the world and go to quarters, team fouls will reset after the first and third quarters. That will result in fewer free throw attempts on common fouls.
Second, and perhaps most importantly, the rules committee needs to scrap the video replay rules altogether. Replay, as predicted by former Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, is out of control and has become like kudzu — an invasive, creeping weed. Replay reviews are too many and take too long, and they are unnecessary. Of course, we all want to get things right, but the ridiculous number of reviews are, quite frankly, a joke that ruin the flow of games both inside the arena and on television. The solution is simple: As done in the NBA, each coach should be allowed one challenge of an official’s call. If that challenge is successful, the coach keeps that challenge (for a maximum of two challenges per game). If the first challenge is unsuccessful, there is no second challenge. In the men’s college game, we live with officials’ calls for 38 minutes, yet subject the teams and fans to seemingly endless scrutinizing of plays in the final two as if they were the Zapruder film. It is damaging to the game. There are so many ridiculous late reviews that timeouts are irrelevant. With a challenge system, gone will be the days where we review every goaltending or basket interference call (which are made just to be able to review them) and every late-game out-of-bounds call. Get off your collective backsides, rules committee, and do the right thing.
As the NCAA tournament approaches, many will focus upon the intensely formulaic assessment of teams by the selection committee and those that predict their obvious outcomes. Instead, it seems more useful and rational to focus on the play, strengths and weaknesses of these teams heading into Champ Week. Here is the definitive and unimpeachable ranking of the best teams across the men’s college basketball landscape. As always, you’re welcome.
In beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Bruce Pearl became the first coach to win an AP No. 1 vs. No. 2 game with two different teams. And, he has a team now that can beat anybody and win the whole thing. Auburn has Johni Broome, but it also boasts a very strong and productive bench and a quartet of guards who can all shoot it from deep and knock down free throws. Denver Jones is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country, and did a fabulous job on Alabama’s Mark Sears. Auburn is not only No. 1, it is the best team in the nation right now, and has played a hellacious schedule. This team is battle-tested.
The Blue Devils are young in key spots, but they are the most talented team in the country. Only Duke, Florida and Houston are rated in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. Though clearly not unbeatable by any means, Duke is the most balanced and consistent team in the college game. Cooper Flagg is one of only two Division I players to lead his team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks, along with Yaxel Lendeborg of UAB.
Yet again, Houston leads the nation in playing hard. The Cougars lost early to Auburn and dropped three other games (in overtime) while ranking in the top three in effective defensive efficiency (89.6). The biggest difference between this Houston team and its most recent versions? This team can shoot it. Houston ranks third in the nation among high-major teams in 3-point shooting accuracy (39.1%), behind only Memphis and Villanova.
The Gators have size and skill up front, and a great quartet of guards in Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard and Denzel Aberdeen. Sharpshooter Urban Klavzar is another weapon at Todd Golden’s disposal. The difference for the Gators this season is a top-10 defense to match its top-10 offense. Last season, the Gators were rated outside of the top 90 in defensive efficiency.
The Tide have the most potent offense in the country and make over 10 3-pointers per game. Outstanding in transition and attacking the paint, they need only to limit turnovers and improve a bit defensively to contend. When punching the paint and hitting deep shots, Alabama is very tough to beat.
As per usual, the Vols have the No. 1 defense in the country but are a bit up and down offensively. When Chaz Lanier is aggressive and Igor Milicic Jr. and Felix Okpara are assertive threats with the ball, Tennessee can beat anybody. But offensive inconsistency has led to some frustrating losses, all of which have come in SEC play.
The Red Raiders are the most underrated team in the country. They are talented, athletic and can really shoot the ball. Darrion Williams, JT Toppin and Chance McMillian are all outstanding scorers, and the Red Raiders have won nine of 10 heading into a road matchup with TCU.
The Cyclones seem to have righted the ship after a three-game slide against Arizona, Kansas State and Kansas, winning three straight since. Iowa State still guards well and forces turnovers, and has a Big 12 Player of the Year contender in Curtis Jones, the most explosive bench scorer in the country. Jones has scored 20 points or more in 10 games this season.
The Aggies are amazing. For a team that can struggle to make shots consistently, Texas A&M pounds the offensive glass, leading the nation in offensive rebounding, and forcing turnovers to gain extra possessions. By getting more shot attempts than the opponent, Texas A&M can overcome less-than-stellar shooting. One thing the Aggies must do better: make free throws. But, with such pedestrian shooting numbers, the record is absolutely remarkable.
The Boilermakers were 8-4 early against a brutal nonconference schedule but also beat Alabama and Ole Miss in that stretch. In Big Ten play, the lack of elite athleticism and size has been less pronounced, and Purdue trails only Michigan and Michigan State in the Big Ten standings. Matt Painter has one of the best inside-out duos in the country in Braden Smith, the nation’s best point guard who leads the Big Ten in assists and steals, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who leads Purdue in scoring and rebounding.
Look who is playing faster. After ranking among the slowest teams in the country for the past few seasons (in both pace and possession length), the Badgers now rank in the middle of the pack nationally. Wisconsin leads the nation in free throw accuracy, and leads the Big Ten in 3-point accuracy and effective field goal percentage in conference games. John Tonje, formerly of Missouri and Colorado State, has been magnificent, averaging over 19 points and shooting 48% from the field, 40% from deep and over 90% from the free throw line. He had 32 points in a road win at Purdue and put up 41 points against Arizona.
After an inconsistent beginning to the season, Arizona caught fire in January before dropping back-to-back games against Kansas State and Houston. Still, the Wildcats have steadily improved. Inconsistent perimeter shooting has been an issue, but Arizona is still dangerous and a second weekend threat.
Winners of six straight, the Wolverines sit atop the Big Ten standings because of the play of Yale transfer Danny Wolf and FAU transfer Vladislav Goldin. The duo operate in a unique screen-and-roll tandem of legit 7-footers, and it’s difficult to guard. Nimari Burnett, known as a defender first at Texas Tech, is one of the best perimeter shooters in the country, hitting 50 3-pointers on 43% shooting from deep.
After posting a bagel in the win column in SEC play last season, Missouri has won eight SEC games (19 overall) headed into a home contest with Alabama. Caleb Grill is among the nation’s most productive 3-point shooters, having hit 56 deep balls on 47% shooting. Missouri gets to the foul line, changes defenses and is a pain in the you-know-what to play against.
The preseason No. 1 team is mired in a “win one, lose one” funk right now, and inconsistent offense plus inconsistent production from key complementary players is the reason. Hunter Dickinson, KJ Adams Jr., Dajuan Harris Jr. and transfer Zeke Mayo have been good but have not had consistent help. If and when AJ Storr and Rylan Griffen provide that consistent production, Kansas can be a tough out. But this Kansas team is not looking like a Final Four threat right now.
Losing three straight against UConn, St. John’s and Creighton, two of those on the road, made the Golden Eagles look vulnerable. But this is the same Final Four threat of a team. Marquette forces turnovers, takes care of the ball on offense, but has not been shooting consistently. Because of size, this team can be vulnerable on the glass. Kam Jones continues to play at an All-America level, though, averaging 19 points and 6 assists.
Injuries have hurt the Wildcats, but this team continues to fight. Lamont Butler has been slowed by a shoulder injury, Jaxson Robinson by a hand injury and Kerr Kriisa is still out because of a foot injury. Still, short-handed Kentucky beat Tennessee — twice. Otega Oweh has scored in double figures in every game this season.
Coming into this season, Michigan State looked like a good perimeter shooting team. After 25 games, the evidence indicates it is not. Michigan State ranks 354th out of 356 Division I teams in 3-point accuracy, yet the Spartans are 20-5. They make up for rim-repainting shooting with offensive rebounding and getting to the foul line. Over the past five years, Michigan State was among the most infrequent free throw shooting teams in the country; this season, it’s second in the Big Ten in free throw rate.
Don’t turn your back on the Huskies and their two rings (see what we did there?). UConn might not be as powerful as its past two versions, but it can still challenge the top dogs with some health and improvement on the defensive end. The Huskies are ranked 100th in the nation in defensive efficiency but have been trending up of late. Liam McNeeley is back after sitting out a month. Against Creighton in Omaha, the freshman put up 38 points in a magnificent performance. Solo Ball, a sophomore wing, is having a great season, averaging just under 15 points and hitting 74 3s on 44% shooting from deep.
After suffering through a season in which it could not seem to buy a bucket outside the paint, Maryland is one of the better shooting teams in the Big Ten. Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Selton Miguel and Rodney Rice have all made 50 or more 3s on the season, and Derik Queen is one of the best big men in the country as a freshman, averaging 16 points and almost 9 rebounds — including 21.5 points and 13 rebounds against Rutgers and Nebraska.
A year removed from just missing the NCAA tournament, Rick Pitino has St. John’s positioned for a single-digit seeding in this year’s dance. The Red Storm are pulling away with the Big East lead, losing only once (at Villanova on Feb. 12) in their 12 games since the calendar turned to 2025. RJ Luis Jr. (17.6 PPG) leads a trio of players averaging double-figure scoring, but it’s the defense that has been key: The Red Storm rank second in the country in KenPom’s adjusted defensive efficiency ratings.
The Rebels’ high efficiency marks on both ends of the court — 35th in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency and 17th in adjusted defensive efficiency — have them squarely inside the field of 68. But the final stretch won’t be a breeze: They have road trips to Auburn on Feb. 26, then to Florida for the regular-season finale March 8. It won’t be easy.
What an impressive turnaround Pat Kelsey has engineered at Louisville, which is why he is among the favorites for national coach of the year. The Cardinals have won 14 of 15 since their 6-5 start, thanks to efficiency ratings in the top-30 range at both ends of the court. Wisconsin transfer Chucky Hepburn has been one of the most pleasant surprises in college basketball this season, leading the team with 15.0 PPG and 6.2 APG.
PJ Haggerty is having a spectacular season, among the nation’s leading scorers (21.2 PPG) and greatly improved from beyond the arc (from 29% last season to 42.4% this season). He’s actually the only non-senior among Penny Hardaway’s primary rotation players, and that experience could go a long way. Dain Dainja has picked up his scoring production in conference play on the interior, and the Tigers are one of just a handful of teams shooting better than 40% on 3-pointers.
With five wins against the BPI top 50 and 10 against the top 10, the Bears have put together a solid season despite a 16-10 overall record. Seven of those 10 losses are to ranked teams, a testament to a top-20 strength of schedule put together by coach Scott Drew. The Bears are ranked 12th in the country in KenPom’s offensive rating, with a top-30 standing in net rating. Forward Norchad Omier is averaging 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, with the latter number good for 10th in the country, in his first season at Baylor. (He also spent two seasons at Miami and two at Arkansas State.)
The SEC might be dominating on the court and in headlines, but the Big Ten is still primed to potentially send 10 teams to the dance — and the Illini are the conference’s last “lock” by our Bubble Watch standards. They lead the Big Ten in scoring (84.3 PPG) thanks to four players averaging in double-digit points, led by freshman Kasparas Jakucionis (16.0). And they play fast, ranking inside the top 20 of tempo by KenPom.
With five wins against ranked opponents and a 10-5 record in the packed Big Ten, the Bruins have put together an impressive season that included a seven-game win streak in February. But coach Mick Cronin’s 500th win will have to wait after an upset loss at home to Minnesota on Tuesday. Tyler Bilodeau, who transferred from Oregon State, is leading the Bruins in scoring in his first season in L.A., averaging 14.2 points on 50% scoring. UCLA has one more game against a ranked opponent — Purdue on Feb. 28 — to make a big splash and finish strong.
In a packed SEC, the Bulldogs have secured a 6-6 record (all six losses coming against top-20 teams). Their overall SOS ranks 14th in KenPom’s net rankings, making their 18-7 overall record that much more impressive. In his sophomore season, Josh Hubbard has been a star for Mississippi State: He was on the preseason Wooden watch list and has averaged 17.4 PPG (93rd in the country) on 39.4% shooting (35.4% from 3). In a four-point loss to then-No. 4 Alabama, Hubbard went off for 38 points. The Bulldogs have a rematch with Alabama coming up, as well as a matchup with No. 7 Texas A&M, to continue to show what they’ve got in the SEC.
The Bulldogs have relied on the experience of their returning backcourt duo (Graham Ike and Braden Huff), Arkansas transfer Khalif Battle, and Ryan Nembhard to be the third-most efficient offense in the country by KenPom — they spread the ball around like butter, with all four, plus another returning senior in Nolan Hickman, averaging double-figure scoring. Their plus-18.2 scoring margin is the second-best mark in the country behind Duke, making the Zags a real threat to make their 10th straight Sweet 16.
Three-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Kalkbrenner is the anchor for a team that prides itself on defending without fouling. He’s also a big reason the Bluejays make 60% of their 2-pointers. But this team is reliant on the 3-ball, as nearly half of its shots come from deep. Senior point guard Steven Ashworth has already knocked down 77 of them, and he is in the top 10 in assists per game. Creighton rebounded nicely from a 7-5 start and is in the mix for the Big East regular-season title, with a friendly remaining schedule.
The Gaels have done it. They’ve toppled not-a-mid-major foe Gonzaga to be the best team in the West Coast Conference. Saint Mary’s is a full two games ahead of the Zags in league play, its only loss in that stretch coming by a single point to a resurgent San Francisco. Randy Bennett’s team doesn’t win pretty — according to KenPom, it pairs a top-10-adjusted defensive efficiency with one of the slowest paces in the nation (358th in adjusted tempo). But how it gets the job done doesn’t matter so much, does it?
Egor Demin has been a standout freshman with 11.0 PPG, 5.5 APG and 3.6 RPG to boost an offense led by Richie Saunders (15.0 PPG) that ranks 15th nationally in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. The Cougars struggled early in Big 12 play, going 1-3 to open the conference schedule, but are 8-3 after Tuesday’s rout of Kansas before hitting the road to Arizona this Saturday — two big tests on their path to the dance.
Oklahoma is toward the bottom of a stacked SEC but went 13-0 to open the season with a mid-December win over Michigan that has aged well, proving it could hang with teams in March. Still, the Sooners are staring down a true gauntlet of a final regular-season stretch, starting with Tuesday’s game at Florida followed by four more ranked matchups until finally catching a break against Texas in the finale March 8.
Tre Johnson has lived up to the hype as one of the best freshmen in the country. He’s a dynamic scorer who can make plays from anywhere on the court, leading the SEC with 19.8 PPG — he’s a main driver of Texas’ top-30 status in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings. The Longhorns’ hopes for an at-large bid remain within reach with the worst of their schedule behind them. A March 4 trip to Mississippi State is their toughest remaining test.
Clemson has proved it can play the country’s best teams close, beating Duke earlier this month and Kentucky in early December. And KenPom loves the Tigers: They rank 24th in adjusted offensive efficiency and 27th in adjusted defensive efficiency. They’re also 20th in average scoring margin (plus-11.0), thanks in large part to four of their starters averaging double-figure scoring. Ian Schieffelin is having his best season yet, averaging 12.5 points and an ACC-second-best 9.6 rebounds.
The Lobos average 83 points, but their defense is a big reason they stand alone atop the Mountain West Conference. They are top 25 in defensive efficiency and defensive rebound percentage. Donovan Dent is one of the most underappreciated point guards in the country and Nelly Junior Joseph is a force on the interior, forming a solid 1-2 punch. New Mexico is among the nation’s leaders in points in the paint (40.7 per game).
The efficiency numbers reflect a top-30 team, but inconsistency and excessive fouling have occasionally plagued the Buckeyes. Junior point guard Bruce Thornton has taken his game to another level, shooting 51% from the field and 46% on 3s, to go along with a nearly 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He is their engine, but the emergence of freshman sharpshooter John Mobley Jr. and, more recently, San Diego State transfer Micah Parrish will be critical in the push for an NCAA tourney bid.
The Aggies missed their chance to make a statement on the road against New Mexico last weekend after also dropping their home date with the Lobos in early February. Last year, it was Utah State that won the regular season and New Mexico that took the conference tournament; both still went dancing. Utah State’s hopes of returning hinge on its top-20 offense in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency ratings and its relatively deep bench.
The Rams are charging their way up the Atlantic 10 standings on the back of the 10th-best scoring margin in the country (plus-13.9) in an attempt to catch a George Mason team on an 11-game winning streak — they’ll get their chance against the Patriots in their lone regular-season matchup this Saturday. It certainly doesn’t hurt when four of your starters average double-digit scoring.
The Ducks have fallen on hard times lately, dropping six of nine during the past month. Their 15-2 start that included impressive wins over Alabama, Texas A&M, Maryland and Ohio State is keeping them in the tourney discussion. Jackson Shelstad has been on fire in conference play, averaging 16.5 points on 49% shooting from 3. But Oregon’s defense has had a hard time getting consistent stops, something Dana Altman will look to remedy.
With Tucker DeVries officially out for the season because of a shoulder injury, the Mountaineers’ tourney hopes rest on point guard Javon Small, who has been a rock this season, averaging a career-best 18.6 points to go along with 5.5 assists. West Virginia has been solid defensively, but streaky shooting and poor rebounding have contributed to the inability to string together wins in a tough Big 12 Conference.
Jason Edwards is right up there with the SEC’s best scorers — his 17.6 average is fourth only to Texas’ Tre Johnson (19.8), Auburn’s Johni Broome (18.1) and Alabama’s Mark Sears (17.8). The North Texas transfer has been the biggest difference-maker in coach Mark Byington’s first season. And though the Commodores have won only five times in the new year, those include statement wins over Tennessee and Kentucky, and they get another chance against the Wildcats on the road Wednesday.
Freshman forward Asa Newell was outstanding to start the season and hasn’t let up since, leading the Bulldogs through the thick of a loaded SEC slate with 15.3 PPG on the third-best shooting percentage in the conference (55.5%), ahead of top-two player of the year contender Johni Broome (50.3%). The Dawgs face the gauntlet over this next week, though, with a road date at Auburn to face Broome’s top-ranked Tigers this Saturday before hosting No. 2 Florida on Tuesday.
Despite desperately missing its Armando Bacot replacement, North Carolina was supposed to make teams run and to present matchup problems. Well, the former is true (top 25 in adjusted tempo); the latter, not so much. A much-needed win at Syracuse has UNC barely fighting for a bid in an admittedly subpar ACC. The Heels will need to go on a winning streak — including taking down projected 1-seed Duke in the final weekend of the regular season — or pull an NC State for a chance at a tournament bid.
Alvaro Cardenas is one of the best pick-and-roll guards in the country. The San Jose State transfer’s 6.7 assists per game is good for eighth in the nation and first in the Mountain West. The Broncos are inside the top 50 in the NET rankings, but their record against the conference’s best — 0-5 vs. the top four teams, including a home loss to San Diego State in early January — is what they’re up against with an important home matchup looming Wednesday against a New Mexico team riding an eight-game win streak.
In a win over Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Feb. 1, Arkansas proved what the much-criticized roster was capable of. The poor SEC record is not due to a poor roster. It is due to a talented roster playing with inconsistent edge, discipline and fight. That fight has resulted in the Hogs winning four of the past seven games, which has breathed life into its tourney chances. Since returning to the starting lineup, Zvonimir Ivisic has averaged 17.6 points and 3 blocks in the past four games, shooting 59% from the field and 55% on 3s.
It’s SMU — not Duke — that leads the ACC in scoring. But the Mustangs didn’t look the same without their do-it-all playmaker Boopie Miller, watching their five-game win streak ended at home by Wake Forest this past Saturday with Miller sidelined (foot). We’ll want to monitor his status, with a home date against Clemson on the horizon Saturday.
It was a rough start to Big East play for Xavier, dropping four of the first five conference games to UConn, Marquette, Georgetown and St. John’s. But the Musketeers won seven of their past 10 heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Butler, including key wins at Marquette then at home against UConn. A home date with Creighton on March 1 is their last big remaining test.
It should come as no surprise that Russell Turner’s Anteaters lean on their defense, but they are particularly strong this season, nearly boasting a top-10 unit in terms of efficiency and limiting opponents to 43% shooting on 2-pointers. Not only is Irvine among the nation’s best at 80% from the line, but it has also made nearly 100 more free throws than its opponents have attempted. The frontcourt duo of 7-1 Bent Leuchten and 6-7 Devin Tillis combines for nearly 30 points and 17 rebounds per game.
A blowout win against Boise State on Saturday was huge for the Aztecs, marking a season sweep of the Broncos for the first time since 2020-21. The win not only solidified their place in the top tier of the Mountain West standings, it also moved the Aztecs up to No. 42 overall in KenPom’s rankings. Apart from a matchup against Utah State next week, San Diego State is favored in its remaining games, putting the squad in great shape heading into the MWC tournament. Miles Byrd and Nick Boyd are both averaging double digits in scoring, with 139 assists between them.
The Panthers started 2024-25 on a 12-2 pace, which seemed to give them a chance in a disappointing ACC field. Since then: Eleven games, eight losses, and now a sixth-place standing in the conference. The Panthers’ offense can still shine — the team ranks 36th in the country in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency — and Jaland Lowe has been a bright spot this season, leading the team in points (16.5) and assists (5.3).
Ben McCollum didn’t win four Division II national titles (including three in a row) by accident. He had to turn over the entire roster and did so by bringing five players with him from Northwest Missouri State. Despite not being big or deep — no player is taller than 6-8 and three of the five starters average at least 34 minutes — Drake is among the nation’s leaders in field goal percentage and does a nice job limiting opponents to one shot.
The No. 1 scorer in the country is Eric Dixon (23.5 points per game), believe it or not. He anchors a top-20 offense that isn’t relying on him to do everything, and recently took down conference leader St. John’s and defending champ UConn earlier this season. Unfortunately, the latter result is looking less impressive these days, which means Nova needs to pull out consistent wins down the stretch.
This Wake team isn’t as dynamic offensively as the past few seasons, but it has improved defensively. Hunter Sallis is the clear go-to option, but Cameron Hildreth has stepped up as a steady sidekick by averaging 17.1 points in ACC play. Relinquishing a 16-point lead in the final eight minutes to lose at home to Florida State last Wednesday was the most disappointing result thus far, and coach Steve Forbes hopes it will prove to be an outlier.
Though Memphis has gotten the headlines in the American Conference this season, North Texas sits just behind them in the standings, with a 9-3 record in conference play (18-6 overall). As always, the Mean Green are doing it with defense: They’re the third-best scoring defense in the country, giving up just 59.5 points per game (behind Houston and Drake). Moulaye Sissoko is averaging 6.4 rebounds, and transfer Brenen Lorient ranks top-three on the team in scoring (second at 12.5 points), rebounds (third, 4.6), assists (third, 1.1) and blocks (first, 1.3).
After a strong start to the season, the Bearcats have struggled in conference play and sit in 12th. They have a top-40 BPI but only two wins against BPI’s top 50, though they have plenty more chances to make their mark in conference games down the stretch against West Virginia, Baylor and Houston. Sophomore Jizzle James has continued to shine for the Bearcats: He leads the team in points and assists per game, and scored a career-high 25 points in a win against Utah last week.
Gonzaga, Saint Mary’s and, occasionally, San Francisco take up most of the oxygen in the WCC, but don’t sleep on the Broncos. They, too, have a win over then-ranked Gonzaga, and boast some pretty impressive stats in league play: tops in 3-point shooting (38.4%), effective field goal percentage (57.5%) and defensive efficiency. Expand the pool to all of D-I and the Broncos are … perfectly OK. They’re comfortably in the top third in most respects. Is it enough to get to the dance? A lot of other mid-majors need to fall on bad luck, and Gonzaga needs to give up another game at home, to make it happen. But there’s always a chance.
The Patriots have lost only one game this calendar year (a three-point loss thanks to a foul, at Rhode Island), which puts them at the top of the A-10. But for all that this league is showing some competitive teams, keep in mind that it has been a one-bid league for a while now, and VCU is waiting for a slip-up. If it comes in the A-10 tournament, all the better. George Mason will need to keep up its stellar defense (ninth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 62.1 points per game).
Yale is at it again, unbeaten in the Ivy League with an average victory margin of 17 points. The Bulldogs are effective inside with Nick Townsend and on the perimeter with the dangerous John Poulakidas. They are also capable defensively, led by two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Bez Mbeng, who often locks up the other team’s best backcourt player. Yale also does a nice job on the defensive boards, limiting second-chance points.
John Groce faced a potential rebuild this season after losing his top five players in points scored, including MAC Player of the Year Enrique Freeman. But at Akron, they don’t rebuild, they reload. The Zips are undefeated in conference play and have the longest active winning streak in the nation (14). They score 41% of their points from beyond the arc (top five in the country) and are very balanced. Seven players average at least 7 points (not including Josiah Harris, who is out for the season) and only one player averages more than 25 minutes.
Travis Steele has a deep, balanced squad that is top 20 in points per game off of turnovers. Miami has lost only one game in the past two months. Similar to MAC rival Akron, the RedHawks boast eight players who average more than 6 points per game in conference play.
The Dons are relevant again, sitting in third in the WCC. Defense, once again, is the name of the game, especially from beyond the arc. Only three opponents have made double-digit treys against San Francisco this season, and only one of those instances resulted in a loss for the Dons. This is another team that will need to win its conference for a sure spot in the tourney — Chris Gerlufsen’s first as head coach since taking over from Todd Golden in 2022-23.
The Flames are one game behind Jacksonville State in the C-USA standings, but they’ve still got a great shot to win the conference tournament, giving the squad its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2021. The Flames have four players averaging double digits in scoring, with Arkansas Tech transfer Taelon Peter and Kaden Metheny (who transferred from Bowling Green in 2023) leading the way with 13.1 points per game. Junior Zach Cleveland, who is right behind them at 11.0, also leads the team in rebounds (6.4) and assists (4.9).
Wins at Illinois and at home against Michigan State showed what the Trojans are capable of, but the results have been inconsistent overall. Not having leading scorer Desmond Claude for recent road losses to Northwestern and Purdue didn’t help. Freshman guard Wesley Yates III has been a reliable scoring threat since Big Ten play began, and he’ll need to keep it up for USC to make a late-season push.
This is the first season in which the Tritons are eligible for the NCAA tournament, and they just might get there because they do many things well. No one scores more points off turnovers than the Tritons (20.8 per game) and they don’t give it away at the other end. They also are dangerous from deep, as five players have made at least 25 3-pointers this season. It’s no wonder they are fourth in the nation in scoring margin.
Nevada’s season has been one of streaks: a four-game losing streak that began in late December, followed by three straight wins, followed by three losses, and now a four-game winning streak. It has all added up to a 15-10 overall record, with a 7-7 mark in the Mountain West, with some big games to come. Wins against Boise State, UNLV, New Mexico and SDSU at the end of the season would help Steve Alford and crew push toward an NCAA tournament spot, though the Wolf Pack will also have a shot at the MWC tournament crown if Nick Davidson (16.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG) and Kobe Sanders (14.4 PPG, 4.6 APG) are at their best.
After a six-game losing streak in January, Nebraska’s season looked in steep decline, but a stretch of five wins in six games since — two against ranked opponents in Illinois and Oregon — has turned the tide. Nebraska is ninth in the Big Ten standings and 10th in KenPom’s conference rankings, with a top-40 defense and top-60 offense. In his second season at Nebraska after transferring from Charlotte, Brice Williams has been a star: 19.5 points per game (27th in the country), 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists.
With a three-game lead in the Southland standings, the Cowboys have put themselves in great position to defend their conference tournament crown and make a second straight Big Dance (they’ve never made consecutive tournaments). Javohn Garcia, who transferred from College of the Sequoias in 2023, is leading the squad, averaging 13.3 points and 1.5 steals.
