We made it to 2021, and so did college basketball. Despite a late start and frequent cancellations and postponements, the college basketball season has powered through, and if we keep up this pace, we will have postseason basketball in March: a much-needed reward for all the trouble we collectively went through last year.
With conference play starting to thicken, we’re getting a better of snapshot of what the college basketball scene looks like, including which teams deserve to be listed as the best. But it’s not always an easy exercise, especially when 14 of last week’s Bauertology Top 25 teams lost at least once over the course of the week.
As we do every Monday, it’s time to re-assess where the cream of the crop stands, this time with the Bauertology Top 25 for Week 7.
1. Gonzaga (0)
For a second, it looked like San Francisco had cracked the code for possibility upsetting the giant that is Gonzaga, as the Dons trailed by just three about a minute before halftime. Then the Bulldogs went on a 16-0 run to end any talk of that. Gonzaga is a well-oiled machine. It’s going to take a serious slip-up for the Bulldogs to land in the L column. Saint Mary’s and BYU will have their shots later, but right now, a regular season loss doesn’t seem to be in the Zags’ future.
2. Baylor (0)
It’s a bit boring that the top two haven’t changed since they switched spots in Week 2, but what can I say? They’re the best two teams in basketball, and it doesn’t seem particularly close. A late scare against 2-5 Iowa State showed that even Baylor has its weaknesses, but the Bears still closed out the game on a 23-10 run to beat a Big 12 team on the road by 11. As long as that guard room of Jared Butler, Adam Flagler, MaCio Teague and Davion Mitchell stays hot, the Bears are nearly unstoppable.
3. Texas (+4)
If the world wasn’t on notice for Texas before, it certainly is now. The Longhorns not only beat Kansas in Lawrence, they absolutely dismantled them. The 84-59 thrashing tied the record for the Jayhawks’ largest defeat in Allen Fieldhouse. This performance, of course, was fueled by the all-around excellence of Courtney Ramey and Matt Coleman, though three other Longhorns also landed in double digits. If any team can challenge Baylor in the Big 12, it might be Texas.
4. Villanova (+1)
There’s an argument to be made that Villanova should be ranked higher than Texas due to the head-to-head win for the Wildcats back in early December, but for ranking purpose, I like Texas’ sudden heat a little bit better. That said, the Wildcats are no slouches, made obvious by their No. 4 ranking. Even though they didn’t play a game last week, we didn’t need any more data to know that Villanova is quite good. Due to COVID issues, it seems this week will be another week off for Villanova.
5. Iowa (+4)
Last week’s top 10 saw four of its constituents lose a game, and Iowa benefits from this. The Hawkeyes rebounded from their overtime loss to Minnesota quite nicely, taking down Northwestern by 15 and, more importantly, besting Rutgers in the RAC, perhaps the most difficult road environment in college basketball (no fans, yeah yeah, I get it). With four Quad I & II wins and only quality losses on the résumé, it seems to fair put Iowa back on its perch as the top team in the Big Ten.
6. Kansas (-3)
If not for a bunch of other top-10 teams also faltering, Kansas probably would have tumbled quite a bit. To say that a 25-point home loss to Texas was surprising would be a massive understatement, considering how well the Jayhawks handled Texas Tech and West Virginia in the two games prior. Those wins keep Kansas from falling too far, and they also build confidence for the argument that Kansas is one of the best teams in the land. But this loss does provide reason to be wary going forward.
7. Creighton (+3)
Like Iowa, Creighton’s jump in the rankings is due in part to other top-10 teams losing, but that’s not to say that the Bluejays don’t deserve to be here. After a heartbreaking loss to Marquette to start conference play, Creighton has rattled off four straight Big East wins, including a big one at Providence on Saturday: no small feat at all. According to KenPom, the Bluejays are now favorites in each of their next 10 before matching up with Villanova in mid-February.
8. Wisconsin (-2)
The home loss to Maryland certainly stings, especially when Wisconsin led by as much as eight in the second half, but the Badgers gave it their all for the full 40 minutes. It’s not like they laid down and died to an inferior opponent. To top things off, they responded quite nicely in the game following by defeating a hot Minnesota team by 12. The Badgers may drop two spots in the rankings for the unranked loss, but with their experience and talent, they’ll be just fine, even in the chaotic Big Ten.
9. Houston (-5)
I don’t believe in jinxes, but last week, I opened my Houston blurb by mentioning that the Cougars have a half-decent chance to finish conference play undefeated… Oops. Still, it’s not like a one-point loss to Tulsa is terrible, and just like Wisconsin, Houston responded to defeat by beating a good opponent (74-60 win at SMU). A five-point drop is purely out of principle, and the Cougars’ more pressing concern right now should be the sudden departure of Caleb Mills from the program.
10. Michigan (+5)
It’s hard to keep a 9-0 power conference team out of the top 10, right? Well, perhaps not, since rankings often depend on who you play. But Michigan has the schedule chops to match its impressive start wit, earnings over Penn State, Maryland and Northwestern, all good (albeit not great) teams, en route to a 4-0 record in the Big Ten. Hunter Dickinson looks like he’s going to be a huge problem for opposing defenses, as the big man is now averaging 16.9 points and 8.1 rebounds.
11. Tennessee (-3)
A 20-point win at Missouri made it clear that Tennessee was the team to beat in the SEC… and then the Volunteers were promptly beat at home by Alabama just three days later. How did it happen? It’s all about the deep ball. Tennessee held Missouri to just 3-16 shooting from 3-point range while going 5-7 itself. Against Alabama, the Vols had no answer for the Crimson Tide’s 10-20 day from downtown, going 4-21 in that category. It’s inconsistency that pushes down Tennessee a few spots.
12. Clemson (+7)
Somehow, some way, Clemson continues to fly under the radar. I don’t understand how that’s remotely possible when the Tigers have the No. 3 scoring defense, the No. 2 most efficient defense (KenPom) and wins over Alabama, Purdue and now Florida State and Miami. Plus, their only loss is to fellow 8-1 team Virginia Tech on the Hokies’ court. All the signs are pointing to Clemson being a near-top-10 team, but you won’t find the Tigers ranked this high on nearly any other list.
13. Oregon (+3)
The Ducks get a nice boost in thanks to their recent success. While body of work is the most important factor in these rankings, recency is also key, as it helps the rankings tell the story of which programs have been the most noteworthy. Oregon certainly fits the bill, now winners of eight straight with the only loss coming to Missouri in early December. Seniors Chris Duarte and Eugene Omoruyi have been doing the heavy lifting, averaging 16.7 and 18.7 points per game, respectively.
14. Rutgers (-1)
You know the Big Ten is absolutely loaded when Rutgers, the fourth best team in the conference, sits at No. 14 in the rankings. The Scarlet Knights got a taste of the tough conference last week when Iowa handed them their first home loss since last February. But they took the Hawkeyes down to the wire, and they also beat Purdue just a few days prior, so hardly any movement for Rutgers is needed. It’s worth noting that Ron Harper Jr. is now up to 22.1 points and seven rebounds per game.
15. Minnesota (+5)
Of all the season’s pleasant surprises, Minnesota certainly ranks near the top. Wins over Saint Louis and Iowa may have seemed like flukes at the time, but additional wins over Michigan State and Ohio State show that perhaps Minnesota was good all along. The Golden Gophers did suffer a loss to Wisconsin during that stretch, so they don’t quite skyrocket in the rankings, but I feel a jump of five is appropriate for all the success they’ve found in the past two weeks.
16. Missouri (-4)
Perhaps Missouri isn’t quite on the level of Tennessee (as Wednesday’s 73-53 loss shows), but there’s no reason to do a 180 on the Tigers, which still possess key victories over Oregon, Illinois and now Arkansas. They’re a good team with potential for a high seed in the tournament, though they do have areas to address, namely the 3-point shooting. Missouri is a combined 16-77 (20.8%) from beyond the arc in its last four games. That needs to be cleaned up before the SEC grind continues.
17. Illinois (+8)
With Texas Tech and West Virginia losing last week, Illinois claims the title of the best three-loss team in the rankings. The Fighting Illini certainly deserve it, as they’re 3-0 in their last three games, all of which game against Big Ten (and Quad I & II) competition. Don’t forget about those earlier wins over Duke and Minnesota, too. With Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn continuing to light up the scoresheet every night, Illinois seems a safe pick to continue to rise in these rankings.
18. Saint Louis (-1)
It was a dormant week for the Billikens, as the only news we got out of Saint Louis is that senior stars Hasahn French and Jordan Goodwin will not return for the 2021-22 campaign despite extended eligibility rules, though this revelation has no bearing on the Billikens’ current ranking. All that remains for Saint Louis in the regular season is Atlantic 10 opposition, starting with La Salle on Wednesday. If Houston couldn’t complete the undefeated grind, maybe the Billikens can?
19. Texas Tech (-8)
I feel bad about this drop. It feels unfair to me to drop Texas Tech eight spots for losing an overtime game to Oklahoma State, another team that in all likelihood will compete for a place in the NCAA Tournament. But this whole range of teams ranked Nos. 12-19 is so close that I’m basically splitting hairs. Illinois and Texas Tech stand out as the only teams with three losses, but the Illini get some help from the recent successes. So Texas Tech is the team that draws the short end of the stick.
20. Virginia Tech (NEW)
Now it gets really tricky trying to rank the rest of the top 25. Of all the teams I didn’t rank last week, Virginia Tech stands out to me the most. The Hokies are 4-0 since their disaster loss to Penn State, and their résumé includes wins over Villanova, Clemson and Miami. They also seem to have found a star in junior Keve Aluma, who is averaging 16 points and 6.7 rebounds per game with solid 39.1% 3-point shooting. A 20-point loss to Penn State will remain a stain, but everything else looks clean.
21. Louisville (NEW)
Louisville is essentially the same as Virginia Tech. The Cardinals have a huge blot on their résumé with that 37-point loss to Wisconsin, but they also have wins over Seton Hall, Western Kentucky, Kentucky and Pittsburgh. Maybe those aren’t as spectacular as Virginia Tech’s (hence being a spot lower), but just like the Hokies, the Cardinals have their own superstar in Carlik Jones (16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 40% 3-point shooting). It only makes sense to put the two teams together.
22. Florida (NEW)
It seemed like losing SEC Preseason Player of the Year Keyontae Johnson would be a death blow for the Gators, but the opposite has been true. They’ve rallied around his absence, firing off two very solid wins since the Florida State loss, those being a 19-point SEC road win (albeit over Vanderbilt) and a home win over LSU, the latter in particular being rather important for building up the résumé early on. I feel that feat deserves recognition with a placement inside the top 25.
23. West Virginia (-9)
What to do with WVU… For me, it’s hard to say that the Mountaineers are playing like at top-25 team right now, as three of their most recent four performances have been less than great (so-so losses to Kansas and Oklahoma, ugly win over Iowa State). But the Mountaineers also have those early highs to fall back on (wins over VCU, Richmond and Western Kentucky, very close loss to Gonzaga). I think the appropriate measure is to keep them ranked, but just barely.
24. NC State (NEW)
Welcome to the top 25, NC State! I’m not 100% sold that the Wolfpack deserves to be here just yet, but they do have the early numbers to back it up: a 6-1 record, a good win over North Carolina, and the only loss being to a fellow top-25 team (at Saint Louis). This week presents a great opportunity for NC State to prove itself worthy of a ranking, as the Wolfpack travels to Clemson and hosts Miami for a pair of tricky ACC showdowns. A 2-0 performance would be absolutely massive.
25. Arizona (NEW)
Arizona’s self-imposed ban excludes the Wildcats from the possibility of being in the NCAA Tournament, but it doesn’t exclude them from the possibility of being ranked, which they now are thanks to their 9-1 record, win over Colorado and close loss at Stanford. That impressive start just begs the question: Why even self-impose a postseason ban in the first place? This team clearly has potential, and the NCAA often takes years to figure these things out. Seems and odd decision to me.
Falling out: Xavier (18), Arkansas (21), Northwestern (22), Florida State (23), San Diego State (24)
Next 5: Xavier, Arkansas, Florida State, Virginia, Oklahoma State
Also considered: UConn, Drake, Ohio State, Boise State, BYU, UCLA, VCU, Alabama, San Diego State