[ad_1]

John Fanta

college basketball broadcaster and reporter

No dominant team. From night to night, the unpredictable keeps happening.

College basketball is one of the big bright mysteries of the season, and it’s a beautiful one.

Last week, eight of the top 15 teams in the Weekly Power Ranking were eliminated. For the third consecutive week, a new No. 1 for him will be born. We still don’t know who it is, but first, here are some quick takeaways from her crazy week in the sport.

Purdue suffered their first loss of the season to Rutgers, which I would argue was the Boilermakers’ most impressive week of the season, following their PK85 title challenge in November. The team, led by Matt Painter, responded to the loss in Ohio State’s top 25 outing with a commanding victory over Penn State on Sunday night.

Arguably the best college basketball story so far is the one straight out of Manhattan…Kansas! Last-place finisher in preseason voting in the Big 12, the Kansas State Wildcats are 14-1 in conference play. Lost, 3 wins 0 losses. their last week? His 116-103 win in Texas… followed by his 97-95 win in overtime at Baylor. Former Bears assistant Jerome Tan, Scott Drew’s right-hand man, brought his program to Waco in its first season, and the Cats pulled it off. What makes this story so special? Keyyonte Johnson, a former Florida standout who fell to the floor during a 2020 game, is back in college basketball this season and is starring in K-State. While he had 24 points and 9 rebounds in the 6th grade, fifth grade senior Markquis Nowell had the best performance in the country with 32 points and 14 assists. Hats off to the Wildcats.
The depth of the Big Ten is outstanding. See Sunday’s results. Northwestern went away and upset Indiana in the Assembly Hall. Iowa stopped one of the hottest teams in the country, Rutgers, by going to Piscataway and knocking off the Scarlet Knights. Maryland suffered heavy losses to Michigan and the Rutgers before beating Ohio State. point? Twelve of the conference’s 14 teams are participating in the NCAA tournament conversation. B1G stacks units on Selection Sunday.
The Big East are on a nine-game winning streak, and Xavier and Providence are two of America’s hottest teams. The Musketeers won his Villanova for the first time in show history on Saturday, and the Friars beat UConn before overtaking St. John’s on Saturday. These programs included two of his top 10-15 coaches in college basketball, Sean Miller returning to Xavier, and Ed Cooley rethinking his Sweet 16 season at Providence just a month ago. I followed up with another team.
Moderate Note: This is uncommon. His two teams with the longest winning streaks in the nation in college basketball are from the same conference (CAA) and will face off Wednesday. No. 23 Charleston, who leads the nation with a 15-game win streak, will visit UNCW on Wednesday night after a school-record 13-game winning streak. If you want to see his two teams potentially causing madness in March, mark this matchup in Wilmington in your viewing guide.

So, here are my latest top 15.

1. houston (16-1)

The Cougars’ 16 wins lead by an average of 24 points. NET, KenPom and Torvik ranking systems are all #1. In his 72-59 win over Cincinnati on Sunday, five-star freshman Jareth Walker had his latest strong performance with 21 points and his five rebounds. Marcus Susser’s Elite Guard Charging an experienced core in his play, Kelvin Sampson’s team has it all. their only loss? Came to a team in our top 5.

2. Kansas (14-1)

The Jayhawks haven’t missed a beat. Despite losing his six of the top eight shotmakers last season, Bill Self reloaded and the defending national his champions had a repeat of their legitimate shots. Playing in small groups has created a nightmare matchup for opponents and Jalen Wilson is one of his five best players in the country.

3. Tennessee (13-2)

I volunteered and considered putting them in second as they gave the Jayhawks the only loss. won by a total margin of 77 points. What makes this Vols team different? They have a playmaker in Zacai Ziegler who has totaled 18 assists and just four turnovers in his last two games.

4. Purdue (15-1)

The Boilers made it clear this week that they have the ability to fight back. Zach Eady answered the bell as the freshman guard answered the bell as he had 30 points and 13 rebounds in Sunday’s 76-63 win over Purdue. His last two games for Braden Smith: 31 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and just one turnover. Fletcher Royer scored 17 in Sunday night’s win and won the clutch in Ohio State on Thursday night.

Five. Alabama (13-2)

The Crimson Tide has a mix of the best freshman in college basketball, Brandon Miller, and his great experience with the youngsters. He led 78-52 against Kentucky on Saturday with 19 points and 7 rebounds, Miller said.

6. Ukon (15-2)

Adama Sanogo’s Huskies had never beaten Creighton… until Saturday. Connecticut impressed with a 69–60 victory, behind Sanogo’s his 26 points and nine rebounds. It was a national-level performance by Dan Hurley’s Star Jr., and the way the Huskies physically overwhelmed the Jays in the final ten minutes really stood out.

7. UCLA (14-2)

Mick Cronin’s Bruins are on an 11-game winning streak after Thursday’s 60-58 victory over USC. Jalen Clark continues his breakout season.

8. Arizona (14-4)

After Thursday’s scare against Washington, the Wildcats’ 28-game home winning streak ended Saturday with a 74-61 loss to Washington State. Azuolas Tubelis is not just for shows. Kerr Kriisa, Courtney Ramey and Pelle Larsson should respond this week.

9. Kansas (14-1)

See, the wildcat earned it. Going on the road defeating Texas and Baylor in the same week while winning 14 of his first 15 games?They shouldn’t just be on the ballot this week. They should be rewarded for what they’ve done and what they’ve done is unbelievable.The Johnson-Nowell duo combined about 36 points per game, with Nowell finishing in the top 30. He has 8.9 assists in the KenPom offense, second in the nation.

Ten. Iowa (12-2)

The Cyclones won five in a row and gave TCU their second loss of the season on Saturday with a 69-67 win. Iowa State University is a boa constrictor in college basketball and defends an elite team. The senior core of Jalen Holmes, Gabe Calcher and Caleb Grill lead the scoring.

Who will win Saturday’s Carsieu? Cold. Bloody.

11. Texas (13-2)

After firing Chris Beard on Thursday, questions arose over how interim head coach Rodney Terry and the Longhorns would react during Saturday’s road test in Oklahoma. I put it down and won 56-46. Credit to the kids for working on the distraction and keeping the season on track.

12. Gonzaga (14-3)

I know what you’re thinking: John, they haven’t lost and you moved them down but in WCC you have to judge by how the game went. I have. Frankly, the Bulldogs were just seven points behind San Francisco and Santa Clara combined over the weekend. Mark Few has to keep an eye on his team’s defense at this point.

13. Xavier (13-3)

Zach Fremantle scored a season-high 29 points. This was just one point behind him from his career-high, with 11 rebounds and four assists, as the Musketeers won his 88–80 victory over Villanova. Sule Boom had 22 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. He is one of the most underrated transfer pickups in the country.

14. Miami (13-2)

After a bizarre loss at Georgia Tech, I dropped four Hurricanes. This is another proof of how hard it is to win on the road. Cane shot 5-for-32 from a 3-point land. Chalk it up as an off night. I still really like this team and their dynamic backcourt.

15. TCU (13-2)

This time, I thought about various directions. They fell two to Iowa State on Saturday, but the Horned Frogs scored an impressive win over Baylor behind Chuck O’Bannon’s heroism.

Mike Miles is America’s best guard, but many people don’t recognize him. Jamie Dixon’s team is experienced and the best weapons come his march.

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He has covered the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1, to serving as lead his host on the BIG EAST digital network and providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John Fanta.

read more:

FOX Sports Top Stories: