The Only Power Rankings You Need.
Ahhhh yes. The college basketball season has graduated from its infancy and it now a full-fledged toddler. Things are starting to matter now! Games actually count for more than bragging rights and stats!
It has been a long and confusing year already but a few things have started to become clear.
1.) There is no one, true, dominant team in college basketball this year
2.) The ACC is the best conference in college basketball.
3.) Coaching really does matter.
So without further ado, the 2016 Mid-Season Power Rankings.
Disappointing, Confusing, Weird Teams
25.) Indiana (10–4)
Two losses last week, one to the .500 Cornhuskers of Nebraska, and one to a Louisville team coming off a home shellacking against the Virginia Cavaliers, the Hoosiers don’t quite look like the team they were expected to be. Thomas Bryant thinks he’s a stretch 4 instead of the dominant 5 he should be. James Blackmon has been wildly inconsistent on the defensive end and OG Anunoby hasn’t quite reached his full freshman potential yet. Something just hasn’t quite clicked for this Indiana team and it doesn’t look like it’s anywhere close as of now. Tom Crean will be giving this look more than he expected he would in 2017.
24.) Florida (10–3)
After a couple of losses to solid ACC teams, Duke and Florida State, Florida rebounded with some important wins over Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas. Kasey Hill still can’t shoot and the Gators are too loose with the ball. However, the Gators are probably the second or third best team in a weak SEC and look like they should go a solid 15–4 in the SEC.
23.) Cincinnati (12–2)
Mick Cronin has the Bearcats right where he always does. Good enough to beat bad teams, not good enough to beat good teams. Luckily for the Cats, they only have one currently ranked team left on their schedule, 16th ranked Xavier on January 26th. Other than that, they should be set.
Talented but Not Quite There.
22.) Arizona (13–2)
Arizona has consistently been in the “Holy Shit They’re Talented but They Don’t Win Big Games” section for what seems like most of a decade now. Arizona always has players and this year is no exception. Lauri Markannen and Kobi Simmons have been super exciting players to watch but there’s something missing from this team and I can’t quite put my finger on it. Are we sure Sean Miller is a good coach and not just a good recruiter? Are we SURE???
21.) Gonzaga (14–0)*
They play in a bad conference. How many logos of these teams do you actually even recognize? The best team they’ve played is Arizona and they’ve proven they aren’t as good as they should be. Hence the asterisk. Not having a football program kills any chance Gonzaga has of moving into a major conference so they will continue to get respect they don’t deserve for the rest of the millennium. Nothing against Mark Few or Gonzaga, but they aren’t a Top 5 program as they’re currently ranked. Give me any of these other 19 teams ahead of them in a head to head match up.
20.) USC (14–1)
Jordan McLaughlin and Elijah Stewart make for an super exciting backcourt and the Trojans do everything pretty well. The only knock against USC is that they only play one way. Fast. That lack of versatility showed during the Trojans implosion versus a ridiculously good Oregon Ducks team last Friday. Andy Enfield brought his ‘Lob City’ excitement to LA but the Trojans have work to do.
19.) Butler (12–2)
Tyler Lewis is a solid guard when playing against other guards that aren’t bigger faster and stronger than him. Luckily for the Bulldogs he can be hidden on defense and has plenty of options to get the ball to. Kelan Martin is officially a legitimate NBA prospect. He can guard and score and might be the best player in the Big East this year. Butler is versatile and can be a nightmare for any team they play. We’ll see how good Butler really is tomorrow against Villanova.
18.) Purdue (12–3)
Purdue is huge. Caleb Swannigan and Isaac Haas make up one of the best front courts in the country. However, the Boilermakers have capable guards this year and can push the pace and make you uncomfortable in fifteen different ways. But are we realllllyyyyy sure Matt Painter is a good coach?
17.) Florida State (14–1)
Florida St. punched UVa in mouth and kept beating away. Dwayne Bacon vaulted himself into the lottery with his 29 point performance (read: SHIT DUDE WHY YOU GOTTA HIT EVERY FREAKING 3 POINTER YOU TAKE AND CRUSH MY SOUL IN THE PROCESS) and game winning three pointer (BRUHHHHHH). The guy is a ridiculously talented athlete and he might not even be the highest draft pick on his own team. Uber-talented freshman forward Jonathan Isaac is the highest touted guy on a scary athletic Florida St. team. Keep in mind this is the first of 7 ACC teams that will appear in these rankings.
Damn Good Basketball Teams
16.) Notre Dame (12–2)
Matt Farrell for Naismith Player of the Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Partially kidding but also not really. The Fighting Irish are just that. Fighters. They come at you and continue to hit you and hit you and hit you. VJ Beachem strokes the three ball but finally remembered he should be Bruce Bowen (super lightweight Bruce Bowen, but still) and attack the rim and play good defense. Bonzie Colson is the best undersized center in the country and continues to knock down shots and get literally every rebound possible. Mike Bray is a good coach. Really.
15.) Virginia Tech (12–1)
This doesn’t necessarily pain me as much as it scares the living hell out of me. This is only YEAR 3 OF BUZZ WILLIAMS IN BLACKSBURG. His team already looks like a better version of his Marquette teams and they just absolutely annihilated Duke at Cassell Coliseum in the ‘Burg. The Hokies bring their two best players OFF THE BENCH and have a crazy set of athletes that run a legit 9 guys deep. Scary.
14.) Xavier (12–2)
Xavier’s only two losses of the year have come against a fantastic Baylor team and a Colorado team that always beats somebody good. Trevon Blueitt, Edmund Sumner and JP Macura are a real Big 3 in college basketball this year and will play you harder than almost any other team in the country. But are we really sure Chris Mack is a good coach? REALLLLLLYYYY??
13.) Wisconsin (12–2)
The popular belief is that this is Nigel Hayes’ team with Bronson Koenig facilitating and scoring when needed. I have a different argument: This is Ethan Happ’s team with Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig as his sidekicks. Greg Gard is doing a good job getting Happ looks and putting him in position to make things happen. When Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes are you second and third best players, you’re a good basketball team.
12.) North Carolina (12–3)
This is your typical UNC team. They have size, they have speed and they can beat anybody at any time. Just one thing. They live and die by the three far too much. They played in the game of the year, so far, against Kentucky and looked like a great basketball team but, and it’s a big but, Justin Jackson has been too inconsistent. He’s the best player on this team and needs to act like it. He shows up for big games, 37 points against Kentucky, but disappeared in a terrible loss against Georgia Tech late last week — 6/17 shooting and 0/5 from three. Lots to like, but lots to be worried about here.
11.) Virginia (11–2)
UVa is a Top 10 basketball team. They embarrassed Louisville in the YUM! Center, but dropped a tough one to a Florida State team that ‘out-athleticized’ them at home. London Perrantes hasn’t been as good as he’s needed to be taking care of and scoring the basketball. The Hoos have exactly ZERO players averaging in double figures but 7 averaging between 6–9.9 PPG. That balance can only take the Hoos so far. They need Kyle Guy to become the scorer he was recruited to be and Perrantes to go back to shooting the ball like he did last year. Balance is good and defense travels but the Cavaliers have to find a go to guy, and soon.
10.) Creighton (13–1)
Good basketball team. Playing in the Big East. Who’s the best out of Villanova, Xavier and Creighton? Wait and see. Creighton is still coached by Dougie McBuckets’ pops and he has them playing at a high level. Showdowns with Xavier and Villanova will decide how we view Creighton in the end.
The Contenders
9.) Duke (12–2)
They’ll be fine. I hate Duke but they’ll be fine. Once Harry Giles and Jason Tatum get their feet wet in the college game, there might be no stopping this team. The fact that Luke Kennard has emerged as the team’s best player and Frank Jackson has proven to be a stud at the point, this team has all the makings of a championship contender.
Oh and Grayson Allen is already unsuspended. Ain’t that somethin…
8.) Louisville (12–2)
I hate Louisville too. I hate everything they stand for and everything they do offensively and defensively. But they’re good. And you can’t dispute the results. Aside from their loss at home to UVa, Louisville has looked every bit the part of an Elite 8, Final 4 type team. They have the length, they have the athletes. Their latest scandal is now behind them and Rick Pitino is just a greasy and sly as ever. Louisville will be a top 10 team at the end of the season.
Arguably the most Rick Pitino picture of all time.
7.) Oregon (13–2)
Dillon Brooks is back BOIIIIIIIIII. The Ducks finally have their full team and are back in the shape they were supposed to be at the beginning of the season. What has Brooks done since his return from injury? Just hit a game winner against UCLA and dominate every single person who stands in his way. PAC-10 Champions? Uh yes. NCAA Champions? They’re my pick right now.
6.) West Virginia (12–1)
They play in the second best conference in the country. They beat one of the best teams in the best conference in the country. They shoot the three well. They force a ridiculous amount of turnovers. There is no singular play on “Press” Virginia you need to know about because no player averages more than 30 minutes a game or more than 15 points per game. They’re all solid. They’re all athletic. They will all pester you for 40 full minutes. Bob Huggins is a very very large, scary, man.
The Real Deals
5.) Kansas (12–1)
“If the Kansas streak of winning the Big 12 reaches 12 years in a row we HAVE to rename the conference “The Kansas Konference” — I chuckled to myself at the end of the 2014–2015 season after Kansas won it’s 11th conference title in a row. Well last season marked the 12th consecutive season in which the Jayhawks won at least a share of the conference title and it’s still named the Big 12 Conference. Maybe if it reaches 13 they’ll consider renaming it. Or maybe Kansas won’t win it this year! (Hint: They’ll win it this year). Nobody will straight up beat Kansas for the title this year and the Bill Self Train will keep on rockin’ and chalkin’ and Jayhawkin’ all the way to the Final Four again. They’re good.
4.) Baylor (13–0)
“But I thought you just said Kansas would win the Big 12?? Why would you put Baylor ahead of them??” you ask? You make a good point, I would retort, but these are power rankings for how the teams look now. When Kansas and Baylor play on February 1st and 18th we’ll see who should really have been ahead in these rankings. Baylor plays big boy basketball, beats you up physically and mentally and emotionally in the paint and comes at you with 6’10, 6’11 and 7’3 guys one after another after another. Good luck. Scott Drew is a good coach!!!! SCOTT FREAKING DREW. Never thought I’d say it.
3.) UCLA (14–1)
The team with the most exciting freshmen class in the country is next on this list but the most NBA ready freshman player is on this team. Lonzo Ball was made in a factory that specifically engineers athletes that can out think you, out run you, out shoot you and out hustle you — basically this lab creates super-humans but we’ll talk about them more in another story. Alongside TJ Leaf, Bryce Alford and Steve Alford’s hair, UCLA has one of the most fun teams to watch. That’s also the biggest knock against the Bruins. They don’t play defense. We’ll see how they fair in a sure to be wild PAC 12.
2.) Kentucky (11–2)
I don’t have too much to say about this Kentucky team because it’s the same thing I say every year. They’re young, they’re athletic, they’re fun to watch, I don’t know if they’re good enough to win the whole darn thing. If Malik Monk can prove that he is always on fire, De’Aaron Fox shows he can knock down a jump shot, and Isaiah Briscoe continues to do it all for the Cats, they’ll be unstoppable. Your move Calipari.
1.) Villanova (14–0)
Jay Wright is extremely well dressed. Josh Hart is the best player in the country. The Wildcats play hard and play together. They have a few big games left against Xavier, Creighton and the University of Virginia. Those should be fun but Villanova will win all three and go undefeated this regular season. Bold prediction of the night… so far.
Power Ranking the Conferences
For the purposes of the Power Rankings, we’re only going to rank the conferences that actually matter. Sorry Southland Conference.
8.) SEC! SEC! SEC!
LOL! LOL! LOL! When your conference only has three teams that are remotely relevant, and none of those three will lose to the unrivaled winner of the conference by less than 20… you’re a weak conference. Kentucky will win the SEC going away. Hot take alert.
7.) Atlantic 10
Are they a particularly good conference? No. Are they better than the SEC? YES!!! George Washington, Davidson and Dayton could be dangerous come tournament time, but without Shaka Smart at the helm, VCU has fallen off considerably.
6.) American Athletic Conference
UCONN and Cincinnati are the only reason the AAC is really relevant but that’s enough to get them into these very important power rankings and not be left out like the CAA… lol. SMU is also formidable and Temple has shown that they are actually going to be playing in some important games this year. None of them will really make too much noise, but Cincinnati vs. UCONN is always a fun game to watch.
5.) Big East
This is the first truly deep conference on this list and currently the fifth conference in the Power 5 of basketball. Going up and down this list of ten teams there are a bunch of programs that have the potential to wreck your bracket in March. Butler, Creighton, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Villanova and Xavier all have tournament potential. That’s 8/10. Pretty solid. I feel bad though because one of the teams being left out of my tournament predictions is DePaul, the team that took Villanova down to the wire last week and is coached BY THE ONE AND ONLY DAVE FREAKIN’ LEITAO. Boy oh boy, I just got way too excited to watch all of DePaul’s remaining games.
4.) Big 12
This one was a toss up for me. The Big 12 is currently boasting three teams in the top 10 but then that’s it. Kansas State got a few votes but then got demolished by Kansas last night. I appreciate the variety of styles you can find in the Big 12 but none of them are going to beat Kansas enough times to really matter in the end. Bob Huggins will sit on his stool and yell, Scott Drew will continue to be the best coach in the country and Bill Self will continue you sitting up on his mountain of trophies laughing at all of the other teams as they haplessly claw and clamor down at the base of his mountain. Fun image right there but not enough to put the Big 12 in the top three conferences this year.
3.) PAC 12
Hot take alert, Oregon won’t win the PAC 12 this year. JK, they will. The Ducks are substantially better than every other team in the league except UCLA, but they already took the Bruins down once this year and that was with Dillon Brooks still getting his feet wet. As you read earlier, I’m a huge fan of what UCLA is doing in LA but I don’t think it’s enough to put them back on top of the PAC 12. USC, Cal, Colorado and Arizona are all in the conversation atop the PAC 12 but if we’re being real, it’s Oregon’s title to lose.
2.) Big 10
If this ranking was being done based on conference logo, the BIG 10 would finish dead last. I hate it. Pick one. You can’t have both. Anyways, at least they’re good at basketball. Sort of. I gave them the 2 spot because of their depth. Indiana should be better, as should Maryland and Michigan. Michigan State will be fine come tournament time don’t you worry. Ohio State is good but not great, and Rutgers?? Rutgers?? They didn’t win a conference game last year but they look poised to finish in the top half of the league this year. Nebraska is pretty good as well, and Minnesota is right there with them. Then there’s the Big Boys. Literally big. Purdue and Wisconsin will need to do most of the heavy lifting this year for a Big 10 that is sure to cannibalize itself. Stay tuned.
1.) ACC
When you have 7 teams ranked in the Top 25, (Clemson should be ranked too, as should Pittsburgh) and anybody could beat anybody else on any given night, that’s a recipe for a fun season. I don’t have a lot to say about the ACC because half the teams were already talked about earlier in the Power Rankings.
Got any arguments? Tweet at us and tell us what we got wrong.
Now it’s time for a section I like to call the “Formidable Four.” Basically this section will consist of four teams that currently are flying under the radar, but have the potential to sneak into the Final Four and make a whole lot of noise come tournament time.
4.) Oklahoma….. State.
It’s been a few years since the ole Cowpokes have been relevant in the college basketball landscape. Well welcome back. With the Brad Underwood regime underway in Stillwater, Oklahoma State is fun to watch again all of a sudden. The Cowboys will have every opportunity to pick up numerous statement wins in a solid Big 12 and look like a team that could very easily have the makings of an upset machine.
3.) Marquette
“Wojo! Wojo! Wojo!” says Mike Krzyzewski in his nightmares after Duke gets beat by their former Assistant Coach in the Sweet 16. Marquette will have to do a lot of things right this year to sneak into the tournament but if they do get in… watch out. This team plays hard for Steve Wojciechowski. They have shooters and they have size. Top seeds beware!!!
2.) Clemson
Jaron Blossomgame. He does everything for them. Also, I love a team who’s coach isn’t afraid to give Roy Williams a piece of his mind. Clemson has the pieces to be dangerous if they can get out of their own way. They lost to UNC because they didn’t get Blossomgame the ball enough. Get him the ball all the time. Every time. Any time. He is the time.
1.) Florida State
See above. They’re good. Scary good.
We’ll check back in on these rankings in a few weeks and see who stayed hot and who is definitely not…
One quick thing. When you’re watching these games at home, pay attention to a few key things.
1.) The Refs
They’ve actually been great this year. They’ve been consistent in the way they call games and what their points of emphasis are.
2.) The defenses
Ever since the Virginia defense made the Pack Line defense the new hot commodity, it sounds like every team on TV is running some version of it. They aren’t. Don’t let the announcers talk you into thinking all these coaches have taught the packline perfectly in one year. They’re just running a sagged in man to man because there’s not enough shooting in the college game.
Last thing.
3.) How many Duke games is ESPN going to put Jay Bilas on?
I’ve got my over under set at 15.
