CBS Sports shakes up Top 25 and 1 after upset-filled Saturday of college basketball
Every weekend this season has been chock-full of upsets, and this one has been no exception. On Saturday, college basketball saw three Top-10 teams suffer losses to unranked opponents. CBS Sports adjusted its Top 25 and 1 rankings, accordingly.
With teams like Texas Tech seeing meteoric rises and blue-chip programs like Duke being knocked down the ladder, CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish wasn’t scared to shake things up.
Here’s where his latest rankings stand.
1. Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue has rarely fallen anywhere but the top spot on Parrish’s list this season, and for good reason. After falling to Nebraska on Jan. 9, the Boilermakers have rattled off three straight wins, most recently Iowa in convincing 84-70 fashion.
In the win, All-American center Zach Edey posted his 11th double-double of the season, tallying 30 points and 18 rebounds while shooting 10-15 from the field. The Boilermakers doubled Iowa’s output on the glass.
2. UConn Huskies
UConn isn’t the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25 by accident. The Huskies have won their last seven games and went 3-0 this past week against stiff Big East competition. First, UConn downed 80-67 at home. Next, the Huskies pounced on No. 18 Creighton in a comfortable 62-48 win.
UConn’s latest win was its toughest. On Saturday, UConn escaped a brawl against Villanova with a narrow 66-65 victory. Senior guard Tristen Newton led all scorers in the contest with 25 points. After the game, head coach Dan Hurley compared the battle to a “steel cage” match.
3. North Carolina Tar Heels
After securing two triumphs this week, North Carolina is still undefeated in conference play. The Tar Heels are riding high into this week, rolling on an eight-game win streak. On Wednesday, UNC handily defeated Louisville 86-70.
Only three days later, the Tar Heels picked up a 76-66 victory over Boston College. North Carolina needed a second-half revival to secure the win after a lethargic first 20 minutes. Armando Bacot led the way, scoring all 10 of his points in the second half, adding nine rebounds for the game.
4. Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee is a locomotive right now, and any team that stands in its way is suffering the consequences. The Volunteers latest victims were the Florida Gators and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Tennessee defeated the two teams by an average margin of 19.5 points.
Standout guard Dalton Knecht stole the show in both performances. In UT’s win over Florida, Knecht amassed a career-high 39 points while shooting 4-6 from downtown. Knecht led all scorers again versus Alabama, collecting 25 points.
5. Houston Cougars
Houston can take a punch. After suffering its first two losses of the season last week, the Cougars dusted themselves off and reminded the nation why they’re a legitimate contender. This past week, Houston picked up wins over UCF and No. 25 Texas Tech.
Houston did more than beat the Red Raiders, it dominated them. In the win, the Cougars shot 52.4% from the field and 47.1% from beyond the arc. Their defense was equally impressive, squeezing 14 turnovers out of Texas Tech.
6. Arizona Wildcats
It’s been a tumultuous season for the Wildcats. Every time they start to look unbeatable, they find themselves on the wrong end of a 12-round slugfest. However, right now, Arizona is winning its bouts.
The Wildcats went 2-0 this past week, posting wins over USC and UCLA. In its 77-71 win over UCLA, Arizona showed off its grit. The Wildcats trailed the Bruins 32-13 midway through the first half. Nonetheless, they clawed their way to victory, a pattern that has earned Parrish’s respect.
7. Auburn Tigers
Auburn is the only SEC team that still hasn’t suffered a league loss. In fairness, it’s difficult to remember the last time the Tigers were defeated. Auburn has won 11 games in a row, last losing to Appalachian State on Dec. 3. More impressively, no team has finished with 10 points of Auburn since.
The Tigers didn’t skip a beat last week, handing out losses to Auburn and No. 22 Ole Miss. Auburn’s 82-59 rout of Ole Miss was a team effort. No Tiger played more than 22 minutes in the victory. Consequently, 12 Auburn players put points on the board.
8. Wisconsin Badgers
While fans have been distracted by flashy highlights and blue-chip names, Wisconsin has quickly become one of the most dangerous teams in the country. Indiana learned this lesson the hard way on Saturday.
After falling to Penn State earlier in the week, the Badgers bounced back with a 91-79 triumph over the Hoosiers. It was a breakout game for Wisconsin guard Max Klemsit, who scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half and went 5-of-7 on 3-point attempts.
9. Kansas Jayhawks
Kansas dropped in Parish’s rankings this week after falling to 91-85 to West Virginia on the road. It was only the Mountaineers’ second win in conference play. In the win, West Virginia put on perhaps its best performance of the season.
The Mountaineers, who are statistically the worst 3-point shooting team in the Big 12, connected on 12-of-21 attempts from deep in the game. Head coach Bill Self isn’t concerned for his team’s future. After the game, Self said, “There’s going to be games like this for everybody.”
10. Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky bounced back in a big way this week after falling to Texas A&M on Jan. 13. First, the team secured a comfortable 90-77 win over Mississippi State on Wednesday. The team followed up the solid showing with a high-scoring 105-96 victory over Georgia on Saturday.
Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic, otherwise known as “Big Z,” stole the show against the Bulldogs. It was his first game of the season after the NCAA granted him eligibility. He made the most of the moment, erupting for 13 points and three blocks while shooting 3-4 from 3-point range.
11. Oklahoma Sooners
12. Dayton Flyers
13. Baylor Bears
14. Iowa State Cyclones
15. Utah State Aggies
16. Duke Blue Devils
17. Memphis Tigers
18. Marquette Golden Eagles
19. Colorado State Rams
20. Creighton Bluejays
21. Texas Tech Red Raiders
22. Illinois Fighting Illini
23. BYU Cougars
24. New Mexico Lobos
25. Utah Utes
26. Seton Hall Pirates