We’d deliberate to do tiers this week — you recognize, determine the contenders, aspiring contenders, shock groups, and so forth. — as a result of it appeared a pecking order was starting to determine itself. Then all hell broke free, and we’re undecided we all know something anymore. So we ditched tiers. This week’s energy rankings is likely to be higher described as tears.
Simply on Tuesday and Wednesday alone, eight AP Prime 25 groups, together with 4 of the highest 5, misplaced to unranked groups: No. 1 Purdue at Nebraska, No. 2 Houston at Iowa State, No. 3 Kansas at Central Florida, No. 5 Tennessee at Mississippi State, No. 9 Oklahoma at TCU, No. 11 Marquette vs. Butler, No. 17 Colorado State at Boise State, No. 21 Clemson at Virginia Tech. Ethical of the story: This season continues to be absolute chaos, and it’s actually arduous to win on the street.
Prime 15 groups on the street in opposition to unranked competitors in 2023-24 at the moment are 16-19.
— Will Warren (@statsbywill) January 11, 2024
Simply ask Louisville, which misplaced 22 straight street video games and … wait, what’s that? The Cardinals gained on Wednesday evening at Miami, which made the Closing 4 final season and was ranked top-10 earlier this season? Of us, it’s simply that sort of 12 months. A bizarre one. Let your canine choose the NCAA Match bracket this 12 months. Can’t do worse than no matter you’ll suppose you recognize about these groups.
1. Connecticut (14-2)
Final week: No. 5
When the highest groups are dropping like flies and also you go win back-to-back Massive East street video games at Butler and Xavier, we right here at Energy Rankings Inc. tip our cap to you. The Huskies led for 37 of 40 minutes, by as many as 14, and held off a late rally in what was a strong, regular efficiency Wednesday evening in opposition to Sean Miller’s Musketeers. Tip of the cap to Dan Hurley for making small-ball work whereas 7-foot-2 star Donovan Clingan recovers from a foot damage. UConn had 27 assists on 31 made photographs — together with 11 3s — on Wednesday evening.
Tristen Newton was a terrific facilitator — 16 factors, 11 assists, six boards and simply two turnovers — whereas Cam Spencer scored an easy-looking 19 factors and five-star freshman Stephon Fort flashed a bit extra of what he can in the end be. Simply 9 video games into his school profession, Fort stuffed the stat sheet with 12 factors, eight assists, six boards, two blocks and two steals, and one attractive up-and-under end. Fort is simply starting to point out his stuff, and the hunch right here is he’ll be a nightmare by March. Only one Energy Ranker’s (inarguably right) opinion, nonetheless: Full-strength Connecticut is one of the best staff within the nation. Partial-strength UConn managed to keep away from getting bitten by the upset bug, and that counts for fairly a bit, too, proper now. — Kyle Tucker
Final week: 2
Life within the Massive 12: not really easy, eh, Houston? The Cougars’ first season of their new, big-boy convention — which has six top-25 groups, together with three of the highest 9, and ranks first in KenPom’s league rankings — was at all times going to be an adjustment, particularly so on the street. (Schedule-makers did Kelvin Sampson no favors, sending him to Hilton Coliseum for the Massive 12 street opener.) Good as these Cougars are — they’re nonetheless tops in adjusted defensive effectivity, even after Tuesday’s loss to Iowa State — remaining undefeated was at all times a pipe dream in a convention this good. (Pop these bottles, 1975-76 Indiana, and pour one out for Bob Knight when you’re at it.)
Right here’s the factor, although: Regardless of committing 12 first-half turnovers in opposition to the Cyclones — “We simply sort of peed down our leg,” Sampson mentioned postgame, and it’s much more hilarious how deadpan he mentioned so — taking pictures 7-of-26 from 3, getting a season-low 5 factors from main scorer L.J. Cryer, and sending ISU to the free-throw line 22 occasions, Houston nonetheless had an excellent likelihood to win on Tuesday. Tied with 36.2 seconds left, it took one ultimate Cryer miss and this fantastic thing about a transfer from Iowa State freshman Milan Momcilovic to resolve the sport. (Should you’re unfamiliar with Momcilovic, a top-50 recruit this summer time who has been among the many finest freshmen within the nation, then let this Dirk Nowitzki-esque fader be your official discover.)
WHAT A SHOT FOR THE FRESHMAN @CycloneMBB 🤯
🎥: @espn pic.twitter.com/ssNCdIHBGR
— CBS Sports activities Faculty Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 10, 2024
Realistically, Houston is gonna be superb. It took a near-perfect confluence of missteps, on the street, for the Cougars to lastly drop a recreation. However within the curiosity of equity, this was Houston’s first top-30 KenPom opponent of the season … and three of its subsequent 4, together with at TCU on Saturday, are, as nicely. To what extent Tuesday’s loss was a blueprint for different groups, or simply an off evening from most of Sampson’s squad, we’ll quickly discover out. — Brendan Marks
3. Purdue (14-2)
Final week: 1
Welp, that’s two losses to unranked groups because the AP No. 1 for Purdue this season. See, complete frauds! Proper? Perhaps not. Northwestern is an honest staff. Nebraska is simply too. Perhaps higher than first rate. Each roughly top-50 opponents, each video games on the street for the Boilermakers. To beat Purdue in OT, the Wildcats wanted an out-of-his-mind recreation by Boo Buie (31 factors, 9 assists). To win comfortably — that half was the largest shock — over Purdue on Tuesday evening, the Cornhuskers needed to collectively play out of their minds (hitting 14 of 23 3s and scoring 88 factors qualifies). So maybe we shouldn’t write off a staff that has surrounded 7-foot-4 star Zach Edey with 39.4 p.c 3-point taking pictures and has already overwhelmed Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, Arizona and Illinois, six KenPom top-25 groups.
All of that mentioned, for a staff that has suffered consecutive early NCAA Match exits and entered this season with questions on whether or not the guards are ok to keep away from that destiny this March … some meals for thought: Within the two losses, Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones mixed to shoot 22 of 60 with 22 assists and 18 turnovers. – Tucker
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/01/10235526/mitch-scaled.jpg)
Tre Mitchell has offered invaluable management for Kentucky. (James Crisp / AP)
Final week: 6
Kentucky has probably the most dynamic backcourt in America — five-star freshmen guards DJ Wagner, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham have been as marketed, whereas senior Antonio Reeves is second within the SEC in scoring — and rookie 7-footer Aaron Bradshaw may in the end be the staff’s finest professional prospect. However the Wildcats’ midseason MVP? Indubitably, it’s tremendous senior ahead Tre Mitchell.
The West Virginia switch (by means of UMass and Texas earlier than that) had 20 factors, 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks in UK’s win over Missouri on Tuesday evening — his fourth straight recreation with double-digit rebounds. For the season, he’s averaging 13.2 factors, 7.8 boards, 3.2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals. However his influence goes far past the numbers — and even his versatility to play the 4 or 5 spots with equal aplomb. The 23-year-old with 106 school begins has introduced invaluable knowledge and perspective to a staff with eight freshmen and two sophomores.
“These guys depend on him,” John Calipari mentioned. “I like teaching him. I find it irresistible. And I like how he’s as a teammate. He is aware of his position.”
Earlier than Kentucky’s first true street recreation of the season final Saturday at sold-out Florida — no, we don’t depend the sport at Louisville — Mitchell supplied his younger teammates some sage recommendation about learn how to deal with a hostile atmosphere: “There’s a motive for all of the noise,” he informed them. “There’s a motive these individuals are attempting to get in your head and mess up your recreation. As a result of there’s a worry of what you’re able to doing.”
Then, throughout a gritty, come-from-behind win for Kentucky in Gainesville, Mitchell antagonized the Florida pupil part. He defined later that it was a tactical choice, to attract the eye of hecklers away from his teammates and “free their minds up.” That’s MVP stuff if ever we’ve seen it. – Tucker
Final week: 12
It took longer than anticipated for UNC to tug away from NC State on Wednesday evening, however the Tar Heels finally bought there. In such a topsy-turvy season, that’s all that issues — that, and the truth that Hubert Davis’ staff now leads the ACC with a 4-0 convention document. Perhaps extra spectacular, although? Per our earlier word, successful on the street is difficult this season … and UNC simply gained three right away from the confines of the Dean Smith Heart, together with one “rivalry” recreation and one other in opposition to a ranked opponent. (Facet word: Uh, you good, Clemson? The Tigers have now misplaced three straight since being ranked within the prime 15. That is pre-2016 ranges of Clemson-ing.)
What needs to be most encouraging for Davis, except for his staff’s “vitality, effort, and toughness” — his phrases — is the truth that totally different dudes have stepped up in every of these three victories. Your proof? Sophomore level guard Seth Trimble, who has been key to UNC’s defensive emergence, additionally chipped in 10 factors and 6 rebounds in opposition to Pitt. (Per BartTorvik, the Tar Heels are fifth nationally in adjusted defensive effectivity since their return from vacation break on Dec. 29.) Then middle Armando Bacot had considered one of his higher video games all season in opposition to Clemson, fouling out Tigers star P.J. Corridor whereas concurrently dropping 14 factors and 16 rebounds. And in opposition to NC State, junior switch Harrison Ingram became a one-man rebounding crew, gobbling a career-high 19 (!!) boards, regardless of solely scoring 9 factors. (For what it’s price, Ingram now has the 2 finest rebounding performances of his three-season profession in UNC’s final three video games. The extra you recognize.) All that, on prime of R.J. Davis’ constant scoring, is hard to beat.
The ACC is lackluster sufficient — see: Miami dropping at residence to Louisville — that the Tar Heels ought to realistically be favored of their subsequent six video games. (A house contest vs. Wake Forest might be the hardest of the bunch) earlier than a pivotal first assembly with Duke. — Marks
6. Arizona (12-3)
Final week: 7
So, uh, possibly that Stanford loss was a very good factor for Arizona? As a result of for the reason that Wildcats’ head-scratching 18-point loss in Palo Alto, all Tommy Lloyd’s staff has carried out is whoop top-35 opponents Colorado and Utah by 47 (!!) and 19 factors, respectively. (Sure, Colorado was shorthanded, however nonetheless. Nearly getting doubled in league play?) Oh, yeah — and Caleb Love is doing stuff like this now, in-game, with completely no regard for human life:
Caleb Love simply dunked from near the free-throw line IN GAME 🤯
🎥 @ArizonaMBBpic.twitter.com/jADxHOd78O
— The Athletic CBB (@TheAthleticCBB) January 7, 2024
And whereas we’re within the spirit of posting Arizona highlights, how about this one from sophomore guard Kylan Boswell? It’s giving “go of the season” vibes, as the youngsters say:
What a go by Kylan Boswell 🤩 pic.twitter.com/yNhVh23eZk
— Pac-12 Convention (@pac12) January 5, 2024
The important thing in each of Arizona’s bounce-back wins has, unsurprisingly, been a return to the staff’s hyper-efficient offense. The Wildcats averaged 1.35 and 1.19 factors per possession in opposition to Colorado and Utah, respectively, taking pictures above 50 p.c from 3 each video games — regardless of averaging 14 turnovers per contest. Between Love, Boswell, Keshad Johnson, Pelle Larsson, and Oumar Ballo, Lloyd has 5 guys liable to go off any given evening, and that’s with out mentioning influence freshmen Motiejus Krivas and KJ Lewis, each of whom have had their moments, too. (Krivas, as an example, had 15 factors and 9 rebounds in 17 minutes versus the Buffaloes.) Arizona remains to be the one staff within the nation with a top-5 adjusted offensive and defensive effectivity, per KenPom. In a worse-than-expected Pac-12, Arizona is the clear favourite, and nonetheless very a lot within the nationwide title dialog. — Marks
Final week: 3
Of all of the upset losses by prime groups this week, the Jayhawks delivered the largest clunker by far. UCF, actually? The identical staff that Miami — which simply misplaced to an abysmal Louisville — beat by 16? The identical staff that misplaced at residence to … a cowboy hat (Stetson)?! And misplaced 4 days earlier to rival Kansas State by 25?!?! Certainly, as a result of Johnny Dawkins and the Knights properly went zone on KU and Invoice Self’s staff had no reply. The Jayhawks shot 32 p.c and had 9 turnovers within the second half.
“I’ve bought a shoe… that’s how loopy it’s at UCF proper now” 🤣
ONLY in school basketball 😭 pic.twitter.com/iCmdyrrpZo
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 11, 2024
Star middle Hunter Dickinson was restricted to twenty-eight minutes with foul bother, level guard Dajuan Harris Jr. shot 2 of 8 and scored 5 factors and KJ Adams solely had two factors after halftime. As we’ve talked about repeatedly on this area, the massive fear for Kansas will not be being deep sufficient to beat an off evening, an damage or foul bother to any of its 4 finest gamers. The bench (plus fifth starter Elmarko Jackson) scored a grand complete of three factors Wednesday in opposition to UCF. Sound the alarms. The shortage of any manufacturing in any respect from the supporting forged is formally a significant drawback. — Tucker
8. Auburn (13-2)
Final week: 11
Bear in mind final week on this area after we fawned over the Tigers’ 10-deep roster of legit contributors, however then cautioned, “Now that ridiculous depth will get put to a severe take a look at proper out of the chute in SEC play, at Arkansas on Saturday?” So, yeah, about that. It didn’t get put to a take a look at, severe or in any other case. Auburn humiliated the Hogs with a 32-point beatdown, probably the most lopsided loss within the 30-year historical past of Bud Walton Enviornment. Subsequent? An 11-point win over a Texas A&M staff that was picked second within the SEC preseason ballot. That’s eight straight victories — all by double digits, by a median margin of 23.4 factors — for Bruce Pearl and firm.
It’s time to start out speaking about Auburn as a legit league championship contender (once more). Pearl is a wizard. The Tigers had three SEC regular-season titles (final in 1999) and one SEC event title (final in 1985) earlier than Pearl. Underneath him, they’ve gained both the regular-season or event crown in 2018, 2019 and 2022. In the event that they add one other trophy, it’ll be due to that excessive depth. Your newest wild stat there: Every of Auburn’s prime 10 gamers has scored 10-plus factors in a recreation at the very least as soon as this season. Seven of them have scored 14-plus in a recreation, together with San Diego State switch Chad Baker-Mazara, who gave the Tigers 16 factors in 21 minutes off the bench at Arkansas, and tremendous senior Jaylin Williams, who dropped 22 and eight on the Aggies. Williams, a former top-100 recruit, is starting to appear to be it. He’s averaged 16 factors, 4.4 boards and a pair of.6 assists whereas taking pictures 43.5 p.c from 3 throughout that eight-game successful streak.
JAYLIN WILLIAMS! WHAT?! pic.twitter.com/6Y1lcOjyG9
— Zach Card (@ZachCard_) January 10, 2024
His emergence offers Auburn one thing like a Massive Three, together with Johni Broome and Aden Holloway, with one other seven guys who may get you on any given evening. Good luck with that, SEC. Simply ask Arkansas and A&M how a lot of a handful that’s to cease. – Tucker
9. Tennessee (11-4)
Final week: 10
The dangerous information is the Volunteers misplaced on the street to an unranked staff. The excellent news is that’s not particularly alarming since all people is doing it today — and UT did simply wreck beforehand unbeaten Ole Miss by 26 factors 4 days earlier. The very best information is Tennessee lastly bought Dalton Knecht going once more — and stored red-hot Zakai Zeigler going — in that loss to Mississippi State on Wednesday evening. Knecht and Zeigler mixed for 54 factors, together with 42 within the second half alone. The Bulldogs led by 14 factors with quarter-hour to go, then the Vols’ dynamic duo took over. Knecht scored 26 factors within the second half, and his dunk with 34 seconds left tied the sport.
That was large, even when Tennessee couldn’t full the comeback. Knecht had scored in single digits 4 of the earlier 5 video games after dropping 21 in a win over Illinois (and beforehand 24 in a win at Wisconsin, 37 in a loss at UNC). Rick Barnes wants Knecht to be a dependable scorer alongside Zeigler, whose latest rise to an All-SEC (if not All-America) stage of play continued Wednesday with 26 factors, seven assists and three steals in opposition to Mississippi State. Zeigler is averaging 18.6 factors, 6.8 assists, 2.6 steals and taking pictures 43 p.c from 3 the final 5 video games. So no, we haven’t modified our opinion that it’ll be UT, UK and Auburn battling for an SEC championship this season. – Tucker
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/01/10215002/domask-scaled.jpg)
Marcus Domask has embraced a bigger position for Illinois. (Ron Johnson / USA Right now)
10. Illinois (11-3)
Final week: Not ranked
Illinois followers have been (most likely rightly) annoyed at not being included final week, however the Terrence Shannon Jr. scenario (additionally most likely rightly) gave us pause. We needed to see how the Illini fared in Shannon Jr.’s absence — he filed a brief restraining order in opposition to the college on Monday, which requires Illinois to “instantly reinstate” him — earlier than slotting Brad Underwood’s staff again in. And whereas the Illini misplaced at Purdue on Friday, we’ve seen sufficient to make a vote of confidence: Welcome again, Illinois, which appears like a top-3 Massive Ten aspect no matter Shannon’s future with this system.
Marcus Domask has been the largest on-court beneficiary of Shannon’s absence. Within the Illini’s final two video games, Domask has used at the very least 30 p.c of his staff’s possessions, per KenPom, far above his season-long 22.2 p.c fee. The influence on his counting stats isn’t any joke. In Illinois’ first 12 video games, Domask averaged:
11.6 factors, 4.6 rebounds, and a pair of.8 assists per recreation;
10.3 field-goal makes an attempt and 4.3 makes;
5.6 2-point makes an attempt and three.3 2-point makes;
and a pair of.5 free-throw makes an attempt, which he hit at an 86.7 p.c clip.
However within the final two video games? The dude’s utilization — and effectivity — has been on one other stage:
29 factors, 4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per recreation;
16 field-goal makes an attempt and 9.5 makes;
14.5 2-point makes an attempt and eight.5 makes;
and 10 free-throw makes an attempt, which he hit at a 90 p.c clip.
Higher shot choice — Domask is taking pictures 21.7 p.c from 3 this season, however had been trying 4.8 treys per recreation — has been a key, however so too is Underwood’s reliance on the Southern Illinois switch. Can Domask preserve this up? We’ll see. We fall firmly within the “cautious optimism” class for now. But when he can — together with smaller upticks from Quincy Gurrier, Coleman Hawkins, and Luke Goode — then the Illini can nonetheless completely be one of many Massive Ten’s finest. — Marks
11. Duke (12-3)
Final week: 15
Don’t look now, however right here comes the Duke staff we anticipated within the preseason. : the one which was ranked No. 2 and on each checklist of nationwide title favorites.
Jon Scheyer’s second staff performs a dramatically totally different fashion than his first — one predicated on 3-guard lineups, with taking pictures and ball motion, as an alternative of final 12 months’s defensive-minded bunch — and it took a while for the Blue Devils to get on the identical web page. (And for the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, led by five-star guards Jared McCain and Caleb Foster, to rise up to hurry.) However now that Duke has absolutely embraced the best way Scheyer desires to play? Effectively, simply ask Pittsburgh how potent Duke might be. Duke led Pitt 9-7 about 5 minutes into the sport … after which outscored the Panthers 36-14 over the rest of the primary half, taking pictures 60 p.c within the course of. At one level, Pitt had eight made photographs… and Duke had 9 made 3-pointers. Pitt went on a 14-2 run late within the second half… and nonetheless misplaced by 22, its worst defeat of the season. Borrowing a quote from his late father, Pitt coach Jeff Capel surmised the sport like so: “Right now we have been the bug. We bought splattered all around the windshield.”
Sophomore massive man Kyle Filipowski turned in considered one of his higher performances this season in opposition to Pitt — 26 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4 3-pointers, simply the fourth time he’s carried out that in 51 profession video games — and McCain has hit double figures in scoring and made a number of 3-pointers in every of Duke’s seven straight wins. Over Duke’s final 5, he’s averaging 17.2 factors per recreation. His 2-point share is beneath 50 p.c for the season, however in that stretch, it’s 64 p.c — which CBB Analytics charges within the ninety fifth percentile nationally. And McCain’s chemistry with Filipowski has been exceptional; Filipowski has assisted on 14 of McCain’s baskets this season, virtually twice as many as he has for some other participant. Not solely does Duke lastly appear on observe, however McCain appears like considered one of its finest three gamers. — Marks
12. Baylor (13-2)
Final week: NR
We dropped the Bears after consecutive losses to Michigan State and Duke, however 4 straight wins since — together with Tuesday’s over BYU, in simply probably the most enjoyable recreation of the night — is all of the convincing we wanted. Scott Drew’s staff remains to be third nationally in adjusted offensive effectivity, and the truth that it makes 44.9 p.c of its 3s — unsurprisingly, one of the best mark within the nation — is each astounding to consider and extremely enjoyable to look at. Baylor’s season-long shot chart could possibly be lifted straight from the pages of Sprawlbawl:
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/01/10204829/Screenshot-13.jpg)
In opposition to BYU, it was Jalen Bridges’ flip to play hero. Bridges dropped a season-high 25 factors on 7-of-14 taking pictures, but it surely was the timeliness of his baskets — together with 17 factors after halftime — that helped the Bears outlast BYU. However Bridges didn’t must go it alone. Freshman star and main scorer Ja’Kobe Walter had 16, Jayden Nunn had a crucial 11, and sixth-man Langston Love had 15. (Love — Baylor’s finest 3-point shooter and third-leading scorer — is barreling in direction of Massive 12 Sixth Man of the 12 months honors, an award that virtually needs to be renamed in Baylor’s honor; the Bears have had six gamers win it, most just lately Jeremy Sochan in 2021-22; and no different program has greater than two.) The purpose is, Baylor stays one of the aesthetically pleasing groups to look at within the nation, each its losses have been to top-20 groups, and its season-opening win over Auburn solely appears higher with every passing week. Plus, with a manageable rapid schedule — Baylor doesn’t play Kansas, Oklahoma, or BYU once more till mid-February — there’s room for the Bears to maintain ascending. — Marks
Final week: NR
And the one unbeaten Massive Ten staff in convention play is … wait, actually, Wisconsin? Effectively in that case, welcome (again) to the Badgers. We beforehand ranked Greg Gard’s staff, however that 25-point loss at Arizona a month in the past brought about us to rethink. Seems, the Wildcats are simply actually freaking good — and since then, the Badgers have gained their final 5 video games, all by double digits. Jesse Temple, The Athletic’s Badgers beat author, wrote a superb characteristic on the staff earlier this week that it’s best to undoubtedly learn.
![go-deeper](https://cdn.theathletic.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=128,height=128,fit=cover,format=auto/app/uploads/2024/01/08200202/ajs-1024x683.jpg)
GO DEEPER
This Wisconsin staff is totally different — and feels constructed to final
Jesse will get into the actual nitty-gritty of how this Wisconsin staff was constructed and the way it differs from previous Gard-coached squads. (Trace: the Badgers are usually not No. 6 nationally in adjusted offensive effectivity year-in, year-out.) But when there’s one factor we’d prefer to reiterate, it’s simply how stupendous St. John’s switch A.J. Storr has been this season. He’s second nationally amongst high-major gamers within the share of photographs he takes, per KenPom (33.4 p.c), however … it really works? He dropped 17 factors on 8-of-15 taking pictures in opposition to Ohio State on Wednesday, which is a traditional (and fairly environment friendly) evening from him. TL;DR: Wisconsin can rating once more. — Marks
14. San Diego State (14-2)
Final week: 14
Usually, a three-point street win over the likes of San Jose State — which sits at 7-9 with the worst protection within the Mountain West, which is saying one thing — wouldn’t transfer the needle for us. However a win’s a win, particularly on the street, and that’s greater than we are able to say for a complete lot of different groups we thought-about for these ultimate few spots. (Marquette and Oklahoma, thanks for protecting us up Wednesday evening solely to lose. We waited for you!)
However that San Jose State recreation was notable for one key motive. For the primary time in a very long time, Brian Dutcher’s staff didn’t do what it often does defensively; Tim Miles’ Spartans scored 1.041 PPP, per Synergy, the second-most the Aztecs have allowed in a recreation this season. (Essentially the most was to Washington, 1.078 PPP, in SDSU’s neutral-court, time beyond regulation win.) San Diego State remains to be top-20 nationally in adjusted defensive effectivity, per KenPom, however for as soon as, it needed to be the Aztecs’ offense that gained the sport … and it did. Jaedon LeDee dropped his second 30-point recreation of the season — the opposite got here in opposition to (you guessed it) Washington — and tried a staggering 19 free throws. After which, yeah, when it bought all the way down to it, after all SDSU made the defensive cease it wanted. Credit score to senior Jay Pal for his game-saving/successful block. (And oh, the irony of a Nebraska native sealing a recreation in opposition to Nebraska’s previous coach … who didn’t recruit him out of his yard. That’s karma, child.)
CRUCIAL BLOCK FROM JAY PAL 🚫@Aztec_MBB avoids the upset 😅
(through @CBSSportsCBB)
pic.twitter.com/oqniQGBkSq
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 10, 2024
The subsequent six video games for San Diego State, although, will inform us simply how good the Aztecs are on each ends of the courtroom. We’re speaking 5 matchups in opposition to top-60 groups within the span of six video games, beginning with Saturday’s street journey to 13-3 New Mexico. Past that, Dutcher’s staff hosts top-40 Nevada, goes to Boise State, and ends the month at Colorado State in a recreation that may go a great distance towards figuring out who wins the convention. Signal us up. — Marks
![](https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2024/01/10235723/jq-scaled.jpg)
Memphis resides dangerously, however Jahvon Quinerly has been Mr. Clutch. (Petre Thomas / USA Right now)
Final week: 9
Actually, we’re rating the Tigers this week not essentially as a result of we predict they’re one of many top-15 groups within the nation proper now, however as a result of they’re undoubtedly one of the attention-grabbing groups in America. Since our final rating, Memphis performed and gained three video games by the pores and skin of its enamel in seven days.
Alabama switch and former five-star Jahvon Quinerly hit consecutive game-winning 3s within the ultimate seconds at Tulsa and at residence in opposition to SMU, then practically did it once more Wednesday evening in opposition to sub-.500 UTSA at FedEx Discussion board. This time, he settled for a four-point play to start out time beyond regulation and scored 9 of his 25 factors in OT because the Tigers escaped once more with a wild 107-101 win over the Roadrunners. Penny Hardaway’s staff has been residing dangerously — beat VCU in time beyond regulation, edged Clemson by two factors, Vanderbilt by two, let Austin Peay hold round, then this three-game scare fest — however (up to now) retains managing to not get burned. That’s 9 straight wins in probably the most anxious method potential, and we are able to’t look away. – Tucker
Final week: NR
It’s not like Danny Sprinkle inherited the core of final 12 months’s Aggies — who gained 26 video games, completed second to nationwide runner-up San Diego State within the Mountain West and made the NCAA Match — when Ryan Odom left for VCU. In reality, not one of the prime 9 gamers returned. Odom took starters Max Shulga and Sean Bairstow with him, main scorer Steven Ashworth transferred to Creighton, and the second- and third-leading scorers ran out of eligibility. So Sprinkle, coming off a 25-win season and NCAA look himself at Montana State, needed to begin fully over within the new gig.
He introduced Nice Osobor (now averaging 18.6 factors and 9.4 boards) and Darius Brown (now averaging 10.7 factors and seven.6 assists) with him from Bozeman. He introduced in three former top-75 recruits — guard Ian Martinez, 7-footer Isaac Johnson and ahead Max Agbonkpolo — who signed with Maryland, Oregon and USC out of highschool and at the moment are in Utah State’s eight-man rotation. As is Josh Uduje, who was Coastal Carolina’s main scorer final season. The consequence? Sprinkle’s remade roster is 15-1, with 14 straight wins (the nation’s longest energetic streak), together with an attention-grabbing victory over ranked Colorado State on Saturday.
The Aggies have climbed all the best way to twentieth within the NET and thirty eighth in KenPom. They’re not elite in anybody space however have a top-50 offense and protection, scoring 81.6 factors per recreation and permitting simply 65.3, to go along with a top-40 rebounding margin. Even within the switch portal period, not many coaches may ship these sorts of instantaneous outcomes after dropping a complete roster. Sprinkle is the actual deal. – Tucker
Additionally fascinated about: That is the primary time all season that Marquette (11-5) has fallen out of our rankings, however consecutive losses to Seton Corridor and Butler — two scrappy however not elite Massive East sides — will try this to you. Our early-season issues in regards to the Golden Eagles’ rebounding woes — which Marquette followers informed us have been completely not a difficulty, how dare we even recommend so — haven’t gone anyplace, and Shaka Good’s Massive Three has to hold an more and more massive load, it looks like. This may not be a everlasting demotion, but it surely’s a warranted momentary one. … Dayton (12-2) may not have any true assertion wins — it has three over top-50 opponents, like St. John’s and Cincinnati — however with a top-15 offense, it’s the clear Atlantic 10 frontrunner. Bonus factors to star massive man DaRon Holmes II for sticking round, fairly than transferring or going professional final summer time, and turning into among the best frontcourt gamers in America. … A 4-1 begin within the Massive East, together with 4 straight wins, is greater than sufficient for St. John’s (12-4) to earn a small shoutout. The return of UMass switch R.J. Luis, who had 12 factors and eight rebounds in Wednesday’s win over Windfall, offers Rick Pitino one other attention-grabbing perimeter possibility. … Arguably the win of the week goes to Iowa State (12-3), for upsetting Houston. Now that’s what it appears prefer to be third nationally in adjusted defensive effectivity. And T.J. Otzelberger, for delivering a heaping serving to of chaos this week, the Energy Rankings staff salutes you.
(Prime photograph of Kansas coach Invoice Self: Mike Watters / USA Right now)