Another week of college basketball is in the books. As promised, here is my college basketball Top 25 after Week 6 of the season:
College Basketball Top 25: Week 6
- Michigan State Spartans (Previous: 1)
Record: 11-0
Week Record: 2-0
Michigan State continued its undefeated season this week, as they took down Maryland-East Shore and Florida, both games at home. The win over Florida was a good stepping stone for the Spartans, as star Denzel Valentine did not have his best game, but the team found a way to win. It was a team effort, but senior guard Bryn Forbes stood out once again for Michigan State.
- Oklahoma Sooners (4)
Record: 7-0
Week Record: 2-0
I have been a big believer in Oklahoma since the start of the season, and they helped my case with a huge win on the road against a very quality opponent in Villanova. Senior guard Isaiah Cousins is still one of the most underrated players in college basketball, but he with a stat line like his (19 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds) on national TV, he should not be much longer.
- Kentucky Wildcats (5)
Record: 9-1
Week Record: 2-0
UCLA’s recent success helps out Kentucky’s resume, as the Wildcats’ loss on the road to the Bruins does not look so bad nowadays. John Calipari’s guys have done work themselves, though, as they got a nice win against Arizona State this week. That said, the Wildcats have not shot the ball well at all, so they need to make sure not to let that catch up with them sooner or later.
- Duke Blue Devils (3)
Record: 8-1
Week Record: 0-0
I really do not have much to write up about Duke this week, as they did not have a scheduled game to play. They to have a game against Utah this upcoming Saturday. The Utes are a team that has been in and out of the Top 25, and it will be interesting to see how Jakob Poeltl does against the Blue Devils’ big guys like Mason Plumlee and Amile Jefferson.
- Kansas Jayhawks (7)
Record: 8-1
Week Record: 2-0
Kansas has recovered well since their loss to Michigan State about a month ago, and have not really looked back on the rest of their schedule. They took care of business against Oregon State (side note: Gary Payton III is as good as people say). Wayne Selden Jr. was terrific again, but a key player no one talks about is Carlton Bragg Jr., the freshman that was supposed to play second fiddle to Cheick Diallo in the 2015 class. Bragg Jr. has been solid on both ends so far.
- Purdue Boilermakers (10)
Record: 11-0
Week Record: 3-0
Purdue was known as an up and coming team this year, but they have continued to be perfect into December, and warrant their ranking. Sophomore Vince Edwards has done a nice job contributing all over the board so far this season, but his 3.7 assists per game is the most important number for him. A big game against Butler awaits this week, as the Boilermakers can help their resume even more.
- Iowa State Cyclones (8)
Record: 9-0
Week Record: 3-0
Say what you want about Hilton Magic and court storming, but the Cyclones found a way to beat the Iowa last week. The close win was not enough for me to move them up much higher though, as they could have easily dropped this week if Monte Morris’ floater does not find the bottom of the net.
- North Carolina Tar Heels (2)
Record: 7-2
Week Record: 0-1
It feels like North Carolina has done this to us every year for the past few seasons. They are so talented, but lose some games they should win. That said, their loss at Texas was not the worst thing ever, as it took a fluke play (and missed call) for the Tar Heels to be upset. This is still a deep team, and with Marcus Paige running the show, they will always been a threat come March.
- Maryland Terrapins (9)
Record: 9-1
Week Record: 2-0
I have liked what I have seen out of Maryland lately more than at the beginning of the season, as they had a very balanced scoring attack against Connecticut last week to get the win. That said, it took Melo Trimble getting to the line a lot, as he made 14 out of his 15 free throws to score 25 points. They cannot count on that every night. They need to get Jake Layman going somehow. He is playing out of position at the three, it is just as simple as that.
- Xavier Musketeers (14)
Record: 10-0
Week Record: 2-0
The newcomer of the week is Xavier and they deserve to be here. The Musketeers have the most balanced attack in the country at this point in the season, which allows them to not be dependent on one or two players. Case in point: In a double digit victory over Cincinnati this past week, Xavier’s leading scorer, Trevon Bluiett, scored three points on 1 of 8 shooting. And they won by 10. Yeah.
- Virginia Cavaliers (11) (8-1)
- Arizona Wildcats (13) (9-1)
- Villanova Wildcats (6) (8-1)
- Baylor Bears (17) (7-1)
- Miami Hurricanes (19) (8-1)
- Butler Bulldogs (21) (8-1)
- SMU Mustangs (24) (7-0)
- Louisville Cardinals (23) (7-1)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (15) (8-1)
- Providence Friars (UnR) (10-1)
- Cincinnati Bearcats (16) (8-2)
- George Washington Colonials (UnR) (9-1)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (12) (6-3)
- Pittsburgh Panthers (UnR) (8-1)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (UnR) (7-2)
T26. UCLA, Texas A&M, UConn, Marquette, South Carolina, Valparaiso, Gonzaga
Dropped out: No. 18 Utah, No. 20 Gonzaga, No. 22 UNLV, No. 25 Oregon
