Conference play is now in full swing. As always, this college basketball season has been unpredictable and a ton of fun. The past week has been crazy. Seems like a good time to look at the biggest surprises in college basketball so far.
You can look at the biggest disappointments so far right here.
Biggest Surprises In College Basketball So Far
Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss was picked to finish 10th in the SEC in their first season under head coach Chris Beard. But apparently no one told them that. The Rebels were one of the last couple of teams to remain undefeated. They boast a win over Memphis, the current #12 team in the AP Poll. The metrics do not like them at all, and they still have a lot to prove. Their three-guard trio, all of whom average over 14 points per game, are more than capable of making some noise in the SEC as the season goes on.
Utah State Aggies
After making the NCAA Tournament last year Utah State lost their head coach and most of their roster. Because of that, they were picked to finish 9th in the 11-team Mountain West. Well, so much for that. The Aggies currently sit at 16-1 on the season and are now ranked #16 in the AP Poll in their first year under head coach Danny Sprinkle. Reigning Big Sky Sixth Man of the Year Great Osobor has taken a huge leap this season after coming with Sprinkle to Logan from Montana State. They already have multiple quality wins over UC Irvine, Akron, San Francisco, and most notably against then-#13 Colorado State.
Oklahoma Sooners
Similar to Utah State, Oklahoma was also picked to be at the bottom of their conference. The Sooners were tabbed for 12th in their final season in the Big 12. The team has, instead, already accumulated wins over Iowa State, Arkansas, and Providence. They have even gotten as high as #7 in the AP Poll. It’s hard to come out as a surprise in that tough of a conference with so many other good teams, but Oklahoma has definitely done it so far.
BYU Cougars
One spot below the Sooners in the Big 12 preseason poll was BYU. The Cougars were picked to finish a distant 13th out of 14 teams in their first season in the conference. All they have done is gotten off to a 13-3 start that has seen them rise as high as 12th in the AP Poll. They have been really good on both sides of the ball. On offense they are 5th in offensive rating and their 85.6 points per game is 12th best in the country. On the flip side, they are 3rd in defensive rating, 7th in adjusted defensive efficiency, and they rank 18th in the nation with only giving up 63.1 points per game. The metrics like them too, as they are 5th in the NET and 11th in KenPom.
Butler Bulldogs
You might look at Butler’s 11-6 record and think why are they on this list? Well, that’s because they have been really impressive. The Bulldogs were picked to finish 10th in the Big East, behind Georgetown, and received just one single point more than perennial bottom dweller and last-place DePaul. All of the transfers that head coach Thad Matta brought in during the offseason have gelled really well and very quickly. As a result, they already have wins at home against Texas Tech, on a neutral court against Boise State, and they went on the road to beat Marquette.
Seton Hall Pirates
Speaking of the Big East, let’s talk about another one of their teams. Seton Hall was also picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, specifically one spot ahead of Butler in ninth. The Pirates are currently tied for first place in the conference with AP #1 UConn. They have beaten those Huskies, as well as Marquette and Providence (before the Friars lost Bryce Hopkins). Kadary Richmond looks like Big East Player of the Year material. Shaheen Holloway’s squad is rolling.
