6. UConn
It hasn’t always been pretty, but the Huskies currently sit at 8-0 in Big East play, and their only loss on the season is to Arizona. That’s a solid resume, even if they’re not really blowing out their opponents. This is an experienced group, with seniors like Alex Karaban, who just find ways to win.
7. Florida
Arguably, no team has had a better last two weeks than the Florida Gators, who have beaten Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt consecutively. The biggest question for this team had been their lackluster guard play, but Boogie Fland and Xaivian Lee have really upped their game during the win streak, and the Gators are looking like they’re going to make a serious run at back-to-back National Championships.
8. Gonzaga
How big is the injury to Braden Huff? Well, it was no Huff, no problem for the Zags against both Washington State and Seattle, as Gonzaga cruised to 21-point victories in each. We may not know to what extent this injury matters until a January 31st meeting against Saint Mary’s, where Gonzaga’s frontcourt will really be put to the test.
9. Illinois
Even in a week where David Mirkovic was playing through an illness, the Illini came out 2-0 against Northwestern and Minnesota. This team just has so many different players who can take over a game and beat you that an illness or injury to one is not a massive detriment.
10. Nebraska
The longest win streak in college basketball rolls on, as Nebraska shellacked both Oregon and Northwestern last week. And if I was a betting man, I would bet on it to continue this week as well, as only Washington and Minnesota stand in the way. The addition of Pryce Sandfort from Iowa has been an incredible natural fit in Fred Hoiberg’s offense.
