The men's college basketball power rankings saw some major movement since last week, as multiple of the best teams in the nation lost two straight games. There are also some teams on impressive winning streaks. Conference play is thinning the fat and painting a clearer picture of which teams truly belong in the top 25 and which teams don't. So, how does the top 25 stack up on Jan. 20?
25. Louisville
Against subpar teams, Louisville has the offensive firepower to put up huge numbers. However, it has struggled against ranked teams this year, and is now just 13-5 on the season. Mikel Brown's extended absence isn't helping the Cardinals' case, and they are another loss or underwhelming performance away from falling out of the top 25 altogether.
24. Saint Louis
Saint Louis is 17-1 and in the midst of an 11-game winning streak. It's scored in the triple digits in four games during that stretch alone. Fans will remember Robbie Avila as a star from a couple of years ago when he was still with Indiana State. He isn't the only player producing on this team, though. In fact, six players are scoring double-digit scoring figures for Saint Louis.
23. Georgia
Georgia and its high-scoring offense lost a thriller in overtime to Ole Miss, but the Bulldogs made up for it by dominating Arkansas. The team is still first in scoring (96 points per game) despite not having a true top option.
22. Arkansas
While Arkansas did just lose to Georgia, they've still done enough to narrowly outrank them here. With so many great freshmen in college basketball this year, Darius Acuff Jr. has gone somewhat underappreciated. He is averaging 19.8 points and an SEC-leading 6.3 assists per game. The Razorbacks have another test coming up in the form of the fading Vanderbilt Commodores.
21. North Carolina
UNC has lost back-to-back games and three of their last four. The Tar Heels went from pushing for a top 10 spot in these college basketball power rankings to just barely holding onto a spot in the top 25. Caleb Wilson and crew should get back on track.
20. Clemson
In early December, Clemson lost back-to-back games against top 15 opponents. It's since won nine straight games and is playing incredibly well in ACC play.
19. Alabama
Alabama has had the same motto all season long. They allow a lot of points, but they tend to score even more. They are fourth in the nation in scoring (93.1) and 345th in defense (82.6). This strategy gives them a shot against anybody, but it also makes them vulnerable on a nightly basis, too.
18. Miami (OH)
There are only three undefeated teams left after Vanderbilt and Iowa State suffered recent losses. Miami (OH) finally entered the AP Poll top 25, but it has been in ClutchPoints' power rankings for quite some time now. Over the last week, the 19-0 team proved it can win in dominant fashion with a 100-61 victory over Central Michigan.
Miami also showed that it can grind out wins need be, evidenced by an overtime W over Buffalo. The RedHawks can really score the basketball. They are second in points per game (93.9) and first in 2-point field goal percentage (64.2%).
17. Kansas
After a rough stretch in which they lost two games and barely escaped with an overtime win over TCU, Kansas has righted the ship. The team won two games over the past week, including an 84-63 blowout in which it handed Iowa State its first loss of the season. The Jayhawks are, of course, at a whole different level when Darryn Peterson is playing.
16. Virginia
Virginia rises in the rankings after wins over Louisville and SMU. Malik Thomas has been playing his best basketball of the season during conference play.
15. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt went from having an undefeated record to losing back-to-back games, and its spot in the power rankings suffers because of it. Texas beat the Commodores pretty handily, and Florida beat them 98-94. They still have an electric scoring duo between Tyler Tanner and Duke Miles, so the team could get back on track.
14. Florida
Florida is the defending champions, and after a slow start to its season, it is starting to look more like the reigning March Madness winners. The Gators have beaten ranked opponents in three of their last four games, including most recently over a Vanderbilt team that was undefeated just a week ago.
Florida is the best rebounding team in the country. Rueben Chinyelu averages a conference-leading 10.7 rebounds per game, and Thomas Haugh and Alex Condon add 6.7 and 8.3 boards per game, respectively.
13. BYU
BYU had won 13 straight games before losing its most recent matchup to Texas Tech. With just 13 points scored, AJ Dybantsa had arguably his worst game of the season. It was a fluky game that the potential No. 1 pick will certainly bounce back from. He'd scored 20-plus points in each of the prior 10 games.
12. Illinois
Illinois does it all. It takes and makes a lot of 3-pointers, and although it doesn't shoot many shots inside the arc, it is highly efficient when launching 2-point shots. The Illini also rebound and defend at proficient levels. Brad Underwood's club has challenging matchups coming up against Purdue and Nebraska.
11. Texas Tech
JT Toppin was ClutchPoints' preseason best player in college basketball. By averaging 21.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, he is living up to the title. Toppin has an excellent partner in crime, too, as Christian Anderson is averaging 19.8 points per game. The team just beat BYU, which was arguably their second-best victory of the year behind their earlier win against Duke. The Red Raiders have a high-octane offense, but it was good to see them play defense against BYU and neutralize Dybantsa.
10. Michigan State
Jeremy Fears' scoring prowess has been on display in recent Michigan State wins. For a team most known for its defense, hustle, and intensity, it is fun to watch a dynamic scorer like Fears take over games with his ability to put the ball in the bucket.
9. Iowa State
Iowa State goes tumbling down ClutchPoints' power rankings after losing back-to-back games. The team was undefeated and second in these rankings last week, but it lost to Kansas and Cincinnati. It isn't like those teams were hot coming into the game, either, as Kansas was coming off a loss to UCF, and Cincinnati had a recent three-game losing streak.
Iowa State will be fine, though, and the Cyclones could climb back up these rankings over the course of the season. It is worth mentioning that Milan Momcilovic is shooting 54.2% from deep on 7.3 attempts per game.
8. Gonzaga
In another season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs could rank much higher than number eight, but the top 10 is stacked this year. Their lone loss of the season came against Michigan back in November. The Bulldogs have won 12 straight games. However, they've been dealt some devastating injury news, as their two best players are both sidelined with injuries. Braden Huff will miss four to eight weeks with a knee injury, and Graham Ike was in a boot while sitting out Gonzaga's last game because of an ankle issue.
7. Houston
Houston's stifling defense is a known commodity. Therefore, it was good to see Kelvin Sampson's club win a shootout. The Cougars bested Arizona State by a score of 103-73 in their most recent game. Four players had 16-plus points in that game. Houston is particularly dominant on their home court.
6. Nebraska
Nebraska has still yet to lose. After narrow, grind-it-out victories over Michigan State, Ohio State, and Indiana, the Cornhuskers turned things up a notch over the last week. They managed to blow out both Oregon and Northwestern. Pryce Sandfort has taken his scoring expertise to new heights in recent weeks.
Nebraska doesn't quite have the resume of the teams ranked higher here, but arguably the best start in program history is nothing to scoff at. If the team continues winning conference games, there will be no option but to continue moving it up.
5. Purdue
Braden Smith was the preseason Player of the Year. While his playmaking was arguably the best in the nation from the get-go, his scoring was not at an elite enough level. His efficiency was particularly bad to start the year. The former All-American has remembered how to put the ball and the basket like he knows how to, as he is now averaging 14.7 points per game while shooting 42.9% from deep. He has led the Boilermakers in scoring in each of the past four games, and he has surpassed the 20-point threshold in three of those performances.
4. Michigan
Michigan bounced back from their lone loss of the season with wins over Washington and Oregon. The team has yet to lose at home, largely because its size is too much for opposing teams to overcome. The 6-foot-9 Morez Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg are both averaging 14.1 points per game, and 7-foot-3 Aday Mara contributes 10.8 more points on average.
3. Duke
Cameron Boozer just collected his second 30-point double-double of the season, creating even more separation in the National Player of the Year race in the process. In addition to Boozer, all of Cayden Boozer, Patrick Ngongba, Isaiah Evans, and Dame Sarr are potential first-round draft prospects. The Blue Devils are littered with talent, and it has translated to success so far. Duke's lone loss came by only one point against Texas Tech.
2. UConn
Iowa State's two-loss week allows UConn to climb all the way up to No. 2 in the power rankings. While UConn didn't win in dominant fashion over Seton Hall or Georgetown over the last week, those wins did come against solid programs on the road. The team relied on Tarris Reed Jr. to carry the burden over their last two games, as he led the Huskies in both scoring and rebounding in both of those matchups.
1. Arizona
Nobody has been able to slow Arizona down. The Wildcats are 18-0, and they have a very deep roster. In fact, a different player has led the team in scoring in each of their past four games, illustrating that Tommy Lloyd and company can survive an off night from one of their stars. Koa Peat, Brayden Burries, Jaden Bradley, Motiejus Krivas, and Tobe Awaka all average double-digit scoring figures, and Ivan Kharchenkov and Anthony Dell'Orso aren't far off.
