Arizona finally did it. After weeks of breathing down Michigan’s neck, the Wildcats snagged 60 out of 61 first-place votes to claim the throne.
Honestly, the ncaa basketball top 25 hasn't looked this chaotic in years. You have the usual suspects like UConn and Duke hanging around the top five, but then you look at number eight and see... Nebraska? Yeah, the Huskers are 18-0. That isn't a typo. Fred Hoiberg has turned Lincoln into a basketball mecca basically overnight, and they just matched a program-high ranking that has stood since 1966.
It's wild.
The Big 12 Is Just a Meat Grinder
If you want to talk about why the ncaa basketball top 25 feels so heavy at the top, look at the Big 12. Arizona is sitting there at 18-0, but they've got Iowa State and Houston right behind them. Iowa State actually picked up the only other first-place vote this week. They are 16-2, but their metrics are terrifying for anyone playing them.
Then there’s BYU.
💡 You might also like: Seahawks Standing in the NFL: Why Seattle is Stuck in the Playoff Purgatory Middle
AJ Dybantsa is a name you're going to hear a lot during the NBA Draft lottery. He’s putting up over 23 points a game. Even though the Cougars are down at 11 right now after a few stumbles, nobody wants to see them in March. They play a style that just wears you down.
- Arizona (1): The undisputed kings for now. Koa Peat is a monster.
- Iowa State (2): One vote away from a tie. They’re dangerous.
- UConn (3): The Huskies are just steady. They don't beat themselves.
- Michigan (4): They fell a couple of spots after the Wisconsin loss, but KenPom still loves them more than anyone else.
The gap between Arizona and the rest of the field is growing, but it’s a fragile lead. One bad night in Tucson and the whole thing flips again.
Vanderbilt and the SEC Surge
Vanderbilt at number 10 is the story nobody saw coming. They haven't been in the top ten since the 2011-12 season. Think about that for a second. While everyone was watching Kentucky or Alabama, the Commodores just kept winning. They are 16-2 and just took down Alabama, which sent the Crimson Tide tumbling five spots to number 18.
Speaking of the SEC, they have six teams in the poll. That’s more than any other conference. But it’s a weird split. You have Vanderbilt at the top, and then a bunch of teams like Arkansas (17), Alabama (18), Florida (19), and Georgia (21) clumped together. It's like they're all just beating the hell out of each other every Tuesday night.
📖 Related: Sammy Sosa Before and After Steroids: What Really Happened
The Big Risers and Fallers
Virginia is the team to watch if you like coaching. Ryan Odom has the Cavaliers back at number 16. They jumped seven spots this week. Seven. That doesn't happen often in January. They did it by just suffocating California and Stanford. It’s not always pretty, but it works.
On the flip side, Kansas is out.
The Jayhawks were 19th in the preseason. Now they’re barely receiving votes. They lost to West Virginia and the bottom just fell out. Bill Self usually finds a way to fix the ship, but this year feels different. The chemistry is just off.
Why the Metrics Hate the AP Poll
There is a massive divide right now between what the humans think and what the computers say. If you look at the ncaa basketball top 25 in the AP poll, Arizona is first. But if you look at the NET rankings or KenPom, Michigan is still the number one team in the country.
👉 See also: Saint Benedict's Prep Soccer: Why the Gray Bees Keep Winning Everything
Why the discrepancy?
Computers don't care about "tough losses." They care about efficiency. Michigan’s loss to Wisconsin was a road game against a decent team, so the algorithms didn't punish them as hard as the human voters did. This is going to be a huge talking point when the selection committee meets. If you’re a fan, you’ve basically got to decide if you trust your eyes or the spreadsheet.
What’s Next for the Rankings
The schedule coming up is a nightmare for the top tier. We’ve got Purdue heading to UCLA, and North Carolina traveling to Virginia. If Virginia wins that one, they might crack the top ten.
Also, keep an eye on Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio). They aren't ranked yet, but they’re getting a ton of votes. Miami (Ohio) is 19-0. Nineteen and zero! At some point, the voters are going to have to respect the record, even if the strength of schedule isn't there yet.
Actionable Insights for the Week:
- Watch Nebraska vs. Washington: If the Huskers stay unbeaten here, the hype train officially leaves the station.
- Bet on the Under for Virginia: Their defense is back to its "Pack Line" prime under Odom.
- Don't Sleep on Florida: They just re-entered at 19 after being unranked. They have the talent of a top-five team but play with zero consistency.
- Check the NET Rankings: Compare them to the AP Poll to find which teams are actually "overrated" by the media.
The road to the Final Four is starting to take shape, but if this week taught us anything, it's that nobody is safe. Not even Arizona.