Yet another week of college basketball goes by, which saw Nebraska break into the top 10 basketball rankings for the first time in decades. While Michigan is making waves in the offense with a 30-point blowout of USC. On the defensive end, Northern Ireland and Houston continue to shine through. Northern Iowa head coach Ben Jacobson can totally pat himself on the back on a job well done as his team is becoming the stingiest of the nation (58.6 OPP PPG) with a very impressive defensive statistic. So today lets take a look at which team will make their way into AP’s top 25 college basketball rankings.

25. Seton Hall (14-2)

Seton Hall has a great possibility of breaking into the top 25 of the AP’s college basketball rankings. The team is currently in 31st place and showing promise. Seton Hall is piling up an impressive win streak since their last loss against Villanova and is also ranked 2nd in the Big East after wins against Marquette, 79-73, Creighton, 56-54, and Georgetown (76-67)

So this might just be their year to go even further up in the rankings. Players like AJ Staton-McCray and Stephon Payne are all delivering for Seton.

24. Kansas Jayhawks (11-5)

You can absolutely sympathize with the way Kansas is going through at the moment. A team that boasts Darryn Peterson in its ranks is finding it hard to maintain consistency. After going down against UCF 81-75, the team found momentary respite against the Horned Frogs 104-100, but they fell against West Virginia 86-75.

The constant performer in the team, yet again, was Darryn Peterson, who delivered in all three games, scoring 20+ points and coming out as the top scorer of the team.

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23. Florida Gators (11-5)

Well, the Gators’ roadmap hasn’t been easy, starting off their campaign against a very “game” Arizona, 93-87. Though the Gators gave them a run for their money, it wasn’t enough to get the win.

This was followed by games against TCU, Duke, UConn, and Missouri, where again fate wasn’t kind to them. However, the team has found its way back and is surreptitiously looking to break into contention after back-to-back wins this week against Georgia and Tennessee.

22. Villanova Wildcats (13-3)

Villanova’s 9th week has been a mixed bag, with them winning a game (Marquette) and losing one (Creighton). Although the team has shown definite promise. They are presently 2nd in the Big East conference, and their win-loss ratio stands at 4-1 in the region.

Villanova stands in 37th place according to EvanMiya with a KenPom ranking of 24 and a NET ranking of 29.

21. Virginia Cavaliers (14-2)

The Cavaliers are ranked 15th according to the college basketball rankings of KenPom with a NetRtg of +24.60. After losing to their state rivals, Virginia Tech, in a tough contest, the team is soaring on the back of back-to-back wins against NC State, California, and Stanford.

Ugonna Onyenso’s elite shot-blocking abilities (five blocks versus Stanford) coupled with Johann Gruenloh’s (two blocks) provide the backbone of the Wahoo defense. UVA’s perimeter defense has improved as ACC play has progressed. Chance Mallory was especially bothersome against fellow-freshman Ebuka Okorie of Stanford, which caught the eye of many.

20. Tennessee Volunteers (11-5)

Though at first glance, Tennessee’s ability to retain position might look grim given its alternating win-lose statistic, the team still manages to hold itself in 19th rank in the KenPom rankings. The Volunteers had a good win against Texas, 85-71, but again capsized against Florida, 91-67, going 1-2 in the SEC.

19. Louisville Cardinals (12-4)

Ryan Conwell’s 24-point, seven-rebound effort went in vain against Duke, as the senior guard laid it all out on the court for his team. But the team has been able to compensate for that loss after their last win against Boston College.

EvanMiya places Louisville in 19th spot with a relative rating of 19.5, as the team will now look to improve their winning ratio against upcoming teams like the Virginia Cavaliers and Pittsburgh Panthers.

18. Iowa Hawkeyes (12-4)

The Hawkeyes suffered tough losses to Minnesota and the Illinois Fighting Illini in recent days, setbacks that could hinder their push toward the top. Those defeats marked another loss for Iowa. While the Hawkeyes have not looked poor overall and even recorded an impressive 74–61 win over UCLA, they have struggled to replicate that success as conference play intensifies. Now, it remains to be seen how Ben McCollum can resuscitate the team and guide Iowa back to winning ways.

17. North Carolina Tar Heels (14-2)

The Tar Heels looked good after clinching their recent win against Wake Forest (87-84), and they have their Estonian recruit Henri Veesaar to thank for that. Veesaar, who is averaging 16.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 64.8 FG%, proved to be a dominant force behind that win. The Tar Heels will hope to keep this form going in their upcoming exploits.

16. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-5)

The Crimson Tide hit a rough patch after back-to-back losses to Vanderbilt and Texas, a ninth week that didn’t quite go to plan. The setbacks have left Nate Oats with some rethinking to do as Alabama searches for a way back into the win column. Still, there’s plenty of reason for optimism. Ranked 14th in the KenPom ratings with a strong net efficiency, Alabama has the talent to steady the ship. With scorers like Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway capable of taking over games, the Tide remain dangerous, even when momentum isn’t on their side.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks (12-4)

John Calipari’s Arkansas is gearing up to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks with hopes of changing the team’s fate. The Razorbacks just suffered a tough loss against Auburn and would hope for nothing more than to find their way back into the top 10. This was also their first double-digit loss of the season, 95-73, in addition to losing their sophomore forward, Karter Knox.

14. Illinois Fighting Illini (13-3)

Illinois has got a good momentum going for them, racking up 5 consecutive wins. But week 9 proved to be fruitful as the team won back-to-back games against Rutgers 81-55, Iowa 71-69. That would greatly help in their pursuit of the NCAA championship. Illini has had a few ups and downs, but they have lived up to their name of not going down without a fight. Their losses against Alabama, 90-86, UConn 74-61, and Nebraska, 83-8,0 all bear testament to the fighting spirit they so bravely display.

13. Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-4)

“You’d rather win and learn than lose and learn. That’s what this team needs to do,” Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland had said in an interview, and that’s the motto this team believes in strongly. Except for a solitary loss against Houston out of their last 6 games, the team has kept its win record quite steady. The Red Raiders have been going smoothly with Christian Andersen (7.5 assists) and JT Toppin (10.9 rebounds), making it in the top 10 of the NCAA rankings. Now it remains to be seen if they can take it all the way to the playoffs.

12. Michigan State (14-2)

With wins against USC (80-51) and NU (76-66) the Michigan Spartans had quite a memorable week 9, which means they are set to defend their current position next week. After their loss against Nebraska, this was a good way for the team to find its footing back to winning ways.

Under Tom Izzo’s expert guidance, the team started on a great run (8-0), but then a couple of accidents along the way shook them off course. But now it seems the team is slowly finding its way back. Michigan State is ranked 12th on KenPom.

11. Gonzaga Bulldogs (17-1)

The Bulldogs have dominated every team that came in their path, except for the Wolverines, who got the better of them. Their week 9 victories came against Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara, and they are presently coasting on a 10-game winning streak. Honestly speaking, the Bulldogs have shown every trait to find themselves among the top 10 or even the top 5.

They are already 5-0 in their conference and seem to be on course to make their stake for the NCAA championship. Furthermore, the presence of players like Braden Huff, 17.8 points, and Graham Ike, 17.8 points, surely elevates their chances of taking it all the way.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (16-0)

Nebraska has come as a surprise package this year. The team has managed to do something that hadn’t been done before for years and break into the top #10 of the AP rankings for the first time in 60 years – the last time they managed this achievement was back in 1966. In week 9th they defeated Ohio State and Indiana and are looking good. The Cornhuskers are already 5-0 in the conference and leading the Big Ten at the moment, and it seems the team isn’t going to slow down soon.

9. Vanderbilt Commodores (16-0)

A team that can do no wrong, Vanderbilt is well known as a heavyweight in the SEC. Earning back-to-back victories against Alabama and LSU Commodores have already announced their intent of not getting bogged down by any challenge that comes their way.

8. BYU Cougars (15-1)

When you have AJ Dybantsa in your ranks, finding your hold slipping in the AP rankings should be the least of your worries. Except for that solitary hitch against UConn 86-84, the Cougars have seemed impenetrable. Arizona State and Utah have been their recent victims, and that just shows the dominance the team has. BYU is presently positioned 9th in the NCAA rankings.

7. Houston Cougars (15-1)

The Cougars should feel proud of how they have handled tough competition in Auburn, Syracuse, and Arkansas. His last two against Texas Tech and Baylor in week 9 itself where the team edged it out.

Under coach Kelvin Sampson, the team holds an impeccable defensive record that is hard to compete against (60.3 OPP PPG). The Houston Cougars are ranked 8th on EvanMiya with a relative rating of 27.8.

6. Duke Blue Devils (15-1)

Like always, Duke has been a constant force among the elites of college basketball. The team has accumulated 15 wins so far, with their last two coming against the Cardinals and SMU. The Blue Devils are leading the ACC at the moment, but this team gets more publicity because of a certain player than the team itself, and the player who gets the attention is none other than Cameron Boozer, who is also drafted to be the no 1 pick this year in the NBA draft. The Blue Devils are ranked 8th on the KenPom rankings with a NetRtg of +29.62.

5. Purdue Boilermakers (15-1)

Purdue is reaping the rewards of a good offense, and at the center of it is Braden Smith, who leads the whole country in assists (9.5). He also happens to be the top point scorer for the Boilermakers, who recently thrashed Washington and Penn State to go up 5-0 in the conference.

Purdue is also holding the 5th spot in the NCAA rankings with 1254 points to their name. The Boilermakers are going to play against Iowa in a game where they are the favorites going in.

4. UConn Huskies (16-1)

Cruising on a 12-game winning streak, UConn is just doing things right under Dan Hurley. They are showing their elite defense -allowing just 63.3 points per game, 10th in the Division, and also scoring, with their 79.9 PPG per game. At the Gampel Pavilion, the team has looked formidable, and under Dan Hurley’s animated presence, the team is finding its groove with ease. This is why the fans love the team even more, as they broke into a chant, “11 straight,” deafening the arena as they dissected Providence.

3. Iowa State (16-0)

Another team that is letting its defense do the talking. Iowa is shocking everyone with the way they are holding the backcourt. The team has a 60.08 OPP PPG that puts it among the best defenses in men’s college basketball. And not just defense, the team has multiple players who average double figures.

What more can you expect of a team that has such vibrant energy in the locker room? The team apparently blasted music and dance after their win against Mississippi, and forward Joshua Jefferson even joked about the situation, saying, “defense travels better than our playlist.”

2. Michigan Wolverines (14-1)

Calamity struck for Michigan in the 9th week as they suffered their first loss of the season against Wisconsin. The game that was decided by a margin (91-88) came right after their successful victory over Penn State.

Even then, the Wolverines will hold onto their position, and they are still holding the 2nd spot in the NCAA rankings as well, with 1493 points to their name, and are maintaining a heavy lead over Iowa State (1390 points).

1.Arizona Wildcats (16-0)

Finally, we come down to the “numero uno” on the list, and it’s none other than the basketball team shaped by the toughness of the desert itself – the Arizona Wildcats. The Wildcats are putting together a fantastic season. All of their wins have highlighted Arizona’s depth, balanced scoring, and ability to handle tough Big 12 road environments.

Their offensive firepower puts them among the nation’s top 15 (91.5 PPG), which is helping them go past ranked teams like UCLA, UConn, Auburn, and TCU easily. Arizona also ranks 1st on the NCAA rankings with a total of 1494 points to its name just 1 point clear of Michigan.