Arizona hasn’t started a season this dominant against ranked opponents before. They sit alone at the summit. UConn, Gonzaga, and Duke form a second tier with four apiece. Michigan State and Purdue trail with three each. These numbers matter. In a sport where March seeding hinges on résumé strength, early-season ranked wins serve as the foundation for building the case for deep tournament runs later.

Arizona Wildcats (11-0) – 5 Ranked Wins

Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats have answered every question thrown at them. They torched the defending NCAA champions, Florida Gators, in a 93-87 season opener, ground out a defensive masterpiece against the UConn Huskies (71-67), and steamrolled the Alabama Crimson Tide without breaking a sweat. They have become the first team in 30 years to log five wins over ranked teams in its first nine games to start a season, according to ESPN.

The Wildcats’ dominance stems from interior physicality. Tobe Awaka grabs a little over 10 rebounds a game and makes it to the top 10 list across Division I basketball. He collected a major 15 boards in a 68-45 demolition of the San Diego State Aztecs, holding them to 26% from the field.

The Arizona program controls the glass at 43.6 boards per game, ranking fourth nationally. They own the top spot in the AP Poll and remain undefeated.

UConn Huskies (12-1) – 4 Ranked Wins

Close behind sits the program with a championship pedigree. They carry the weight of expectation like a second jersey, and Dan Hurley’s squad has shouldered it with precision. Wins over the BYU Cougars (86-84), Illinois Fighting Illini (74-61), Gators (77-73), and Kansas Jayhawks (61-56) form a résumé that rivals anyone outside Connecticut.

That road victory at Allen Fieldhouse stands as the crown jewel. Solo Ball poured in 17 points while freshman Braylon Mullins matched him off the bench. Holding the home team to 56 points in college basketball’s most hostile environment demonstrated the elite mentality that defines this program. Their only stumble came against the Wildcats in a four-point thriller. The Huskies allow just 61.1 points per game, a suffocating mark that keeps them in every contest.

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Gonzaga Bulldogs (12-1) – 4 Ranked Wins

Mark Few’s offensive laboratory continues producing explosive results. The Bulldogs blasted the Creighton Bluejays by 27, outgunned the Crimson Tide 95-85, demolished the Kentucky Wildcats by 35 points, and outlasted the UCLA Bruins 82-72 in Seattle. Graham Ike carved up the Bruins with his post passing, dismantling double-teams and creating open looks for teammates.

But Gonzaga’s résumé carries a confounding asterisk. The 40-point annihilation at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines remains the season’s most baffling data point. A team capable of destroying the Wildcats can apparently spiral when elite length and athleticism disrupt their offensive rhythm. The ceiling is Final Four. The floor remains uncertain.

Duke Blue Devils (11-1) – 4 Ranked Wins

Jon Scheyer has constructed the nation’s most suffocating defense. The Blue Devils strangled the Jayhawks to 19% three-point shooting, survived a one-point nail-biter against the defending champions, and stormed back from five down at halftime to conquer the Spartans on the road.

Cameron Boozer has emerged as the gravitational center. The freshman erupted for 35 points against the Arkansas Razorbacks, then dominated the Breslin Center with an 18-point, 15-rebound, five-assist performance.

The Duke team’s lone loss came by a single point to the Texas Tech Red Raiders. When the margin between perfection and defeat measures one possession, the foundation is rock solid.

Michigan State Spartans (11-1) – 3 Ranked Wins

Tom Izzo’s defensive renaissance has returned East Lansing to relevance. The Spartans hold opponents to 63.3 points per game, grinding teams into submission through physicality and discipline. They suffocated the North Carolina Tar Heels (74-58), with Jeremy Fears Jr. having an excellent game.

Cam Ward provided the spark, delivering 18 points and 10 rebounds off the bench against the Razorbacks. Jaxon Kohler and Fears anchor a unit built on toughness. The Blue Devils loss exposed offensive limitations against elite length, but the Spartans’ defensive identity gives them a puncher’s chance against anyone.

Purdue Boilermakers (11-1) – 3 Ranked Wins

Matt Painter’s squad opened the season atop the AP Poll and promptly validated the ranking with a road conquest at Alabama. The Boilermakers bludgeoned the Crimson Tide on the glass, outrebounding them 52-28, including 19 offensive boards. They followed with a 30-point destruction of the Red Raiders and an 88-60 dismantling of the Auburn Tigers.

The Boilermakers have lost only once to a ranked opposition this season, against the Iowa State Cyclones. The No. 10 team exposed its vulnerabilities by blocking the passing lane. Otherwise, Oscar Cluff and Fletcher Loyer have provided consistent production, but Purdue’s ceiling depends on whether they can withstand swarming pressure.

Conference play looms. These December snapshots will evolve as league schedules test depth and consistency. But the programs stacking ranked wins now have built the résumé capital that matters when Selection Sunday arrives. Arizona leads the pack. Everyone else is chasing.