The holidays have begun and the players look excited. While some teams are pondering their mistakes and correcting them, others look to continue their tough play and win further matches. Driven by this athletic spirit, the top teams are trying different permutation and combination to emerge first among the equals. 

The top 5 teams in the AP Polls seem to be close contestants to win the NCAA title. Not all of them might have the perfect team, but “where there is will, there is a way” is the common theme underscored by them throughout their performances.

Purdue Boilermakers

The Purdue Boilermakers are going with an 11-1 tally and occupy the top spot in the AP Polls. They have lost just one match which came against the Northwestern Wildcats. Barring that, they have won crucial games against the Tennessee, the Marquette and the Arizona. If the Purdue continue to perform this way, they can be tough championship contenders. And it is apt to speak of their center Zach Edey whenever we talk about the Purdue.

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Edey leads in two departments by miles. He is their best points scorer as well as chief rebounder. The Toronto-born has a humongous points average of 24 per match as well as a rebounds average of 10.4 per game. It was under his onus that the Purdue won the Maui Invitational this year and undid their walk of shame from last year. The Boilermakers might be stuck in the knockouts since they have been relying on one player. But that is a thing to discuss on some other day.

Kansas Jayhawks

With an 11-1 tally, the Kansas Jayhawks are positioned at the second spot in AP Polls and at the top in Big 12. They have lost just one game and that too against the Marquette in the Maui Invitational. But they recovered from their mistake quite quickly and won their remaining matches against the Indiana, the UConn and the Tennessee.

Their guard Kevin McCullar Jr. and center Hunter Dickinson have been the key players in their brilliant season run. While McCullar Jr. has basketed an average of 20.4 points per game, Dickinson has nabbed 12.5 rebounds per match. The Kansas entered the season as the favorites in pre-season polls, and if they continue to strategize well then there is no stopping them.

Houston Cougars

The Houston Cougars are positioned at the third place in the AP Polls. They have won all their 12 games and are the first in Big 12. All their wins have been quite convincing and going forward the Cougars can become a major threat to their opponents in the knockouts. Some of the fans might argue that the Houston are yet to encounter big teams, however the credit can’t be taken away from them.

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On the stats front, they have found their alpha scorer in their guard L.J. Cryer who has scored an average of 17 points per game.

The second fiddle has been played with competitiveness by their guard Jamal Shead who has assisted in about 6 points per game and also seized 2.4 steals per match. A main point that goes against the Cougars is their depth or rather the lack of it and it will be interesting to see how they utilize their players going ahead in the tournament.

Arizona Wildcats

The Arizona Wildcats have lost only two games, one against the Purdue Boilermakers and the other against the Florida Atlantic Owls. In the remaining games they have shown why they are a tough team to tackle this season. Some of the stupendous victories for them have come against the Duke Blue Devils, the Michigan State, and the Wisconsin.

As far as their best performers – they have been their guard Caleb Love and forward Keshad Johnson. While Love has pocketed 16.5 points per game, Johnson has smashed 13 points per match. The team has also stood tall in defense with their center Oumar Ballo nabbing 8.1 rebounds per game. A convincing team performance in all quarters and it will be a delight to watch them in action during the second half of the tournament. 

UConn Huskies

The University of Connecticut Huskies have similarly to the Arizona lost only two games. Their losses have come against the Kansas and the Seton Hall. The defeat against the Kansas was a close one whereas against the Seton Hall was a complete surprise for their fans. Nonetheless, they have emerged triumphant against the Indiana Hoosiers and the Texas Longhorns comprehensively.

For them, they have found a key player in their guard Tristen Newton. Newton leads in four departments – points scored, assists, rebounds, and steals. He has been the central player for this team. Anyone wanting to decimate the Huskies will have to take care of Newton. They are the defending champions and have rightly displayed their hunger to win. Going forward, it will be interesting to see their progression in the tournament.

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Whoever wins the championship, these five teams are sure to wreck havoc and give some nail-biting matches to their fans.