The college basketball season is in full swing and David Steele has you covered with his top 25 power rankings. The number one team in the country, Villanova, looks poised to make a run at winning back-to-back titles as they head into conference play.
The “ncaa basketball power rankings 2022” is a list of the teams that will be in college basketball next season. The list was released on January 16, 2019.
The last week of the 2021-22 regular season offered a bit less drama after a week in which the top six men’s college basketball teams in the nation lost on the same day and the top 10 of the Rankings of Influence were shuffled. But, honestly, what did we expect? We needed a break from the craziness in order to preserve some of it for the next NCAA tournament.
There are conference tournaments and Champ Week to contend with before we get there. And, given how unpredictable this season has been at the top, another shake-up is almost certain. But, in the coming days, what more do we need to find out?
Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas are the four SEC teams most likely to make the top 16: Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The Tigers have been at the top of the polls for months; the Wildcats will be a favorite to chop down the nets; the Vols may be the best team in the conference; and the Razorbacks have only lost twice in the last two months. If all four teams get to the SEC tournament semifinals, the victors of those two games might have a big impact on Selection Sunday seeding.
Which is better, Baylor or Kansas? Or maybe both? Could each of them finish in the top four? Do the Jayhawks get a head start on Selection Sunday if they defeat Baylor in the Big 12 championship game? Is it really possible for Baylor to become the No. 1 team in the country?
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Houston is a top-16 team, right? It’s difficult to imagine Houston living up to their prognostic numbers after Sunday’s defeat to Memphis. The Cougars were ranked in the top five in the NET, KenPom, BPI, and Sagarin before the day, and they stayed in the top five in KenPom even after losing. However, they only have one Quadrant 1 victory, which came on neutral ground against Oklahoma State. Throughout the season, the Cougars have yet to defeat an NCAA tournament team.
Finally, here are the season’s final Rankings of Influence. Thank you so much for taking the time to read for the last four months. With the Way-Too-Early Top 25 for the 2022-23 season, I’ll be back at the buzzer of the championship game.
There were also other notable victories this week, including TCU’s win over Kansas, Wisconsin’s capture of the Big Ten championship by defeating Purdue, Tennessee’s win over Arkansas, and Memphis’ sealing of a bid over Houston. But, come on, there aren’t any other options for this week. North Carolina traveled into Durham and came away with a landmark victory that also stamped the Tar Heels’ ticket to the NCAA tournament, in front of celebrities and 90-plus former players, in Mike Krzyzewski’s last game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, in front of celebrities and 90-plus former players.
San Diego State enjoyed one of the finest weeks of any team in the nation, defeating Wyoming on Monday, Fresno State in double OT on Thursday, and Nevada in Reno on Saturday night. It was a three-game run in which the Aztecs could wear home jerseys in the NCAA tournament first round. Matt Bradley, the outstanding guard, was the spark in all three games.
Bradley has been outstanding since transferring from California this season, but he really stepped up his game last week. Against Wyoming, he scored 30 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists while hitting five 3-pointers. Bradley had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists against Fresno State. Bradley then scored 24 points and six rebounds in a victory against Nevada. In the three games, he averaged 26.7 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 42.1 percent from three-point range.
Oh, and don’t forget that Bradley and teammate Adam Seiko chose not to walk on senior night, indicating that both players will likely return next season for the Aztecs. There will be more scoring escapades in the future.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention Houston Baptist forward Darius Lee, who was part of the epic 149-144 four-overtime game between Baptist and McNeese State on Saturday night. Lee finished with 52 points, 18 rebounds and 5 assists. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Lee is the first Division I player over the past 25 seasons to record at least 50 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a game.
Nebraska needed to come out and get a vote of confidence from Fred Hoiberg less than two weeks ago, as the Cornhuskers were on the verge of another disastrous season. They opened the season 7-21 overall, 1-16 in the Big Ten, and without a single road victory.
Of course, Nebraska has won three straight road games since then, including top-25 contests against Ohio State and Wisconsin this week.
On Tuesday, the Cornhuskers gained command of the game against Ohio State towards the conclusion of the first half and the start of the second, preventing the Buckeyes from getting within striking distance down the stretch. Bryce McGowens, a freshman sensation, led the way with 26 points and 11 assists, while Alonzo Verge Jr. provided 11 assists.
McGowens was out with a hand injury for Nebraska’s game against Wisconsin on Sunday, but the Huskers still played spoiler to the Badgers, who just needed a victory to claim the undisputed Big Ten regular-season championship. The Cornhuskers took a double-digit lead in the first half, lost it when Trey McGowens was dismissed, and then won the game with a 12-0 surge in the closing minutes. Verge was the standout this game, scoring 26 points and dishing out six assists.
Griff Aldrich of the Longwood Lancers is this week’s Coach of the Week.
When Aldrich was hired at Longwood in the spring of 2018, a trip to the NCAA tournament in four years looked unlikely. Aldrich’s prior coaching experience included one season as an assistant coach at Hampton-Sydney in 2000, two seasons as an administrative assistant at UMBC in 2017 and 2018, and 16 years as a lawyer and energy executive in the interim.
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Longwood had never played in an NCAA tournament before. Since moving to Division I in 2004, the Lancers have only finished above.500 once and have never won more than five conference games. Before hiring Aldrich, they had won less than ten games in four of the previous six seasons.
By defeating Winthrop in the Big South final game on Sunday night, Aldrich and Longwood had officially booked their ticket to the NCAA tournament. The Lancers have won 26 games this season, up 14 victories from previous year, and have only lost once since December 22. Former Virginia Tech and Wake Forest transfer Isaiah Wilkins was instrumental in the championship triumph against Winthrop, scoring 19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 3 3-pointers.
Three groups were given questions.
Indiana Hoosiers: To feel confident about their NCAA prospects heading into the Big Ten tournament, the Hoosiers needed to split their last two regular-season games. On Wednesday, they lost at home to fellow bubble team Rutgers and then let a chance slip away at Purdue. They’ve lost seven of their last nine games and have a lot of work to do in the conference tournament.
BYU Cougars: It’ll be a long week for BYU, which has no option but to sit and wait until Selection Sunday after falling in the WCC playoffs to San Francisco on Saturday night. If the Cougars had won that game, I believe they would have advanced. However, they are unlikely to get an offer at this time. They’re 7-9 versus Quadrants 1 and 2, with a defeat to Quad 4 — and their analytics can’t make up for it. Furthermore, their rivals on the verge of passing them will have a full week to do so.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Obviously the Crimson Tide are not in bubble trouble like the Hoosiers and Cougars, but they did lose by 16 at home to Texas A&M and then fell in overtime at LSU. Bama has now lost five of its past 10 games and is just 11-11 since beating Gonzaga and Houston in back-to-back games in early December. It has the No. 143 defense nationally since those wins.
Rankings of Influence
Gonzaga Bulldogs, No. 1 (24-3) 1st place previously This week’s tournament is the West Coast Conference.
Gonzaga was off this week because the West Coast Conference awards the top two teams double byes into the semifinals. That also means it’s difficult for Gonzaga to lose its 1-seed status, and I believe it would require a Gonzaga semifinal defeat and Baylor winning the Big 12 tournament to even consider the Zags not having the overall No. 1 seed. Their predictive analytics are too outstanding — they’re No. 1 in the NET, KenPom, BPI, and Sagarin — and their eight Quadrant 1 victories are proof of that.
Baylor Bears (#2) (26-5) Previous position: 2 The Big 12 tournament is taking place this week.
Arizona Wildcats, No. 3 (28-3) 3rd place before. The Pac-12 tournament begins this week.
Arizona bounced back from its first loss in a month with a 3-0 week, highlighted by one of the most complete performances I’ve seen from a top team this season. On Tuesday, the Wildcats visited USC and thrashed the Trojans, scoring 51 points in the first half and won by 20 points. They had one of their most efficient offensive performances of the season, averaging 1.33 points per possession. Isn’t it one of the rare games that is better? Arizona’s rout over California on Saturday, in which the Wildcats averaged 1.34 points per possession. It was a barrage of threes against USC, with the Wildcats going 12-for-25 from beyond the arc. The Wildcats, on the other hand, were unbeatable inside the arc against California, shooting 75 percent from 2. Between the two games, Arizona defeated Stanford by a 12-point margin, scoring 81 points on 1.13 points per possession.
Auburn Tigers, No. 4 (27-4) Previous position: 6 SEC tournament this week
Jabari Smith entered the equation for the No. 1 overall selection early in the season, but the rookie forward is playing his best basketball right now. He still has spells when he doesn’t touch the ball, which isn’t completely his fault. But when he does receive touches on a regular basis, he’s been quite effective. Smith has averaged 24.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in his last six games, while shooting over 57 percent from three-point range. In four of his last six games, he has scored at least 27 points, including 31 against Vanderbilt in mid-February and 27 in an overtime victory against Mississippi State on Wednesday. Although his 3-point shooting % isn’t sustainable, his stature and ability to hit jumpers make him almost unguardable at times.
Kansas Jayhawks, No. 5 (25-6) Previous position: 4 The Big 12 tournament is taking place this week.
Kansas is coming off a four-game span in which it lost on the road to Baylor and TCU, then had a pair of tight home victories against TCU and Texas heading into the Big 12 tournament. And the attacking side has been the source of the most of the problems over that time. Although the defense was shaky in the two defeats, the offense struggled in each of the four games. In any of the four games, the Jayhawks did not score more than 1.05 points per possession, did not shoot over 50% from 2-point range in any of the four games, and shot less than 32% from 3-point range in two of the four games. Over that four-game period, an offense that ranks No. 6 nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency for the season has dropped to No. 65 in BartTorvik.com’s stats.
Kentucky Wildcats, No. 6 (25-6) Previous position: 7 SEC tournament this week
Kellan Grady will need to rediscover his outside shooting stroke if Kentucky is to look like the squad it was for the most of January and February. The former Davidson transfer is hitting 43.1 percent from three-point range on the season, which is obviously excellent, but that number dips to 37.8 percent in SEC play. Grady has been in a shooting slump over the last four games, going 3-for-15 from outside the arc. Grady hit better than 45 percent from three-point range during an 11-game period that began with Kentucky’s rout of Tennessee in mid-January and ended with the Wildcats’ victory over Alabama on Feb. 19. He gives perimeter balance and space for Kentucky, which features two backcourt drive-first guards and two frontcourt players who are significantly more comfortable near the basket.
Tennessee Volunteers, No. 7 (23-7) Previous position: 10 SEC tournament this week
Currently, only a few teams in the country are performing better than the Vols. Since being blasted out at Kentucky, they’ve won 12 of their last 14 games, including victories against Auburn, Kentucky, Arkansas, and LSU. Texas (by one point) and Arkansas were the lone losers. The statistics back that up as well. According to BartTorvik.com’s metrics, Tennessee has been the fifth-best team in the country since February 1. It has been outstanding defensively all season, but in the last five weeks, it has also been among the top 30 offensively in the country. It’s not enough to pop off the page, but when you haven’t allowed a team to score more than one point per possession since February 1, it’s more than enough. This is a real contender for the SEC tournament championship and a Final Four berth.
Duke Blue Devils, No. 8 (26-5) Previous position: 5 The ACC tournament is this week.
Let’s take a look at a larger trend for Duke after Carolina’s victory against the Blue Devils. Miami, Florida State, Virginia, and North Carolina are the Blue Devils’ four ACC defeats this season. The winning side in each game turned the ball over precisely five times. Duke’s defense also had its four lowest defensive turnover % performances of the season in those four games. Duke’s opponent has turned the ball over more than five times in every other ACC game this season. One of the secrets to defeating Duke this season has been making the Blue Devils to play against a set defense in the half court as much as possible — no transition chances for Paolo Banchero, Trevor Keels, and Wendell Moore. A big part of it is taking care of the ball and making it a half-court contest.
Wisconsin Badgers, No. 9 (24-6) Previous position: 9 The Big Ten tournament begins this week.
After Wisconsin’s win against Purdue on Tuesday, I was beginning to believe in the Badgers’ potential as a 1-seed. The Badgers subsequently went on to lose to Nebraska at home. As a result, that fantasy is no longer alive. The condition of Johnny Davis, though, is the most pressing concern. Davis departed Sunday’s game after Trey McGowens’ second flagrant foul, citing a lower body ailment, according to the school. Coach Greg Gard expressed confidence after the game that Davis would be “fine” and may play in Friday’s Big Ten tournament game. Wisconsin is clearly not the same squad if Davis isn’t ready. This season, he has only missed two games: a home defeat to Providence in November and a close victory over Nicholls State in December.
Purdue Boilermakers, No. 10 (25-6) Previous position: 8 The Big Ten tournament begins this week.
Trevion Williams made huge play after big play in the closing minutes of Purdue’s game against Indiana on Saturday, opening with a low-post layup with two minutes remaining to put Purdue up four points. In the final minute, he blocked a shot and made a deflection and steal, then scored two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to extend the Boilermakers’ advantage to four. Williams, on the other hand, has been struggling offensively over the previous several weeks. In Big Ten play, he’s shooting 49.2 percent from two, the lowest percentage of his career. Williams hasn’t been able to get things going consistently since Purdue’s difficulties began in early February. Williams has scored in double figures in three of his last seven games, averaging 9.1 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Villanova Wildcats, No. 11 (23-7) Previous position: 12 This week’s tournament is the Big East.
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In March, I want to believe in Villanova. And at points this season, it seemed as though the Wildcats were rounding into shape as a legitimate Final Four contender. They have the experience, guards, and coaching, among other things. Their defense, on the other hand, hasn’t been very consistent down the stretch of the season, which worries me. Nova has allowed at least 1.09 points per possession in six of its last nine games. St. John’s, Georgetown, and Butler were the three teams that didn’t make the cut. The six teams that did make the cut were all from the NCAA tournament. Villanova doesn’t have much rim protection, but the Wildcats seldom have, and they’ve been vulnerable to second-chance chances and good low-post players recently.
12. Friars of Providence (24-4) Previous position: 11 This week’s tournament is the Big East.
I didn’t have high hopes for Providence’s regular-season finale against Villanova at Villanova. The Friars had already secured the regular-season championship, which they celebrated loudly on the floor after defeating Creighton, and Al Durham had been dismissed. They battled toe-to-toe with the Wildcats in the second half, going on a 13-2 run to close the gap and make it a contest down the line. It was a demonstration of Ed Cooley’s and the Friars’ abilities. It was also a rare start for Jared Bynum, who responded with 19 points, six rebounds, and ten assists in the defeat. In largely a bench role this season, Bynum has established himself as one of the top sixth man in the nation. Bynum has averaged 20.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in his last eight games while shooting 53.2 percent from three-point range.
UCLA Bruins (13). (23-6) Previous position: Waiting in the lobby The Pac-12 tournament begins this week.
UCLA has quietly built up a very solid résumé, especially from a statistical aspect, despite a downturn in the early half of February and then tripping up against Oregon for the second time this season. Every measure on the NCAA team sheet has the Bruins in the top 16, including a top-10 position at KenPom and in the BPI. They’re also 11-6 versus Quadrants 1 and 2, have no losses in Quadrants lower than 2, and have victories against Arizona and Villanova at the top of the profile. On the court, UCLA has won six of its last seven games and is regaining its strength. After missing three of the previous five games, Johnny Juzang played 32 minutes against USC on Saturday, while Jaime Jaquez had a great week, scoring 57 points on 21-for-33 shooting, 15 rebounds, and five assists in two games.
Texas Tech Red Raiders (14). (23-8) Previous position: 13 The Big 12 tournament is taking place this week.
How far can Texas Tech go in the NCAA tournament given its perimeter shooting woes? The Red Raiders are the league’s poorest 3-point shooting club, making just 28.0 percent of their 3-point attempts in conference play. They haven’t made double-digit 3-pointers in a game since November, and in 12 of their last 15 games, they’ve made less than seven. This season, no one on the roster has made more than 41 three-pointers, and only Bryson Williams is shooting better than 33.3 percent from beyond the arc.
When you consider that Texas Tech’s opponents shoot 3s at a greater rate than almost everyone else in the nation and get a higher proportion of their points from 3s than nearly everyone else in the country, that may be a problem in the early stages against a productive perimeter squad. But I’m still a believer in Mark Adams’ squad, owing to its superior defense and the difficulty of facing them on such a tight turnaround.
Illinois Fighting Illini, No. 15 (22-8) Previous position: Waiting in the lobby The Big Ten tournament begins this week.
After a home defeat to Ohio State at the end of February, Illinois’ pursuit for a Big Ten championship seemed to be ended. Purdue, on the other hand, lost back-to-back games to Michigan State and Wisconsin, and then the Badgers fell at home to Nebraska on the last day of the regular season, leaving the door open for the Fighting Illini to tie the game. And Illinois kept its part of the deal, rallying from a 15-point deficit to defeat Iowa and win the Big Ten tournament’s top seed. Andre Curbelo had too many turnovers and fouls on Sunday, but his playmaking skill was on show, and he will be crucial in the future. He scored 14 points and dished out six assists. The Fighting Illini have solidified themselves as a top-four seed on paper. They have a 12-8 record versus Quadrants 1 and 2, with a sweep of Iowa and a home victory against Wisconsin at the top of the list.
Arkansas Razorbacks (#16) (23-6) 14th place before. SEC tournament this week
Arkansas fell to Tennessee in Knoxville on Saturday for just the second time in 16 games, as the Razorbacks’ rally fell just short. I don’t want to read too much into the defeat — Tennessee ran out to a massive first-half lead after shooting 75 percent from three in the first 20 minutes, which doesn’t seem sustainable — but Arkansas has now allowed at least 1.05 points per possession for the fourth consecutive game. In conference play, the Razorbacks’ defense has been the best in the SEC, allowing just 0.93 points per possession and holding 12 consecutive opponents under 1.00 points per possession. But the Razorbacks were defeated by Florida, Kentucky, LSU, and Tennessee. The last three teams in that group are all definite NCAA tournament participants, and Kentucky and Tennessee are Final Four contenders, so the increased competition may have played a factor, but Arkansas will need to tighten things up again as the season progresses.
UConn Huskies (No. 15), Saint Mary’s Gaels (No (No. 16)
Waiting in the lobby
UConn Huskies: UConn split its last two games, losing by two points at Creighton and then defeating DePaul at home, but the Huskies are pushed down the rankings by Arkansas and Illinois, both of whom picked up resume-boosting victories this week. With Seton Hall and Villanova on its side of the bracket, UConn has a great opportunity to win the Big East championship.
Saint Mary’s Gaels: After receiving a double bye into the WCC semifinals, the Gaels have dropped out of the standings since the teams ahead of them have picked up critical victories and have leapfrogged them. I still believe the Gaels have a chance to earn a 5-seed if they can make it to the WCC final game and avoid being swept by Gonzaga.
Houston Cougars: As previously said, Houston will be a fascinating test case for the committee. When paired with their utter lack of quality victories, the Cougars’ blowout loss to Memphis on Sunday essentially eliminates them from contention for a top-four seed. However, they still have top stats, and winning the AAC tournament would put them in a good position.
The “ncaa basketball rankings top-50 2022” is a list of the top-50 teams in college basketball. The list was created by Ken Pomeroy and is updated every week during the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are NCAA Basketball Power Rankings?
A: These are rankings of the best college basketball teams based on their performance during a given season. They are typically produced by newspapers, websites and magazines such as ESPN, USA Today Sports Network or FoxSports.
What is Arkansas ranked in basketball?
A: Arkansas is ranked #47 in the Mens Division I Basketball NCAA Tournament.
Who is ranked No 1 college basketball?
A: The University of North Carolina Tar Heels. They are ranked No 1 in the NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament with a 32-2 record as of right now, and have won on all but one occasion this season.
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