The meat and potatoes of the men’s college basketball season is officially upon us.
The multiteam events and neutral-site showdowns were great, but there’s nothing quite like the nightly grind of conference play over the next 10 weeks. And it doesn’t take long to really get going. Here’s a quick look at the most meaningful games in each of the major conferences — in just the first week of 2025:
ACC: Pittsburgh at Duke on Jan. 7. Pitt can stake its claim as the second-best team in the ACC.
Big East: Creighton at Marquette on Jan. 3. Marquette might be the favorite, but Creighton has shown life despite the loss of Pop Isaacs.
Big Ten: Illinois at Oregon on Jan. 2. It wouldn’t be a surprise if one of these teams is the Big Ten champ.
Big 12: Baylor at Iowa State on Jan. 4. Iowa State has its best team in recent years, while Baylor is finally at full strength.
SEC: Florida at Kentucky, Arkansas at Tennessee, Oklahoma at Alabama on Jan. 4. Take your pick — this league is going to have marquee games every week.
Previous ranking: 1
It shouldn’t be a surprise, given how dominant Auburn has been from an efficiency perspective, but the gap between the Tigers’ best lineup and anyone else’s best lineup is remarkable. EvanMiya.com features lineup rankings based on efficiency margin, and the Tigers’ starting five of Denver Jones, Miles Kelly, Chad Baker-Mazara, Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell has an observed efficiency margin of plus-78.4. The second best is a St. John’s quintet at plus-61.0.
Next seven days: vs. Missouri (Jan. 4), at Texas (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 2
Jordan Gainey is continuing his stellar performance as Tennessee prepares to enter SEC play. After hitting double figures in four of his first nine games, he has now hit that mark in four straight, highlighted by 23 points — and the winning basket — against Illinois. He had also knocked down multiple 3-pointers in five straight games before missing all four of his outside shots against Norfolk State.
Next seven days: vs. Arkansas (Jan. 4), at Florida (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 3
While Keshon Gilbert has rightfully received much of the plaudits for Iowa State’s excellent start to the season, Curtis Jones‘ development into arguably the best sixth man in the country has been equally important. He has hit double figures in all but two games, scoring at least 19 points in six of his past eight. He has also distributed at least five assists four times. Jones is producing despite his 3-point shot regressing to the mean over the past few games; after shooting 43.1% from 3 in his first nine games, he’s just 5-for-21 (23.8%) over his past three.
Next seven days: vs. Baylor (Jan. 4), vs. Utah (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 4
Ever since Isaiah Evans came off the bench to make six 3s and score 18 points in a huge win over Auburn on Dec. 4, there were questions about whether the five-star freshman would see an expanded role moving forward. He has now scored at least eight points in six of his past seven games, averaging 10.0 points and shooting 53.8% from 3 over that span. It remains to be seen how he’ll be used in closer games, as Duke has won its past four by 20-plus points and Evans was held scoreless in 10 minutes in a close game at Louisville on Dec. 8.
Next seven days: at SMU (Jan. 4), vs. Pitt (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 5
While Alabama’s reliance on perimeter shooting has been a storyline because of its steep drop-off in 3-point percentage from last season, Sunday’s win over South Dakota State showed what can happen when the Crimson Tide are making their outside shots. They went 19-for-55 from 3-point range, with Aden Holloway and Mark Sears combining to make 14 3-pointers. It was also Alabama’s 13th 100-point game since the start of last season, the most in Division I.
Next seven days: vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 4), at South Carolina (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 6
Florida is about to enter a season-defining week. The Gators are one of just three unbeaten teams remaining and in the top seven in five of the seven metrics on their NCAA team sheet. But their best win is over North Carolina, and they didn’t look convincing for long stretches of that second half. They’ll now head to Kentucky on Saturday before hosting Tennessee on Tuesday. A sweep or even an impressive split, and Florida will have backed up its gaudy start.
Next seven days: at Kentucky (Jan. 4), vs. Tennessee (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 7
Similarly, Oregon can cement itself as a Big Ten favorite with its two games in the next few days — it’s a boost for Dana Altman’s club that those games are at home. The Ducks will hope Kwame Evans Jr.’s recent uptick in form lasts into Big Ten play. The talented, high-ceiling forward has been an enigma for much of his high school and college career, but he has scored in double figures in back-to-back games after not doing so in the previous 10.
Next seven days: vs. Illinois (Jan. 2), vs. Maryland (Jan. 5)
Previous ranking: 8
It’s a testament to Koby Brea‘s incredible shooting ability that just a couple of weeks of perimeter struggles is worth noting. Brea, arguably the best shooter in college basketball after making 49.8% of his 3-point attempts last season, is still making 49.4% of his outside shots — but he’s down at 34.9% in his past seven games. (Yes, that means he shot 67.6% from behind the arc in his first six games.) Brea should bounce back as SEC play gets underway.
Next seven days: vs. Florida (Jan. 4), at Georgia (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 9
It’s easy to make the case that Marquette’s dominant 28-point win on the road at Providence on New Year’s Eve was the Golden Eagles’ best performance of the season. They were elite on the defensive end of the floor, limiting the Friars to 0.81 points per possession, forcing 22 turnovers and holding Providence to 40.9% shooting inside the arc and 28.6% from 3. Kam Jones, unsurprisingly, dictated play at the other end, finishing with 18 points and 10 assists.
Next seven days: vs. Creighton (Jan. 3), vs. Georgetown (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 11
In a brutal SEC, Texas A&M actually has a fairly friendly opening schedule in conference play. The Aggies avoid Auburn, Tennessee and Florida until late February, and they get Alabama at home on Jan. 11. They do face Oklahoma and Texas twice each in January and also have to travel to Kentucky. But Buzz Williams’ team can establish its place in the SEC pecking order with a strong start. That has been an issue in two of the past three seasons; Texas A&M started 4-8 in 2021-22 and 6-9 last season.
Next seven days: vs. Texas (Jan. 4), at Oklahoma (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 12
UConn ran its winning streak to seven games against DePaul on Wednesday, with Solo Ball scoring 22 points for his second time in three games. But all eyes are on Liam McNeeley, who went to the locker room early in the second half after taking a bad fall on a loose ball. The star freshman returned to the bench with a boot on his right foot, and Dan Hurley told reporters afterward that McNeeley would get an MRI on his right ankle Thursday.
Next seven days: vs. Providence (Jan. 5), at Villanova (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 15
Oklahoma is off to a 13-0 start for the fourth time in program history, the first time since it started 14-0 in 1987-88. In order to match that record from 36 years ago, the Sooners will have to go to Tuscaloosa and take down Alabama. If they’re going to keep it close, Duke Miles‘ impressive recent performances likely need to continue. The High Point transfer is averaging 21.0 points over his past three games, shooting 52.9% from 3.
Next seven days: at Alabama (Jan. 4), vs. Texas A&M (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 20
UCLA’s depth and balance is going to be the Bruins’ strength all season. They’ve had six different players lead the team in scoring in at least one game so far, with Tyler Bilodeau and Eric Dailey Jr. — the team’s only two players averaging double figures in points — leading the way. It means that leading scorer Bilodeau can shoot 2-for-10 and starting point guard Dylan Andrews can be held scoreless, and UCLA can still find a way to beat Gonzaga.
Next seven days: at Nebraska (Jan. 4), vs. Michigan (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 16
Riley Kugel has long been one of the biggest mystery players in the SEC. He finished his freshman season at Florida playing incredibly impressive basketball, then started last season strong before playing a bit part for the second half of the season. After transferring to Mississippi State, Kugel scored in double figures in four of his first 11 games with the Bulldogs. But over the past two games, he has totaled 41 points and five assists, making five 3-pointers.
Next seven days: vs. South Carolina (Jan. 4), at Vanderbilt (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: 10
Last week, we wrote that Kansas needed much more production from transfers AJ Storr and Rylan Griffen if the Jayhawks were going to reach their full potential. Well, that didn’t quite go as planned in a loss to West Virginia on New Year’s Eve. Storr started but played just 15 scoreless minutes and missed both of his field goal attempts. Griffen played 12 minutes off the bench, going 1-for-3 from behind the arc. That wasn’t the only reason Kansas lost, but Bill Self still needs more from them.
Next seven days: at UCF (Jan. 5), vs. Arizona State (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 18
After allowing Alabama and San Diego State to put up 1.13 and 1.14 points per possession, respectively, in Las Vegas, Houston has returned to its usual form on the defensive end of the floor in the past month. In their past five games, the Cougars are allowing just 0.77 points per possession. According to BartTorvik.com, they’ve been the best defense over that span — with the margin to No. 2 Texas A&M the same as the margin from the Aggies to No. 22 St. Bonaventure.
Next seven days: vs. BYU (Jan. 4), vs. TCU (Jan. 6)
Previous ranking: 25
According to KenPom, Memphis’ most difficult remaining game happens tonight, with a road trip to Florida Atlantic. The Owls are in the first year of the post-Dusty May, post-Johnell Davis, post-Final Four core era — and they enter league play at 7-6. Memphis will be favored to win, but it goes to show the smoothness of the Tigers’ path to a high seed in the NCAA tournament. KenPom gives Memphis a 65% chance to win Thursday; the only other game less than 75% the rest of the way is at Wichita State in mid-February.
Next seven days: vs. Ole Miss (Dec. 28)
Previous ranking: 19
Michigan State currently ranks No. 1 in the country in fast-break points per game and percentage of points coming on the fast break. The Spartans are typically effective in transition, but they’ve taken it another level. According to CBB Analytics, they’re averaging 20.2 points per game on fast breaks — and given the Spartans aren’t a team that forces a ton of turnovers, it’s their dominance on the defensive glass that provides a jump start to their transition game.
Next seven days: at Ohio State (Jan. 3)
Previous ranking: 14
It looked like Gonzaga had turned the page on its perimeter-shooting woes when it shot 37.5% from 3 against UConn and 47.1% against Nicholls and then made 12 3s in a win over Bucknell. But the Bulldogs’ shooting came right back down in their past two games: 29.2% vs. UCLA and a woeful 2-for-15 performance against Pepperdine on Monday. Two players who should, in theory, see some positive regression in that department are Ben Gregg and Michael Ajayi. Gregg is shooting 18.8% from 3 (he shot 37.9% last season); Ajayi is at 14.8% a year after hitting 46.8%.
Next seven days: vs. Portland (Jan. 2), at Loyola Marymount (Jan. 4), vs. San Diego (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 22
Malachi Smith was the star of Dayton’s win over La Salle on New Year’s Eve, finishing with 20 points and six assists — but it’s also worth noting that 7-foot-1 freshman Amael L’Etang saw a season-high 21 minutes. The France native has an intriguing skill set given his size and shooting ability, which he already flashed in November with 13 points against North Carolina. Against La Salle, he had 12 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks off the bench.
Next seven days: at George Washington (Saturday), at UMass (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: 23
Statistically, we won’t see many better performances than Braden Smith had against Toledo last weekend. He finished with 34 points and 12 assists, making six 3-pointers and turning the ball over just twice. According to ESPN Research, it was the first 30-point, 10-assist game in Purdue history and the first by a Division I player against a Division I opponent this season.
Next seven days: at Minnesota (Jan. 2), vs. Northwestern (Jan. 5)
Previous ranking: 24
Baylor’s defense has been much maligned the first two months of the season, and for good reason. In general, it has been fairly woeful. But the Bears are showing signs of toughening up at that end of the floor. They were elite defensively against Utah on Tuesday, holding the Utes to 56 points on 77 possessions. Utah shot just 38.9% inside the arc. And a perimeter defense that ranks near the bottom of Division I in 3-point defense has now held three of its past four opponents to below 25% from beyond the arc.
Next seven days: at Iowa State (Jan. 4), vs. Cincinnati (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: Unranked
On a team filled with talented newcomers, it’s the two experienced high-major starters playing their best basketball of the season as the calendar turns to 2025. Tre White had 23 points and eight rebounds in a win over Wisconsin earlier this month, then also hit double figures against both Tennessee and Missouri. Meanwhile, Kylan Boswell had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against Chicago State and is now averaging 15.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in his past four games.
Next seven days: at Washington (Jan. 5), vs. Penn State (Jan. 8)
Previous ranking: Unranked
Darian DeVries is doing a terrific job in his first season in Morgantown — the Mountaineers’ shocking upset at Kansas was one of the most impressive wins by anyone this campaign. It snapped Kansas’ 33-game conference-opener win streak and was the program’s first win at Allen Fieldhouse in school history. Oh, and the victory came without Tucker DeVries and Amani Hansberry, the team’s second- and third-leading scorers. The metrics aren’t quite there yet, but wins over Kansas, Gonzaga and Arizona are enough to get in this week’s Power Rankings.
Next seven days: vs. Oklahoma State (Jan. 4), vs. Arizona (Jan. 7)
Previous ranking: Unranked
It seems like Utah State nailed its coaching hire yet again. In his first season after replacing Danny Sprinkle, Jerrod Calhoun has the Aggies out to a 13-1 start — including road wins at San Diego State, Saint Mary’s and Nevada, along with neutral-site victories over Iowa, St. Bonaventure and North Texas. Utah State was picked sixth in the preseason Mountain West poll (although yours truly had them winning the league).
Next seven days: Next seven days: vs. Fresno State (Jan. 4), at San Jose State (Jan. 7)
Dropped out: Ole Miss Rebels (No. 13), San Diego State Aztecs (No. 17), Cincinnati Bearcats (No. 21)
