The SEC was supposed to feature an elite program with a 2013-14 team capable of winning a national championship and stockpiling impressive non-league victories.
It does — just not the team many predicted. While Kentucky and its group of heralded McDonald’s All-Americans have faltered, Florida and its upperclassmen have shined.
When SEC play begins in 2014, it will feature Florida — not Kentucky — as the elite program that should strike fear in opponents.
(Last week’s ranking in parentheses)
1. Arizona (1):Â The consensus top team in the nation enters the holidays flying. This diverse team is only going to get better, as impressive freshmen Aaron Gordon and Rondae-Hollis Jefferson continue to improve. The lone concern for Wildcats fans: depth. Arizona plays only seven guys, a potential problem, particularly if injuries hit.
2. Ohio State (2):Â The Buckeyes were finally tested Saturday night, facing a legitimate opponent in Notre Dame at Madison Square Garden, and Ohio State passed the test with flying colors, showing its character in a dramatic come-from-behind win to remain undefeated. Ohio State rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final minute, and should head to East Lansing to face Michigan State on Jan. 7 without a loss.
3. Syracuse (3): It’s not the Manning Bowl, but Saturday’s Syracuse-Villanova clash between Brampton, Ontario, brothers Tyler Ennis (Syracuse) and Dylan Ennis (Villanova) is significant in its own right, a showdown between former Big East rivals and top-10 foes. While Tyler Ennis has been without a doubt the best freshman point guard in the country, Dylan Ennis has thrived for surprising Villanova, averaging nine points, three rebounds and three assists per game.
4. Louisville (4): The defending champions have flown under the radar, nationally and in their own state, overlooked by all the hyped freshmen around the country and Kentucky’s six McDonald’s All-Americans. Yet, here is Louisville, rolling at 11-1 entering Saturday’s Commonwealth showdown at Kentucky.
5. Duke (5): Jabari Parker has been the nation’s best freshman through the season’s first six weeks, and it’s not even close. He’s carried Duke to a 9-2 record despite a gauntlet of a non-conference schedule, and he’s shined on the biggest stages. The Chicago product produced arguably his best all-around performance in Thursday’s win over UCLA at the Garden, going for 23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
6. Wisconsin (6): Bo Ryan and the Badgers find ways to win. It’s what they do. But this start, 12 straight wins out of the gate, is a surprise. Wisconsin lost its first NCAA Tournament game last year, finished fifth in the Big Ten and graduated its top three scorers.
7. Oklahoma State (9): Markel Brown is a walking advertisement for the value of four years in college. The 6-foot-3 guard has gone from a a complementary player to one of the nation’s more underrated pieces. In the Cowboys’ win Saturday night over Colorado, he displayed his value, scoring a game-high 23 points, hauling in 11 rebounds and adding three assists.
8. Florida (17): Billy Donovan has one of the nation’s best teams, a versatile, well-rounded and experienced group that already has topped two ranked foes in Memphis and Kansas despite a fluid roster — the result of injuries and suspensions. Florida has Final Four written all over it.
9. Wichita State (10): The Shockers aren’t going anywhere. They notched another impressive victory last week, winning at Alabama, and should head into the new year undefeated. Clearly, the bull’s-eye on Wichita State hasn’t bothered the Missouri Valley Conference school.
10. Michigan State (11): When Adreian Payne performs as he did in Saturday’s win at Texas — scoring inside and out for a career-high 33 points — it’s easy to see why the senior big man is projected as a lottery pick and many pegged the Spartans as a Final Four team during the preseaseon. We just haven’t seen enough of that dominant form from the 6-foot-10 standout. He holds the key to this team’s March fortunes.
11. Villanova (12): This is a throwback Jay Wright team, an ode to his earlier years at Villanova when the Wildcats were known for interchangeable parts, the ability to create mismatch problems and impose their will on the opposition. They don’t have one obvious star, but six different players averaging 9.1 points or better, four players grabbing at least five rebounds per game and four others dishing out three assists per contest.
12. Oregon (13): Everyone in the metropolitan area is looking ahead to Feb. 2 — the date of the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium. We’re looking forward to Feb. 6, the day high-powered Oregon meets defensive-minded Arizona. Both teams still may be undefeated.
13. Memphis (8): Sure, Memphis fell to Florida last week, but it was an impressive defeat, a character-building setback in which the Tigers staged several rallies and showed the kind of fortitude that will serve Josh Pastner’s team well moving forward.
14. Iowa State (16): What were the odds back in the fall of Iowa State being the lone undefeated Big 12 program in the middle of December? Probably about as good as those for Fred Hoiberg turning this program around so quickly, from a bottom-feeder when he took over four years ago to a perennial NCAA Tournament team and now a Big 12 contender.
15. Baylor (25):Â The Big 12 program has quietly put together a fine resume entering conference play, with wins over Colorado, Kentucky and Dayton and a hard-fought loss to undefeated Syracuse. This is a skilled offensive team that shares the ball — it averages 16 assists per game, 30th in the nation — and hammers opponents on the boards.
16. Kansas (18)
17. Kentucky (19)
18. Connecticut (7)
19. Illinois (NR)
20. Iowa (NR)
21. San Diego State (NR)
22. Creighton (22)
23. North Carolina (14)
24. Missouri (NR)
25. Gonzaga (20)
Out: Pittsburgh, Virginia, Massachusetts, Gonzaga
Stock Watch — Up
Big Ten
All that hype about the ACC seems unfounded now, when in reality the Big Ten still reigns as the clear-cut top conference in the country, a deep league with a handful of Final Four contenders. We’ve ranked five teams and more could be on the way, particularly with Minnesota playing so well and Michigan showing signs of late. There is no layup in this league.
TJ Warren, North Carolina State
North Carolina State failed to live up to expectations last season, suffering surprising losses and underwhelming with an early NCAA Tournament exit. This season, those hopes aren’t as high, yet the Wolfpack are 9-2, and the sophomore forward is a major reason, averaging 23.9 points per game and 7.3 rebounds.
Stock Watch —Â Down
ACC
Between Pittsburgh proving it doesn’t belong ranked with its ugly loss to Cincinnati in the Jimmy V Classic, Notre Dame blowing a chance to upset Ohio State, and the news that stars Jerian Grant (Notre Dame) and P.J. Hairston (North Carolina) won’t suit up for the rest of the season, this wasn’t a week for the ACC scrapbook. Notre Dame will find it very difficult to go dancing without Grant, and though North Carolina has played all season without Hairston, the news certainly hurts their long-term hopes. Right now, the league probably doesn’t have more than four tournament teams. While Duke-Syracuse will be fun, there aren’t as many intriguing matchups as were promised when Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and the Orange joined the ACC.
Big East preseason favorites
Marquette and Georgetown, picked to finish first and second in the Big East, respectively, were supposed to earn respect for the new conference in November and December. Instead, they are a combined 14-8, each far from a longshot to reach the NCAA Tournament. Both squads graduated stars — Otto Porter Jr. for Georgetown, Vander Blue for Marquette — but more was expected. Villanova and Creighton have supplied solid wins and look like the class of the new Big East.