The college basketball season is three weeks old. We just had \u201cFeast Week,\u201d the week of Thanksgiving holiday tournaments across the country with lots of action. Dozens of teams at events such as the Maui Invitational, Battle 4 Atlantis, and other similar events played three games in a four-day span, getting lots of action in and getting a chance to evaluate players against different opponents and different playing styles. A lot of information was gathered and processed. Let\u2019s translate that into a fresh evaluation of where the top 10 teams stand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1 \u2013 Duke Blue Devils<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Blue Devils stood up to and defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs this past Friday night in Las Vegas. Duke was physical on defense and very fluid on offense. It played a high-level game one needs to play in order to have any chance against the Zags, who are still a frontline Final Four and national championship contender this season. The player who makes everything else possible for the Blue Devils is Paolo Banchero. The freshman is physically developed. He is young but not skinny or susceptible to being tossed around by older, bigger opponents. He has a smooth and polished game but is fearless when he attacks the basket, and he can finish through contact. That\u2019s a very rare package in a freshman. The skill level is not exceptional, but the poise and physical toughness give him the added dimensions most freshmen lack. He is clearly a top-five NBA draft pick, probably top-three. He gives Duke the high ceiling of a national championship team in what is coach Mike Krzyzewski\u2019s final season on the bench with the Blue Devils after 42 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 \u2013 Gonzaga Bulldogs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gonzaga Bulldogs were the second-best team in the country last season. Only Baylor was better. The Bears were the only team to beat Gonzaga last season. Have we already seen the one team which will beat the Zags this season? Duke played an exceptional game to turn back Gonzaga, and while not winning that game might be a disappointment, keep in mind that few teams will be able to bring Duke\u2019s package of skill, strength, depth, and toughness to the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also realize that a few days before the loss to Duke, Gonzaga played and thumped UCLA. It was never close. The Zags roared past the Bruins with an offense which met no real resistance from a slow UCLA defense. The Bruins were simply not ready for Gonzaga\u2019s pace and crisp movements away from the ball. The fact that Gonzaga played UCLA and Duke in the same week \u2013 a very heavy lift for any team \u2013 makes the Duke loss far easier to take. Gonzaga had to put forth a lot of emotion and energy in that two-game stretch, whereas Duke did not face a similar mental challenge leading up to the Gonzaga game. Gonzaga is still clearly a top-two team in the country. Duke is better, but no one else has clearly proved it is better than the Zags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3 \u2013 Purdue Boilermakers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Boilermakers remain the class of the Big Ten, without question. They pummeled Florida State Tuesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. This team has so much length and size in the paint. It is clear that no team \u2013 not Duke, not Gonzaga \u2013 will be physically stronger than Purdue near the basket. Purdue will win ugly games decided by rebounds and blocked shots. The Boilermakers do have plenty of skill on the perimeter, but their biggest strength is how big they are. Florida State always has a lot of tall players, but Purdue physically dominated the Seminoles and showed how complete a team it is. Gonzaga and Duke would beat Purdue in a fast-paced, up-and-down racehorse style of game, but if Purdue can make a game ugly and grinding in nature, it might have a chance against either of the top two teams. The bottom line is that this is coach Matt Painter\u2019s best chance by far to finally make his first Final Four. Painter made the Elite Eight in 2019 and came one Virginia shot from reaching the big show. This season, Purdue looks like a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The stars might finally be aligning for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4 \u2013 Baylor Bears<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bears just won the Battle 4 Atlantis, beating Michigan State in the championship game. The Bears\u2019 nasty defense remains intact under coach Scott Drew. Baylor lacks a superstar but has great balance and depth, just as it did last season. Baylor clearly looks like the best team in the Big 12 with Kansas slumping and Texas needing more time to grow into its potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5 \u2013 UCLA Bruins<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bruins got whacked by Gonzaga, but a lot of teams will get pounded by the Zags this year. UCLA should learn and grow from that experience. It still has that huge win over Villanova and is likely to be a No. 2 seed or better in the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6 \u2013 Villanova Wildcats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The loss to UCLA was a good loss. This team is likely to improve under Jay Wright. The veterans will bring the younger players along, and by New Year\u2019s Day, all the pieces should be fitting very snugly for the Big East Conference favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7 \u2013 Arizona Wildcats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The win over Michigan remains a big statement. The Wildcats will begin Pac-12 Conference play this week and will be expected to do serious damage in the conference. They are right behind UCLA as the second-best team in the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8 \u2013 Texas Longhorns<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Longhorns\u2019 loss to Gonzaga will look progressively better as the season moves along, similar to Villanova\u2019s loss to UCLA and Kentucky\u2019s loss to Duke. Texas is loading up for a big run in the Big 12 and should have all the tools it needs for a deep NCAA Tournament push.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9 \u2013 Kentucky Wildcats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Wildcats don\u2019t have a lot of big wins on their schedule, but they were competitive against Duke, a loss which looks better now that Duke has beaten Gonzaga. The Wildcats are clearly improved from last season and have made substantial roster upgrades. They don\u2019t have the glowing resume but fully look like a contender in the SEC and on a national scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10 \u2013 Florida Gators<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Gators came back to beat Ohio State last week, after winning against Florida State earlier in the month of November. The Gators are unbeaten, which is good enough to put them in the back end of the top 10. There are more talented teams and other teams more likely to gain a higher NCAA Tournament seed by the time the season is over, but right now, Florida has a top-10-level body of work compared to the competition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The college basketball season is three weeks old. 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