Week 6 of the 2023-24 DI men’s college basketball season saw big changes at the top with losses to powerhouse teams like Arizona, Baylor, North Carolina and Clemson.
dew. Katz presents his new power 36 and a preview of next week.
Strength 36
- Bordeaux (4): The Boilermakers moved back into first place after defeating former No. 1 Arizona in Indianapolis.
- Kansas (2): The Jayhawks held steady after a road win at Indiana.
- Yukon (3): The Huskies looked to be part of a title team again in a win over Gonzaga in Seattle.
- Arizona (1): The Wildcats fall just a few holes after their first loss of the season.
- Houston (6): The Cougars continue to roll, this time with a win over close rival Texas A&M.
- Marquette (8): The Golden Eagles will begin the defense of their Big East title in Providence this week.
- Oklahoma (9): Porter Moser has his best team yet in Norman. The undefeated Sooners will be tested again this week against North Carolina State.
- Kentucky (18): The Wildcats are making their biggest jump this week after an impressive win over North Carolina State in Atlanta.
- Creighton (11): The Bluejays won the track meet against Alabama and will be in the thick of the Big East race.
- North Carolina (10): There’s no shame in losing a late possession game to Kentucky in Atlanta.
- Tennessee (12): The Vols had a solid win over NC State in San Antonio.
- Illinois (13): The Illini look like the second-best team in the Big Ten.
- Ole Miss (20): Chris Beard still keeps the Rebels undefeated as they continue to be the surprise team in the SEC.
- Memphis (29): It’s time to give the Tigers the love they deserve. A brutal win over Clemson should serve as notice.
- Clemson (7): The Tigers are down after their first loss of the season — at Memphis.
- Auburn (23): The Tigers are playing their best basketball of the season, beating Indiana and USC in back-to-back weeks.
- Duke (22): The Blue Devils corrected the issues that arose during the loss at Georgia Tech. Their offense is clicking and Kyle Filipowski is asserting himself even more.
- Wisconsin (28): The Badgers were very low last week. The loss at Arizona seemed to be a bit of an anomaly after they addressed any lingering issues from the Providence loss. Wins over Marquette and at Michigan State are the norm for this team.
- Colorado State (14): The Rams were dealing with injuries and suffered their first loss of the season to Saint Mary’s.
- Colorado (30): The Buffaloes also needed to correct the seeding, coming off a blowout win over Miami with a win over Northern Colorado.
- James Madison (17): The Dukes are 10-0 but it is still difficult to find a place to put them as the competition starts to decline.
- FAW (15): Owls fall into a similar group of trying to find the right home. They beat a decent St. Bonaventure team last week.
- Ohio State (27): The Buckeyes bounced back with a solid neutral-site win over UCLA in Atlanta.
- Arkansas (25): I know the Hogs beat Duke, but they haven’t played well since then while the Blue Devils are starting to click.
- Nebraska (NR): The Huskers beat Michigan State at home and then followed that up with a road win at Kansas State. Fred Hoiberg has a real chance to get this program to the NCAA Tournament.
- Michigan State (NR): The Spartans returned to relevance after a dominant win over Baylor in Detroit.
- Baylor (5): Yes, that’s a big drop, but the Bears weren’t even there for the game against previously struggling Michigan State.
- Texas (16): The Longhorns still need to prove they are an Elite 12 team. That hasn’t happened yet.
- South Carolina (33): The Gamecocks didn’t let the lone loss to Clemson affect them as they had a few in a row after that first loss.
- Utah (NR): The Utes have won five straight, including a W win over rival BYU.
- Virginia (21): The Cavaliers barely survived against Northeastern. We have a big week ahead of us with a road game in Memphis.
- New Mexico (31): The Lobos won nine straight and earned the season sweep of rival New Mexico State.
- BU (26): The Cougars have one loss to rival Utah and are probably more in that range than a top 25 team.
- Saint Joseph (34): The Hawks have won six straight and may be the team to beat in the A-10.
- Grand Canyon (35): Lopez’s only loss was to South Carolina.
- Drake (36): The Bulldogs are the pick to win Valley and they have not disappointed yet.
Dropouts: Gonzaga (19), Northwestern (24), Iowa State (32)
Under consideration: Florida, San Diego State, Alabama, Mississippi State, Villanova, Providence, Butler, Syracuse, Nevada, Utah State, Indiana State.
Takedown No. 1: Recap of Purdue’s win over Arizona and more from a wild weekend in college basketball
Top 10 matches to watch for the week of December 18
1. Baylor vs. Duke, Wednesday, New York City, Madison Square Garden: Duke enjoys an actual home game in the park. They could benefit from a high-profile win. The Bears are coming off a disastrous performance against Michigan State in Detroit. The guards can neutralize each other, opening up the possibility of Kyle Filipowski’s big night.
2. North Carolina vs. Oklahoma, Wednesday, Charlotte: The Tar Heels lost a wild game to Kentucky in Atlanta and now face an undefeated Sooners team.
3. Virginia at Memphis, Tuesday: The Tigers continue to play a non-conference slate similar to Gonzaga. Penny Hardaway clearly knew that FAU and perhaps SMU would be the only potential Four-One matchups this season. If the Tigers can beat Virginia, they will continue to build toward a top-four seed streak resume. This would be an important win for the Cavaliers.
4. Villanova at Creighton, Wednesday: The Wildcats are back looking like one of the top three teams in the Big East after beating UCLA last week. Creighton survived a late push from Alabama. This should be a high-flying issue.
5. Alabama vs. Arizona, Wednesday, Phoenix: The Tide continues a brutal non-conference schedule. Arizona is coming off a loss to Purdue in Indianapolis. Both teams are not ashamed of anyone. I love the potential for a love match between Mark Sears and Caleb.
6. NFL vs. Arizona, Saturday, Las Vegas: The Wildcats will head into Christmas as one of the most tested teams in the country if not the next one to Purdue. FAU can increase its standing significantly with a neutral win over the Wildcats.
7. Marquette at Providence, Tuesday: A high-profile Big East opener for both schools. This is Homecoming Again for Tyler Kulick. The Friars need to start putting together some Big East wins at home to get the out-of-conference win over Wisconsin.
8. Illinois vs. Missouri, Thursday, St. Louis: This rivalry game never disappoints. The Illini are flying high as Mizzou comes into the game coming off a loss to Seton Hall Sunday in Kansas City.
9. Florida vs. Michigan, Tuesday, Charlotte: Both schools are desperate for another quality win. This would be qualified in an impartial court.
10. Mississippi State vs. Rutgers, Saturday, Newark: The Scarlet Knights are playing their best basketball this season, which is why a win over the SEC Bulldogs will be important.
March Madness Team of the Week
Yukon: The Huskies continued their tough non-conference slate with a road win in Seattle over Gonzaga, 76-63. Donovan Clingan scored 21 points and looked good as one of the country’s elite players. The Huskies enter Big East play at 10-1 and are undefeated (slightly above Marquette) in the league race. UConn is also on track to become a No. 1 seed. The Huskies responded to all the challenges and nearly beat Kansas in Lawrence in their only blemish (barely a wart) this season. The chance to repeat as champion for the first time since Florida 2006-07 is real.
March Madness Player of the Week
Wesley Cardett Jr., Chicago State: It was the same cardite for a week. He scored 30 points to stun the Cougars and then No. 25 Northwestern. The Cougars were 0-64 against the Big Ten before this win. The 6-6 junior guard was impressive from the jump. Cardett hit a 3-and-dunk to give the Cougars a 62-61 lead with just over five minutes left. But Cardet wasn’t a single surprise last week. He converted the game-winning layup to finish with 28 points in a 63-62 win over Valparaiso. The Cougars have won three of four heading into a game against Utah Rio Grande on Monday. Cardett began his career at Samford after being ranked No. 60 after graduating from West Oaks Academy in Orlando.
The Purdue men’s basketball team has surged to the top of the latest Power 36 rankings, solidifying their place as one of the top teams in the country. After a strong start to the season and impressive performances on the court, Purdue has garnered the attention of basketball fans and analysts alike. With a talented roster and a growing list of wins, the team has proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the world of college basketball. Their rise to the top of the rankings showcases their dedication and skill, and sets the stage for an exciting season ahead.