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ESPN updates College Basketball Power Rankings before February

Alex Weberby: Alex Weber01/30/23Alexhweber

Conference play is in full swing and a packed weekend of college hoops action is in the rear-view mirror, which prompted a round of rankings updates on Monday. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello re-assessed his power rankings following a busy Saturday and Sunday around the country, rating these 16 teams as the best in the nation at this very moment. Take a look:

Updated Power Rankings

  1. Purdue
  2. Tennessee
  3. Alabama
  4. Houston
  5. Arizona
  6. Kansas State
  7. Kansas
  8. Virginia
  9. Iowa State
  10. Baylor
  11. UCLA
  12. Texas
  13. Marquette
  14. Xavier
  15. TCU
  16. Gonzaga

Borzello’s power rankings include just 16 teams, a Sweet Sixteen’s worth, you could say. Meanwhile, he highlighted three other schools to keep an eye on who were just outside of his rankings. Those teams…Saint Mary’s, Florida Atlantic and Indiana.

Recap

You won’t find a set of rankings across college basketball that don’t have Purdue as the No. 1 team. There was debate over the past couple weeks whether Houston or Alabama were just as deserving as the Boilermakers, but those questions were answered when the Cougars fell at home to a mediocre Temple team and Alabama went on the road and were blown out by below-average Big 12 side Oklahoma. Now, it’s all Matt Painter and Zach Edey at the top.

Elsewhere, the Big 12 continues its dominance near the top. Six teams in Borzello’s top-16, good for 60% of the league’s total teams. Enjoy this iteration of the conference while it lasts. These coaches, these rivalries, these storylines. This league has an Old Big East feel to it, just with how deep the conference is with great, gritty teams and first-class coaches. Any team in the Big 12 can beat another on a given night — a testament to the quality of the league, not the lack thereof.

The SEC continues to have some of the top contenders as well. Alabama took a step back this week but there’s no question the Tide are still one of the most talented and dangerous teams in the nation. Meanwhile, Tennessee is playing flawless basketball aside from that bizarre loss to Kentucky at home.

A wide-open NCAA title race in late January. Love to see it.