College Basketball Rankings: Projected Top 25 for Week 3

DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 17: Duke Blue Devils guard Trevon Duval (1) during the 1st half of the Southern University Jaguars versus Duke Blue Devils on November 17, 2017, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, NC. (Photo by Jaylynn Nash/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Jaylen Hands #4 of the UCLA Bruins during the first half of the game against the Central Arkansas Bears at Pauley Pavilion on November 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

Alabama Crimson Tide

3-0 Last Week: NR

This will be the first time we see Alabama crack the AP Top 25 this season and Avery Johnson is doing a heck of a job with the Tide basketball program. While the football team draws all the attention, basketball is starting to make some noise. The Tide beat Lipscomb easily as well as Alabama A&M in Week 2 and freshman sensation Collin Sexton looks like an absolute stud. He’s averaging 23.5 points and 5.0 assists per game this season.

UCLA Bruins

3-0 Last Week: 23

It’s been an eventful week for UCLA and the trio of basketball players who were arrested in China after stealing sunglasses and it looked to wear on Steve Alford’s team. The Bruins needed overtime to take down Central Arkansas to start the week and also beat South Carolina State to improve to 3-0 on the year. Freshman guard Kris Wilkes is looking like a future star, averaging over 17 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting lights out from deep.

Baylor Bears

3-0 Last Week: 25

Baylor, in my opinion, will take advantage of some poor play by UCLA and a loss by Northwestern to jump a couple spots in this week’s poll. The Bears had no problem dismantling Texas A&M-CC and Alcorn State in Week 2 and although those aren’t elite wins, Baylor should take advantage of other teams fumbling Top 25 spots.

West Virginia Mountaineers

2-1 Last Week: 24

Despite losing in the season opener in blowout fashion to Texas A&M, West Virginia bounced back to record a couple of wins in Week 2 against American, 98-64, and Morgan State, 111-48. The Mountaineers are going to continue to get better after that Carrier Classic loss and potentially continue the rise in the polls back into the top 15. They won’t truly be tested again until Dec. 5 against Virginia.

Seton Hall Pirates

4-0 Last Week: 22

Seton Hall was impressive in Week 2, taking down Archie Miller’s Indiana Hoosiers, 84-68, and then handling NJIT by 29 points. The Pirates look like favorites to win the Big East with teams like Creighton and Villanova. Desi Rodriguez is playing at a high level, leading the team in scoring and making over 40 percent of his threes. Could this be the year Villanova is dethroned in the Big East?