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College basketball rankings: Week 5 AP Top 25 predictions – Michigan in Top 5?

By Connor Muldowney

ANN ARBOR, MI - DECEMBER 1: Ignas Brazdeikis #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with the fans during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 87-56. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - DECEMBER 1: Ignas Brazdeikis #13 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates with the fans during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 87-56. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – DECEMBER 1: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a jump shot during the second half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 87-56. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI – DECEMBER 1: Jordan Poole #2 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a jump shot during the second half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Crisler Center on December 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Purdue 87-56. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Michigan had the best week of any team in the AP Top 25, beating North Carolina by 17 points and then following that up with a 19-point victory over Purdue. Two top-20 victories by nearly 20 points and the Wolverines are only going to get better. The Wolverines don’t have the depth they had last year, but freshman Ignas Brazdeikis is taking the country by storm. John Beilein and Michigan look unstoppable — and it’s not even March yet.

Virginia may not know how to put points on the board at a high rate, at least not most of the time, but the Cavaliers’ defense has led to its position in the rankings this season. Teams are finding it difficult to put points up on the Cavaliers and that’s why they’re 7-0 on the season with their second win over a ranked Big Ten opponent on the resume. Virginia beat No. 24 Maryland on the road in Week 4, but no one ahead of the Cavaliers lost, so they’ll stay put.

The high-octane offense of Kansas is impressive, but is there reason to be concerned about the Jayhawks’ defense? Quite the opposite of Virginia, the Jayhawks can put up points, but they’re often out-scoring opponents on their way to victory. Now 6-0 on the year after a 90-84 win over a struggling Stanford team, Kansas has two Big 12 Player of the Year candidates in Dedric Lawson and Lagerald Vick who can score at will. However, I see Duke passing them up after a strong week.

Yes, Duke will rise one spot in the rankings, in my opinion, after a 21-point win over Indiana. The Hoosiers didn’t quite stand a chance against the red-hot Blue Devils who have been virtually unstoppable. Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett are playing at an unreal level right now and sometimes talent trumps experience — and that’s what you’re seeing. You can bet this team wants a rematch with Gonzaga.

Gonzaga got a bit of a scare on Saturday as the Bulldogs traveled to Creighton and were trailing in the second half before putting the Bluejays away for good. Creighton is no pushover, either, as it was on the verge of being ranked last week and this just goes to show it’s going to take a lot to bring the Bulldogs down and knock them off that top spot. Can anyone stop the Bulldogs or will this be another unbeaten-caliber team for Mark Few?

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