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College basketball power rankings: Gonzaga, UCLA live up to preseason hype

By Mike Phillips

SPOKANE, WA - NOVEMBER 13: Andrew Nembhard #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs eyes the court during the game against the Texas Longhorns played at McCarthey Athletic Center on November 13, 2021 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - NOVEMBER 13: Andrew Nembhard #3 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs eyes the court during the game against the Texas Longhorns played at McCarthey Athletic Center on November 13, 2021 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Updated college basketball rankings after the opening week saw Gonzaga, UCLA and Duke score big wins over top-10 teams.

The first week of the college basketball season is in the books and there was a lot of fun action for diehard fans. The highlights of the week were a pair of Top 5 matchups, including an overtime thriller late Friday night with UCLA topping Villanova at Pauley Pavilion.

Throughout the season, we’ll assess the Top 10 at the start of the new week with a look at how these teams are trending. This exercise will kick off with a quick look at the five teams that just missed the cut and they will be listed in no particular order.

College basketball rankings: Just missed the top 10

Kentucky Wildcats (1-1)

  • Last Week: Lost 79-71 vs. No. 9 Duke, Won 100-60 vs. Robert Morris
  • This Week: Vs. Mount St. Mary’s 11/16, Vs. Ohio 11/19

Losing to Duke at the Champions Classic was disappointing since Kentucky was the more experienced team so the blowout win over Robert Morris was encouraging. Two more home games await this week as Kentucky’s tougher matchup comes Friday against MAC front-runner Ohio.

Oregon Ducks (2-0)

  • Last Week: Won 83-66 vs. Texas Southern, Won 86-63 vs. SMU
  • This Week: Vs. BYU 11/16

Oregon took care of business with a pair of easy home wins. This week provides a stiff test with a neutral site matchup against BYU.

Houston Cougars (2-0)

  • Last Week: Won 83-75 (OT) vs. Hofstra, Won 79-46 vs. Rice
  • This Week: Vs. Virginia 11/16

Hofstra gave the Cougars a scare before relenting in overtime. After rebounding with a dominant effort against Rice, Houston will be tested Tuesday when they welcome in Virginia for what will be a tight defensive showdown.

Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0)

  • Last Week: Won 93-64 vs. Louisiana Tech, Won 104-88 vs. South Dakota State
  • This Week: Vs. South Alabama 11/16, Vs. Oakland 11/19

The threes were falling for Alabama as the Crimson Tide raced off to a 2-0 start, including a dominant effort against C-USA favorite Louisiana Tech. This week features two more non-conference tune-ups that Alabama should cruise to victory in.

Memphis Tigers (2-0)

  • Last Week: Won 89-65 vs. Tennessee Tech, Won 90-51 vs. North Carolina Central
  • This Week: Vs. Saint Louis 11/16, Vs. Western Kentucky 11/19

The Tigers played two non-conference cupcakes and crushed their opponents with ease. The level of competition increases a bit for Memphis with Saint Louis and Western Kentucky on tap.