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College basketball power rankings: Purdue, Duke move up; Michigan, Villanova drop as Gonzaga & UCLA hold steady

By Mike Phillips

MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 19: DeAndre Williams #12 of the Memphis Tigers dunks the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during a game on November 19, 2021 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis defeated Western Kentucky 74-62. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 19: DeAndre Williams #12 of the Memphis Tigers dunks the ball against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers during a game on November 19, 2021 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis defeated Western Kentucky 74-62. (Photo by Joe Murphy/Getty Images) /
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS – NOVEMBER 18: David McCormack #33 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots a free throw during the game against the Stony Brook Seawolves at Allen Fieldhouse on November 18, 2021, in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
LAWRENCE, KANSAS – NOVEMBER 18: David McCormack #33 of the Kansas Jayhawks shoots a free throw during the game against the Stony Brook Seawolves at Allen Fieldhouse on November 18, 2021, in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

5. College basketball rankings: Duke Blue Devils (7)

  • Record: 5-0
  • Last Week: Won 92-52 vs. Gardner-Webb, Won 88-55 vs. Lafayette
  • This Week: Vs. The Citadel 11/22, Vs. No. 1 Gonzaga 11/26

Last week was a ho-hum one for Duke, which won a pair of home dates against low majors with ease. The Blue Devils have one more cupcake against The Citadel before a huge showdown with Gonzaga in Las Vegas that could be well-timed for Duke since the Bulldogs could be coming off a rugged game with UCLA.

4. College basketball rankings: Purdue Boilermakers (5)

  • Record: 5-0
  • Last Week: Won 96-52 vs. Wright State, Won 93-84 vs. No. 18 North Carolina, Won 80-74 vs. No. 5 Villanova
  • This Week: Vs. Omaha 11/26

The big winner of the week was Purdue, which emerged from the Hall of Fame Tip-Off victorious after toppling North Carolina and Villanova at Mohegan Sun. The Boilermakers demonstrated some serious offensive chops in Connecticut that will make them a serious Final Four threat in March.

3. College basketball rankings: Kansas Jayhawks (3)

  • Record: 3-0
  • Last Week: Won 88-59 vs. Stony Brook
  • This Week: Vs. North Texas 11/25, Vs. Miami/Dayton 11/26, Vs. Alabama/Iona/Belmont/Drake 11/28

The Jayhawks took it easy in Week 2, cruising to an easy home win against Stony Brook to improve to 3-0. This week sees Kansas travel to Orlando as one of the headliners in the ESPN Events Invitational with the big prize being a potential showdown with Alabama in the championship game on Sunday.

2. College basketball rankings: UCLA Bruins (2)

  • Record: 4-0
  • Last Week: Won 100-79 vs. Long Beach State, Won 98-63 vs. North Florida
  • This Week: Vs. Bellarmine 11/22, Vs. No. 1 Gonzaga 11/23

UCLA held serve at home in Week 2 with a pair of victories in buy games. The headline of the week for the Bruins will be a rematch of last season’s Final Four showdown with Gonzaga in Las Vegas with the top spot in all the polls on the line.

1. College basketball rankings: Gonzaga Bulldogs (1)

  • Record: 4-0
  • Last Week: Won 84-57 vs. Alcorn State, Won 92-50 vs. Bellarmine
  • This Week: Vs. Central Michigan 11/22, Vs. No. 2 UCLA 11/23

No change at the top of the rankings as Gonzaga took care of business in a pair of home games this week. The Bulldogs are in good form ahead of their rematch with UCLA and could make a big statement by knocking off the Bruins in a neutral-site showdown on Tuesday night.

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