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College basketball power rankings: Purdue moves up to No. 1, Gonzaga falls out of top 5

By Mike Phillips

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - DECEMBER 03: Trevion Williams #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers talks with teammates during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Mackey Arena on December 3, 2021 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - DECEMBER 03: Trevion Williams #50 of the Purdue Boilermakers talks with teammates during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Mackey Arena on December 3, 2021 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 03: Tony Perkins #11 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Brandon Newman #5 of the Purdue Boilermakers battle for the loose ball during the first half at Mackey Arena on December 3, 2021, in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – DECEMBER 03: Tony Perkins #11 of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Brandon Newman #5 of the Purdue Boilermakers battle for the loose ball during the first half at Mackey Arena on December 3, 2021, in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

5. College basketball rankings: Duke Blue Devils (1)

  • Record: 7-1
  • Last Week: Lost 71-66 at Ohio State
  • This Week: Idle

The Blue Devils were last week’s top team but their collapse against Ohio State was unnerving to say the least. There are no games on Duke’s schedule this week, meaning that they will have to stew in that loss for the next 14 days.

4. College basketball rankings: Kansas Jayhawks (6)

  • Record: 6-1
  • Last Week: Won 95-75 at St. John’s
  • This Week: Vs. UTEP 12/7, Vs. Missouri 12/11

The only action for Kansas this week was a trip to Long Island to take on St. John’s and the Jayhawks left UBS Arena with a convincing 20-point win. The highlight of this week’s slate for Kansas is the resumption of the Border War with Missouri for the first time since the Tigers bolted for the SEC in 2012.

3. College basketball rankings: Baylor Bears (4)

  • Record: 8-0
  • Last Week: Won 99-54 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
  • This Week: Vs. No. 6 Villanova 12/12

Things were relatively quiet for the Bears after their win in the Battle 4 Atlantis with a 99-54 demolition of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Saturday. Baylor’s biggest threat yet to its perfect record comes on Sunday as Villanova travels to Waco for a shot at the Bears in the Big East-Big 12 Battle.

2. College basketball rankings: UCLA Bruins (4)

  • Record: 8-1
  • Last Week: Won 73-61 vs. Colorado, Won via forfeit at Washington
  • This Week: At Marquette 12/11

Pac-12 play kicked off for the Bruins with a 2-0 start, albeit with the second win coming via forfeit thanks to a COVID outbreak for Washington. That forfeit cost UCLA a chance to get another true road game under their belts before this weekend’s tricky tilt against a good Marquette team in Milwaukee.

1. College basketball rankings: Purdue Boilermakers (2)

  • Record: 8-0
  • Last Week: Won 93-65 vs. Florida State, Won 77-70 vs. Iowa
  • This Week: At Rutgers 12/9, Vs. NC State 12/12

The Boilermakers are now the new No. 1 after an impressive beatdown of Florida State in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge before gutting out a game against Iowa in their Big Ten opener. A true road game at Rutgers starts the week for Purdue on Wednesday before they play NC State in Brooklyn in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational.

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