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College basketball power rankings: Can anyone catch Gonzaga?

By Mike Phillips

SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 12: Chet Holmgren #34 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a three-pointer during the second half of the game against the St. Mary's Gaels at the McCarthey Athletic Center on February 12, 2022 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA - FEBRUARY 12: Chet Holmgren #34 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs reacts after a three-pointer during the second half of the game against the St. Mary's Gaels at the McCarthey Athletic Center on February 12, 2022 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Robert Johnson/Getty Images) /
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TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 17: Guard Dalen Terry #4 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots over guard Jarod Lucas #2 of the Oregon State Beavers at McKale Center on February 17, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona Wildcats won 83-69 against the Oregon State Beavers. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
TUCSON, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 17: Guard Dalen Terry #4 of the Arizona Wildcats shoots over guard Jarod Lucas #2 of the Oregon State Beavers at McKale Center on February 17, 2022, in Tucson, Arizona. The Arizona Wildcats won 83-69 against the Oregon State Beavers. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) /

5. Week 16 College Basketball Rankings: Kentucky Wildcats (3)

  • Record: 22-5 (11-3 in SEC)
  • Last Week: Lost 76-63 at No. 16 Tennessee, Won 90-81 vs. No. 25 Alabama
  • This Week: Vs. LSU 2/23, At No. 23 Arkansas 2/26

Going to Knoxville felt like a trap for Kentucky and they were predictably ambushed by Tennessee, but John Calipari’s team deserves a ton of credit for storming past Alabama without the services of TyTy Washington or Sahvir Wheeler. The SEC meat grinder continues for the Wildcats this week as they host LSU before traveling to red-hot Arkansas on Saturday.

4. Week 16 College Basketball Rankings: Auburn Tigers (4)

  • Record: 24-3 (12-2 in SEC)
  • Last Week: Won 94-80 vs. Vanderbilt, Lost 63-62 at Florida
  • This Week: Vs. Ole Miss 2/23, At No. 16 Tennessee 2/26

The recent pattern continued for Auburn, which cruised to victory at home before coming up flat in a one-point loss at Florida over the weekend. This could be problematic for the Tigers as their road game this week is at Tennessee, a much more difficult task than facing Ole Miss at home, and a split could allow Kentucky to tie them atop the SEC entering the final week of the regular season.

3. Week 16 College Basketball Rankings: Kansas Jayhawks (6)

  • Record: 22-4 (11-2 in Big 12)
  • Last Week: Won 71-62 vs. Oklahoma State, Won 71-58 at West Virginia
  • This Week: Vs. Kansas State 2/22, At No. 7 Baylor 2/26

The selection committee revealed that Kansas was the final No. 1 seed in its Top 16 seed reveal on the strength of its nine Quadrant 1 wins and the Jayhawks rewarded their faith by taking care of business with a 2-0 week. Saturday’s trip to Waco to take on Baylor could not only determine who wins the Big 12’s regular-season crown but also who gets the final No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.

2. Week 16 College Basketball Rankings: Arizona Wildcats (2)

  • Record: 24-2 (14-1 in Pac-12)
  • Last Week: Won 83-69 vs. Oregon State, Won 84-81 vs. Oregon
  • This Week: At Utah 2/24, At Colorado 2/26

Oregon gave Arizona everything they could handle in a thrilling Saturday night game but the Wildcats showed the heart of a champion by prevailing in the game. Arizona is a projected top seed and can move one step closer to securing its place on the one-line by sweeping a road trip against Utah and Colorado this week.

1. Week 16 College Basketball Rankings: Gonzaga Bulldogs (1)

  • Record: 23-2 (12-0 in WCC)
  • Last Week: Won 86-66 at Pepperdine, Won 81-69 vs. Santa Clara
  • This Week: At San Francisco 2/24, At Saint Mary’s 2/26

Saturday’s win over Santa Clara helped the Bulldogs wrap up the WCC’s regular-season title in their final home game of the season. Gonzaga now has its two toughest road games on tap as trips to San Francisco and Saint Mary’s offer the potential of a loss that could knock the Bulldogs out of the top overall seed before the WCC Tournament begins.

dark. Next. NCAA basketball bucket list

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