College basketball power rankings: How far will UConn slide?

5. Week 9 College Basketball Power Rankings – UConn Huskies

• Previously: 2nd
• Record: 14-1 (3-1 In Big East)
• Last Week: Won 74-66 Vs. Villanova, Lost 83-73 At No. 22 Xavier
• This Week: At Providence 1/4, Vs. Creighton 1/7

The Huskies finally lost but Dan Hurley will likely use the defeat to lock his team back in after a shaky two weeks of play. Saturday’s showdown against Creighton is a massive game as the Bluejays are UCONN’s biggest competition in the Big East outside of the Musketeers.

4. Week 9 College Basketball Power Rankings – Arizona Wildcats

• Previously: 5th
• Record: 13-1 (2-1 In Pac-12)
• Last Week: Won 69-60 At Arizona State
• This Week: Vs. Washington 1/5, Vs. Washington State 1/7

Arizona returned from the holiday break with a solid road victory against in-state rival Arizona State on Saturday. The Washington schools come to Tucson this week in games that the Wildcats should be able to sweep.

3. Week 9 College Basketball Power Rankings – Alabama Crimson Tide

• Previously: 4th
• Record: 11-2 (1-0 In SEC)
• Last Week: Won 78-67 At No. 21 Mississippi State
• This Week: Vs. Ole Miss 1/3, Vs. No. 19 Kentucky 1/7

Few teams picked up a more impressive road win last week than Alabama did by controlling their game at Mississippi State from start to finish. The Crimson Tide have a tremendous opportunity to stake their claim to early SEC supremacy by winning their only meeting with Kentucky on Saturday in Tuscaloosa.

2. Week 9 College Basketball Power Rankings – Houston Cougars

• Previously: 3rd
• Record: 14-1 (2-0 In American)
• Last Week: Won 89-50 At Tulsa, Won 71-65 Vs. UCF
• This Week: Vs. SMU 1/5, At Cincinnati 1/8

Saturday’s victory over UCF was a gutty one for the Cougars, who took a tremendous shot from one of the American’s best teams and still won by six. Saturday’s trip to Cincinnati is dangerous for Houston since the Bearcats will treat this game as their potential headlining piece for their NCAA Tournament resume.

1. Week 9 College Basketball Power Rankings – Purdue Boilermakers

• Previously: 1st
• Record: 13-0 (2-0 In Big Ten)
• Last Week: Won 82-49 Vs. Florida A&M
• This Week: Vs. Rutgers 1/2, At Ohio State 1/5, Vs. Penn State 1/8

The Boilermakers wrapped up a perfect run through the non-conference slate by pummeling Florida A&M last week to improve to 13-0 on the season. Three Big Ten games await Purdue this week, including a dangerous trip to Ohio State on Thursday and a neutral-site tilt against Penn State at the Palestra on Sunday, so this could be the week the Boilermakers fall from the ranks of the unbeaten.

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