College basketball power rankings: Making the case for Houston

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Isaiah Wong, Miami Hurricanes, college basketball power rankings

G Isaiah Wong, Miami Hurricanes. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) /

The Houston Cougars are on top of this week’s college basketball power rankings and Kelvin Sampson’s team may be the best in the country.

The merry-go-round atop the AP Top 25 poll should continue this week with Alabama’s loss at Tennessee setting the stage for the Houston Cougars to reclaim the top spot. The NCAA’s Top 16 seed reveal on Saturday backed the power rankings’ continued faith in the Cougars, placing them on the top line only behind the Crimson Tide on the S-curve.

While many experts raise questions about Houston due to their status in the lackluster American, the Cougars are the top-rated team in both the NET and Ken Pom’s rankings. Houston has one questionable result on its resume, a Quadrant 3 home loss to Temple, but they also have combined dominant work against most foes with quality non-conference wins against Saint Mary’s on a neutral floor and at Virginia.

There is a lot to like about Houston, which (spoiler alert) is atop these power rankings once again, but how did the rest of the Top 10 fall? Read on to find out, but first we’ll kick things off with the Honorable Mentions.

Week 16 College Basketball Power Rankings – Honorable Mentions

Note: All rankings referenced in this story are based on the Week 15 AP Top 25 poll.

Tennessee, Saint Mary’s, Kansas State, Gonzaga, Miami

The Volunteers pulled off an incredible win against No. 1 Alabama on Wednesday, handing the Crimson Tide their first SEC loss, and promptly squandered that momentum by falling at Kentucky to let the bubbly Wildcats complete a season sweep. Falling behind by 20 at the break was too much for Tennessee to overcome, knocking them out of the Top 10 again.

K-State and Saint Mary’s held serve with solid weeks while Gonzaga looks to be rounding into good form, which is ideal since they can avenge a loss to the Gaels on Saturday in Spokane. Miami is the last team in after completing another good week to cement themselves as the ACC’s second-best team behind Virginia, which could put them on the 5-line on Selection Sunday.