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College basketball power rankings: Who is the team to beat in Champ Week?

By Mike Phillips

G Tyger Campbell, UCLA Bruins. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
G Tyger Campbell, UCLA Bruins. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Adama Sanogo, UCONN Huskies
F Adama Sanogo, UCONN Huskies. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

10. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Kansas State Wildcats

  • Previously: 7th
  • Record: 23-8 (11-7 In Big 12)
  • Last Week: Won 85-69 Vs. Oklahoma, Lost 89-81 At West Virginia
  • This Week: Big 12 Tournament (First Game: Quarterfinal 3/9 Vs. No. 22 TCU)

Losing at West Virginia on Saturday wasn’t a tremendous deal for the Wildcats since the game meant a ton more to the Mountaineers, who needed the win to maintain their spot in the field. Jerome Tang’s first season was a strong one as Kansas State is the 3-seed in the Big 12 Tournament and will face TCU on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

9. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – UCONN Huskies

  • Previously: Honorable Mention
  • Record: 24-7 (13-7 In Big East)
  • Last Week: Won 88-59 Vs. DePaul, Won 71-59 At Villanova
  • This Week: Big East Tournament (First Game: QF 3/9 Vs. No. 20 Providence)

It took a minute but the Huskies are back in the Top 10 after a strong finish to the season which saw UCONN win eight of its last nine games, with the lone defeat being a three-point loss at Creighton. Aside from a bizarre three-week funk at the start of the new year, UCONN has been one of the best teams in the country and will look to start its run at Madison Square Garden with a win over Providence before getting a potential shot at Marquette in the semifinals.

8. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Gonzaga Bulldogs

  • Previously: 10th
  • Record: 26-5 (14-2 In WCC)
  • Last Week: Won 104-65 Vs. Chicago State
  • This Week: WCC Tournament (First Game: Semifinal 3/6 Vs. San Francisco)

Perhaps knowing that his team was too good not to land a double bye in the WCC Tournament, Mark Few scheduled a non-conference game against independent Chicago State last week to keep his team sharp. That game went exactly how we thought it would and now the Bulldogs are two wins away from a WCC title.

7. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Alabama Crimson Tide

  • Previously: 4th
  • Record: 26-5 (16-2 In SEC)
  • Last Week: Won 90-85 (OT) Vs. Auburn, Lost 67-61 At No. 24 Texas A&M
  • This Week: SEC Tournament (First Game: QF 3/10 Vs. TBD)

The Crimson Tide have definitely struggled of late, playing four tight games and losing one at Texas A&M on Saturday as the Brandon Miller situation continues to be a massive distraction for the team. Nate Oats’ team begins its postseason run on Friday with the winner of the 8/9 matchup between Florida and Mississippi State with either Missouri or Tennessee possibly looming for the semifinals.

6. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Texas Longhorns

  • Previously: 6th
  • Record: 23-8 (12-6 In Big 12)
  • Last Week: Lost 75-73 At No. 22 TCU, Won 75-59 Vs. No. 3 Kansas
  • This Week: Big 12 Tournament (First Game: QF 3/9 Vs. Oklahoma State/Oklahoma winner)

Losing by a bucket cost Texas a share of the Big 12 regular season title but the Longhorns took out their frustrations on Kansas, pummeling the Jayhawks to send a message ahead of the Big 12 tournament. Landing the No. 2 seed ensures that Texas has a rest advantage in its quarterfinal matchup, which will come against the winner of Oklahoma State/Oklahoma on Thursday.