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

5. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Purdue Boilermakers

• Previously: 9th
• Record: 26-5 (15-5 In Big Ten)
• Last Week: Won 63-61 At Wisconsin, Won 76-71 Vs. Illinois
• This Week: Big Ten Tournament (First Game: QF 3/10 Vs. 8/9 Winner)

A pair of wins helped stem the bleeding for the Boilermakers but this team is capable of far better basketball than it has shown over the past month. The Big Ten Tournament figures to be a challenge for Purdue since the muddled middle of the conference has plenty of teams capable of picking them off in Chicago.

4. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Marquette Golden Eagles

• Previously: 5th
• Record: 25-6 (17-3 In Big East)
• Last Week: Won 72-56 At Butler, Won 96-94 Vs. St. John’s
• This Week: Big East Tournament (First Game: QF 3/9 Vs. St. John’s/Butler Winner)

The Red Storm nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against Marquette but the Golden Eagles held on to wrap up a ridiculous run of 19 wins in their final 22 regular season games. The reward was the top seed in the Big East Tournament, which could result in a rematch with St. John’s at Madison Square Garden on Thursday afternoon which would be far from easy.

3. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Kansas Jayhawks

• Previously: 2nd
• Record: 25-6 (13-5 In Big 12)
• Last Week: Won 67-63 Vs. Texas Tech, Lost 75-59 At No. 9 Texas)
• This Week: Big 12 Tournament (First Game: QF 3/9 Vs. West Virginia/Texas Tech Winner)

The Jayhawks worked hard to earn the Big 12’s regular season title but their flaws were exposed when Texas hammered them in Austin on Saturday. The Big 12 Tournament is up next for Kansas, which will start with the winner of the West Virginia/Texas Tech matchup on Thursday, and it is worth mentioning that they had a tough time beating both at home recently.

2. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – UCLA Bruins

• Previously: 3rd
• Record: 27-4 (18-2 In Pac-12)
• Last Week: Won 79-61 Vs. Arizona State, Won 82-73 Vs. No. 8 Arizona)
• This Week: Pac-12 Tournament (First Game: QF 3/9 Vs. Washington/Colorado Winner)

The Bruins’ win over Arizona on Saturday night was the marquee victory that UCLA was missing to cap off an impressive NCAA Tournament resume. Winning the Pac-12 Tournament may be the key for UCLA to knock Purdue off the top line and their half of the bracket appears far simpler than the half the Wildcats will attempt to navigate.

1. Week 18 College Basketball Power Rankings – Houston Cougars

• Previously: 1st
• Record: 29-2 (17-1 In American)
• Last Week: Won 83-66 Vs. Wichita State, Won 67-65 At Memphis
• This Week: AAC Tournament (First Game: QF 3/10 Vs. South Florida/East Carolina Winner)

A buzzer-beater from Jamal Shead helped the Cougars survive an upset bid from Memphis to secure an outstanding 29-2 regular season. Houston’s tournament resume isn’t as strong as other teams on the top line due to the subpar nature of the American so their best chance of moving up the S-curve is to take care of business in Fort Worth this weekend.