It was a wild week in college basketball as two massive favorites went down on Wednesday night. No. 5 Florida closed as a 17-point favorite over Loyola-Chicago but lost outright. Loyola-Chicago closed as an 11/1 underdog on the moneyline and cashed in impressive fashion. That wasn’t even the biggest upset of the night, though, as Washington visited No. 2 Kansas and sprung a wild upset at Allen Fieldhouse. Washington was a 21.5-point underdog and closed at 25/1 on the moneyline. Can you imagine the payout if you parlayed those two underdogs on the moneyline?
At any rate, expect Kansas and Florida to tumble severely in the next rankings. However, the odds makers will view this as a one-off for now. Here’s a look at this week’s college basketball power rankings.
1. Duke Blue Devils
Last Week: 1
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +300
The Blue Devils (11-0) routed South Dakota and St. Francis (PA) at home last week, and then they’ll head to Boston College to kick off their ACC schedule. The Blue Devils have been dominant this season, ranking first in the country in rebounds, second in assists and third in points, and Marvin Bagley III might be the best player in the nation; forget about being the best freshman. Bagley has only failed to notch a double-double in two games, and he got injured early in one of those games.
2. Michigan State Spartans
Last Week: 2
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +500
The Spartans (8-1, 2-0 Big Ten) thumped Notre Dame at home in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and they also won at home over Nebraska and at Rutgers. The Spartans will host Southern Utah this week. Michigan State is doing it with defense as they’re tied for 99th in points per game, but they’re tied for 13th in points allowed. Miles Bridges leads a group of five players that are averaging double figures in points, but the Spartans are going to go far because of their defense.
3. Kansas Jayhawks
Last Week: 3
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1000
The Jayhawks (7-1) beat Syracuse in Miami in the HoopHall Miami Invitational, and then they lost to Washington in the biggest upset of the week. This week, the Jayhawks host Arizona State in a top-25 showdown. Kansas couldn’t figure out Washington’s zone defense as they shot 5-of-20 from the three-point line and 45.2% overall, although Lagerald Vick had a big game with 28 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Still, the Jayhawks need to battle through those bad shooting nights if they’re going to be a national-title contender.
4. Arizona Wildcats
Last Week: 4
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1000
The Wildcats (6-3) won in overtime at UNLV and over Texas A&M in the Valley of the Sun Shootout in Phoenix. This week, Arizona will welcome Alabama to town. While Bagley has been great over at Duke, fellow freshman Deandre Ayton has also been very good for Arizona with 19.2 points and 11.2 rebounds. Like Bagley, Ayton has failed to pick up a double-double in two games.
5. Kentucky Wildcats
Last Week: 5
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1200
The Wildcats (7-1) struggled to beat Harvard at home, and this week, they’ll play Monmouth in the Citi Double Cash Classic in New York. Kentucky led by 20 before allowing Harvard into the game, and while they won, it showed that this was a very young team that still has a lot to learn ahead of their SEC schedule. Kentucky shot 2-of-14 from three-point land and are shooting 34.3% from beyond the arc, and that has to improve with how important the long-distance shot is in college basketball.
6. Villanova Wildcats
Last Week: 6
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1500
Villanova (9-0) won at Saint Joseph’s in the Big 5 Philadelphia city tournament, and then they romped over Gonzaga in the Jimmy V Classic. This week, the Wildcats play La Salle and Temple in Philadelphia. Mikel Bridges scored 28 points in the win over Gonzaga, a fellow ranked team, and the Wildcats beat them from start to finish. Villanova might look more ready to make a deep run in March than any other team in the country outside of Duke.
7. Wichita State Shockers
Last Week: 7
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +1800
The Shockers (7-1) won at Baylor and at home over South Dakota State, and they’ll travel to Oklahoma State this week. The Shockers struggled against South Dakota State and were even down by eight points at halftime, needing a second-half rally to pull out the win. While this is a very talented team, they still have some work to do, especially on the defensive end. Wichita State is 105th in the country in points allowed.
8. North Carolina Tar Heels
Last Week: 8
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +2000
The Tar Heels (9-1) beat Davidson in the Charlotte Showcase, and then they thumped Tulane and Western Carolina at home. After a busy week, the Tar Heels will have 11 days between games to get a little rest. The Tar Heels are 19th in the nation in points per game and sixth in rebounds, but they’re also 161st in points allowed and even though they play at a fast pace, they need to be a little better on defense to make a deep March run and defend their title.
9. USC Trojans
Last Week: 9
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +2500
The Trojans (4-2) are still hanging around after a loss at SMU, and this week, they’ll face Oklahoma in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Los Angeles before hosting Santa Clara. The loss to SMU was their second in a row and the Trojans were outscored 45-25 in the second half as the game got away from them. The Trojans are holding on to the last spot in the AP Poll, but one more loss and they’ll likely drop out of that poll and maybe, these power rankings.
10. Texas A&M Aggies
Last Week: 10
NCAA Basketball Title Odds: +3000
The Aggies (7-1) won at home over UT Rio Grande Valley, but they lost to Arizona in Phoenix. This week, the Aggies will host Prairie View A&M and Savannah State. The Aggies gave Arizona a good game, but the Wildcats’ talent eventually won out and that could be a theme for Texas A&M. D.J. Hogg and Tyler Davis are solid players, but can they take over a game when the Aggies need them to? We’ll find out when the SEC schedule starts.
The 2017-18 NBA is well underway. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
