Another day, another round of ranked teams, providing a preview of what is to come in March. Two more top-25 programs fell within about 24 hours of the previous six.
If the most recent men’s college basketball schedules are any indication, the Big Dance will be as chaotic and exciting as ever. This time, No. 14 Memphis, No. 20 Michigan, and No. 25 Creighton were involved in close games that will undoubtedly affect the national rankings.
Michigan was the only one of the three mentioned schools to win on Sunday, defeating long-time Big Ten rival Ohio State in Columbus. Meanwhile, Memphis and Creighton did not have the same success as the Wolverines. Wichita State and No. 9 St. John’s both defeated the Tigers and Bluejays in close games.
Given the circumstances, Michigan is expected to trend upward when the Associated Press (AP) releases its Week 16 AP Top 25 poll. Memphis and Creighton, on the other hand, face the possibility of being voted off the leaderboard entirely. With that in mind, let us try to project the next set of rankings.
The Bluejays were not expected to beat the Red Storm at Madison Square Garden, but falling short against anyone is unfortunate. In contrast, the Tigers faced a weaker Shockers team and were heavily favored to win, only to lose in overtime.
Projected college basketball rankings after Michigan, Memphis and Creighton shake things up
- Auburn Tigers
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Florida Gators
- Duke Blue Devils
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Houston Cougars
- Texas A&M Aggies
- Purdue Boilermakers
- St. John’s Red Storm
- Iowa State Cyclones
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- Michigan State Spartans
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Marquette Golden Eagles
- Memphis Tigers
- Arizona Wildcats
- Kentucky Wildcats
- Michigan Wolverines
- Kansas Jayhawks
- Missouri Tigers
- Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Clemson Tigers
- Maryland Terrapins
- Ole Miss Rebels
- UCLA Bruins
The Wolverines’ 86-83 road victory over the Buckeyes kept them one game ahead of Michigan State in the Big Ten standings (20-5, 12-2). Big Blue’s 7-foot frontcourt duo of Vladislav Goldin and Danny Wolf led the way, scoring 37 points and 21 rebounds on 16-of-26 shooting combined.
Creighton was not expected to beat the Red Storm at Madison Square Garden, but losing to anyone is disappointing, especially a conference opponent.
The Bluejays fought valiantly at St. John’s, even taking the lead near the midpoint of the second half. However, they were hanging by a thread in the Top 25 and will lose their spot to a red-hot UCLA team. UCLA has won eight of its last nine games, including ranked victories over Michigan State and Oregon.
In contrast, the Tigers faced a weaker Shockers team and were heavily favored to win, only to lose in overtime. Memphis shot well from three but struggled from the floor. Furthermore, they lost the rebounding and turnover battles. As a result, Penny Hardaway’s team can expect to drop at least one spot in the Top 25.
