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College Basketball Power Rankings: So what do we do with Kentucky?

Arkansas v Kentucky

LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 07: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats watches the action during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Rupp Arena on January 7, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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At this point in the season, there are three things that I am sure of:


  1. Villanova is very, very good, probably better than the Villanova team that won a national title.
  2. Michigan State is also very, very good.
  3. Arizona State and TCU, along with Villanova, are still undefeated.

Beyond that, the jury is out on just about everyone.

I’m dead serious when I say that, and if I’m being totally honest, I’m not convinced that either Arizona State or TCU are as good as where they are going to be ranked this week. I don’t think the teams ranked behind them are, either. Or the teams ranked ahead of them, for that matter.

Kentucky is the perfect example of what I’m talking about.

Does anyone actually know if this Kentucky team is any good? If you do, please enlighten me. They’ve played three high-major teams this season. They lost to a Kansas team that doesn’t appear to be all that good. They beat a Virginia Tech team that hasn’t proven themselves against anyone in Rupp Arena. And on Saturday, they lost to a UCLA team that is talented but had spent the first seven weeks of the season appearing to tear apart at the seams.

In theory, I do think that Kentucky has enough talent that they should be “really good”. But their best wins are Vermont and East Tennessee State, and in their last two games, they’ve allowed 169 points on 148 possessions. For a team that is supposed to be built on the strength of their defense, that’s worrisome.

So if you disagree with any of my rankings below, make a case. I’ll listen, because I’m trying to figure these teams out just like you are.

Here is the NBC Sports Top 25:

1. Villanova, 12-0 (Last Week: No. 1)
2. Michigan State, 12-1 (2)
3. Duke, 12-1 (3)
4. Arizona, 10-3 (5)
5. Arizona State, 12-0 (6)
6. Texas A&M, 11-1 (7)
7. Xavier, 12-1 (9)
8. West Virginia, 11-1 (10)
9. Purdue, 12-2 (11)
10. Miami, 11-1 (3)
11. North Carolina, 11-2 (8)
12. Kansas, 10-2 (13)
13. Oklahoma, 10-1 (15)
14. Wichita State, 10-2 (16)
15. Seton Hall, 11-2 (17)
16. Virginia, 11-1 (18)
17. TCU, 12-0 (19)
18. Gonzaga, 10-3 (12)
19. Kentucky, 9-2 (14)
20. Notre Dame, 10-3 (20)
21. Cincinnati, 11-2 (21)
22. Tennessee, 9-2 (22)
23. Texas Tech, 11-1 (23)
24. Baylor, 10-2 (24)
25. Arkansas, 9-2 (25)