Nonconference play in college basketball wrapped up across the country this week as the 2024 calendar year came to a close, which serves as a perfect prompting point to reset the table in the power rankings as we shift our focus toward the 2025 calendar year and conference play.
That couldn't come at a better time after the top of the sport leveled off of late -- with Auburn, Tennessee, Iowa State, UConn and Florida in some order consistently popping at or near the top. And with conference action kicking into gear, I'd expect the power rankings will begin to fluctuate more week to week as competition toughens.
For now, though, in our first look at the landscape of 2025, it's crystal clear: Auburn and Tennessee are No. 1 and No. 2 in the final power rankings of the nonconference portion of the season. Not only have they been the best all season, they've been the best of late, too. And the former weighs more heavily than the latter since this is a power rankings and not Gary Parrish's Top 25 And 1.
That means after the wacky week that was, where recent results are prioritized, we've got some fresh new teams in our midst.
There's much to unpack here, so let's dive in with the rankings guidelines as we always do and make clear how we operate in this space. I promise to abide by these as closely as I can throughout the season.
Power Rankings definition: Ranking teams with an emphasis on recent performance based on their level of competition. These are heavily unscientific in nature and can be distilled down to a "vibes" ranking -- with things like margin of victory, injuries, performance vs. top competition, momentum and other sometimes subjective factors weighing into the equation. The power rankings can be thought of in a weekly setting as a reaction -- or sometimes even an overreaction -- to the small sample of the week that was.
Let's get to it.
| 1 |  |
| The gap between Auburn and the rest of college basketball appears as wide as ever. The 12-1 Tigers rolled Monmouth at home this week 87-58 giving them their seventh win of 25 or more points on the season. Last week: No. 1 | |
| 2 |  |
| It would've been acceptable had Tennessee come out on New Year's Eve at home looking sleepy vs. Norfolk State, but nope. Rick Barnes' team jumped out to a double-digit lead early and kept their opponent out of reach throughout in a cushy 15-point dub. Last week: No. 2 | |
| 3 |  |
| Iowa State moved up one spot to No. 3 this week -- its highest ranking in this space all season -- after a 10-point road win over Colorado on Monday to open Big 12 play. The Cyclones played a tougher schedule than Florida and fared better than the Gators save for their one-possession loss to No. 1 Auburn, which gives the Cyclones the edge for me and why I made the switch. Iowa State faces Baylor Saturday on CBS. Last week: No. 4 | |
| 4 |  |
| We're about to see just how real Florida's undefeated run in nonconference really is. The SEC looks like a gauntlet this season, and Florida's schedule the next few weeks looks brutal. For now, though, the Gators have an unblemished record and looked very good in the process. Last week: No. 3 | |
| 5 |  |
| With seven consecutive wins under its belt and a 3-0 start in ACC play, Duke has established itself as one of the most balanced and best teams in college hoops built around a roster relying heavily on 18 and 19-year-old freshmen Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. This team is good and getting even better as the season progresses. Last week: No. 6 | |
| 6 |  |
| UConn's winning streak is up to seven after beating DePaul on the road on New Year's day. It hasn't lost since late November, when it went on a three-game skid in Maui, and that team doesn't look even close to the team we've seen in action now for the last month and change. Last week: No. 5 | |
| 7 |  |
| Houston took its defensive dominance on the road to Oklahoma State this week and had the Cowboys questioning their entire life. The Cougars allowed just one point in the final 10 minutes of the second half and played suffocating defense in a low-scoring, drama-free 60-47 victory. Last week: No. 10 | |
| 8 |  |
| Back-to-back home wins by 27 and 23 points is how Alabama closed its 2024 calendar year. As it enters 2025 with an 11-2 record, it does so as a worthy challenger to Auburn, Tennessee and Florida for the SEC crown in one of the league's best seasons in history. Last week: No. 9 | |
| 9 |  |
| Utah State lost coach Danny Sprinkle in the offseason and he took leading scorer Great Osobor with him, yet Jerrod Calhoun in his first season has the Aggies 13-1 and a leading candidate to win the Mountain West. Their fast start included wins last week over San Diego State and Nevada at home. Last week: NR | |
| 10 |  |
| SEC play begins this week for Texas A&M with rival Texas coming to town. It enters league play 11-2 with a resume that includes wins over Purdue, Texas Tech, Ohio State and Creighton. Last week: No. 7 | |
| 11 |  |
| UCLA responded brilliantly following its collapse to North Carolina with a big 66-62 win Saturday over Gonzaga. The Bruins are 3-1 in Quad 1 opportunities on the season, tied for the third-most wins against such opponents. Last week: No. 14 | |
| 12 |  |
| In OU's first year as a member of the SEC, Porter Moser led the Sooners to a 13-0 record in nonconference play. But things get real in a hurry as they travel to Alabama to open league play Saturday. I'd expect OU to fall back in the coming weeks, but credit is due for what it has done to this point. Last week: No. 8 | |
| 13 |  |
| With nonconference play in the books for Maryland, the 11-2 Terrapins lead college basketball in scoring margin, rank No. 8 in defensive efficiency, No. 1 in shots blocked on offense and are 10th in average possession length. The recipe for success is clear for Kevin Willard, and it's working like a charm thus far. Last week: No. 12 | |
| 14 |  |
| Marquette reminded us of its presence this week with a stunning 28-point road win over Providence to improve to 3-0 in Big East play. With UConn's resurgence, let us not forget about the Golden Eagles as a true title contender in a deep Big East. Last week: NR | |
| 15 |  |
| West Virginia won for the first time ever (!!) in Allen Fieldhouse this week and in the process snapped Kansas' streak of 33 consecutive conference-opening wins. It was a signature win for first-year coach Darian DeVries, whose Mountaineers were short-handed and had travel problems leading into the game. Last week: NR | |
| 16 |  |
| St. Bonaventure opened Atlantic 10 play with a 77-75 win over VCU on Tuesday as a narrow underdog at home. The Bonnies are 13-1 -- with their only loss coming to Utah State on a neutral court more than a month ago. Last week: NR | |
