College basketball rankings: Iowa State takes down rival Iowa as Joshua Jefferson continues to shine
Jefferson has been stellar this season as the Cyclones prove to be one of the best teams in the country
By
Gary Parrish
•
1 min read
After Iowa State beat a top-ranked team (Purdue) in the Associated Press Top 25 poll on Saturday as badly as anybody has ever beaten a top-ranked team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, it was reasonable to wonder how the Cyclones would respond five days later against their in-state rival.
In the first half, they weren't very good.
Broadly, they closed strongly.
So, all's well that end
Joshua Jefferson took 14 shots, made seven of them and finished with 24 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in his latest performance that suggests if Duke's Cameron Boozer is ruled ineligible for all National Player of Year awards, they might need to be mailed to him.
Jefferson has been great.
The 6-foot-9 senior, whose college career began at Saint Mary's, is now averaging 18.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals in 30.0 minutes per game. He's No. 2 in KenPom's Player of the Year standings, well behind Boozer, but comfortably ahead of North Carolina's Caleb Wilson, who is slotted third, and Alabama's Labaron Philon, who is slotted fourth.
Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg is fifth.
Iowa State remains No. 4 in Friday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Michigan is still No. 1. Next up for the Cyclones is Sunday's game against Eastern Illinois. Iowa State won't play another currently ranked team until it meets Kansas on Jan. 13, and KenPom doesn't project the Cyclones to be an underdog again this season until they play at BYU on Feb. 21.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Biggest Movers
1
Vanderbilt
1
Tennessee
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Elliot Cadeau finished with 18 points and four assists in Tuesday's 89-61 win over Villanova. The Wolverines' next game is Saturday at Maryland. | -- | 9-0 |
| 2 |  | Koa Peat finished with 18 points and five assists in Saturday's 97-68 win over Auburn. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Alabama. | -- | 8-0 |
| 3 |  | Cameron Boozer finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds in Saturday's 66-60 win at Michigan State. The Blue Devils' next game is Tuesday against Lipscomb. | -- | 10-0 |
| 4 |  | Joshua Jefferson finished with 24 points and five rebounds in Thursday's 66-62 win over Iowa. The Cyclones' next game is Sunday against Eastern Illinois. | -- | 10-0 |
| 5 |  | Solo Ball finished with 19 points and two assists in Tuesday's 77-73 win over Florida. The Huskies' next game is Friday against Texas. | -- | 9-1 |
| 6 |  | AJ Dybantsa finished with 28 points and nine rebounds in Tuesday's 67-64 win over Clemson. The Cougars' next game is Saturday against UC Riverside. | -- | 8-1 |
| 7 |  | Braden Smith finished with 15 points and 12 assists in Wednesday's 85-57 win over Minnesota. The Boilermakers' next game is Saturday against Marquette. | -- | 9-1 |
| 8 |  | Braden Huff finished with 24 points and seven rebounds in Sunday's 109-58 win over North Florida. The Zags' next game is Saturday against UCLA. | -- | 9-1 |
| 9 |  | Jeremy Fears missed each of the 10 shots he attempted in Saturday's 66-60 loss to Duke. The Spartans' next game is Saturday at Penn State. | -- | 8-1 |
| 10 |  | Labaron Philon finished with 20 points and six assists in Sunday's 97-55 win over UTSA. The Crimson Tide's next game is Saturday against Arizona. | -- | 7-2 |
| 11 |  | Caleb Wilson finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's 81-61 win over Georgetown. The Tar Heels' next game is Saturday against USC Upstate. | -- | 8-1 |
| 12 |  | Darius Acuff Jr. finished with 18 points and eight assists in Saturday's 82-58 win over Fresno State. The Razorbacks' next game is Saturday against Texas Tech. | -- | 7-2 |
| 13 |  | Ryan Conwell finished with 21 points and four rebounds in Saturday's 87-78 win over Indiana. The Cardinals' next game is Saturday against Memphis. | -- | 8-1 |
| 14 |  | Tre White finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds in Sunday's 80-60 win over Missouri. The Jayhawks' next game is Saturday at NC State. | -- | 7-3 |
| 15 |  | Emanuel Sharp finished with 23 points and three assists in Wednesday/s 80-38 win over Jackson State. The Cougars' next game is Saturday against New Orleans. | -- | 9-1 |
| 16 |  | Keaton Wagler finished with 23 points and five assists in Tuesday's 88-80 win at Ohio State. The Illini's next game is Saturday against Nebraska. | -- | 8-2 |
| 17 |  | Christian Anderson finished with 27 points and eight assists in Sunday's 82-58 win over LSU. The Red Raiders' next game is Saturday against Arkansas. | -- | 7-2 |
| 18 |  | Rienk Mast finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in Wednesday's 90-60 win over Wisconsin. The Cornhuskers' next game is Saturday at Illinois. | -- | 10-0 |
| 19 |  | Tyler Tanner finished with 26 points and six assists in Wednesday's 88-69 win over SMU. The Commodores' next game is Saturday against Central Arkansas. | 1 | 9-0 |
| 20 |  | Ja'Kobi Gillespie missed 14 of the 20 shots he attempted in Saturday's 75-62 loss to Illinois. The Vols' next game is Dec. 16 against Louisville. | 1 | 7-3 |
| 21 |  | Kevin Overton missed seven of the eight shots he attempted in Saturday's 97-68 loss at Arizona. The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Chattanooga. | -- | 7-3 |
| 22 |  | Zuby Ejiofor finished with 15 points and nine rebounds in Saturday's 63-58 over Ole Miss. The Red Storm''s next game is Saturday against Iona. | -- | 5-3 |
| 23 |  | Bennett Stirtz missed eight of the 11 shots he attempted on Thursday's 66-62 loss at Iowa State. The Hawkeyes' next game is Sunday against Western Michigan. | -- | 8-2 |
| 24 |  | Sam Lewis finished with 15 points and five rebounds in Tuesday's 84-60 win over Maryland Eastern Shore. The Cavaliers' next game is Dec. 20 against Maryland. | -- | 9-1 |
| 25 |  | Joshua Dent finished with 21 points and five assists in Sunday's 70-61 win over Davidson. The Gaels' next game is Sunday against Boise State. | -- | 9-1 |
| 26 |  | Jaron Pierre Jr. finished with 35 points and five rebounds in Sunday's 93-80 overtime win over Texas A&M. SMU's next game is Saturday against LSU. | -- | 9-1 |
