When the biggest storyline in the sport is a canceled game, you know it's a strange college basketball season. And that's how it was last week, as the most anticipated nonconference game of the season was called off 90 minutes before tipoff. No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Baylor had been a level above the rest of the country during the first week and a half of the season, and that's probably still the case -- but one of the two teams would have laid down a serious marker after Saturday. But it never happened, and now we wait and see if it's rescheduled.
Not to worry, though, the coming week has its fair share of marquee games. The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is highlighted by North Carolina at Iowa, Illinois at Duke and Michigan State at Virginia. Outside of those two leagues, the Big 12-Big East Battle is headlined by Creighton's trip to Kansas. Conference play is starting earlier than usual, too, which means we get treats like Texas at Baylor this week as well.
Team of the Week: Michigan State Spartans
Texas would have been the easy call for this spot had the Longhorns beat Villanova on Sunday, since Shaka Smart's team won the Maui Invitational in impressive fashion. And Villanova going to Austin and coming away with a win is up there with the best wins of the week. But very few teams went 3-0 and also notched a marquee win away from home -- giving Tom Izzo's Spartans the honor for this week. Michigan State went to Duke in the Champions Classic and looked dominant after the opening few minutes, and the six-point margin of victory didn't truly represent how well the Spartans played. Rocket Watts might not be the pure point guard Cassius Winston was, but he's coming into his own as a go-to perimeter scorer, while Izzo might have found a gem in Julius Marble II. This is a deep, balanced team with experience -- and a 5-0 start to the season is better than expected.
Player of the Week: Kendric Davis, SMU Mustangs
The Mustangs have the talent to make the NCAA tournament this season, and they picked up a huge road win at Dayton on Saturday -- improving their record to 4-0, with Davis leading the way. Davis has been terrific so far, and the 5-foot-11 junior was the best player on the floor for SMU in both games last week. He had 20 points, 13 assists and six steals in a win over Houston Baptist, then followed that with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists in the win over Dayton. Oh, and he turned it over only one time in the two games.
Win of the Week: Marquette Golden Eagles 67, Wisconsin Badgers 65
There were plenty of impressive wins last week, but Marquette winning at the buzzer against the No. 4 team in the country -- and its biggest rival -- gets the nod here. It was a tense affair throughout, with neither team leading by more than six points. There were 11 ties and 13 lead changes. After Wisconsin took a one-point lead with five seconds left on a D'Mitrik Trice jumper, Marquette guard D.J. Carton came down and drew a blocking foul with 0.9 seconds left. He made the first, missed the second -- but Justin Lewis tipped in the offensive rebound as time expired. The Golden Eagles aren't as explosive offensively this season without Markus Howard, but Steve Wojciechowski still has enough pieces in Milwaukee.
Coach of the Week: Cuonzo Martin, Missouri Tigers
The Tigers entered the season picked 10th in the SEC, but they seem poised to exceed those expectations if their early results are any indication. Missouri went 2-0 on the week with two pretty good wins. First, it handled Oregon, a preseason Top 25 team expected to compete for the Pac-12 title, on a neutral site in Omaha. And on Sunday, the Tigers went to Wichita State and beat the Shockers by 10. The post-Gregg Marshall era in Wichita has its question marks, it's still the first nonconference home loss for the Shockers in 17 games. Honorable mention goes to two mid-major coaches: Winthrop's Pat Kelsey and South Dakota State's Eric Henderson. Winthrop beat two quality mid-majors -- UNC Greensboro and Little Rock -- on a neutral site, while South Dakota State took down Iowa State and Bradley on the road.
Three teams with questions
Kentucky Wildcats: Oh boy. Things are looking fairly dire for the Wildcats at the moment. They're coming off a 17-point loss to Georgia Tech on Sunday that dropped them to 1-3 for the first time since 2000-01. Here's an alarming stat that sums up Kentucky: The Wildcats have 73 turnovers in four games. And even after shooting 8-for-19 from 3-point range Sunday, they're only at 25.8% on the season.
Virginia Cavaliers: After their opening game, it looked like the Cavaliers had a much-improved offense with the addition of Sam Hauser up front. Since then, they've reverted to a team that struggles to consistently create offense. It also doesn't help that they've made 15 3-pointers total in three games -- after hitting 15 in the opener. Can this team score enough?
Washington Huskies: The Huskies weren't exactly predicted to set the college basketball world alight this season, but they're objectively bad right now. A loss to Baylor in the opener wasn't unexpected, especially after the fall departure of Nahziah Carter, but they followed it up with a 15-point home loss to UC Riverside and a 14-point loss at Utah where the final 10 minutes weren't even competitive.
Power Rankings
1. Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0)
Previous ranking: 1
This week: None
It will be a few weeks until we see Mark Few's team back in action, as Gonzaga announced Sunday night it was pausing through Dec. 14 because of COVID-19 protocols. That takes the Bulldogs' next four games off the schedule and means they can return to practice on Dec. 15 -- four days before they're scheduled to face Luka Garza and Iowa in South Dakota on Dec. 19. On the bright side, it will give Jalen Suggs time to get fully healthy, after he suffered an ankle injury in the win over West Virginia. This team still looked like one of the best offensive teams in a long time with a hampered Suggs in the second half against the Mountaineers, though.
2. Baylor Bears (3-0)
Previous ranking: 2
This week: vs. Nicholls State (Tuesday), vs. Texas (Sunday)
The two questions facing Baylor entering the season had to do with how it would replace Freddie Gillespie down low, and whether the perimeter group could be as good as it was a year ago. The answer to the first question is coming in the form of Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua, a former UNLV transfer who brings nonstop energy and uses his athleticism to make plays in transition and on the glass. As for the latter, Presbyterian transfer Adam Flagler has been terrific as the fourth guard in place of Devonte Bandoo. Flagler had 18 points and three assists against Illinois -- his third straight game with at least 12 points off the bench.
3. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-0)
Previous ranking: 3
This week: vs. North Carolina (Tuesday), vs. Iowa State (Friday), vs. Northern Illinois (Sunday)
Luka Garza's numbers in the first half of games would likely put him in contention for the Wooden Award on their own, but his averages of 34.0 points and 9.7 rebounds this season cement him as the clear favorite. Two great nuggets from ESPN Stats & Info after his 35 points and 10 rebounds last Thursday night: Garza's 76 points in his last two games are the most points scored in a two-game span by a Big Ten player in the past 20 seasons; and his 102 points to begin the season is the most by a Division I player through three games in the last 10 seasons.
4. Houston Cougars (4-0)
Previous ranking: 7
This week: vs. Sam Houston State (Wednesday), vs. Rice (Saturday)
Houston was shorthanded against South Carolina on Saturday, as coach Kelvin Sampson and assistant coach Kellen Sampson were not on the bench due to COVID-19 protocols, while Caleb Mills was out with a left foot injury and Marcus Sasser was out with a sprained ankle. But the Cougars still rolled to a double-digit victory. Quentin Grimes has quietly emerged as a star guard for Houston after an underwhelming freshman season at Kansas and a transitional year last year for Houston. He had 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists against the Gamecocks.
5. Michigan State Spartans (5-0)
Previous ranking: 11
This week: at Virginia (Wednesday), vs. Oakland (Sunday)
We talked about Michigan State earlier in the piece, but let's focus on Joey Hauser a bit. The former Marquette transfer arguably has been the Spartans' most consistent offensive player through five games, scoring in double-figures in each game -- including 24 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the win over Western Michigan on Sunday. He hit six 3-pointers and is 10-for-19 in his past three games from behind the arc. Hauser provides a matchup problem for Michigan State on the offensive end, someone who can stretch the floor but also is a good enough rebounder and interior player to allow Tom Izzo to play small-ball with Hauser and Malik Hall as the two players up front for stretches.
6. Kansas Jayhawks (4-1)
Previous ranking: 9
This week: vs. Creighton (Tuesday), vs. Omaha (Friday), vs. Tarleton State (Sunday)
Speaking of playing small, Bill Self might have to utilize his perimeter-heavy lineup more often this season. Jalen Wilson has been one of the breakout stars of the season, going for 23 points and 10 rebounds against Kentucky and then finishing with 14 points and 15 boards against North Dakota State. And on Saturday against NDSU, junior college transfer Tyon Grant-Foster made a push for more minutes, coming up with multiple big plays down the stretch and grabbing eight boards in 22 minutes. David McCormack hasn't quite put it together yet this season, so Self rolling with some combination of Marcus Garrett, Dajuan Harris, Bryce Thompson, Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun and Wilson and Grant-Foster would be awfully interesting.
7. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-1)
Previous ranking: 6
This week: vs. Robert Morris (Wednesday), vs. Richmond (Sunday)
Every season, Bob Huggins seems to find guys who can contribute offensively despite their past struggles or lack of notoriety at the high school level. Taz Sherman scored in double figures five times last season -- he has already done it four times this season. Miles McBride is beginning to produce on a more consistent basis, despite his odd splits from inside and outside the 3-point arc (he's shooting 40.4% on 2s and 41.2% on 3s). Sherman and McBride are two of the primary catalysts for West Virginia's improved 3-point shooting. The Mountaineers are still shooting only 31.9% from 3, but that's a step forward -- and Sean McNeil is bound to improve on his 8-for-32 effort so far.
8. Illinois Fighting Illini (3-1)
Previous ranking: 4
This week: at Duke (Tuesday), at Missouri (Saturday)
Illinois' guards finally went up against a backcourt that could match them when the Fighting Illini faced Baylor, and it's safe to say the Bears' backcourt came out on top. That said, freshman Andre Curbelo was impressive. Adam Miller has been the more highly touted of the two incoming guards, but Curbelo had 11 points and four assists off the bench for Brad Underwood, and he showed no fear of the big stage. Curbelo was a winner at the high school level, someone who consistently made big plays late and wanted the ball in his hands. He might not get a starring role in Champaign while Ayo Dosunmu and Miller are still in town, but he's going to have a terrific career.
9. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-0)
Previous ranking: 13
This week: vs. Penn State (Tuesday)
It has been hard to tell if the Hokies' win over Villanova was an early-season fluke or a sign of things to come, since Tech has played only South Florida and VMI since that victory -- and didn't look overwhelming in the latter. The concerning aspect of the past two games has been Tech's perimeter shooting. After making 21 3-pointers in wins over Radford and Villanova, the Hokies are just 9-for-43 from behind the arc in the past two wins. The return to health of sophomore Jalen Cone, an athletic guard with range, should help. He played against VMI after missing the first three games of the season.
10. Villanova Wildcats (4-1)
Previous ranking: 14
This week: at Georgetown (Friday)
Villanova's offense is a bit grittier than we're used to seeing from Jay Wright's teams. The Wildcats still have an assortment of players who can make shots from the perimeter, but this is a physical, tough offense that doesn't mind bodying up around the rim to finish. Texas didn't have an answer for Justin Moore, who constantly posted up the Longhorns' guards for buckets inside. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is a star up front. Caleb Daniels is 6-4, 210 pounds. Jermaine Samuels was aggressive driving to the rim and finished with 12 rebounds against Texas' athletic big men. And then there's Collin Gillespie, who made winning plays late.
11. Texas Longhorns (4-1)
Previous ranking: Unranked
This week: vs. Texas State (Wednesday), at Baylor (Sunday)
Entering the season, talent and depth were the strengths for the Longhorns. The question was how both would fit together. Could Shaka Smart piece it all together effectively? So far, the answer is yes, despite the loss to Villanova. Matt Coleman III and Courtney Ramey handle the playmaking duties, Andrew Jones provides pop on the wing, Greg Brown and Kai Jones are future NBA players at forward, while Jericho Sims, Brock Cunningham and Royce Hamm are perfect role players in the frontcourt. A trip to Baylor this weekend is a real statement opportunity.
12. Tennessee Volunteers (0-0)
Previous ranking: 10
This week: vs. Colorado (Tuesday), vs. Cincinnati (Saturday)
We finally get to see Tennessee in action this week, as the Volunteers made a last-minute schedule adjustment and added Colorado for Tuesday. The Volunteers have been on pause because of COVID-19. Rick Barnes has plenty of talent on this roster, with five-star freshmen Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer joining four returning starters, as well as transfers Victor Bailey Jr. and E.J. Anosike. With Kentucky struggling, they should be the clear SEC favorite. On paper, at least.
13. Creighton Bluejays (3-0)
Previous ranking: 12
This week: at Kansas (Tuesday), vs. Nebraska (Friday)
It hasn't been the most difficult schedule so far, but Greg McDermott has had eight different players score in double figures in the first three games. Perhaps the most promising sign has been Ryan Kalkbrenner's early production. The 7-foot freshman provides a different interior dimension than Creighton has had in recent years, and he has been a factor. He had 14 points and six rebounds against Kennesaw State, following 10 points against Nebraska Omaha. The Bluejays have gone small up front in recent years, but having some size and shot-blocking ability down low is a boost.
14. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-1)
Previous ranking: 15
This week: at Iowa (Tuesday)
I've been surprised and impressed by freshman guard R.J. Davis. The Tar Heels needed scoring pop on the wing, and Davis has stepped forward and provided that balance. His shooting numbers are a bit quirky right now -- 37.5% inside the arc, 46.2% outside the arc -- but he has been fearless and aggressive through four games. Davis has scored in double figures in all four games. Given Carolina's depth down low, there was some question on how Roy Williams would get perimeter production outside of talented freshman Caleb Love. But Davis might be the most impressive newcomer in Chapel Hill.
15. Duke Blue Devils (2-1)
Previous ranking: 8
This week: vs. Illinois (Tuesday), vs. Charleston Southern (Saturday)
It's clear Mike Krzyzewski hasn't found the right formula just yet, as evidenced by the fact he has started eight different players in the first three games. He went bigger in the win over Bellarmine on Friday, starting 7-foot freshman Mark Williams -- who had seven rebounds and four blocks in just 15 minutes -- and also had 6-9 Jalen Johnson, 6-9 Matthew Hurt and 6-5 Wendell Moore all in the lineup. In the backcourt, freshmen Jeremy Roach and DJ Steward started against Michigan State, but neither player started the other two games, with Jordan Goldwire getting plenty of minutes. It might take some time for everything to work itself out.
16. Richmond Spiders (2-0)
Previous ranking: 16
This week: vs. Wofford (Monday), vs. Northern Iowa (Wednesday), at West Virginia (Sunday)
Richmond's win over Kentucky has lost some of its luster since the Wildcats fell to Kansas and were blown out by Georgia Tech, so the Spiders' three-game stretch this week against Wofford, Northern Iowa and West Virginia provides a chance to prove there are more highlights to come this season. The Spiders have been paused for the past week due to COVID-19.
Dropped out: Wisconsin (No. 5)
In the waiting room
Wisconsin Badgers: The buzzer loss to Marquette sends the Badgers tumbling down the rankings, and now Greg Gard's team needs to bounce back against Louisville this week. Brad Davison has to find his offense soon. After averaging 9.9 points or better his first three seasons in Madison, he has totaled 25 points in four games, shooting 2-for-9 inside the arc.
San Diego State Aztecs: Pepperdine gave San Diego State a fight on Sunday, but the Aztecs won the second half by 19 points to pull out a five-point win. Senior big man Joshua Tomaic had arguably the best game of his college career: 10 points, five rebounds and three steals in 14 minutes off the bench. A trip to Arizona State lurks this week.
Louisville Cardinals: Despite needing to cancel a game against UNCG because of COVID-19 issues, Louisville must have enjoyed its time in a bubble. The Cardinals went 4-0, including a one-point win over Seton Hall and a 21-point blowout victory over a good Western Kentucky team. A trip to Wisconsin awaits in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.