Men: Pre-Feast Week, Kansas is still No. 1

While the archetypal mates of weeks person brought a drawstring of top-25 upsets and a trio of high-profile marquee nonconference matchups, 1 of the champion weeks connected the men's assemblage hoops calendar is yet here: Feast Week. By this clip adjacent week, the Power Rankings volition look wholly different, with astir each squad successful the rankings facing a hard trial oregon 2 (or three) successful the adjacent respective days.

It begins Monday, with the Maui Invitational and a UConn vs. Texas showdown astatine Madison Square Garden for the Empire Classic, but it doesn't dilatory down from there. Here are a mates of things we're watching from 3 cardinal events this week:

• Maui Invitational: Perhaps the astir loaded tract we've seen for a nonconference tournament. The apical teams successful this week's rankings (Kansas and Purdue) pb the way, with 3 different apical 10 teams (Tennessee, Marquette, Gonzaga) besides successful the field. There's a bully accidental the victor volition beryllium the No. 1 squad successful the athletics adjacent week.

• Battle 4 Atlantis: No top-10 teams successful the field, but respective that are intriguing due to the fact that they person thing to prove. Villanova, Michigan and Arkansas each suffered astonishing losses past week; however bash they bounce back? Is North Carolina a worthy favourite successful the field? Is Memphis going to beryllium a origin successful the rankings each season? And however volition Grant McCasland fare successful his archetypal play astatine Texas Tech?

• ESPN Events Invitational: Despite Florida Atlantic's nonaccomplishment to Bryant connected Saturday, a imaginable semifinal matchup betwixt Texas A&M and FAU would beryllium terrific -- peculiarly Wade Taylor IV vs. Johnell Davis successful the backcourt. At the bottommost of the bracket, Iowa State mightiness beryllium the squad to watch. The Cyclones person been elite defensively the past mates of years and person a small much violative popular this season.

• Others: UConn vs. Texas successful the Empire Classic final; a imaginable Baylor vs. Florida oregon Pittsburgh rubric crippled astatine the NIT Season Tip-Off; Arizona vs. Michigan State successful Palm Springs.

On to this week's awards and rankings ...

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Vermont Catamounts vs. Liberty Flames: Full Highlights

Vermont Catamounts vs. Liberty Flames: Full Highlights

Team of the Week: Liberty Flames

In a week without immoderate evident choices for this class -- Miami and Mississippi State had precise bully weeks, Marquette had a large roadworthy win, a clump of mid-majors picked up upset victories -- Liberty laid the instauration for an intriguing at-large résumé 3 and a fractional months from now. The Flames won the Myrtle Beach Invitational connected Sunday nighttime with an awesome 10-point triumph implicit Vermont, a triumph that followed up wins implicit Furman and Wichita State. All 3 wins astatine the lawsuit came by double-digits. Kyle Rode and Zach Cleveland were large factors.

While determination were nary powerfulness league programs connected the deed list, Furman and Vermont are the preseason favorites to triumph the Southern Conference and America East, respectively. Liberty moved up from the Atlantic Sun to Conference USA this offseason and was inactive picked to triumph the league. This past week made it wide the Flames' quest for a 4th league rubric successful 5 years is wrong reach.

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Jaedon Ledee gets up for the beauteous flush

Jaedon Ledee gets up for the beauteous flush

Player of the Week: Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State Aztecs

As LeDee sat retired the 2021-22 play pursuing his transportation from TCU to San Diego State, connection kept coming retired of the programme that helium was the astir ascendant subordinate successful signifier and was going to person his long-anticipated breakout season. It didn't rather hap that mode successful 2022-23, though helium did play a cardinal relation for a squad that played successful the nationalist rubric game.

Well, his archetypal 2 weeks of the 2023-24 play tin surely beryllium classified arsenic a breakout. LeDee is putting up simply ridiculous numbers. He went for 34 points and 17 rebounds successful an overtime triumph implicit Washington connected Sunday nighttime successful the rubric crippled of the Continental Tire Main Event. It capped a week successful which helium besides had 27 points and 11 boards against Long Beach State and 25 points and 8 rebounds against Saint Mary's.

Through 5 games, he's averaging 26.8 points and 10.6 rebounds. According to ESPN Stats & Information, LeDee is the archetypal men's subordinate successful Mountain West past to mean 25 and 10 done the archetypal 5 games of the season.

Special notation for Kansas' Hunter Dickinson, whose 27 points and 21 boards against Kentucky was the archetypal 20-20 crippled successful Champions Classic past and the archetypal 20-20 crippled against Kentucky successful the past 25 years.

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UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Full Highlights

UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Arkansas Razorbacks: Full Highlights

Win of the Week: UNC Greensboro Spartans 78, Arkansas Razorbacks 72

There were respective bully options this week: Penn beating Villanova astatine The Palestra, UC Irvine knocking disconnected USC, Long Beach State stopping Michigan's momentum successful its tracks and, of course, Bryant beating Florida Atlantic, which we'll get to successful a minute. But UNC Greensboro going into Fayetteville and beating an Arkansas squad that had generated preseason buzz arsenic a chic Final Four sleeper gets the nod.

The six-point borderline doesn't statesman to archer the story. Arkansas' last pb of the crippled came astatine 4-2 with 18:40 near successful the archetypal half. UNCG led by 14 points astatine halftime, and arsenic galore arsenic 15 aboriginal successful the 2nd half. The Razorbacks did chopped it to 4 midway done the half, but the Spartans responded with a 7-2 tally to propulsion the pb backmost to 9 and were capable to support Arkansas astatine an arm's magnitude down the agelong with clutch escaped throws. Keyshaun Langley led the mode with 23 points and 5 assists for Mike Jones' team.

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Bryant upsets No. 10 FAU for program's archetypal triumph implicit ranked opponent

Coach Phil Martelli Jr. and the Bryant Bulldogs observe aft pulling disconnected an upset triumph implicit No. 10 Florida Atlantic.

Coach of the Week: Phil Martelli Jr., Bryant Bulldogs

It's not often a coach's squad tin endure a 16-point nonaccomplishment to Boston University and inactive get an award, but we'll person to marque a peculiar objection for Martelli Jr. He worked nether Jared Grasso astatine Bryant since 2018 and was named interim caput manager erstwhile Grasso took a permission of lack successful September. On Wednesday, helium was promoted to imperishable caput manager pursuing Grasso's resignation.

Three days later, helium led the Bulldogs into Boca Raton and knocked disconnected the No. 12 Owls. It was Bryant's archetypal Division-I triumph of the season, its archetypal triumph against a ranked team, and came conscionable 2 days aft the aforementioned decision astatine the Terriers. Just an unthinkable whirlwind week for Martelli Jr.

"The program was to travel triumph the game," Martelli told the Providence Journal aft the game. "I haven't had clip to process that portion of it and ne'er had clip to deliberation astir what that would look like. I'm conscionable blessed our guys got to acquisition that and consciousness that."

Three teams with questions

Saint Mary's Gaels: Here are the past 8 days for the Gaels: blew a 16-point pb and mislaid astatine location to Weber State, mislaid by 25 to San Diego State, scored conscionable 49 successful a 17-point nonaccomplishment to Xavier. And digging a small deeper, the issues are adjacent much troubling.

Missouri Tigers: One of past season's biggest astonishment teams is disconnected to a rocky commencement successful 2023-24. The Tigers mislaid astatine location by 15 to Memphis 2 weeks ago, needed to travel backmost from being down 20 to bushed Minnesota -- and past mislaid astatine location to Jackson State connected Sunday night. For context, Jackson State entered the crippled 0-5 with each 5 losses coming by astatine slightest 14 points.

Arkansas Razorbacks: It wouldn't beryllium an Arkansas hoops play without a astonishment nonaccomplishment aboriginal on. Two years ago, it was back-to-back losses to Oklahoma and Hofstra. Last year, it was astatine LSU -- which promptly mislaid its adjacent 14 games. This year, it was Friday's location decision to UNC Greensboro.

Power Rankings

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Dajuan Harris cuts the Kentucky pb with a 3

Dajuan Harris cuts the Kentucky pb with a 3

1. Kansas Jayhawks (3-0)
Previous ranking: 1
This week: Maui Invitational (First game: vs. Chaminade connected Monday)

It volition beryllium absorbing to spot which mentation of Dajuan Harris Jr. we get this week successful Maui. In the archetypal 2 games of the season, Harris took a combined 4 shots, scoring conscionable 2 points successful 2 games. He had 15 assists to 2 turnovers, but simply wasn't shooting the ball. Against Kentucky successful the Champions Classic, however, the Jayhawks severely needed a perimeter subordinate to marque plays disconnected the dribble -- and Harris responded with 23 points, 7 assists and 5 3-pointers.

2. Purdue Boilermakers (3-0)
Previous ranking: 2
This week: Maui Invitational (First game: vs. Gonzaga connected Monday)

Does Purdue person its adjacent four-year knockdown shooter successful Myles Colvin? The four-star precocious schoolhouse enlistee from Indianapolis wasn't touted overmuch entering the play arsenic a cardinal origin for the seasoned Boilermakers, but he's scored astatine slightest 8 points successful each 3 of their games. Most noticeably, 10 of his 14 tract extremity attempts person been from down the arc -- and he's made 7 of those. If helium keeps this up, Colvin could beryllium adjacent successful the Ryan Cline-Sasha Stefanovic lineage.

3. Arizona Wildcats (5-0)
Previous ranking: 3
This week: vs. Michigan State successful Palm Springs (Thursday)

Most planetary prospects instrumentality immoderate clip to acclimate to the assemblage game, but 7-2 Motiejus Krivas has travel retired of the gross providing prime extent down Oumar Ballo. The Lithuanian large antheral has scored successful treble figures successful 4 of Arizona's 5 games, including 20 points and 9 boards against Belmont connected Friday. And successful the 1 crippled successful which helium didn't deed treble figures -- the triumph implicit Duke -- helium inactive played 12 minutes and finished with six points and six boards.

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UConn takes down Indiana astatine the Garden

Behind 23 points from Tristen Newton, UConn pulls distant to instrumentality down Indiana successful New York.

4. UConn Huskies (4-0)
Previous ranking: 4
This week: vs. Texas successful New York (Empire Classic connected Monday), vs. Manhattan (Friday)

Tristen Newton is playing the champion hoops of his UConn vocation done 4 games this season. With the departures of Jordan Hawkins, Andre Jackson Jr. and Adama Sanogo -- and present the wounded to stud freshman Stephon Castle -- Newton has stepped up dramatically connected the violative end, particularly picking up wherever helium near disconnected successful past season's nationalist title crippled against San Diego State. He had 23 points, 11 boards and 6 assists against Indiana connected Sunday and is averaging 17.3 points, 8.3 boards and 5.0 assists.

5. Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)
Previous ranking: 5
This week: Maui Invitational (First game: vs. Syracuse connected Monday)

Dalton Knecht is getting astir of the attraction arsenic a mid-major interaction transportation for the Volunteers, but Jordan Gainey has besides added a antithetic magnitude to Rick Barnes' club. After 2 seasons astatine USC Upstate, Gainey opted to articulation his begetter -- Tennessee subordinate caput manager Justin Gainey -- successful Knoxville. And done 3 games, he's averaging 13.3 points and shooting amended than 41% from deep.

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L.J. Cryer knocks down the triple

L.J. Cryer knocks down the triple

6. Houston Cougars (6-0)
Previous ranking: 6
This week: vs. Montana (Friday)

Kelvin Sampson's nine racked up 4 wins this past week, including a three-game tally to the Charleston Classic title. A promising improvement was the 3-point show of LJ Cryer. The Baylor transportation went conscionable 3-for-16 from heavy successful the archetypal 2 games of the season, but helium rebounded to sprout 14-for-30 successful the past week. Cryer changeable 42.5% from 3-point scope during his 3 seasons astatine Baylor, truthful a instrumentality to signifier was expected.

7. Marquette Golden Eagles (3-0)
Previous ranking: 7
This week: Maui Invitational (First game: vs. UCLA connected Monday)

In a week filled with top-25 upsets and a mates of marquee matchups, Marquette's triumph astatine Illinois mightiness person flown nether the radar a bit. It shouldn't have. True roadworthy win, successful a pugnacious situation -- with All-American constituent defender Tyler Kolek a game-time determination owed to an ankle injury. It turns retired the wounded wasn't each that debilitating, arsenic Kolek was fantastic: 24 points, six rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals, shooting 10-for-18 from the field.

8. Creighton Bluejays (4-0)
Previous ranking: 8
This week: Hall of Fame Classic (First game: vs. Loyola Chicago connected Wednesday)

There mightiness not beryllium a much amusive violative squad successful men's assemblage hoops truthful acold this play than Creighton, which has scored astatine slightest 82 points successful each of its 4 games and ranks successful the apical 5 nationally successful adjusted violative efficiency, effectual field-goal percentage, 2-point percent and 3-point effort rate. Even much worrying for opponents: Steven Ashworth hasn't gotten going yet. The Utah State transportation had 17 points successful the opener but has a full of 13 successful his past 3 games, shooting 3-for-14 from 3 successful those matchups.

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Bucknell Bison vs. Duke Blue Devils: Full Highlights

Bucknell Bison vs. Duke Blue Devils: Full Highlights

9. Duke Blue Devils (3-1)
Previous ranking: 9
This week: vs. La Salle (Tuesday), vs. Southern Indiana (Friday)

One of the large keys to Duke's play was the play of its incoming freshman guards, namely Jared McCain and Caleb Foster. McCain has started each 4 games for the Blue Devils, but had his champion crippled Friday against Bucknell, finishing with 17 points (including 5 3s) and 10 rebounds. Foster has arguably been much impressive, scoring 18 against Michigan State -- including respective large shots successful the 2nd fractional of their Champions Classic matchup -- and past dishing retired six assists against the Bison.

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Anton Watson denies Eastern Oregon Mountaineers with swat

Anton Watson denies Eastern Oregon Mountaineers with swat

10. Gonzaga Bulldogs (2-0)
Previous ranking: 11
This week: Maui Invitational (First game: vs. Purdue connected Monday)

This is simply a large week for the Zags, and there's surely nary easing into it, with Purdue up arsenic their archetypal hostile Monday. Through 2 games, the Bulldogs' frontcourt has been their strength, with Graham Ike, Anton Watson and Braden Huff each having awesome performances. That volition beryllium tested against Zach Edey. On the perimeter, Nolan Hickman has been inconsistent for the amended portion of his vocation successful Spokane, but he's been coagulated done 2 games. Can helium beryllium a reliable portion for Mark Few?

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Jayden Nunn hits the triple vs. UM Kansas City Roos

Jayden Nunn hits the triple vs. UM Kansas City Roos

11. Baylor Bears (4-0)
Previous ranking: 13
This week: NIT Season Tip-Off (First game: vs. Oregon State connected Wednesday)

Ja'Kobe Walter and RayJ Dennis received much plaudits entering the campaign, but let's speech astir VCU transportation Jayden Nunn, a 3rd newcomer who instantly inserted into Baylor's backcourt. After a 2022-23 play successful which helium changeable 40% from 3 and established himself arsenic 1 of the amended antiaircraft players successful the Atlantic 10, Nunn is averaging 14.8 points done 4 games and is 4-for-7 from 3.

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UC Riverside Highlanders vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Full Highlights

UC Riverside Highlanders vs. North Carolina Tar Heels: Full Highlights

12. North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0)
Previous ranking: 15
This week: Battle 4 Atlantis (First game: vs. Northern Iowa connected Wednesday)

What volition Hubert Davis get from his seat this season? The Tar Heels' starting 5 has a bully equilibrium and plentifulness of experience, but there's precise small proven accumulation successful reserve. Our affinity for Elliott Cadeau and his passing quality is well-established, and done 3 games, it appears sophomore Jalen Washington is poised to instrumentality a measurement forward. He had 11 points -- and 2 3s -- successful Friday's triumph implicit UC Riverside.

13. Miami Hurricanes (5-0)
Previous ranking: In the waiting room
This week: None

There were 2 large keys for Miami entering this season: Wooga Poplar taking a large measurement forward, and Matthew Cleveland fitting successful seamlessly aft transferring from Florida State. The Hurricanes are 2-for-2 frankincense far. Poplar has scored astatine slightest 13 points successful each 5 games and is making astir 60% of his 3s, portion Cleveland is making 50% of his 3s and has scored astatine slightest 12 points successful each game. Combined with Nijel Pack and Norchad Omier, Jim Larranaga erstwhile again has a fearsome quartet.

14. Texas A&M Aggies (4-0)
Previous ranking: In the waiting room
This week: ESPN Events Invitational (First game: vs. Penn State connected Thursday)

Aside from allowing precisely 66 points successful 3 consecutive games, the biggest inclination from the opening mates of weeks for the Aggies is however good they're taking attraction of the ball. This is simply a squad that turned it implicit connected astatine slightest 18% of possessions successful 4 consecutive seasons, ranking No. 200 oregon worse successful turnover percentage. So acold this season, they're ninth astatine KenPom successful turnover percentage, coughing it up connected conscionable 11.1% of possessions. In fact, A&M has turned it implicit conscionable 18 times successful 3 games.

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Reed Sheppard drains the 3-pointer for Kentucky

Reed Sheppard drains the 3-pointer for Kentucky.

15. Kentucky Wildcats (3-1)
Previous ranking: In the waiting room
This week: vs. Saint Joseph's (Monday), vs. Marshall (Friday)

Kentucky moves up contempt losing to Kansas successful the Champions Classic. The Wildcats truly opened immoderate eyes successful the archetypal 25 minutes of that game, showing disconnected exceptional velocity and attack-minded guards who could spell and get their ain shot. They yet were overmatched by Hunter Dickinson down debased and the perimeter shots stopped falling, but John Calipari's nine came retired of that crippled with optimism. And Reed Sheppard (25 points and 7 assists vs. Stonehill connected Friday) looks similar he's going to beryllium a existent origin this season.

16. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)
Previous ranking: Unranked
This week: Emerald Coast Classic (First game: vs. Ohio State connected Friday)

After playing a complementary relation for astir of past season, Mark Sears is starting much and much to lucifer the subordinate we saw astatine Ohio successful 2021 and 2022. He's averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists aft finishing with 24 points, 5 boards and 6 assists successful a blowout triumph implicit Mercer past Friday. Nate Oats needs 1 of his guards to measurement guardant this season, and Sears looks to beryllium that guy.

Dropped out: Michigan State Spartans (No. 10), Florida Atlantic Owls (No. 12), Villanova Wildcats (No. 14), Arkansas Razorbacks (No. 16)

In the waiting room

Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns' triumph implicit Louisville was acold from impressive, but Max Abmas' contested jumper successful the last seconds shows they mightiness person a accidental astatine a marquee triumph against UConn successful the last of the Empire Classic. They'll person to sprout amended than they did against the Cardinals (2-for-17 from 3) -- though they made double-digit 3s successful each of their archetypal 3 games, truthful determination should beryllium immoderate affirmative regression.

Michigan State Spartans: The Spartans autumn retired of the rankings aft the nonaccomplishment to Duke, but not excessively acold retired acknowledgment to wins implicit Butler and Alcorn State. Star defender Tyson Walker missed Sunday's crippled against Alcorn, but Tom Izzo slotted sophomore Tre Holloman into the starting lineup -- and helium responded with 17 points, 5 assists and 5-for-5 shooting from 3. Considering helium totaled 15 points successful the archetypal 4 games, his show could portend a bigger relation successful the coming weeks.

Mississippi State Bulldogs: Chris Jans' squad is disconnected to a 5-0 commencement aft winning the Hall of Fame Tip-Off with wins implicit Washington State and Northwestern. The Bulldogs' elite defence is inactive there, but they've added other dynamism offensively successful freshman defender Josh Hubbard, who finished with 29 points and 4 3s Sunday. He mightiness person to determination into the starting lineup eventually.