RADIO
It's been quite a rough start to 2025. The CFB and NFL playoffs have featured one too many blowouts, CA is tragically still on fire, and the seasonal flu is running rampant across the country. College basketball has always been a little escape for me, something to help ease my mind of life's stressors, and if you are in a fortunate enough position to enjoy such a thing at this moment, don't hesitate to do so! Everyone needs a little break sometimes!
Those of you who are here didn't come to hear me lament about the state of the country or other sports or talk about why I watch this beautiful sport. You came for college basketball takes, so college basketball takes you shall get. Let's get down to business.
It's time for the next article of a year-long series: Overrated and Underrated College Basketball Teams, after the release of the weekly Associated Press Poll. All rankings listed are based on the Week 11 AP Poll released Monday.
Overrated College Basketball Teams For Week 11
Georgia Bulldogs: Unranked to No. 23
I want to give some props to the Bulldogs before I say anything negative. Even with a pretty soft non-con, they have played really well for the most part and have earned a spot in the AP poll for the first time since 2011 after taking down No. 6 Kentucky and No. 17 Oklahoma at home.
If you haven't heard the name Asa Newell, now is the time to get hip. He's a stud 6-11 freshman from Montverde Academy in Florida who could challenge Derik Queen from Maryland for best freshman post in the country. Newell has been the anchor of this upstart team, but the Bulldogs also have a quintet of 6-5 guards on the perimeter that combine to put up almost 54 points per game.
With only about three upperclassmen in their eight-man rotation, they are a relatively young squad, but one that plays extremely tough defense - 11th nationally in effective field goal percentage defense - and crashes the offensive boards (1oth in offensive rebound percentage). The troubles are on their offensive execution and pace, which is squarely in the latter half of the conference.
The turnovers are a major problem as well, and with the disruptors you have in the SEC conference, Georgia is going to lose some games this way. Like UConn, this team also fouls way too much, and that combination of turnovers and a high foul rate is not a great recipe for late-game success. There are still about eight or nine teams in this league I'd bet to finish higher than the Bulldogs.
Georgia basketball finally has a great atmosphere pic.twitter.com/EhhBk5AMIc
— Cole Adams (@coleadamss) January 12, 2025
UConn Huskies: No. 9 to No. 14
I've gone back and forth on the Huskies all season, and I think I have finally decided that I am more on the fade side. Given their talent level, This team may be the most frustrating in college basketball. Their lack of defensive discipline from a Dan Hurley-led squad is nothing short of alarming.
The Huskies currently sit at No. 112 in adjusted defensive efficiency, which is actually a huge improvement from a week ago when they were over 130th. They don't have Donovan Clingan manning the paint which was a massive loss from a rim protection standpoint, but Samson Johnson is no slouch on that end.
The main problem is that this team couldn't keep your grandmother in front of them, and they foul at one of the highest rates in the country as a result. Not only this, but they also have a bottom-10 three-point defense in the country as well. Fouling every other possession and an inability to defend the three-point line means their communication and defensive switching are non-existent.
The bright side is this team can still beat anyone with their offense (fifth nationally). Dan Hurley and his genius staff still run some of the most intricate sets in the sport and have immense talent on that end of the floor.
I have no idea how this team is going to fair in the tournament, but I do know that this team is definitely not going to pull of the three-peat. I started to buy back in when they took down Baylor, Texas, and Gonzaga in a 10-day span, but I am now officially out on the Huskies as a contender.
Alex Karaban missed BOTH free throws with a chance to win the game... 😳🤯pic.twitter.com/1RHmovR38k
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) January 9, 2025
Underrated College Basketball Teams For Week 11
Arizona Wildcats: Unranked (Fourth in 'Others Receiving Votes')
After overachieving in each of his first three seasons, it appears that Tommy Lloyd's fortunes may have swung back the other way this year. The Wildcats have taken a preseason No. 10 ranking to a 10-5 record through the first half of this season that has featured three ranked losses, including a 103-88 loss to Wisconsin.
It hasn't been pretty for the former Gonzaga assistant, but I am still a believer in this squad figuring it out and competing in the Big 12. They still have Caleb Love, and while I'm not 100% sure that is a good thing at this point, he still won Pac-12 Player of the Year last season and is one of the best offensive talents in the conference.
Love is still the exact same player we've seen for the past four seasons. He is a high-level playmaker but inefficient because of his shot difficulty. I'm not sure Lloyd knew he was signing up for two years of Love back when he signed him as one of the highest sought-after portals two years ago, but alas. If you're Lloyd, you'd rather have him than not.
The thing I like the most about the Arizona team - and Lloyd's coaching in general - is that they are so balanced on both ends of the floor. That's why they've been able to rack up just shy of 30 wins per season since he became head coach back in 2021.
Since he's taken over, the Wildcats haven't been outside the top 20 in offensive efficiency and have only been outside the top 35 in defense one time (No. 39 in 2022-23). This year is no exception, as they are top-25 in both metrics.
After falling to UCLA at home to put them at 4-5 on the year, Arizona has ripped off six straight wins to get their season back on track, which included victories over No. 16 Cincinnati, and No. 21 West Virginia. This is a top-25 team, and I believe they will prove it starting tonight vs. No. 25 Baylor.
POSTER PICK & ROLL
🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/8y5OleApyx— Arizona Basketball (@ArizonaMBB) January 12, 2025
Louisville Cardinals: Unranked (Fifth in 'Others Receiving Votes')
As much as I want to put St. John's or Michigan back on this list, I need to show some love to Pat Kelsey and the boys down in Louisville. This talented group of transfers has really started to gel of late, with a 5-1 start to ACC play after taking down the likes of UNC, Pitt, and Clemson, all KenPom top-30 squads.
I was waving the Kelsey flag back in when they hired him in May, but I didn't know the program revitalization would be THIS quick. The Cards are still unranked, so I don't want to get too carried away here, but they've been a nice surprise team that should finish in that second tier of the ACC and maybe even compete for the No. 2 spot behind Duke.
Louisville is sort of a poor man's Arizona. It's a tough and balanced team that rebounds the ball well but can't shoot the three (both outside the top 250 in a three-point percentage).
The only difference is that Arizona knows they can't shoot very well - 34.4% of their shots, No. 292 in the country, whereas the Cardinals are still a bit delusional - 51.1%, FIFTH in the country. Kelsey loves the three - his Charleston teams always made their money behind the arc - but they need to wake up and smell the roses.
Early signs are great for Kelsey, and this resurgent program and an NCAA bid are firmly in their grasp. It would not shock me one bit if they messed around and won a few games in the Big Dance, either.
Be great at the next thing#GoCards pic.twitter.com/hwDRt0mFu6
— Louisville Men's Basketball (@LouisvilleMBB) January 13, 2025
