The season just came to an end, but the rankings are still being released. There has been a lot of talk about how college basketball is getting out of hand with players’ salaries skyrocketing and coaches earning more than entire university athletic departments. However, this article looks at whether or not these changes have caused teams like Duke who traditionally have put together strong women’s programs to take on men’s schools in their quest for national glory.,
The “ncaa basketball rankings top 100” is the combined men’s and women’s college basketball rankings. The rankings are updated weekly.
The first month of the 2021-22 collegiate basketball season is almost over, and opinions regarding the greatest teams in both the men’s and women’s games have started to develop.
But, in both men’s and women’s college basketball, which colleges are excelling? In the current edition of ESPN’s combined men’s and women’s rankings, we sought to address that question. The No. 1 criterion was combined place in Monday’s most recent AP polls — a total of 11 colleges appear in the most current men’s and women’s rankings, led by Baylor at No. 2 on the men’s side and No. 5 on the women’s side. In addition to the rankings, schools were evaluated based on their position in the most recent editions of ESPN’s men’s and women’s Bracketology; bracket position was also used as a tiebreaker, when available, to break ties among schools with identical aggregate AP rankings.
In the newest edition of Bracketology for both men’s and women’s college basketball, all 25 institutions featured in the revised men’s and women’s college basketball rankings have teams.
2nd (men), 5th (women) (women)
Men: After winning the national title in April, Baylor’s best three players (MaCio Teague, Davion Mitchell, and Jared Butler) left for the pros, resulting in a 2021-22 stepback season. Scott Drew, on the other hand, had different ideas. The Bears are poised to make another Final Four run thanks to the additions of five-star freshman Kendall Brown and Arizona transfer James Akinjo, as well as the development of LJ Cryer and Matthew Mayer. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women: The Bears’ lone defeat came against then-No. 3 Maryland, although they just had a scare at home against Missouri. Under new coach Nicki Collen, Baylor is focusing more on 3-point shooting, with senior center NaLyssa Smith leading the way as a national player of the year contender. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
11th place (men), 6th place (women) (women)
Men’s: Arizona has been one of the greatest shocks in the first month of the season under first-year head coach Tommy Lloyd. At both sides of the floor, the Wildcats are among the nation’s best, with Christian Koloko and Azuolas Tubelis anchoring the inside and Kerr Kriisa and Bennedict Mathurin providing balance on the perimeter. They stunned the country with a rout of then-No. 4 Michigan in Las Vegas, where they played aggressive defense and out-rebounded the Wolverines in transition. Borzello, Jeff
Women’s: Adia Barnes’ squad has surged to a 7-0 record and a No. 1 seed in the latest Bracketology. The senior returners and transfers that joined the Wildcats all appear to fit in right away. Cate Reese (13.7 PPG) leads a balanced scoring approach that has eight players averaging at least 5.0 PPG. Charlie Creme’s quote
Men’s ranking: 15th, women’s ranking: 3rd *combined seeds: 6
Men: Danny Hurley’s UConn team is ranked in the top 50 on KenPom in both adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency, as he seeks his second straight NCAA tournament trip. Hurley’s first season as head coach of the Huskies (2016-17) saw the team finish outside the top 80 in all categories. In the near future, the squad will have to deal with the loss of Adama Sanogo, the team’s No. 2 scorer with 15.6 points per game, who is expected to miss several weeks due to an abdominal ailment. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
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Women: Paige Bueckers, the Huskies’ standout sophomore guard, will be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks due to a tibial plateau fracture in her left knee. Azzi Fudd, a freshman guard, and Aubrey Griffin, a junior forward, are both out with injuries. As a result, Christyn Williams, Evina Westbrook, and Olivia Nelson-Ododa, UConn’s senior trio, must perform well. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
Men’s 7th place, women’s 11th place *combined seeds: 7
Men: Under first-year head coach Chris Beard, the Longhorns have rolled over six overmatched opponents, including a 12-12 loss to Gonzaga in Spokane. Timmy Allen, a Utah transfer, has emerged as the team’s best scorer in a deep rotation that also includes Courtney Ramey, Tre Mitchell (a UMass transfer), Andrew Jones, Christian Bishop (a Creighton transfer), and Marcus Carr (formerly a star at Minnesota). — Gasaway, John
Women’s: Despite an altered roster and a heavy reliance on youth, the Longhorns have outperformed expectations and are on their way to a top-four NCAA tournament spot. With a 21-point performance in the upset of Stanford, freshman point guard Rori Harmon has emerged as a possible future star. Aliyah Matharu, a Mississippi State transfer, is the team’s best scorer with 16.6 points per game and a 48.8% 3-point shooting percentage. Charlie Creme’s quote
Men’s ranking: 13th, women’s ranking: 9th *combined seeds: 6
Men: Freshman guard Kennedy Chandler was expected to make an immediate impact in Knoxville, and he has, averaging 15.3 points per game to lead the Volunteers. Despite Chandler’s heroics, Tennessee’s defense has been particularly impressive. Aside from an 18-point defeat on a neutral court to Villanova, Rick Barnes’ team has stood out by limiting a number of early-season opponents to under a point per possession. In a nail-biting 57-52 overtime defeat to Texas Tech on Tuesday, the Vols performed admirably defensively. — Gasaway, John
Women: The Lady Vols are 8-0 and back in the Associated Press top 10 for the first time since December 2018, despite the fact that outstanding guard/forward Rae Burrell is sidelined indefinitely after suffering a knee injury in the season opener. When defending champion Stanford returns on Dec. 18, it will be a tough challenge. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
Men’s 3rd place, women’s 19th place *combined seeds: 8
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Men: After defeating Gonzaga in Las Vegas, the Blue Devils ascended to the top of the AP rankings, but their reign was short-lived, as they were defeated by Ohio State less than a week later. Paolo Banchero has established himself as the No. 1 selection in the NBA draft in June, while classmate Trevor Keels has also showed lottery potential. But it’s the contributions of winger Wendell Moore Jr. and center Mark Williams that have helped Duke become a championship contender. Borzello, Jeff
Women: It looked like Kara Lawson was still stitching together her rotations and learning out how talented her squad was until the Blue Devils blew Iowa away in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Shayeann Day-Wilson (13.3 points per game, 22 of 44 3-pointers) is a star-caliber freshman who has built an excellent backcourt combo with Celeste Taylor and Lexi Gordon. Charlie Creme’s quote
Ranks: 10th (men), 14th (women) (women)
Men: Freshman TyTy Washington Jr., owing to a good NIL agreement with a local dealership, drives a Porsche, but he’s also piloting a 7-1 Kentucky team this season that’s balanced with young talent, veterans, and transfers. According to hooplens.com, Kentucky is making 39 percent of its 3-point tries and 54 percent of its shots within the arc with Washington on the court. Kentucky has over half of their second-chance chances thanks to Oscar Tshiebwe (15.4 RPG), the nation’s best rebounder. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women: The Wildcats have a big week ahead of them, with games against DePaul and in-state rival Louisville. Rhyne Howard, who is a national player of the year contender, is averaging 20.6 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
24th place (men), 16th place (women) (women)
Men: The Cougars have already achieved their best AP poll rating (No. 12 the week of November 29) under Mark Pope since the days of Jimmer Fredette 11 years ago. BYU has won early-season games against San Diego State, Oregon, and Utah, and Alex Barcello is hitting jumpers from both sides of the arc. The Cougars have also benefited from one of the lowest opponent 3-point accuracy rates in the country. — Gasaway, John
Women: The 8-0 Cougars are ranked No. 16 in the AP poll, paced by a strong guard combo of Shaylee Gonzales (19.3 points per game, 3.3 assists per game) and Paisley Harding (17.3 PPG, 2.3 APG). The preseason favorite in the West Coast Conference has four victories against Power 5 teams. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
Men’s ranking: 21st, women’s ranking: 20th (women)
Men: E.J. Liddell’s 14 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks in Ohio State’s 71-66 victory against Duke in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge capped off the junior’s bid for All-America honors. His 20.4 PPG is greater than the combined output of the Nos. 2 and 3 scorers (Zed Key and Kyle Young). The Buckeyes’ offensive prowess has been mostly due to their performance from the 3-point line, where they try four out of every ten shots and hit 39 percent of them. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women’s Basketball: The Buckeyes are 6-1 after losing point guard Madison Greene to a season-ending knee injury. Rebeka Mikulasikova, a junior forward, has been a significant part of it. Mikulasikova is up to 14.7 points per game this season after averaging only 4.0 points per game last season. Charlie Creme’s quote
Men’s 25th, women’s 24th (women)
Will Wade has it down to a science now when it comes to reloading. Despite losing first-round selection Cameron Thomas and two other starters from last year’s squad, the Tigers are off to an 8-0 start, with seven victories of 14 points or more. Despite coming off the bench in all eight games, Cincinnati transfer Tari Eason has been one of the SEC’s greatest newcomers. Wade has a youthful squad in his top eight, with six freshmen and sophomores, but they’ll be a force in the SEC. Borzello, Jeff
Women: After losing to a hot-shooting Florida Gulf Coast squad early in the season, the Tigers learned from their mistakes and beat then-No. 14 Iowa State last week, giving new coach Kim Mulkey her first victory against a ranked team with LSU. LSU is rated for the first time since December 2019 at No. 24. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
AP poll: 4th place (men), 8th place (women) (women)
Men: Expect big things from a team that made a surprising run from the First Four to the Final Four as a No. 11 seed in 2021. Last month, the Bruins were upset by Gonzaga by 20 points on neutral ground, but they overcame Villanova in overtime and have won the rest of their games by double digits. As a 6-foot-7 junior, leading scorer and preseason All-American Johnny Juzang has shown his flexibility by becoming one of his team’s finest defensive rebounders. — Gasaway, John
Women: The Bruins were pushed out of the Top 25 after a 1-2 showing at the Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving weekend, raising concerns about their offensive efficiency, depth, and interior defense. With games against UConn (1 p.m. ET Saturday, ABC), Ohio State, and Arizona coming up in the next three weeks, the chance to reverse that trend and reclaim a top-four NCAA tournament spot is swiftly approaching. Charlie Creme’s quote
6-seed in the AP poll (men); 13th in the AP poll (women) (women)
Men: The Wolverines began the season as the No. 6 team in the Associated Press Top-25 preseason poll and the preseason Big Ten favorites. For a team that had Hunter Dickinson back and added five-star prospect Caleb Houstan, that status made logical. However, after losing its three hardest games so far, a Michigan team that is shooting 35.4 percent from 3-point range, down from 38 percent a year ago, hasn’t found the magic yet (Seton Hall, North Carolina and Arizona). Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women’s: The 8-1 Wolverines lost 70-48 to Louisville in their toughest test yet. On Dec. 19, they play Baylor in another big nonconference game. The combo of forwards Naz Hillmon (20.1 PPG) and Emily Kiser (10.2), as well as large guard Leigha Brown (12.3), is difficult to stop. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
8th seed (men), 12th in the AP poll (women)
Men: Iowa opened the season 7-0 after defeating Virginia in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on the road, but the Hawkeyes have since lost two in a row, first at Purdue and then at home against Illinois. Despite the losses, Iowa is still in a stronger position than most predicted after losing Wooden Award winner Luka Garza. Keegan Murray, a sophomore forward, has been one of the most surprising players in the country, improving from 7.2 points and 5.1 rebounds last season to 23.9 points and 8.0 rebounds this season. Borzello, Jeff
Women: A COVID-19-related hiatus and an unexpectedly bad performance against Duke were setbacks, but Caitlin Clark just produced her second triple-double of the season, and Iowa is still the country’s seventh-highest scoring team (84.2 PPG). Charlie Creme’s quote
9th seed (men), 10th in the AP poll (women)
Men: Mike Woodson was appointed as Indiana’s head coach in March, four decades after playing for Bob Knight at Indiana. His goal is to bring the sparkle back to a school that hasn’t made an NCAA tournament appearance since 2016. The Hoosiers are one win away from an unbeaten season after a double-OT loss to Syracuse. Trayce Jackson-Davis has been absolutely outstanding. — Gasaway, John
Women’s: Prior to defeats to Stanford and NC State, the Hoosiers earned a program-high No. 4 ranking. Their greatest nonconference victory came against Kentucky, and they’ll be hoping for a solid showing in the Big Ten. Indiana is headed by forward Mackenzie Holmes, who leads a starting five that all average double figures in scoring (16.5 PPG). Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
AP poll: 5th place (men), 11th place (women) (women)
Men: Gonzaga was humiliated in a defeat to Duke in Las Vegas, followed by another loss to Alabama little over a week later, after opening the season as the No. 1 team in the AP poll with victories over Texas and UCLA. Chet Holmgren, the predicted No. 1 choice in the NBA draft, and Drew Timme, a national player of the year contender, are both available to Mark Few in the post. Gonzaga is a superior offensive team when the two studs are on the floor together, but the club’s defensive prowess suffers as well, which is a conundrum Few will continue to work through with this talented group in the weeks ahead. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women: The Zags are led by a pair of twins once again. Jenn and LeeAnne Wirth have gone on, but seniors Kayleigh Truong and Kaylynne Truong are leading scorers for a Gonzaga team that is an underdog in the WCC and attempting to catch undefeated BYU. Charlie Creme’s quote
Men’s seeded 11th in the AP poll; women’s seeded 7th (women)
Men: The Cardinals have had an erratic start to the season, with a home defeat to Furman in the second game and a loss at Michigan State that was only marginally competitive until the last 15 minutes. They did, however, defeat Mississippi State, Maryland, and NC State all on the road. They were without head coach Chris Mack for the first six games of the season, but assistant Mike Pegues stepped in and guided them to a 5-1 start. Borzello, Jeff
Women’s: The Cardinals lost their season opener against Arizona in overtime, but they’ve gone 7-0 since then, going into an in-state matchup with Kentucky on Sunday. A week later, they’ll play UConn, which will be drastically different without Paige Bueckers. Coach Jeff Walz is looking for his second win over the Huskies in his tenure. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
Men are ranked 12th in the AP poll, while women are ranked 10th (women)
Men: One of the few remaining undefeated teams in the country, Arkansas had “excellent” wins against Cincinnati and Kansas State and has won all of its other games by at least 13 points. JD Notae has scored in double digits in each game, while Jaylin Williams, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, leads the defense. The Razorbacks dominate on defense by restricting opponents to one shot, as was the case with head coach Eric Musselman’s finest teams at Nevada. — Gasaway, John
Women: Despite a sluggish start from veteran point guard and elite 3-point shooter Amber Ramirez, the Razorbacks are still 7-2. By the start of SEC play, they should be 11-2, with two key games ahead of them: at Ole Miss and at home versus Tennessee. Charlie Creme’s quote
8-seed (men), 5-seed (women) (women)
Men: Mike Young’s team is going through a hard patch right now, having lost three of their past four games. Things aren’t going to get any better with a game against St. Bonaventure on the horizon, as well as matchups against Duke and North Carolina in the ACC’s opening two weeks. The good news for Keve Aluma (14.2 points per game, 6.6 rebounds per game, and 1.0 block per game) and company is that the shots are dropping (39 percent from the 3-point line). Now all the squad needs is a few more stops to make it count. — Medcalf, Myron
Women’s: The Hokies began the season 7-1, but have struggled lately, losing 64-58 to Tennessee on Sunday and 59-40 to Liberty on Tuesday, when they shot just 28% from the field. Aisha Sheppard, a senior guard, is a bright light for the team, leading the ACC in 3-pointers per game (3.6). Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
8-seed (men), 6-seed (women) (women)
Men: We typically expect Leonard Hamilton to work things out before the end of the season, but the Seminoles have had a difficult start. In their second game of the season, they were blasted out by Florida, then fell by 28 points to Purdue before falling to Syracuse in Tallahassee. They had to replace a number of important players from last year’s squad, including top-five selection Scottie Barnes, and newcomers Caleb Mills and Matthew Cleveland have been the entering class’s bright spots. Borzello, Jeff
Women: The Seminoles have rebounded from two defeats at the St. Pete Showcase over Thanksgiving, but they have yet to defeat a NET top-150 club. Morgan Jones (14.8 PPG) has been a bright light for the Seminoles, who has almost quadrupled her career scoring average and is the only Seminole averaging in double digits. In the ACC race, a home game versus Virginia Tech on Dec. 19 is one to watch. Charlie Creme’s quote
11th seed (men), 8th seed (women) (women)
Men: If there is such a thing as a “breakout fifth-year senior season,” Taz Sherman is having one. Sherman, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility owing to the coronavirus, has emerged as one of the nation’s top scorers, averaging 21 points per game. His contributions have boosted the Mountaineers to a 7-1 start, which includes victories against major-conference opponents Clemson and Pitt. — Gasaway, John
Women’s: The Mountaineers rebounded from consecutive losses to BYU and Kentucky with a 65-54 triumph against Charlotte on Tuesday. KK Deans, a junior guard, is leading the pace with 16.4 points per game. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
10-seed (men), 9-seed (women) (women)
Men: Tanner Groves and Jacob Groves made headlines last season when the siblings combined to score 78 points for Eastern Washington in a 93-84 NCAA tournament defeat to Kansas. Tanner Groves is presently Oklahoma’s best scorer (14.9 points per game), while Jacob Groves is a reserve who has played 13 minutes per game. Despite a heartbreaking overtime defeat to Butler on Tuesday, Porter Moser hopes to construct an NCAA tournament squad on the backs of transfers in his first year at the helm. Myron Medcalf is a writer who lives in the United States.
Women’s: The Oklahoma Sooners are the best scoring team in the nation, averaging 88.7 points per game. Their single defeat came against Oregon. With a 94-58 triumph over Eastern Michigan on Tuesday, new coach Jennie Baranczyk earned her 200th career victory. Oklahoma could get into the AP rankings with a victory against BYU on Friday. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
9th seed (men), 10th seed (women) (women)
Men: Hubert Davis has had an immediate impact on the Tar Heels, attempting to modernize the offense with skillful big men and more ball-screens rather than relying on two low-post players for the most of the season. It caused some early defensive growing pains, but they seem to have sorted it out: Carolina’s previous three opponents, UNC Asheville, Michigan, and Georgia Tech, all scored less than 0.94 points per possession. — Borzello, Jeff
Women’s: The Tar Heels have the best margin of victory in the country (plus-33.2 PPG) and are ranked No. 2 in the initial NET rankings, which were released earlier this week. They have yet to face a Top 25 opponent, but their schedule is among the best in the country. The defense, which has allowed just 48.6 points per game, has been the most surprise aspect of the season. Charlie Creme’s quote
10-seed (men), 12-seed (women) (women)
Men: The Rams are on the verge of being rated in the Associated Press top 25 for the first time in seven years, with a 9-0 record. CSU has started the season with arguably of the most precise shooting in the country, with point guard Isaiah Stevens feeding leading scorer David Roddy a constant supply of assists. Coach Niko Medved is in his fourth year at Fort Collins, and Colorado State has steadily progressed each year. — Gasaway, John
Women: The Rams were expected to finish fourth in the Mountain West in the preseason, but they have won six of their first seven games because to a disciplined offensive strategy, solid defense, and balanced scoring. Even in their lone defeat, Colorado State matched Louisville for the last three quarters. Charlie Creme’s quote
16-seed (men), 16-seed (women) (women)
Men: The Seahawks have only played four games this season due to positive coronavirus test results, but Bashir Mason’s club has already made an impression. Wagner earned a real road victory at VCU, and despite playing shorthanded for the opening 20 minutes on Seton Hall’s home turf, kept things respectable. Alex Morales, the reigning NEC Player of the Year, has been outstanding in the early going. — Gasaway, John
Women’s: The Seahawks, who were expected to finish second in the Northeast Conference preseason poll behind Mount St. Mary’s, are off to a 6-1 start in Terrell Coburn’s first season as head coach. Wagner is aiming for its first NCAA or WNIT berth after reaching the NEC tournament final last season. Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle Voepel Mechelle
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The “ncaa women’s basketball rankings top 100” is a list of the top 100 teams in college basketball. The ranking is based on data from the NCAA.
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