NCAAB Power Rankings: Can anyone dethrone Gonzaga?

It’s a new year and a new decade, but the Gonzaga Bulldogs continue to be one of the top teams in the nation. They are joined at the top by some other familiar faces, while a few other programs try to kick off the new year by crashing the party. Let’s jump right into our Power Rankings as conference play swings into full gear!

1. Gonzaga (15-1)

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, and that’s the motto the Bulldogs continue to adhere to. They crushed two more overpowered teams—Detroit Mercy and Portland—and Filip Petrusev continued to be a dominant force in the frontcourt. The sophomore scored 33 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the two contests.

I see nothing slowing this team down until tournament time.

This week: Pepperdine

2. Kansas (10-2)

The Jayhawks rolled into Palo Alto and blew out Stanford, thanks in large part to Isaiah Moss' 17 points off the bench, which included a trio of consecutive threes in the second half. It was their work on the glass that won them the game, though, as they outrebounded the Cardinal 44-25, including a whopping 15-4 offensive-rebound advantage.

Things get tougher over the next 10 days, however, as West Virginia visits Saturday, followed by games at Iowa State and against Baylor. If the Jayhawks take care of business, look for them to jump up into that No. 1 spot.

This week: West Virginia

3. Baylor (10-1)

The Bears are a consistent team with solid depth, and their only loss came to Washington during a neutral-site game in Alaska. Their defense continues to be solid, and their three wins over ranked teams has boosted their résumé. They will need to improve on their 128th-ranked rebounding numbers and up their assists as they enter conference play.

Baylor will get a chance to prove itself with a pair of road games against ranked conference foes after a visit from Texas.

This week: Texas

4. Duke (12-1)

The Blue Devils have won six straight since their stunning defeat to Stephen F. Austin and dismantled Boston College, 88-49, to remain as one of only three unbeaten teams in ACC play. The conference is top heavy this season, but Duke might have a challenge when they travel to Miami on Saturday.

Tre Jones returned from injury Tuesday but only scored five points. His 10 assists were half of the team’s total for the game, and he is proven to be the vital cog of this team. If he is not at full strength or misses significant time, the Blue Devils could see a few upset losses in the early part of conference play.

This week: Miami

5. Butler (13-1)

The Bulldogs defeated St. John's by two points on the road this week, but the score is a bit misleading, as they allowed a 23-point lead slip away. They endured a nine-minute stretch in the second half where they did not score a point, but scored 11 in the final four minutes, including the winning three-pointer from Christian David with 43 seconds remaining.

The concern coming out of the game is the status of Kamar Baldwin. He was out injured as St. John's made its comeback, and while he returned to the game for the final minutes, he was seen in a walking boot after the game. His status for Saturday’s game against Creighton remains up in the air, but if his 14.3 points per game and 42.4% shooting from the three-point range are absent, Butler’s spot in these power rankings will be in serious jeopardy.

This week: Creighton

6. San Diego State (14-0)

San Diego State a 28 point win over Utah (which beat Kentucky), has won 14 straight to begin the season and has the seventh-stingiest scoring defense in the nation (an average of 56 points allowed per contest). Utah State should give the Aztecs a solid challenge, and the matchup between guard Malachi Flynn (15.5 points per game, 42.9% three-point shooting) and Aggies guard Sam Merrill (17.1 points per game, 42% three-point shooting) might be one of the best of the week.

This week: Utah State

7. Auburn (12-0)

The Tigers lack a notable win, but they have solid balance, with five players averaging between 16.4 and 9.5 points per contest. The big concerns for the Tigers are their 32.8% three-point shooting and the fact that they are averaging nearly 13.5 turnovers per game against inferior competition. SEC play will show us if they have simply been feasting on cupcakes or if the Tigers are a legit threat this year.

This week: Mississippi State

8. West Virginia (11-1)

This is a huge week for the Mountaineers. After they defeated Ohio State, 67-59, over the weekend, they'll travel to Kansas, where they will look to add another top-five win to their résumé. Coach Bob Huggins will need more from his big man, Oscar Tshiebwe, than what he got from the freshman against the Buckeyes. He was in foul trouble from the opening whistle against Ohio State, and the Mountaineers will need to improve on their abysmal 31.9% three-point shooting to defeat the Jayhawks.

This week: Kansas

9. Ohio State (11-2)

The Buckeyes’ guards were shut down against West Virginia, as D.J. Carton and CJ Walker turned it over nine times and registered only three assists. Kyle Young will miss the game against Wisconsin, as he recovers from an appendectomy. The Buckeyes have lost two of their last four games after a hot start, and while Wisconsin likely won’t cause too many problems, the loss of Young’s energy and rebounding could prove costly when they visit Maryland early next week.

This week: Wisconsin

10. Dayton (12-2)

The Flyers dominated La Salle on Thursday night, behind Obi Toppin’s 20-point, seven-rebound performance. While Toppin gets most of the credit, five other Flyers are averaging more than 9.2 points per game, and their 19.8 assists per game rank fourth in the nation.

This week: Saint Joseph's