With Feast Week behind us and a new top 25 AP poll, the first thing to do is process what exactly happened in one of the craziest weeks of college hoops. Not only did last week stuff us with turkey, but a whole lineup of phenomenal basketball games went on our plate.
With a few shifts coming in the top 10, Purdue remains the top spot with Arizona right behind at No. 2. The most notable jump came from current No. 3 Michigan after dominating the 2025 Players Era Festival. In their run, Michigan defeated San Diego State 94-54, Auburn 102-72 followed by the Championship Game against Gonzaga 101-61. Michigan destroyed the field, winning by a margin of 37 points per game, leaving their opponents with no chance. Not only did they dominate, but they did so against some of the top ranked teams in the country, Auburn at No. 20 and Gonzaga at No. 11.
Michigan State is worth noting too, continuing their undefeated start defeating their third-ranked opponent after taking down No. 16 UNC. The Spartans jumped to the No. 7 spot and will prepare for No. 4 Duke this Saturday in what should be a fast-paced battle between the two legendary programs.
Further down in the rankings, No. 10 Iowa State jumped five spots as they continue to steamroll programs and fight their way up in rankings. This fight will be tested as they prepare to visit No. 1 Purdue this Saturday to hopefully make their name well known across the nation. With many shifts in the top poll, it is no surprise fans should be in for another treat this week as we investigate our most anticipated matchups this stretch.
Tonight, No. 6 Louisville travels to No. 25 Arkansas with both teams looking to make a statement. Arkansas is coming off their second-ranked loss of the season as they fell short to Duke. After falling to ranked Michigan State earlier this season, the Razorbacks will look to strike a punch against the top ranked Cardinals. Louisville has not seen much competition this season, only facing one top ranked opponent in which they defeated Kentucky 96-88. Following this game, Louisville will take on No. 22 Indiana, also on the road, before traveling to No. 13 Tennessee. This is a big stretch for the Cardinals, as they look to continue their season strong.
Alabama will host Clemson in a much-anticipated matchup as the two schools are both off to hot starts with multiple tallies in the win column. What many people think of when football school is mentioned, these two programs are off to scorching starts with Clemson falling short just once this season to Georgetown and Alabama only falling short to Purdue and Gonzaga after defeating top ranked St. John’s and Illinois.
On Friday, Dec. 5, No. 18 Kentucky and No. 11 Gonzaga will battle for dominance as both programs have shown little struggle this season. As Gonzaga recovers their brutal loss to Michigan, there is no reason we should not see this depth-built offense making a deep run in March.
This Saturday is a college hoop fans wish list. With five ranked matchups happening, I see no reason fans should even move from their couch. This paired with college football playoffs should have all college sports fans glued to the television.
The two early games highlight No. 4 Duke visiting No. 7 Michigan State as the battle of undefeated continues. Both programs continue to excel on the court, leaving their opponents with no room for error. The second matchup faces No. 10 Iowa State traveling to No. 1 Purdue in yet another battle to remain undefeated.
In the afternoon, No. 22 Indiana will host No. 6 Louisville in the third top 25 matchup of the day. Both programs are looking to continue their hot starts and dominate on the scoresheets.
As the sun sets, No. 14 Illinois will look to rebound against No. 13 Tennessee after falling short to No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden last week 74-61. The Fighting Illini have an impressive win this season against ranked Texas Tech and are looking to add more to their resume.
The night cap will consist of No 2. Arizona hosting No. 20 Auburn. Arizona has the most impressive start of all teams this season, defeating Florida and then UCLA and UConn on the road. Showing no signs of slowing down, Arizona looks to continue their run of wins against Auburn, before traveling back the following weekend to play No. 12 Alabama. Arizona has proved their worth so far this season; the question will come down to how long their dominance will continue?
As the dust settles from Feast Week, this week’s upcoming college basketball matchups promise us upsets and excitement as we look to see what stars shine bright. Many teams continue their tough pre-conference schedules and look to build up their resumes to prepare for the following weeks of the season. This sets the stage for the continuation over the next few months as we continue our March to Madness.