Men’s college basketball Power Rankings: A 1-2 showdown on tap this weekend

No. 1 vs. No. 2.

Michigan vs. Duke on Saturday has been circled on calendars of men’s college hoops diehards since it was announced in June. With both teams ranked in the preseason top 10, it was always going to be one of the most anticipated nonconference games of the season — especially because it was scheduled in February, offering a marquee respite from the meat and potatoes of conference games.

But thanks to Arizona and UConn losing two games apiece over the past couple of weeks, this game is now more than just two potential Final Four contenders stepping out of league play to face off on a neutral court.

It’s No. 1 vs. No. 2, according to our Power Rankings — and nearly every single metric.

Michigan is No. 1 in six of seven NCAA team sheet metrics, ranking No. 2 in the BPI.

Duke is No. 2 in five of the seven NCAA team sheet metrics, ranking No. 1 in the BPI.

Michigan has just one loss, a three-point defeat at home to Wisconsin. Duke has just two losses, with both coming in the final seconds against Texas Tech and North Carolina.

The winner will likely be No. 1 next week — and more importantly, could be the overall No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday.

Previous ranking: 1

Michigan left zero doubt about which team was the best in men’s college basketball, going into Mackey Arena and cruising past Purdue in a game that wasn’t as close as the 11-point final margin indicated. The biggest positive for the Wolverines was that this win wasn’t due to their elite frontcourt and overwhelming size; instead, the backcourt shined for coach Dusty May on Tuesday. Elliot Cadeau outplayed Braden Smith at the point guard spot, finishing with 17 points and seven assists, while guards L.J. Cason and Trey McKenney came off the bench to score 13 points apiece.

Next seven days: vs. Duke in Washington, D.C. (Feb. 21), vs. Minnesota (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 4

Just when it looked like Duke was relying too heavily on Cameron Boozer to produce offense late in games, the Blue Devils’ supporting cast has come to life. Isaiah Evans, after averaging 13.1 points over a seven-game stretch, has now scored 21 points in two of his past three games and is averaging 19.7 points during that span. And Cayden Boozer has emerged as a consistent threat off the bench, scoring 12 points in back-to-back wins over Clemson and Syracuse. He has also dished out seven assists and a pair of 3s in those two games.

Next seven days: vs. Michigan in Washington, D.C. (Feb. 21), at Notre Dame (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 2

Arizona’s perfect season came to an end Feb. 9, and the Wildcats’ problems were compounded when they lost at home to Texas Tech on Saturday — and star freshman Koa Peat sat out the second half because of a muscle strain in his lower leg. Without Peat against BYU on Wednesday, the Wildcats ended their losing streak and got huge performances from two unlikely sources. Anthony Dell’Orso came off the bench to score a season-high 22 points, while freshman Ivan Kharchenkov finished with 18 points and seven rebounds.

Next seven days: at Houston (Feb. 21), at Baylor (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 11

Iowa State is coming off something of a statement week. The Cyclones blew out Kansas on Saturday, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak, then knocked off Houston on Monday night in the final minutes with huge shots from reserves Jamarion Batemon and Nate Heise. Beating the Cougars while having an off scoring night from Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic might provide as much optimism as anything coming out of the win. The stats to note: Iowa State turned it over just three times, and Houston didn’t score a single point off a turnover.

Next seven days: at BYU (Feb. 21), at Utah (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 5

Losing by 3 at Iowa State after leading by 10 deep into the second half obviously hurts, but it shouldn’t change the NCAA tournament perception of this team. What could be potentially concerning, however, is how the offense got completely bogged down late. The Cougars, who lead the Big 12 in turnover rate, forced just three Iowa State giveaways, meaning they had to play almost entirely in the half court. And after shooting the ball so well from the perimeter for most of the game, they went just 2-for-11 from 3 in the final 14 minutes. Last season, when shots weren’t falling, they could still go to J’Wan Roberts on the block for points. They don’t have that type of interior consistency this season. This team will go as far as its guards go.

Next seven days: vs. Arizona (Feb. 21), at Kansas (Feb. 23)

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Previous ranking: 3

For most of the season, UConn had an elite defense, which made up for an offense that could disappear for stretches due to perimeter shots not falling consistently. But it was working: The Huskies lost just one of their first 23 games. Recently, though, that formula has flipped. The Huskies are shooting far better from 3 — but their defense has fallen off a cliff. They had their worst defensive performance of the season in Wednesday’s stunning loss to Creighton, allowing 1.21 points per possession. UConn has allowed at least 1.15 points per possession in four straight games, a number it allowed just once in the 23 games before this stretch.

Next seven days: at Villanova (Feb. 21), vs. St. John’s (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 9

Wednesday was the first time coach Brad Underwood has had his complete allotment of players since Jan. 17 — and a full-strength Illinois team looked as dangerous as any in the country. The Fighting Illini scored 101 points on the road at USC, with seven players scoring in double figures. Kylan Boswell, who missed seven games because of a fractured hand, returned for the past two games and averaged 10.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists in the wins. Meanwhile, Andrej Stojakovic missed two games because of a high ankle sprain and didn’t start against the Trojans. But he came off the bench and posted 22 points in just 17 minutes, going 6-for-7 from the field.

Next seven days: at UCLA (Feb. 21)

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Previous ranking: 10

Alex Condon might be playing his best basketball of the season at the right time. The Australia native entered the season with All-American expectations after withdrawing his name from the NBA draft last spring. Then his outside shot disappeared, and he hasn’t as effective on the offensive glass. But Condon is starting to make more of an impact. He went for 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in Tuesday’s win over South Carolina, his second time hitting the 20-point mark this month. He’s averaging 15.0 points and 58% shooting in February, after putting up 11.6 points on 42.5% shooting in January.

Next seven days: at Ole Miss (Feb. 21), at Texas (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 8

Purdue’s defense fell off a cliff against Michigan on Tuesday, with the Boilermakers’ worst tendencies coming to light again. In losses this season, they’ve allowed opponents to shoot 46% from 3-point range, which ranks 362nd in the country (Michigan went 13-for-23 from beyond the arc). In Purdue’s wins, opponents are shooting only 29.9% from the perimeter. Even more concerning are the splits of Purdue’s role players. Fletcher Loyer, who badly missed a couple of momentum-swinging 3s against Michigan, is averaging 15.0 points in wins and 11.0 in losses. Oscar Cluff, who had just four points against the Wolverines, is putting up 11.2 points in wins and 6.2 in losses.

Next seven days: vs. Indiana (Feb. 20)

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Previous ranking: 6

Kansas’ eight-game winning streak came to an end at Iowa State on Saturday, with Darryn Peterson having arguably his worst game of the season: 10 points, 3-for-10 from the field, three turnovers. But the Jayhawks bounced back to win at Oklahoma State on Wednesday, and Peterson bounced back for another virtuoso effort — when he was on the floor, at least. The projected No. 1 draft pick had 23 points and shot 7-for-12 from the field and 6-for-10 from 3 in just 18 minutes. Peterson played just three minutes in the second half after appearing to signal for a substitution and never returning.

Next seven days: vs. Cincinnati (Feb. 21), vs. Houston (Feb. 23)

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Previous ranking: 13

It looks like the point guard pendulum has swung entirely back toward Mario Saint-Supery in Gonzaga’s backcourt. Braeden Smith started the first four games of the season, before Saint-Supery took over for the next nine. Smith then regained the starting job in late December and held it until Wednesday’s game against San Francisco. The writing had been on the wall, as Saint-Supery had played more minutes than Smith in four of Gonzaga’s past five games, despite coming off the bench — including a 33-7 split in Saint-Supery’s favor in Saturday’s win over Santa Clara. On Wednesday, the preference was clear: Saint-Supery played 33 minutes, finishing with 14 points, four rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Smith came off the bench for just two minutes.

Next seven days: vs. Pacific (Feb. 21), vs. Portland (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 7

It sounds unfathomable, but Michigan State’s win over UCLA on Tuesday was the Spartans’ first win in regulation since Jan. 24. It also extended the productive play of Coen Carr and Jordan Scott. Carr had 16 points against the Bruins, including two 3-pointers, and has now scored in double figures in seven of his past eight games after going three straight without scoring more than eight. Meanwhile, Scott went for 11 points, his fifth straight game in double figures after doing it just once all season prior to this stretch. On the other end of the floor, Tom Izzo will have to hope Tuesday’s defensive effort (holding UCLA to 0.90 points per possession) is more indicative of his team’s future defensive performances than the previous five games, in which the Spartans allowed at least 1.10 points per possession.

Next seven days: vs. Ohio State (Feb. 22)

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Previous ranking: 12

After opening the season with 20 consecutive wins, the Cornhuskers have lost four of their past six games. The latest, Tuesday at Iowa, featured their worst offensive performance of the season and their worst shooting performance since Nov. 11, as they scored just 0.87 points per possession and shot 5-for-24 from 3-point range. In some of the Cornhuskers’ biggest wins, the trio of Pryce Sandfort, Rienk Mast and Braden Frager has been at the heart of it. But while Sandfort has continued to produce, Mast and Frager have hit slumps. Mast had just eight points on 10 shots against Iowa, after just five points in an earlier loss to Illinois. And, with his six-point showing against Iowa, Frager has hit double figures just once since Jan. 17. (He did miss two games because of an ankle injury.)

Next seven days: vs. Penn State (Feb. 21), vs. Maryland (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 15

It’s hard to imagine a bigger gap between the highs and lows of a week than what Texas Tech went through recently. On Saturday, the Red Raiders beat Arizona in Tuscan to notch one of the most impressive wins any team has had this season. Seventy-two hours later, Tech dropped one on the road to Arizona State and lost All-American forward JT Toppin for the rest of the season to a torn right ACL. An already thin Red Raiders roster will have to lean even more heavily on the backcourt duo of Christian Anderson and Donovan Atwell and hope that LeJuan Watts returns to his early-season form.

Next seven days: vs. Kansas State (Feb. 21), vs. Cincinnati (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 19

Since Virginia’s last loss to North Carolina on Jan. 24, coach Ryan Odom has mostly flipped his center usage. Johann Grunloh has continued to start games, but Ugonna Onyenso had played more minutes than Grunloh in six straight games entering Wednesday’s win over Georgia Tech. And Onyenso has responded well, averaging 6.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in his past six games. But Odom might have gotten through to Grunloh on Wednesday, as the Germany native finished with 11 points — his first game in double figures since Jan. 13 — to go with six rebounds and four blocks.

Next seven days: vs. Miami (Feb. 21), vs. NC State (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 17

The Red Storm’s performances against Providence and Marquette weren’t their best of the season, but they still found ways to win both games away from home — and following UConn’s home loss to Creighton, Rick Pitino’s team now controls its destiny in the Big East regular-season race. St. John’s does have to go to Hartford on Wednesday in a game that could, for all intents and purposes, clinch the league title. Wednesday’s win should give some confidence to Bryce Hopkins, who had his first 20-point game in a month, and Oziyah Sellers, who came off the bench for the first time all season but hit multiple 3s for just the second time since Jan. 13.

Next seven days: vs. Creighton (Feb. 21), at UConn (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 21

The Crimson Tide have won five games in a row after going 3-4 in their previous seven games. The latest win was an instant classic, a 117-115 double-overtime win over Arkansas headlined by Labaron Philon Jr.’s 35-point, seven-assist performance. But Aiden Sherrell had the best game of his college career, finishing with 26 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 10-for-13 from the field. In the three games since Charles Bediako was ruled ineligible, Sherrell has scored in double figures three times and is averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 rebounds.

Next seven days: at LSU (Feb. 21), vs. Mississippi State (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 16

Darius Acuff Jr. moved up to No. 3 in ESPN’s freshman rankings Wednesday, and here’s what he did in his first game after earning that spot: 49 points, 16-for-27 from the field, 6-for-10 from 3, 11-for-12 from the free throw line, five rebounds and five assists. He played all 50 minutes in a double-overtime loss to Alabama. The 49 points were the most ever by a freshman against a ranked team, according to ESPN Research. The SEC Player of the Year favorite is now averaging a ridiculous 29.4 points and 6.3 assists over his past seven games.

Next seven days: vs. Missouri (Feb. 21), vs. Texas A&M (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 18

Vanderbilt bounced back from its surprising home loss to Oklahoma earlier this month with solid wins at Auburn and over Texas A&M, but it dropped one at Missouri on Wednesday — trailing by as many as 21 points deep into the second half before an incredible comeback fell just short in a one-point loss. Unlike against A&M, Vanderbilt couldn’t get stops on the defensive end until it was too late. It allowed Missouri to score 1.16 points per possession, and the Tigers shot 10-for-20 from 3, just the second time all season a team has made double-digit 3s against Vandy.

Next seven days: vs. Tennessee (Feb. 21), vs. Georgia (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 24

Another hot SEC team, Tennessee has won seven of its past eight games, with the lone loss coming on the road at Kentucky. The biggest key in the Volunteers’ turnaround has been the play of freshman Nate Ament, who has gone from an inconsistent first-year player to one of the elite newcomers in college basketball. He had 29 points in Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma, when he also grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists. He has scored at least 20 points in seven of his past 10 games, averaging 23.4 points over that stretch.

Next seven days: at Vanderbilt (Feb. 21), at Missouri (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: 14

North Carolina was able to get past Pitt without Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, but the absence of the Tar Heels’ two stalwarts was felt far more dramatically against NC State, resulting in a 24-point loss Tuesday. It was Carolina’s worst offensive performance of the season and third-worst defensive performance. The team shot just 5-for-33 from 3-point range, with Seth Trimble going 0-for-8 from 3 since his winning 3 against Duke earlier this month. Carolina’s defense is down to 11th in the ACC in points per possession allowed, with opponents shooting better than 40% from 3.

Next seven days: at Syracuse (Feb. 21), vs. Louisville (Feb. 23)

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Previous ranking: 22

Louisville’s five-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday night against SMU, when the Cardinals gave up 95 points and allowed the Mustangs to shoot 58% from the field. What didn’t end, however, was Mikel Brown Jr.’s incredible run of form. The star freshman finished with 29 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, and he shot 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Over his past three games, Brown has averaged 34.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 3.3 steals while shooting 60% from the field and 62.1% from 3. He also hasn’t missed a free throw over that span.

Next seven days: vs. Georgia Tech (Feb. 21), at North Carolina (Feb. 23)

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Previous ranking: 20

Saint Louis lost for the first time since late November, suffering an upset at the hands of Rhode Island on Tuesday. It was one of the few times all season the Billikens have been outshot from behind the arc, as the Rams went 12-for-29 from 3 and SLU shot just 8-for-21. Josh Schertz’s team ranks No. 2 nationally in 3-point shooting percentage and No. 5 in defensive 3-point percentage, but its two losses have come during its worst 3-point defensive performances; Stanford shot 13-for-27 in SLU’s first loss, while the Billikens made just five of their 20 3-point attempts.

Next seven days: vs. VCU (Feb. 20), at Dayton (Feb. 24)

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Previous ranking: Not ranked

Since surprising back-to-back defeats at Grand Canyon and at home to UNLV in mid-January, Utah State has won eight games in a row and regained control of the Mountain West race. During that stretch, the Aggies beat their two biggest competitors for the regular-season crown in San Diego State and New Mexico, with the latter coming on the road, and also throttled Memphis by 24 last weekend. Their offense has been exceptional over the past couple of weeks, scoring at least 1.25 points per possession in four straight games. If they can win their next two games on the road, the regular-season title should be headed to Logan, Utah, for the second time in three years. That’s a tall test, however.

Next seven days: at Nevada (Feb. 21), at San Diego State (Feb. 25)

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Previous ranking: 25

The RedHawks continue to pass every test, with the latest coming on the road at UMass. They’re now just five games away from a perfect regular season, which would essentially seal an NCAA tournament bid, regardless of what happens in the MAC tournament. Fair or not, a regular-season loss plus a conference tournament loss could make things sweaty for them on Selection Sunday. At KenPom, they now have a 74% chance or better in each remaining game — with the season finale at Ohio, a team they just beat by 16 at home, their toughest remaining contest.

Next seven days: vs. Bowling Green (Feb. 20), at Eastern Michigan (Feb. 24)

Dropped out: Kentucky Wildcats (No. 23)