Kim O’Rilley, CBS Sports
Wisconsin looked like a lost cause eight days into the season as the Badgers limped out to a 1-2 start marked by an 80-70 home loss to Tennessee and a 72-59 road loss to a Providence team in its first season under a new coach. But in less than a month, the Badgers have gone from bad to elite, surging from unranked and unconsidered in last week’s power ranking to No. 10 this week.
Signs of improvement had been bubbling up, with a 65-41 win over Virginia on Nov. 20 serving as the most-prominent example. However, the Badgers made an unmistakable statement over the past week about their true potential. First, they beat high-flying in-state foe Marquette 75-64 on Saturday. Then, they opened Big Ten play with a 70-57 win at Michigan State.
Now, all of a sudden, 7-2 Wisconsin is entering Saturday’s showcase game at Arizona looking like a Big Ten contender and a team destined for a return to the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers rank among the tallest and most-experienced teams in the country, and they are a hassle to handle on the glass. Ranking 15th in free-throw percentage doesn’t hurt, either. Wisconsin drilled 38 of 42 attempts from the line in its wins over the Golden Eagles and Spartans.
As the Badgers enter the power rankings, others such as Kentucky and North Carolina have departed. We’re not interested in your historical brand or what predictive metrics say. This is about what’s been accomplished on the court in college basketball thus far. With that, here are the latest CBS Sports power rankings.
College basketball power rankings
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