Men: Houston takes the top spot, Villanova, Tennessee drop out in Week 1

That was a amusive appetizer. Now it's clip for things to vigor up.

With Election Day and different circumstances forcing the Champions Classic to determination from the commencement of the 2022-23 men's assemblage hoops play to the 2nd week, astir apical programs opted to docket a mates of bargain games to footwear disconnected their campaigns. As a result, the archetypal week saw plentifulness of blowouts, precise fewer notable wins and lone a mates of top-25 losses (we're looking astatine you, Villanova, Tennessee and Oregon).

But the coming week volition much than marque up for it: Champions Classic connected Tuesday, Gonzaga astatine Texas connected Wednesday, Baylor vs. Virginia connected Friday, Kentucky astatine Gonzaga connected Sunday -- conscionable to sanction a fewer marquee matchups implicit the adjacent respective days.

Before we get to the awards and rankings, a speedy refresher connected the rules of the Power Rankings:

• This is not a poll; teams don't automatically rise, autumn oregon enactment the aforesaid with a triumph oregon loss. (You'll announcement Houston already jumped North Carolina and Gonzaga to determination to No. 1, contempt neither the Tar Heels nor the Zags losing.) Head-to-head matters, but it isn't the lone thing. We look astatine the wide assemblage of work.

• We effort to debar repeating awards successful a fixed week (for example, Gonzaga, Drew Timme and Mark Few winning Team, Player and Coach of the Week, respectively).

Let's dive in.

Teams of the Week: The SWAC (Grambling Tigers, Texas Southern Tigers, Alcorn State Braves)

Very fewer leagues successful the state -- and nary astatine the low-major level -- tin lucifer the SWAC and its teams' awesome wins successful the archetypal week of the season. Grambling got things started by beating Colorado connected Friday, Alcorn State won astatine Wichita State connected Saturday and Texas Southern rounded things retired by taking down Arizona State connected Sunday. When the Pac-12 and SWAC announced a Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series successful basketball, going 2-2 implicit the people of a play can't beryllium what the Pac-12 had successful mind.

The wins weren't fluky, either. Grambling led Colorado wire-to-wire and held a double-digit pb for astir of the crippled -- with the borderline increasing arsenic large arsenic 19 points successful the archetypal half. Alcorn State went connected a 14-2 tally midway done the 2nd fractional to instrumentality the pb and kept Wichita State astatine an arm's magnitude the remainder of the way. Meanwhile, Texas Southern already had wins implicit Florida, Baylor, Oregon and Texas A&M implicit the past fewer seasons -- and tin present adhd an overtime triumph implicit Arizona State to that group.

Player of the Week: Foster Loyer, Davidson Wildcats

After 3 seasons astatine Michigan State, Loyer transferred to Davidson successful 2021-22 and earned second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. With Luka Brajkovic and Hyunjung Lee present gone, though, Loyer looks poised for an tremendous play with the Wildcats -- if his opening week is immoderate indication. He had 30 points and six 3s against Guilford to unfastened Davidson's play connected Monday, past went for 38 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists successful a double-overtime triumph astatine Wright State connected Wednesday. He's present starring the federation successful scoring aft 2 games, and was 1 of conscionable 2 players to deed 30 points successful each of their archetypal 2 games (Santa Clara's Brandin Podziemski was the other).

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Damian Dunn denies Villanova Wildcats with stuff

Wins of the Week: Temple Owls 68, Villanova Wildcats 64; Colorado Buffaloes 78, Tennessee Volunteers 66

It took 2 tribunal stormings, but the last buzzer yet sounded connected Temple's 68-64 upset triumph implicit the No. 16 Wildcats. It marked the archetypal top-25 nonaccomplishment of the season. It was besides Temple's archetypal triumph implicit Villanova successful a decade, with the mean borderline of decision successful 7 losses implicit that clip a whopping 18.0 points. But the Owls laid a Big 5 marker down that it mightiness not beryllium arsenic casual for Villanova with manager Jay Wright retiring past spring. Temple jumped retired to an aboriginal lead, was up by treble digits successful the archetypal fractional and past won the crippled connected a brace of Damian Dunn escaped throws with 1.1 seconds left.

Colorado bounced backmost incredibly rapidly from its nonaccomplishment to Grambling, taking down a Tennessee squad -- successful Nashville, nary little -- that dominated Gonzaga successful a televised preseason accumulation crippled conscionable 2 weeks earlier and bushed Tennessee Tech by 32 points past Monday. It was nip-and-tuck astir of the way, but the Buffs got immoderate separation midway done the 2nd fractional and iced the crippled from the escaped propulsion line. Sophomore defender KJ Simpson was the standout for Tad Boyle's team, finishing with 23 points and 9 boards. Meanwhile, Tennessee's 25.4% tract extremity percent was its lowest successful a azygous crippled implicit the past 3 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Information research.

Coach of the Week: Russell Turner, UC Irvine Anteaters

One of 2 programs to bushed a top-25 squad past week, UC Irvine battered Oregon successful Eugene connected Friday, starring by arsenic galore arsenic 27 points successful the 2nd fractional and cruising to a 13-point roadworthy triumph implicit the Ducks. The Anteaters, who finished extracurricular the apical 2 of the Big West past play for the archetypal clip since 2013, showed wide signs they're acceptable to vie astatine the apical of the league again. Russell Turner has been 1 of the astir palmy mid-major coaches since arriving astatine Irvine, starring the Anteaters to 2 NCAA tournaments and astatine slightest a stock of 5 regular-season titles. They've been to the postseason six times. And now, contempt being picked 4th successful the preseason Big West poll, they've sent a connection to the remainder of the league.

Three teams with questions

Florida State Seminoles: A bounceback play was the anticipation successful Tallahassee aft a disappointing 2021-22. But the Seminoles haven't rather gotten retired of the starting gross yet. They mislaid to Stetson astatine location to unfastened the season, past mislaid by 14 connected Friday to UCF.

Louisville Cardinals: It's going to beryllium a agelong archetypal play for Kenny Payne. The Cardinals had already dropped an accumulation crippled to Lenoir-Rhyne earlier losing 2 consecutive location games to unfastened 2022-23 -- to Bellarmine and Wright State, some by 1 point.

California Golden Bears: Entering a cardinal play for Mark Fox, Cal didn't get disconnected connected the close foot. The Golden Bears mislaid astatine location to UC Davis to unfastened the season, and past fell to Kansas State connected Friday. Next up is simply a UC San Diego squad that shouldn't beryllium imposing, but did bushed Cal successful Berkeley past season.

Power Rankings

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Marcus Sasser makes a beauteous lob to Jarace Walker who skies to the rim for a almighty jam.

1. Houston Cougars (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 3
This week: vs. Oral Roberts (Monday), vs. Texas Southern (Wednesday), astatine Oregon (Sunday)

As North Carolina struggled done its archetypal 2 games and Gonzaga needed a second-half surge to bushed Michigan State, Houston looked similar a well-oiled instrumentality close from the opening extremity of 2022-23. Marcus Sasser picked up close wherever helium near disconnected earlier his wounded past season, portion five-star freshman Jarace Walker had 23 points and 8 boards against Saint Joseph's. Jamal Shead looks similar 1 of the elite playmakers successful the country. The Cougars defence allowed 91 points successful 2 games. And past there's the emergence of J'Wan Roberts, who averaged 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds successful 2 games. Kelvin Sampson has a nationalist rubric contender.

2. North Carolina Tar Heels (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 1
This week: vs. Gardner-Webb (Tuesday), vs. James Madison (Sunday)

The Tar Heels needed to crook things up successful the 2nd fractional of each of their archetypal 2 games to bushed UNC Wilmington and Charleston, but the last agelong of the Charleston crippled seemed similar a wake-up telephone -- astatine slightest for Armando Bacot, who shook disconnected a pugnacious commencement to decorativeness with 28 points successful the win.

Carolina has a mates much tuneups -- though James Madison should support things competitory connected Sunday -- earlier heading to Portland for the Phil Knight Invitational.

3. Gonzaga Bulldogs (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 2
This week: astatine Texas (Wednesday), vs. Kentucky (Sunday)

Gonzaga has been ranked No. 1 successful adjusted violative ratio successful 3 of the past 4 seasons, finishing No. 3 astatine KenPom past season. But the Bulldogs are going to request to bash things a spot otherwise this season. They don't person the playmakers they've had the past mates of years, and truthful far, they don't person the shooting either (29% done 2 games). But they mightiness person recovered thing successful the 2nd fractional of their comeback implicit Michigan State, erstwhile Mark Few went to a smaller lineup featuring Hunter Sallis, Rasir Bolton, Malachi Smith and Julian Strawther astir Drew Timme. It had amended spacing and looked much fluid.

4. Kentucky Wildcats (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 4
This week: vs. Michigan State (Tuesday), vs. South Carolina State (Thursday), astatine Gonzaga (Sunday)

Oscar Tshiebwe is still out, but Sahvir Wheeler ended up lone missing 1 crippled -- and his show against Duquesne indicated determination are nary lingering effects of his limb injury. He had 11 points and 11 assists, showing the aforesaid organisation and playmaking abilities that made him an All-SEC subordinate a twelvemonth ago. John Calipari deed the portal the past 2 springs successful hopes of uncovering immoderate perimeter shooting, and done 2 games, it looks similar helium has done conscionable that: CJ Fredrick is 6-for-12 from down the arc, portion Antonio Reeves is 10-for-18.

5. Duke Blue Devils (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 5
This week: vs. Kansas (Tuesday), vs. Delaware (Friday)

It's going to get existent this week, arsenic Duke faces Kansas successful Indianapolis astatine the Champions Classic, but the reviews of Jon Scheyer's squad are positive. They lone allowed 82 points successful the archetypal 2 games of the play and look to person flooded the injuries to Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively II (who played successful Game 2). Early returns had Kyle Filipowski struggling successful the preseason, but helium has posted back-to-back double-doubles and Northwestern transportation Ryan Young has continued his businesslike station scoring from the Big Ten.

6. Kansas Jayhawks (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 6
This week: vs. Duke (Tuesday), vs. Southern Utah (Friday)

If Kansas has immoderate changeable to repetition arsenic nationalist champions -- oregon adjacent get backmost to the Final Four -- overmuch of it volition travel down to whether Jalen Wilson tin go a star. And done 2 games, the flashes helium showed the past mates seasons look similar they could go much of an every-night thing. In wins implicit Omaha and North Dakota State, Wilson averaged 20.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, shooting 6-for-13 from 3-point range. He's a hard matchup due to the fact that of his inside-outside crippled and he's primed to instrumentality a measurement forward.

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Check retired this saccharine walk from Adam Flagler

7. Baylor Bears (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 8
This week: vs. Northern Colorado (Monday), vs. Virginia (Friday), UCLA oregon Illinois (Sunday)

When Adam Flagler made the determination to instrumentality to Waco, portion of the crushed was that helium wanted to show much of his playmaking ability. The past 2 seasons, Flagler has played mostly disconnected the ball, with the likes of Jared Butler, Davion Mitchell and James Akinjo having the shot successful their hands. But he'll person plentifulness much work this season, alongside Keyonte George. And he's already showing imaginable successful that department, totaling 13 assists successful 2 games on with scoring 19.5 points per game.

8. UCLA Bruins (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 10
This week: vs. Norfolk State (Monday), vs. Illinois (Friday), Baylor oregon Virginia (Sunday)

Some of the preseason buzz coming retired of Westwood had to bash with Jaylen Clark, who produced erstwhile called upon past play but lone started a fistful of games. With shots up for grabs this year, Clark was going to beryllium needed much often. He has looked the portion truthful far. Through 2 games, he's averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and an astonishing 5.5 steals. Clark is already 1 of the champion defenders successful the Pac-12, but he's besides going to beryllium a accordant contributor connected the violative extremity for Mick Cronin's team.

9. Creighton Bluejays (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 7
This week: vs. Holy Cross (Monday), vs. UC Riverside (Thursday)

Given Creighton's violative struggles past season, the Bluejays weren't going to go a juggernaut overnight, adjacent with the summation of Baylor Scheierman. It mightiness person looked that mode past Monday, erstwhile they jumped retired to a immense pb successful the archetypal fewer minutes against St. Thomas - Minnesota, but determination are inactive immoderate kinks to enactment out. Scheierman lone totaled 19 points successful the archetypal 2 games, but he's contributing arsenic a rebounder, passer and 3-point shooter. The discourtesy (thanks to the 12-for-27 3-point shooting) looked amended against North Dakota, truthful possibly that's a motion of things to come.

10. Texas Longhorns (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 11
This week: vs. Gonzaga (Wednesday)

One of the things worthy watching successful Texas' opening mates of games was however the backcourt of Tyrese Hunter and Marcus Carr would coexist. Both players similar to marque plays with the shot successful their hands. Hunter has amazingly been much of the scorer done 2 games, averaging 14.0 points and 2.0 assists, portion Carr is averaging 11.5 points and 4.0 assists. They're some contributing arsenic expected connected the antiaircraft extremity arsenic well. The lone negative? A combined 1-for-14 shooting from 3-point range.

11. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 9
This week: vs. South Dakota State (Wednesday)

It's going to beryllium hard to genuinely gauge Arkansas until Nick Smith Jr. suits up -- and it's unclear erstwhile the projected top-five NBA draught prime will. News emerged soon earlier the Razorbacks' opening crippled that Smith was going to beryllium retired with a genu injury, and helium didn't play successful the triumph implicit Fordham either. In his stead, Wichita State transportation Ricky Council IV took connected a bigger playmaking role, averaging 18.5 points and 4.5 assists successful the archetypal 2 games. Will Smith beryllium backmost for the Maui Invitational?

12. Indiana Hoosiers (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 14
This week: astatine Xavier (Friday)

The freshman receiving each the buzz coming retired of Bloomington was Jalen Hood-Schifino, but Malik Reneau was really ranked higher successful ESPN's people of 2022. While Hood-Schifino has lived up to the billing early, Reneau is contributing arsenic well. He had 15 points and six rebounds successful the triumph implicit Morehead State, past followed it up with 9 points and 4 boards against Bethune-Cookman. He was 1 of the much productive low-post operators astatine the precocious schoolhouse level, and that has carried implicit truthful far.

13. Auburn Tigers (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 15
This week: vs. Winthrop (Tuesday), vs. Texas Southern (Friday)

It wasn't an overly imposing docket connected paper, but games against George Mason and South Florida provided much of a trial than astir of the different teams successful the rankings faced. The apical performer for Bruce Pearl's squad done 2 games was Wendell Green Jr., whose decision-making near thing to beryllium desired astatine times past season. While helium has turned it implicit six times successful 2 games, he's shouldering a heavier usage load. Green totaled 36 points successful 2 games, taking 17 escaped throws successful the 2 wins.

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Azuolas Tubelis get the Arizona 3-pointer to autumn arsenic they cruise to a 117-75 triumph implicit Nicholls.

14. Arizona Wildcats (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 17
This week: vs. Utah Tech (Thursday)

Arizona apt won't beryllium arsenic balanced and explosive offensively arsenic it was past season, but Tommy Lloyd's squad enactment up 212 points successful the Wildcats' archetypal 2 wins of the season. Azuolas Tubelis has intelligibly erased his struggles down the agelong past season: With 3 NBA draught picks gone from the starting lineup, Tubelis has go the team's go-to guy. He had 23 points and six assists successful the opener, past went for 17 points against Southern. Forty points connected lone 21 shots done 2 games? Absurdly efficient.

15. Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 20
This week: astatine South Alabama (Tuesday), vs. Jacksonville State (Friday)

The fashionable enactment of reasoning entering the play was that Alabama mightiness not deed its stride until Jahvon Quinerly returns from injury, but the Crimson Tide jumped retired of the gates connected fire. Their triumph implicit Liberty was softly 1 of the astir awesome victories of the season: The Flames won the ASUN Conference 3 of the past 4 seasons and person prima Darius McGhee. But Alabama bushed them by 36 connected Friday. Freshman Brandon Miller is surviving up to each the hype truthful acold too. He's averaging 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, shooting 4-for-11 from 3 done 2 games.

16. Virginia Cavaliers (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 18
This week: vs. Northern Iowa (Monday), vs. Baylor (Friday), UCLA oregon Illinois (Sunday)

The Cavaliers needed a 15-2 second-half tally to bushed the North Carolina Central Eagles successful the play opener, but past returned to signifier with a blowout triumph implicit Monmouth Hawks. It's a tiny illustration size, but it does look similar Armaan Franklin has discovered his 3-point changeable aft making conscionable 29.6% of his attempts past season. For a squad that changeable conscionable 32.3% from 3 successful 2022-23, taking a measurement guardant successful that section is necessary. ESPN 100 freshman Isaac McKneely made 4 3s connected Friday, and Ohio transportation Ben Vander Plas went 4-for-7 successful 2 games. Tony Bennett has options now.

Dropped out: Villanova Wildcats (No. 12), Tennessee Volunteers (No. 13), TCU Horned Frogs (No. 16)

In the waiting room

TCU Horned Frogs: Bringing backmost astir everyone from past play didn't assistance TCU deed the crushed running. The Horned Frogs had to travel backmost from 20 points down to bushed Arkansas-Pine Bluff and past struggled with Lamar earlier pulling distant successful the 2nd half.

San Diego State Aztecs: San Diego State volition undoubtedly fig things retired defensively, but BYU scored 75 points connected Friday -- a fig lone 2 teams deed each of past play against the Aztecs. On the positive side, transportation additions Darrion Trammell (19.5 PPG) and Jaedon LeDee (17.0 PPG) are adding scoring pop.

Dayton Flyers: The Flyers won't beryllium astatine afloat spot until Malachi Smith returns, but freshman Mike Sharavjamts is already staking his assertion successful the starting lineup. He had 14 points and 5 assists successful the opener against Lindenwood Lions, past went for 10 points against SMU Mustangs. At afloat strength, Anthony Grant's squad is loaded.