If you like big brands, this is the college basketball season for you. Because when you look at the top of the CBS Sports Top 25 (and one), what you'll find, in order, is big-brand Kentucky, big-brand Villanova, big-brand North Carolina, big-brand Kansas and big-brand Duke.
Each of those programs has won a national title in the past nine seasons; Duke has won two. So, combined, the top five in the Top 25 (and one) are responsible for six of the past nine national championships. Furthermore, three of the schools in the top five [Kentucky, UNC and Duke] are led by Hall of Fame coaches [John Calipari, Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski], and the other two [Villanova and Kansas] are guided by men [Jay Wright and Bill Self] who can reasonably be projected to someday join them.
Bottom line, the top of the rankings is star-studded.
The complete Top 25 (and one) is below.
Biggest Movers
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | All of Kentucky's wins have come by at least 20 points. Freshman Malik Monk is averaging a team-high 18.7 points while shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 23-10 |
| 2 |  | The Wildcats have a top-10 offense and defense, according to KenPom. Josh Hart is averaging a team-high 18.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals. | -- | 18-16 |
| 3 |  | Five different Tar Heels are averaging at least 10.7 points through seven games. Joel Berry is averaging a team-high 17.1 points while shooting 47.1 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 29-8 |
| 4 |  | Freshman Josh Jackson has reached double-figures in points in five straight games. He's averaging 14.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. | -- | 23-11 |
| 5 |  | Luke Kennard is averaging a team-best 17.1 points in 35.0 minutes per game. Duke is still waiting on the debuts of Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles and Marques Bolden. | -- | 27-9 |
| 6 |  | Trevon Bluiett is one of three Musketeers averaging at least 16 points per game. Xavier is running a top-15 offense despite shooting just 29.6 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 16-18 |
| 7 |  | The Cavaliers have seven players averaging between 7.0 and 10.0 points per game. They have the nation's most efficient defense, according to KenPom. | -- | 23-11 |
| 8 |  | The Bruins are shooting 45.2 percent from 3-point range, which ranks fifth nationally. They'll play Saturday at top-ranked Kentucky. | -- | 16-17 |
| 9 |  | Jock Landale was 9-of-11 from the field in Sunday's win over UAB. He's averaging 21.0 points and 9.2 rebounds while shooting 76.3 percent from the field. | -- | 26-8 |
| 10 |  | The Zags have already notched wins over three top-50 KenPom teams. Washington transfer Nigel Williams-Goss is averaging 12.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists. | -- | 27-8 |
| 11 |  | The Bears already have four top-35 KenPom wins. Former three-star recruit Johnathan Motley is averaging a team-high 17.8 points and 7.0 rebounds. | -- | 24-11 |
| 12 |  | The Cardinals have the nation's second most efficient defense, according to KenPom. Nobody has scored more than 62 points against them. | -- | 8-24 |
| 13 |  | Justin Patton made all eight shots he took in Saturday's win over Loyola. The freshman center is averaging 11.7 points and 5.8 rebounds. | -- | 25-10 |
| 14 |  | The Badgers' two losses are to North Carolina and at Creighton. Bronson Koenig is averaging a team-high 14.4 points but shooting just 24.6 percent from 3-point range. | -- | 22-14 |
| 15 |  | Thomas Bryant has recorded double-doubles in three of Indiana's five games. The sophomore forward is averaging 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds. | -- | 19-14 |
| 16 |  | Memphis transfer Kuran Iverson is one of four Rams averaging double-figures in points. Hassan Martin is averaging a team-high 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds. | -- | 12-20 |
| 17 |  | Caleb Swanigan finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds in Saturday's win over NJIT. He's averaging 18.8 points and 12.0 rebounds in 31.3 minutes per game. | -- | 34-5 |
| 18 |  | The Cyclones' lone loss is Sunday's 73-71 loss to Gonzaga. Monte Morris is averaging 16.0 points, 6.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds. | -- | 29-8 |
| 19 |  | The Bulldogs' perfect record features three top-75 KenPom wins. Kelan Martin is averaging a team-best 16.2 points and 4.2 rebounds. | -- | 18-15 |
| 20 |  | The Wildcats only made three 3-pointers in Friday's loss to Butler. Kobi Simmons was 0-of-3 from beyond the arc and is now averaging 12.7 points in 28.2 minutes per game. | -- | 27-9 |
| 21 |  | The Gators own wins over two top-50 KenPom teams - specifically Miami and Seton Hall. Their lone loss is a 77-72 loss to Gonzaga. | -- | 24-12 |
| 22 |  | The Gamecocks beat Syracuse 64-50 on Saturday to record their second top-30 KenPom win. Sindarius Thornwell is averaging a team-high 20.0 points and 7.0 rebounds. | -- | 26-8 |
| 23 |  | The Orange are 1-1 against top-100 KenPom teams. Nebraska transfer Andrew White is averaging a team-high 15.8 points and 4.0 rebounds. | -- | 20-12 |
| 24 |  | The Bearcats' lone loss is a 76-71 loss to Rhode Island. They're blocking 21.7 percent of their opponents' shots, which ranks second nationally. | -- | 22-15 |
| 25 |  | The Irish already have two top-50 KenPom wins. Bonzie Colson is averaging a team-high 17.2 points and 9.7 rebounds while shooting 50.7 percent from the field. | -- | 13-20 |
| 26 |  | The Spartans' three losses are all to other teams ranked in the Top 25 (and one). Miles Bridges is averaging a team-high 17.4 points and 8.7 rebounds. | -- | 20-15 |
