NCAA Basketball Rankings, Week 9: Power 32

Week 9 NCAA basketball rankings for the 2015-16 season. The top five of the Power 32 remains the same this week.

It took an injury to Denzel Valentine for it to happen, but the Michigan State Spartans were finally handed their first loss of the season. Iowa hung a 13-point defeat on Tom Izzo’s team early last week.

Oklahoma flexed its muscles on Iowa State to open up Big 12 play with an 87-73 win on Saturday.

Butler had arguably the worst week of the AP top 25 teams. The Bulldogs took back-to-back losses from Providence and Xavier.

Utah and Cincinnati also picked up losses that dropped them down the Power 32 rankings this week.

Power 32 NCAA Basketball Rankings

1. Oklahoma (12-0), RPI: .6701

Buddy Hield and Ryan Spangler both went off for a combined 42 points as the Sooners took down Iowa State in Oklahoma’s first Big 12 win of the season. Hield is one of the best players in college basketball and an elite scorer.

2. Michigan State (14-1), RPI: .6660

The Spartans took an 83-70 loss on the chin against Iowa last week. Michigan State recovered with its 69-61 win over Minnesota. Denzel Valentine is on the road back to rejoining his team, and when at full-strength, Michigan State is still dangerous.

3. Kansas (11-1), RPI: .6547

Kansas absolutely destroyed the Baylor Bears, 102-74, and a lot of the credit goes to Wayne Selden Jr, who dropped 24 points and hit on 5-of-6 of his jumpers from behind the arc. The Jayhawks’ experienced roster is finally shining through.

4. Maryland (13-1), RPI: .6439

The Terrapins are a forced to be reckoned with. Melo Trimble showed why he’s one of the best guards in college basketball with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in Maryland’s 72-59 win over Northwestern. Trimble and Rasheed Sulaimon are an elite one-two punch.

5. Virginia (12-1), RPI: .6646

Anthony Gill and Malcolm Brogdon were back at it again as they hung 45 combined points on the Fighting Irish. The Cavaliers’ 77-66 win against Notre Dame on Saturday improved Virginia to 12-1.

6. North Carolina (13-2), RPI: .6481

The Tar Heels had a big week, going 3-0 against UNC Greensboro, Clemson and Georgia Tech. UNC beat the Spartans by 33 points, the Tigers by 11 points and the Yellow Jackets by eight points — picking up its first two ACC wins of the season.

7. Arizona (12-1), RPI: .5964

Arizona picked up a 12-point win against Arizona State, as the Wildcats beat the Sun Devils, 94-82. Gabe York led the way with 22 points and six assists, while Ryan Anderson put up 10 points and 10 rebounds.

8. Providence (14-1), RPI: .6619

Providence picked up its first two Big East wins against Butler and St. John’s. Kris Dunn led the way against the Red Storm with 26 points, nine reboundsa and six assists.

9. Kentucky (11-2) RPI: .6676

The Wildcats opened up SEC play against Ole Miss by knocking down the Rebels, 83-61. Stefan Moody and Sebastian Saiz combined for 35 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field.

10. Miami (FL) (12-1), RPI: .6402

The Hurricanes entered ACC play by picking up a win against Syracuse, 64-51, as Sheldon McClellan poured in 22 points — in spite of his 0-of-6 shooting from three-point range.

11. Iowa State (11-1), RPI: .6434
12. Xavier (13-1): RPI: .7221
13. Villanova (12-2), RPI: .6921

14. Duke (12-2), RPI: .6376
15. SMU (13-0), RPI: .6472
16. Butler (11-3), RPI: .5995
17. Louisville (11-2), RPI: .6071

18. Purdue (13-2), RPI: .6087
19. West Virginia (12-1), RPI: .6177
20. Texas A&M (11-2), RPI: .6339

21. South Carolina (12-0), RPI: .6068
22. Baylor (9-3), RPI: .5523
23. UConn (10-3), RPI: .5723
24. Oregon (10-2), RPI: .6350
25. Gonzaga (11-3), RPI: .5873
26. Utah (10-3), RPI: .6133
27. Cincinnati (11-4), RPI: .5379

28. Dayton (11-2), RPI: .6525
29. George Washington (11-2), RPI: .6221
30. Pittsburgh (11-1), RPI: .5952
31. UCLA (9-5), RPI: .5738
32. Colorado (10-3), RPI: .6187