The No. 1 Ranked Team In College Hoops Lost Again Because, Well, Every Team Is A Fraud This Year

Notice I say fraud and not good. The fact is every team has glaring weaknesses. We saw this again last night with Alabama, just a couple days after they were ranked No. 1 for the first time in 20. Look at that stat again about 8 different loses for No. 1 teams this year. There's still a couple weeks left in the regular season. Someone is going to lose again. 

Just this year alone we've had UNC, Houston (2 different times), Purdue (2 different times) and now Alabama losing as the No. 1 team in the country. So who is next? Likely just defer back to Houston if I had to guess. Sure, if you want to call them the best team in the country, I get it. They have a pro in Jerace Walaker. They have an awesome backcourt with Sasser and Mark. There's a lot to like there. But they haven't been dominant by any means. 

I wrote about the chaos earlier so figured I'd go more gambling here. People are always looking for futures. I still feel good about having Houston and Baylor from the preseason. Even feel good about giving out Miami and obviously Texas as Final Four picks: 

I keep saying how this year is similar to 2013-14. That's honestly how it feels. Florida was the No. 1 overall team that year and that never felt right. Don't get me wrong that team with Scottie Wilbiken, DFS and Patric Young were damn good. But they never felt like this dominant team. That's how it is this year. We've never really seen teams bunched up as much as we are right now on KenPom from 1-30 or so. 

Again, who is on the short list for best teams in the country? Houston, Alabama, Purdue, UCLA, fill in the Big 12 team here? You can go one by one and nitpick what's wrong with each team. Houston - they are one of the worst FT shooting teams in the country while playing a bunch of nobodies in the AAC (old Gonzaga trick). Alabama - they are so reliant on 3s and layups. One cold night, especially away from home, they look mortal. Purdue - young guards. I like them. But you don't win playing through a big in March. You need Smith/Loyer to take a massive jump. UCLA - Do you trust them to score enough? They go on cold streaks and don't have nearly enough shooting for me to fall in love with them completely. 

Like I said, I'm sitting on those Baylor/Houston title futures and Miami/Texas preseason futures. But here's some to take now since we're past football season: 

Note, I would 100% add Baylor at 16/1 again if I didn't have them already.

UCLA (+1500) - While I gave their negatives earlier in the blog, UCLA is still a good team. They have the two key guys in Jaime Jacquez and Tyger Campbell. Two guys that are experienced. Two guys that were part of that Final Four team. Throw in a Bailey and Bona who are freshmen making their jumps and this team makes a ton of sense. We know Mick's teams defend their ass off and this is no different. 

TCU (+3500) - This is strictly a health play. I love this TCU team … but only if they are healthy. Mike Miles is still out. Eddie Lampkin has been banged up. Damion Baugh has been hurt. The key is Miles. He makes this team go. They are 3-6 without him. If and this is an if, they get healthy this is easily a top-15 team in the country. 

I mentioned Baylor and I still love this team. They got JTT back from a knee injury and immediately their defense is getting so much better. That was the problem without him. Their defense, well, sucked. They have probably the best backcourt in the country in my opinion. They have a guy in Keyontae George who is an elite NBA prospect. That top end talent matters in March. They just ISO you to death on offense until the mismatch is there and then shoot the shit out of the ball.