College Hoops Week 13 Recap: Nebraska’s Run Ends, Arizona Holds Strong, and the Rankings Get a Shakeup
Week 13 of the college basketball season delivered exactly what fans love this time of year: high-stakes matchups, dramatic finishes, and a top-10 shakeup that’s starting to separate the contenders from the pretenders.
Let’s start in Ann Arbor, where Nebraska’s perfect season finally hit a wall. The Cornhuskers came into the weekend riding high at 20-0, one of only three unbeatens left in the country.
But Michigan had other plans. The Wolverines handed Nebraska its first loss of the year in a 75-72 thriller that saw Nebraska pour in 50 points in the first half-only to stall out with just 22 the rest of the way.
That’s the kind of second-half collapse that sticks with a team.
If that loss wasn’t enough of a gut punch, Nebraska’s follow-up game at home against #9 Illinois didn’t go any better. The Illini came into Lincoln and snapped the Huskers’ home winning streak with a 78-69 win, handing Nebraska its second loss in a matter of days.
That’s a tough back-to-back for a team that had been cruising. The good news?
Nebraska’s next game is at Rutgers, and while nothing’s a gimme in conference play, that matchup offers a chance to stop the bleeding before things spiral.
Those wins had major implications in the polls. Michigan jumped back up to #3, and Illinois climbed to #5.
Kansas also made a move, rising three spots after a strong week that included wins over two top-15 teams in BYU and Texas Tech. On the flip side, Arkansas took the biggest tumble after suffering its first home loss of the season to Kentucky.
That one stung in Fayetteville.
At the top of the rankings, Arizona continues to hold down the #1 spot-and they’re not giving it up without a fight. The Wildcats are now one of just two undefeated teams left, along with Miami-OH, and they’ve got a gauntlet ahead that could define their season.
Starting Monday the 9th, Arizona faces a brutal stretch: they’ll travel to Kansas, then host Texas Tech and BYU, before heading to Houston. That’s four ranked opponents in a row.
If they’re still perfect after that? We’re talking about a team with serious national title credentials.
Miami-OH’s path to staying unbeaten isn’t quite as treacherous, but it’s no cakewalk either. Road games at Buffalo, Marshall, and UMass are on deck, along with home games against Ohio and Bowling Green. It’s a different kind of pressure-less spotlight, but still a tightrope walk.
Outside the unbeaten watch, a few one-loss teams are quietly stacking wins and could be poised to run the table. UConn continues to dominate the Big East, Duke is holding it down in the ACC, and Gonzaga is doing what Gonzaga does-methodically taking care of business in the WCC during what’s likely their final lap through the conference.
And don’t sleep on St. Louis.
The Billikens are sitting at 21-1 and climbing fast. They’re not making a ton of national noise yet, but keep an eye on them-they’re trending up at just the right time.
Meanwhile, Kentucky is knocking on the door of the rankings again after receiving 28 votes this week. That’s a far cry from where they were just a month ago.
With Oklahoma and Tennessee both coming to Rupp Arena this week, a 2-0 stretch could be enough to push the Wildcats back into the top 25. Considering how bleak things looked not long ago, that would be a major turnaround.
Looking ahead, this weekend’s slate is loaded with marquee matchups. Saturday brings some serious heat, starting with #4 Duke heading to Chapel Hill to face #14 North Carolina in one of college basketball’s most storied rivalries.
Then it’s #5 Illinois visiting #10 Michigan State in a Big Ten showdown with major seeding implications. And to cap it off, #8 Houston travels to #16 BYU for a late-night clash that could have big ripple effects across the top 10.
It’s February now, and that means we’re officially in the thick of conference play. The stakes are rising, the margins are shrinking, and every game feels like it could swing a season. Buckle up-this is the stretch where contenders are made.