Sam’s Section: What you missed in college basketball over winter break

Auburn guard Denver Jones (2) dribbles the ball past Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr. (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Kathryn Skeean)
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Students left in December for winter break and are now back on campus for the Spring 2025 semester. The college basketball season continued through the break, with some teams rising and some falling. In the first Sam’s Section of 2025, we will go over the big stories in college basketball.  

Auburn is the undisputed No. 1 team in the country.  

Following the Fall 2024 semester, it was clear that Tennessee was the top team in college basketball, with an 8-0 record and 58 first place votes out of 62. Tennessee has fallen off a bit, now ranked No. 6 in the country. Even with injuries sidelining star Johni Broome, the Tigers have emerged as the consensus top team in college basketball. They are on a 10-game winning streak after losing at Duke, with wins over Ohio State, Purdue, Missouri, Texas, Mississippi State and Georgia. Their rotation is deep, which makes for expanded roles for key players that might help them when March comes. They are the top-ranked offensive team according to KenPom.  

Cooper Flagg is not just the best freshman in the country, but the best player in the country.  

Since Broome went down with a sprained ankle, Flagg emerged as the face of college basketball. The projected No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft averages 19.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game on 48.8% shooting. He is an elite defender, averaging 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. He turned heads in Duke’s win over Notre Dame, dropping 42 points on 11-14 shooting, including four from 3-point range. There is no debate about who the best player in college basketball is.  

Pat Kelsey is the national coach of the year.  

Kelsey’s coaching career has been excellent so far. He led Winthrop to four Big South regular season titles and three conference tournament championships. He won the conference’s Coach of the Year award in 2021, the season before he left for Charleston. In his short tenure with the Cougars, Kelsey led them to back-to-back sweeps of the Coastal Athletic Association championships. In his final season in the Holy City, he won the CAA Coach of the Year award. In the offseason, Kelsey left to take over at Louisville. The program was a dumpster fire, with just 12 wins in two seasons under Kenny Payne (now the associate head coach at Arkansas). Kelsey has exceeded that win total already and the season is not even close to over. The Cardinals are 15-5, riding on a nine-game winning streak and are ranked for the first time since 2021. Louisville’s resumé includes four Quad 1 wins (West Virginia, Florida State, Pittsburgh and SMU). With former Wisconsin Badger Chucky Hepburn leading the way, the ceiling is sky-high for a historic program, now revived after last making the NCAA Tournament in 2019.  

My favorite teams moving forward:

Duke  

I talked already about how Flagg is the best player in college basketball, but the Blue Devils are more than just him. They are the top-ranked team in the country on KenPom, as the No. 5 offense and No. 2 defense in terms of efficiency. They have the nation’s longest active winning streak at 12 games, with their last loss coming against Kansas on Nov. 26 on a neutral floor. Since then, they have beat Auburn, Louisville, SMU and Pittsburgh. Outside of Flagg, I have been impressed with Kon Knueppel’s effort. He averages 12.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game on 44.3% shooting. While his last game resulted in a 0-5 outing from the floor, he remains one of the Blue Devils’ trusty players that will only continue to get better as the season progresses.  

Iowa State  

The Cyclones are having an amazing year, with a 16-2 record and ranking in the top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. Their three-guard backcourt is among the best in the country, with Keshon Gilbert, Curtis Jones and Tamin Lipsey considered All-American talent. Before falling at West Virginia on Saturday, Iowa State was on a 12-game winning streak with wins over Marquette, Iowa, Baylor, Texas Tech and Kansas. If people are not talking about T.J. Otzelberger being one of the best coaches in college basketball, they better start now, because he has done an incredible job in Ames.  

Favorite players moving forward:

Donovan Dent, New Mexico  

New Mexico’s Donovan Dent, right, drives to the basket against San Diego State’s Nick Boyd, second from right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Albuquerque, N.M., Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)
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Dent played a key role in leading the Lobos to a Mountain West Tournament title, averaging 14.1 points and 5.4 assists per game last season. This season has Dent playing like an All-American. He averages 18.9 points, 6.9 assists (8th in the country) and 1.6 steals per game on 49.8% shooting. There has not been a single game this season where Dent failed to score 11 points or more. There is something special going on in Albuquerque, and it is thanks to their junior star guard.  

Chaz Lanier, Tennessee  

If you are looking for one of the best transfers in the country, look no further than Lanier. The North Florida transfer has emerged as a sharpshooter, knocking down 42.6% of his 3-point shots. He averages 18.4 points per game and has become the primary shooting guard for the Volunteers, making for a nasty backcourt with him and Zakai Zeigler. Lanier first made his name known in the Baha Mar Hoops title game, drilling seven 3-pointers in the first half alone. Only twice has the Nashville native failed to score 10 points or more this season.  

Koby Brea, Kentucky  

Speaking of sharpshooters, there is not a better perimeter threat on offense than Brea. The Dayton transfer only averages 11.2 points per game but is second in the nation in 3-point percentage at 47.2%, trailing only Missouri’s Caleb Grill. He can help Kentucky in top 10 matchups, scoring 23 points on 8-11 shooting against Florida, with seven of those made shots from beyond the arc. He was the premier sharpshooter in the country last year, and he continues to be this season.

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