In December I compiled a power ranking for the power five conferences of college football and now I’ll be taking a crack at college basketball. The NCAA’s power five conferences remain the same in Division 1 basketball, but unlike football, non-power five teams are still legitimate threats to claim the national championship. This list, however, will stick to the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, PAC 12, and SEC. Sorry Gonzaga fans. Here are the power five conferences for college basketball ranked from best to worst as of the 2017-2018 season.
1. ACC
Duke might be the biggest threat in the country with Zion Williamson, but the ACC as a whole is stacked. Three of the top four teams in the current AP poll are from the ACC (Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina) and they have several other tournament threats. Florida State and Virginia Tech are both ranked in the top 15. Syracuse and Louisville haven’t been dominate, but they have still strung together respectable seasons.
2. Big Ten
The Big Ten might not have as many ACC level national championship threats, but they might be the deepest conference in the country. Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue are looking to cut down the nets this season, but the conference has tons of other teams ready to make some noise in March. Wisconsin and Maryland are both still ranked in the AP Poll while Iowa has been flirting with the top 25 all year long.
3. SEC
The SEC isn’t very deep but it has three legitimate threats in 2018. Tennessee, LSU, and Kentucky are all ranked among the top ten and have championship aspiration for this season. Auburn and South Carolina aren’t ranked, but both teams have solid enough resumes to make the NCAA tournament.
4. Big 12
The Big 12 is in the midst of a down season. Texas Tech is ranked eighth in the latest AP poll, Kansas is still a top 25 team, and Kansas State is getting love from the AP, but that’s about it. The Jayhawks might be around ranked company, but they aren’t as dominant as they’ve been in recent seasons.
5. PAC 12
The PAC 12 sits in the basement in both Division 1 football and basketball. Washington and Arizona State will both make the tournament, but the conference lacks a single ranked team. UCLA and Oregon are shells of what they used to be and the conference is currently experiencing some dark times.
