Best Unranked Teams

These teams aren't ranked, but have a shot to sneak in the back end of the AP Top 25 after No. 24 Marquette and No. 23 Memphis both lost tough games against good opponents.

Memphis will be back in eventually, but the Tigers need to take better, smarter shots, and hope that Tyreke Evans improves as a decision-maker.

Marquette has the talent to win a lot of games at home, but it's starting to look like this batch of Golden Eagles -- ya know, Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, Maurice Acker, Lazar Heyward and the most overrated player in the history of college basketball, Dominic James -- can't be counted on to win road games.

So, without any more posturing ...

1. Michigan -- The Wolverines are the easy choice because they are No. 26 in the AP rankings. But John Beilein (above) has his kids winning games they should and competing in the tough ones. If anyone is surprised by Beilein's getting results, you are crazy. Kentucky has to be kicking itself right now.

2. Miami -- The 'Canes get a chance to totally redeem themselves with an early conference donnybrook with No. 25 Clemson, which has zoomed to a 10-0 record. It's not like two losses against No. 2 UConn and No. 17 Ohio State are all that bad anyway ...

3. BYU -- The Cougars are 10-0 and have a marquee matchup at No. 20 Arizona State on Saturday and a home game against No. 10 Wake Forest on Jan. 3. Those two games will test BYU, and prepare it for the Tournament, where you should expect to see the Cougars.

4. Saint Mary's -- I don't see how one loss against a good UTEP team on a neutral floor has knocked the Gaels this far down the rankings, but the fightin' Patty Millses will be back. Trust me. We mentioned Saint Mary's earlier today because it has a big matchup with Oregon tonight. A game at Southern Illinois follows on Saturday, but after that, Saint Mary's will only have two more chances to beat any big-name teams -- and both of those changes are against No. 8 Gonzaga.

5. Minnesota -- I'm not sold on Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers yet, and neither are the AP voters, who gave the 'Sota two votes in last week's poll. But Minnesota is 9-0, and three of its next five games are against currently ranked teams -- No. 9 Louisville (in Arizona) and home against No. 17 Ohio State and No. 19 Michigan State. With the two calkwalks in between the big games, I think Minnesota will have a tough time doing better than 2-3.

6. Temple -- Riding the high of one upset isn't enough. And the 5-3 record isn't that great, either -- although losses to tougher-than-expected Buffalo, great shut-you-down D and Miami (Ohio) and Clemson aren't bad. But the Owls play at Kansas on Saturday and against Villanova Dec. 29.

Programs on the Rise: Indiana and Minnesota

After slogging through this season, Tubby Smith's rebuilding project at Minnesota will hit its major stride. Smith landed a consensus Top 25 recruiting class to supplant an 08-09 team that might be an NIT team.

Before Christmas this year, we'll see Minnesota battle Louisville. Yes, a battle of the two former Kentucky coaches: Smith and Rick Pitino. Louisville should win the game, but watch for how close Minnesota comes.

With this recruiting class -- ranked 22nd on Rivals, 10th on ESPN.com and 11th on Scout -- Smith has Minnesota back on the map. There were four signings announced:

Wings Royce White and Rodney Williams, Juco power forward Trevor Mbakwe and point guard Justin Cobbs

White is a combo forward and Williams seems more like a perimeter player. They will form a nice tandem in the Big Ten.

But Smith isn't the only one getting it done in the Big Ten. Indiana snagged a consensus Top 10 recruiting class. I told you Tom Crean had the Hoosiers on their way.

The class -- rated seventh by Rivals, eighth by ESPN.com and seventh by Scout -- has six signees. After all, there's a lot to replace at Indiana.

Three wings: Maurice Creek, Derek Elston and Christian Watford
One point man: Jordan Hulls
Two big fellas: Bobby Capobianco and Bawa Muniru

Creek's a stud, so're Elston, Watford and Hulls. Nice start for Crean.

Elsewhere
-- Perennially big-time (at least these days) Tennessee snagged one recruit, but got a good one: 6-9 power forward Kenny Hall will head to Knoxville.

-- UNC is the consensus No. 1 recruiting program.

-- Memphis keeps landing in the Top 5.

-- 'Nova reloaded.

-- Texas got a pair of studs.

-- Kentucky did well ... again. Will it turn into wins?

More at a later time.