"Because we're moving Arizona back to No. 1. The Wildcats jumped to the top spot after winning at UConn last month, then relinquished their position following Michigan's romp through Las Vegas in which the Wolverines solidified themselves as the most dominant team in college basketball. And that's probably still the case, as evidenced by their lofty KenPom ranking, which positions them as the third-best team since the 1996-97 season."
"The Wildcats, No. 1 in ESPN's Strength of Record, have wins over Florida and UCLA at neutral sites as well as UConn, Alabama and Auburn on their home courts. Arizona vs. Michigan at No. 1 is likely to be a constant debate over the next several weeks with Arizona likely comfortably favored in every game until the Wildcats travel to BYU on Jan. 26 and Michigan's Jan. 30 trip to Michigan State figuring to be the Wolverines' toughest test in the foreseeable future."
"Brayden Burries has added a new dimension to the offense since he began his breakout stretch in late November. After averaging 7.8 points in his first five games, Burries is averaging 19.8 points over his past five contests -- a stretch that included a 28-point outing against Alabama in which he made five 3-pointers. The Wildcats have scored at least 1.26 points per possession in all five of those games, a mark they failed to reach in four"
Arizona reclaimed the No. 1 spot after a resume-building win at UConn and unprecedented early-season results, becoming the first team in AP poll history to beat five ranked teams in its first nine games. The Wildcats lead ESPN's Strength of Record with neutral-site wins over Florida and UCLA and home victories against UConn, Alabama and Auburn. Michigan remains statistically dominant per KenPom, prompting ongoing comparisons between the programs. Guard Brayden Burries has surged offensively, jumping from 7.8 to 19.8 points across five games and helping Arizona exceed 1.26 points per possession in that stretch.
Read at ESPN.com
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