Illinois and Top 10 Teams Flying Under the Radar so Far

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In college basketball as in college football, sometimes a team can do everything right and it’s still not enough. A number of outstanding squads haven’t gotten nearly the attention they deserve this season from fans or pollsters.

Unbeaten Illinois is a prime example of the phenomenon. The Illini are 10-0 with wins over Richmond, Maryland and Gonzaga, yet they can’t even climb as high as 8-2 conference rival Michigan in the national polls.

Herein, a closer look at Illinois and the rest of the best teams that haven’t gotten enough hype in 2011-12.

No. 10: California

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Knocked out of the rankings after they got eviscerated by No. 8 Missouri, the Golden Bears are still off to a solid 8-2 start.

With the Pac-12 down across the board, a team with wins over Georgia and George Washington starts to look like a legitimate conference contender.

Senior guard Jorge Gutierrez has been outstanding as expected (12.9 points and 3.9 assists per game), and he’s gotten plenty of help in the backcourt. Minnesota transfer Justin Cobbs has taken over the point to the tune of 4.5 assists a night, and sophomore Allen Crabbe has stepped up as the team’s leading scorer with 15.8 points a game.

No. 9: Northern Iowa

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After losing their second game of the season to St. Mary’s, Northern Iowa hasn’t been able to match the buzz of conference rival Creighton. Nevertheless, the Panthers are looking like potential mid-major standard bearers for yet another year of March Madness.

UNI has taken down Iowa, Iowa State, Old Dominion and Milwaukee in a 9-1 start. Sharpshooting Anthony James—14.3 points per game, 46.9 percent accuracy from beyond the arc—leads a dangerous backcourt that can hold its own with bigger-name opponents.

No. 8: Northwestern

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The Wildcats haven’t been getting much notice partly because they haven’t played in more than a week, with their last game being a blowout loss to No. 7 Baylor that dropped them from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Before that game, however, Northwestern had won the Charleston Classic title over Seton Hall as part of a 7-0 start.

Senior forward John Shurna is leading NU once again with 18.9 points per game (not to mention 5.6 rebounds a night).

With swingman Drew Crawford stepping up to add 17.3 points a night, Northwestern has an offense to be respected as it heads into a tough stretch of schedule. The Wildcats play road games at No. 24 Creighton and No. 2 Ohio State in the space of a week.

No. 7: Virginia

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If it weren’t for a two-point loss to TCU in the Paradise Jam, Virginia would be 9-0 and, almost certainly, ranked.

As it is, the Cavaliers are hovering on the fringes of the Top 25 with one clear signature win to their credit: a 70-58 pounding of then-No. 15 Michigan in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.

Senior PF Mike Scott has been the hero thus far, averaging 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds a night.

With much of the ACC in shambles, thanks to slow starts from Florida State and Miami, the Cavaliers have a great opportunity to fill the vacuum and steal the league’s third (and possibly last) NCAA bid.

No. 6: San Diego State

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Although Steve Fisher’s Aztecs have yet to crack the Top 25, they’ve certainly made some ranked teams sit up and take notice. San Diego State lost to No. 21 Creighton by just two points and defeated then-ranked Arizona and Cal (each No. 23 at the time).

The key for SDSU has been a high-powered backcourt led by junior Chase Tapley (17.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game).

With point guard Xavier Thames chipping in 5.8 assists a night, the Aztecs have set themselves up to challenge UNLV for the Mountain West championship.

No. 5: Purdue

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The Boilermakers had two chances at a statement out-of-conference victory and missed them both, falling to No. 21 Alabama in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off final and to No. 9 Xavier by three points in Cincinnati.

Even so, Matt Painter’s 9-2 team has set itself up as a dangerous group heading into the Big Ten schedule.

Robbie Hummel is back and healthy, averaging team highs of 18.3 points and 5.5 rebounds a game.

With three-point gunner Ryne Smith (46.6 percent from long range) providing the outside game, the Boilermakers have developed into a potent offensive team that’s going to get some big wins in conference play.

No. 4: Texas A&M

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Khris Middleton’s knee injury and an early loss to Mississippi State in the 2K Sports Classic combined to pull the spotlight away from an Aggies’ team with a strong showing in 2010-11.

With Middleton back in action, though, A&M finds itself 8-1 and poised to contend even in the tough Big 12.

The Aggies, who have already defeated a solid St. John’s team in a de facto road game, face a similar scenario Saturday night when they play No. 13 Florida in Sunrise, FL.

A win in that hostile environment would ensure that this defensive-minded team climbs well above its current No. 22 ranking in short order.

No. 3: Illinois

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It’s not surprising that the Illini were dismissed in the preseason after losing Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale and Demetri McCamey to graduation. However, a 10-0 start should have earned them back more respect than the No. 19 ranking in the country.

Meyers Leonard has led the Illinois resurgence with 13.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks a game.

With one strong win over No. 18 Gonzaga already under their belts, Bruce Weber’s team has a chance to collect another pair of substantial victories against UNLV and No. 8 Missouri before conference play opens on Dec. 27.

No. 2: Murray State

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When there are only nine remaining unbeaten teams left in the country, even an inflated 10-0 record is the mark of a very dangerous team.

Murray State may have gotten three of its 10 wins against non-Division I opposition, but its 76-72 triumph on the road at Memphis was no illusion.

The Racers, who also slaughtered a tough Dayton team earlier in the month, are led by junior PG Isaiah Canaan and his 19.8 points a game.

If the smallish frontcourt of 6’7” Ivan Aska and 6’7” Ed Daniel can play big, Murray State could be one of the scariest opponents in the nation for a higher seed in March.

No. 1: Indiana

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Last Saturday’s stunner against former No. 1 Kentucky finally put Indiana on the map, but even that win couldn’t get the Hoosiers ranked higher than No. 20 in the polls.

For all that, IU wasn’t expected to be a major factor in the Big Ten this season, it deserves some acknowledgement for its impressive 9-0 start.

Butler, NC State and Evansville are also among the victims of Tom Crean’s team in the early going, with Notre Dame likely to become another in-state win for Indiana on Saturday afternoon.

With star freshman Cody Zeller (15 points, 7.4 rebounds a game), joining sophomores Victor Oladipo (12.3 points, 5.6 boards) and Christian Watford (11.4 and five), the Hoosiers have length, scoring touch and a whole lot of potential to take down the many conference foes currently ranked ahead of them.