5 Underrated College Basketball Teams at the Start of February
Ready or not, February has arrived in college basketball.
While the beginning of the month isn't yet starting the "stretch run" toward the 2025 men's NCAA tournament, February is loaded with impactful games for March Madness hopefuls to bolster their resumes.
And, specific to our target today, perceptions.
Heading into February, a handful of programs open the month with plenty of talent but significant improvements to make. Over the next five weeks, however, those five schools look capable of rising quickly.
Each team listed holds no higher than a No. 5 seed in Kerry Miller's latest bracket projection—and, in communication with him, will not be positioned there in his next update, either.
Connecticut Huskies
1 of 5
In the sense of "nobody is talking about Connecticut," no, the Huskies are not underrated. It would be difficult to ignore a two-time defending champion who's coach isn't afraid of being loud in the media.
Nevertheless, this is UConn's reality.
Projected as a No. 10 seed in the latest B/R update, the Huskies put themselves in a hole early. They dropped games to Memphis, Colorado and Dayton in November. January losses to Villanova, Creighton and Xavier combined with no real marquee win stung UConn more.
The tides may be turning, though.
Dan Hurley's team snagged a victory at Marquette to open February, snapping nearly a two-month drought of adding a Quad 1 win to its resume. Solo Ball's recent rise has been pivotal for the offense, too.
Yes, shaky defense—and a byproduct of too many fouls—looms as a real obstacle for UConn right now.
But between a Hurley-led staff, freshman Liam McNeeley returning from an ankle injury and Ball's progression, UConn can be dangerous.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
2 of 5
The bad news: Gonzaga has seven losses. As a result, it's no surprise the Zags are a projected No. 8 seed.
The good news: They're so freaking close all the time.
Among the seven setbacks, three happened in overtime to Q1 opponents. The other four margins were against Q1/2 teams by a combined 17 points—and never more than a six-point difference in any of them.
Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, the saying goes. And, hey, fair enough. Sticking with top competition is nice, but losing gets old. Gonzaga hadn't defeated a Q1/2 program since November until routing Oregon State to wrap up January.
If flipping that trend was so easy, Hall of Fame-bound coach Mark Few certainly would've found a solution before me. There is no guarantee Gonzaga figures out these late-game issues.
Still, don't hurry to sell that metaphorical stock in Gonzaga—the nation's fourth-best offense, per KenPom—just yet.
New Mexico Lobos
3 of 5
Not only is New Mexico down at No. 11 in Miller's projection, but the Lobos are also simply a genuine bubble team.
According to Bracket Matrix, UNM is currently the third-to-last program in the consensus field. That tenuous perch is a product of bad losses to New Mexico State and San Jose State, along with managing just a few Quadrant 2 wins during a tepid January slate.
Similar to UConn, though, the Lobos are trending up.
Richard Pitino's team put together a statement 19-point win at Utah State on the opening day of the month. New Mexico—fueled by a lengthy, physical defense that holds top-30 national rankings in both steals and blocks per game—is now alone atop the Mountain West.
As long as leading scorer Donovan Dent and double-double machine Nelly Junior Joseph stay healthy, the Lobos will be a thorn.
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St. John's Red Storm
4 of 5
From one Pitino to the other.
In his second year at St. John's, Rick Pitino has an intriguing team. If you haven't followed along, you might be confused how a Big East-leading team holding a 19-3 overall record can be underrated.
The short version is the Red Storm, as of this writing, lack a truly marquee win. They toppled Xavier on the road in January—and that's certainly a solid victory—but need to knock off Marquette and/or Connecticut here in early February to have a more convincing resume.
Thanks to this defense, though, it's a real possibility.
St. John's is fourth nationally in adjusted efficiency on that end, according to KenPom, with top-25 rankings in steal and block rate. Deivon Smith's recent return from a shoulder injury bolsters the unit, too.
If that defense plays to its potential in these Big East showdowns, the Red Storm can quickly climb from a projected No. 6 seed.
West Virginia Mountaineers
5 of 5
On the bright side, West Virginia saved me from writing about a team on a four-game losing streak. After falling to Arizona State, Kansas State and Houston recently, the Mountaineers stopped the skid at Cincinnati.
Without that win, it would've been a tougher sell—but the best version of this roster keeps pulling me in.
After defeating Gonzaga early in the season, the 'Eers have secured wins against Kansas, Arizona and Iowa State in Big 12 action. Notably, three of those victories occurred at a road or neutral site.
Now, there's one enormous unknown.
Tucker DeVries has been sidelined for months, and Jayden Stone hasn't played all season. While it's possible either or both return, WVU has offered little information about the injuries. If they remain sidelined, fatigue will probably affect this short rotation later in the season.
Despite those setbacks, the Mountaineers have proven they can lean on a pesky defense to stick with anyone in the Big 12. Snag a couple more upsets, and WVU will deserve more than a No. 7 seed.
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