Michigan was so dominant last week at the Players Era Festival that it’s now tracking to be an all-time team, and it has company.

Thanks to the ratings archive at KenPom.com, we can compare teams across seasons. Four weeks into this season, the Wolverines have an adjusted efficiency margin of 35.16. Purdue is No. 2 at 32.54. For every season since 2011-12, I looked at the ratings after four weeks to see how Michigan compared to other top teams at this snapshot in time.

1. Among the 15 seasons in the data set, Michigan’s current rating is highest at this point in the season, and Purdue’s is the second-highest. Simply by the numbers, you could argue Michigan and Purdue are performing better than any team of the last 15 seasons.

2. An efficiency rating above 30 is rarified air, and this season, there are three teams in that category — Duke also qualifies. The teams in this club have mostly gone on to make the Final Four, and those who didn’t win the national title were some of the best not to, including the 38-1 Kentucky team in 2014-15 that starred Karl Anthony-Towns and had Devin Booker coming off the bench.

SeasonTeamNetRtgFinish

2025-26

Michigan

35.16

???

2025-26

Purdue

32.41

???

2011-12

Ohio State

32.15

Final Four

2024-25

Auburn

32.09

Final Four

2025-26

Duke

32.05

???

2011-12

Kentucky

31.19

National champ

2020-21

Baylor

30.44

National champ

2014-15

Kentucky

30.34

Final Four

2017-18

Villanova

30.25

National champ

3. The No. 1 team four weeks in ended up a No. 1 seed in all but three NCAA Tournaments — Ohio State (2011-12 season, No. 2 seed), Louisville (2012-13 season, No. 4 seed) and Duke (2016-17 season, No. 2 seed).

Dominating the first four weeks signifies big things are ahead.

Purdue did nothing last week to lose its spot at No. 1, but Michigan was so ridiculously good that it’s justified to bump Dusty May’s team to the top. Michigan is currently No. 1 in every predictive model. The numbers tell me I’m still probably too low on Duke — up to No. 6 this week in my poll — but my preseason bias still has me slightly skeptical. Also, Duke has yet to play any team ranked in my top 15. Kansas is likely one of the best 15 in college basketball once at full strength, but that game was played without Darryn Peterson. If the Blue Devils beat Florida and Michigan State this week, they will go into my top five.

One other note: We’re reaching a point where it’s no longer feasible to allow head-to-head matchups to determine whethr one team should be in front of another. Yes, it matters. But one game is a minuscule sample size. Each week, I’ll start to lean more on the predictive models to guide me through ranking these teams. If you try to use head-to-head results, it can lead to overreactive jumps and bumps.

More below on Michigan, UConn, Duke, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Michigan State, Kansas, Vanderbilt, newcomer Iowa and St. John’s.

Dropped out: UCLA, Saint Mary’s

Keeping an eye on: LSU, USC, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Utah State, Clemson, Wake Forest

1. Michigan (7-0)

Last week: Beat San Diego State 94-54, No. 21 Auburn 102-72 and No. 12 Gonzaga 101-61

Once Michigan’s defense is set, it’s tough to get a quality shot. That goes to another level when May has his jumbo lineup (Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg) out there. According to CBB Analytics, the Wolverines are allowing only 0.687 points per possession with those three on the floor, with a 21.4 percent block rate, meaning more than one out of every five 2-point attempts gets blocked with those three on the floor.

In half-court defense (so minus transition opportunities), opponents are making only 33.9 percent of their 2s against the Wolverines, per Synergy. Next best in that category is Kennesaw State at 36.6 percent. The gap between Michigan and Kennesaw State is the same as the gap between No. 2 and No. 9.

Gonzaga came in with the fourth-best adjusted offense in college hoops. They were averaging 13.7 points per game on post-ups, which was the best in college hoops. Against Michigan, they scored one bucket on five post-ups. Michigan’s game plan and length totally negated what Gonzaga does best.

Poor Graham Ike, who was averaging 17 points per game, went 0-of-9 from the field and only scored because of a flagrant foul on a rebound that sent him to the free-throw line. If you want to beat the Wolverines, you better score in transition or hope to make a bunch of 3s, because they’re putting up a wall around the paint.

4. UConn (6-1)

Last week: Beat No. 13 Illinois 74-61

The Huskies are dizzying to guard, especially for whoever the poor soul is that has to chase Solo Ball around. Coach Dan Hurley runs an action that’s like a game of duck-duck-goose, with his shooters circling until one breaks open, as Ball did here on the opening possession against Illinois:

The Huskies are an excellent screening team and lead college basketball in points off screens, per Synergy. Ball was hot early — 13 points in the first 12 minutes — and the Illini were trying to stay attached so he didn’t get any good looks.

To the credit of Ball and Hurley, they used that magnetic approach to their advantage, turning Ball into the screener, which led to three easy buckets.

On this first one, with Kylan Boswell top-blocking Ball around the baseline, once he sees Silas Demary Jr. come off a ball screen at the top of the key, Ball screens his own man (Boswell), which wipes out Demary’s defender as well:

This next is super crafty. Again, with this defender locked onto his hip, Ball stops near the right elbow, Alex Karaban flies right off his hip and Ball wipes out Karaban’s man with a subtle butt screen:

Once again, Boswell is trying to top block with his back to the ball, so UConn has him set a back screen, knowing Boswell will be out of position to help:

What’s scary is the Huskies now have a second elite off-movement shooter in freshman Braylon Mullins, who made his debut against the Illini coming off an ankle injury. With Ball and Mullins on the floor together, that could set up even more easy buckets for the Huskies.

6. Duke (8-0)

Last week: Beat No. 22 Arkansas 80-71

It appears the Blue Devils and star Cameron Boozer have gone to the Jay Wright school of pivoting. Boozer scored five of his 13 buckets against Arkansas off his pivot work and the other Blue Devils scored three buckets with the use of the pivot.

What makes Boozer so hard to guard is he plays with such a wide base and great balance. Once he determines which direction he’ll have the advantage, he’s so wide that when he spins off that foot he gets to the side of his defender so that he doesn’t have to score over the top.

The way to slow Boozer is to make him score over length, but his ability to create angles with his footwork makes it hard to fully stay between Boozer and the basket. Plus, he’s so patient and willing to pass the ball that he rarely forces up a tough shot. He put on a clinic — 35 points, nine rebounds and three assists — against the Razorbacks.

7. Iowa State (7-0)

Last week: Beat No. 14 St. John’s 83-82, Creighton 78-60 and Syracuse 95-64.

The Cyclones rank second in defensive turnover rate, turning opponents over on 25.8 percent of their possessions. If they stay there for the season, it’ll be the third time in four years that the Clones have finished second in defensive turnover rate.

Coach T.J. Otzelberger has his teams play an aggressive defense. One part of the formula is when the ball is forced to the baseline, the defenders on the other side turn to face the ball instead of a typical shell — see ball and man.

This allows for the players on the weak side to play free safety and read the eyes of the passer:

Then, on high-middle ball screens, the Cyclones go in attack mode, blitzing the ball handler with the other defenders looking for a steal. Watch Milan Momcilovic come from out of the picture, leaving his man in the left corner to steal the short roll:

Syracuse had a low turnover rate going into its game against Iowa State and had only 15 turnovers in the first two games at the Players Era Festival, including just two against Kansas. The Cyclones turned the Orange over 19 times. It’ll be a fascinating chess match this Saturday at Purdue against Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who are college basketball’s version of Stockton to Malone.

8. Gonzaga (7-1)

Last week: Beat No. 8 Alabama 95-85, Maryland 100-61, and lost to No. 7 Michigan 101-61

Gonzaga will likely be a slight underdog on Friday in Nashville against Kentucky and then favored in every game the rest of the season. There’s a decent chance, even with a 40-point loss to Michigan on the resume, that Gonzaga will end up a No. 1 seed.

The loss by a team that came in No. 1 at KenPom reminded me of another blowout nonconference loss by a No. 1 KenPom team. In 2016, Villanova lost 78-55 to Oklahoma in Hawaii. The reason the Sooners were able to pull away: Villanova shot a very uncharacteristic 4-of-32 from 3. In the Final Four that year, the two teams met again, and Villanova won by 44 on its way to a national title. The Wildcats made 11-of-18 3s that day.

Gonzaga struggled just about everywhere on the floor against Michigan, but just like that 2016 Nova team, the Zags shot it terribly from deep, going 3-of-22, including 1-of-15 on catch-and-shoot 3s, many of them wide open. While the score differential was concerning, I’m not writing Gonzaga off because of one nightmare game.

9. Michigan State (7-0)

Last week: Beat East Carolina 89-56 and No. 16 North Carolina 74-58

Jeremy Fears Jr. carved North Carolina up in the middle of the floor and finished with a career-high 19 points. It should have been 21. This slow step below is not a travel, but the referee was fooled:

If I’m coach Tom Izzo, I’m sending that tape to every official in the Big Ten, because Fears will likely do it again, and he should be rewarded for the sick footwork. Also noteworthy from Sparty’s win over the Heels: Fears is one of the best passers in the country, but this was proof he can take over a game scoring as well.

16. Kansas (6-2)

Last week: Beat Notre Dame 71-61, Syracuse 71-60 and No. 17 Tennessee 81-76

Kansas is currently sixth in block rate, swatting away 18.9 percent of opponents’ 2s. Other years KU has ranked top 10 in block rate under coach Bill Self: 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013.

The adjusted defensive finishes those years: first, first, third and fifth. Three of those teams were No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament and one was a No. 2 seed. It also included one of Self’s title teams (2008) and a national runner-up (2012). This is looking like a throwback, elite Self defense. The offense showed some signs of promise at the Players Era Festival and Darryn Peterson should help matters on that end once he returns.

18. Vanderbilt (8-0)

Last week: Beat Western Kentucky 83-78, VCU 89-74 and Saint Mary’s 96-71

Vanderbilt is one of the best shooting teams in the country and is carving up defenses in the pick-and-roll, averaging 97.9 points per game, second-best nationally.

Coach Mark Byington is running some beautiful action that takes advantage of Tyler Nickel’s shooting ability. Early on against Saint Mary’s, Byington ran this action twice to take advantage of Saint Mary’s switching, getting Nickel open with a shallow cut:

Once the Gaels feared Nickel, Byington used Nickel to clear the left side of the floor and open Jalen Washington on the roll. Watch how Nickel’s man stays attached and Jalen Washington rolls right behind him:

In the must-watch team rankings, the Commodores are near the top. They play fast, share the ball and there’s some X-and-O wizardry.

22. Iowa (7-0)

Last week: Beat Ole Miss 74-69 and Grand Canyon 59-46

One of the least efficient shots in basketball is an off-the-dribble jump shot, but not for Bennett Stirtz. The Iowa star has a 71.1 effective field-goal percentage on off-the-dribble jumpers, per Synergy, good for 1.421 points per possession. Stirtz is the most efficient off-the-dribble shooter in the country among players who attempt at least four per game.

Stirtz cooked Ole Miss last week off the bounce. He is elite passing out of pick-and-roll, and the Rebels tried to take that away by often switching. That just meant Stirtz waited to get the switch, then went to work:

Stirtz ended up burying six off-the-dribble 3s on his way to a season-high 29 points against Ole Miss. Stirtz and coach Ben McCollum, who came from Division II Northwest Missouri, are now 38-4 in Division I, including 6-1 against high-majors. The Big Ten didn’t do them any favors, however, as they get to open conference play on Tuesday at Michigan State.

25. St. John’s (4-3)

Last week: Lost to No. 15 Iowa State 83-82, beat Baylor 96-81 and lost to No. 21 Auburn 85-74

A year ago, Houston left the Players Era Festival at 4-3 with everyone thinking Kelvin Sampson’s team was in trouble without former point guard Jamal Shead. The Cougars won 31 of their next 32 games and were a bucket away from winning the national title.

If there’s a Houston this year, it’s St. John’s. The Red Storm, also off to a 4-3 start, allowed 83 points per game in Vegas and are one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the country. It’s hard to believe that a Rick Pitino team isn’t going to get its defense and rebounding figured out. All three losses are to ranked teams. I wouldn’t blame anyone for not ranking St. John’s this week, but I have a hard time believing this isn’t one of the best 25 teams in college basketball.