Michigan’s huge second half leads them to win over UCLA (1:19)Michigan’s huge second half leads them to win over UCLA (1:19)
Jay BilasFeb 17, 2026, 09:00 AM ETClose College basketball analyst for ESPN and ESPN Insider Played and coached at Duke Practicing attorneyMultiple Authors
Those of us who have been immersed in this beautiful game all along don’t need to be now reminded, as football fans do, that something more exciting, strategically complicated and satisfying has been occurring all the while. Basketball, after all, is the true metaphor for the best of American life: freedom with structure, individual achievement with the overall, common objective in mind, with skill, creativity and feel leading the way.
We welcome all to the bandwagon that we ride all season long, without judgment. And for all of our new friends, I give you The Bilas Index, Volume II. This resource will provide you with all you need to catch yourself up on the game, and prepare yourself for a wild ride toward March, Champ Week and the NCAA tournament. As always, you’re welcome.
The Wolverines have everything a team needs to win a national championship. This squad has depth, size, shooting and an intimidating interior defense rated the best in the nation. Add in that Michigan has bludgeoned more good teams than any other, and it will be a surprise if this team is not playing in Indianapolis on the final weekend. No team is a sure thing, but Michigan is pretty close, sitting as the only team in the country ranked in the top 5 in both offensive and defensive efficiency.
The Cougars have a high ceiling and can get significantly better. The interesting difference from past Houston teams is this group needs to get better on the defensive end to match what so many take for granted: that Houston is better defensively than offensively. Right now, Houston is actually a better offensive team, and freshman Kingston Flemings is the Cougars’ best player. That 42-point outburst he had at Texas Tech was simply magnificent.
The Red Raiders are tough as nails. With JT Toppin and Christian Anderson, Texas Tech has one of the most potent scoring duos in the country, but there is not a ton of depth. A key has been the play of lefty shooter Donovan Atwell, who is one of the best catch-and-shoot marksmen in the country. Atwell and Anderson both shoot at a 44% clip, and have combined for more than 165 made 3s.
Kevin Willard has Villanova on track to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since Jay Wright retired in 2022. The Wildcats are strong on both ends of the court, ranking near the top 30 nationally in offensive and defensive efficiency. And four of their five losses have come to teams currently in the AP Top 25. Senior Grand Canyon transfer Duke Brennan is having the best season of his career, averaging highs in points (12.4) and rebounds (10.6).
It didn’t take long for Sean Miller to turn Texas into one of the most efficient offenses in the country, ranking top 10 nationally while shooting at a nearly 50% clip. The Longhorns have proved they can outduel other highly efficient offenses, beating Alabama and Vanderbilt back-to-back in January. They are led by Dailyn Swain, who followed Miller from Xavier and is having his best season yet, averaging career highs across the board: 17.6 points on 57.3% shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
Georgia has the offensive firepower — the Bulldogs are top-10 nationally in scoring (90.3 PPG) and adjusted tempo. They are also at a potentially critical point in their season, having lost five of their past six games, and could use the return of leading scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson (17.1 PPG) from a shoulder injury that has kept him out the past two games.
Lamar Wilkerson has put the Hoosiers on his back during a recent six-game span, averaging 28.2 points, including his second 40-point game of the season. After struggling to log a résumé-building win, Indiana has beaten Purdue, UCLA and Wisconsin in this stretch. The Hoosiers lean heavily on the 3-ball and overall offensive efficiency, and no team has more Division I experience, according to KenPom.
Another year, another Randy Bennett defensive success story. The Gaels are top 25 nationally in defensive efficiency and top 10 in fewest points allowed per game (64.0). Their offense was overshadowed by Vanderbilt in November, and in the second half against Gonzaga in late January, but they’ve been able to keep pace in the West Coast Conference thanks to the improvement of former Arizona transfer Paulius Murauskas in Year 2 (12.1 to 19.2 PPG).
The Mustangs boast tons of experience and one of the best guard trios in the nation in Boopie Miller, Jaron Pierre Jr. and B.J. Edwards. They combine for more than 50 points per game and all three shoot better than 36% from deep. Andy Enfield has SMU primed for its first NCAA tourney bid in nine years and hopes to lead the Mustangs to their first NCAA victory since 1988.
Wisconsin proved its potential when it handed Michigan its first loss of the season in Ann Arbor on Jan. 10. Now back-to-back victories at Illinois (in overtime) and against Michigan State have been impactful reminders. The Badgers are top 20 nationally in offensive efficiency, and are led by a veteran backcourt duo of Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who are averaging career highs in scoring with 20.6 PPG for Boyd and 19.0 PPG for Blackwell.
Miami is having its best season since Jim Larranaga coached the Hurricanes to their first Final Four in 2023. Now in the first season with Jai Lucas at the helm, their play has helped restore the overall quality of the ACC. They’re led by Indiana transfer Malik Reneau (20.1 PPG), Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson (15.8 PPG) and Shelton Henderson (14.5 PPG), the latter of whom decommitted from Duke to follow former Blue Devils assistant Lucas to Miami.
Year 1 of the Will Wade era has produced a top-25 team in scoring (85.0 PPG) and offensive efficiency. A transfer-powered roster has developed enough chemistry that four of the five players averaging double-digit points for the Wolfpack are also in their first seasons in Raleigh. They needed overtime for their only win against a ranked opponent (then-No. 18 Clemson) but also forced the extra five minutes against Kansas. They will be pressure-tested again with North Carolina up next.
After starting the season 6-4 — albeit with two of those losses to Michigan and Arizona — the Aztecs have gone 12-2 in conference play, tied with Utah State atop the Mountain West. Miles Byrd has followed up on his breakout junior season with another impressive campaign. He’s averaging 10.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks.
Seton Hall has been led by its defense, giving up only 65.4 points per game (18th best in the country) with a top-12 defensive efficiency ranking nationally. The Pirates are fourth in a Big East dominated by UConn and St. John’s but have a shot at an at-large bid if they can upset either the Huskies or Red Storm. Last week’s win in a rematch with Butler, led by Adam Clark’s 31 points, was a good place to start.
The Knights have cooled off since their 11-game win streak earlier this season but remain firmly in the bubble conversation. Their only ranked opponent remaining is BYU, so the Knights and leading scorer Riley Kugel (14.3 points per game on 40.9% shooting) have it all to play for.
The Huskies have struggled in the loaded Big Ten, going 5-10 in conference play with a three-game losing streak to ranked Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska followed by another to three unranked opponents this month. But when they hit, they hit: In a double-digit win at Northwestern, Hannes Steinbach recorded his 14th double-double, Zoom Diallo added 22 points, six rebounds and six assists, and Wesley Yates III had 21. Together, the three combined for 65 of the Huskies’ 76 points.
In the first season of the Phil Martelli Jr. era, VCU finds itself where it always does: near the top of the Atlantic 10, right on the NCAA tournament bubble. On a nine-game winning streak, the Rams have a huge matchup with A-10 leading Saint Louis later this week. Terrence Hill Jr. (14.7 PPG, 2.7 APG) and Lazar Djokovic (13.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG) lead the Rams.
Atop the Missouri Valley standings with eight- and nine-game win streaks behind them, the Bruins have ranked near the top of the effective FG% chart all season. They shoot better than 40% from 3-point range, led by Tyler Lundblade, who has averaged 16.1 points and an MVC-best 3.5 made 3s.
Just a half-game back in the WCC behind Gonzaga — which Santa Clara made life difficult for in the first half of last week’s matchup — the Broncos are making a real case for an at-large bid. They won nine straight earlier this month and have dropped only two games, including that matchup with the Bulldogs, since Christmas. All eyes will be on the rematch at Saint Mary’s later this month.
It has been tough sledding for Missouri against ranked opponents — losing to Kansas, Illinois, Georgia and Alabama — but an early win against Florida and a packed SEC schedule means coach Dennis Gates’ dreams of making his third NCAA tournament in four seasons are alive. Mark Mitchell, in his second year since transferring from Duke, has led the Tigers in points (17.2), rebounds (5.6) and assists (3.4).
Ohio State has had an up-and-down season — the Buckeyes have won back-to-back games only twice since November — but one thing that’s clear is Bruce Thornton has been a star. He’s averaging 19.6 points, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals, all team highs. A fourth-year senior with the program, he certainly has saved the best for last.
No. 12 in adjusted tempo, offense has carried the Cowboys, who are top 30 in scoring (84.7 PPG). The problem has been the defense, which ranks bottom 30. Anthony Roy, a senior on his fourth team in four years, has been their top scorer. He had a season-high 30 in Oklahoma State’s upset of BYU, second only to A.J. Dybantsa’s 36.
Virginia Tech turned in some big wins, notably at Clemson last week, though a 6-7 record in the ACC has the Hokies squarely on the bubble. They are led by West Virginia transfer Amani Hansberry, who has eight double-doubles this season, and is averaging 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds.