College basketball season is like a roller-coaster — there are ups, downs, twists and turns. No one knows this better than teams who get off to slow starts but then turn it around.
Andy Katz breaks down 10 teams who have done exactly that on this week's episode of March Madness 365. This episode also includes Katz's weekly picks and interviews with CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Kentucky's Keion Brooks Jr. and Xavier's Colby Jones.
Here are Katz's top 10 turnaround teams entering the week of Jan. 11:
10. Toledo
Toledo started the season 1-2 but has won nine of 10, the only loss coming against undefeated No. 10 Michigan. The Rockets are 5-0 atop the MAC — tied with Bowling Green. Their matchup Jan. 30 could be full of MAC-repercussions.
9. Tulsa
The Hurricane started the season 1-3 with losses to TCU, South Carolina and Wichita State. They put together a six-game winning streak including a big-time win over then-No. 5 Houston. Although the Cougars are still the favorite in the AAC, Tulsa is right behind them. Houston sits at 5-1 in conference play with Tulsa at 4-1.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS: Alabama, Ohio State and UCLA rise in this week's Power 36
8. Pittsburgh
Pitt got off to a rough start with a season-opening loss to St. Francis (PA). The Panthers quickly rebounded though, winning six of their last seven. Their only loss was to No. 16 Louisville. Pittsburgh is 2-1 in ACC play and will play Duke next Tuesday, Jan. 19.
7. Duke
In a normal season, Duke doesn't have to make a turnaround in the middle of the year, but this is no normal season. The Blue Devils started 2-2 with both of those losses coming at home — something never before seen in the Coach K era. Duke has quickly found its way back in the win column with three straight victories.
6. Georgia Tech
From one ACC school to another. The Yellow Jackets started their season 0-2 before winning six of the last seven. Georgia Tech fell to Georgia State and Mercer to start the season but has built up an impressive resume since. They have beaten the likes of Kentucky, Nebraska and North Carolina.
5. Seton Hall
Seton Hall got off to a rocky start, dropping three of its first four. The Pirates lost to Oregon, Rhode Island and Louisville before winning eight out of their last 10 games. They are third in a crowded Big East with a conference record of 6-2. The Pirates are scheduled to play first-place Villanova next Tuesday, Jan. 19.
TOURNAMENT TIME: The 2021 NCAA tournament bracket, predicted by Andy Katz 2 months from Selection Sunday
4. Louisville
Louisville is one out of the four ACC squads on this list. The Cardinals started the season 4-0 before running into a Wisconsin team that wasn't having it. The Badgers trounced the Cardinals 85-48 in mid-December. UL kept its head down though and went on to win four straight, including three wins against ACC opponents.
3. Stanford
Before Stanford climbed to a 4-1 Pac-12 record it struggled against non-conference foes. The Cardinal were one of the teams in the relocated Maui Invitational at the beginning of the season. They knocked off Alabama in the first round before falling to North Carolina and then Indiana. Their season has started anew thanks to their performances against Pac-12 opponents. They are now 8-3 overall and face first-place Pac-12 team UCLA on Jan. 23.
2. Kentucky
If you're a Kentucky fan there might be a chance you wanted to stop watching after a 1-6 start to the season. UK lost six straight to Richmond, Kansas, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Louisville. If it were any other program you may think that their season is over. Not the case for the Wildcats, as coach Cal has rallied the troops and gotten his team off to a 3-0 start in SEC play.
1. Alabama
The Crimson Tide were shocked by Western Kentucky in mid-December. The Hilltoppers edged Alabama in a 73-71 battle in Tuscaloosa but the Tide haven't looked back since that loss. Bama is on a five-game winning streak and sits atop the SEC at 5-0. Their next matchup? Well, that's against No. 2 on this list Kentucky. The Wildcats and Tide will face off on Tuesday, Jan. 12, to see who is the best in the SEC.
