3. Arizona Wildcats (2-0)

Against Nicholls State they torched the Colonels putting up 117 points, missing just 15 FGs all night and only nine two-pointers.

Over the first two games of the year, Arizona is shooting 76.5% on non-blocked two-point FGs, the fifth-best rate in the nation.

Southern kept things closer but also was a lot more physical with 35 fouls committed.

The Cats host Utah Tech before heading to the Maui Invitational.

The Wildcats are missing 13 FTs per game, the second-most in the nation, but their 30 made FTs per game are the most in the nation.

4. San Diego State Aztecs (3-0)

Matt Bradley has struggled to find his shot early shooting just 24.2% from the floor.

Darrion Trammell Jaedon LeDee have led the way so far. Bradley will find his shot and when he does the Aztecs will be in really good shape.

SDSU’s win over Stanford was their first ever over the Cardinal and ended the Tree’s 13-0 home record in the month of November, the longest since 2018.

Now it’s on to Maui where they get Ohio State first.

5. Saint Mary’s Gaels (3-0)

Against the Mean Green, they owned the visitors from Denton, Texas allowing just 12 points in the first half.

It has helped SMC to the 13th-best first-half scoring defense in the nation allowing just 21.7 points per game in the opening half.

The Gaels schedule will heat up in earnest the first two weekends in December with Houston and San Diego State on successive Saturdays.

6. Wyoming Cowboys (2-1)

The four-point loss to SE Louisiana at home is baffling and should not have ever happened. The Cowboys finished 13-for-42 on threes in the loss.

That could prove to be either a minor hiccup or the kind of bad loss that keeps the Cowboys from dancing in March.

I think the Cowboys will rebound from that loss; they are too talented not to, and I think this will be one that may affect seeding in March and not if they are in or not.

7. Boise State Broncos (1-1)

The win was their second straight over Washington State and the 10-point margin was their largest ever over the Cougars.

The lone loss came in the season opener, a two-point game won by South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are a solid program every year and the Broncos owned the paint.

BSU heads to the Myrtle Beach Invitational this weekend and the marque matchup of the non-conference season is against Texas A&M on the first Saturday in December.

8. Colorado Buffaloes (2-1)

So, who are the real Buffs?

The ones who lost by nine at Grambling or the team that stunned No. 11 Tennessee on a “neutral” floor in Nashville?

I’m going to say the Buffs are and will be a lot more like the team in Nashville.

Either way, the win over UT was the 24th over a ranked opponent since Tad Boyle took over in Boulder and improved them to 23-6 in November games in the last six seasons.

9. USC Trojans (2-1)

Dew Peterson hit seven of his nine shots against ASU and 20 points against the Catamounts. Boogie Ellis had 15 points and seven steals against the Hornet and 10 points against Vermont.

Ellis is getting 4.5 steals per game so far to rank near the top of the national rankings.

As disappointing as the loss to FGCU was, the Trojans have enough talent that it should not hurt too much at the end of the season.

However, if they find themselves on the bubble again, these are the ones that you look back at.

10. New Mexico Lobos (3-0)

Jamal Mashburn has reached double figures in 24 consecutive games which is the longest active streak in the MWC.

Things take off this week with a trip to Moraga to face the Gaels of St. Mary’s to see where they stack up.

11. Oregon Ducks (2-1)

UC-Irvine took a 12-4 lead on the Ducks and never looked back.

Looking at UO’s roster you’d again say there is the talent, but the way the Anteaters just blitzed them is a bit discouraging.

The Ducks appeared to work some of the rust off with a 30-point win over Montana State on Tuesday and getting people back, but things get real in a hurry.

Following a weekend visit from No. 3 Houston on Sunday, the Ducks will play three quality opponents in the Phil Knight Tournament all before November ends.

12. BYU Cougars (1-1)

The Cougars have a four-point home-court win over Idaho and a hard-fought seven-point loss at San Diego State.

They have two games this week to get ready for the tests that await in the Battle 4 Atlantis. USC will be the first opponent in the Bahamas.

In San Diego, it was the foul stripe that was the difference with the Cougs -16 at the stripe. In the first two games, just 17.0% of BYU’s points have come off FTs. That ranks 212th in the nation.

13. Utah Utes (3-0)

That’s not exactly going to light up the strength of schedule state, but Utah has won those games in the fashion you’d expect them to.

Utah has good size in the middle with Ben Carlson and Branden Carlson, players who share a last name and an ability to rebound.

The two combined for 34.6% of the Utes’ rebounds in their first three games.

14. San Francisco Dons (3-0)

Again, the opponents are not going to light the world ablaze, but the Dons have picked up the wins.

Following the trip to Fresno, SFU will head to the Hall of Fame Classic and an opener with Northern Iowa.

Good performances in the next three will go a long way in determining if the Dons keep their place on this list when we return in a few weeks.

15. Utah State Aggies (3-0)

The Aggies’ total rebound rate of 58.9% is currently the 22nd-best mark in the nation.

Steven Ashworth is averaging 18.5 points per game to lead the way for USU, and as a team, they are shooting 74.4% from the foul line.

The Aggies may not show up on this list very often this year, but if they continue to put up the numbers and win games, there is no reason they can’t shock people.

Follow Stephen on Twitter @StephenVilardo and his organization @SERCenter.

Visit his website at sercstats.com.