2024-25 College Basketball Power Rankings (Feb. 24)

College basketball season is on the precipice of March Madness, which means it’s time to plan for tournament betting edges on the hardwood.

Below, you’ll find FTN’s college basketball power rankings for the 2024-2025 season. These have been updated every week after games, adjusting for results, news and injuries. We use these ratings to create a point spread between any two teams in the country on a neutral court. Just subtract the lower team’s rating from the higher-ranked team’s rating. If you compare that number to the spread of a particular game, you can find situations where FTN identifies a betting edge. We will also keep track of teams that are trending up or down, helping to further identify value compared to the public’s perception on media polls.

Here is the latest iteration of the FTN College Basketball Power Rankings for the 2024-2025 season! 

Key Takeaways 

• The key to the Houston Cougars’ success in March Madness is health. Their defense and mindset is simply at a level beyond compare. The key will be the health of guard Emanuel Sharp’s ankle. The last two games have been promising, with Sharp averaging 14 PPG while shooting 6-of-11 (55%) from 3P range. Houston is No. 4 in the AP Poll but remains the top seed in our FTN Power Rankings. The most impressive stat for the Cougars? They are 8-0 in true road games, including a remarkable 6-2 ATS. 
• Duke leapfrogged Auburn to No. 2 overall in our power rankings. The Blue Devils are metrically incredible, ranking top 4 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per KenPom. The Blue Devils have won 20 of the past 24 games and destroyed Illinois at Madison Square Garden by 43 points. The Blue Devils have a strong case to be the NCAA Tournament favorite. 
• Wisconsin has flown under the radar in February, but it’s time to give the Badgers their due. Wisconsin rose nine spots to No. 9 overall despite a Sunday overtime home loss to Oregon. The Badgers are one of the most efficient offenses in the country, shooting 39% from 3P, 56% from 2P and 81% from the free throw line within Big Ten play. 
• Right behind the Badgers in our FTN Power Rankings is the St. John’s Red Storm. Head coach Rick Pitino has St. John’s at the top of the Big East standings with a 24-4 record that includes a very unlucky double-overtime loss to Baylor in November. The Red Storm’s relentless defense is just as strong as Houston’s, leaving St. John’s sporadic jumpshooting as the biggest variable. 
• The biggest overall riser is BYU, which earned the most impressive pair of consecutive victories over Kansas by 34 points and then a true road win at Arizona. Head coach Kevin Young is in his first season with the Cougars after nine years as an assistant with the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. BYU now has four Quad 1 victories, along with the nation’s fifth-most efficient two-point offense.