Good morning, one and all. From the Apex Odd Studios in Denver, Colorado, this is DK. You can reach me at 719-960-9359 or 303-928-0152. You can also email me at apexoddsports at proton.me. As of the January 19, 2026 AP poll update, several of these teams have seen significant movement. St. Louis and Miami have both broken into the top 25 for the first time in years, while North Carolina is looking to bounce back after a tough week. Here's the breakdown for each of the five teams, including their statistical leaders, upcoming schedules, and postseason outlooks. Number one, Georgia Bulldogs, ranked number 23. The Bulldogs have been a steady force in the SEC this season, currently holding a top 25 spot thanks to their defensive interior. Leading scorer, Jeremiah Wilkinson, 17.8 points per game. Leading rebounder, Samto Cyril, 6.2 rebounds per game. Assists leader, Marcus Millinder, 3.8 assists per game. Minutes leader, Blue Cane, 26.2 minutes per game. Next five games, Jan 20 at Missouri, Jan 24 at Texas, Jan 28 versus Tennessee, Jan 31 versus Texas, and MFEB 7 at LSU. Outlook, conference, middle to high tier in the SEC. A conference title is a long shot given the strength of undefeated teams like Vanderbilt earlier this year. But a top four finish is possible. Tournament, currently projected as a 10 seed. They are a safe bet for selection if they split their next five games. Two North Carolina Tar Heels, ranked 22. After being swept by the ACC's California-based schools, Stanford and Cal, the Tar Heels saw the biggest drop in the poll this week, falling eight spots. Leading scorer, Caleb Wilson, 19.9 points per game. Leading rebounder, Caleb Wilson, 10.9 rebounds per game. Assist leader, Kyan Evans, 3.4 assists per game. Minutes leader, Seth Trimble, 32.9 minutes per game. Next five games, Jan 20 firm versus Notre Dame, Jan 24 at Virginia, Jan 31 at Georgia Tech, Feb Sukhov versus Syracuse, Feb 7 versus Duke. Outlook, conference, the ACC race is wide open. UNC still has a high chance, approximately 25%, to win the conference if they can sweep the upcoming home stand. Tournament, firmly in the field, likely as a five to seven seed, depending on how they handle the upcoming rivalry game against Duke. Number three, Louisville Cardinals, unranked, receiving votes. Louisville is in a rebuilding success phase. While they aren't currently in the top 25, having recently fallen out after losses to Virginia and Duke, they remain a stock-up team in bracketology. Leading scorer, Ryan Conwell, 19 point points per game. Leading rebounder, Sananda Frew, 6.9 rebounds per game. Assists leader, Michael Brown, 5.1 assists per game. Minutes leader, Ryan Conwell, 31.4 minutes per game. Next five games, Jan 24 versus Virginia Tech, Jan 26 at Duke, Jan 31 versus SMU, Feb 4 versus Notre Dame, Feb 7 at Wake Forest. Outlook, conference, likely to finish in the middle of the ACC pack. Tournament, on the bubble. Their game against Duke on Jan 26 is a must win for their at-large resume. Number four, St. Louis Billikens, ranked number 24. The Billikens are one of the best stories in mid-major basketball this year, entering the poll with an impressive 17-1 record and an 11-game winning streak. Leading scorer, Robbie Avila, 12.8 points per game. Leading rebounder, Dion Brown, 6.1 rebounds per game. Assists leader, Robbie Avila, 3.8 assists per game. Minutes leader, Quentin Jones, 25.6 minutes per game. Next five games, Jan 20 versus Duquesne, Jan 23 at St. Bonaventure, Jan 27 versus George Washington, Jan 30 versus Dayton, Feb 3 at Davidson. Outlook, conference, currently the favorites to win the Atlantic 10. The Jan 30 game against Dayton will likely decide the regular season champion. Tournament, if they win the Atlantic 10, they could be as high as a sixth seed. If they lose in the conference tournament, they are still a strong candidate for an at-large bid. Number five, Miamich, Redhawks, ranked 25. The Redhawks are currently 19-0, one of only three undefeated teams left in Division I, alongside Arizona and Nebraska. This is their first AP ranking since 1999. Leading scorer, Brant Byers, 15.5 points per game. Leading rebounder, Ian Elmer, 5.8 rebounds per game. Assists leader, Luke Skaljak, 4.5 assists per game, minutes. Leader, Brant Byers, 28.3 minutes per game. Next five games, Jan 20 versus Kent State, Jan 27 versus UMass, Jan 30, Warren versus NIU, Feb 3 versus Akron, Feb 7 at Ohio. Outlook, conference, overwhelming favorites, greater than 80% chance to win the MAAC. Tournament, as an undefeated team, they are currently projected as a mid-major giant killer 11 seed. Their lack of quad one wins keeps their seating lower despite the perfect record. Building on our previous statistical breakdown, here are the starting rotations and the key bench contributors keeping these teams in the hunt as we move into the heart of the 2026 conference schedule. Number one, Georgia Bulldogs, number 23. Coach Mike White has leaned on a two-wave system this year, utilizing a deep bench to maintain high defensive intensity. Point guard, Silas DeMary Jr., junior defensive anchor on the perimeter. Shooting guard, Blue Kane Jr., the team's Ironman and primary spacing threat. Small forward, Jeremiah Wilkinson, sophomore, dynamic wing scorer, leads the team in PPG. Power forward, Justin Absinthe, senior veteran presence and secondary rim protector. Center Sampto, serial sophomore elite physical specimen, anchors the SEC's best interior defense. Key bench players, Marcus Millender, guard, the team's best playmaker. Despite often coming off the bench, he leads the team in assists. Jake Wilkins, forward, son of Dominique Wilkins, provides explosive scoring bursts and energy. Kanan Catchings, forward, a high upside wing who provides length and shooting for the second unit. Two, North Carolina Tar Heels, number 22. Hubert Davis has moved toward a more versatile positionless lineup featuring point forward play from their star freshman, Caleb Wilson. Point guard, Kyan Evans, junior transfer edition, stabilizes the offense and shoots 44% from deep. Shooting guard, Seth Trimble, senior team captain and best perimeter defender, huge minutes leader. Small forward, Luka Bogovac, junior, international star, providing secondary scoring and high IQ. Power forward, Caleb Wilson, freshman, consensus top tier NBA prospect, leads team in points and rebounds. Center, Henry Vissar, junior, seven foot Arizona transfer who creates great high-low chemistry with Wilson. Key bench players, Jiren Stevenson, forward, essentially a sixth starter who plays heavy minutes at both forward spots. Derek Dixon, guard, sharpshooting freshman who has become the go-to scoring option for the second unit. Zayden High, forward, provides grit and rebounding when Vissar or Wilson need a breather. Three, Louisville Cardinals, Pat Kelsey's squad is built on five-out principles, requiring everyone on the floor to be a shooting threat. Point guard, Michael Brown, junior, freshman elite five-star recruit, the engine of the Cardinals' fast-paced offense. Shooting guard, Ryan Conwell, senior high-volume scorer and the team's primary offensive engine. Small forward, Javon Hadley, graduate student, a glue guy who guards the opponent's best player every night. Power forward, Sananda Frew, junior, athletic German big man, leads the team in boards and blocks. Center alley, Khalifa Redshirt, senior elite passing big man who facilitates from the high post. Key bench players, Isaac McNeely, guard, one of the best pure shooters in the country, provides instant offense. Vangelis Zugris, forward center, a high-motor bruiser who brings physicality to the front court. Connie Ruths, versatile wing who helps maintain defensive versatility. Number four, St. Louis Billikens in 24. Josh Schertz has imported his Billiken ball style, prioritizing ball movement and the unique skill set of Robbie Avila. Point guard, Trey Green, junior, quick-twitch guard who sets the tempo for the A-10's top offense. Shooting guard, Dion Brown, senior A tenacious guard who hunts rebounds and excels in transition. Small forward, Quentin Jones, sophomore, the minutes leader who provides elite three-in-D production. Power forward, Paul Otieno, senior, the defensive cleaner who allows Avila to roam on offense. Center, Robbie Avila, senior, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the hub of the offense as a scorer and passer. Key bench players, Kellen Thames, guard, forward, highly efficient slasher who fits the system perfectly. Amari McCautry, forward, rising star who provides a spark with his scoring and length. Kalu Anya, forward, powerful interior sub who ensures no drop-off in rebounding. Five Miami, OJ, Redhawks, 25. The undefeated Redhawks rely on a tight-knit core that has played together for two seasons under Travis Steele. Point guard, Luke Skaljak, sophomore, crafty playmaker and the team's assist leader. Shooting guard, Peter Suter, senior veteran transfer who provides steady ball handling and leadership. Wing, Ian Elmer, junior, extremely athletic wing, leads the team in rebounding. Wing, Brant Byers, redshirt sophomore, breakout star and leading scorer, a match-up nightmare at 6'8". Forward, Antoine Woolfolk, senior physical post-presence who anchors the paint. Key bench players, Evan Ipsaro, guard, provides a change of pace in veteran backup minutes at the point. Omar Atlason, forward, pick-and-pop specialist who stretches opposing defenses. Tyler Robbins, forward, 6'10 freshman who has been a revelation as a rim protector off the bench. Strength of schedule. Strength of schedule, SOS, is a critical metric for the NCAA Selection Committee. It essentially measures who you've played and where you've played them. As of January 19th, 2026, here is how the schedules for these five teams compare. A lower rank, example number one, indicates the hardest schedule in the country. Team Georgia number 18 high, the SEC is a gauntlet this year. Their top 20 schedule means even their losses, like the one to Ole Miss, don't hurt their net ranking much. North Carolina number 19 high, UNC always plays a brutal non-conference schedule. Their high SOS acts as a safety net. Despite a recent slide, they remain a lock for the tournament. Louisville number 34, strong playing in the ACC provides plenty of quad one opportunities. Their rank is boosted by games against Duke and Virginia, giving them a high-quality resume. St. Louis number 52 moderate. For an A-10 team, this is a very respectable SOS. It proves their 17-1 record isn't just fluff, making them a dangerous-at-large candidate. Miami 242, very low. This is the Red Hawks' biggest hurdle. Despite being 19-0, their weak schedule is why they are only number 25 in the polls. They likely must win their conference to get in. Strategic breakdown, the resume protectors, Georgia and UNC. These two teams have the luxury of quality losses. Because they play top-20 schedules, the committee views a loss to a top-10 opponent as neutral rather than negative. Georgia's SOS is particularly impressive, having already faced several ranked SEC foes. The bubble pressure, Louisville. With a SOS rank of number 34, Louisville is in a sink-or-swim position. They have the opportunities to get big wins, like their upcoming game against Duke, but because their schedule is so tough, they risk racking up too many losses to stay in the top 25. The mid-major challenge, St. Louis and Miami. St. Louis has done a great job scheduling up. Their SOS of number 52 is elite for a non-power conference team, which is why experts believe they could earn an at-large bid even if they lose in the A-10 tournament. Miami is in a win-out situation. Because their SOS is so low, 242, a single loss to a subpar MAAC opponent could cause them to drop out of the rankings entirely and potentially miss the NCAA tournament altogether without an automatic bid. Here are my picks for the three best bets in sports for the next few days. NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves, 12.5 versus Utah, Jan 20. NHL, Colorado Avalanche, 1.5 puck line versus Anaheim Ducks, Jan 21. College basketball, Jan 20. Miami bid 11.5 against a struggling Florida State team that has lost five straight on the road. That's it for today. This is DK and Apex Odds bidding you adieu.
