Indiana, Louisville class of college hoops in power rankings

As the Power Rankings make their 2012-13 regular-season debut, it's too early to be attempting any deep data dives. This is the First Impressions/Small Samples

As the Power Rankings make their 2012-13 regular-season debut, it's too early to be attempting any deep data dives. This is the First Impressions/Small Samples edition, with three impressive Big Ten teams in the top five:

In October, Jayhawks coach Bill Self found a way to heap praise on Ben McLemore while also cautioning fans on what to expect from the 6-5 freshman wing:

"Well, I do think we are talented and I think our young kids are going to be good. I believe that the most heralded one is Ben [McLemore], without question, because we have not seen Ben play and he is talented, but he just has to learn how to plug himself in the game and be aggressive at all times. But just from an athlete, shooting, length, slide, rebounding -- he can do about as many things as we have had here. He reminds me a lot of Brandon [Rush] in that regard, but we struggled with Brandon being aggressive if you guys remember. So that is one thing that Ben is going to have to be good at."

The Brandon Rush comparison seemed accurate in games 1 and 2: McLemore's ability was evident but he took only eight shots against Southeast Missouri State and seven against Michigan State. He had the highest offensive rating of any Jayhawks starter (129.6) but the lowest usage rate (17.9%).

The Please-Take-Over message got through to McLemore by game 3, however. On Thursday against Chattanooga, he went 8-of-18 from the field and 7-of-10 from the free-throw line, scoring 25 points while turning the ball over just once. He behaved like an offensive centerpiece without suffering any drop in his efficiency. Rush was a better long-range shooter, but I think McLemore, who can generate offense off the bounce -- and create for others -- without committing many turnovers, could be the better all-around player.

Next three: 11/19 vs. Washington State (CBE Classic), 11/20 vs. Texas A&M or St. Louis (CBE), 11/26 vs. San Jose State   How rare is it for an elite team to play a voluntary November road game? Friday's visit by the Tar Heels to Long Beach State -- in a stopover game en route to the Maui Invitational -- is the only voluntary, true road game for any team in my top 16. Syracuse's aircraft-carrier visit to San Diego (to play SDSU) is the next-closest thing.

The other six road games being played by Power-Ranked teams were all forced upon their schedules by inter-conference challenges:

Nov. 27: North Carolina at Indiana (ACC/Big Ten)
Nov. 27: NC State at Michigan (ACC/Big Ten)
Nov. 28: Ohio State at Duke (ACC/Big Ten)
Nov. 28: Michigan State at Miami (ACC/Big Ten)
Nov. 29: Kentucky at Notre Dame (Big East/SEC)
Nov. 30: Syracuse at Arkansas (Big East/SEC)

Next three: 11/16 at Long Beach State, 11/19 vs. Mississippi State (Maui Invitational), 11/20 TBD (Maui)   I have pace on the brain after writing a preview story on the 1990 LSU-Loyola Marymount epic that featured 129 possessions per team and a final score of 148-141. It was intended as a lament for the lass of fast hoops, after 2011-12 went down as the slowest and lowest-scoring season of the three-point era. Will 2012-13 only get worse? If Fresno State and UC-Riverside have anything to say about it, yes: On Wednesday, the Bulldogs beat UC-Riverside 39-30 in an utter debacle of a game that had 56 possessions per team, but such poor shooting that the score was held in the 30s.

I mention this because the "burn" offense occasionally employed by Irish coach Mike Brey has actually produced five games slower than Fresno State-UCR over the past two seasons, but with more efficient offense:

Feb. 27, 2012 vs. Georgetown (41-59, 53 possessions)
Feb. 22, 2012 vs. West Virginia (71-44, 54 possessions)
Feb. 8, 2012 vs. West Virginia (55-51, 51 possessions)
Jan. 29, 2012 vs. UConn (50-48, 53 possessions)
Jan. 24, 2011 vs. Pitt (56-51, 49 possessions)

The Irish's first few games of '12-13 have been reasonably paced (65 and 72 possessions), but the burn has typically made its appearances later in the season.

Next three: 11/16 vs. St. Joe's (Coaches vs. Cancer), 11/17 TBD (CvC), 11/21 vs. George Washington   When I wrote about Anthony Bennett's Rebels debut on Monday -- 22 points, seven boards against Northern Arizona -- I was so focused on the super-frosh that I didn't get to address the adjusted role of junior forward Mike Moser. Last season he averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds, and was looked at as an All-America candidate ... but he had just two points in UNLV's opener. It seems as if he could accept a lesser scoring role with Bennett and USC transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones (who had 15 vs. NAU) serving as go-to options.

That doesn't mean Moser has less value, though; Rebels coach Dave Rice said he thought Moser was the key to their success in a 92-54 rout. "Mike has made sacrifices," Rice said. "When you have a good team and you want to become a very good team, it takes a guy like Mike Moser who scores two points and doesn't care, because he goes and gets 11 rebounds, four assists and no turnovers."

Once Pitt transfer Khem Birch becomes eligible in December, he and Bennett are likely to man the frontcourt while Moser sees more time at small forward, necessitating even further adjustments (or sacrifices) in the name of becoming a very good team.

Next three: 11/17 vs. Jacksonville State, 11/23 vs. Oregon, 11/28 vs. UC-Irvine  

College Hoops Power Rankings

13	Jayhawks" title="Kansas Jayhawks">

Kansas Jayhawks

14	Tar Heels" title="North Carolina Tar Heels">

North Carolina Tar Heels

15	Fighting Irish" title="Notre Dame Fighting Irish">

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

16	Rebels" title="UNLV Runnin' Rebels">

UNLV Runnin' Rebels

The Next 16: 17. Arizona,18. Creighton,19. Baylor,20. Memphis,21. Pittsburgh,22. UCLA,23. UConn,24. Minnesota,25. Kansas State,26. Georgetown,27. Wisconsin,28. New Mexico,29. San Diego State,30. Cincinnati,31. Davidson,32. Bucknell