SportsLine's model simulated Columbia Lions vs. Cornell Big Red on Monday afternoon and revealed its college basketball picks

Plus: How Purdue's Braden Smith makes passing magic and why SMU and Villanova are the newest teams in our ranking.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Defending national champion Florida shot its way out of the AP Top 25.

College basketball went quiet over Christmas break as many players and coaches enjoyed a sliver of solitude in the season to recharge and regroup for the second semester. But the action is back in a big way this weekend starting with a loaded Saturday slate to whet the appetite.

The NCAA is staring down intensifying criticism over how it determines eligibility and the role name, image and likeness (NIL) money is playing in the recruitment by universities of top football and basketball players.

Arizona held on to No. 1 by a single point over fast-closing Michigan in the AP Top 25 on Monday, making it one of the closest races for the top spot in the 78-year history of the men's college basketball poll.

For instance, last season, there was only one undefeated team after nine weeks -- Tennessee. The Vols started 14-0 and were ranked No. 1 in the Week 10 Associated Press Top 25 poll. Then, on Jan. 7, they lost 73-43 at Florida. Which means, by Jan. 8 of last season, there were zero undefeated teams remaining in college basketball.

USC lost at Michigan that same night, 96-66. The Spartans and the Trojans are currently ninth and 24th, respectively, in the AP Poll, though both teams will probably slide once those rankings are updated on Monday afternoon because of their losses in their most recent games.