Since my last column a couple of weeks ago, the number of unbeaten teams has fallen from five to just two.

I was actually courtside when Kentucky gave Vanderbilt its first loss in double overtime at Rupp Arena. It was a fun game to call and the building was rocking. That same day Washington State was dominated by UCLA in Los Angeles and fell from the ranks of the unbeatens.

Maryland delivers an unexpected blow to North Carolina. (AP)

Energized by its fans and full of confidence, the home team generally plays closer to its optimum level. The road team has to generate its own extra adrenaline and comfort level to win away from home. Winning at home is cookin' with electricity; winning on the road is cookin' with gas. Trust me, there is a difference.

Both Kentucky and Maryland are unranked and beat ranked teams. And there was plenty of that going on the past 10 days or so:

• Michigan State lost at Iowa;
• Butler went down at Cleveland State;
• Villanova and Pittsburgh both lost at Cincinnati;
• Miami was beaten at B.C. and N.C. State;
• Louisville lost at Seton Hall;
• Xavier lost at Temple;
• Rhode Island came up short at St. Louis;
• Ole Miss lost at Auburn;
• Marquette got drummed at Connecticut;
• Texas fell at Missouri;
• Texas A&M went down at Texas Tech and Kansas State;
• And Tennessee got clipped at Kentucky.

All of these unranked winners took care of business at home. That happens all the time in conference play.

But like Maryland, there were a couple of other unranked teams that did some cookin' with gas by beating ranked teams on the road. UMass won at Dayton (one of the outstanding home courts in the country) and USC beat crosstown rival UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. Though neither team is ranked, Providence beating Connecticut in Hartford was a nice road win for the Friars, too.

Over the next few weeks I'm expecting to see more of the same as conference play moves along. Parity makes it probable, and the unpredictability of youth, coupled with the fragile dynamics of "team," assures it.

There also will be the occasional eyebrow-raiser, like Maryland winning at Chapel Hill, which very few would have predicted. Yours truly certainly didn't. I'd venture to guess only Gary Williams, his staff and players expected to come out on top. That's all that matters.

All wins are valuable, though some carry more weight than others. However, it seemed to me that a little too much was made of a moderately eventful two weeks in college hoops. It prompted the thought: What does it all mean in the third week of January? Not much. There's far too much season left to jump to sweeping conclusions after a good win or two, or a surprising loss or two.

It's one of the things I constantly try to guard against as an analyst, overreacting to a team's most recent performance whether that performance is good or bad, because the reality is every team is still very much a work in progress. And progress is different for every team.

Sure, some teams have a more or less margin for error than others, and right now I think Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina, and UCLA (in no particular order) have the greatest margin for error. From what I've seen thus far they've separated themselves a bit from the rest of the field. But again, it's only the third week of January.

Coaches know the dog days of a long season are fast approaching. As the game schedule compresses and the excitement and pressure builds, they will be challenged to keep their teams energized, focused, fresh, healthy, and improving during the grueling weeks ahead. Not as easy as it sounds when teams are generally comprised of 18-22 year-olds with varying degrees of maturity and perspective.

The players will have to fight through the demands of school, fatigue, complacency, possible injuries, maybe a losing streak, the cry of skeptics, the burden of expectations, the moans and groans of family members and friends, or some other type of adversity or distraction. These aren't things typically talked about during telecasts or on talk radio, but they do have an impact on a team's development and success, assuming there's some talent to work with.

So when assessing "your" team, don't focus just on wins and losses, but be on the lookout for measurable improvement, a clear identity and style of play, healthy bodies and unselfishness, and the ability to win some games on the road. Teams that have these qualities won't be easily sidetracked by the inevitable rough spots or sweet spots that occur during the coming weeks of the season.

Teams that win conference championships, play in the NCAA Tournament and compete for a national championship have done so as front runners, as late bloomers, or as steady growers. So join me in resisting the urge to coronate or dismiss teams on a game to game or week to week basis. It's not easy, but it's doable.

Crunch time will be here soon enough, about a month from now. In the meantime, enjoy watching the way teams progress through the remaining weeks of the regular season -- I know it will be fun.