The first calendar year of the college basketball season is comprised of out-of-conference games that are meaningful, but not in the same way as the conference season, especially in a system where teams' postseason fates are largely determined by a selection committee more concerned with how good a team currently is than how good they once played in November and December. That being said, certain teams won the 2013 college basketball season (eight teams still haven't lost). University Herald offers you five college basketball teams who had the best 2013 in terms of their brief season and what it means for their future chances.

5. Duke (9-2): They lost two close games (to #16 Kansas and #1 Arizona), but they're the highest ranked two-loss team in the country -- always a good sign when pollsters show that much respect. The real reason the Blue Devils made the list, however, is because of Jabari Parker, and to a lesser extent, Rodney Hood. Parker is actually a little better than most people anticipated (pretty good for one of Duke's biggest recruits ever), and he looks even stouter compared to the merely above average season currently being had by previously projected number one pick, Andrew Wiggins. At this point, Duke's team is very un-Duke like, and because of that they're playing flawed basketball. If they can incorporate all their parts, the combination of Hood and Parker is better than any in the country.

4. Oklahoma State (11-1): They're not getting the same respect in the polls as fellow one-loss teams Michigan State (10-1) and Louisville (11-1), but they have to be encouraged by Marcus Smart's noted improvement as well as the big win, 101-80, over a Memphis team that is absurdly athletic (I love the Tigers in the tourney). That victory took some of the sting off their loss, 73-68, to Memphis in a somewhat odd rematch just three games later. Given the Tigers' talent level and with the intangibles significantly against them, there was no way the Cowboys were winning that game. Kudos for keeping it close.

3. Wisconsin (12-0): If I wasn't a Villanova fan, the Bagers would probably be number two on this list. Then again, I still believe the Wildcats have a better team and most certainly a better tournament outlook. Wisconsin has been a successful regular season team ever since Bo Ryan took over 2001-02, but they've never made it past the Sweet Sixteen despite two opportunities as a five seed, three as a four seed, one as a three seed, and one as a two seed. Given their historically high ranking (perhaps they reached this number during the Devin Harris days?), maybe this is the year Bo Ryan can translate his defensive style into the Elite Eight.

2. Villanova (11-0): The Wildcats are playing the same tenacious defense that's helped them stay successful in the Jay Wright era as a relatively smaller university with strong academics lacking a historic basketball tradition (the 1985 championship aside). Except this year, their depth is incredible, with two breakout players in James Bell and JayVaughn Pinkston. Then, there's Ryan Arcidiacono, Wright's proverbial "coach's son" who may be a slight step behind his teammates, but makes up for it with big shots and Wright's unconditional trust. They'll rise to number one (in this poll) with a win over Syracuse on Dec. 28.

1. Arizona (12-0): Their range of talent, orchestrated by heady point guard T.J. McConnel, exceeds every team in the country. Highly anticipated forward Aaron Gordon is playing to expectations and is only getting better. When he's on the court with fellow forward Brandon Ashley, it's difficult to tell who is who, demonstrating just how good Ashley has been this year. We haven't even addressed the leading scorer yet, combo-guard Nick Johnson, or the genetic hybrid of Tyler Hansbrough and Mason Plumlee: Kaleb Tarczewski.