This is probably the most fascinating males’s faculty basketball season I can bear in mind previously 15 years.
This freshmen class is unimaginable. NIL implies that expertise is staying put and the standard of play I’m watching is improbable.
What’s extra, the race for the top-4 seed traces of the NCAA match has by no means been extra compelling.
Here’s the most recent version of my males’s faculty basketball rankings, as of Feb. 1.
*Note: Miami (Ohio) is 22-0, however its power of schedule is 332nd within the nation. The RedHawks are an amazing story, however I’m undecided that I’ll rank them in any respect this yr. Being undefeated is cool and all, however it’s important to put it into context.
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Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillian is pushing all the suitable buttons with this workforce. The Aggies sit atop the SEC with a 7-1 report and are averaging 91.0 factors of their previous three video games. Still, there are massive challenges forward.
Arkansas misplaced an emotional affair with Kentucky on Saturday. The Razorbacks have six losses, however none of them are dangerous losses. They can’t discover a rhythm, although, as their longest win streak of the season is simply 4 video games.
St. John’s has received seven video games in a row and beat Butler by 22 factors on Wednesday. Guard Ian Jackson had 18 factors and is beginning to determine his scoring position.
Kentucky is popping its season round. The Wildcats beat Arkansas, led by their former coach John Calipari, on Saturday in an emotional sport. Guard Otega Oweh has scored 20 or extra factors in seven of his previous 9 video games.
Clemson boasts one of many 15 finest defenses within the nation, and the Tigers used it to suffocate Pitt on Saturday; the Panthers may solely muster 52 factors. Clemson is now 8-1 within the ACC with its solely loss in time beyond regulation to NC State.
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Tennessee is on a three-game win streak, beating Alabama, Georgia and Auburn. The Vols have a top-15 protection (once more).
St. Louis is now 21-1 after crushing Dayton by 31 factors on Saturday, with its solely loss approaching a miracle shot in opposition to Stanford again in November.
North Carolina picked up one other street win at Georgia Tech on Saturday. I get pleasure from watching the frontcourt duo of ahead Caleb Wilson and middle Henri Veesaar. The pair mixed for 42 factors and 18 rebounds.
Virginia has the seventeenth finest offense within the land and received two street wins this week, regardless of going 14-for-52 from behind the arc mixed. That’s signal that this workforce is legit and might discover methods to win.
Three losses in a row for Purdue appeared unfathomable when it began the preseason because the top-ranked workforce. This workforce can rating in opposition to anybody, however the Boilermakers wrestle to protect elite, athletic groups like Iowa State and Illinois.
Understandably, BYU went 0-2 this week in opposition to Arizona and Kansas. Cougars star ahead AJ Dybantsa was solely outscored by one level (17 to 18) by Kansas freshman guard Darryn Peterson, but it surely felt like greater than that. Guard Richie Saunders had 33 factors and drastically improved his NBA Draft inventory in entrance of the throng of scouts that had been in attendance.
I used to be a bit stunned that Texas Tech misplaced at UCF after capturing above 50% as a workforce, however the Red Raiders couldn’t get stops in an 88-80 shootout. Texas Tech star ahead JT Toppin continued his stellar season with 27 factors on Saturday. I nonetheless suppose the Red Raiders can beat any workforce — wherever.
Vanderbilt smashed Kentucky workforce earlier this week and is again to its successful methods — three straight wins, the truth is. Sophomore guard Tyler Tanner is simply 6-foot, however his sport is huge.
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I used to be so jacked up for the matchup between Dybantsa and Peterson — till the ball was tipped, and Peterson utterly took over with 18 factors in 17 minutes within the first half. Of course, he solely performed three minutes within the second half (cramping?), however his Kansas teammates stored it going, capturing 57% total. Kansas is hitting its stride.
Florida made a press release with its thrashing of Alabama at house. Alex Condon had his finest sport of the season with 25 factors and 6 assists on the middle place. Florida ranks sixth in KenPom and is 7-2 within the SEC.
[Men’s College Hoops Spotlight: Villanova Eyes NCAA Tournament Berth]
Michigan State squeaked out an time beyond regulation win at Rutgers early within the week, and the Spartans couldn’t get better quick sufficient for his or her top-10 showdown in opposition to Michigan on FOX on Friday night time, dropping 83-71 (the sport wasn’t as shut as the ultimate rating). Spartans star Jeremy Fears Jr. did his half with 31 factors, however no person else actually confirmed up.
Graham Ike returned from damage this week, and he scored 30 factors in Gonzaga’s win over Saint Mary’s on Saturday night time. The Zags’ solely lack of the season was a 40-point beatdown by the hands of Michigan in November.
Count me as one of many individuals who was extra impressed with Nebraska in defeat (at Michigan) than every other sport I’ve seen the Huskers play. Their loss on Sunday to a surging Illinois workforce doesn’t change their potential, but it surely does deliver them (and their fan base) again to Earth a bit.
Illinois owns the No. 1 offense within the sport and used it to avenge its loss to Nebraska. Outside of Arizona, is anybody taking part in higher within the sport proper now? Illinois has received 11 consecutive video games.
Besides these back-to-back street losses a number of weeks in the past to Kansas and Cincinnati, Iowa State seems to be each bit like a No. 2 or No. 3 seed within the NCAA match.
[NCAA Bracket Projections: Michigan Reclaims No. 1 seed, ACC Rising]
Houston freshman guard Kingston Flemings solely had seven factors on Saturday in opposition to Cincinnati, however fellow freshman ahead Chris Cenac Jr. had 13 and senior guard Milos Uzan closed issues out with 16. The Bearcats had no shot in that sport.
On Saturday, Duke star ahead Cameron Boozer posted 24 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists in a street win at Virginia Tech. That is a career-best day for many gamers, but it surely’s simply one other day on the workplace for the perfect participant within the sport.
After narrowly escaping most of their Big East opponents, UConn demolished Creighton on the street by 27 factors. The Huskies broke out of a droop by hitting 16 of their 31 3-pointers.
Michigan adopted up its come-from-behind win over Nebraska by controlling many of the sport at Michigan State. Wolverines star ahead Yaxel Lendeborg lastly had a breakout sport in convention play with 28 factors and 12 rebounds.
(Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Arizona is probably the most bodily workforce within the nation and continued to impress, getting street wins at BYU and Arizona State. It appears seemingly the Wildcats will win the Big 12 by a number of video games.
