Rush The Court

Zach Hayes is an editor, contributor and bracketologist at Rush the Court.

With the exception of assorted non-conference games dotting the schedule over the next two months, this weekend marks the moment where every team is participating in the rough-and-tumble world of conference play. From the SEC to the ACC to the Ivy League, dodging superior opponents is no longer an option (here’s looking at you Cincinnati) and the games where tournament portfolios and expected seeding begin to take shape is officially upon us. As we venture into this exciting time in the season, let’s quickly take a look back at who did themselves a favor during the all-important pre-conference portion of their schedule and who has plenty of treacherous work ahead to build enough of an argument for NCAA Tournament inclusion:

Winners

Connecticut- Although there’s no shame in losing at Pittsburgh and Notre Dame, especially since the youthful Huskies only trailed by single digits late in each contest, there’s a growing sentiment that Connecticut’s reminiscing of their November performance in Maui will last until mid-March when the selection committee makes their final decisions. The Huskies will be referencing their early season, RPI top-50 triumphs over Missouri Valley favorite Wichita State, Michigan State and Kentucky for most of the campaign. If the Huskies can conjure up more production from their supporting cast surrounding POY contender Kemba Walker, there’s plenty of quality win opportunities that lie ahead in the once again loaded Big East. Walker donning the Superman cape in Maui gave Connecticut an upper hand in the resume department that few other teams can match.

San Diego State- The Aztecs simply took care of business in non-conference play, using a statement win at Gonzaga (where the Zags almost never falter) as a catapult to an undefeated mark prior to opening MWC play on Wednesday with a win at TCU. San Diego State didn’t just rest on their laurels following the Gonzaga win, either. Instead, they quickly turned around and won three in Oxford, Ohio. Steve Fisher’s squad also returning to San Diego and notched victories over expected NCAA teams Wichita State and Saint Mary’s. The Aztecs can add to their impressive portfolio with wins over BYU, UNLV and New Mexico in conference play. A #2 seed is very attainable.

Georgetown- John Thompson tested his team with just as much vigor as any top-notch major conference school and currently boast the #1 RPI in the nation as a result. Thompson challenged the Hoyas with four true or semi-neutral road games against esteemed competition, winning at CAA favorite Old Dominion, throttling Memphis at FedEx Forum and downing Missouri in Kansas City, just an hour or so from Columbia. Georgetown also faltered at Temple and in two early Big East road games against Notre Dame and St. John’s, all excusable defeats. All of these competitive road games should prepare the Hoyas for the brutal slate the Big East provides and will certainly aid their RPI/SOS numbers when seeding becomes a popular topic of discussion. Worth noting that Georgetown also knocked off Utah State at home, Wofford on a neutral floor and NC State in Charleston, three teams that have a decent chance to garner bids in March.

Kentucky- The Wildcats are no threat to miss out on the NCAA Tournament, but for seeding purposes the Wildcats needed to capitalize on a few of their opportunities for quality wins out of conference. The SEC is unusually down this season with questions galore regarding expected contenders Tennessee, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi State. If Kentucky can take home the SEC crown, their chances at a #2 seed are strong and picking up non-conference wins over Washington in Maui, Notre Dame in Louisville and Louisville in an intense true road rivalry game are the primary reasons. The only black marks on the resume are losses to Connecticut in Maui and at a North Carolina team that may finish second in the head-scratching ACC nearly by default. John Calipari should be proud of where his team currently stands (even without the services of Enes Kanter) and only the most rabid of Big Blue haters would deny the best days are likely ahead for the ever-improving Wildcats.

Texas- One of the most impressive short road swings of non-conference play had to be Texas edging North Carolina in what was basically a road game in Greensboro and quickly turning around to paste Michigan State at the Breslin Center three days later. The Spartans win, especially, will only gain respectability as State makes their annual ascent under Tom Izzo. Texas also knocked off Illinois in Madison Square Garden back in November, another likely RPI top-25 win. If the Longhorns take care of business tomorrow in Austin against Connecticut, that’s one more notch on Rick Barnes’ belt. The only slip-ups were against Pittsburgh in NYC and at USC, the latter of which may not appear so regrettable if the Trojans improve with the services of Jio Fontan at their disposal. This year’s Longhorns have improved chemistry, a star scorer in Jordan Hamilton and are quickly forcing the folks at Austin to forget about last season’s remarkable collapse.

Losers

Dayton- The Flyers are arguably the most talented team in the Atlantic 10, but Brian Gregory’s lackluster non-conference schedule and blown opportunities against Old Dominion and Cincinnati (by a staggering 34 points) means Dayton will have to boost their portfolio in conference play. Unless the Flyers want to form an argument for the committee that New Mexico, Seton Hall, Ole Miss, Akron and George Mason are first-rate wins, they better take care of business against Temple, Richmond and Xavier in A-10 play. Dayton also has a bad loss against East Tennessee State at home on December 1 on their resume.

Baylor– We questioned Baylor’s non-conference schedule since August when it was released and our opinion has only been affirmed five months later. The Bears currently rank tenth in the Big 12 in RPI and their best win was a home victory over a currently-collapsing Arizona State squad that just fell to Stanford at home in embarrassing fashion. In fact, their best win to date by RPI is Jackson State. While the Bears will have a number of chances to boost their portfolio in conference play, and we certainly don’t anticipate a roster as talented as the one Drew has assembled to miss the NCAA Tournament, we’re positive the Baylor headman didn’t anticipate blowing their three quality non-conference duels against Gonzaga, Washington State and Florida State.

Gonzaga– The Zags incredibly strenuous non-conference schedule provided plenty of chances to boost their portfolio prior to the lighter part of their schedule in WCC play. While neutral court wins over Marquette and Baylor and home wins over Oklahoma State and Xavier are decent, even Mark Few would admit he’d like to have another shot at the more premier foes on their slate, notably San Diego State, Notre Dame, Illinois, Kansas State and Washington State. With only Saint Mary’s as a legitimate win worth bragging about in conference play, the portfolio is a bit lacking for a Gonzaga team that has oodles of talent and visions of a top-five seed in this year’s Dance. Even a triumph in the annual battle of teams doing a favor for one another while mired in supposedly inferior conferences (Gonzaga-Memphis) might not hold as much meaning as in previous seasons. Merely for accumulation purposes, the Zags should probably win it.

Maryland– The Terrapins failed to capitalize on three different occasions to garner marquee wins, two in November against Pittsburgh and Illinois in NYC and then in early December against Temple in Washington D.C. All three of those opponents will likely linger in and around the RPI top 25 as the season progresses. Maryland also fell in their ACC opener at home to Boston College, giving them an unneeded slow start to the chase for second place behind Duke. As it stands now, their two best wins are home against Charleston and at Penn State. Unless they can pull off a miracle win at Villanova, the mediocre ACC and this deficient non-conference resume means Gary Williams better hope he’s not sitting on the bubble come Selection Sunday.

Michigan State– The Spartans whiffed on a majority of their high-profile contests during a hellacious non-conference schedule that Tom Izzo enjoys putting together. The second half comeback win over Washington in Maui and an early Big Ten success over Minnesota is worth something, but for the expected #2 team in the country, November and December left plenty to be desired. The Spartans lost to Connecticut in Maui, at Duke, home against Texas and at Syracuse in MSG, the latter three teams are candidates for top three seeds in the NCAA Tournament.