What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Griffin Wong (@griffwong90) is your weekly host.
Tragedy Strikes the Basketball World
The college basketball community was hit hard with the death of Andrew Smith earlier this week. Smith, a Butler center during its back-to-back title game runs in 2010 and 2011, finally lost his battle with cancer on Tuesday. His family has received tremendous support from all over the Internet over the last couple days.
It’s clear that Smith was an outstanding human being. Tragic.
Bob Huggins Hits the Jackpot
Not from the Powerball, but rather from his contract incentives. The West Virginia coach has an incentive in his contract that pays him $25,000 every time he beats Kansas. To date, Huggins has earned $75,000 over the last three years because of this clause. Imagine how many lottery tickets he can buy with that money!
Mizzou in Trouble
Let’s just say that Frank Haith will be far from welcomed with open arms should be ever return to Columbia, Missouri. After discovering a number of serious violations from the Haith Era, the Tigers will institute sanctions that include vacating wins, recruiting and scholarship handicaps, and a ban from postseason play this season. To make matters worse, Haith apparently bolted for Tulsa just four days after receiving notice of the NCAA’s allegations.
Ouch.
Basketball Taking Over Clemson?
Probably not, but at 4-1 in conference play with a big win over Duke their latest victim, the Tigers are making some noise in the ACC. Clemson has now won four in a row, including two in a row against ranked teams.
And running back Wayne Gallman is coming back next season. See, things aren’t so bad, Tigers fans!
Quick-Hitters
-Here’s Colorado’s Wesley Gordon with the one-handed putback slam in the Buffaloes’ victory over Oregon State:
-When you’re arguably the best player in the country, you get these kind sof rolls. The iron is kind to Providence’s Kris Dunn!
-Give the assist to the rim! Brockport ties it up against Oswego at the buzzer before going on to win in overtime.
-Here’s VCU’s Justin Tillman with the one-handed slam in the Rams’ recent blowout of Fordham:
-What about Virginia star Malcolm Brogdon with the dunk and-1?
-Cal’s Jaylen Brown. Wow.
–BONUS DUNK: Okay, I know this isn’t college hoops, but you can’t tell me this isn’t hilarious:
See you next week!