In the midst of the holidays comes a weekend of action where teams must avoid distraction off the court as they look to answer questions on the court. Highlighted by Louisville’s trip to Rupp Arena, here are 10 questions I have for this weekend’s slate of games:

1. How will Kentucky’s offense look in the half-court? (Louisville @ Kentucky, Saturday, 3:45 PM EST, CBS) Defensively, no team has a lower opponents’ transition effective field goal percentage than Louisville. On offense, Kentucky’s non-transition effective field-goal percentage ranks outside of the top 200. The Wildcats, one of the nation’s worst three-point shooting teams, must find a way to knock down perimeter shots to beat Louisville.
2. Can Wisconsin’s “Big Three” be efficient from beyond the arc? (Wisconsin @ Tennessee, Saturday, 1:30 PM EST, CBS) Entering the weekend, the shot making of Nate Reuvers, D’Mitrik Trice and Brad Davison has been a bellweather for success. In the team’s six wins, the trio has shot 41.2 percent from three-point range; In Wisconsin’s five defeats, however, the trio has made just 21.5 percent of its shots from deep.
3. Will Ohio State continue to torch the nets from beyond the arc? (West Virginia vs. Ohio State, Sunday, Noon, FS1) The Buckeyes are shooting over 40 percent from three-point range on the season, good for a top 10 ranking nationally. West Virginia will be Ohio State’s first opponent with a defensive three-point percentage ranking of 80th or better, however (Mountaineers rank fourth).
4. Just how good is Stanford freshman Tyrell Terry? (Kansas @ Stanford, Sunday, 3 PM EST, ABC) Tyrell Terry is averaging over 15 points and five rebounds per game this season while making 40.4 percent of his three-point attempts. The four-star freshman guard has struggled with turnovers recently, however, coughing up the ball 15 times over his last four games.
5. Can Arkansas keep the Hoosiers off the free throw line and steal a road win? (Arkansas @ Indiana, Sunday, 6 PM EST, Big Ten Network) Only Eastern Michigan has a higher free throw attempt to field goal attempt ratio than Indiana. If Arkansas can avoid fouls and limit one of the nation’s best freshman offensive rebounders in Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Razorbacks have a chance to pick up their first quality non-conference win.
6. Can Duke’s Joey Baker keep his recent success going? (Brown @ Duke, Saturday, 11:30 AM EST, ESPN2) After scoring just over four points in 10 minutes per game through Duke’s first seven contests, Baker is averaging 12.8 points in 19.5 minutes per game over Duke’s last four. Baker gives Coach K another sharpshooter who can help keep the post clear for Vernon Carey.
7. Can Liberty’s balanced attack keep the Flames undefeated? (Liberty @ LSU, Sunday, 1:30 PM EST, SEC Network) Ritchie McKay’s Liberty squad features six players averaging nine or more points per game this season. The Flames have had four different players lead the team in scoring over the squad’s last five games.
8. What can be made of UC Irvine’s start to the season? (Pacific @ UC Irvine, Saturday, 10 PM EST) Russell Turner’s Anteaters were tabbed as the preseason Big West favorite, but after losing only six games last season, they have already lost seven this season. A defense that ranks among the bottom 40 in three-point percentage defense will be challenged by a Pacific squad that ranks among the top 40 three-point shooting teams.
9. Will Bryant help turn Maryland’s fortunes around as they get ready for Big Ten play? (Bryant @ Maryland, Sunday, Noon, Big Ten Network) After starting 10-0, the Terps dropped consecutive games at Penn State and Seton Hall. In those defeats, senior guard Anthony Cowan went 8-of-31 from the field along with nine turnovers and just six assists. While Bryant struggles to force turnovers and protect its defensive glass, the Bulldogs own a top 40 effective field-goal percentage defense.
10. Can Cartier Diarra end Kansas State’s recent struggles? (Tulsa @ Kansas State, Sunday, 6 PM EST, ESPN+) The Wildcats have lost five of their last seven games, and three of the team’s six wins have come against KenPom teams ranked 320th or worse. After shooting 38.6 percent on 158 three-point attempts during his first two years at Kansas State, Cartier Diarra is shooting just 25.5 percent on his 25 three-point attempts this season.

What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Matthew Eisenberg (@matteise) is your weekly host.

The week began with Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon making a decision to have hip surgery and redshirt this season. While it might be a decision that many within the Hawkeyes’ program saw coming, it’s a decision that will have a lasting impact on the ceiling of the team this season…

#Hawkeyes

Link: https://t.co/uiF7igMG0x pic.twitter.com/QXQGeyv6ca

— Iowa Basketball (@IowaHoops) December 16, 2019

A day after Bohannon made his decision, the injury that kept Cole Anthony out of the Tar Heels recent loss against Wofford was revealed. Anthony, suffering a partially torn meniscus, will miss four to six weeks of action. While North Carolina ended its four-game skid against UCLA over the weekend, their play on the offensive side of the floor was suspect – shooting just 41.8 percent from the field and turning the ball over 17 times. After finishing each of the past four seasons with a top 10 offense, Roy Williams current squad sits outside of the top 60.

UNC's Cole Anthony is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks after surgery on a partially torn meniscus pic.twitter.com/SfeXtBC1Zd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 17, 2019

Days after the news of Anthony’s injury came the surprising move of another star freshman as James Wiseman decided to leave Memphis. In just three games as a Tiger, Wiseman averaged 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Dealing with the wrath of the NCAA which led to his “suspension,” Wiseman’s decision allows him to prepare full-time for the 2020 NBA Draft.

Read the rest of this entry »

As the non-conference slate begins to reach its final days, the trends around college basketball are starting to become more clear. This is a weekend where I have questions on teams who are looking to break or reinforce the trends that have formed over the first month and a half of the season.

1. Will Villanova have enough defense to stop Kansas? (Kansas @ Villanova, Saturday, Noon EST, Fox) Jay Wright’s Villanova squad comes into this weekend’s action ranked 86th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, the worst ranking of any of his Wildcat teams. This group also has the worst-ranked effective field-goal percentage defense and opponent two-point field-goal percentage ranking of any Villanova team of the past 10 years.
2. What impact might the absence of Matt Haarms have on Purdue (Butler @ Purdue, Saturday, 2:30 PM EST, Big Ten Network) The Boilermakers got by Ohio without Haarms in the lineup, but have a much tougher test looming this weekend against Butler. Haarms, second on the team in points per game and rebounds per game, is also a defensive anchor, ranking among the nation’s top 10 in block rate. Butler’s highly efficient offense will test Purdue.
3. Is it time to panic in Lexington? (Ohio State vs. Kentucky, Saturday, 5:15 PM EST, CBS) The Wildcats were outplayed for much of their recent game against Utah, even if a late rally gave Kentucky a chance to overcome the Utes. This Kentucky squad has the worst team three-point percentage (27.5%) of any Big Blue team of the past 20 years. If they can’t figure things out against Ohio State, they’ll take a two-game losing streak into next weekend’s huge match-up with Louisville.
4. Who wins the battle at the rim? (Colorado vs. Dayton, Saturday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS Sports Network) Defensively, Colorado’s defense is strongest on the interior, where according to Hoop-Math, the Buffaloes own the nation’s 12th-best defensive field-goal percentage at the rim. Dayton star Obi Toppin gets more than half of his field goal attempts at the bucket, where he shoots a staggering 83.9 percent.
5. Will Utah State pick up another win over an SEC opponent? (Utah State @ Florida, Saturday, 2:30 PM EST, Fox Sports 1) The Aggies were victorious over LSU earlier this season and now will get a shot at Florida. The Gators are a team that have struggled when unable to create turnovers from their opponents, which could prove a challenge against a Utah State squad that is ranked among the worst 50 teams nationally in turnover rate.
6. How will Arizona State react to its midweek thrashing? (Creighton @ Arizona State, Saturday, 8:30 PM EST, Pac-12 Networks) Arizona State’s 40-point loss to Saint Mary’s on Wednesday was the Sun Devils’ worst loss since a Kentucky beatdown in 2016. In Wednesday’s defeat, only three Sun Devils scored, with 43 of the team’s 56 points coming from Alonzo Verge off the bench.
7. Experience vs. Inexperience: Which backcourt shines brightest? (VCU @ Wichita State, Saturday, Noon EST, ESPN2) VCU starts a pair of senior guards in Marcus Evans and De’Riante Jenkins. Wichita State’s backcourt is made up of freshmen Grant Sheffield, Tyson Etienne and sophomore’s Jamarius Burton and Erik Stevenson. This VCU squad is forcing turnovers at a clip over nine percent better than the national average. How will the young Wichita State guards hold up against the pressure?
8. Will San Diego State’s three-point defense keep them undefeated? (San Diego State vs. Utah, Saturday, 6:30 PM EST, Pac-12 Network) The Aztecs have a three-point defense that ranks among the top 20 in the nation, six percent better at 26.9 percent than last year’s mark that ranked 93rd nationally. Brian Dutcher’s team will be tested by a Utah team that made 8-of-15 from deep in its recent win over Kentucky.
9. Can a St. John’s team looking to push the pace survive against a Nico Mannion led Arizona team? (Arizona vs. St. John’s, Saturday, 10 PM EST, ESPN2) St. John’s adjusted tempo of 75.4 possessions per game is the highest of any Mike Anderson coached team in the KenPom era. While the Red Storm have an effective field-goal percentage of 53.6 percent in transition, it falls short of Arizona’s even-better 59.4 percent field-goal percentage in transition.
10. Will Markus Howard make Marquette history? (North Dakota State @ Marquette, Friday, 9 PM EST, Fox Sports 1) After making 6-of-10 from deep against Grambling State, Markus Howard has now made 349 three-pointers at Marquette. With just five more makes, Howard will tie Steve Novak for the most triples in Marquette history. North Dakota State has allowed an average of just five made three-pointers over its last five games.

What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Matthew Eisenberg (@matteise) is your weekly host.

North Carolina has made 15 NCAA Tournament appearances over the past 16 seasons with Roy Williams as the head coach. After starting the season 6-1, however, the Tar Heels suffered back-to-back losses to start December. While the panic level remained relatively low heading into the weekend, that changed Sunday morning when the following news broke:

Breaking: North Carolina freshman PG Cole Anthony is out indefinitely due to a right knee injury and won't play Sunday vs. Wofford. pic.twitter.com/pA4ilAyD4H

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 15, 2019

Without Cole Anthony, the team’s leading scorer, questions quickly arose about the Heels’ future. This is a team that, despite owning a top-50 adjusted offensive efficiency, ranks 297th or worse in two-point, three-point and free throw shooting percentages. Without Anthony in the lineup, North Carolina’s losing streak reached three games…

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1206347619641036804?s=20

In the loss, North Carolina shot 38.6 percent from two-point range, 31.6 percent from three-point range, and just 60 percent at the line. The defeat brought out what would have been an unthinkable question prior the season. Might North Carolina miss the NCAA Tournament? While it is still just December, Williams is going to have to earn his paycheck — especially if his team is without Cole Anthony.

North Carolina just announced that Cole Anthony is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Not trying to be sarcastic or funny when I say: If he has to miss an extended period of time, I think there is a legit chance the Tar Heels could miss the NCAA Tournament

— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) December 15, 2019

North Carolina just lost to Wofford in Chapel Hill. It came without Cole Anthony, who is out indefinitely due to a knee injury.

The talent surrounding Cole Anthony just isn’t up to par for the Tar Heels program. Bigs are average, and wings can’t really score.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 15, 2019

North Carolina is officially facing a crisis. Wofford beats the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill and Cole Anthony is out indefinitely.

UNC is now 6-4.

Next three games:

At Gonzaga
UCLA (Las Vegas)
Yale

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 15, 2019

This past week was full of trouble for teams near the top of the rankings. A previously undefeated and #1 Louisville club had a midweek match-up against Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden. While Louisville’s 3-of-17 performance from deep did the Cardinals no favors, the storyline of the game came in the form of the surprise performance from Texas Tech’s Avery Benson.

Read the rest of this entry »

This has been a week that has already seen three of the AP‘s top five teams suffer a defeat. This weekend’s slate of games includes several match-ups of heavyweights, plenty of rivalry intrigue, and teams facing challenges of injury and circumstance. Here are 10 questions I have for the action to come over the weekend:

1. Can Gonzaga replicate last year’s success against Arizona? (Gonzaga @ Arizona, Saturday, 10 PM EST, ESPN2) Last season, Gonzaga convincingly beat Arizona, 91-74, in Maui, as the Zags outscored Arizona by 15 points in the final 10 minutes of the game. Of Gonzaga’s 91 points scored, only seven were by players still on the roster (Corey Kispert and Filip Petrusev).
2. Is defending the three-point line the key against Michigan? (Oregon @ Michigan, Saturday, Noon EST, CBS) In Michigan’s pair of recent losses, the Wolverines went 6-of-37 (16.2%) from three-point range. In the team’s eight wins, Michigan is shooting a more robust 42.2% on 194 three-point attempts. Task #1 is simple for Oregon to win on the road at the Crisler Center.
3. How much of last season’s hostility will remain in the Volunteer State rematch? (Memphis @ Tennessee, Saturday, 3 PM EST, ESPN) A timeout late in last year’s game set off fireworks between Tennessee and Memphis. In the week following the game, Rick Barnes and Penny Hardaway each had a series of salty quotes directed at the other. With the future of the rivalry unclear, this is a chance for each school to make a regional statement.
4. Can Utah State slow down Yoeli Childs? (BYU @ Utah State, Saturday, 8 PM EST) In a match-up between these teams last year, Childs scored 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting, grabbed seven rebounds, and logged five steals. Since coming back from his NCAA suspension, Childs has been very productive, posting back-to-back double-doubles. Utah State will need Neemias Queta to be able to produce in this game.
5. Old Rivalry Part 1: Did Syracuse turn a corner last weekend? (Syracuse @ Georgetown, Saturday, 1 PM EST, Fox) Jim Boeheim’s team had lost three straight contests prior to its 34-point win at Georgia Tech last weekend. In that win, both Elijah Hughes (33) and Buddy Boeheim (26) posted season highs in points, combining to make 12-of-24 three-point attempts.
6. Old Rivalry Part 2: What will UCLA look like on the road? (UCLA @ Notre Dame, Saturday, 3 PM EST, ABC) UCLA’s trip to South Bend marks its first true road game under new head coach Mick Cronin. This is a Bruins squad that ranks 328th in opponent three-point percentage, taking on a Notre Dame team that made 20-of-39 from deep in its last game — a win against Detroit.
7. How impacted will Seton Hall be without Sandro Mamukelashvili? (Seton Hall @ Rutgers, Saturday, 4 PM EST, Big Ten Network) Mamukelashvili broke his wrist early in Seton Hall’s last game, a loss at Iowa State. Other than Myles Powell, he was the only Pirate averaging more than 10 points per game. This is a team that needs secondary scorers to show up or the offensive burden will be even too much for Powell to carry.
8. Will Oklahoma State have point guard Isaac Likekele? If not, can they fix their recent struggles? (Oklahoma State @ Houston, Sunday, 3 PM EST) After winning its first seven games, Oklahoma State has dropped its last two contests, with lead guard Isaac Likekele missed both of those games due to an illness. His status remains unclear for this weekend. Likekele leads the Cowboys in scoring and assists, and also chips in with five rebounds a game.
9. Can Ohio State continues its early season roll? (Ohio State @ Minnesota, Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, Big Ten Network) For Ohio State, the only thing standing in its way of likely becoming the new #1 team in the nation is a road test at Minnesota. This is the Buckeyes’ first road Big Ten game of the season — last year, they were a team that went just 3-7 away from home in league play.
10. Can North Carolina make easy work of Wofford or will recent struggles and a look ahead cause some troubles? (Wofford @ North Carolina, Sunday, 4 PM EST, ACC Network) Coming off of disappointing performances against both Ohio State and Virginia, North Carolina hosts a Wofford team that, while anemic defensively, possesses offensive talent. Wofford’s Nathan Hoover is shooting just 25.4 percent early in the season, but is a player who made 47.5 percent of his 177 attempts last season.

What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Matthew Eisenberg (@matteise) is your weekly host.

The month of December tipped-off with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge leading the way. Each league picked up a victory on the opening night of the challenge, which set up a big second day of action. Indiana moved to 8-0 after beating Florida State, with Devonte Green posting a career-high 30 points. Archie Miller’s squad shot a sterling 60 percent on two-point attempts and 46.7 percent on three-point attempts, both season-high marks for Seminoles’ opponents.

Indiana gets a nice win over a Florida State team that has beaten Florida, Tennessee and Purdue. Hoosiers do it with career-night from Devonte Green, and without Rob Phinisee. Archie Miller’s group now 8-0. Now the question is whether IU can sustain this.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 4, 2019

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton on Indiana: "There's no doubt that this is the best team we've played to this point." #iubb

— Inside the Hall (@insidethehall) December 4, 2019

In a rematch of an NCAA Tournament game from last season, Duke headed to East Lansing to take on Michigan State. While the Blue Devils were without Cassius Stanley, they ran into no problems with the Spartans. Vernon Carey and Tre Jones combined to score 46 points on 14-of-29 shooting.

Seven days ago, Duke lost to Stephen F. Austin at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Tonight, it beat Michigan State in East Lansing by 12 without its third leading scorer (Cassius Stanley).

Anarchy?

Nope. Just College Basketball.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 4, 2019

Some of Michigan State’s struggles come from the inconsistent play of sophomore Aaron Henry. After averaging 13.3 PPG through his first five contests, Henry has scored just nine points over the last two. Against Duke, Henry was held to two points on two field-goal attempts in just 21 minutes of action.

Aaron Henry today after practice: "It's kind of on me. I've got to be better for us to be successful. I get that and I'm going to get there, and when I do it's going to be back to business."

— Kyle Austin (@kylebaustin) December 7, 2019

Read the rest of this entry »

Over the next three days action on the hardwood includes conference games, battles among intrastate rivals, and teams looking to either snap skids or prove they are the real deal. Here are 10 questions I have for what’s to come over a busy college basketball weekend.

1. Will Gonzaga be able to get out in transition? (Gonzaga @ Washington, Sunday, 7 PM EST, ESPN2) Nearly a third of Gonzaga’s shots have come in transition this year, representing a top-20 rate on the season. The Zags will be up against a Washington zone defense that has only allowed three squads a lower rate of shots in transition.
2. What will Cole Anthony vs. Virginia’s defense look like? (North Carolina @ Virginia, Sunday, 4 PM EST, ACC Network) The freshman star struggled against Ohio State earlier this week, going 0-for-7 from inside the arc. With Armando Bacot dealing with an injury, how will Anthony perform against the nation’s best defense?
3. Can Vernon Carey, Jr. continue to mirror the freshman season had by Jahlil Okafor? (Duke @ Virginia Tech, Friday, 7 PM EST, ACC Network) Through Vernon Carey’s first nine games at Duke, he has scored 11 more points, grabbed six more rebounds and blocked seven more shots than former Duke great Jahlil Okafor. In Okafor’s first ACC game, he logged 28 points, eight rebounds and four blocks against Boston College — what will Carey do against Virginia Tech?
4. How does Michigan respond from its lackluster Big Ten/ACC performance? (Iowa @ Michigan, Friday, 6:30 PM EST, Fox Sports 1) After making 33 three-pointers on 47 percent shooting in their three games at Atlantis, the Wolverines shot a season worst 15.8 percent from deep against Louisville. It led to Michigan posting its worst single-game offensive efficiency total since a Big Ten Tournament loss against Wisconsin in 2008.
5. Will there be a home court advantage for this under the radar, mega-matchup? (Arizona @ Baylor, Saturday, Noon EST, ESPNU) Just as the basketball tips at the Ferrell Center on Saturday afternoon, Baylor’s football team will be kicking off in its Big 12 title game. The Bears are offering free tickets to anyone who wants to watch the match-up with Arizona, which includes a dazzling backcourt battle of Nico Mannion vs. Baylor’s plethora of guards.
6. What will the Crosstown Shootout look like without Mick Cronin on the sidelines? (Cincinnati @ Xavier, Saturday, 5 PM EST, Fox Sports 1) For the first time in 13 years, the Cincinnati/Xavier rivalry will not include either Mick Cronin or Chris Mack. Can new Bearcats’ coach John Brannen do something that Cronin never did and win at Xavier? The Musketeers have won each of the past seven home match-ups.
7. Quite simply, will the free throw line be the deciding factor in USC-TCU? (USC @ TCU, Friday, 9 PM EST, ESPN2) Entering play on Thursday, both USC and TCU ranked outside of the top 240 nationally in free throw percentage. In USC’s nine-point loss against Temple, the Trojans went 11-of-20 at the line. In TCU’s only loss — an overtime loss against Clemson — the Horned Frogs missed eight of their 15 free throw attempts.
8. Can Wisconsin fix its troubles around the three-point line? (Indiana @ Wisconsin, Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, Big Ten Network) Greg Gard’s Badgers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak in which the Badgers have shot a measly 18.4 percent on 76 three-point attempts. Wisconsin’s three-point attempt rate is up nearly 10 percent from last season, while their success rate is down six points. They get an undefeated Indiana team which includes a red-hot Devonte Green from deep.
9. Who will win the battle at the rim at Allen Fieldhouse? (Colorado @ Kansas, Saturday, 7 PM EST, ESPN2) According to Hoop-Math, Kansas has logged 45.9 percent of its shots at the rim, a top-10 rate nationally. On those attempts, the Jayhawks are converting a robust 68.3 percent. Defensively, only a few teams in the nation allow more shots at the rim than the Colorado defense. That said, Tad Boyle’s squad holds opponents to a field goal percentage of just 46.3 percent at the rim — a top-20 ranking.
10. Can DePaul continue to use turnovers its advantage? (Buffalo @ DePaul, Sunday, 5 PM EST, Fox Sports 1) DePaul looks to start a season 10-0 for the first time since the 1986-87 season (when it began 16-0). The Blue Demons own a top-50 defensive turnover rate, which has led to double-figure points off turnovers in each of its first nine games.

What’s Trending is a column examining the week that was in college basketball social media. Matthew Eisenberg (@matteise) is your weekly host.

The first month of the season has been completely wild and unpredictable. The only thing that everyone seems to agree on is that there is no dominant team this season — the notion that anything is possible and that the top 10 will shuffle all season long — well, it continued this week.

Duke entered the week as the #1 ranked team in the nation. Prior to this week, the Blue Devils had won 150 consecutive non-conference games at Cameron Indoor Stadium. As a 27.5-point favorite against Stephen F. Austin, Duke had four starters score 15 or more points; it shot 50 percent from the field as a team; and it won the battle on the glass. That said, this is college basketball, and chaos is to be expected. As the clock ticked down in regulation, Duke had the ball and a chance to win a tie game…

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1199544108815130625?s=20

While things did not go Duke’s way at the end of regulation, the first four minutes and fifty seconds of overtime were mostly uneventful. Both Duke and Stephen F. Austin had scored just two points. With the clock winding down, Duke again had a chance to win the game… once again, though, chaos ensues…

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1199678832585916417?s=20

Chaos and upsets were not limited to the top spot. In Maui a few days earlier, #3 Michigan State found itself trailing by 10 points against Virginia Tech with 4:39 to go, but a 15-6 run had cut the Spartans’ deficit to just a single point. That is when Landers Nolley hit a dagger. The Hokies’ freshman is now averaging 20 points and 5 rebounds per game, while making over three three-pointers per game on better than 50 percent shooting.

Landers Nolley with ice in his veins: pic.twitter.com/pWayA5Wkkm

— Chris Kern (@chriskern11) November 26, 2019

The drama in Maui continued into the title game. Dayton, already with wins against Georgia and Virginia Tech, found itself trailing by three points again #4 ranked Kansas late. In a possession which really was not going anywhere, Jalen Crutcher came up clutch to force overtime. While Kansas ultimately would go on to win the championship, it represented yet another scare for a top-five team.

OT IN MAUI!

Jalen Crutcher delivers in the clutch for @DaytonMBB! ❄️pic.twitter.com/qFY7khmQDz

— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) November 28, 2019

The Battle 4 Atlantis entered Feast Week as the marquee event and it certainly did not disappoint. In his first year as coach, Juwan Howard and his Michigan squad made a statement. After getting by Iowa State, the Wolverines simply manhandled North Carolina. The Tar Heels jumped out to an early 16-7 lead, but a 53-20 Michigan run broke the game wide open.

https://twitter.com/umichbball/status/1200251494492229633?s=20

Then Michigan found itself in the title game against Gonzaga. Not to be outdone by its previous performance, Big Blue held the Zags to 37.7 percent shooting from two-point range, the lowest such percentage from a Gonzaga team since the Bulldogs’ 30 percent outing in the 2017 National Championship game against North Carolina.

https://twitter.com/umichbball/status/1200518929623347201?s=20

While Gonzaga fell short in the title game of that event, Mark Few‘s squad picked up a quality win against Oregon. One thing to watch moving forward for the Zags is this team’s depth. In their opening win over Southern Mississippi, Anton Watson was injured and he missed the rest of the tournament. While Killian Tillie played in the last two games, he also missed the opener. A player who has struggled to stay healthy in the past is already dealing with bumps and bruises early this season.

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1200190352931598336?s=20

Texas Tech spent Feast Week in Las Vegas as part of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational. Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, their three-point shooting did not make the trip from Lubbock to Sin City. After beginning the year shooting 42.3 percent from deep in the team’s first five games, Tech made just 4-of-24 in their opening loss to Iowa.

The same Iowa team that was blown out a few weeks ago against DePaul at home just beat Texas Tech by 11 on a neutral floor.

Anarchy?

Nope. Just College Basketball.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 29, 2019

One night later, an 8-of-30 three-point night, along with a dazzling performance by Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski, sent Texas Tech home with an ugly 0-2 trip in Las Vegas.

The shot of the night by Marcus Zegarowski.
32 pts (12-18 FGs), 5 ast & 1 turnover. Played 43 minutes.
He had help, certainly. But that was quite the bounce-back game for the #Jays PG pic.twitter.com/jQry3BMDRP

— Jon Nyatawa (@JonNyatawa) November 30, 2019

The Emerald Coast Classic featured top-20 Tennessee and VCU, along with Purdue and Florida State. The four games played between the teams all ended with a margin of victory of three points. On the opening night of the tournament, Florida State held Tennessee’s Lamonte Turner to 4-of-14 shooting and eight turnovers in a close Seminoles win.

Florida State doesn't have a made field goal in the final six minutes, but still finds a way to beat Tennessee in Destin.

Anarchy?

Nope. Just College Basketball.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 30, 2019

On the same day, VCU found itself down three points to Purdue with the chance to tie the game. It was a game in which the teams combined to turn the ball over 39 times and made just 7 of their combined 33 three-point attempts.

NO GOOD!

VCU's comeback falls short and @BoilerBall pulls the second upset of the night to advance to the Emerald Coast Classic final. pic.twitter.com/7fDl4ela74

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) November 30, 2019

A day later, Tennessee and VCU were battling to the buzzer. With the game tied at 69-all, Lamonte Turner knocked down this corner three to win it for Tennessee. Will Wade’s Rams finished the tournament 0-2, with a pair of tough, closely decided games.

LAMONTE TURNER BUZZER BEATER FOR THE WIN OVER #20 VCU pic.twitter.com/dZElJNIeLa

— ♦️ CollegeHoopsAlert ♦️ (@AlertHoops) November 30, 2019

Feast Week was highlighted by more than just ranked teams going down. With eyes glued to games everywhere, big time players had some big time performances.

In Maui, Georgia’s Anthony Edwards delivered. The Bulldogs trailed Michigan State by 19 points at the half, a half in which Edwards scored just four points on 1-of-8 shooting. But the final 20 minutes brought a different Edwards to the floor that resulted in 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting, Anthony Edwards gave Georgia a chance, while showing to NBA scouts that the highly regarded freshman warrants all of the attention that has been put upon him.

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/1199452472403730432?s=20

A day later, Tom Crean’s team found itself tied with host Chaminade. With the clock winding down, Edwards put an end to any hope of a Silverswords upset.

Anthony Edwards beat Chaminade at the buzzer, which is fun. pic.twitter.com/QgJsM5ZGBq

— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) November 28, 2019

The Orlando Invitational brought the very best out of Marquette’s Markus Howard. A night after scoring 40 points in a win over Davidson, Howard tore apart the USC defense to the tune of 51 points. The senior All-American became the only Division I player in the past 20 seasons with multiple 50-point games.

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1200572032037130240?s=20

North Carolina’s Cole Anthony put on quite the display over an in-game stretch of two minutes late in the first half against Oregon. First, the freshman phenom had his defense lead to offense in this sequence…

Cole Anthony steals the inbounds pass and hammers home the big dunk pic.twitter.com/ONN1fl4Sh0

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 29, 2019

Moments later, Anthony was back making a statement defensive play. This time, the 6’3″ guard rose up and turned away Oregon’s 6’7″ Shakur Juiston at the rim…

Cole Anthony with a huge block pic.twitter.com/ILHbikWqbe

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 29, 2019

The brilliant play of freshman guards extended west to Anaheim, where in the closing seconds of the Wooden Legacy opening round, Arizona found itself tied to Pepperdine. With 7.6 seconds left in a tie game, freshman guard Nico Mannion had the ball in his hands…

https://twitter.com/Ballislife/status/1200307127836762112?s=20

Freshman aside, the Maui Invitational was a place where Dayton’s Obi Toppin shined bright. In the Flyers’ three games, Toppin averaged 22.3 points (69.4 FG%) and seven rebounds per game. While Kansas got the best of Dayton in the game, Toppin’s reaction to this shot should have his future opponents on notice.

This Obi Toppin stare down of the Kansas bench after stepping back and before hitting the 3 is one of the coldest things I've ever seen. pic.twitter.com/euE2ArKFd2

— A10 Talk (@A10Talk) November 27, 2019

Off the court, the wild week that was can best be summed up with the story of Stephen F. Austin’s Nate Bain. The Lumberjacks’ hero in the win over Duke comes from a family that was devastated by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. A GoFundMe for the Bain family exploded with donations following his heroics against the Blue Devils.

Nate Bain’s GoFundMe has cleared $125,000. Unreal. Bain told me Wednesday his family will be taking none of the money and that all donations will go to rebuilding his community’s school and church in the Bahamas, with other funds going to families in need. https://t.co/b0ERopPiRQ

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 28, 2019

It was a busy week in Indianapolis at NCAA headquarters. After going back and forth with Memphis on the status of James Wiseman, the NCAA settled on a penalty of 12 games.

NCAA also says Wiseman "must donate $11,500 to a charity of his choice." Wiseman will be cleared to play on Jan. 12 at South Florida. https://t.co/PCNVC5V44u

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 20, 2019

While some wanted to argue whether the suspension was warranted and others felt it was head coach Penny Hardaway who deserved the punishment, there is no argument when it comes to the NCAA’s decision to force Wiseman to repay the $11,500 his family was given…

What a minute, so James Wiseman is suspended 11 more games, and he or family must pay $11,500 to a charity of their choice? Or Memphis will pay the money? How is the family going to pay this when they had problems moving in the first place?? Asking for a friend…

— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) November 20, 2019

In addition to the Wiseman saga, the NCAA dropped Level 1 allegations against Oklahoma State. The FBI probe into college basketball continues to makes headlines here…

Breaking: the NCAA has served Oklahoma State’s men’s basketball program with a Notice of Allegations, headlined by a Level I allegation that the school is expected to fight, a source tells @CBSSports. https://t.co/jyTh3MIz3B

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 22, 2019

But let’s not stop there! While the entire offseason was not quite enough time for the NCAA to make all of its rulings on transfer eligibility cases, the NCAA was busy this week.

There was Joey Hauser’s decision…

Joey Hauser's waiver request has been denied, Izzo just announced

— Kyle Austin (@kylebaustin) November 21, 2019

There was Micah Potter’s decision…

pic.twitter.com/sPRC4sPkZU

— Micah Potter (@BigJam_23) November 21, 2019

and there was the decision on Joel Ntambwe…

Joel Ntambwe transferred from UNLV to Texas Tech, but the NCAA will not grant Ntambwe a waiver. Yet, the NCAA granted waivers to all of his transferring UNLV teammates! NCAA transfer policy is a joke. What purpose is served by making players sit? None. https://t.co/1GG2W850wh

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) November 21, 2019

Each decision by the NCAA resulted in reactions from the head coach at each school.

Greg Gard expressed his displeasure in a postgame speech…

A fiery Greg Gard goes off on the NCAA. #Badgers pic.twitter.com/JxxVQ5jQha

— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) November 22, 2019

Tom Izzo decided the Hauser decision was enough of a reason to resign from the National Association of Basketball Coaches Board of Directors…

Right on cue, Tom Izzo resigned from the NABC Board in protest of incoherent NCAA transfer policy. Marquette transfer Joey Hauser was denied a waiver, while countless others are inexplicably granted. https://t.co/TzYGpT1KQu

— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) November 21, 2019

…and Chris Beard made a statement following the Ntambwe decision.

ICYMI: Chris Beard’s full statement on the decision by the NCAA to withhold Ntambwe’s transfer waiver. pic.twitter.com/JkOrTRdWY0

— Viva the Matadors (@vivathematadors) November 22, 2019

On the court this week, there was the usual November wackiness. No game though had more of that than Toledo/Notre Dame. There was this offensive foul on John Mooney — a call that Mike Brey and the rest of the nation are still trying to figure out.

Lol what in the world is this call? pic.twitter.com/3M8gqUghmE

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) November 22, 2019

But the wackiness did not stop with there. Down three with under 10 seconds to go. Notre Dame found itself at the free throw line. A missed foul shot led to this crazy sequence, wedgie included.

GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED pic.twitter.com/QofAkwIkt0

— Mike Rutherford (@CardChronicle) November 22, 2019

This week had upsets, including Hofstra taking down UCLA at Pauley Pavilion…

WE DID A THING‼️ #HOFSTRA STUNS UCLA‼️ #RoarWithPride pic.twitter.com/Urcf0Uqq7Q

— Hofstra Men's Basketball (@HofstraMBB) November 22, 2019

We had big-time players making big-time shots to win a game…

"You don't need the three."

☔️ @smerrill05

"But it doesn't hurt."#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/bf60EByMtb

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) November 23, 2019

We had an exempt tournament taking place in a ballroom…

They’re actually playing in a convention room… Are there any seats for anyone to sit? pic.twitter.com/DNPlN0d9EM

— Nick Lorensen (@nlorensensports) November 22, 2019

We had an ankle-breaking move lead to this wide-open three for Auburn’s Samir Doughty…

https://twitter.com/SECNetwork/status/1196809155383889921

We had meaningless baskets with all too much importance for some…

https://twitter.com/ChrisVernonShow/status/1198339656972152838?s=20

…and not just once, but these are of course, everywhere…

Do. Not. Gamble. Kiddos

UGA -4.5
Up 7 …..
Georgia Tech… at the buzzer from 45 feet..
UGA wins by 4 pic.twitter.com/jzUbnbLUQ3

— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) November 21, 2019

We had this moment with Cassius Winston thanking the crowd for all of the support his family has received following the death of his brother…

"I lost a piece of my heart, but you guys keep me going."@cassiuswinston took the mic after tonight's game to thank the fans and his @MSU_Basketball teammates for their support after his brother Zachary's death. pic.twitter.com/4yG86aeeDK

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 19, 2019

And we saw something new with this, “the Flap Counter”…

Hey @ESPN we'd like to officially request a picture-in-picture of the Flap Counter. TIA. @SJUHawks_MBB

(also it's "The Hawk Will Never Die") pic.twitter.com/CCXcmRWSqc

— Saint Joseph's University (@saintjosephs) November 22, 2019

A reminder to everyone though…

This is ONLY November

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRoth_CFB) November 23, 2019

Thanksgiving is next week but the first wave of Feast Week tournaments is already underway. Whether it is a trip to Jamaica, Charleston or the Mohegan Sun Arena, I have 10 questions for teams far and wide heading into this weekend.

1. Can LSU find a way to protect the ball better? (Jamaica Classic, Friday & Sunday, CBS Sports Network) LSU is up against Utah State on Friday and Rhode Island on Sunday in the Jamaica Classic, but the Tigers have struggled mightily with turnover issues this season. As a team, they have logged 82 turnovers and just 46 assists through four games.
2. Just how far can Oregon’s three seniors carry the Ducks? (Houston @ Oregon, Friday, 9 PM EST, Pac-12 Network) Seniors Payton Pritchard, Shakur Juiston and Anthony Mathis have each played key roles in the Ducks’ nice 4-0 start. Pritchard might be the nation’s best guard that no one talks about, while Juiston and Mathis have each stepped in to replace what Oregon lost from last year’s squad. They’ll be tested by a good Houston squad on Friday night.
3. Is the Mohegan Sun Arena ready for the track meet between the Sun Devils and Red Storm? (Arizona State vs. St. John’s Saturday, 2:30 PM EST) Entering action on Thursday, Arizona State and St. John’s both ranked among the top 10 in shortest offensive possession length nationally. Both are teams that look for the first good shot, protect the ball well and force turnovers at an above-average rate.
4. Will Virginia freshman Casey Morsell find his stroke? (Massachusetts vs. Virginia, Saturday, Noon, ESPNews) Casey Morsell has the indubitable task of being asked to help replace Ty Jerome and Kyle Guy in the Virginia backcourt. The consensus top-100 recruit has scored just seven points in his first 104 minutes over four games of action, while shooting just 1-of-17 from deep. As great as the Cavaliers have been defensively, they will eventually need some outside shots to start falling.
5. Can Kentucky shake its cobwebs and put together a complete performance? (Mount St. Mary’s @ Kentucky, Friday, 7 PM EST, SEC Network) Following its loss to Evansville, Kentucky was put to the test in a win earlier this week against Utah Valley. With EJ Montgomery and Immanuel Quickley both questionable for this game, who steps up for the Big Blue? In 21 games since February 1 of last season, Ashton Hagans has gone 10-of-41 from deep (0-of-9 this season).
6. Who will steal the headline of the Myrtle Beach Invitational unscathed? (Myrtle Beach Invitational, Friday & Saturday) Villanova added five-star recruit Bryan Antoine to the rotation on Thursday in its win over Middle Tennessee and outlasted an undefeated Mississippi State team on Friday. On the other half of the bracket, Baylor began its invitational path with a 23-point win in a game where it shot just 42 percent from the field.
7. Can Miami pick up what could be an important win come March? (Miami vs. Florida, Charleston Classic, Friday) The Hurricanes get intrastate rival Florida in the Charleston Classic. With a non-conference schedule light on quality opponents and a brutal early ACC schedule, Miami must take advantage of this game. The Gators remain a team with many questions of their own.
8. Is Clemson undergoing a change in philosophy offensively? (TCU vs. Clemson, Sunday, 10:30 PM EST, ESPN2) In Brad Brownell’s first nine seasons at Clemson, the Tigers on average took 34.6 percent of their field-goal attempts from behind the three-point line. Through the team’s first four games, that number has risen to 45.3 percent. Leading scorer Tevin Mack is 9-of-22 from beyond the stripe this season.
9. With the James Wiseman situation settled, how will Memphis respond? (Ole Miss @ Memphis, Saturday, 1 PM EST) Memphis now knows it will be without James Wiseman (19.7 PPPG and 10.7 RPG) until mid-January. The Tigers get two shots against power conference opponents in the coming week beginning with a test against an Ole Miss squad that has played exceptional defense early.
10. Can Georgetown hang with Duke? (Georgetown vs. Duke, Friday) The Hoyas picked up a win on Thursday against Texas in a game in which Georgetown held the Longhorns to 6-of-27 shooting in the second half. In order to beat Duke, Georgetown will likely need Omer Yurtseven to avoid the foul trouble he experienced against Texas.