Chris Johnson is an RTC Columnist. He can be reached @ChrisDJohnsonn.
Tonight’s Lede. Good Hoops, But Not Like Wednesday Night. There were so many good games last night, so many wacky outcomes and thrilling finishes, asking for a repeat performance was as unreasonable as it was delusional. Nights like Wednesday don’t come around on a weekly, monthly, perhaps even yearly basis – the number of stunning upsets, in the time frame in which they went down, was not something me, you, nor any obsessed college hoops observer was ready for. If March Madness exists in January, it was Wednesday night. By necessity, the clock ticked, the calendar flipped and Wednesday became Thursday, where – you got it – more games were played in campus gyms across the country. I’ll be honest right off the bat: Thursday night’s slate has nothing on what you witnessed Wednesday. Even so, it was still college hoops, and it was still Gonzaga-BYU and Ole Miss-Tennessee and VCU-Richmond and UCLA-Arizona. It was still a good night. Here’s what stuck out.
Your Watercooler Moment. Bruins Defense Overlooked.
Defense has helped UCLA solve its early season chemistry issues (Photo credit: AP Photo).
The key to UCLA’s December revival, when the Bruins ripped off 10 straight wins, five of which came in Pac-12 play, was widely diagnosed as a product of offensive firepower and a correspondingly poor attention to defensive detail. It was all about Shabazz Muhammad’s offensive explosion and Jordan Adams’ continued development and Larry Drew’s stewardship at the point – or some fuzzy mixture of positive offensive growth. Ben Howland was eschewing tradition, it was widely and casually assumed, as if the Bruins were a fundamentally flawed, offense-only team that couldn’t defend a lick. Tempo-free enthusiasts knew better; UCLA, in fact, ranked first in the Pac-12 in adjusted defensive efficiency heading into Thursday night’s crucial road test at Arizona. The Bruins have been giving up 0.94 points per trip in conference play, compared to Arizona’s 0.98, good for fifth among league counterparts. So when the Wildcats got off to a ghastly 1-of-10 shooting start, and UCLA blew open a 17-3 lead in the first half, the Wildcats couldn’t find a way back. It was smooth sailing in the second half, despite Arizona’s and a super-geeked fan base’s best efforts to rally for a comeback push. UCLA wouldn’t be here without its offense – without the natural talents of Muhammad, the Wear Twins’ old-school finesse and Kyle Anderson’s instinctive play-making. The Bruins are and will continue to be identified by what they do on that end of the floor. But their improved defense brings UCLA to a whole different level. Without it, they are a high-flying, explosive, fun team to watch – something like the college analog to the Los Angeles Clippers (yes, the Clippers defend; I’m speaking strictly in terms of offensive visuals). Now that Howland has gotten his team up to par defensively, the Bruins are able to do some pretty good things – things like beating the No. 6 team in the country on the road in the biggest regular season game UCLA has played in the last five years.
Also Worth Chatting About. Another A-10 Newcomer Goes Down.
In the rugged A-10, road losses are par for the course, even for teams as strong as VCU (Photo credit: AP Photo).
On Wednesday, Butler had its undefeated conference record ruined on a full-court drive and finish at the buzzer from La Salle guard Ramon Galloway. It was karmic justice for the Bulldogs, who just days earlier rushed the court after knocking off Gonzaga at Hinkle Fieldhouse thanks to Roosevelt Jones’ last-second runner. The road to VCU’s downfall followed a similar narrative. One week ago, the Rams fended off a feisty St. Joes’ team in overtime. The Hawks played Shaka Smart’s team down to the final possession, but they fizzled out in the extra period, overcome by the Rams’ high-paced style. Then came Thursday night’s rivalry game at Richmond. A win at the Robins Center would have sealed the Rams’ temporary spot atop the A-10 standings. Instead, the Spiders coughed up a modest 11 turnovers, dealt with VCU’s HAVOC full-court pressure and smothering half-court D, and after 40 minutes of hanging tough and keeping within striking distance, Richmond leveled the score in the final seconds to send the game to overtime. VCU was not as fortunate in the extra period this time around. It’s a great win for the Spiders. For VCU? Sigh. Beyond the coincidence of the league’s two best teams falling on back-to-back days, the Rams won’t come away from this loss doubting its ability to compete for a league title. Teams lose road games in conference play, and even more so against bitter city rivals. This is a tough, tough league, and the Rams – like every team at some point or another – hit a wall they couldn’t break through.
While this may not be the first of two that will decide the conference race as we postulated in the preseason, tonight we are still looking forward to our first UCLA/Arizona game of the year, with a pair of highly-touted freshman classes — not to mention host of talented veterans — clashing for the first time. And, we can barely contain our excitement. So, let’s get right to the point.
“Arizona/UCLA, Part I tips off Thursday night. Who’s going to win, and why?”
Adam Butler:Arizona and UCLA has been the premier rivalry on the West Coast for the better part of three decades now. I love the statistic that between 1984 and 2008, 19 of 30 conference championship banners hung in McKale or Pauley. That’s impressive. And then it’s also very well-documented how each of these programs has faltered recently. But it would appear they are now back(ish). Arizona is undoubtedly on the up-and-up and is poised to be around for a long time. UCLA is a team with parts that scare Frank Haith almost as much as the NCAA. ESPN cast this match-up for a Gameday appearance before the season even started and will be in attendance when the Wildcats head to Pauley in March (as will I). So when the Bruins and Wildcats tip in Tucson Thursday night, there will be no shortage of storylines or intrigue. The question will center on whether the Bruins’ short bench can hang with Arizona’s depth? Can Travis Wear continue to shoot at the level he’s been connecting on in conference play (59%)? Is Jordan Adams showing us who Jordan Adams really is or just slumping? Per usual, Arizona is going to force a lot of threes and deep jumpers. But UCLA has shot well and often from this distance. They take 48% of their shots in the form of two-point jumpers and make them at a 43% clip, 12th and fifth by national ranking, respectively. Could that haunt the Wildcats? I ultimately think Arizona has too many weapons for the Bruins to combat. Mark Lyons will be able to expose Drew2 and there are too many dynamic athletes defensively, for Arizona to not slow Travis Wear. The grand equalizer, as it always has been against the Wildcats, is the three-pointer. But considering a raucous McKale and the Bruins’ general mediocrity in hitting that shot (35%), I’m picking Sean Miller to beat UCLA for the sixth time in his nine tries.
The McKale Will Be Jumping Thursday Night, Providing Yet Another Boost For The Wildcats (Willy Low, AP Photo)
Connor Pelton: Arizona will win this one because of two reasons. Most importantly, while the Wildcats are a turnover-prone team, they take care of the ball in big games. Only 10 turnovers against Florida, eight against San Diego State, and nine against Arizona State keyed huge wins for Zona, and the increased production also resulted in bigger scoring outputs from primary ball-handler Mark Lyons. With the number of play-makers on the UCLA side, giving the Bruins too many extra possessions will be costly. Not as important but still a big factor for a possible UA win is the McKale effect. UCLA hasn’t won in Tucson since the 2007-08 season, and the Wildcats haven’t dropped a game there all year. It’ll be the annual White-Out game, which traditionally brings the biggest crowd of the season, and as Florida, Colorado, and Utah proved, you don’t want to have to operate your offense late with the Zona Zoo rattling your brain. Give me the Wildcats in a close one.
Just about one-third of the way through our semester, Oregon is the favorite pupil, having earned all As in their exams. Join Professor Pac as we once again break down our class and see who’s joining the Ducks at the front of the class and who’s in the corner with the dunce cap.
Oregon – A
Before we give props to the Ducks for their 5-0 conference start and vault to the favorite position in the conference, let’s take a minute to mourn the loss of the full 18-game home-and-away round-robin of the Pac-10. You see, with UO’s win at UCLA this week and home win against Arizona last week, the Ducks have wrapped up this seasons’ meeting with those two teams. Neither the Wildcats nor the Bruins will get a chance for revenge, at least until and unless they meet up in Vegas come mid-March. But, that’s not the Ducks fault. No, they’ve done what they’ve needed to do early and they’ve set themselves up well. Now, they’ve still got more than two-thirds of the conference schedule remaining, but here are their remaining road games in conference play: Stanford, Cal, Washington, Washington State, Colorado and Utah. They’ll be favorites in all of those games, as well as all of their home games. Sure, there are probably a couple of losses in the mix there somewhere, but barring some significant slide that Dana Altman-coached teams are not known for, the Ducks are a heavy favorite to be the #1 seed in the Pac-12 tournament.
The Diminutive Jonathan Loyd Brings Energy Off The Bench For Oregon (goducks.com)
Focus on: Jonathan Loyd. Freshman point guard Dominic Artis is the rightful recipient of plenty of positive buzz regarding his play, but the diminutive junior backup deserves some credit for accepting his decreased minutes and filling his role. Sure, he can’t shoot a lick. And his turnovers are through the roof this season. But you can see that his defensive intensity has carried over to his freshman pupil and he always brings energy aplenty when he’s on the court. And, consider this: a 5’8” he swatted away a Larry Drew II fastbreak layup tattempt this weekend
Looking ahead: The Ducks host the Washington schools this week and Ken Pomeroy puts the chances that they win each game somewhere north of 85%. Beware the letdown, Ducks.
Arizona – A-
For three quarters of their battle with in-state rival Arizona State on Saturday, the ‘Cats had a battle on their hands, played basically to a draw. But over the last 10 minutes, a time that coincided almost exactly with Mark Lyons coming back in the game (and, with Lyons drawing the fourth foul on Jahii Carson), they outscored the Sun Devils by 15 and equaled the biggest defeat ASU has suffered this season. Over those ten minutes, Lyons repeatedly got to the hoop, scoring 12 points and handing out three assists in likely his best 10-minute stretch as the UA point guard. The problem is the previous 30 minutes, wherein Lyons had 12 points on 11 field goal attempts, zero assists and four turnovers. Sure, he’s one heck of a closer, but as the season ramps up come March, the ‘Cats will need a more complete performance.
For the past couple of years, there hasn’t been a premier team in the Pac-12. UCLA has a history and tradition that no team can match and are usually the most dominant team in the conference, but that hasn’t been true as of late. You might argue that the play of Arizona over the past couple of years has made the Wildcats the cream of the crop in the Pac-12, but aside from their Elite Eight appearance and conference title two years ago, there hasn’t been much in the way of sustained success in Tucson. Currently, though, this seems to be Arizona’s league evident by their #6 ranking in the AP Poll and ability to consistently win this year, something UCLA hasn’t done as well. However, this could all change on Thursday when the Bruins travel to the McKale Center. If they can pick up a key road victory there, order might finally be restored for Bruins fans as this victory would signal that UCLA is back in its rightful spot in the Pac-12 and is there to stay.
Sean Miller finally got his wish when Mark Lyons won Pac-12 Player of the Week after his very successful performance against Arizona State on Saturday. Prior to this week, no Arizona player had won the award despite its high national ranking and multitude of impressive wins. But after Lyons put up 24 points, three assists and three rebounds while outplaying arguably the best point guard in the Pac-12 in Jahii Carson, there was no question Lyons deserved it. Lyons scored 15 of his total points in the second half and was instrumental in a 15-5 Wildcats’ run in the second half.
Does Craig Robinson deserve to be on the hot seat? This is Robinson’s worst start in Pac-12 play in his five years at Oregon State as the Beavers now sit at 0-5. They have had a very tough schedule to start out the conference season, though, and Robinson has said on the record thath this is the best team he’s had at Oregon State. Excuses can be made as OSU lost Angus Brandt to a season-ending knee injury early in the season, but the team’s overall play still has been very lackadaisical and uninspired at times. It certainly doesn’t help that Dana Altman has turned around intrastate rival Oregon in only three years and currently looks like the team to beat in the Pac-12. The bottom line for Beavers fans is that if Robinson can’t turn things around soon, he might be looking for new work after another unsuccessful year.
USC interim coach Bob Cantu has the Trojans playing much better in his short tenure thus far. In Cantu’s first two games as the head coach, the Trojans played Oregon to a hard-fought two-point loss and managed to beat Oregon State by a single point. In both of these games, USC showed resiliency in terms of its competitiveness and fire. Although it’s still early in his tenure and Cantu will need to show sustained consistency the rest of the way, it’s safe to say that USC fans are happy that Kevin O’Neill is no longer in charge of their team.
The last time that Washington played Oregon State it didn’t turn out well for Lorenzo Romar’s team. Washington was the too seed and the Beavers were the ninth seed in last year’s Pac-12 Tournament, yet the Beavers pulled off the upset and ended any chance that the Huskies had of making the NCAA Tournament last season. They’ll play for the first time since then on the road tonight, and C.J. Wilcox says he and the Huskies want revenge. Wilcox believes they’ll play with a chip on their shoulder and extra energy that will help them get back on track after their disappointing loss to Utah on Saturday.
Brian Otskey is an RTC columnist. Every Tuesday during the regular season he’ll be giving his 10 thoughts on the previous week’s action. You can find him on Twitter @botskey
Saturday night’s epic Gonzaga vs. Butler game was everything college basketball is about and then some. The game had all the trappings: two great basketball teams, a national TV audience, a historic venue, two terrific (and classy) coaches, an electric atmosphere, 40 minutes of competitive action, and an indescribable finish to the game. This was college basketball in its purest form. Everything you could ask for in a game. The kind of game you would show someone who has never watched college basketball before. It was the game of the year to date, one that will be nearly impossible to top in the regular season (we know what the Tournament can do). This was a high-level game between two teams that have the potential to make deep runs in March and the top two “mid-major” programs of the last decade. Roosevelt Jones’ game-winner will be the lasting memory from this game but I hope people remember just how well it was played on both ends. In the final minute and a half, I don’t think either team missed a shot in those final 90 seconds and the only mistake was Alex Barlow’s turnover which, ironically, set up the memorable ending. Dick Vitale said it was one of the top five games he has seen since he started working for ESPN 34 years ago. I wouldn’t doubt it. The game was that good.
Butler’s contest against Gonzaga proved to be a top game-of-the-year candidate (AP)
An important result from last week in the Big Ten was Wisconsin taking down Indiana on Tuesday night in Bloomington. That’s now 11 straight Badgers’ victories over the Hoosiers and it’s safe to say Bo Ryan owns Tom Crean. Even when Crean was at Marquette, he only won three games against Ryan’s Badgers in their annual intra-state rivalry making him 3-13 against Ryan in his career. “Tommy Basketball,” as Ryan once called him, didn’t have an answer for Wisconsin last week. The Badgers controlled the pace of the game from the opening tip and got physical with the more athletic and talented Hoosiers. Once again, Ryan overcame a talent disadvantage on the road to score a huge victory. He’s one of the best pure basketball coaches in the nation and it shows year after year no matter who is on his roster. Wisconsin let Cody Zeller do his thing in the first half but the Badgers really clamped down on him after halftime. A big key to the win was limiting Jordan Hulls. With Ben Brust glued to him most of the game, Hulls could only manage one three-point attempt. That’s outstanding defense and a great game plan against one of the best shooters in the country. Wisconsin limited everyone not named Zeller to 28.2% shooting, a remarkable accomplishment against one of the best offensive teams in the nation. It was a great win for the Badgers but, unfortunately for them, they followed it up with a road loss to Iowa on Saturday night. Nevertheless, Wisconsin is getting better. Never count out Bo Ryan. Read the rest of this entry »
Kyle Anderson might not be the most talented freshman on the UCLA Bruins, but he’s arguably been the most important for Ben Howland this year. Although he was originally projected to play point guard, his ability to play seemingly every position has been a major key to UCLA’s success this year. He’s been very successful on the glass so far in leading the Bruins with 9.1 rebounds per game. Since he has assumed the role of power forward he hasn’t had a game where he’s had fewer than five rebounds, which is great considering the other starting big man, Travis Wear, is only averaging 5.9 rebounds per game. More importantly, Anderson has had nine or more rebounds in a game 10 times this year. Anderson doesn’t bring the same scoring punch as Shabazz Muhammad or Jordan Adams, but he’s providing a necessity for Ben Howland and might just be the most important player come March if UCLA wants to make a national title run.
Oregon is now the only undefeated team in the Pac-12 and Dana Altman believes that his team is very different from how it looked at beginning of the season. There is now a flow in practice and the Ducks are clicking on their way to a seven-game winning streak. They’re also rising in the polls by coming at #16 in the AP Top 25 this week. Altman is keeping his team in check and they all know that there are a lot of games left in the conference season, but all starters are averaging double figures in points and the bench has been excellent, fueled by good post play from the 6’11” Waverly Austin and hustle play from guard Johnathan Loyd. It’s hard to find a flaw with this team right now and that’s not good news for the rest of the Pac-12.
Sean Miller is all about being direct. Miller preaches the truth and is a no-nonsense guy. His postgame speech after the Wildcats’ victory over Arizona State on Saturday was just plain honest. A notable quote from the talk to his team: “Wow, is it this hard on the road? Yes, but it’s also that rewarding.” It wasn’t a long speech not even topping two-and-a-half minutes, but it was engaging and got the point across. Miller doesn’t waste time and you can see his team is always motivated to play and it’s in certainly in part because of how well he communicates with his players.
Larry Krystkowiak was very pleased after Utah’s win over Washington this weekend, as the Utes picked up their first-ever road conference win in the Pac-12 and first win overall in the conference season. During practice, Krystkowiak has been stressing urgency. The Utes have been playing every possession as if it is “game point” no matter if the team is on offense or defense, and that urgency was evident as Utah sparked out to a 12-2 lead early in its game against Washington. There is certainly a positive vibe surrounding this squad now, but they cannot let this win distract them with Cal and Stanford coming to Salt Lake City to play on Thursday and Sunday, respectively.
Although Craig Robinson’s Oregon State team has struggled this year once again, now last in the Pac-12 at 0-5, at least off the court Robinson is still enjoying himself. Robinson was at President Barack Obama’s inauguration yesterday and was caught at one point photo-bombing his famous brother-in-law. It might not have been intentional, but at least Robinson is making news that happens to not be about the Beavers’ poor play.
Brendon Mulvihill is an RTC contributor. You can find him @TheMulv on Twitter. See bottom of the post for the Official RTC Star System.
We just had one of the most memorable weekends in recent memory in college hoops. Every game seems to be up for grabs and it’s making for an exciting season. This week should be no different as each conference has its share of important match-ups. Let’s get to the breakdowns!
Cincinnati at #3 Syracuse – 3:30 PM PM EST, Monday on ESPN (***)
Jim Boeheim’s Team Looks Great After This Weekend
Cincinnati barely snapped a three-game home losing streak on Saturday with an overtime win against Marquette. The Bearcats were without star guard Cashmere Wright as he continues to heal up from a knee injury. Wright is day-to-day so we don’t know quite yet if he will be available against Syracuse, though. If he is unable to play, his three-point shooting will be missed greatly against the Orange’s match-up zone defense. Although, even if he plays, the size of the Orange backcourt will surely create issues for the 6’0″ guard. In its huge win at Louisville over the weekend, Syracuse proved its size and length on defense makes Jim Boeheim’s team a clear title contender. Both of these teams excel on the offensive glass, so keep a close eye on which team is getting more second-chance opportunities and making the most of them — this could be another place where the Syracuse size makes a difference. More than likely this game will be won on the defensive end. However, if the Bearcats don’t find a better shooting stroke quickly, this game will not be close regardless of their defensive effort. They shot 41.4% eFG against Marquette, so a shooting number like that won’t cut it against Syracuse.
#12 Michigan State at Wisconsin – 7:00 PM PM EST, Tuesday on ESPN (****)
It felt like Iowa was due for a big win at home and it happened to come against Wisconsin on Saturday. After the Badgers’ huge win against Indiana last week, the weekend loss to Iowa brought the team back to reality, but they don’t get much rest with the Spartans coming to town. In order for the Badgers to beat the Spartans, they must play their typically great defense. Bo Ryan‘s squad is 1-4 against teams that shoot over 50% eFG against them so it’s clear that they do not have the offense to go back and forth with teams. Luckily, the Spartans are not a great shooting team with nine games under 50% eFG themselves on the season. This should make for a very close defensive-oriented contest in Madison. Keep an eye on free throws, as they will be a major factor in determining the outcome. Wisconsin must play good defense without fouling; if they are sending Michigan State to the line early in each half, they could very easily drop two games in a row. Look for Adreian Payne and Derrick Nix to be all over Wisconsin forward Jared Berggren, forcing someone else on the Badgers to beat them. This should be another slugfest in the Big Ten.
Dana Altman in only his third season has brought the Oregonprogram to heights it hasn’t seen in a long time. Altman had previously coached at Creighton and his hire wasn’t as notable as others made in the 2010 offseason, but it’s providing huge dividends now. Altman certainly hasn’t had the most talent during his tenure at Oregon, but he’s made it work by implementing a tough mindset on his team and making sure everyone knows their role. Seniors Tony Woods and E.J. Singler are providing leadership while true freshman Damyean Dotson and Dominic Artis are giving the necessary scoring and no player is bigger than the team itself. This strategy has paid off as the Ducks are currently undefeated in the Pac-12 and have beaten both Arizona and UCLA and won’t have to play either of them again this year.
In UCLA’s home loss to Oregon over the weekend, Ben Howland was outcoached by Dana Altman. UCLA didn’t know what to do when Oregon threw multiple defensive looks at the Bruins — whether it was zone or a full court press, the Bruins just didn’t look comfortable facing the changing defenses. UCLA also couldn’t hang with the Ducks on the glass as Oregon had nine more defensive rebounds and six more offensive rebounds in the game. Ultimately, Ben Howland and his team will have to rebound quickly as the Bruins will take on #7 Arizona on the road next in what should be a much-anticipated Pac-12 matchup.
Washington appeared to have turned it around in Pac-12 play — they beat Colorado last Wednesday and they were 4-0 in the Pac-12 before losing to Utah on Saturday with a very disappointing defensive effort. The Huskies gave up 74 points in the loss and never managed to trim their deficit to fewer than six points. The defense has proven it can play well, especially in the Huskies’ trip to the Bay Area last weekend, so the issue against Utah seems fixable. What might not be reparable is the Huskies’ offense, though. The team hasn’t scored 70 or more points in its past seven games and will need to find other offensive options when defenses key on C.J. Wilcox and limit his scoring like the Utes did on Saturday.
Mark Lyons got the better of Jahii Carson in the first rivalry game for each between Arizona and Arizona State on Saturday. Lyons was instrumental in Arizona’s win by scoring 24 points and contributing three assists along with three steals. Lyons was aggressive throughout the entire game and never let up against the Sun Devils. Although the transfer senior said the rivalry didn’t mean as much as it did to him as it did to everyone else, he certainly played like it did. If Lyons puts more of those efforts forward in Pac-12 play, he will certainly be in the conversation for Pac-12 player of the year this year.
Cal head coach Mike Montgomery continues to be frustrated with his team. After losing to Stanford in the basketball version of the Big Game on Saturday, Montgomery pointed fingers at his bench, mentioning that he doesn’t have much flexibility in his bench and no consistency. Cal’s bench only scored three points against the Cardinal and players like Bak Bak and Jeff Powers just aren’t doing enough for the Bears. Overall, the losses of Harper Kamp and Jorge Guttierrez continue to be an issue for Cal as they seem to have no reliable scoring besides the backcourt combination of Justin Cobbs and Allen Crabbe.
Chris Johnson is an RTC Columnist. He can be reached @ChrisDJohnsonn.
The Weekend’s Lede. No Dominant Teams. The preseason talk about college basketball’s dearth of NBA talent was an easy crutch for “casual” sports fans. They took a quick glance at this year’s draft class, nodded in dismay, and decided the sport wasn’t worth their watch – that there wasn’t enough high-level lottery talent to make things interesting. That narrow thinking – and trust me, it’s out there – inverts what we value most about college hoops. Watching first-rounders dominate the sport is cool and all; Kentucky rolled through the SEC last season with three transcendent freshmen. You know what’s better? Unpredictability, parity, a diffuse top-tier. When there’s equality at the top of the sport, and number one rankings have one- or two-week expiration dates, strange and inexplicable things happen, leaving us with little recourse how or when to expect them. A new No. 1 was borne out of last week’s chaos, when Duke and Michigan fell in tough road spots. Louisville filled the void, a worthy presider over that prized distinction, built on an impenetrable defense and veteran savvy, one of the game’s most respected coaches, and an erratically effective lead guard. The Cardinals felt like they might have some staying power at the top of the polls. Many sang Louisville’s Final Four praises from the mountaintops. The Cardinals’ reign ended Saturday, at home to a familiar Big East contender, Syracuse. In this evolving college basketball season, enjoy your time at No. 1, because one week, maybe two, might be the natural limit.
Your Watercooler Moment. Hinkle Heroics.
When College Gameday released its schedule this summer, I remember looking at the Gonzaga-Butler opener with enormous anticipation. There were other games on the schedule that looked better on paper, but Gameday at Hinkle? That’s like college hoops euphoria, times 10. So on a wild day of games, with the nation’s no. 1 going down and a crop of other interesting developments happening at the same time, the nightcap needed to be something really special, something to put a bow on a super-loaded day of hoops. I should never have doubted the Bulldogs for a second, but I have to admit, Rotnei Clarke’s neck injury gave me pause. The Zags were too big, too deep, too talented. None of it mattered. This is what the Butler Bulldogs (not to be confused with the visitors from Spokane) do. They defy convention. They beat the Nation’s No. 1 team with three starters relegated to the bench in overtime, and with a little-used walk on hitting the game-winning layup. They play in a quaint little gym most famous for its place in a movie about high school basketball. They go to back-to-back National Championship games. They make Starbucks crowds collectively stare after jumping out of my seat to celebrate one of the craziest game-winning sequences in years. They are Butler. And man, do I wish they played on national television more often.
*We should have anticipated a spectacular finish after witnessing this in the pre-game festivities.
Your Second Watercooler Moment. MVC Shakeup.
By beating Creighton, Wichita State proved itself as the Bluejays’ chief competition in the MVC (Photo credit: AP Photo).
The biggest hurdle to Creighton’s undefeated MWC season came Saturday at Wichita State. The Bluejays are vastly improved last season, particularly on the defensive end, where they’ve allowed 0.93 points per trip compared to 1.01 in 2011-12. Not only did this team have the frightening offensive capability of Doug McDermott, Grant Gibbs, Ethan Wragge and Greg Echenique. It has a renewed commitment to stopping opponents on the opposite end of the floor. That’s where the Shockers thrive – per kenpom, their 89.5 defensive efficiency entering Saturday ranked 35th in the country – and they proved it Saturday by making life difficult for McDermott and co. all afternoon long. Dougie got his points (25), but not without a constant harassment on every catch, dribble and shot attempt. Wichita State and coach Gregg Marshall have overcome three key injuries along with massive roster turnover to field one of the better teams in the MVC. On Saturday, the now-healthy Carl Hall announced his official return (he played in Wednesday’s game against Illinois State but scored just two points) with a monster 17-13 double double. Combine that with his constant annoyance of McDermott in the lane, and it’s fair to say that Hall – out since December 20 – was the deciding factor for the Shockers. Creighton and Wichita are all knotted up atop the league standings. If both can survive February unscathed, the Mar. 2 rematch in Omaha will decide the regular season champion.
Also Worth Chatting About. Conference Milestones Abound.
Holding off Arizona for the entire Pac 12 season will be difficult, but Oregon has the right mix of toughness, experience and youth to keep their top spot in the standings (Photo credit: AP Photo).
In beating UCLA at Pauley Pavilion Saturday, Oregon reached a pretty cool new milestone. For the first time in 39 years, the Ducks are 5-0 in Pac-12 play. On it’s face, that doesn’t feel like a huge accomplishment; a soft early schedule and a minor upset or two could put any mediocre team in strong position to win its first five league games. Oregon did it the hard way. Not only did the Ducks take down streaking UCLA, they also handled title contender Arizona at home and a decent Arizona State team. There is nothing specious about their hot start. All five wins point to a legitimate conference frontrunner. Meanwhile, Ole Miss, the flavor of the week in the SEC (and the owner of one of the most emotionally charged players I’ve seen in years) turned in an even greater historical feat Saturday by beating Arkansas at home. It’s the first time the Rebels have moved to 4-0 in conference play since before World War II (1936-37), according to ESPN. It was hard to know how to measure these teams in the nonconference. Both took questionable losses – Ole miss to Middle Tennessee and Indiana State; Oregon at UTEP – and the precedent for recent success, in both cases, was mostly nonexistent. Now we know: Ole miss and Oregon are serious about winning their respective leagues. College basketball needs a bit of novelty in its assortment of power league champs – the Rebs and Ducks are here to deliver.
Your Quick Hits…
SEC Looks Sealed. If the Big 12 is a foregone conclusion, the SEC is a lecture on 20th century European history. Everyone knows how this story ends. Florida is the best team in the league, no question. The second-best, Missouri, ran into a buzzsaw in Gainesville Saturday, where Billy Donovan picked up his 400th career victory. Would the Tigers have put up a better fight with Laurence Bowers in the lineup? Yes. And might this game go the other way when these two teams meet in Columbia February 19? Maybe. But if you look at Florida’s body of work, and sift through their tempo-free stuff (the Gators have been a constant atop kenpom’s rankings), you see a balanced, experienced, multifaceted team with real national championship potential. Missouri, on the other hand, is something a partial byproduct of transfer hype and a natural fascination with high-paced offense – at least to me. Conference play will sort out the distinction, but right now, Florida stands alone on the SEC peak, with no one in near sight.
Heels Dug In Against Maryland. After a Jan. 10 home loss to Miami, UNC’s tournament hopes were quickly dwindling. There just wasn’t all that much on their profile, and anytime the Tar Heels played someone good – Indiana, Butler – they lost convincingly. A home win over UNLV aside, this was not one of Roy Williams’ better teams. Saturday’s win over Maryland didn’t convince me otherwise. What it did do is give UNC some bubble breathing room. The Tar Heels, now 2-2 in the ACC, hold victories over Florida State and the Terrapins, with a manageable five-game stretch on the horizon. The Tournament warnings were not premature, but the Heels are on solid footing as of this writing.
Stingy Longhorns Test Kansas. Offensively, Texas isn’t much to look at. It’s a bunch of incoherent freshmen still trying to learn Rick Barnes’ system, rudderless while their capable point guard waits out an NCAA eligibility jail sentence. But there’s one thing this UT team does really, really well. They guard. Kansas ran into the Longhorns excellent defense Saturday, ranked 13th in terms of points-per-possession. But for a courageous second-half comeback, headed by Ben McLemore’s 16 points, the Jayhawks would have taken their first Big 12 loss. In the end, Kansas had better players, so the outcome was nothing special. But there’s a larger concern with the Jayhawks here. For all the talk about the Big 12 being a one-man race, the Jayhawks aren’t letting on like the Final Four juggernaut they’re being touted as. To wit: over its last five games, Kansas has either been tested or looked plainly sloppy (Texas Tech) in all but one contest (Baylor). The Jayhawks are the best the Big 12 has to offer, but if they aren’t fully engaged, no matter the opponent, someone’s going to get before league play wraps up. Tuesday’s trip to Kansas State could be their biggest challenge from here on out.
MAC Race Gets Serious. It is one of the most casually overlooked leagues in all of college hoops, but you’d be remiss not to pay attention to the Ohio showdown brewing in the MAC. Akron, Kent State and Ohio U entered Saturday with undefeated league records. The Zips won a tight one at Kent State while the Bobcats held off Toledo at home to draw even at the top of the league standings. At 4-0, Akron and Ohio have two games to settle this thing. Jim Christian’s team, a proven giant killer come tourney time, is the favorite, but Akron has the edge inside with seven-footer Zeke Marshall, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s win. As for NCAA Tournament considerations, at-large bids have long since fallen out of contention, so we should get a thrilling conference tourney. That doesn’t mean the conference race won’t be interesting to follow.
Lyons Keys ‘Cats Win In Arizona State Showdown. The Pac-12 has produced its fair share of surprises this season. One of them is Arizona State, who has turned a woeful 10-21 campaign last season into 14 wins in 2012-13 behind Jahii Carson’s electrifying point guard play and the remarkable development of center Jordan Bachynski. But from the looks of it, the Sun Devils aren’t ready to break into league title contention. After losing at Oregon last Sunday, ASU welcomed stateside older brother Arizona for a huge chance at a season-defining upset. The game was decided by the two most important players from either team, Carson and ‘Zona point guard Mark Lyons. Though both struggled with foul trouble, Lyons’ veteran savvy won out and played a huge part in helping Arizona keep pace with Oregon in the league title race. And by the way, doesn’t that have a weird ring to it? Oregon, first place?
The Purple Wildcats Are Ready For Their Shot. Any and all Big 12 conversation is funneled through the basic assumption that Kansas will waltz to another conference championship. Given what Bill Self has accomplished in Lawrence, that’s far from misplaced foresight. It could be very accurate. But if Kansas is going to stumble in league, state basketball stepchild K-State will be right there to assume the Big 12 throne. The Jayhawks’ win over Texas was an intriguing style contrast. The Longhorns gave KU a real scare in Austin, and Kansas State is prepared to do the same when they meet in Manhattan Tuesday night. Winning at Bramlage is a tall order, and this team is prepared to mimic Texas’ defensive efforts, only with better offense and a bigger homecourt advantage. (no offense, Texas). On Saturday, the Wildcats beat what might be the third best team in the Big 12, Oklahoma, thanks in large part to 20 points from Rodney McGruder. That’s a nice prelude to the biggest Big 12 game of the season.
The Best Big Ten Team You’re Not Hearing About. Judging Tom Izzo’s teams in the nonconference season is to discount the customary improvement Michigan State undergoes over the course of the conference season. The Spartans are quickly working out the kinks – a muddle big man rotation, Keith Appling’s poor shooting – and they picked up their biggest win of the season Saturday against a familiar Big Ten title contender, Ohio State. This year, the Spartans and Buckeyes aren’t quite on the same plane as Indiana, Minnesota and Michigan (at least not yet), but make no mistake, both teams will have a say in the league title chase before March. Michigan State needed this win; it has a brutal four-game stretch coming up: road trips to Wisconsin and Indiana, followed by home dates with Illinois and Minnesota. I wouldn’t put it past the Spartans to pull an even split, which – given the competition – would be a huge bonus for the stretch run.
… and Misses.
Neck Injury Overshadows Virginia Domination. One week after Butler guard Rotnei Clarke was sent flying head first into the basket stanchion after a hard foul on a fast break attempt, another serious neck injury occurred in Florida State’s game at Virginia. FSU forward Terrance Shannon was shuttled to nearby UVA medical center after colliding with Virginia’s Evan Nolte and laying motionless on the court for nearly 10 minutes. Team doctor Bill Hamilton diagnosed the injury as a neck sprain, but said Shannon regained full strength in his extremities, which is very good news. Whenever a neck or possible concussion is involved, any manner of deleterious consequences –brain trauma, paralysis – comes to mind. Fortunately, none of those things came about as a result of this particularly scary injury. Ryan appears to be ok. Unfortunately, the Seminoles managed just 36 points and had no one in double figures as the Cavaliers’ sturdy defense baffled Michael Snaer and co. into a 16-for-43 shooting night, including – get this – 1-for-15 from beyond the arc.
Temple Baffles. Again. Inexplicable variance is wired into the fabric of conference play. It makes every interleague clash interesting, whether because of familiarity of sluggishness or road trip fright or some combination therein. Temple is taking this theme to a new level this season. Consider the Owls’ last five games: near-upset of Kansas, loss at Xavier, easy win over Saint Louis, win at George Washington and – with 30 years of history stacked in its favor – a home loss to Saint Bonaventure (that’s without mentioning the weird Caniusius loss-Syracuse win sequence in December). And yes, the last note means exactly what you think it means. Before Saturday, Saint Bonaventure hadn’t won at Temple in three decades. The Owls are one of college basketball’s great mysteries. Right now, their inconsistency leaves them short of Butler and VCU, but we’ve seen this team knock off (Syracuse) and/or challenge (Kansas) some of the nation’s best outfits. They’re widely viewed as the best-chance league title threat behind the newcomers (Saint Louis, maybe?), but before Temple can even think about catching up to VCU and Butler, it needs to develop some level of consistency against middle or lower-echelon opponents.
Missing Key Guard, Broncos Stumble. There are no comfortable road trips in the Mountain West. Every game is a grind that demands your very best effort. It also demands a fully healthy roster, something Boise State wasn’t privileged to have for Saturday’s voyage to Air Force, where the Falcons dropped Boise to 1-2 in MW play. A concussion forced guard Jeff Elorriaga – who entered Saturday averaging 11.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, and who hit the game-winning buzzer-beater at Wyoming two weeks back – to miss the trip, and the Broncos labored without their dynamic perimeter scorer. Losing two in a row won’t knock you from this year’s league race, if only because the sheer breadth of quality – five NCAA bids is a conservative projection – will wear teams out over the next two months as they fight each other for standings positioning. Boise is in good shape; getting Elorriaga back on the court should do wonders.
More MWC Action: Rebs and San Diego State Go Down. Any casual assessment of the MW typically focuses on one of three teams: San Diego State, UNLV and New Mexico. Only one of those teams made it through the weekend unscathed. This is nothing new in the MW – there’s so much equality, so many opportunities for “big wins”, it’s hard to pin down who the best two or three teams are. This week, UNLV and SDSU, long considered conference frontrunners, don’t look so good. But we could be singing a different tune next week. For me, the specifics don’t matter as much as the constant drama. In this league, there are no certainties, especially on the road. Arguably its two best teams took losses Saturday (UNLV at Colorado State and SDSU at Wyoming), and I’m not amazed or shocked in the slightest: you could have seen these road hiccups coming from a mile away. Besides, the Rams and Cowboys have proven themselves capable challengers in this deep conference.
Georgetown’s Ceiling. Scoring has been a huge stumbling block for the Hoyas all season. They’re converting just 0.99 points per possession, converting 66.2 percent from the line and shooting 33 percent from beyond the arc – all of those figures rank below the D-1 average. Georgetown can combat its offensive shortcomings with fantastic defense, and to date that’s how they Hoyas have won most of their games, but there comes a certain point when dragging along a woeful offense puts a major strain on your ability to win games. The Hoyas are hitting that wall. Now without suspended forward Greg Whittington, the offensive burden falls almost exclusively on Otto Porter. He scored 21 points against South Florida Saturday, well above his season average of 13.8, but it wasn’t enough to edge offensively-challenged South Florida. What’s alarming about this loss is that the Bulls, ranked 155th in adjusted offensive efficiency, are exactly the type of team, stylistically, Georgetown should have no trouble beating. Like the Hoyas, they can’t get much done on the offensive end. JTIII needs to invent new ways to manufacture offense. His team’s season depends on it.
Badgers Not To Be Fully Trusted Yet. The Indiana win was huge. It was a live testament to Bo Ryan’s timeless strategic brilliance. The Badgers throttled one of the nation’s best offenses in its deafening home arena and came away with one of the best wins the season to date. But as we often forget in the hectic landscape of conference play: one win does not a revolution make. In other words: Wisconsin is not to be anointed atop the Big Ten based off one major win. The Badgers remain, like the rest of the league, vulnerable to perilous road trips. Carver-Hawkeye Arena is no sanctuary for visiting teams, and the team that plays there – ranked 34th in Kenpom’s ratings entering Saturday – is no slouch, either. Bo Ryan’s team couldn’t lull the Hawkeyes into their slowdown game, and Iowa, after an 0-3 start in the Big Ten, has now won its last two. In the Big Ten, a winning streak of any length is an accomplishment.
Magic Wearing Off For Saint Louis. After the passing of coach Rick Majerus, Saint Louis quietly reeled off 10 consecutive wins, including games over Valparaiso and New Mexico. The Billikens looked as focused and locked-in as ever, and you started to get the sense their former coach’s tragic death was motivating them along the way. Then the Billikens lost at Temple, which is nothing to get upset about. But when you fall to Rhode Island at home, there’s reason for concern. Jim Crews had this team playing excellent basketball on both ends, but Saint Louis is at its best in grinding low-scoring affairs, where it can deflate the tempo and smother you on defense. The Rams shot 55 percent from the floor, 53 percent from three and hit 18-of-21 free throws. That’s not an SLU performance of recent vintage. The Billikens are still one of the A-10’s better teams, but if their swarming defense doesn’t produce its intended effect, they can’t keep up offensively.
Baylor Played Who? I’m all for scheduling good nonconference games in January and February. Saturday’s headliner at Hinkle FieldHouse is a prime example. But if you’re going to play someone out of league in the run of conference competition, play someone that classifies as a Division I athletic institution, or at least someone that’s somewhere within your competitive wherewithal. Don’t play someone like Hardin-Simmons, who – with all due respect its “Education Enlightened By Faith” – does not belong on a basketball court with Isaiah Austin and Pierre Jackson and Ricardo Gathers. College hoops should find new ways to curb these types of guarantee games. They don’t belong in November and December, and they definitely don’t belong in the middle of conference play.
Dunkdafied #1 In real time, it’s difficult to wrap your head around the enormity of the humiliation Nerlens Noel wrought upon Frankie Sullivan. Watch the video, but make sure to check out this photo, which freezes Noel as his midsection brushes Sullivan’s head.
More Notes From Around The Nation.
The CAA Stinks; Northeastern Doesn’t Care. In a league that saw its best team bolt to the brighter lights of the A-10 this offseason, the fighting JJ Bareas continue to dominate CAA opposition. Saturday’s win at Delaware pushed the Huskies’ conference record to 6-0. If not for Towson’s remarkable 10-win campaign – the Tigers won one game last season – Northeastern might go down as the biggest mid-major surprise in all of college hoops.
NEC Leader. Speaking of small New England schools riding 6-0 conference records, Bryant beat Wagner Saturday to extend its unbeaten streak. Keep in mind that the Bulldogs won just two games last season.
Pitt Scores First Home Conference Win. The Panthers have baffled tempo-free enthusiasts since the start of Big East play. Their efficiency profile depicts the ninth best team in the country, but a 2-3 start to conference play said otherwise. Saturday’s eight-point win over UConn is more in line with the Panthers’ projected capability.
Huskies Show Inconsistency. An impressive start to Pac-12 play came to a close Saturday when the Huskies, after sweeping through the Bay Area with wins over Cal and Stanford slipped at home against Utah. Whether this loss will be viewed as an errant data point or the start of something more sinister, I can’t really say. Not yet.
Mike Rice Needs To Chill. Earlier this season, Rutgers coach Mike Rice was suspended three games and docked 50 grand for reportedly throwing basketballs at his players during practices. There’s a fine line between having a stern hand and denigrating your players. Rice crossed that line, and he’d do well to bring his best behavior the rest of the season. On Saturday, in the heat of some questionable officiating during the closing moments of a three-point loss to Notre Dame, Rice lost his cool on the sidelines. You can’t blame the guy for lashing out in the heat of the moment, but this is an exceptional case. Rice can’t afford to risk further physical confrontation – with players, officials or anyone in between.
Summit League Opens Up For SDSU. The team everyone wants to see win the Summit League, South Dakota State, home to everyone’s favorite mid-major hero, Nate Wolters, can pull even with North Dakota State in the league standings after the Bison took a loss Saturday at Western Illinois. The Jackrabbits won at IUPUI.
Valpo Coasting Through Horizon. With UIC’s early hot start all but flamed out, Detroit and Wright State stood as Valpo’s chief competition in the Horizon league. The Crusaders toppled both over a three-day span. Butler may be gone, but Valpo is doing its best to keep the league’s reputation in good stead.
Harvard Challenges Memphis. At one point, Memphis’ at-large hopes were in real jeopardy. Harvard had erased a 20-point Tigers lead to go up by two inside the seven-minute mark in the second half. Josh Pastner’s team survived, but the shakiness doesn’t reflect well on their ability to avoid disaster in C-USA.
Can Anyone Catch Wichita or Creighton In The MWC? The answer to the bolded question: No. The Bluejays and Shockers are in a class of their own. Indiana State may be the best of the next group, and the Sycamores handled Evansville at home Saturday to stake their claim.
Maybe Charlotte’s Not That Good. I couldn’t make a definitive judgment on Charlotte before observing a decent sample size of conference competition. Saturday showed me all I needed to know: the nation’s 31st ranked defense, efficiency-wise, allowed Richmond to score 81 points while holding the 49ers to 61. Charlotte won’t contend in this version of the A-10.
More A-10 Miscellany. If Charlotte isn’t ready for the big boys at the top of the league, neither is UMass, who fell at home to George Washington Saturday. The way VCU and Butler look right now, you can’t lose these games to mid-to-low-level teams and expect to realistically vie for a top-three spot. Meanwhile, Xavier is forging on like a real A-10 competitor, beating La Salle at home Saturday to move to 4-0 in conference play, and providing yet another reminder of the fallacies of counting out Xavier early in the season.
Lemon Buzzer-Beater Lifts Bradley Over Missouri State. When you look back on the wild roller coast ride that was Saturday’s hoops slate, you’re going to find it hard to remember every game. More likely than not, any mention of the MVC will conjure up Wichita State’s upset over Creighton, just like the word “buzzer-beater” will immediately bring you to Roosevelt Jones’ last-second heave for Butler. But buzzer-beaters are buzzer-beaters, and this one – though not relevant in terms of conference championship races or College Gamedays – is awesome. Walt Lemon Jr. of Bradley beats Missouri State at the buzzer on an off-balanced runner, with the added bonus of a rare bank-swish.
West Virginia Needs Work. One of the best and most well-respected coaches in college basketball, Bob Huggins, is praised for his consistency and timeless winning (710 wins over more than 30 years of coaching). You expect certain things from his teams: toughness, good defense and rebounding – you know, Hugginsian things. I’m starting to get the sense his team this season, who got shredded at Purdue Saturday (79-52) to fall under .500 (8-9), just isn’t very good.
So Much For Notre Dame’s Home Advantage. The Irish’s biggest strength under Mike Brey isn’t something tangible or calculable. It’s a structural entity, located in South Bend, IN. The Joyce Center is one of the tougher places to play in the country, only this season, it has lost some of its luster. UConn won there last week, and on Saturday, Rutgers fell three points short of handing the Irish their second home loss of the season.
Service Academies Engage In Battle. The football side of the Army-Navy rivalry is a habitual rite of Fall, one of those games folks will flip on for no other reason than the namesakes themselves. The basketball aspect is less historically contrived, but let us not overlook the Midshipmen’s nine-point win Sunday, which snapped a six-game losing streak. Sometimes, all it takes is a little patriotic motivation to snap a downward spiral.
Tough Loss For Villanova. Some people – slightly delusional, maybe – had started to believe Villanova could make a run at an at-large berth this season. A seven-game December win streak perpetuated this idea, but the Wildcats are starting to realize they aren’t tourney material. Get run at home against Pitt? Sure. Lose at Providence (Saturday), before games against Louisville and Syracuse? That’s not going to help your chances.
NC State Wobbles, But Survives. After upsetting Duke at home, some believed NC State was ready to springboard back to the top of the rankings, where many believed it belonged in the preseason. Others remained tentative. After Sunday’s escape at Clemson, which followed Wednesday’s one-point loss at Maryland, measured caution is the best mode of analysis for this hyper-talented but wildly erratic team.
Alabama Resurfacing In SEC. What once looked like a patented Anthony Grant team – physical defense, superb rim protection, steady offense – fell off the map in December. The Tide are finding themselves in SEC (considering the depth of competition in the league, that’s not a huge compliment), having won three of four to start the conference season (they beat Texas A&M at home Saturday). On Tuesday, Kentucky visits Tuscaloosa.
Bruins Taking OVC By Storm. One of the most underrated realignment moves of the offseason was Belmont’s decision to join the OVC. They’re wasting no time finding their bearings in a new league. Saturday’s win over Tennessee State, previously sitting in first place in the west division, gave Belmont its sixth win in conference play and bumped the Bruins to the top of the division standings.
UIC Embarrassed. The early success of UIC started to die out weeks ago. On Saturday, the Flames’ reached a new nadir. Facing Detroit in a big Horizon matchup, UIC lost by 51 points. This was a nice story early in the Fall, but it’s looking more and more like the Flames are little improved from last season’s eight-win squad.
Hoosiers Fight Off Northwestern. The Wisconsin loss primed all sorts of Monday-morning quarterback-type analysis on Tom Crean’s poor adjustments to Bo Ryan’s pace-averse gameplan. Crean ran into more problems Sunday in Evanston, when the Wildcats 1-3-1 took IU out of its offensive rhythm and forced the Hoosiers to make key free throws in the waning moments to seal the win and stay unbeaten on the road in conference play.
Buffaloes Snap Skid. Losing three of five following the infamous Sabatino Chen Arizona loss gave the impression the Buffaloes didn’t recover, whether emotionally or physically, from that crushing defeat. It was important they ended their losing ways at Washington State (never an easy place to get a win) Saturday night. Tad Boyle’s team made easy work of the Cougars. Next up: winnable home games against Stanford and Cal.
A Home Win For Cincy. The weird part about Cincinnati’s recent three-of-four losing skid wasn’t so much the level of competition – New Mexico is as tough and aggressive as they come; Saint Johns is green but talented; Notre Dame has hit the skids lately, but by no means a weak team – but the location. Cincinnati dropped all three games at home. It followed up with consecutive road wins at Rutgers and Depaul, and on Saturday reclaimed Fifth Third Arena by nipping Marquette in overtime. It’s good to be home….when you’re winning.
USU Doesn’t Look Like MW Material. If Utah State plans to compete in the Mountain West next season, it’s going to need to adopt a new attitude for conference play. After opening the season 14-1, the Aggies have dropped consecutive WAC games, including Saturday’s loss to Denver. USU now sits two games out of first place. Mountain West competition could bring a rude awakening.
Dunkdafied #2. In one of the most riveting individual turnarounds in any game this season, Orange guard Michael Carter-Williams more than made up for his early turnover and ballhandling woes to make some crucial plays in crunch time. This steal and dunk may have been the most important of them all.
The Weekend’s All Americans.
First Team
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati (NPOY) – The Bearcats are going to struggle scoring the ball all season. Kilpatrick, who finished with 36 points in an OT win over Marquette, needs to carry the load.
Michael Lyons, Air Force – Beating Boise State was a huge step for the Falcons, but it would have never happened without Lyons’ 37-point performance.
Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – The natural comparisons to Anthony Davis were unfair, but Noel – who put up 10 points, nine rebounds, seven blocks and one huge dunk against Auburn – is starting to show why he was the most highly-rated prospect in the class of 2012.
Mike Muscala, Bucknell – With so many good games Saturday, it was easy to overlook Muscala’s 27-point, 15-rebound double double against Lafayette.
Isaiah Canaan, Murray State – The Racers may not be the best team in the OVC this season – Belmont holds that title, for now – but Canaan is still one of the best guards in the country. On Saturday, he scored 22 points, notched nine assists and seven steals in a win over SIU-Edwardsville.
Second Team
Shavon Shields, Nebraska – The future is brighter in Lincoln than the Huskers’ 1-5 Big Ten start would indicate, and Shields (29 points, 10-of-11 from the field) could be a big part of coach Tim Miles’ plans going forward.
Darien Brothers, Richmond – The 20-point smackdown of Charlotte, one of the nation’s better defenses, was nice. Brothers’ 39 points and eight rebounds was nicer.
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame – It took all of Cooley’s 19 points and 10 rebounds for Notre Dame to avoid a crushing home loss to Rutgers.
Cody Zeller, Indiana – When a 14-point halftime lead was cut to five, and Indiana couldn’t figure out Northwestern’s 1-3-1 defense, Zeller helped IU survive by not only excelling in a big way on the glass (13 rebounds) but pouring in 21 points.
Ray McCallum, Detroit – It’s going to take a few Valpo upsets, and errorless play the rest of the way, for Detroit to make a run at the Crusaders in the Horizon. McCallum might be the league’s best player. Here’s to hoping we get more performances of this ilk – 25 points, seven assists, five rebounds.
Tweet Of The Weekend. These storybook endings have become standard operating procedure for the Bulldogs. What gets lost in the celebration of the moment is the 40 minutes that preceded Roosevelt Jones’ miraculous game-winner. Again the Bulldogs were pitted against a more capable opponent on a national stage, and again Brad Stevens had his players in all the right spots, doing all the right things to nullify Gonzaga’s athletic and size advantages. I think it’s time we think about modifying the “cinderella” narrative and realize Butler’s true identity. There’s nothing fake or inherently magical about this team. The last-second heroics adds to the mystique and the improbability of it all, but in truth, this is an elite team led by one of the best coaches in the country.
The idea that Butler is some cuddly mid major dominated by the red and white-clad state school – the one it beat on a neutral floor earlier this season – is grounded less in truth and more in national media fabrication. The Bulldogs are one of the better teams in the country. The Gonzaga win finished with a flourish, but the actual game was a brilliantly-devised defensive slog – Stevens knew his team couldn’t match the Zags bucket for bucket in a high-paced shoot out. So he slowed it down, forced Gonzaga to play an ugly game and trusted his team’s mental and physical discipline down the stretch. The Jones buzzer-beater was great theater, but it is not the entire story.
One’s a fluke, two’s a trend, but always being the better & more-prepared team in crunchtime of a must-win is no fluke. I see you, #Butler.
Bennet Hayes is a regular contributor for RTC. You can find him @HoopsTraveler on Twitter. Night Line runs on weeknights during the season, highlighting a major storyline development from that day’s games.
Well, well, well — how about those Oregon Ducks? Dana Altman and company flew under the radar for a good long while, but they can now rest assured that they will be the ones wearing the target from here on out. Blame an East-Coast bias, recent years of mediocrity, or the resurgence of fellow Pac-12 powers Arizona and UCLA if you want, but for one reason or another, this team has been overlooked for the past three months. A win over previously unbeaten Arizona on January 10turned some heads, but yesterday’s road win at red-hot UCLA should have everyone’s, and I mean everyone’s, attention. This may be news to much of the college basketball world, but the Oregon Ducks are all alone at the top of the Pac-12, and (gasp!) should now be considered favorites to win the league.
Dana Altman Has The Ducks Pointed In The Right Direction
We know what you have done lately Oregon (knock off both conference favorites in the span of 10 days), but why have we not heard about you before? College basketball fans around the country are asking the question, and the Ducks’ body of work over the first two months of the season has no answer for you. The early schedule was relatively weak, but Oregon went 11-2 in the non-conference, which included a dazzling scalp of UNLV in Vegas. Their only losses were to Cincinnati on a neutral court (no shame there) and in triple-OT at UTEP (not a good loss but far from crippling). The rest of the slate featured too many teams with astronomically high RPIs (computer numbers would be much better if the wins had come over moderately bad teams and not the true cellar of Division I), but Oregon did win each of those 10 games by double-digits.
Brian Otskey is an RTC columnist. Every Tuesday during the regular season he’ll be giving his 10 thoughts on the previous week’s action. You can find him on Twitter 
