What’s Trending: A Feast Week Stuffed With Action, Intrigue & Upsets

Posted by Matt Eisenberg on December 2nd, 2019

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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…

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…

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.

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.

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Introducing the RTC Preseason All-America Teams

Posted by Walker Carey on November 1st, 2019

With the season tipping off next Tuesday, there’s no better time to roll out our 2019-20 RTC Preseason All-America Teams. More than anything, these three groups of outstanding players are here to foster and encourage discussion over the next four months. Our crack panel of 10 RTC writers provided their ballots over the last week and this is where we ended up.

First Team All-Americans

  • Cassius Winston, Michigan State (unanimous) – The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year raised some eyebrows when he bypassed early entry into the 2019 NBA Draft to return to East Lansing for his senior season, but the NBA’s loss is Michigan State’s gain. Winston’s return gives a loaded Spartans roster a proven floor general as it tries to repeat as Big Ten champions and return to the Final Four. While Winston’s greatest strengths are probably his leadership and basketball IQ, he also possesses a knack for being an elite playmaker in huge moments. This was never more evident than in both of Michigan State’s regular season victories over intrastate rival Michigan last year. Winston averaged 25 points per game in those wins and got the best of Michigan point guard Zavier Simpson, who has a well-earned reputation as one of the county’s best defenders. The Spartans have sky high expectations this season, but with Winston back to lead the squad, it would not be surprising to see Michigan State once again be among the nation’s top teams. Factoid: Michigan State defeating Division III Albion by 35 in its exhibition opener will be a footnote in its 2019-20 season, but it will certainly be much more memorable for Winston, as his younger brothers Khy and Zach suit up for Albion. When Spartans’ head coach Tom Izzo heard about the possibility of setting up the game with Albion, he jumped at the chance, knowing it would give the Winston family a memory that will last a lifetime.
  • Myles Powell, Seton Hall – Seton Hall begins this season with as much hype surrounding the program as it has in decades. The biggest reason for all the hoopla is Powell returning to the Pirates for his final go-around. The senior guard is an elite scorer — 23.1 points per game as a junior — who has a great ability to punish opponents from both the perimeter and by taking the ball to the basket. Powell’s best performance as a junior came in a March home win over Marquette — on a night when Seton Hall needed a marquee win to confirm its status as a lock to make the NCAA Tournament. The playmaking guard finished the victory with 34 points and contributed 10 of those to the 18-0 run the Pirates used to overpower the Golden Eagles and leave the game with the important result. Factoid: At Big East Media Day, Powell was named the Big East Preseason Player of the Year — becoming the first Seton Hall player to earn that honor since Terry Dehere prior to the 1992-93 season.
  • Markus Howard, Marquette – Marquette was dealt a blow early in the offseason when forwards Sam and Joey Hauser decided to leave the team. Losing two key contributors would be debilitating for most programs, but most programs do not return a player like Markus Howard. Howard returns to the Golden Eagles for his senior season after completing a junior campaign that saw him average 25 points per game and tally 40+ points in a game three separate times, highlighted by a 53-point performance in a January win at Creighton. If Marquette is to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2020, it will need Howard to once again shoulder the scoring load. Judging on past experience, he seems more than capable. Factoid: It was a mild surprise when Powell was named the Big East Preseason Player of the Year over Howard, but the senior took it in stride, stating, “I think it is definitely unique to have a conference with two of the really prolific players in the country. For us to be in the same conference and able to compete two or three times every year is something unique to have as competitors.”
  • Jordan Nwora, Louisville – It is possible that no player in the country elevated his play as much last season as Nwora did for the Cardinals. The standout forward went from averaging just 5.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in only 12 minutes per game to putting up 17 points and 7.6 rebounds in 31.9 minutes per game. For the time being, it appears the tumultuous times at Louisville have come to an end and the Cardinals look primed to have a big season. Chris Mack has brought steadiness to the sideline and players like Nwora stayed committed to the program when it would have been understandable to seek greener pastures. Factoid: Nwora spent his summer playing for Nigeria in the FIBA World Cup. His father, Alex, serves as the team’s coach. This made history, as they were the first father-son player-coach to represent Nigeria at such a high level in any sport.
  • James Wiseman, Memphis – There may not be a more intriguing team in the country this season than Memphis. Penny Hardaway begins his second season at his alma mater with the number one recruiting class in the country enrolled. The crown jewel of that group is Wiseman. The Memphis native enters the Tigers program, fresh off a senior season at Memphis East High School that saw him average 25.8 points and 14.8 rebounds per game en route to being named the 2018-19 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Memphis is projected to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid since 2014 and if it is able to make good on that projection, it will likely be due to the star power provided by Wiseman and the rest of the much ballyhooed freshman class. Factoid: Wiseman has yet to take the floor for Memphis. He was sidelined for both exhibition games with a right ankle injury. Hardaway hopes his star freshman will be able to play when the Tigers open their regular season on November 5 against South Carolina State.

Second Team All-Americans

  • Devon Dotson, Kansas – Last season marked the first season since 2004 where a team other than Kansas won the Big 12 regular season title, as the Jayhawks were plagued by injuries, inexperience and inconsistent play. Despite the disappointing season, Kansas discovered Dotson has the tools to be potentially become the next great Jayhawks point guard. That was never more evident than when Dotson tallied 25 points to go with 10 rebounds and five assists as Kansas overcame a blown second half lead to notch a road win over TCU. Bill Self’s group projects to get back to the top of the Big 12 this season and having who figures to be the best point guard in the league should greatly assist in making that a reality. Factoid: The sophomore point guard gave Kansas fans a bit of a scare in the preseason when he showed up at Big 12 Media Day in a walking boot and missed the first exhibition game nursing an ankle injury. Self put that all to rest though when responding, “He’s fine. He’ll be ready to go,” after being asked about Dotson’s status.
  • Cole Anthony, North Carolina – Anthony arrives at North Carolina following a decorated prep career that saw him average a triple double as a senior at Oak Hill Academy and be named the MVP of the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game. The super athletic point guard who can drive, pass, shoot, dunk and defend will use what will likely be his only season in Chapel Hill to try to go down as a legendary Tar Heels’ point guard. The freshman got off to a solid start in North Carolina’s annual “secret scrimmage” where he poured in 28 points as the Tar Heels split four separate periods of play against Villanova. Factoid: The hype surrounding Anthony appears to be warranted, as North Carolina guard Garrison Brooks noted at the team’s media day, “He [Anthony] is already one of the best players in the country and he hasn’t played a game. I think that’s a lot to say.”
  • Tre Jones, Duke – Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish all left Duke for the NBA after a freshman season that culminated in an Elite Eight appearance. After much consideration, Jones decided not to join that group and returned to Durham for a second tour as point guard of the Blue Devils. Known as a defensive stalwart — with an ACC All-Defensive honor already in hand — Jones has also shown capable as an offensive weapon, most notably by tallying a career-high 22 points in Duke’s win over Virginia Tech in the Sweet Sixteen. Factoid: Jones’ introduction at Duke’s Midnight Madness last month took on a special meaning when he brought his mother Debbie Jones onto the court with him to honor her fight to ultimately becoming cancer-free earlier in October.
  • Kerry Blackshear Jr., Florida – The most sought-after graduate transfer of this offseason will begin his lone season at Florida after a very successful run at Virginia Tech. The skilled big man did a little bit of everything for the Hokies. He is a load in the paint; he can step out and hit a jump shot; and he has enough of a handle to effectively drive to the basket. The Gators figure to be strong on the perimeter with sophomore Andrew Nembhard being joined by star recruits Scottie Lewis and Tre Mann, but Blackshear will give Mike White’s squad a legitimate post presence who will provide the physicality necessary for SEC play. Factoid: White’s recruiting strategy when convincing Blackshear Jr. to go to Gainesville revolved around how the forward would instantly become a key leader for the Gators. This resonated with Blackshear, as he noted, “Just understanding I had a big role was really fun for me. It made me understand I had to be one of the leaders this year.”
  • Udoka Azubuike, Kansas – The Kansas big man returns to Lawrence for a senior season where he will look to avoid the injury bug that has plagued much of his collegiate career. Azubuike was limited to just 11 games as a freshman in the 2016-17 season and only nine games as a junior last season. When healthy, Azubuike has been a load in the paint for opponents and he has showcased an elite ability to finish around the rim. In the 2017-18 season – Azubuike’s only healthy season – the big man led the county with a 77 percent field goal percentage. Factoid: Even with all the time Azubuike has missed, the Big 12 coaches still tabbed the big man as the league’s preseason player of the year. If that holds and Azubuike puts up the numbers to earn the postseason player of the year honor, he will be the first Kansas big man to win the award since Thomas Robinson took it home following the 2011-12 season.

Third Team All-Americans

  • Tyrese Haliburton, Iowa State – Haliburton did not light the world on fire during his freshman season in Ames — he only averaged 6.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game — but with Talen Horton-Tucker and Mariel Shayok now departed, the sophomore guard will likely expand his production and play a bigger role for the Cyclones. Even in his limited role last season, Haliburton showcased a two-way ability that made him a player to watch for NBA scouts. Factoid: Haliburton saw his stock rise this summer when competing for the United States. In victories over New Zealand and Lithuania, the guard averaged 14.5 points, eight assists, and three steals.
  • Jarron Cumberland, Cincinnati – It is a new era of Bearcats basketball with Mick Cronin departed for UCLA and John Brannen coming up from Northern Kentucky to take over the Cincinnati program. Amid all the chaos that can come with a coaching change, though, is Cumberland returning to the fold following a junior season where he was named AAC Player of the Year. The honor was greatly deserved as Cumberland averaged 18.8 points per game and was a big part of the Bearcats earning a ninth straight NCAA Tournament bid. Factoid: Memphis has been the most talked about AAC team of the preseason, but Tigers coach Penny Hardaway maintains Cincinnati is still the team to beat in the conference with his reasoning being, “It doesn’t hurt to have Jarron Cumberland. When does he graduate anyway?”
  • Killian Tillie, Gonzaga – Entering last season, it seemed like it was Tillie’s turn to become the next great Gonzaga big man. He averaged 12.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore and shot a very strong 47.9 percent from the perimeter. Unfortunately for Gonzaga and Tillie, he was limited to just 15 games during his junior campaign with a stress fracture and a tear in his ankle. Mark Few has built a spectacular program in Spokane, so the Bulldogs were able to overcome Tillie’s shaky health, but if Tillie is able to be fully healthy this season, Gonzaga’s ceiling will be even higher. Factoid: The start of Tillie’s senior season might be delayed, as he underwent a minor knee procedure in early October and is currently listed as questionable for the season opener.
  • Jalen Smith, Maryland – The Terrapins received good news early in the offseason when Smith decided to bypass the NBA Draft and return to College Park for his sophomore season. The decision to go back to school came as a bit of a surprise, as Smith was very good in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Terrapins’ two games. Expectations are high for Maryland this season and if Smith can replicate what he did last March, the Terrapins could very well challenge Michigan State in the Big Ten race. Factoid: Smith goes by the nickname “Stix,” which is a reference to his slim 6’10”, 225 pound figure.
  • Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State – The Buckeyes lost their final three games of the 2018-19 regular season. That was notable because those defeats were suffered without Wesson, who was serving a brief suspension for violation of an athletic department policy. Those three defeats resulted in Ohio State’s NCAA Tournament seed taking a hit. Luckily for Chris Holtmann’s team though, Wesson was back for the NCAA Tournament, and riding his 21 points and 12 rebounds, the 11th-seeded Buckeyes were able to knock off sixth-seeded Iowa State in the first round. Factoid: Wesson approached this offseason with a much more serious approach and that resulted in the junior big man dropping 34 pounds in an effort to increase his athleticism and endurance.

Honorable Mentions: Ayo Dosunmu (Illinois), Anthony Edwards (Georgia), Anthony Cowan (Maryland), Andrew Nembhard (Florida), Tyrese Maxey (Kentucky), Ashton Hagans (Kentucky), Xavier Tillman (Michigan State), Lamar Stevens (Penn State), Isaiah Stewart (Washington), Charles Bassey (Western Kentucky), Anthony Lamb (Vermont), Reggie Perry (Mississippi State), Yoeli Childs (BYU), Kellan Grady (Davidson).

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Introducing the RTC Preseason All-America Teams

Posted by Walker Carey on November 2nd, 2018

With the season tipping off next Tuesday, there’s no better time to roll out our 2018-19 RTC Preseason All-America Teams. More than anything, these three groups of outstanding players are here to foster and encourage discussion over the next four months. Our crack panel of 10 RTC writers provided their ballots over the last week and this is where we ended up.

First Team All-Americans

  • Carsen Edwards, Purdue (unanimous) – Purdue has plenty to replace this season with former mainstays Vincent Edwards and Isaac Haas now gone from West Lafayette. Luckily for Matt Painter’s Boilermakers, Edwards opted to return to Purdue for his junior season. The standout point guard will look to build on what has been a dynamic collegiate career. Following a freshman season where Edwards showed he belonged in the Big Ten, he took a big step forward in his sophomore campaign, averaging 18.5 points per game and shooting a commendable 40.6 percent from the three-point line. The Boilermakers lose nearly 50 points per game from last season’s Sweet Sixteen team, but it would not be surprising to see the play-making floor general take Purdue back to the second weekend next March. Factoid: Edwards participated in the NBA Draft combine last spring before deciding to return to Purdue. A noticeable change since his return has been in his physical stature, as he added around 10 pounds to his frame. Purdue men’s basketball strength and conditioning coach Gavin Roberts attributes Edwards’ strength gain to a “professional” demeanor in the weight room.
  • R.J. Barrett, Duke – Duke bringing in a star-studded recruiting class is certainly nothing new, but you would be hard-pressed to find another time when such a unique talent as Barrett descended on Durham. At 6’7″, the incoming freshman can handle the ball, create his own shot and relentlessly attack the basket. His size and athleticism will also allow him to effectively defend multiple positions and contribute on the boards.  The Blue Devils figure to once again be an offensive juggernaut, and it is fair to speculate that Barrett will be their most productive component. Factoid: Hailing from Canada, Barrett has a unique connection to basketball lore. He is the godson of two-time NBA MVP — and fellow Canadian — Steve Nash.
  • Caleb Martin, Nevada – Nevada exploded onto the scene last season, as the Wolf Pack won the regular season Mountain West title and earned the program’s first Sweet Sixteen berth since 2004. Expectations are now sky high for Eric Musselman’s group entering this season, as his team is already ranked #8 in the preseason AP Top 25. A major reason for all the lofty hopes in Reno is that Martin decided to put the NBA on hold in returning for his senior season. The rangy forward will look to build on a junior campaign when he averaged 18.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. If Martin can once again put up dominant numbers, the preseason hype encompassing the Wolf Pack will likely prove to be warranted. Factoid:In addition to the RTC All-America team, Martin was named a preseason first team All-American by the AP, becoming the first player in program history to receive the honor.
  • Luke Maye, North Carolina – There might not be a player in the country that has had as unique of a collegiate career as the North Carolina senior. Recall that Maye did not have a guaranteed scholarship in place when he originally committed to the Tar Heels in high school, and while playing time was difficult to earn through a majority of his first two seasons in Chapel Hill, his breakout finally came in the 2017 Elite Eight when he scored 17 points and buried a game-winning jumper to beat Kentucky. Maye followed up those heroics with a junior season averaging 16.9 points and 10.1 rebounds per contest while earning first team All-ACC honors. The Tar Heels have a lot of new faces in place this season, but the transition should be relatively seamless with double-double machine Maye on the blocks. Factoid: Maye joined rarefied North Carolina air last season with a 32-point, 18-rebound performance against Boston College and a 33-point, 17-rebound effort against NC State. Those two performances made him only the fourth player in program history with multiple 30/15 games in a season.
  • Ethan Happ, Wisconsin – Last March represented the first time since 1998 that Wisconsin did not earn an NCAA Tournament bid. The young Badgers battled injuries and inconsistency throughout the season as they sputtered their way to a 15-18 overall record. Despite the lost season, Happ still managed to contribute very productive numbers. Building on impressive freshman and sophomore campaigns, the junior forward tallied 17.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game on his way to becoming a first team all-Big Ten player. Assuming Happ takes another step forward during his final season in Madison, it is likely Wisconsin will find its way back to the NCAA Tournament. Factoid: Happ was so distraught about Wisconsin not making the NCAA Tournament lats year that he kept the TV in his apartment from showing anything about March Madness.

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Rushed Reactions: #1 Gonzaga 79, #8 Northwestern 73

Posted by RJ Abeytia on March 18th, 2017

Ultimately, Gonzaga did just enough today in Salt Lake City to survive and advance.  A dominant first half bought enough equity for the Zags to withstand a furious and relentless Northwestern comeback attempt that ended with some officiating controversy.

No Matter Your Opinion of the Call, Gonzaga is Moving On (USA Today Images)

Three Key Takeaways.

  1. Playing less than a 40-minute game is playing with fire. Gonzaga was in total control of this game at halftime, but then came out and had very little second half answer for a Northwestern team that went all-in on trapping its posts and cheating into the passing lanes. In the second 20 minutes, the Bulldogs committed a staggering 11 turnovers and allowed 17 points off those miscues. On the other end of the floor, the Wildcats shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and posted an offensive efficiency of 129.3. As the competition level increases in coming games, Gonzaga is going to need to bring a lot more if it’s going to be as happy at the end of the NCAA Tournament’s second weekend as it is right now.
  2. Gonzaga’s frontcourt isn’t just big, it’s deep. Everyone knows about Przemek Karnowski inside but freshman center Zach Collins carried the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring 12 points on 3-of-3 shooting and 6-of-8 from the line. He regularly absorbed triple-teams and still scored, showing a great touch and an ability to finish off screen-roll dives. He wasn’t alone, however. Fellow freshman Killian Tillie also had a solid eight points, combining for 10 rebounds and five blocks on the afternoon.
  3. Officiating needs to improve significantly in the second weekend. In a game that had 150 possessions, it’s a tough case to convincingly make that a single call or play was the difference between winning and losing the game. That said, the blown goaltending combined with the subsequent technical foul on Chris Collins really diminished what was shaping up to be a legendary finish. The officiating from the notorious Pac-12 crew left much to be desired, and blowing that call — if it didn’t decide the game — at least, significantly impacted the game. Northwestern was deprived of an opportunity, and that should never happen simply because of an egregious mistake by the officials.

Star of the Game. Nigel Williams-Goss, Gonzaga. The WCC Player of the Year was the best player on the court today, blitzing Northwestern to the tune of 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists in addition to hitting a cold-blooded three to silence Wildcat fans during one of their second half runs. He can score from every spot on the floor; he is an active participant in the rebounding effort; and he’s got plenty of moxie.

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