From a Duke onslaught at Madison Square Garden to UConn losing to St. John’s there for the first time in 12 years, there was plenty of excitement in college hoops this week – yes, even outside of the mecca of basketball. Conference championships are being decided, bubbles are bursting and the sweet symphony that is the March Madness theme song is occupying more and more space in our brains as Selection Sunday draws just a bit closer.
Here’s what is going on in college basketball as anticipation builds for the most exciting month of the sports calendar year.
1. Duke (24-3)
If even 5-8 fan favorite Spencer Hubbard is knocking down step-back treys in garbage time, there might be no hope for the rest of America come March. Something special is brewing in Durham as anything short of a national championship is beginning to feel like it would be a disappointment.
2. Auburn (25-2)
Auburn is right there with the Blue Devils as far as expectations go and it’s because both teams are led by a guy more than deserving of winning National Player of the Year. The race for that award, as well as for a national title, will be fascinating to follow over the next month and a half.
3. Florida (24-3)
Florida’s recent stretch is about as easy as it gets in the SEC and the Gators are taking care of business as they should. Their fortune will turn in the final two weeks, but even a .500 finish should clinch a top-seed in the NCAA Tournament, as long as one of those wins comes against Alabama in Tuscaloosa next week.
4. Alabama (22-5)
Speaking of Alabama, the Crimson Tide snapped a two-game losing streak on Saturday by clamping down defensively against a Kentucky squad limping to the finish. Nate Oats’ squad could find themselves doing the same with three top six opponents left on the schedule in the final four games of the regular season.
5. Houston (23-4)
The Cougars all but clinched a second consecutive Big 12 regular season title this week, which was punctuated by a much-needed top 10 win that bolstered a resume lacking them. They can officially clinch at least a share of the title on a trip to Lubbock on Monday, which would also pull them one step closer to a top-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
6. Tennessee (22-5)
The Vols only had one game on the schedule this week, but it just so happened to be on the road against No. 7 Texas A&M, so it wasn’t exactly an easy week. They rode the hot hand of Chaz Lanier to secure the impressive win and jump toward a potential first-round bye in the upcoming SEC Tournament.
7. Iowa State (21-6)
Iowa State actually performed fairly well in the Fertitta Center as it took on No. 5 Houston without its two leading scorers. Getting Keshon Gilbert and Curtis Jones back is the chief concern right now, especially with a difficult closing stretch of the season that could jeopardize their NCAA Tournament seeding.
8. Texas A&M (20-7)
Just as the Aggies were cementing themselves as a top contender in the SEC, an 0-2 week crushed that momentum and pushed them back to a tie for fourth in the league standings. Oh, and the top two ranked teams in the country await in the next eight days. Life could get a lot worse before it gets better in College Station.
9. Texas Tech (21-6)
A tremendous opportunity awaits the Red Raiders on Monday when they host No. 5 Houston to try to stay alive in the Big 12 title race. A win would complete a season sweep of the Cougars and provide another terrific win that would force the committee to consider them on the two-seed line in three weeks.
10. St. John’s (24-4)
It’s remarkable to see not just the success of Rick Pitino and the Red Storm, but also the old-fashioned manner in which they are attaining it. Even with one of the worse 3-point percentages in the nation and offensive efficiency that leaves a lot to be desired in general, St. John’s will win the Big East title this season in dominant fashion. They also have every reason to aim for loftier aspirations on a national scale despite not appearing in the Round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament in a decade.
11. Michigan State (22-5)
The “Michigan State doesn’t have any big wins” narrative seems to be dying down after the Spartans went on the road to beat Illinois and Michigan, with a win over Purdue sandwiched in the middle, in their last three games. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Tom Izzo’s team is getting hot at the right time and could be a dangerous team in March this season.
12. Michigan (20-6)
The Wolverines fell victim to the Spartans on Friday night but will get another opportunity in the final day of the regular season at the Breslin Center. A rare poor showing from their guards led to a second-half beatdown that easily erased a four-point halftime lead for the hosting Wolverines. The good news is Dusty May put an end to the Indiana rumors by signing an extension to stay in Ann Arbor.
13. Wisconsin (21-6)
If you stopped watching the Wisconsin-Oregon game on Saturday with the Badgers leading by 14 with 6:17 to go, you’ll be surprised to hear the Ducks actually came back and won that game. It was an epic collapse from Greg Gard’s group who may have fumbled a chance at a Big Ten regular season title because of it.
14. Memphis (22-5)
It was an easy week for the Golden Eagles with just one game, at home against DePaul, on the schedule. The Blue Demons didn’t make it easy, but Marquette snapped a three-game losing streak and will look to ride that momentum into a defining final stretch of the season that could push them onto the top-four seed line in the NCAA Tournament.
15. Missouri (20-7)
Going 1-1 during a week with No. 4 Alabama and a trip to Fayetteville against a talented and desperate Arkansas team on the schedule is nothing to balk at. The Tigers picked up one of their biggest wins of the season in the former game, dropping 110 points on the Crimson Tide.
16. Clemson (19-5)
Not only are the Tigers leaping into the national spotlight with a sensational close to the season, but they’re also threatening for an ACC title if the Blue Devils slip up one more time and they finish 4-0 against weaker competition. The head-to-head tiebreaker is in Clemson’s favor and so is the momentum that could lead to another deep run in March.
Next 5: Marquette, Kentucky, Maryland, BYU, Saint Mary’s
Players of the Week:
Johni Broome, No. 1 Auburn Tigers
It’s hard to believe that 31 points is the most Broome has scored in his tremendous three-year career with Auburn, but he set the mark Saturday to awaken his team’s dormant offensive in the first half against Georgia. Whether he wins NPOY or Cooper Flagg does, someone will be robbed as both are enjoying historically successful campaigns for their respective squads.
Mark Sears, No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide
Who let Mark Sears get hot? Not even a month after getting benched for the entire second half against LSU, the All-American poured in 30 points in back-to-back games against AP Top 17 opponents. His 30-point, four-assist effort lifted the Tide to a 13-point win over Kentucky when they needed it most following two straight losses.
Chaz Lanier, No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers
Lanier kept the SEC star player train rolling with a 30-point performance of his own to finally give the Volunteers some offense on Saturday. Their offensive struggles have been no secret over the last few years, but an 8-13 effort from beyond the arc always helps and sparked a win over No. 7 Texas A&M in College Station over the weekend.
LJ Cryer, No. 5 Houston Cougars
The Cougars don’t light it up offensively either but Cryer, like Lanier provided a spark with terrific perimeter shooting and 28 total points against Iowa State on Saturday. The eye-test was even better as the senior guard inspired an AP Top 10 win for his own squad in a matchup of two of the Big 12’s best teams.
Bennett Stirtz, Drake Bulldogs
One of the few mid-major schools that is a lock for the NCAA Tournament resides in the MVC where Stirtz is leading Drake to March Madness and potentially himself to the NBA Draft with his play. The Division II transfer has been sensational for the Bulldogs, averaging nearly 19 points, six assists and over two steals per game. He also scored 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds on Sunday to help his team improve to 25-3 with an overtime victory at Northern Iowa.
Play of the Week
West Coast basketball hardly gets the love it deserves, but Kobe Sanders made it difficult to ignore on Saturday night as Nevada and Boise State engaged in a thriller in Reno. Sanders scored 30 for the Wolfpack, which proved to be just short of enough, but he’ll likely never forget the poster dunk that brings home our play of the week award. Check it out below!
https://www.foxsports.com/watch/fmc-d4lzwlkz22fkh4g8
Video Credit: Fox Sports Highlights
