By: William Smythe

Nine AP ranked teams fell to unranked opponents Saturday. Some were understandable – San Diego St. losing to New Mexico, Florida upsetting Missouri, NC State defending PNC Arena – but some defy all logic – even college basketball’s. 

Which of the Goliaths fell the hardest?

Kentucky on the right track after a shocker in Knoxville

Every metric would tell you that Tennessee was the overwhelming favorite on Saturday. Besides, of course, their complicated history with the ‘Cats. Boasting the no. 1 defense in the nation, the Vols just couldn’t look the part offensively against a Kentucky team – frankly – with nothing to lose. 

Tennessee funneled nearly everything through forward Uros Plavsic (19 pts, 3 reb) – who starred against Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe but couldn’t outmuscle him on the boards. The Volunteers looked relatively hapless from the three-point line – posting a 14.3% clip – and didn’t compete nearly as hard as a Wildcat team desperate for an SEC win.

The loss in Thompson-Boling spoiled the return of legendary guard Chris Lofton and halted what looked to be both Kentucky’s demise and Rick Barnes’ continued ascendance with this crew.

Main takeaways? Kentucky looked hungrier than ever and proved that they still have the personnel to make things interesting. As for the Vols, they’ll be fine; missed layups and a lack of an offensive spark may hold them back…the defense, however, has been magnificent.

Arkansas’ season – like football’s – may be destroyed by injuries

We would be looking at a completely different Razorback team if both Trevon Brazile (11.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Nick Smith Jr. (12.8 ppg) were fully healthy. Unfortunately, things haven’t fallen Eric Musselman’s way in 2023.  Neither has played in the past five games, and the record may show just how important these two are to Arkansas’ success; the Razorbacks are 5-4 since Brazile and Smith last played together. 

Three consecutive losses – including the most recent defeat to Vanderbilt in Nashville – have now cast Arkansas down to 11th in the SEC and a no. 25 national ranking. The team that began the season 11-1 and dropped their sole contest to no. 10 Creighton – without Smith Jr. in action – looks nowhere near their non-conference selves due to injury problems.

Panic is rising in Fayetteville, especially with Brazile out for the season with a torn ACL and Smith’s status in the balance.

On the other hand, Vanderbilt has surprised this season – despite Coach Jerry Stackhouse’s battles with Iowa’s Fran McCaffery and Michigan’s Juwan Howard for the title of “referees’ biggest critic.”

They’re hanging around in the SEC – currently positioned in seventh – and boast a balanced offensive attack and a rising forward in senior Liam Robbins (13.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg).

I was very, very wrong about Arizona

Not sure I could have been more wrong in assuming that the Pac-12 would be a walk in the park for Arizona. Tommy Lloyd’s bunch is now situated at fifth in their conference – having recently suffered brutal losses to Washington State and Oregon – and have lacked elite guard play thus far (ironically, their biggest asset last year). The 13-point loss to the Cougars at home was undoubtedly awful, yet the 19-point drubbing to Oregon was equally abysmal. 

Yesterday – on the Ducks’ horrible forest-laden court – Arizona’s three starting guards – Kerr Kriisa, Pelle Larsson and Courtney Ramey – combined for 25 points in the loss. Oregon’s Jermaine Cousinard alone went for 27.

Coach Lloyd, you’re going to need more from this group to compete in a surprisingly competitive Pac-12. No longer can Ben Mathurin or Dalen Terry shoulder the load, as the ‘Cats have now found themselves in a precarious position far from March.

Somehow, they only dropped two spots in the AP Poll – to 11th. Not sure how that works.

Other Notes:

– UConn has now lost four of their last five Big East games, tied for 5th in the conference

– Alabama has made a strong case for the no. 1 spot after the LSU blowout

– Auburn and Marquette are the biggest jumpers in the poll, moving up five spots each

– Clemson claws its way into the top-25 after their signature win over Duke

– Zach Edey is really good at basketball and willed Purdue to a win over Michigan State