By: William Smythe

We all just find ourselves waiting for Saturday. This past one was no different, with a particular interest in mind for college basketball viewers nationwide: the randomly-timed yet much-needed Big 12/SEC challenge. Instead of divvying up the games across a several day period – as other matchups such as the ACC/Big Ten challenge often do – the two major conferences gave us a reason to sit in front of our television for the entire day. 

Let’s all be thankful that the two NFL games didn’t fall smack dab in the middle of Tennessee/Texas and Kansas/Kentucky, only two of many dogfights yesterday.

No one is in the Big 12’s airspace after the SEC/Big 12 Challenge

The Big 12 only solidified its case as the nation’s premier basketball league – trouncing the SEC 7-3 on Saturday. We could dive a little deeper and analyze the record – largely on account of teams like Kansas and Kansas State taking on unranked opponents, while no. 12 Iowa State fell to Missouri in a thunderous win in Columbia. Let’s put that all aside for now.

No. 5 Kansas State, no. 9 Kansas, no. 17 Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and West Virginia all took care of business yesterday – with two of the aforementioned teams pulling off massive upsets.

In defense of their feared home turf, the Mountaineers used their timeless, Bob Huggins-masterminded press defense to stave off no. 15 Auburn. A career day from guard Erik Stevenson – who went seven of 10 from three and notched 31 points – also made things easier for a confusing West Virginia squad – currently eighth in the Big 12 but also 9-3 at home. 

West Virginia’s upset pales in comparison to Oklahoma’s blowout of no. 2 Alabama. I know, I know – I couldn’t stop talking about the Tide, and I think they’re still very much poised to win the SEC and carry some momentum into March. But on January 28, 2023, Porter Moser’s Sooners brought the hammer down.

As Alabama’s Brandon Miller goes, so does the Tide. The uber-talented freshman struggled mightily against Oklahoma’s Jalen Hill – going four-of-14 from the field and only posting 11 points. The Sooners, moreover, shot an unbelievable 69.2% from three on only thirteen attempts.

Moser found a gem in guard Grant Sherfield, who carved up the ‘Bama backcourt and finished with 30 points, six assists and four three-balls. The sky isn’t falling for Oats and company yet, of course, but it’ll be interesting to monitor how the Tide will bounce back. Not often does an AP top-five team lose by 24 to an unranked opponent. 

In other news, the hypnotoads in Fort Worth just made me second-guess my Final Four predictions. I know you’re on the road, but you just can’t lose to a 13-8 Mississippi State team who really struggles to put the ball in the hoop at times. TCU, Iowa State and Alabama were evidently yesterday’s biggest losers, even if the first two saw their conference win bragging rights.

Guess that’s not much of a consolation prize, though.

Creighton, as we should’ve predicted, looks elite again

The sky really was falling for Greg McDermott’s team earlier this season. Beginning the year with a 6-0 record and holding as high as a no. 7 ranking in the polls, the Bluejays suddenly collapsed. Losses to then-no. 14 Arizona and then-no. 2 Texas were understandable – sure – but the next four to Nebraska, BYU, Arizona State and Marquette almost destroyed Creighton’s season then and there.

Much of the reason for their collapse? The absence of the frontcourt’s backbone – junior center Ryan Kalkbrenner (15.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg). 

Kalkbrenner missed the last three against the Cougars, Sun Devils and Golden Eagles – games in which the Bluejays’ chemistry looked utterly off despite strong performances from backup center Fredrick King (posted 16 points against both Marquette and Arizona State). King cannot replicate Kalkbrenner’s rim-protecting ability, especially since the 7’1 senior already has a Big East Defensive POY award on his resume. 

With Kalkbrenner back, however, the Bluejays are 7-2. They’re currently riding a four-game win streak with some pretty jaw-dropping margins of victory – yesterday’s 84-67 win over no. 13 Xavier may have been just a taste. Creighton also trounced St. John’s by 28, beat Butler by 19 and bested then-no. 19 Providence by six in Omaha.

No one is playing better basketball than the Blue Jays right now; I don’t care if they’re 13-8!

Creighton is officially in Big East contention – only 1.5 games behind the three-headed monster of Xavier, Providence and Marquette. A bounce-back campaign for the Bluejays seems to be very much in the cards after an abysmal stretch early in the season.

With arguably the nation’s most talented starting five – I haven’t even mentioned point guard Ryan Nembhard (11.4 ppg, 5.4 apg), sharpshooter Baylor Scheierman (13.5 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and versatile forward Arthur Kaluma (12.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg) yet – everyone should be on watch.

The depth hasn’t ever been there for McDermott, but it doesn’t really matter. His team has what it takes to win the Big East and even bring a banner back to Omaha if things keep clicking. 

This is the best unranked team (we’ll see on Monday, though) I’ve ever seen. 

Other Notes:

• No. 7 Virginia has won their last six ACC contests and will take on Syracuse tomorrow night; freshman forward Ryan Dunn continues to provide De’Andre Hunter-like minutes
• Tennessee looks like the favorite to secure a no. 1 seed in the tournament behind Purdue, Houston and Alabama after an 82-71 win over no. 10 Texas
• Purdue’s Zach Edey finishes with 38 and 13 against Michigan State (no one is taking POY from him)
• Saint Mary’s is now ranked no. 22 and has won ten straight; do not underestimate Randy Bennett’s defensive genius
• Baylor’s Keyonte George (24 pts vs. Arkansas) makes a case as freshman MVP