By: William Smythe

The ACC madness reared its ugly head on Tuesday night, with Wake Forest knocking off Duke in an emphatic fashion and Miami upending Virginia in a heavyweight, top-25 bout.

The question marks are further surrounding the Atlantic Coast Conference: will Miami find its way into the top spot, and do either Duke or Virginia have serious long-term concerns after suffering recent setbacks? 

Hold off on the Duke-Virginia downfall narrative. It’s December, and there remain a few key storylines which can help to explain each team’s setbacks. The ACC’s darlings will remain at the top of the heap – no, I don’t think North Carolina can be consistent enough to compete with these two – and will channel their anger into a fierce conference gauntlet.

Duke without Lively, Whitehead is an aberration and a game-changer

When sophomore Jaylen Blakes (4.3 ppg) scores a team-high 17, something is clearly not right. That’s no disrespect to Blakes – he’s still a young Dukie with a high ceiling – but he’s been nowhere near a key contributor for a Blue Devil team laden with talent. Besides a struggling Jacob Grandison, Blakes made up for the “depth” issue that Duke lacked with the absences of freshmen Dereck Lively and Dariq Whitehead.

Jon Scheyer’s unit can’t win consistently without these two sidelined – I’ll admit, it’s also difficult to win when your opponent makes 22 free throws (even if many came late).

Lively and Whitehead missed Tuesday’s contest due to an injury, causing the Blue Devils to scramble from a depth standpoint/witnessing a sub-par performance from star freshman Kyle Filipowski (nine points).

Sure, Lively hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations as the no. 1 overall recruit in the ‘22 class, yet his presence off the bench (or his starting combination with Filipowski) rounds out an intimidating Duke frontcourt.

To bring Lively off the bench is, in the words of Seth Greenberg while covering Miami-Virginia, “to bring Mariano Rivera in as a reliever for the ‘Yanks.” Greenberg was talking about the ‘Canes’ Bensley Joseph, but…you get the point.

A 7’1 shot blocker who has recorded ten rejections in his past three games, Lively gives the Blue Devils an imposing presence on defense and a finisher on offense – taking away attention from guard Jeremy Roach and Whitehead on the wing. 

Congratulations Duke fans, you’ve just rotated in another physical, slashing freshman in the form of Dariq Whitehead. Coming into the season off a nagging injury, he’s built his minutes tally each game – increasing his scoring total as he goes. Bring out all the stops if you attempt to slow Whitehead as he bulldozes into the lane; his return will mean a further increase in playing time and (likely) a direct correlation with Duke’s win column numbers.

Don’t worry Duke, I’m sure you and your five-stars will weather the storm just fine. And now the ‘Hoos…

Virginia is resilient, but has to regain their three-point shooting form

To count Tony Bennett out is blasphemous. Yes, the Cavaliers have just dropped two consecutive games to no. 5 Houston and no. 22 Miami, yet an early season panic button makes no sense. The only catch, in my opinion, is the continued struggle from the three-point line.

Graduate transfer Ben Vander Plas accounted for 67% of the Cavaliers’ threes against the Hurricanes, with the ‘Hoos going six of 23 from behind the arc. Not great Bob, not great.

That’s slightly worrisome, even if Virginia mustered a strong comeback that fell just short in the final seconds. Guard Armaan Franklin is reverting to his 2021-22 self after a zero-point effort and a pitiful zero of seven from the field, while Reece Beekman has refrained from firing away while dealing with a nagging hamstring injury.

I think we’ll see the ebbs and flows from the Cavaliers in a heightened fashion this season. They’ll eventually return to their shooting ways – and so I blindly hope – yet they’ll have days when they can’t hit the front side of a barn (which they did today, and only lost by two on the road).

Resiliency is key for a team that already suffers from dry spells on offense. I’m incredibly impressed with the way Bennett’s team clawed back from a double-digit deficit in the closing minutes – even if they continued their abysmal three-point shooting along the way. By no means should the door close on an ACC title for the Cavaliers or a return to the top-10…it’s just too early to count out CTB. 

Isaac McKneely will get his soon…the numbers are promising

Why would you want to play the freshman guard after he went one of nine from the field and one of seven from three? He’s a glue guy, that’s why. The numbers don’t lie when it comes to McKneely’s impact on the Cavaliers.

According to UVA Twitter’s Ben Wieland, Virginia outscored Miami by 19 when McKneely was on the floor (31 minutes, that is) and lost by 21 when he sat. That’s a mind-boggling split and one which merits a look below the surface. McKneely’s calling card for Virginia has and will always be his knack for the Pack-Line defense, as he has looked incredibly comfortable thanks to his experience with the system in high school.

You’ll find a wealth of minutes if you master the Pack-Line. McKneely’s 31 minutes perhaps have signified a passing of the guard from Franklin to the youngster, as his “plus/minus” tells us that he should be on the floor as much as possible – likely accompanying Beekman or Clark in the backcourt. His numbers will improve, Franklin will hopefully regain his stroke and the Virginia defense will resurge. 

Verdict: No reason to fret if you’re in either camp. Enjoy your holiday break, reflect on how you both hate the Tar Heels and figure out your three-point shooting. Simple remedy.

By: William Smythe

With a slate that the basketball gods couldn’t even have dreamt of, eighteen top-25 teams took the court on Saturday in a jam-packed, wild day in the college landscape.

The Good: Jarace Walker, Tar Heel magic, UConn’s versatility

It’s nearly impossible to find three “goods” out of a pot of so many highlights: Brandon Miller’s 36-bomb in a loss to no. 15 Gonzaga and Zach Edey’s continued domination for no. 1 Purdue come to mind, obviously. However, let’s start with the unicorn freshman from no. 5 ranked Houston – forward Jarace Walker.

The nation slept on Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Redemption after the Cougars fell to ‘Bama last Saturday. With this result evidently on their minds, Houston looked like the team we all thought they were in a 69-61 win at no. 2 Virginia – a game that was arguably less competitive than the score suggests.

The key for the ‘Coogs? Walker. Playing all but one minute in Saturday’s contest, Walker made some shots that made everyone question his status as a freshman.

First of all, he’s a 6’8, 240-pound big who can slash to the cup. More worrisomely, Walker showed that he can make contested shots from deep – notching 17 points, cashing in two of three from behind the arc and completing some field goals that simply looked NBA-esque.

The freshman phenom imposed his will on the Cavaliers when guards Jamal Shead and Marcus Sasser struggled (that’s a relative term) and will only improve with Sampson’s guidance.

Man, I really thought the Tar Heels would fall to 7-5. The cardiac ‘Heels tasted the sweet elixir of luck in a season that has not been overly fortunate – having survived off of a buzzer-beating shot from Pete Nance. More encouraging for the North Carolina faithful is their team’s resolve – the ‘Heels trailed by as much as ten in the second half – and the return of Armando Bacot’s dominance (28 pts, 15 rebounds)

 Depth, you might ask? North Carolina has none. This will be the sore spot for Hubert Davis’ crew as the season progresses, yet they just secured their first ranked win to avoid cataclysmic implications before ACC play. To come back and steal victory away from a no. 23 ranked Ohio State in Madison Square Garden should be nothing short of encouraging for fans in Chapel Hill…but questions still remain.

I’m trying to find a weakness in no. 3 UConn’s game, but none come to mind. This might just be the best team assembled in Storrs, Connecticut since 2004’s National Championship team – that’s saying something considering the Huskies have two championships in the past decade alone.

When you have an NPOY candidate in center Adama Sanogo (19.0 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and a lineup that goes nine to ten players deep, you’ve got a juggernaut on your hands.

The Huskies just dismantled Big East opponent Butler by a score of 68-46. Five Huskies tallied at least six rebounds – freshman center Donovan Clingan secured eight in nine minutes – while Coach Dan Hurley leaned on Sanogo against Butler’s Manny Bates (14.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg). 

When Sanogo shines, there’s no reason for concern; furthermore, any of the other stars in Storrs – specifically Clingan and guards Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson – are more than happy to round out a dangerous, dangerous UConn offensive unit. And the defense? Held the Bulldogs to an abysmal 46. 

The Bad: Kentucky looks dazed and confused, Indiana drops two straight

John Calipari officially stinks as a coach. Sorry Big Blue Nation, these past few rosters haven’t even been close to your 2012-17 teams. The freshmen don’t carry nearly as heavy of a load anymore and the offense looks like a complete mess.

The no. 13 Wildcats have emphatically lost their two ranked games this season – by 16 to Gonzaga and ten to no. 16 UCLA on Saturday – and senior Oscar Tshiebwe’s rebounding prowess doesn’t always mean he’ll come up big offensively.

Do they practice offensive sets at the University of Kentucky, or is it just chaos? Pretty much everything went wrong against the Bruins besides freshman Chris Livingston’s 14-point effort – off the bench, no less. A six for 21 clip from three-point range isn’t exactly a recipe for success, but the question remains: will Calipari make any more adjustments, or will he let his Wildcats run themselves into the ground? A palpable lack of buzz has been detected in Lexington. 

No. 14 Indiana just went from packing Assembly Hall en route to a dominating win over North Carolina to squandering their last two in a big, big way. Wake up Indiana, that “statement” against the ‘Heels was five games ago, and you’ve lost three of your last four.

Outside of Assembly Hall, the Hoosiers have looked like a shell of themselves after brutal losses to Rutgers (by 15), no. 10 Arizona (by 15) and no. 8 Kansas (by 22). That marks a -36 point differential in their last four games. Ouch.

Something to monitor is the loss of guard Xavier Johnson in Saturday’s loss to Kansas. Seen wearing a walking boot, Johnson’s departure will likely eat into Big Ten play and will force Mike Woodson to look for his next facilitator – someone to lighten the load off of forward Trayce Jackson-Davis’ shoulders. When TJD falters – as he did against Kansas – the Hoosiers look hapless. 

The Ugly: Creighton, just Creighton. Oh, and the Terrapins.

There’s not much reasoning behind Creighton’s six-game skid other than center Ryan Kalkbrenner’s temporary absence. When the Bluejays fell in consecutive contests to ranked opponents in Arizona and Texas, it wasn’t a huge deal…after all, their starting five is the best in the nation, right?

Then came Nebraska, BYU, Arizona State and now, Marquette. Four teams outside of the top-25 have upended the Bluejays and firmly cemented their status far from the attention of AP Poll voters.

Suffice it to say that freshman center Fredrick King alone can’t account for the absence of Kalkbrenner – even after recording back-to-back double-doubles. With a team already suffering from depth, this is a nightmarish scenario for Greg McDermott as the ‘Jays approach conference play.

Three-point shooting has been abysmal in recent games (Creighton went four for 20 against Marquette), and sophomore guard Ryan Nembhard simply hasn’t done enough as the presumed catalyst for their offense early in the year. If Kalkbrenner returns from illness soon, hope may be restored in Omaha – but a hole this big may be impossible to cover up. 

A Big Ten program is sharing Creighton’s pain right now. The no. 20 ranked Maryland Terrapins just packed Xfinity Center (it will always be Cole Field House to me) in a white-out only to lose by 27 to UCLA. That makes three straight losses – first to Wisconsin, then to no. 7 Tennessee and followed by the recent drubbing against the Bruins.

Inefficient halves with prolonged dry spells have plagued the Terrapins in their past two games, even if they clawed back against the Volunteers in the second half last week. 

Kevin Willard’s team just doesn’t keep good care of the ball, and that kills. Sixteen turnovers – as compared to UCLA’s four – allowed the Bruins to feast off of the defensive press and race out to as much as a 38-point lead in College Park.

This is inevitably a team that will be challenged when Big Ten play comes around; we already had some questions about the roster’s makeup before the season, and Willard has done well with the pieces at his disposal. Eliminating dry spells, improving their physicality and taking care of the ball should be Maryland’s keys going forward. 

By: William Smythe

Here’s an instruction manual for this year’s college basketball season: when you win an emotionally-charged, ranked game, DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN THE GAME AFTER! How many times have we seen this narrative emerge in 2022, especially after recent losses from no. 20 Iowa State, no. 17 Illinois and no. 13 Maryland.

No one is safe, America, no one. If you cash in that season-defining win one night, prepare for a random disappointment in a middling Big Ten arena the night after. 

Iowa just throttled Iowa State – all without current team MVP Kris Murray – while Maryland succumbed to the Kohl Center’s grasp against Wisconsin. No. 17 Illinois, however, might just take the cake for the most disappointing loss of the week; the Fighting Illini – who defeated no. 2 Texas in a thriller at Madison Square Garden – just lost by 15 to (a surprisingly good) Penn State team at home. Talk about a swing of emotions. 

For some more analysis, let’s look at the rest of this wild, wild slate. 

UConn is quietly rolling the competition

UConn is back…without Jim Calhoun? That’s right, Coach Dan Hurley is treading a path of his own. The no. 5 Huskies have looked phenomenal this season on the shoulders of their two seven-footers – junior Adama Sanogo (18.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) and freshman Donovan Clingan (9.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) – while junior guard Andre Jackson just might be the glue guy for a team with an embarrassing amount of depth.

No one has come within nine points against this team – including now no. 8 Alabama, no. 21 Iowa State and Oregon. Saddle up for the Hurley ride in 2022-23 – a potentially-dominant one for the Huskies. 

TCU has weathered the storm, back in the top-25

Everyone – myself included – thought the Horned Frogs were doomed after a 64-63 loss to N’Western State to start the year. Brutal. Junior guard Mike Miles and senior guard Damion Baugh are officially back from injury, and no. 24 TCU now looks the part of their former no. 14 ranking.

Wins against then no. 25 Iowa and Providence aren’t exactly capstone victories, but they’re good momentum builders for a team that needs some time with its starters all back together. As usual, it’s a balanced scoring attack with a lethal backcourt. Yeah, I’ll admit, the Horned Frogs may be back in form. 

The Big 12 is (over the SEC) the deepest conference in CBB

It’s the year of the Big 12. The ACC? No more? The Big Ten? Too many weird RAC (Jersey Mike’s Arena) upsets and such coming out of that conference. The SEC? Close, but no cigar. The Big 12 currently boasts five teams in the top-25, with no. 2 Texas and no. 6 Kansas topping that list. No. 24 TCU is on the rise, no. 20 Iowa State will hope to right the ship after a loss to Iowa, and Jerome Tang’s Kansas State squad has exceeded expectations after an 8-1 start.

There really aren’t any serious weak links outside of (maybe?) Oklahoma State in this conference, and we could be looking at seven-eight bids in March Madness if all continues to go well. Who will win the Big 12? I don’t really know. What I do know, however, is that Baylor, Kansas and Texas will battle it out in a historic year for the conference. 

Fordham making Kyle Neptune look like the loser of the deal

The Fordham Rams might have taken Neptune’s exit personally. While they haven’t played a ranked opponent besides Arkansas – by whom they were trounced, 74-48 – the current A-10 leaders are in unforeseen territory after a 16-16 finish last season. Will they continue at this pace in conference play? Probably not.

A cupcake-level schedule – unless you consider Tulane, Harvard and Maine to be juggernauts – may be overshadowing the Rams’ early season success. However, a notable turnaround without Neptune could bode poorly for Villanova – who has already struggled in the non-conference slate.

Houston slips up, will now take on no. 1(?) Virginia

They’re still really, really good. No. 8 Alabama got the best of the no. 1 ranked Cougars on Saturday after a heavyweight battle culminated in some poor free-throw shooting and a late stretch from the ‘Tide. Houston now will look to a matchup against what should be a no. 1 ranked Virginia – another SONIC Blockbuster against a ‘Hoos team that desperately needs a fully-healthy Reece Beekman. Get your popcorn folks, this’ll be a good one.

By: William Smythe

As I write this, North Carolina just dropped a road contest to Virginia Tech – who held as much as an eighteen-point advantage over the Heels – in what is their fourth consecutive loss of the season. By virtue of such a result, Carolina is automatically launched into the ugly category. Cassell Coliseum’s vaunted home environment will not suffice as an excuse this time, Tar Heel nation, as the chinks in your armor are too gaping to ignore. There’s no chance a one-seed has fallen this fast in the history of college basketball – D3, D2, JUCO all-included. 

Carolina, however, isn’t the only juggernaut fighting demons this season. No. 14 Gonzaga – who started as the no. 2 ranked team in the country – has already suffered three losses and has made the burden on Drew Timme’s shoulder the size of the Puget Sound. They’re not necessarily in the ugly category like Carolina, but the preseason title contenders are going to have a tough time putting together a compelling resume come March. Alright, that’s probably enough coverage of depressing teams for the moment. Who’s actually surprised this year…yes, let’s start with that.

The Good: The Moody Center, T.J. Otzelberger and Zach Edey

Texas is back, folks, and I’m not happy about it! No matter the chatter surrounding the ‘Horns, they’ve played themselves into a national no. 2 ranking after wins against Gonzaga and no. 7 Creighton – all in their cozy new arena, the Moody Center.

I really want Texas to like, finally leave Austin and play a challenging road game, but two top-ten wins have pretty much put away any doubts of Chris Beard’s coaching success. There’s depth to this roster that you can’t ignore. Nine – yes, nine – players have averaged at least 15 minutes a game for the ‘Horns this season. I can’t help but ask: has Beard stolen the recipe of Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton? 

Also in the Big 12, Iowa State just refuses to underperform under Coach T.J. Otzelberger. Everyone thought a fluke year in 2021-22 would result in another catastrophe the following season, yet Otzelberger – the Lincoln Riley of college basketball – had something to say about it.

As Transfer Portal U, Iowa State picked up two sneaky additions in St. Bonaventure products Jaren Holmes and Osun Osunniyi – both of whom are averaging double-figures in scoring. There’s been a complete overhaul in terms of the roster, but the results speak for themselves. Wins over North Carolina (hey, they hadn’t lost at that point) and a formerly undefeated St. John’s have given Cyclones’ fans plenty of reason to rejoice. 

Lastly, Purdue’s Zach Edey is everything Boilermakers fans wanted him to be. He’s not the only seven-footer to grace the court under Matt Painter, but he may end up being the best. Averaging 23.3 points and 12.8 rebounds so far this season, Edey looks more destined for success than Neo from The Matrix. Maybe it was forward Trevion Williams’ departure that’s opened up his game, or maybe it’s the fact that Edey has become an accomplished passer.

1. If you double him in the post, Purdue’s shooting guards will make you pay from deep. 2. If you isolate him on the inside, he’ll take that tiny basketball and dunk it through the net, no problem. The only reason why Purdue currently holds a top-five spot is Edey – America’s current frontrunner for NPOY.

The Bad: Oregon’s weird seven-footer trio, any team who plays Rutgers in the RAC

Oregon looks off. What team rolls out three-seven footers – all five-star recruits – and loses four out of their first eight games? I’d bank on Dana Altman figuring it out at some point, but the formula for this team hasn’t exactly worked thus far.

Against Houston, the Ducks looked confused against a high-octane defense (two of their starting guards/forwards – Will Richardson and Quincy Guerrier – totaled 11 turnovers), even if starting center N’Faly Dante exploded onto the scene with 16 points and 11 rebounds. This “bad” designation could turn into an “average” or even good one if these pieces come together, but the Ducks just lost again to UCLA and are now 4-5…

RUTGERS DOESN’T LOSE IN THE RAC! No, I will not call it “Jersey Mike’s Arena!” Boasting a 6-0 record in their home arena – including an emphatic 63-48 win over no. 10 Indiana, the Scarlet Knights have defended their ground like no one I’ve ever seen. In 2021, Steve Pikiell (who’s been pounding nails, of course) led his group to a 4-1 record at the RAC against top-25 teams, with one of the wins coming against no. 1 Purdue.

Now that I’m writing this, obviously I should have put the “RAC” in the list of the good, but let’s spin it on its head and consider all of the poor teams that have to play there this season. And Jersey Mike’s Arena is about as heinous of a rebranding as the Carrier Dome turning into the JMA Wireless Dome.

The Ugly: UNC in every aspect, Creighton losing at home to Nebraska

Dare I say more about the Tar Heels? They’re 5-4, just lost their ACC opener to Virginia Tech and look like the shell of the National Championship (appearance) team from last season. However, we shouldn’t be that surprised.

North Carolina looked shaky last year before going on that incredible run in the tournament, and the loss of Brady Manek has honestly hurt the Tar Heels more than expected. Four losses – consecutively, as well – is out-of-this-world surprising if we consider the returning talent that Hubert Davis has. It’ll take a massive effort from UNC to rebuild their stock from the ground up – I’m talking very, very few losses in ACC play to give them a chance at a top-four seed in March.

Creighton just suffered something awfully close to the epitome of brutality. Losing to lowly, in-state opponent Nebraska at home…by 10? I don’t want to pump the brakes completely on the Bluejays’ hype, but they’ve just dropped three straight and their resume is fading fast. If you’re Creighton, you have to hope that the Arkansas win ages well.

What’s mind-boggling is that the Cornhuskers held this dynamic Bluejay offense to a mere 53 points (no one in the starting lineup scored more than 10). South Dakota State transfer Baylor Scheierman has looked suspect from the three-point line in the past two games, while the Bluejays turned the ball over 16 times in their worst performance of the season. The Creighton experiment better figure itself out, fast.