We’re almost halfway through the season, so let’s take a look at some mid-season superlatives.
Player Of the Year
Zach Edey
This goes without saying, but Zach Edey is the clear favorite for Player of the Year. No one player has been as instrumental for their team’s success than the big man from Canada has been for the Boilermakers.
Edey is averaging 22.6 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game – all career highs. If Matt Painter can keep Edey producing at a high level, then the Boilermakers will keep charging on for the foreseeable future.
Coach Of the Year
Matt Painter
Much like Zach Edey with the POY, Matt Painter is far and away the favorite for Coach of the Year. Coming into the season there were a lot of question marks surrounding his squad out of West Lafayette, but Coach Painter has his two breakout freshmen – Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer – playing like upperclassmen.
While they have struggled against some inferior opponents recently, the Boilermakers are still the no. 1 team in the land and will look to hold that title moving forward.
Freshman Of the Year
Brandon Miller
In years past, the Crimson Tide have been a football school. This year – however – freshman Brandon Miller has his squad sitting at no. 9 and looking to improve that with some big games coming up. Miller is averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting 44.2% from three.
If he keeps playing like this, the freshman phenom will easily be a first round talent in the upcoming NBA draft. Let’s see how far he can take the Tide this year, though.
Most Surprising
Purdue
I’ve said it a million times, and forgive me for continuing to harp on it, but did anyone expect for the Boilermakers to be THIS good? Outside of the faithful in West Lafayette, there were no expectations for this Purdue squad. Sure, they have the Shaq of college basketball, but outside of that nobody knew who was going to score the ball.
Matt Painter has done a terrific job coaching his boys and teaching them how to play unselfishly, and now they sit atop the college basketball world for the time being.
Most Disappointing
UNC
The Tar Heel team that started the season and the Tar Heel team that we have now are two very different squads. At the beginning of the year, they played selfishly and were maybe still a little hungover from their month-long party last March.
They have seemingly figured it out a little after two great wins over Ohio State and Michigan on neutral courts. Still, though, this team started the season as the no. 1 team in the land and dropped to unranked status just as quickly.
Best Team
Houston
A team full of upperclassmen, fresh off the heels of three-straight Elite Eight appearances has to be a great team, right? Yeah, you’d be right in thinking that. The Cougars lost one game to no. 9 Alabama, and – a week later – traveled to Charlottesville and handed the ‘Hoos their first loss of the year.
EvanMiya.com has Houston as the number one team in terms of BPR (which is the website’s own stat to show overall team efficiency) and the tenth best offense and second best defense. This is a great squad that Kelvin Sampson has put together, and – if they can stay healthy – they will be a force come March.
With Big East play officially underway, let’s take a look at how the teams stack up thus far this season.
Tier 1:
UConn
It’s no surprise to see UConn up here alone. There are not many in the country that are better than the team which Dan Hurley has assembled, and each passing game shows why. Yes, the Huskies opened up their Big East play against Georgetown and seriously struggled down the stretch, but the game helped prove how deadly they can actually be.
When their best players struggled to hit shots, San Diego State transfer Joey Calcaterra stepped up and willed the Huskies to an 11-point victory. Dan Hurley is able to play a lineup nine guys deep, and that is going to prove to be the X-factor come March.
Tier 2:
Marquette
When Shaka Smart wins, we all win. It’s fun seeing Shaka bring a team back to national prominence like he has this year with his Golden Eagles. Sure, they just lost a double-overtime game to a solid Providence squad at the AMP, but that doesn’t mean they don’t still deserve to be ranked in the top-25.
After this loss, they will without a doubt fall out and relinquish their no. 24 ranking, but they will certainly be back in due time. Look ahead to January 11, when they host UConn at the Fiserv Forum in a game in which they will look to prove how good they really are.
Xavier
As good as Marquette has been, Xavier has been just as good. While the Musketeers don’t have as impressive of an out of conference record, they have still only lost three games. Those three games were all to ranked teams, and they only lost those games by an average of four points.
Sean Miller has his boys playing well and unselfishly, yet they just really need to learn how to play stronger defense.
Tier 3:
Villanova
Are the ‘Cats back? With Cam Whitmore back, ‘Nova has won 5 straight games, including a convincing win in their Big East opener against an 11-2 St. John’s squad. Villanova can prove a lot next week, as they travel to Storrs to face the no. 2 team in the country, the UConn Huskies, and then host no. 24 Marquette on Saturday. If they can come out with one or even two of these wins, they will move up to Tier 2.
St. John’s
The Johnnies are 11-2 and no is talking about that. Maybe their game against Villanova shows why. In their first test, St John’s failed to perform on many of the things that helped them during this hot start. The Red Storm still have a stifling defense that will help keep them in most games.
Providence
After struggling a little early, I think Ed Cooley has Providence trending in the right direction, and Tuesday’s win against no. 24 Marquette was a perfect example of that. A lot of calls went the Friars way, but that’s what happens when you travel to the AMP – it’s one of the best home court environments in the conference.
Creighton
I think it would be foolish to write off a Greg McDermott coached team after dropping six straight games. Once Kalkbrenner is back at full health, the offense will work itself out some more.
Seton Hall
They lost their last two games to Providence and Seton Hall, and they kept it within five in both of those games. One of these close conference games is going to go their way.
Butler
There’s been some good, and there’s been a lot of bad. They have a tough start to Big East play, losing by 22 to UConn, then traveling to Creighton, and finally Providence.
Tier 4:
DePaul
Next game is against Creighton on Christmas. Maybe they can play the role of the Grinch against a struggling Bluejays squad.
Georgetown
They kept it close with UConn, that’s something, right?
A recent NBA mock draft has Villanova freshman Cam Whitmore going sixth overall, and Saturday night was the forward’s first opportunity to prove to the world why he should be selected that high. After battling a thumb injury for the first seven games of the year, Whitmore made an immediate impact in ‘Nova’s 70-66 win over Oklahoma. While only tallying seven points, his impact on the game goes beyond the stat sheet.
For the first time this season, the ‘Cats have a legitimate scoring threat outside of forward Eric Dixon’s post-ups and guard Caleb Daniels’ free throws. Whitmore was on a minutes restriction Saturday, but as he gains his confidence and chemistry with the rest of the team, look for him to make a major impact for Villanova – who will look to turn it around after a slow start. The ‘Cats will be back in the Finn on Wednesday when they host another Philly rival in UPenn.
The Bad: Creighton drops third straight game
After losing in the championship game of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational to no. 14 Arizona, the Bluejays headed to Austin to take on no. 2 Texas at the newly renovated Moody Center. This was always going to be a tough matchup for Creighton, who fell short in the end, losing 72-67. Center Ryan Kalkbrenner was phenomenal, as he posted a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
The lack of depth was on full display for the Bluejays on Thursday, with Alexander the only starter who didn’t score in double-digits. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem for most teams, but Creighton was unable to find a single point from their bench unit. Luckily, Creighton doesn’t foul often, but if their starters start to enter foul trouble, they could be in serious trouble.
Following their stop in Austin, the Bluejays headed back home to host Nebraska. This was supposed to be an easy win for Coach McDermott, but this was anything but that. The Cornhuskers came into Omaha ready to play, and the Bluejays did not, ultimately losing 63-53. One thing that plagued Creighton this game was their love for the three-pointer.
Creighton is by no means a great shooting team, but in any event they threw up 40 shots from downtown, only hitting ten of them in the loss. That is certainly not a winning recipe. For Creighton to be successful, they need to probe inside with their seven- footer and then kick outside when the shots are available. The Bluejays have some time off before their next matchup when BYU comes to town on Saturday.
The Ugly: Georgetown goes winless on the week
The Hoyas traveled down to Lubbock on Wednesday to face off against Texas Tech. The Red Raiders dominated for much of the contest, winning 79-65. Senior forward Bryson Mozone was great, as he provided a spark off the bench with 18 points. The starters were careless for Coach Ewing, as they threw away 16 turnovers to the Red Raiders and also committed 16 fouls, leading to the Hoyas’ best players fouling out of the game.
The Hoyas hosted the Gamecocks on Saturday and played a much closer match despite the sour outcome. The game ended up going to overtime, with South Carolina ultimately pulling out a 74-71 victory. Junior guard Jay Heath was dominant with 23 points and 6 rebounds, while sophomore guard Brandon Murray notched 13 points, five assists, and three steals. There was some good for the Hoyas to take away from this game, but still a lot that needs to be improved before Big East play begins in two weeks. Until then, the Hoyas face off against Siena on Wednesday.
The Huskies came, they saw, and they conquered the entirety of the Phil Knight Invitational field this past week in Portland.
In their first game they faced off against Oregon, and the game was never close for the Ducks, with the Huskies taking a 83-59 victory. It was the Tristen Newton show, as the senior guard went for 23 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals. UConn’s stifling defense was an X-factor in the game, as they were able to record nine steals and seven blocks, while also holding the Ducks to under 50% from the field.
The second round matchup was a tough test against no. 18 Alabama, but the Huskies dominated, winning 82-67. Center Adama Sanogo was a presence down low, going for 25 points and two blocks. Once again, the Huskies were able to hold their opponent under 50% shooting from the field, showing how important defense is to Dan Hurley and this team.
In the championship for the PK Invitational, UConn faced off against a hot Iowa State team and ultimately stomped their dreams away, winning 71-53. Guard Andre Jackson was phenomenal, finishing with 10 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Rebounding and defense were points of emphasis for the Huskies, as they outrebounded the Cyclones 48-19 and prevented Iowa State from scoring the final four minutes of the game.
Dan Hurley has the Huskies sitting at 8-0 – their best start since the 2013-14 season. What else happened that season? Oh right, UConn won it all. We’ll keep an eye on Storrs, Connecticut to see if the Huskies can repeat history. UConn is back Thursday night when they face off against Oklahoma State.
The Bad:Butler goes 1-2 in the Battle 4 Atlantis
Butler took a trip down to the Bahamas for the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, and it looked like the Bulldogs spent a little too much time soaking up the sun and not enough in the gym.
Their first game against no. 22 Tennessee was downright ugly. The Bulldogs kept it close in the first half, and then the Volunteers offense came to life, proving to be too much for the Bulldogs in a 71-45 thrashing. Turnovers were a problem for Butler – who gave 23 away to the Vols over the course of the game. Butler also had only one player score in double digits, as guard Jayden Taylor went for 18.
Thursday saw the Bulldogs scrape out a narrow victory over BYU, 75-70. They were able to bring their turnovers down to only 16, and the scoring was much more well rounded, as four players scored at least 14 points.
Their third and final game in the Bahamas was a revenge game for center Manny Bates, as he faced his old squad, NC State. Butler tied the game 20-20 with seven minutes to go in the first half, and then the Wolfpack caught fire, never surrendering their lead for the rest of the game. What really hurt Butler in this game was the fact that their bench did not score a single point all game, something Thad Matta will definitely have to address before their next game against Kansas State on Wednesday.
The Ugly:Villanova goes 0-3 in the Phil Knight Invitational
It’s never been more evident of how impactful Jay Wright really was. Without him, the Wildcats are falling and falling fast. The ‘Cats traveled to Portland for the Phil Knight Invitational this week, and to say it was ugly would honestly be an understatement.
They opened up play against Iowa State and kept it close for much of the contest, ultimately losing 81-79. This was probably the best game for the ‘Cats all week, as they lost a close game to the eventual tournament runner-ups. Guard Caleb Daniels did all he could to keep ‘Nova in the game, scoring 25 points, dishing out seven assists and grabbing seven rebounds.
The second game for the ‘Cats was one in which Villanova fans were caught dreaming of days in January when they will hopefully have their two best players – Cam Whitmore and Justin Moore – back. The Portland Pilots pulled ahead at the end of the first half and rode that momentum for the rest of the game, ultimately defeating the Wildcats by a score of 83-71. A good thing about the game for the ‘Cats, though, was the emergence of the freshman not named Cam Whitmore. Guards Mark Armstrong and Brendan Hausen each saw a massive increase in the minutes, and they both took advantage of it.
The last place game of the PK Invitational was held between Villanova and Oregon, and the Ducks pulled ahead at the end, winning 74-67. At their media day, Coach Neptune said that Hausen is “one of the best shooters we’ve ever had at Villanova.” Hausen proved his coach right in this game, going an efficient five for eight from beyond the arc. We’ll see if they can turn it around on Saturday when Villanova hosts Oklahoma at the Wells Fargo Center.
If you’re reading this, it may be too late to get on the bandwagon for the Purdue Boilermakers. At the end of Feast Week, Matt Painter’s squad stands at 6-0 after impressive victories over no. 6 Gonzaga and no. 8 Duke en route to a Phil Knight Legacy Championship.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Zach Edey is an unstoppable force and an immovable object all wrapped into one. In their three games of the tournament, Edey averaged 22.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. While he may not be the most skilled player in the country, he is surely one of the most dominant. Standing at 7 ‘4 and weighing in at 290 pounds, there is basically no one in the country that can out muscle this man. This leads to coaches having to double Edey in the post, which, with his frame, allows him to pass out to the perimeter, allowing Matt Painter’s elite shooters to shine.
If coaches decide not to double Edey, then they might as well just chalk up two points for the Canadian. Aside from his scoring and passing ability, Edey is always able to keep offensive possessions alive, as he averaged four offensive rebounds in the PKL Tournament. Long story short: Zach Edey is one of the most dominant players in college basketball, but one player can’t do it all.
Last year, the Boilermakers found elite guard play in the fourth overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, Jaden Ivey. And this year? Well, they still have elite guard play. Friday’s game against Gonzaga was freshman Braden Smith’s first real introduction to a national audience. The freshman looked like prime Steve Nash, running all over the court and finding the open teammate with ease. Smith finished with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds in the win. Several of these assists went the way of the other freshman from Indiana.
A pure shooting guard, Fletcher Loyer also showed out during the tournament. Throughout the PKL, Loyer ran the lanes and went a solid eight of 18 from beyond the arc. Above all, he was patient and waited for the ball to come to him. When Edey was doubled down low, Loyer found himself open from beyond the arc, and the same thing rang true when Smith pushed the tempo in transition.
The game plan is simple for Matt Painter: get the ball down low to Zach Edey and hope for an easy basket; if he gets doubled, pass out to the perimeter so that their guards can knock down an open jumper. It’s hard to find holes in this plan, and, until anyone does, I don’t think many teams in the country can beat this Purdue team. With all the upsets around the country this week, I would be shocked if the Boilermakers didn’t find themselves inside the top-10 – if not the top five – as they will likely stay there for some time.
As “famed” college basketball insider Jon Rothstein loves to say on Twitter anytime the Creighton Bluejays take the court: Omaha, somewhere in Middle America. After three weeks of play, Creighton sits high atop the Big East and is lauded as one of the best teams in the nation. How did we get here, though?
Greg McDermott took over the head coaching job for the Bluejays in the 2010-11 season, and he oversaw their transition into the Big East three years later. Since then, Creighton has only dropped below .500 once. They have consistently been contenders for the Big East crown, but now they have bigger goals on their mind.
After going 23-12 last year and losing to eventual national champion Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, Coach McDermott was able to return all but one of his starters. The one starter they lost – Duke sharpshooting transfer Alex O’Connell – provided 11.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. So who did the Bluejays replace O’Connell with? Oh, the Summit League player of the year – guard Baylor Scheierman. Averaging 12.0 points and 9.3 rebounds on 44% shooting from three, Scheierman has been an integral part of Creighton’s early season success. Creighton’s starting five is LOADED; but through all the talent, I believe that Scheierman will be the most important piece. He’s a 6’6 guard who can not only shoot the lights out, but can also rebound like a 7 footer. Who wouldn’t want a player like that on their squad?
Thrust into the starting lineup last season, seven-footer Ryan Kalkbrenner ended the season as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Much like the team as a whole, Kalkbrenner also has his eyes set on greater accolades. The junior center currently sits on the Naismith Award watch list, and his early season play has proved why he should be a top candidate. This season, Kalkbrenner is averaging 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds – helping Creighton to their hot 6-1 start.
Playing on the other side of the wing as Scheierman is sophomore forward Arthur Kaluma – arguably the Bluejays most deadly scoring threat. Averaging 13.5 points and 5.5 rebounds on 44% shooting from the field, Kaluma can be overshadowed by the production from the rest of the starting lineup, but he remains an integral part of an experienced team. Monday’s win against no. 21 Texas Tech proved how important Kaluma is, as he went for 18 points on an efficient six of 11 night from the field.
Rounding out the wing play is another true sophomore in Trey Alexander. So far this season, Alexander has only dipped into single digits in the scoring column once, as he’s currently averaging 12.7 points on 56.9% shooting from the field. Like Kaluma, people seem to forget about Alexander, but his slashing ability is key to opening up the floor for the Bluejays.
Anchoring the offense is last year’s Big East Rookie of the Year, Ryan Nembhard. Nembhard began the season on the Bob Cousy Award watch list – which honors the nation’s best point guard – and through the first seven games, he has certainly looked worthy of that honor. So far this season, he is averaging 12.7 points and 5.7 assists per game, while only turning the ball over a total of 9 times. When Nembhard is operating and able to dish the ball to their elite scoring threats, the Bluejays are nearly impossible to beat.
Sure, Creighton has one of the best starting fives in the entire country, but, when that starting five isn’t hitting their shots, the Bluejays can seriously struggle. In the first half against Texas Tech on Monday, the offense was choppy, leading to a close game. The flaws of the Bluejays’ script were very obvious against no. 14 Arizona in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Championship game.
Kaluma wasn’t able to put the ball in the bucket – ending with 6 points – and that led to the offense stalling out on some possessions. To add insult to injury, Creighton was only able to find 11 points total from their bench. Later in the season – if the starters get in foul trouble – Creighton may not have anyone to turn to. The depth of the Bluejays is going to become a serious problem, but it will be something Coach McDermott will hopefully be able to improve throughout the season.
The sky’s the limit for this Creighton squad, as they have started the season 6-1 with wins against no. 21 Texas Tech and no. 9 Arkansas, and only losing to no. 14 Arizona – potentially a top five team come Monday – by two in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational Championship game. Creighton has an extremely impressive resume so far, and it will be tested further on Thursday, December 1, when they return to play against no. 4 Texas. If they keep playing up to their potential, their floor is a loss in the Elite Eight and their ceiling is a National Championship.
Since struggling in their opening game against St. Thomas (MN), the Bluejays have outscored opponents 190-126. In their most recent outing, they dominated Holy Cross 94-65. The points came in bunches for center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who dropped a cool 22 points in 20 minutes. Guard Ryan Nembhard was poetic in the backcourt, dishing out 12 assists with zero turnovers, while Baylor Scheierman once again led the team in rebounding with 9 boards. The size of the Bluejays shined once again, as they outrebounded Holy Cross 42-27.
The starting lineup for the Bluejays was sensational Thursday night, carrying a heavy load in Creighton’s 80-51 victory over UC Riverside. The starters contributed 58 of Creighton’s 80 points with transfer guard Baylor Scheierman leading the way, scoring 17 points off of a 70% field goal percentage. Length and threes were to story for the Bluejays, who secured 42 rebounds compared to 31 for Riverside, and hit eight threes compared to the Highlanders’ three. Creighton slept walked through this week, but recent wins over no. 21 Texas Tech and no. 9 Arkansas will catapult them into (maybe) the top five depending on their championship result. The Bluejays are soaring – largely on the shoulders of an incredible starting five – and are currently the team to beat in the Big East.
Villanova
Is it time to press the panic button? I don’t think so, but the ‘Cats haven’t shown us any signs that they’re poised to be competitive this year. Monday night saw the Wildcats playing the 3rd worst team in Division 1 – according to KenPom – who narrowly scraped out a 60-50 victory over Delaware State. The silver lining here is that both Brendan Hausen and Mark Armstrong helped put the ‘Cats over the top, each providing seven points off the bench in the second half. In years past, Villanova has relied upon their stellar three- point shooting, but for a second consecutive game that has been the worst aspect of the game, with a five of 27 clip from beyond the arc.
The Wildcats dropped another tough game, losing to a red-hot Michigan State team by a score of 73-71 Friday night. Eric Dixon continues to be the best player for Villanova, as he dropped 24 points and nine rebounds. Guard Caleb Daniels was able to bring home 13 points but on an inefficient four of 14 from the field, including one of eight from beyond the arc. The ‘Cats continue to struggle to hit their threes, and, until they start to turn it around, this rough start could be prolonged. Next week they travel to Oregon to compete in the Phil Knight invitational with their first game coming against the Iowa State Cyclones.
St John’s
The Johnnies are rolling to their first 3-0 start since the COVID year after defeating Central Connecticut State 91-74 Tuesday night. David Jones once again led the charge, scoring 15 points and grabbing nine rebounds – five of which were on the offensive end. Posh Alexander looked liked more like himself, as he scored 12 points, dished out six assists and snatched two steals. While he is starting to command the offense more, I would like to see Alexander get a little more involved. Freshman guard AJ Storr provided a spark off the bench, hitting four of five from beyond the arc and going for 16 points.
St. John’s continued the Gavitt Games with their matchup against Nebraska on Thursday. The Red Storm exploded in the second half, leading to a 70-50 victory over the Cornhuskers. Much of this can be attributed to the phenomenal play from senior center Joel Soriano, who had 17 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks. I still don’t think we are seeing the Posh Alexander we were promised, as he had 13 points and five turnovers in the contest. If Alexander can limit the turnovers and begin to control the offense more, then St. John’s could be a tough team to beat. The Johnnies are back Monday night for a battle against Temple.
DePaul
The Gavitt Games are here, and DePaul opened them up with a 69-53 win at Minnesota. Continuing his dominance, Javan Johnson scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Umoja Gibson once again proved why he was a great addition from Oklahoma this summer, as he led the offense with 14 points and eight assists. Eral Penn secured his first double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
The Blue Demons traveled to the Bahamas for the Bahamas Championship this past week. In their first game, they battled against Santa Clara and dropped a close one, 69-61. DePaul was unable to capitalize on the 19 turnovers and 19 fouls from Santa Clara, yet Umoja Gibson continued to look great with 18 points, four assists and five rebounds.
In their second game of the Bahamas Championship, DePaul squared off against Oklahoma State. Coming within one with 24 seconds to go, DePaul was unable to finish it off, losing 82-78. Eral Penn kept the Blue Demons in the game with his 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Umoja Gibson facilitated the offense with 17 points and six assists. DePaul is back in action Friday night when no. 24 Texas A&M comes to town.
Butler
Butler opened up their play against the Big 10 by traveling to Happy Valley to battle the Nittany Lions. N.C. State transfer Manny Bates continued his sensational play, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Bulldogs were down by 16 with five minutes to go in the game and started charging – looking to knock off Penn State – but Jalen Pickett’s triple double (15, 11, and 10) proved to be too much, as Butler lost 68-62. Even with all the time off, the abysmal shooting from the Bulldogs has continued (five of 23 from beyond the arc).
After the tough loss to Penn State, the Bulldogs bounced back Thursday night with a 95-67 victory over St. Francis (PA). Hampered by foul trouble, Manny Bates wasn’t able to be as aggressive as he’s used to, yet the other four starters each scored at least 15 points. Junior guard Chuck Harris was unstoppable with 22 points, seven assists and five rebounds on 70% shooting from the field.
Saturday was another easy game for the Bulldogs, as they obliterated The Citadel 89-42. Much like last game, Manny Bates did not do much, but the rest of the starters for Butler filled in for him, all scoring at least 13 points. Butler has not had much competition other than Penn State this week, but next week should feature some real tests. The no. 23 Tennessee Volunteers will be in town Wednesday night to see what the Bulldogs are truly made of.
Marquette
The Golden Eagles traveled down to West Lafayette on Tuesday and battled for 40 minutes, ultimately falling short to the Purdue Boilermakers, 75-70. Off the bench, David Joplin was phenomenal, scoring 21 points and grabbing 9 rebounds while shooting a stellar five of seven from three. Zach Edey proved to be too much for Marquette to handle, dominating with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
From the second that the game tipped off, Long Island was out of it. Marquette ran away with the game early on and never looked back, winning 95-58. Junior forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper only missed one shot all night, going for 31 points. Oso Ighodaro did it all with 11 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Marquette comes back on Monday when they face Mississippi State.
Xavier
Sean Miller has his Musketeers rolling, having won their most recent contest against Fairfield 78-65. The unselfish play has also continued, as Xavier dished out 23 assists throughout the game. At the heart of this offense is senior forward Zach Freemantle, who was sensational Tuesday night after recording his first triple-double of the season: 15 points, 10 assists, and 13 rebounds. Adam Kunkel and Jack Nunge both contributed to the scoring in a big way, each scoring at least 21 in the game.
Xavier battled hard in their match against Big 10 front runner – no. 12 ranked Indiana – but ultimately fell 81-79. The starting five for the Musketeers looked great with four out of the five scoring at least 13 points. Xavier squared up really well with the Hoosiers, and, if one or two more little things went their way, they could have easily won the contest. That should be very promising for Sean Miller as the Musketeers head into a week with a lot of rest, with only one game (Florida) on the schedule.
Georgetown
OK, let’s take a deep breath. I was getting ahead of myself. Georgetown basketball is most definitely NOT back. Tuesday night saw the Hoyas lose to Northwestern 75-63, and it featured one of the worst stretches of basketball (if we can even call it that) I’ve seen in recent memory. A silver lining, however, is that Primo Spears continued to impress with 22 points, six assists and three steals. But as Jerry Garcia liked to say, “every silver lining’s got a touch of grey,” and that grey comes in the fact that outside of Spears, Coach Ewing can’t find anyone that can put the ball in the basket at a consistent rate.
The Hoyas traveled to Jamaica for the Jamaica Classic, and, in their first game, they battled against Loyola Marymount, ultimately losing 84-66 on Friday. Sophomore guard Brandon Murray looked solid with 19 points. What killed Georgetown in this game was their abysmal 18% three-point shooting. The bench for the Hoyas also only contributed eight points, something Coach Ewing should be looking to address.
In their final game of the Jamaica Classic, Georgetown faced off against La Salle and triumphed by a score of 69-62. Senior center Qudus Wahab led the Hoyas to victory with 23 points and seven rebounds. Three-point shooting was once again a weak point for the Hoyas, who only hit 25% of their shots from downtown. Georgetown will have some time off before facing cross-town rival American on Wednesday.
Providence
The Friars came flying into the Dunkin’ Donuts Center for their matchup against Stonehill on Tuesdayand left victorious, winning 100-76. The story of the game – and the season for that matter – was rebounding. The Friars had 40 rebounds (16 on the offensive end) while holding Stonehill to only 19 total. Six Friars scored in double digits, with Bryce Hopkins leading the way with 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.
Providence looked flat Saturday in their game against Miami, losing 74-64. Going down by 10 at half, the Friars were never able to gain enough momentum to fight off the Hurricanes. Bryce Hopkins once again dominated with 16 points and eight rebounds, but his aggression got the best of him, as he also let up six turnovers. Only two players on their bench scored, something Ed Cooley will definitely look to improve on in their next games.
Oh boy. Sunday night saw the Friars lose their last game of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip Off Classic to the Saint Louis Billikens, 76-73. A timely layup by Saint Louis’ Yuri Collins with 24 seconds to go allowed the Bellikens to prevail against Providence. Bryce Hopkins brought home another dominant performance with 20 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for the Friars, as they fell to 3-2. Providence will look to pack their home court Wednesday night when they face off against Merrimack.
UConn
The newest member of the AP Top 25 looked great once again, as the Huskies defeated Buffalo 84-64 on Tuesday. ECU transfer Tristen Newton was dominant, notching his first triple double of the season with 22 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals. UConn dominated the glass, winning the rebound battle 42-29. Much of this can be attributed to Donovan Clingan’s dominance down low, as he poured in 11 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.
In his first full game back, Jordan Hawkins looked like the player that everyone thought he could become. In 24 minutes of action, Hawkins scored 20 points on seven of thirteen from the field, helping to bring the Huskies to a 86-50 victory over UNC Wilmington on Friday. Sanogo looked unstoppable once again, scoring 24 points and grabbing five rebounds.
Delaware State came to town Sunday night and the Huskies proved why they are one of the best teams in the nation, winning 95-60. Once again, Sanogo dominated with 26 points and eight rebounds. Clingan was great off the bench, scoring 16 points and sending back three shots. UConn will be back Thursday night when they look to defend their home court against the visiting Oregon Ducks.
Seton Hall
Wednesday saw the Pirates taking a tough loss to Iowa, losing 83-67 on their home floor. Coach Holloway has a lot to work on before their next game, as Seton Hall played sloppily, fouling Iowa 25 times throughout the game. These fouls led to Iowa going 28 of 33 from the charity stripe. The Pirates also turned the ball over 16 times compared to only eight for Iowa.
After losing to Iowa, Coach Holloway and the Pirates had a much easier contest against Wagner Sunday night. Seton Hall dominated all game, ultimately winning 82-44. Senior guard Al-Amir Dawes not only led the offense with 19 points, but also anchored the defense with three steals. Three-point shooting was a key for the Pirates, as they were able to knock down 11 of them throughout the course of the game. Thursday will be a good match for Seton Hall when they face off against Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers.
What is happening in Storrs, Connecticut? Since Dan Hurley took over as the head coach of UConn five years ago, the Huskies have been steadily improving. Hurley took over a middling basketball program that was still reveling in its two championships in four years – one coming in 2011 and the second in 2014. A win improvement has come in every year for the Hurley-led Huskies. Even amongst the uncertainty of the COVID year, UConn was able to reach their first AP Top 25 ranking since the 2015-16 season. Looking to the future, UConn has the 4th highest rated recruiting class, including a top-20 five-star in Stephon Castle. But that’s next year. What’s going on this year?
The Huskies currently stand 2-0, and they have looked strong in the two contests. At the heart of this team is preseason Big East Player of the Year Adama Sanogo. The junior forward was dominant last year, averaging 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds in a season in which the Huskies lost in the Big East Tournament semifinal to Villanova. In two games this year, Sanogo is averaging 23.0 points and 10.5 rebounds.
While Sanogo is a certified stud, there are some question marks surrounding the guard play for the Huskies. To begin the season, there was no answer for who was going to be the true facilitator for this offense. In game one, junior Texas A&M transfer Hassan Diarra came off the bench with a willingness to pass the ball. Coach Hurley was impressed enough to thrust Diarra into the starting role for game two. Over the Huskies’ first two games, he has averaged 8.5 points and 6.5 assists.
Some more concerts for the squad are the absence of several key players. First, Sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins begins the season in concussion protocol after taking a scary fall in their opener against Stonehill. “I think he’s a fringe first-rounder. I think his ceiling is the second-best NBA prospect in the league behind Cam Whitmore,” says one NBA scout about Hawkins. Coming into last season with a tremendous amount of preseason hype, Hawkins wasn’t able to live up to his potential, suffering from several concussions throughout his freshman campaign. Scouts are looking for Hawkins to take a monumental leap this season in his production, barring any injuries. Upon his return to play, Hawkins will be able to take much of the scoring pressure of Sanogo.
Another key injury to a promising player is the broken finger to junior guard Andre Jackson. Much like Hawkins, Jackson is slated to make a major jump to star-level status this season. When he returns, Jackson should provide the answer to the Huskies point guard question. Jackson has pure passing instincts and will be able to distribute the ball to Sanogo and Hawkins. Jackson is also being looked at as potentially NBA-ready at the end of the year, even going as high as the mid to late first round.
With two first round talents sidelined for the Huskies, there are other players that need to step up. One of those such players is freshman and hometown hero Donovan Clingan. The 7’2 center from Bristol, Connecticut has been a crowd favorite, averaging 9.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game. Clingan comes to UConn fresh off of winning back-to-back Gatorade Player of the Years in Connecticut, so the fans naturally gave him a standing ovation every time he checked into their first game. Clingan is able to not only block shots, but also alter them with ease, causing some of the defensive pressure to be taken off Sanogo. Like Diarra, Clingan has stepped up in the absence of the Huskies’ star players, and Coach Hurley has rewarded them both by plugging them into the starting lineup.
So let’s say Clingan and Diarra can continue to be impactful while Coach Hurley waits for his players to be healthy. When Jackson and Hawkins come back, and if they live up to their hype – and that is a big if – UConn could be a serious problem not only in the Big East, but also in the tournament. This seems like the type of team that could catch fire come March. If all the pieces come together, I believe this UConn team could compete with the best of ‘em. With all that said, I would put their floor at a loss in the Big East Championship, and their ceiling at an Elite Eight run.
High expectations have surrounded the Bluejays all summer, and Monday was their first opportunity to showcase why they deserve to be ranked inside the top 10. St. Thomas (MN) kept the game close for all of the first half and some of the second. It took a wakeup call of a one-point deficit with 10 minutes left in the home opener for Coach Greg McDermott to turn on the heat and hold the Tommies scoreless for 11 consecutive possessions. Sophomore forward Arthur Kaluma led the way in scoring with 17 points, while South Dakota State transfer Baylor Scheierman notched his first double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Thursday night’s game against North Dakota showed us the Creighton team that we were promised. The Bluejays grabbed 49 rebounds on their way to a 96-61 rout of the Fighting Hawks. 21 of those 49 rebounds were on the offensive end, which prevented North Dakota from never really threatening Creighton throughout. Junior center Ryan Kalkbrenner proved why he is on the early short list for the Naismith award, as he dominated with 24 points and 7 rebounds while going 10 from 11 from the field. The Blue Jays will be back in action Monday night when Holy Cross rolls into Omaha.
Villanova
For the first time in 21 years, the Wildcats have a new captain of their ship. While there’s a new face on the sidelines, the ‘Cats still look like the ‘Cats. With their two best players – senior guard Justin Moore and freshman forward Cam Whitmore – sidelined with injuries, Caleb Daniels stepped up by tallying 24 points on 6 of 7 shooting from beyond the arc – not to mention his 10 rebounds as a guard. Eric Dixon also had a strong performance as a presence down low with 20 points en route to an 81-68 victory over Big 5 rival La Salle.
The first hiccup of the Kyle Neptune era came Friday night, as the Wildcats dropped a tough loss to Temple, 68-64. Three-point attempts were few and far between for the ‘Cats, who went a meager 2 of 7 from beyond the arc. Villanova’s offense emphasizes bringing the ball down low to get easy buckets and open up shots. Temple’s refusal to double in the post prevented the ‘Cats’ ability to take these shots. Sophomore Jordan Longino looked incredible, creating his own shots and finding the open teammate on many occasions. Longino’s development is coming at the right time in order to take some of the scoring pressure off of Caleb Daniels, while the team awaits the return of Whitmore and Moore. Villanova returns to the Finn to face off against Delaware State on Monday.
St. John’s
Fret not Red Storm faithful, basketball is back in Queens. The Johnnies battled against Merrimack on Monday and came out on top, 97-72: a strong performance from a team who possesses some high expectations. It was an onslaught of scoring, as the entire starting lineup for St. John’s finished in double figures – including a 21 point, 10 rebound, and four assist performance from DePaul transfer David Jones. There were some downsides, however, as St. John’s turned the ball over 29 times. Look for Big East preseason first-team guard Posh Alexander to limit this trend as an offensive catalyst.
Saturday night was another strong showing for the Red Storm, as they defeated Lafayette 83-68 at home. David Jones continued his hot streak of scoring, as he walked away with 20 points and five rebounds. Head coach Mike Anderson should be proud of the execution from his team, who was able to limit their turnovers this game by committing only ten in the win. One concerning thing for St. John’s is that star guard Posh Alexander only shot the ball three times. I would look to get Alexander more involved in the offense for Tuesday’s game against Connecticut State.
DePaul
The Blue Devils of the Windy City squared off against Loyola (MD) on Monday. It was the closest game for our first slate of games, but DePaul persevered, winning 72-66. Graduate school transfer Javan Johnson helped push them over the top, as he dominated with 24 points and ten rebounds. Fresh off a hand injury that sidelined him in February, Johnson is looking to contribute in big ways to this team. DePaul held several double digit leads during the game but was unable to capitalize on them. Look for that to be a point of emphasis for coach Tony Stubblefield going forward.
It was a feverish Friday night for DePaul, as they faced off against in-state opponent Western Illinois and came out victorious, 86-74. Umoja Gibson was dominant against the Leathernecks, as he notched 24 points, eight assists, and two steals while only missing two shots all night. DePaul as a team was on fire, shooting a solid 60% from the field. On the other end of the ball, DePaul was able to limit Western Illinois to 37% from two and 20% from three. The Blue Devils picked up a ten-point lead early in the first half and never looked back. Monday night will be a test for this roster, as they’re set to travel to Minneapolis to square off against Minnesota.
Butler
The Bulldogs of Butler were back in action Monday night, as they faced the New Orleans Privateers. Butler dominated the game on both sides of the floor, comfortably winning 89-53. They had five players in double figures, including graduate school transfer Manny Bates – an NC State product – pouring in 25 points and snatching 11 rebounds. On the defense end of the ball, Myles Tate and Pierce Thomas each had 3 steals. Surely, most of Butler’s practices this week will be focused on three-point shooting, as they went a meager four of 24 from beyond the arc. Coach Thad Matta has time, though, to iron out the kinks before their next game, as the Bulldogs don’t play again until Monday when they travel to Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions.
Marquette
Shaka Smart and his Golden Eagles hosted the Highlanders of Radford on Monday. When the clock hit double zeros, Marquette proved to be victorious, winning a close one, 79-69. Sophomore forward Oso Ighodaro commanded the Golden Eagles, notching 19 points and grabbing seven boards. Coach Smart can be pleased with his team, as they went a respectable 20 of 25 from the free throw line. If they can continue that production, Marquette could hang with the best of them.
The Golden Eagles were rolling Thursday night, defeating Central Michigan 97-73. It was a total team performance, as Marquette was able to dish out 27 total assists. Sophomore guard Tyler Kolek led that with eight points, five rebounds, and 11 helpers. Much of these passes made their way to David Joplin, who led the Golden Eagles with 23 points off the bench. Shaka and the boys have a tough matchup on Tuesday, as they will travel to Indiana to battle Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers. Keep an eye out for the Oso Ighodaro-Zach Edey matchup down low.
Xavier
The Musketeers battled the Morgan State Bears on Monday, prevailing 96-73. Junior guard Colby Jones led the offense by scoring 15 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing six rebounds. On the defensive end of the ball, Jones also snatched three steals. The team play was the key for the Musketeers, as they collected 24 assists compared to the Bears’ 11. Defense was a point of emphasis for coach Sean Miller, as Xavier was able to send back ten shots and steal 15 passes.
Team play was again a strong suit for the Musketeers in their 86-64 victory over Montana, who dished out a total of 23 assists. Coach Miller can also be proud of his team’s inability to turn the ball over – look to their nine turnovers as evidence. Senior forward Zach Freemantle led the way in scoring with 18 points, but seven Xavier players scored at least seven points. This is a team that feeds off one another, and we’ll keep an eye on that when they tip off against Fairfield on Tuesday.
Georgetown
328. That’s how many days Georgetown University had gone without receiving a win from their basketball program. That all changed on Tuesday when the Hoyas pulled out a 10 point overtime victory against Coppin State. Duquesne transfer Primo Spears led the way with 28 points and six rebounds. It will be interesting to follow the Hoyas this season, especially if their poor performances continue to persist. If things don’t turn around soon, don’t be surprised if their favorite son – Coach Patrick Ewing – is fired before seasons’ end.
Is Georgetown basketball back? Don’t look now, but the Hoyas are 2-0 and trending in the right direction. Saturday’s game against Green Bay is hopefully a sign of what’s to come from Georgetown, as they dominated in a 92-58 win. The guard play was phenomenal for Coach Ewing, as Primo Spears recorded 21 points and five assists and Brandan Murray contributed 19 and seven. The Hoyas are back in action on Tuesday in a matchup against Northwestern.
Providence
The reigning Big East champions picked up right where they left off, winning a surprisingly close game at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. The Ed Cooley led Friars went down by as much as 15 early on to the Broncs due to Rider’s red hot three point shooting. The Friars failed to capitalize on the frequent fouling by Rider, hitting only 26 of their 43 free throw attempts. When Providence can settle into their stifling defense, they can be hard to stop, but only scrapping out a one-point victory on a banner night is a disappointing result.
The Friars looked much stronger on Saturday in their 89-65 victory over Northeastern. The Huskies took a one point lead two minutes into the second half, but Ed Cooley turned up the heat, refusing to play in another close game. Much improved free throw shooting was a key to success for the Friars, who converted 14 of 19 from the charity stripe. Jared Bynum was back in form, leading the offense with 21 points and nine assists. Kentucky transfer Bryce Hopkins dominated down low with ten points and 11 rebounds. Providence plays again on Tuesday against Stonehill.
UConn
Defense and depth shined for the Huskies Monday night against the Stonehill Skyhawks, as UConn won convincingly, 85-54. Freshman Donovan Clingan came off the bench and locked down the paint, blocking four shots and grabbing seven boards. Virginia Tech transfer Nahiem Alleyne also provided a spark defensively with four steals and eight points. Big East preseason player of the year – center Adama Sanogo – carried the offense with 19 points and six rebounds.
Head coach Dan Hurley led another dominant performance for the injury-plagued Huskies in an 86-57 win over Boston University. Sanogo proved once again why he’s one of the top players in the nation, as he controlled the game with 27 points and 15 rebounds. UConn’s defense shined, allowing the Terriers only two three-pointers throughout the whole game. The Huskies are back in action on Tuesday, taking on Buffalo at home.
Seton Hall
Wednesday saw the first game of the Shaheen Holloway era as the head coach at Seton Hall. Fresh off leading St. Peter’s to the Elite Eight of last year’s tournament, Holloway is poised to lead his alma mater to similar heights. Wednesday was a group effort for the Pirates, as they had four players finish in double figures in their 79-52 victory over Monmouth. Freshman Tae Davis came off the bench and quickly provided a spark, adding 11 points and 8 rebounds.
Coach Holloway faced off against the team he turned into March’s most recent Cinderella story on Saturday night. Holloway and the Pirates came out victorious winning 80-44 over the Peacocks of St. Peter’s. This game was never within reach for the Peacocks, as Seton Hall was able to go up by as much as 42 at one point. Senior guard Al-Amir Dawes led all scorers with 13 points and ten rebounds. The Pirates have a real test on Wednesday, as they will face off against Iowa.
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