Jeff Borzello, ESPN Group of workers Editor
Kansas is monitoring to be one of the most larger conundrums for the NCAA event variety committee. Extra instantly, it’s monitoring to be one of the most harder groups to fit in the Energy Scores.
The Jayhawks had been similar the peak of the scores and seedings all season, date the predictive metrics — KenPom, BPI, BartTorvik.com, EvanMiya.com — had been relatively decrease for weeks, rather rating them within the teenagers. From a résumé point of view, the Jayhawks have the most productive assortment of top of the range wins within the nation: towards UConn, Tennessee and Kentucky, 3 groups ranked throughout the peak 5 of this life’s Energy Scores. The ones are quite mitigated by means of sinister losses at UCF and West Virginia.
So, is Invoice Self’s squad nearer to the 1-seed it was once projected as sooner than Saturday’s loss to the Mountaineers? Or will the metrics and sinister losses take away the Jayhawks from attention? There’s nonetheless enough of presen left for them to solidify their credentials, however there are some actual negatives significance tracking.
Who else falls into this bucket? Kentucky has been enjoying higher than Kansas in contemporary weeks, so it’s now not as fat of a speaking level, however the Wildcats have a superior win over North Carolina … and now not a lot else. There’s a house loss to UNC Wilmington, and the Wildcats’ scores in maximum metrics are in reality less than the ones of Kansas.
We’ve mentioned Houston and Auburn sooner than, however each are metrics darlings regardless of now not having a lot heft to their profiles so far.
The Cougars are Deny. 1 in predictive metrics with a traditionally just right protection, regardless that their very best wins this season are over Dayton and Texas Tech. Highway journeys to BYU and Kansas within the upcoming couple of weeks can be telling.
In the meantime, the Tigers are peak 5 in each KenPom and BPI, regardless that they don’t have a unmarried Quadrant 1 win, and their very best win is over Texas A&M at house. February video games towards Kentucky and Tennessee may produce or fracture their 1-seed hopes.
Directly to this life’s awards and scores …
It was once a reasonably shiny life for applicants for this award, with the 2 largest wins of the life coming from groups (West Virginia and Pitt) that have been coming off double-digit losses. Groups that defeated two NCAA event groups have been few and a ways between, regardless that, so the Huskies get the nod next dismantling Creighton in Storrs and next placing on to overcome Villanova at the street.
The 62-48 win over Creighton was once a defensive sanatorium. UConn restricted Creighton to 0.78 issues according to ownership, the Bluejays’ worst offensive efficiency in Fat East play games in two years. It was once the reigning nationwide champion’s very best defensive try for the reason that 2023-24 season opener towards Northern Arizona — Creighton scored 18 issues within the ultimate seven mins simply to get to 48 issues.
On Saturday, the Huskies confirmed a ton of resilience and a capability to win related video games we haven’t noticeable a lot of this season given all their blowouts. They scored the primary 11 issues of the sport, however Villanova got here again to shoot the top two times. The primary presen, UConn answered with an 11-0 run. The second one presen, a 13-0 run. And past due within the match, each and every presen Nova connect issues up, the Huskies had a solution from Tristen Newton (25 issues) or Alex Karaban.
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Dalton Knecht throws ailing fat slam dunk vs. Alabama Red Wave
Dalton Knecht throws ailing fat slam dunk vs. Alabama Red Wave
Knecht introduced his arrival to high-major basketball sooner than the season formally began, with the Northern Colorado switch scoring 28 issues and taking a look like the most productive participant at the ground in a preseason exhibition match towards Michigan State. With the exception of an ankle shock that impacted him for a couple of weeks, Knecht has slightly bogged down since. However he’s enjoying the most productive basketball of his season at this time.
The 6-foot-6 wing opened the life with 39 issues and 8 rebounds in a 19-point win over Florida and next went for 25 issues and 4 forums in a 91-71 win over Alabama. Knecht made all 17 of his isolated throw makes an attempt around the two video games and shot 16-for-31 and 5-for-12 from 3-point space. Over his while 4 video games, he’s averaging 32.0 issues and 5.5 rebounds, capturing 53.1% from the garden and 48.3% from 3.
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Jaland Lowe silences Duke nation with past due 3 in Pitt’s disappointed win
Pittsburgh’s Jaland Lowe cashes a three to position the Panthers up 4 with beneath a modest left within the match.
The post-Bob Huggins date in Morgantown has been tricky for meantime professor Josh Eilert, who entered the weekend with a 6-11 total report and only one Fat 12 win. However next appearing some oath within the victory over Texas final weekend, the Mountaineers landed their largest win of the season by means of beating Kansas on Saturday. They got here up with fat play games next fat play games within the ultimate mins, taking the top on a Patrick Suemnick layup and next grabbing 3 offensive rebounds and hitting 9 isolated throws within the ultimate 40 seconds. The win snapped a six-game shedding streak for West Virginia within the head-to-head sequence.
In the meantime, Pitt had probably the most important street win of the life. The Panthers jumped out to an 11-point top and not trailed by means of greater than a basket, with a Jaland Lowe 3-pointer with 43 seconds left placing them up 4 and necessarily clinching the sport. It was once Pitt’s first win at Duke since 1979. Positive, the Blue Devils have been with out two starters, however the Panthers entered the sport 1-5 within the ACC, their handiest win the while age coming over Louisville. And, right here’s a superior stat from ESPN Stats & Data: Jeff Capel is handiest the second one former Duke participant within the while 70 seasons to win at Cameron Indoor Stadium as an opposing head professor, with the alternative one being Lefty Driesell.
Tutor of the While: Bucky McMillan, Samford Bulldogs
Since taking up this system in 2020, McMillan has slowly advanced the Bulldogs, which contains successful a proportion of the SoCon regular-season identify final season. This season, he has his squad able to shoot the upcoming step, and Tuesday’s win at Western Carolina proved it. The Catamounts hadn’t misplaced at house all season and hadn’t misplaced a match in any respect since Dec. 5, till Samford lost in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and emerged with a 75-71 win.
The Bulldogs next took aid of industrial towards Mercer, 87-80, to conserve their unbeaten SoCon report. They lately personal the people’s longest successful streak at 17 video games, and are 17-2 total (6-0 in league play games). McMillan’s taste — termed “Bucky Ball” — is based on fast paced basketball, a deep bench and a accumulation of made 3s. All of which has put Samford in place to produce noise in March — and McMillan in place to doubtlessly produce noise at the training carousel round the similar presen.
3 groups with questions
Miami Hurricanes: Later attaining the Ultimate 4 final season and getting into November with top-15 expectancies, the Hurricanes are in a little bit of a tailspin. They’ve misplaced 4 in their while 5 video games to loose underneath .500 within the ACC, with house losses to Louisville and Florida State in that reach. They badly wish to get started stacking wins.
Oklahoma State Cowboys: In a vacuum, shedding at house to Kansas and at Kansas State isn’t the tip of the arena. However the Cowboys are actually 0-5 within the Fat 12, and alternatives for wins outdoor of this weekend’s house match towards West Virginia are thin. They may well be headed for a last-place end within the league.
Missouri Tigers: Dennis Gates and the Tigers are suffering in Era 2, next surpassing all expectancies in Era 1. They misplaced by means of 12 at house to Florida on Saturday, their 5th SEC loss in a row. They’ve received only one match since Dec. 4 — at house towards Central Arkansas — with losses in 8 in their while 9 video games total. It received’t get more uncomplicated this life at Texas A&M and South Carolina.
Energy Scores
1. UConn Huskies (17-2)
Earlier rating: 1
This life: vs. Xavier (Sunday)
The go back of Donovan Clingan got here at the easiest presen for UConn, which wanted him towards Creighton‘s Ryan Kalkbrenner and Villanova‘s Eric Dixon. His measurement and shot-blocking skill convey an absolutely other field to the Huskies’ protection, date his skill to roll to the rim and end pressured Nova to produce early changes. Clingan totaled 12 issues, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 40 mins off the bench in his first two video games again. As his mins building up, the Deny. 1 group within the nation will handiest get well.
2. Purdue Boilermakers (17-2)
Earlier rating: 2
This life: vs. Michigan (Tuesday), at Rutgers (Sunday)
Zach Edey has been placing up otherworldly numbers the while couple of weeks, and it’s now not being mentioned just about plethora. Because the loss at Nebraska on Jan. 9, he has averaged 31.0 issues and 17.3 rebounds, shot 62% from the ground and cancelled 2.7 pictures according to match. He had 33 and 14 within the win at Indiana and adopted it up with 30 and 18 towards Iowa. That this isn’t the most important tale in school basketball is as just right a hallmark as any that Edey is a shoo-in to win the Wood Award for a moment instantly season.
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Jae’lyn Withers will get the basket plus the foul
Jae’lyn Withers will get the basket plus the foul
3. North Carolina Tar Heels (15-3)
Earlier rating: 3
This life: vs. Wake Forest (Monday), at Florida State (Saturday)
Since Hubert Davis took over for Roy Williams, Carolina hasn’t precisely been identified for its bench utilization. In his first two seasons on the helm, the Tar Heels ranked Deny. 348 and Deny. 360 in bench mins, respectively, consistent with KenPom. This season, they’re moderately upper — and so they’re inauguration to get cast manufacturing from Louisville switch Jae’Lyn Withers, who went for 15 and 10 towards his former program, next scored 9 towards Boston College on Saturday.
4. Tennessee Volunteers (14-4)
Earlier rating: 5
This life: at Vanderbilt (Saturday)
UT’s advanced offense has won enough of plaudits this season, however take into accout, that is nonetheless a really elite defensive group, as it’s been for 4 years in a row beneath Rick Barnes. Saturday was once a just right reminder of this. Alabama is ranked Deny. 1 in adjusted offensive potency, and the Wave have been held to a season low in issues according to ownership (0.92), a season majestic in yielding share (28.5%) and a 4-for-19 capturing efficiency from 3.
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Zvonimir Ivisic throws candy behind-the-back go for a three
Fresh Kentucky fat guy Zvonimir Ivisic will get fancy with a behind-the-back go to Antonio Reeves for a 3-pointer.
5. Kentucky Wildcats (14-3)
Earlier rating: 6
This life: at South Carolina (Tuesday), at Arkansas (Saturday)
How are we able to discuss anything else but even so Zvonimir Ivisic? Cleared not up to six hours sooner than tipoff towards Georgia on Saturday, the 7-2 Croatian freshman had one of the most extra notable debuts we’ve noticeable. He completed with 13 issues, 5 forums and three blocks, however it was once the outlet five-minute stretch the place he scored 11 issues (together with 3 3s), grabbed 3 forums, racked up 2 assists and cancelled 2 pictures that in point of fact opened visions round school basketball. Fat Z is a valid ceiling-raiser for Kentucky.
6. Houston Cougars (16-2)
Earlier rating: 7
This life: at BYU (Tuesday), vs. Kansas State (Saturday)
Later struggling its first two losses of the season, Houston were given again on target with two blowout wins and two elite defensive performances, protecting Texas Tech and UCF to a blended 96 issues. The 57-42 win over UCF was once a masterclass at that finish of the ground. The Knights shot 15.9% from the ground and 13% from throughout the arc. Their seven made garden objectives and 3 made 2-pointers have been the fewest in a Category I match this season. That 15.9% capturing share was once additionally the worst in Fat 12 historical past.
7. Auburn Tigers (16-2)
Earlier rating: 8
This life: at Alabama (Wednesday), at Mississippi State (Saturday)
This can be a observation life for Auburn. The Tigers have slightly been driven since they misplaced to Appalachian State on Dec. 3, next received 11 in a row by means of double digits. (All 16 in their wins this season had been by means of a minimum of 11 issues.) They handed their two earlier convention street assessments in convincing model, however the Wave and Bulldogs this life are a step up in weight magnificence.
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Caleb Love makes the layup and is fouled
Caleb Love will get the and-1 to loose to present Arizona its first top since 3-0.
8. Arizona Wildcats (14-4)
Earlier rating: 9
This life: at Oregon State (Thursday), at Oregon (Saturday)
Arizona just about suffered a splendid disappointed by the hands of UCLA, however the Wildcats erased a 19-point first-half shortage and a 17-point second-half shortage for the comeback win. A loss on Saturday would have raised severe issues, as it might have put them at 5-5 since opening the season 8-0. Even with the win, then again, there are some problems, in particular their protection throughout the arc. Later now not permitting any in their first 8 fighters to execute higher than 48.4% from 2, 8 in their while 10 fighters have shot a minimum of 51% on 2s.
9. Kansas Jayhawks (15-3)
Earlier rating: 4
This life: vs. Cincinnati (Monday), at Iowa State (Saturday)
KU suffered a plenty disappointed by the hands of West Virginia on Saturday, however this presen we will’t blame it at the dearth of a 5th or 6th man to produce performs — each Johnny Furphy (13 issues) and Nicolas Timberlake (12 issues) made pictures. This presen, there was once a little bit of variance (WVU shot 12-for-21 from 3) and a hideous dearth of defensive rebounding past due within the match. The Mountaineers rebounded 34.6% in their misses, their very best offensive rebounding share in virtually two months and the perfect share Kansas has allowed since November.
10. Marquette Golden Eagles (13-5)
Earlier rating: 16
This life: at DePaul (Wednesday), vs. Seton Hall (Saturday)
In Marquette’s first two video games with out Sean Jones, and with Chase Ross already out, Shaka Intriguing badly wanted Tyler Kolek to regain his mode. And Kolek did, bouncing again from his dismal two-game stretch in losses to Seton Corridor and Butler with performances harking back to his improbable play games final season: 21 issues, 5 rebounds and 11 assists towards Villanova, adopted by means of 15 issues, 6 rebounds and 11 assists in a one-point street win at St. John’s.
11. Illinois Fighting Illini (14-4)
Earlier rating: Within the ready room
This life: at Northwestern (Wednesday), vs. Indiana (Saturday)
With Terrence Shannon Jr. again within the wrinkle next a federal pass judgement on granted his request for a brief restraining series — permitting him to rejoin the group next he was once suspended indefinitely following his December arrest on a legal rape rate — Illinois is again within the Scores. Shannon didn’t get started towards Rutgers on Sunday however performed 27 mins off the bench and completed with 16 issues and 4 assists. The ongoing stellar play games of Justin Harmon could also be significance citing: he had 18 issues and 8 forums off the bench Sunday, the 5th presen in seven video games he has accident double figures in scoring.
12. Wisconsin Badgers (14-4)
Earlier rating: 10
This life: at Minnesota (Tuesday), vs. Michigan State (Friday)
Generation the Badgers’ offense is their very best since sooner than Greg Gard took over, their protection is their worst within the KenPom date. That hasn’t been a lot of a consider contemporary weeks, however they allowed 1.22 issues according to ownership in back-to-back video games towards Penn State and Indiana this while life, with each groups capturing 40% or higher from 3-point space. The offense is so just right that it received’t topic maximum nights, however it’s one thing significance tracking.
13. Oklahoma Sooners (15-3)
Earlier rating: 15
This life: vs. Texas (Tuesday), vs. Texas Tech (Saturday)
It was once an remarkable life for Oklahoma to deal trade, and the Sooners answered to their two-game shedding streak by means of beating West Virginia at house and next going at the street to overcome Cincinnati. Take note of the new play games of Jalon Moore. He had 9 issues and 10 forums towards Cincinnati next going for 16 issues and 5 rebounds towards West Virginia. He’s averaging 11.0 issues and seven.4 rebounds in his while seven video games next placing up 8.4 issues and four.8 forums in his first 10.
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‘Hammer presen!’ DaRon Holmes II throws ailing breakaway jam for Dayton
DaRon Holmes II choices off a go on protection and takes it all of the manner for an emphatic dunk towards Saint Louis.
14. Dayton Flyers (15-2)
Earlier rating: Within the ready room
This life: at La Salle (Tuesday), at Richmond (Saturday)
DaRon Holmes II continues to accomplish at an All-American stage for Anthony Lend. He went for 29 issues, 14 rebounds and four blocks in a win over Saint Louis, next completed with 21 issues, 6 rebounds and three blocks in Saturday’s blowout over Rhode Island. He’s now averaging 23.8 issues, 8.4 rebounds and a pair of.0 blocks, capturing 58% from the garden and 44.4% from 3-point space, in 5 Atlantic 10 video games.
15. Duke Blue Devils (13-4)
Earlier rating: 11
This life: at Louisville (Tuesday), vs. Clemson (Saturday)
Duke must get totally wholesome once more. The Blue Devils will have to had been ready to overcome Pitt at house on Saturday regardless, however additionally they struggled to shoot ailing Georgia Tech with out Mark Mitchell and next couldn’t beat the Panthers with out Mitchell and Jeremy Roach. Jon Scheyer doesn’t have a lot valuable intensity even at complete energy, as evidenced by means of 4 starters enjoying a minimum of 35 mins towards Pitt. Later Tuesday’s match, the agenda stiffens up with the sport towards the Tigers and next journeys to Virginia Tech and North Carolina.
16. Baylor Bears (14-4)
Earlier rating: 13
This life: vs. TCU (Saturday)
Baylor hasn’t been superior at the street this season, shedding by means of 24 to Michigan State in Detroit, suffering to overcome Oklahoma State in early January and next shedding to Kansas State and Texas final life. The ones final two losses have been by means of a blended six issues, regardless that, so there’s refuse wish to ring any alarm bells. The defeat to Kansas Atmosphere did trait Baylor’s worst offensive efficiency of the season, and the loss to Texas was once the Bears’ worst defensive efficiency of the marketing campaign. One stat of be aware: Baylor is Deny. 1 within the nation in 3-point share for the season at 42.1% — however in Fat 12 play games the Bears are eleventh, at 30.6%.
Dropped out: Memphis Tigers (Deny. 12), Utah State Aggies (Deny. 14)
Within the ready room
Creighton Bluejays: Greg McDermott’s group couldn’t get anything else going towards UConn final life, generating its worst offensive efficiency in a Fat East match since 2021-22. The Bluejays shot simply 6-for-26 from 3 and grew to become it over 14 instances. However they bounced again with a triple-overtime victory at Seton Hall. Ryan Kalkbrenner ruled with 28 issues, 9 forums and seven blocks.
Iowa State Cyclones: ISU rebounded from its loss at BYU with an important street win at TCU, a house courtroom that claimed Houston and Oklahoma as sufferers only a life in the past. The Cyclones beat the Horned Frogs with out Tamin Lipsey, who was once out with a shoulder shock. T.J. Otzelberger will hope he’ll be to be had for plenty house video games towards Kansas State and Kansas this life, however Curtis Jones stepped up in his first get started of the season, completing with 17 issues, 4 assists and seven steals.
Utah State Aggies: A defensive shatter towards New Mexico on Tuesday noticed Utah Atmosphere permit 99 issues. For the second one instantly match, the Aggies additionally allowed the opposition to attain a minimum of 1.25 issues according to ownership. After they try to secure, it’s most commonly throughout the arc. The Lobos shot 69.4% from 2, date earlier opponent UNLV shot 53.8% in its one-point loss. For the season, the Aggies rank Deny. 286 nationally in 2-point protection. It’s even worse in Mountain West play games: Utah Atmosphere ranks tenth, permitting groups to execute 56% throughout the arc.
