NCAA Tournament Day 3 Recap

Wichita State shocks the Zags

Gonzaga was pushed by Southern in their first game and they were thought of by many to be the first 1-seed to out of the tournament.  Tonight they proved those people right as 9-seed Wichita State took out the top team, 76-70, in the crazy West Region.  The Shockers jumped out early going up 26-13 and leading 36-31 at the half.  Gonzaga came out in the second half blazing on an 18-5 run to take an eight point lead 49-41.  At this point you figured the Bulldogs have found their groove and will continue their run to closeout the Shockers.  But it was Rob Baker who scored eight points in 1:38 to give Wichita State the lead back at 67-63 with just under three minutes to play.  Baker finished with 16 points on 4-6 from deep and Cleanthony Early also chipped in 16 with seven boards.  The Shockers went 50% from the field including 14-28 on 3-pointers.  On the other hand the Zags couldn't find their offense down the stretch going only 4-12 in the last 6:05.  Kelly Olynyk finished with 26 points and nine rebounds.

Marquette seeks revenge on Butler

This was a rematch of a game from November in Maui that Butler won on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Rotnei Clarke for the 72-71 win.  Marquette wanted to come out and get revenge for that heartbreaking loss but it was the Bulldogs that had the 35-27 lead at the break.  Marquette managed to fight back in the second half and tie the game late with 1:29 left after Vander Blue hit a 3 to make it 69-69.  After three free throws by the Golden Eagles, Butler's Roosevelt Jones found himself on the line with 15 seconds left.  Jones made the first and The Bulldogs were down two.  He missed the second and these two teams found themselves in the same position they were in at Maui.  Butler got the rebound off the miss and Rotnei Clarke hoisted the potential game-winning 3 but he was off.  Marquette finished off the late rally to win 74-72 behind Blue's 29 points.  Clarke added 24 for Butler.  The closest margin of the day before this game was Oregon over Saint Louis by 17, so this was the type of nail-biter we all expect to see in the tournament.

Michigan and Michigan State cruise to the Sweet 16

The state of Michigan sent the first two teams in the Sweet 16.  Michigan led the way as the Wolverines reached the second weekend of the tournament for the first time since 1994.  Coming into their game against the VCU Rams, Michigan was said to be on upset alert for the second straight game.  The biggest reason is VCU's "havoc" defense and the fact that they just beat a short-handed Akron team 88-42, but Michigan had a few surprises for the Rams.  The first was that to handle their press the Wolverines decided to have Tim Hardaway Jr. bring the ball up to help Trey Burke.  VCU leads the nation in steals, led by Darius Theus (2.4 spg, who was on Burke), but the Wolverines took care of the ball well in the first half as Burke and Hardaway only had three turnovers combined and led 38-23 at the break.  The other surprise was the play of Mitch McGary who played his most minutes of the season and rewarded John Beilein with 21 points on 10-11 shooting and 14 rebounds, both career highs.  An inside presence has been UM's most glaring weakness all year, if McGary can keep this up it makes the Wolverines an even tougher out.  Michigan's largest lead was 31 and the highlight of the night went to Spike Albrecht's left handed bounce pass between defenders to Glenn Robinson III for the dunk.  Michigan held VCU to only 3-16 on 3-pointers and the Wolverines now gear up for Kansas.

March is the month of Tom Izzo and Michigan State.  Memphis was able to keep it close in the first half (32-29) but the Spartans pulled away in the second to earn the 70-48 victory and move on to the sweet 16.  Gary Harris was hitting early and often as he poured in 23 points on 4-7 from beyond the arc and Adreian Payne controlled the paint with 14 points, ten boards and a career high five blocks.  MSU turned the ball over 18 times but a stifling defense held Memphis to only 29.7% from the floor.  The Spartans also are going to have to check the status of Keith Appling as he left the game with a right shoulder injury.  The starting point guard said he could have gone back in if needed but it will be interesting to see how it will affect him next weekend.  MSU now awaits the winner of Creighton and Duke, if the Blue Devils prevail it will be a matchup between two of the best coaches in the country.

Oregon shows they are for real

Oregon felt disrespected by receiving a 12-seed and they are taking it out on their opponents.  After dismantling Oklahoma State 68-55 in their first game, Saint Louis was the next victim 74-57.  The Billikens were a sexy pick by a few analysts to possibly upset #1 Louisville but they never reached that matchup because the Ducks weren't having it.  The game was tight for the first seven minutes when Saint Louis held an 11-10 lead.  After that, Oregon finished the half on a 25-8 run and never looked back.  Saint Louis had one of the best defenses in the country but the Ducks ran their offense with great efficiency as they shot 53% from the field and were 8-11 from distance.  Freshman Damyean Dotson led the way for Oregon with 23 points and 5-6 on 3-pointers.  Also, Arsalan Kazemi controlled the paint with eight points and 16 rebounds, including seven offense.  Oregon faces Louisville next weekend and shouldn't be taken lightly by the top seed in the Midwest.

Arizona is looking like the team that started the season 14-0

Another Pac-12 team that didn't get much respect when the tournament began was Arizona.  The Wildcats were once ranked as high as #4 in the country after starting 14-0 with wins over Florida, Miami FL, and San Diego State.  In conference play (Oregon gave them their first loss) Arizona struggled against the top teams in the Pac-12 and ended up a 4-seed in the conference tournament, then ousted by UCLA.  However, they seem to be rejuvenated in the big dance as they've won their first two games by an average of 20 points.  Belmont was a popular upset pick by many but they were no match for Arizona and neither was Harvard after pulling off its major upset over New Mexico.  In both games the Wildcats have been over 55% from the floor and their leading scorer Mark Lyons has been on fire.  In two games Lyons has 50 points on 20-32 shooting.  Arizona is back to being a team that has Final Four hopes as they seem to be hitting on all cylinders at the right time.



Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter

Need more basketball action?  Check out Watch Like A Champion and get all of your hoop updates, trivia, and tournament talk!  Then enter to win a Samsung 60" LED TV, Galaxy Note Tablet, Panasonic Cordless Phone System, and One Year of Free Service through the Cox Ultimate Entertainment Sweepstakes! http://shout.lt/gD9t

NCAA Tournament Day 1 Recap

Harvard gets first tournament win in school history

For those of you who didn't stay up until midnight you might have awoken up to your bracket being busted.  Harvard, a 14-seed, picked up their first ever NCAA tournament victory over 3-seed New Mexico 68-62.  Apparently, they not only have brilliant minds attending their school but ball players as well.  The Crimson was able to slow down the pace of the game and hit key 3-pointers, led by Laurent Rivard who went 5-9 from deep with 17 points.  New Mexico is known for its offensive struggles and it showed as Mountain West player of the year Kendall Williams went 1-6 from the floor for eight points.  The Lobos were discussed as a possible Final Four candidate but that's out the window now that Harvard knocked them out.

Marquette storms back over Davidson

3-seed Marquette looked to be the first casualty in this years tournament at the hands of 14-seed Davidson.  The Wildcats were up pretty much the entire game and held a 54-48 lead with 1:10 to play.  The Golden Eagles proceeded to hit three 3s to pull within one, 58-57, with 10 seconds left.  After the inbound, Davidson tried to play keep away while running the clock and ended up turning the ball over.  Marquette's Vander Blue then hits a driving layup with 1 second to spare as the 3-seed is able to survive.  Davidson had this game wrapped up if they would have just held onto the ball and got fouled.  They are the best free throw shooting in the country at 79.5% but only managed 14-22 for the game including a crucial miss in the last minute.  Marquette came up big though making their last three 3s after starting 1-12.  And ask St. John's if Blue's shot looked familiar.  They now move on to play Butler.

Southern pushes Gonzaga to the brink

Sooner (hopefully) or later we will see a 16-seed pull off the ultimate upset over a 1-seed.  Southern University, the champions of the SWAC, was in it all the way down to the wire against top seeded Gonzaga.  The Jaguars were only down three at the half and even tied the game at 56 on a Derrick Beltran jumper with 3:47 left.  The very next play, the Bulldogs Gary Bell Jr. hit a big 3 to take back the lead.  After two Beltran free throws, this time it was Kevin Pangos with an even bigger 3 to push the Zags lead to four with just under two minutes to play.  Southern would fail to score the rest of the game and lose 64-58.  The 6-point win in the closest in a 1 vs 16 game since 1990 when Michigan State beat Murray State 75-71 in OT.  Most people weren't sold on Gonzaga being a top seed and this effort did nothing to silence their critics.

Oregon pulls off the first upset and looked good doing it

Oregon was not given much credit for winning the Pac-12 tournament as they received a 12-seed and faced 5-seed Oklahoma State.  The Ducks must have took offense to this because they jumped out to a 37-26 lead at halftime.  They balanced scoring as usual, with four guys in double figures led by Damyean Dotson with 17.  But it was Arsalan Kazemi who had 11 points and 17 rebounds that stood out for Oregon.  They also played great defense holding Marcus Smart and the Cowboys to only 40% from the field.  They play Saint Louis on Saturday which will be a tough test but the Ducks seem to have a chip on their shoulder so look for this to be a close one.

Cal gives payback to UNLV

Oregon isn't the only Pac-12 team that can pull off the famous 5-12 upset.  The Cal Bears took out UNLV, marking the first time two teams from the same conference won as 12-seeds.  This was a rematch from December, a game UNLV won 76-75, and again it came down to the last minute.  The Bears were led by Pac-12 POY Allen Crabbe who had 19 points and nine boards but it was reserve big man Robert Thurman who scored eight straight for Cal on four dunks.  The Bears will now try to use their "home court advantage" (they are player in San Jose) against Syracuse.

Louisville showed they are ready to make a run

The #1 team overall is Louisville and they did not want to leave any doubt in their game as they cruised to a 79-48 victory over 16-seed North Carolina A&T.  The pressure D that made the Cardinals the best defensive team in the country was in full force as they set a NCAA tournament record with 20 team steals.  Yes, 20, including eight by Russ Smith who also scored 23 points.  Louisville is said to have the hardest bracket, but also has the popular vote to win the title.  It's so easy to overlook teams (see Gonzaga) but with handling business they way they did, look for the Cards to be focused no matter who is their opponent.

VCU and Syracuse run opponents out of the gym

The VCU Rams are not sneaking up on anybody like they did back in 2011, but apparently the Akron Zips didn't get the memo.  VCU had an impressive showing with an 88-42 win.  Now I understand that Akron didn't have their starting point guard Alex Abreu (6 apg) but they were still MAC regular season and tournament champs.  Not having a PG is huge against a high pressure team like VCU, but the Rams were on point offensively as well.  They shot 54% from the field and 8-16 from downtown, 6-11 from Troy Daniels who scored 23.  That is exactly what VCU had going for them when they made their Final Four run in 2011, they pressed the heck out of you and were on fire from 3.  Michigan is up next, who has Trey Burke (the best assist/turnover ratio in the country), so it will be interesting to see how he handles the press.

Syracuse was another team that impressed as they crushed Montana 81-34.  Cuse was paced by Brandon Triche on offense as he put in 20.  But it was Jim Boeheim's patent 2-3 defense that shut down Montana from the outside as they only hit 4-31 (13%) from distance.  The Orange held the Grizzlies to 20% shooting overall and nobody on the team had more than five points.  Their next game against Cal will basically be a road game but if Syracuse can continue to lock up on D and be efficient on the offensive end this team is dangerous.



Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter

Need more basketball action?  Check out Watch Like A Champion and get all of your hoop updates, trivia, and tournament talk!  Then enter to win a Samsung 60" LED TV, Galaxy Note Tablet, Panasonic Cordless Phone System, and One Year of Free Service through the Cox Ultimate Entertainment Sweepstakes! http://shout.lt/gD9t

West Region Breakdown

In the West region we have the controversial 1-seed Gonzaga.  The biggest knock on the Bulldogs is they didn't beat anybody to deserve a top seed as their 96th ranked strength of schedule proves that.  In my opinion this is the weakest bracket as far as top seeds, which then makes this the most difficult to choose.  Ohio State will likely get the bulk of the picks to come out because they seem to be hitting their stride and Aaron Craft is giving Deshaun Thomas the scoring help he needs.  But, don't be surprised to see a lot of teams crossed out on this side of your bracket once we reach the Final Four.

Top Seeds
1. Gonzaga
2. Ohio State
3. New Mexico
4. Kansas State

Sleepers
Like I said, anything can happen in this bracket so of course there's going to be sleepers.  Analysts have mentioned Belmont and Iowa State but the biggest is Pittsburgh.  Ranked seventh in Ken Pomeroy's overall rankings, the Panthers have size and athleticism to compete with anybody in their region.  Offensively they rank 18th in FG% and defensively they hold opponents to only 55.4 points per game.  Tray Woodall is the type of senior leader that can guide this team to a deep run in the tournament.

First Round Upset Alerts
4 Kansas State vs 13 LaSalle/Boise State - K-State better not take its play-in opponent lightly.  Depending if LaSalle or Boise State win, they both have potential to upset the Wildcats.  The Explorers have wins over Butler, VCU and Villanova and Ramon Galloway can go off on any night.  As for the Broncos, they pushed MSU at the Breslin only losing by four and beat Creighton on the road by 13.  Anthony Drmic and Derrick Marks both average over 16 points.

5 Wisconsin vs 12 Ole Miss - Wisconsin was the surprise of the Big Ten but that's typical for Bo Ryan to produce with players we've never heard of.  Another thing that's typical are his teams going out early in the tournament.  It almost seems when the Badgers are expected to do well, they disappoint.  Marshall Henderson of Ole Miss can really fill it up as he's scoring 20 a game but his mouth gets him just as much publicity.  He did say he's taking after Jalen Rose and the Fab Five so I can't hate the guy too much.  But, the player to watch is Murphy Holloway.  A 6'7" bruiser that averages 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds.  Bo's team plays good D and they will need it in this game.

6 Arizona vs 11 Belmont - The Belmont Bruins are a great shooting team led by Ian Clark who averages 18.1 ppg while shooting 54% from the field and 46% from deep.  He's hit nine 3's in a game this year so watch out if he gets hot.  The Wildcats started 17-1 but struggled against the top teams in the Pac-12.  This team has been susceptible to upsets the second half of the season so they need to be on watch.

7 Notre Dame vs 10 Iowa State - Jack Cooley is a double-double machine for the Irish but Iowa State has the ability to shoot anybody out of the tournament.  The Cyclones are the prototypical team that can pull off upsets because they lead the nation in made 3's at 9.8 per game.  Tyrus McGee, Korie Lucious and Chris Babb all have made more than 60 3-pointers this year but it's Will Clyburn that does a little bit of everything for this team.  If ISU is on from long range they can do damage.

Possible Matchups
Gonzaga vs Pittsburgh - I'm someone that actually isn't hating on the Zags.  I believe they should be a 1-seed but Pitt poses a big problem for the Bulldogs.  Gonzaga's strength is their big men Kelly Olynyk (7'0) and Elias Harris (6'8) but the Panthers can match that size with Steven Adams (7'0) and Talib Zanna (6'9).  If Pitt is able to slow down the attack of Gonzaga it will make this an interesting one.  But the Zags score 77 points and shoot 50% per game so that is easier said than done.

Ohio State vs New Mexico - I believe that whoever wins this game comes out of this region.  New Mexico can struggle at times on offense but their defense is always present.  The Lobos won a Mountain West regular season and conference title behind Kendall Williams who dropped 46 earlier this year against Colorado St.  Ohio State is on a roll right now winning eight straight and a B1G tournament title along the way.  Deshaun Thomas leads this team in scoring at 19.5 a game but Aaron Craft will be the deciding factor.  If he can continue to contribute offensively they will surely make their way to Atlanta.

My Pick
Again, this region comes down to Ohio State-New Mexico and I'm taking the Buckeyes.  OSU is hot right now and somehow have gotten stronger at the end of a rugged Big Ten season.  Defensively this team can stop anybody and Craft is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country.  To start the year they had difficulty beating ranked teams but won four late in the season over Indiana, Michigan State (twice) and Wisconsin.



Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter


Need more basketball action?  Check out Watch Like A Champion and get all of your hoop updates, trivia, and tournament talk!  Then enter to win a Samsung 60" LED TV, Galaxy Note Tablet, Panasonic Cordless Phone System, and One Year of Free Service through the Cox Ultimate Entertainment Sweepstakes! http://shout.lt/gD9t

College Basketball Power Rankings: March 12

The regular season is over and we are only a week away from the NCAA tournament.  Some teams showed us what they were made of to close out their season (Duke and Indiana) while others seemed to be looking ahead (Kansas and Florida).  Duke and Gonzaga are tops with Indiana and Louisville hot on their heels.  There's a lot more to be told as the major conference tournaments start this week.  Let's get it.

1. Duke (27-4, LW 3) - Duke's rout of North Carolina on the road 69-53 and the return of Ryan Kelly puts the Blue Devils back on top.  Kelly not only provides a scoring lift but he makes the rest of the team better just by being on the court.  Case in point, Mason Plumlee had his best in the past month game at UNC (23 pts, 13 rebs) because of the spacing of Kelly.
2. Gonzaga (30-2, LW 1) - Gonzaga could have been listed as 1B because I still feel they are a legit team, Duke is just a little better.  They closed out their undefeated conference season with a 65-51 win over St. Mary's last night.  The WCC was no match for them but people just want to see if they are worthy of the #1 seed they will receive.
3. Indiana (26-5, LW 2) - Earlier is the week Indiana lost at home to Ohio State 67-58 which opened the door for the Big Ten championship.  It all came down to their road game at Michigan and Cody Zeller made a layup with 14 seconds left for their first out right Big Ten title since 1993.
4. Louisville (26-5, LW 7) - The Cardinals avenged their 5 OT loss to Notre Dame 73-57 behind Gorgui Dieng's 20 and 11.  This team is poised to make a strong run in the Big East and NCAA tournaments after winning 10 of their last 11.
5. Georgetown (24-5, LW 4) - Georgetown is another Big East team that's playing really well.  The lost to Villanova to begin the week 67-57 but came back with holding Jim Boeheim's team to its lowest points of his career 61-39.  The Big East tournament will be one of the best of Championship week.
6. Kansas (26-5, LW 5) - Kansas lost to Baylor 81-58, their worst loss in seven years.  They could have won't the Big 12 title outright but instead had to share it with their rival Kansas State.  The Jayhawks might have been looking ahead to the tournaments because they seemed uninterested.
7. Michigan State (24-7, LW 11) - Sparty finished their season with a solid win over Wisconsin 58-43.  Keith Appling has gotten back on track scoring 35 points in his last two games.  This team is also dangerous come tournament time and this year is no different.
8. Michigan (25-6, LW 8) - Ugh.  The entire Big Ten was watching, Michigan State and Ohio State fans were even cheering for them, but Michigan choked away their game against Indiana and a four way tie for the Big Ten title.  The Wolverines lost a five point lead with 50 seconds left because of missed FREE THROWS by Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.  Next up Penn State in the B1G tourney, great.
9. Florida (24-6, LW 9) - The Gators had a SEC title all wrapped up before they played Kentucky so losing 61-57 only hurts their seeding for the time being.  Florida didn't score in the last seven and a half minutes of the game, we'll see if they were looking ahead or if there's problems in the swamp after losing three of six.
10. Ohio State (23-7, LW NR) - OSU ended the year with five straight wins and took out Indiana on the road last week thanks to Aaron Craft's 15 points on 7-10 shooting.  The Buckeyes will Craft's play to stay consistent to go with Deshaun Thomas if they want to continue their recent success.
11. Miami FL (24-6, LW 6) - The Canes won 14 straight but lost three of five to end the year including shockers to Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.  Miami needs a strong showing in the ACC tourney believers back on their side.
12. Oklahoma State (23-7, LW 13) - OK-State lost at Iowa State 87-76 earlier but finished the week with a good 76-70 victory over Kansas State.  This team surprised the Big 12 finishing third in the conference and are a team to watch for a Big 12 tournament title.
13. Marquette (23-7, LW 14) - Buzz Williams' team needed a last second shot by Vander Blue to secure an OT win over St. John's 69-67.  More importantly the win secured a share of the Big East regular season title with Louisville and Georgetown, Marquette's first since joining the league.
14. Kansas State (25-6, LW 10) - Despite a loss to end their season, the Wildcats still managed to share the Big 12 title with Kansas.  This team was only 2-5 against ranked opponents, it will be interesting to see how they fare in the tournaments to come.
15. New Mexico (25-4, LW 12) - New Mexico is known for its defense but couldn't get a stop when it mattered against Air Force.  The Falcons hit two 3's in the final 16 seconds to pull off the upset 89-88.  The Lobos still hold a 3-seed in Joe Lundari's bracketology but need a strong showing in a difficult Mountain West tournament to keep it.

Biggest Jump - Ohio State up 5
Biggest Drop - Miami FL down 5

New Editions - #10 Ohio State
Old News -  Saint Louis



Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter


Need more basketball action?  Check out Watch Like A Champion and get all of your hoop updates, trivia, and tournament talk!  Then enter to win a Samsung 60" LED TV, Galaxy Note Tablet, Panasonic Cordless Phone System, and One Year of Free Service through the Cox Ultimate Entertainment Sweepstakes! http://shout.lt/gD9t

Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter

  

College Basketball Power Rankings: March 5

Ahh, March is finally upon us and we are only one week from the conference tournaments and two weeks away from the big dance.  I would say let the upsets begin but that's been happening all year.  Last week we saw one of the biggest upsets of the year when Michigan squandered a 15-point second half lead at Penn State.  Indiana, Duke, Florida, and Miami also lost as 5 of my top 6 teams tasted defeat.  The lone team to come out unscathed was Gonzaga, but will they top our list?  Let's find out.

1. Gonzaga (29-2, LW 2) - Since the 2008 Memphis team that made it to the NCAA championship game, no mid-major has been ranked #1 until now.  Gonzaga is a legit team this year.  Last week they finished their conference schedule undefeated at 16-0, the first time ever in the WCC.  If not for a sloppy out of bounds play to end the Butler game this team would only have one loss.  Like that Memphis team and Saint Joe's in 2004, the Zags have their doubters but it's hard to deny any team that will have 30 wins before the big dance starts.
2. Indiana (25-4, LW 1) - The Hoosiers lost to Minnesota 77-73 behind Trevor Mbakwe's 21 and 12.  Oddly enough Indiana's four losses have all been to unranked teams but they are 6-0 against ranked teams.  They will look to improve to 8-0 this week hosting Ohio State and traveling to Michigan.
3. Duke (25-4, LW 4) - Apparently Ryan Kelly is more important to Duke that anyone knew.  After missing 13 games due to a foot injury, Kelly returned against Miami and scored a career high 36 points on 10-14 shooting, including 7-9 from deep.  With Kelly's return to the lineup, this Duke team is back into discussion of the top team in the country along with Indiana and Gonzaga.  They head to Chapel Hill this week where anything can happen.
4. Georgetown (23-4, LW 7) - Georgetown survived a double OT scare at Connecticut 79-78.  Otto Porter Jr. continued to shine with 22 points and the game winning lay-up.  Syracuse comes in Saturday and it marks the last time these rivals will meet in the Big East conference.
5. Kansas (25-4, LW 8) - For the second time this year the Jayhawks needed late game heroics to get past Iowa State in overtime, this time by Elijah Johnson.  He finished with 39 points and had eight in the last 32 seconds to force OT.  A game at Baylor is all that stands in their way of getting at least a share to the Big 12 title for the fifth straight year.
6. Miami FL (23-5, LW 6) - The U might have lost to Duke but were in it down til the end.  They've lost two of their last three games but close the regular season with home games against Georgia Tech and Clemson.
7. Louisville (24-5, LW 10) - Louisville has now won six straight following their five OT game at Notre Dame, including a 58-53 road win at Syracuse last week despite Peyton Siva going scoreless.  To close their season they will host ND, we'll see if this game provides the same fireworks.
8. Michigan (24-5, LW 3) - Michigan started the week with its worst loss of the season at Penn State 84-78, but finished with its best win of the year over Michigan State 58-57.  Thanks in large part to Trey Burke who had finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals.  His rip of Keith Appling lead to the game winning dunk.  They finish the season at Purdue, a game they can't overlook, they host Indiana.
9. Florida (23-5, LW 5) - The Gators had a bad loss to Tennessee 64-58, but rebounded against Alabama to clinch at least a share of the SEC title.  Florida's match-up at Kentucky to end the season will likely determine the champion.
10. Kansas State (24-5, LW 13) - A sloppy turnover by Baylor lead to Rodney McGruder hitting a buzzer beating three for a 64-61 win.  That win kept them in a tie with Kansas in the conference and K-State is looking for its first ever regular season title.  A game at OK-State will be the last hurdle.
11. Michigan State (22-7, LW 9) - MSU has now dropped three straight, all to ranked opponents.  They played one of their worst games at Michigan shooting only 35% and committing 18 turnovers.  Wisconsin comes into EL Thursday, which won't be easy.
12. New Mexico (25-4, LW 14) - With their 70-60 win over San Diego St and 53-42 over Wyoming, the Lobos have clinched the outright regular season championship in a tough Mountain West Conference.  They close their season with road games at Nevada and Air Force.
13. Oklahoma State (22-6, LW 15) - The Cowboys have two difficult games this week at Iowa State and home against K-State.  They are still in the hunt for a share of the Big 12 title and Markel Brown had a nasty dunk against Texas.
14. Marquette (21-7, LW NR) - Marquette had two huge home wins last week, 74-71 over Syracuse and 72-64 over Notre Dame.  The Golden Flashes still have a shot at Big East title as they are the surprise team in the conference.
15. Saint Louis (23-5, LW NR) - The Billikens are one of the hottest teams right now with 11 straight wins (two over Butler and one over VCU) and are first place in a good Atlantic 10 Conference.  They do it with defense holding teams to only 57.9 ppg.  They end with two tough games, at Xavier and against LaSalle.

Biggest Jump - Marquette up 5
Biggest Drop - Michigan down 5

New Editions - #14 Marquette, #15 Saint Louis
Old News - Syracuse, Arizona


Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter

 

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 25

More games, more upsets.  This week we saw three of the top four teams go down and Michigan State lost twice.  They had the most anticipated game with #1 Indiana which the Hoosiers pulled it out late 72-68 thanks to Victor Oladipo who is starting to be recognized as a candidate for POY.  Miami probably had the worst loss at Wake Forest 80-65.  And we're off.

1. Indiana (24-3, LW 1) - The Hoosiers win at Michigan State was huge and no player was bigger than Victor Oladipo.  He had 19 points, 9 boards, 5 steals, and the last six points for IU when they were down one.  This win solidified Indiana as the top team in the country.
2. Gonzaga (27-2, LW 5) - Gonzaga won their two games last week by a combined 74 points over Santa Clara and San Diego.  This week they will try to finish with a perfect record in conference play at BYU and hosting Portland.
3. Michigan (23-4, LW 6) - UM handled an Illinois team that was on a five game win streak 71-58.  Trey Burke had 28 points on 8-11 shooting and 8 assists.  They travel to Penn State Wednesday before MSU comes to Ann Arbor on Sunday.  The Wolverines will be looking to avenge an embarrassing 23-point loss by the hands of the Spartans.
4. Duke (24-3, LW 7) - Duke rebounded nicely after their loss to Maryland with easy wins on ACC bottom feeders Virginia Tech and Boston College.  Mason Plumlee got back on track recording a double-double in both games.  The Blue Devils now have their eyes set on a rematch with Miami this Saturday.
5. Florida (22-4, LW 4) - Florida seemed to be cruising to another win before Missouri was able to erase a 13-point deficit.  The Gators are still in good position for the SEC title and remain the only SEC team ranked in the top 25.
6. Miami FL (22-4, LW 2) - The U had flirted with losses to Clemson and Virginia before tripping up at Wake Forest.  Miami was never in the game as they trailed by 13 at the half and shot only 39% from the field.  They travel to Duke this week so we'll see if this team can find its groove again.
7. Georgetown (21-4, LW 11) - Georgetown was a hard team to get a read on when conference play started, now they find themselves on top of the Big East after a 57-46 win at Syracuse.  Otto Porter Jr. was the only Hoya in double figures but he scored 33 with 5 three's, 8 rebounds and 5 steals.  They are on a nine game win streak and head to UConn for a tough road test Wednesday.
8. Kansas (23-4, LW 8) - Kansas narrowly escaped with a double-overtime win at Oklahoma State 68-67.  The Jayhawks only made one field goal in either OT and that was a Naadir Tharpe jumper to go up one with 20 seconds left in the game.  A tough road game at Iowa State in next, in a rematch of a game that Kansas needed a strong push late to come out with the win.
9. Michigan State (22-6, LW 3) - I give the Spartans love last week and they let me down losing to Indiana at home and Ohio State on the road.  Don't get me wrong, both were tough games to win but I didn't expect two losses.  They let the IU game slip away late and their leading scorer Keith Appling has lost all his mojo shooting 2-14 with 9 points combined in the losses.  Michigan is licking their chops at a wounded MSU squad.
10. Louisville (22-5, LW 10) - Louisville stood pat after a 79-61 win over Seton Hall as Gorgui Dieng scored 28 on 10-11 from the floor.  The Cardinals are still the hunt for a Big East title and a matchup at Syracuse will determine the fate of one of those teams.
11. Syracuse (22-5, LW 9) - The Orange could not find any offense against G-Town as they only shot 34% and were held to a season low 46 points.  It doesn't get any easier for them either as they travel to Marquette tonight before hosting Louisville Saturday.
12. Arizona (23-4, LW 12) - Arizona looked good disposing of both Washington Pac-12 teams by 35 combined points.  They are getting contributions from multiple players and back on top of the Pac-12 standings after Oregon lost to Cal.
13. Kansas State (22-5, LW 13) - K-State still has hopes of a Big 12 championship but a road game this week at Baylor could kill that dream.  They are looking for their first conference title since 1976-77.
14. New Mexico (23-4, LW 15) - New Mexico was able to get a big win at Colorado State 91-82.  Kendall Williams scored 46 on a ridiculous 10-13 from beyond the arc.  This weeks brings Steve Fisher and San Diego State into town.  In the first meeting the Lobos scored 12 less that Williams' output against CSU, 34.
15. Oklahoma State (20-6, LW 14) - The Cowboys took Kansas to 2 OT's despite their stand-out Freshman Marcus Smart going 2-14 from the field.  Ok-State has a mild schedule this week with TCU and Texas on the docket.

Biggest Jump - Georgetown up 4
Biggest Drop - Michigan State down 6


Follow @JasonShusteric on Twitter

 

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 19

     For the first time in six weeks the #1 team in the country didn't lose.  Indiana remains at the top spot after two easy wins at home while Kansas stopped its three game losing streak.  Michigan State and Gonzaga cracked the top five for the first time but Duke and Michigan were top five teams that both suffered losses.  Let's do it.

1. Indiana (23-3, LW 1) - Indiana has been rolling since their buzzer-beater loss at Illinois but will face a tough test Tuesday on the road at Michigan State.  Victor Oladipo will be playing through an ankle injury and if he's not 100% it will be that much harder for the Hoosiers to get the win.
2. Miami FL (21-3, LW 2) - The Hurricanes struggled badly at Clemson but was able to escape with a win 45-43.  They only shot 34% but the mark of a good team is winning games when it's not your night and Miami is showing they are legit.
3. Michigan State (22-4, LW 8) - I expected MSU to beat Michigan at home but not the way they did.  The Spartans largest lead was 31 as they dominated from the from the jump.  Indiana now comes to town which starts a four game stretch of IU, OSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin who are all ranked.
4. Florida (21-3, LW 5) - Since their first SEC loss Florida has won three straight by an average of 24 points.  They visit Missouri on Tuesday for their hardest game left on the schedule.
5. Gonzaga (25-2, LW 6) - Gonzaga is garnishing a few #1 votes in both of the major polls and their 17-point win at rival Saint Mary's proved they might be deserving.  Kelly Olynyk is averaging 18 points and 7 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
6. Michigan (22-4, LW 3) - Michigan went 1-3 in their toughest stretch of the season and it ended in a blowout at MSU.  Then they struggled against Big Ten bottom feeder Penn State at home.  The freshmen look to have hit a wall and their lack of big men is a glaring weakness against top competition.  We'll see what they do after a week off when Illinois visits Ann Arbor.
7. Duke (22-3, LW 4) - Duke needed a second half comeback to beat North Carolina 73-68 but couldn't muster one at Maryland as they fell 83-81.  Mason Plumlee played his worst game of the season with only 4 points and 3 boards as the bigger Alex Len dominated the POY candidate.
8. Kansas (21-4, LW 11) - KU looks to be back on track after handling K-State and Texas each by more than 20 points.  We'll see if they are fully back when they head to Oklahoma State this week.
9. Syracuse (21-4, LW 7) - The road hasn't been kind to the Orange lately as they've lost three of their last four away from home.  They have a difficult close to their season as four of their final five games are against ranked teams.
10. Louisville (21-5, LW 12) - Louisville needed a break after a 5 OT game with Notre Dame and they get with four straight against the bottom of the Big East.  After easily disposing of St. John's and South Florida last week, they now face Seton Hall and DePaul.
11. Georgetown (19-4, LW 15) - The Hoyas had two big wins last week over Marquette 63-55 and at Cincinnati 62-55.  They did blow a 17-point lead at Cincy but managed to hang on.  They head to Syracuse this week for big matchup this Saturday.
12. Arizona (21-4, LW 9) - The Wildcats seem to be struggling as of late.  Colorado took revenge with a 71-58 win and then they had a tough time beating Utah 68-64.  However, they still have a chance to win the Pac-12.
13. Kansas State (20-5, LW 13) - K-State was ran out of the gym in Kansas but have bounced back nicely against Baylor and West Virginia getting wins by double digits.  They are fighting for a Big 12 title and travel to Texas this week.
14. Oklahoma State (19-5, LW NR) - The Cowboys have won seven straight and have one of the best freshmen in country in Marcus Smart.  They host Kansas Wednesday night as they look to sweep the Jayhawks on the year.
15. New Mexico (22-4, LW NR) - The Lobo's have a hard time scoring but opponents also have a hard time scoring on them.  They have a big road test this week at Colorado State.

Biggest Jump - Michigan State up 5
Biggest Drop - Butler down 6

New Editions - #14 Oklahoma State, #15 New Mexico
Old News - Butler, Pittsburgh

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 11

     It's only February but it feels like March with how many upsets we saw last week.  4 of the top 5 and 9 of the top 15 teams suffered a loss and three teams (Kansas, Ohio State, Creighton) went down twice.  Things couldn't get more difficult to determine who is the best team in the country because nobody has shown any dominance.  But that's why we love college basketball right?  Let's get into it.

1. Indiana (21-3, LW 1) - Even though IU lost on a last second lay-up to Illinois, they came back and handled Ohio State on the road with ease.  Because of that OSU win they remain at #1 and are rewarded with a "week off" of sorts with Nebraska and Purdue coming to Bloomington.
2. Miami FL (19-3, LW 10) - Undoubtedly the hottest team in the country, I'm starting to drink the kool-aid after the Hurricanes blew out UNC at home 87-61 to run their winning streak to 11.  Durand Scott, Kenny Kadji, and Shane Larkin can all create their of shot and Reggie Johnson is a load in the post averaging 10 points and 9 boards.
3. Michigan (21-3, LW 3) - This was a stressful week for Big Blue as both of their games went to OT.  First, they were able to pull off the win against OSU as Tim Hardaway Jr. hit 6 of 9 three's for 23 points.  Then they went to Wisconsin, where they haven't won in eleven meetings, and Ben Brust hit a half-court buzzer-beater to send it to overtime and also hit the game-winning three in OT.  Michigan finishes its grueling four game stretch with a visit to Michigan State on Tuesday.
4. Duke (21-2, LW 6) - Duke was one of the few top teams to escape last week without a loss, barely.  They avenged their loss to NC State with a 98-85 win, but needed Mason Plumlee to hit 3 of 4 free throws late to beat Boston College 62-61.  Now they prepare for bitter rival North Carolina.
5. Florida (19-3, LW 2) - The Gators came out flat at Arkansas getting behind 43-26 at halftime and couldn't recover.  However, they did just that against Mississippi State winning 83-58.  This week they play host to Kentucky.
6. Gonzaga (23-2, LW 5) - Gonzaga is coasting through their conference but travel to Saint Mary's on Thursday, which poses it's most difficult test until the conference tournament.
7. Syracuse (20-3, LW 9) - Cuse was one of the few teams that didn't lose last week and also were able to welcome back James Southerland.  He returned against St John's to score 13 points in a 77-58 win.
8. Michigan State (20-4, LW 11) - As usual, Michigan State has been sitting back winning games while nobody pays attention to them.  Now they are tied for the Big Ten lead with Indiana.  They host Michigan on Tuesday which could turn out to a be another classic in the Big Ten this year.
9. Arizona (20-3, LW 7) -The Wildcats dropped a surprising home game to California 77-69 this weekend as they were outscored in the second half 44-31 behind Allen Crabbe's 31 points.  They will look to rebound on the road against a tough Colorado team that should have beat them earlier if not for a blown call.
10. Butler (20-4, LW 14) - The Bulldogs needed to hold on late at George Washington after blowing a 17-point lead to win 59-56.  We are now waiting for a showdown at VCU on March 2nd.
11. Kansas (19-4, LW 4) - What has happened to Kansas?!  After riding an 18 game winning streak the Jayhawks have dropped 3 straight to Oklahoma St, TCU, and Oklahoma.  Monday they host Kansas State to kick off rivalry week on ESPN.  This game is the perfect spot for KU to show the country it's still dangerous by taking out the Big 12 leader.
12. Louisville (19-5, LW 8) - Hands down the game of the week went to the 5-OT thriller between Louisville and Notre Dame.  ND came out of this winner 104-101 after Jerian Grant scored 12 points in the last 44 seconds to force the first OT.  The Cardinals get an easy stretch now with their next four games against unranked opponents.
13. Kansas State (19-4, LW NR) - Three of K-State's four losses are from ranked teams.  They've been a team that's under-the-radar all season but have consistently won.  The Wildcats lost their home meeting to Kansas earlier but will get a huge boost if they can give the Jayhawks a fourth straight loss.
14. Pittsburgh (20-5, LW NR) - Pitt is rolling right now after starting the Big East season 1-4 they recently have wins over Syracuse and Cincinnati.  Their only game this week is a visit to Marquette.
15. Georgetown (17-4, LW NR) - The Hoyas seem to be hitting their stride as well as they've won 7 of 8 since a 28-point home loss to the aforementioned Pitt Panthers.  Otto Porter Jr is playing great averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds.

Biggest Jump - Miami FL up 8
Biggest Drop - Kansas down 7

New Editions - #13 Kansas State, #14 Pittsburgh, #15 Georgetown
Old News - Ohio State, Creighton, New Mexico

College Basketball Power Rankings: February 5

     For the fifth week in a row we had the #1 team in the nation go down as Michigan lost at Indiana 81-73.  The Hoosiers reach the top spot for the second time this season.  Other highly ranked teams suffering losses were Kansas and Syracuse, while Florida and Miami continued their hot streaks.  Here are the top 15.

1. Indiana (20-2, LW 4) - The Hoosiers came out strong against Michigan behind Cody Zeller's 19 points and 10 rebounds.  All five starters scored in double-digits and they shot 52% from the floor as a team.  This week they travel to Illinois and Ohio State.
2. Florida (18-2, LW 3) - Florida has been a tear and just had a 14-point win over a ranked Ole Miss team.  The SEC is struggling but the Gators are no joke and Patric Young is a beast.
3. Michigan (20-2, LW 1) - As was the case in their first loss at Ohio State, Michigan started slow on the road but they were able to fight back to tie the game in the second half.  But there is no rest in the Big Ten because tonight they host Ohio State then go to Wisconsin and Michigan State.
4. Kansas (19-2, LW 2) - Kansas has flirted with a couple losses lately and they finally got one with Oklahoma State surprising them at home 85-80.  The Jayhawks had 15 turnovers but couldn't stop Markel Brown's 28 points and he hit 7-10 from three.
5. Gonzaga (21-2, LW 6) - The Zags were tested at San Diego but escaped with the win 65-53.  Now they get an easy week at home be their a road test at St. Mary's
6. Duke (19-2, LW 7) - Duke was able to get two road wins last week after dropping their first two games away from Cameron.  They simply were on fire at Florida State shooting 61% from the field and connecting on 11-18 three point attempts.  Duke will next get a rematch with NC State, who gave them their first loss of the season.
7. Arizona (19-2, LW 8) - Arizona is quietly staying in the top 10 and now are tied atop the Pac-12 standings.  They've gotten back on track winning their last three after losing to UCLA.
8. Louisville (18-4, LW 9) - The Cardinals got back to their dominant ways beating Marquette 70-51 holding them to 36% shooting.  We'll see if they can continue that with two road games this week at Rutgers and Notre Dame.
9. Syracuse (18-3, LW 5) - Cuse dropped two straight but picked up a nice home win over Notre Dame 63-47.  James Southerland continues to be out and the Orange are desperately missing his shooting.
10. Miami FL (17-3, LW 13) - The Canes squeaked past NC State on the road as Reggie Johnson tip in a miss in the final seconds to pull off the 79-78 win.  They have now won nine straight and have been provided a big lift with Johnson back in the lineup.
11. Michigan State (18-4, LW 12) - Sparty bounced back from a loss to Indiana with an 80-75 win over Illinois.  Keith Appling played his best game of the season going for 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.  They will now look to avenge a loss to Minnesota when the Gophers come to East Lansing.
12. Ohio State (17-4, LW 14) - OSU might have the toughest week of the year for any team as they head to #3 Michigan then host #1 Indiana.  Both games will be tough but if the Buckeyes can escape with one win that will prove they are a team that can challenge for a Big Ten title.
13. Creighton (20-3, LW NR) - Doug McDermott continues to show why he is a player of the year candidate averaging 24 points and 7 boards.
14. Butler (19-3, LW 10) - The Bulldogs were ran out of the gym in a 75-58 loss at Saint Louis as the Billikens forced 23 turnovers.  Butler was able to rebound against Rhode Island and face two .500 teams this week.
15. New Mexico (19-3, LW NR) - After only scoring 34 points at San Diego State, the Lobos won their next two.  They still lead a good Mountain West Conference and have a tough test at UNLV this week.

Biggest Jump - Creighton up 4
Biggest Drop - Syracuse and Butler down 4

New Editions - #13 Creighton, #15 New Mexico
Old News - Oregon, Missouri

College Basketball Power Rankings: January 29

     The final full week of January felt like the final week in March as there were plenty of ranked teams going down.  While top teams fell, Michigan continued to win and is ranked #1 in the AP Poll for the first team since the Fab Five in 1992.  As for the ones who lost, 8 of last weeks top 15 suffered a loss and powerhouse Louisville lost both of their games last week.  Here we go.

1. Michigan (19-1, LW 1) - Michigan handled Purdue and Illinois easily last week but this Saturday they will have the chance to validate themselves as the best team in country.  The Wolverines travel to #4 Indiana as these top teams in the Big Ten meet in what could determine the conference championship.
2. Kansas (19-1, LW 3) - After a tough win at rival K-State, the Jayhawks extended the nation's longest winning streak against Oklahoma to 17.  Kansas is also garnishing #1 votes and only have 1 more game on their schedule against a ranked team
3. Florida (16-2, LW 6) - In conference play, Florida has outscored opponents 74.6-48.1 in 6 games.  I don't care if the SEC isn't as good as years past that is still very impressive.  That's all you need to know.
4. Indiana (18-2, LW 7) - The Hoosiers had a great win at home over a good Michigan State team 75-70.  Victor Oladipo tallied 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 steals, and 3 blocks.  He is shooting 66% from the field, 55% from three and is the MVP of that team, not Cody Zeller.  They now travel to Purdue before hosting #1 Michigan.
5. Syracuse (18-2, LW 2) - After wins on Louisville and Cincinnati they lost to Villanova in overtime 75-71.  The Orange will have a week to regroup before heading to Pittsburgh.
6. Gonzaga (19-2, LW 10) - The Zags blew out a solid BYU team 83-63 behind Kelly Olynyk's 26 points on 9-9 from the field and 8-8 from the line.  Their schedule is easy until a February 14 game at Saint Mary's.
7. Duke (17-1, LW 4) - The road got to the Blue Devils again as they were routed by Miami 90-63.  It was one of the worst losses ever by a #1 ranked team.  Duke has two more road games this week at Wake Forest and Florida State before a rematch with NC State.
8. Arizona (17-2, LW 8) - Arizona was beaten at home by UCLA 84-73 and were never really in the game.  They came back with a 74-50 win over USC and now hit the road to face both Washington teams.
9. Louisville (16-4, LW 5) - Since being ranked #1 Louisville has dropped three straight to Syracuse, Villanova, and Georgetown.  But ended that drought Monday with a 64-61 win over Pitt as Russ Smith put in 20 points and Gorgui Dieng added 14 points and 12 boards.
10. Butler (17-3, LW 9) - The Bulldogs took the lead against La Salle with 8 seconds left but couldn't get a stop as the Explorers went the length of the floor for a lay-up of their own and the 54-53 win.  However, Butler's leading scorer Rotnei Clarke returned against Temple with 24 points and 9 assists.
11. Oregon (18-2, LW 14) - Still standing as the last undefeated tam in the Pac-12, the Ducks have stayed under the radar and handled their business.  They don't see Arizona or UCLA again so they have a chance to remain without a loss.
12. Michigan State (17-4, LW 12) - MSU earned a huge road win at Wisconsin couldn't make the comeback at Indiana despite 21 from Gary Harris.  A home matchup with Illinois should get Sparty back on track.
13. Miami FL (15-3, LW NR) - The biggest win last week went to Miami disposing of then #1 Duke.  They remain the only undefeated team in the ACC but travel to Va Tech and NC State this week.
14. Ohio State (16-4, LW 15) - OSU rebounded from a loss to MSU with two wins last week and took out Wisconsin tonight 58-49.  The Buckeyes are still trying to find a consistent scorer to compliment Deshaun Thomas who is averaging 20 points a game.
15. Missouri (15-4, LW NR) - The Tigers creep back into the rankings but only by default because so many team in this range lost.  They are still playing without leading scorer Laurence Bowers but were still able to dispose of South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

Biggest Jump - Miami FL up 10
Biggest Drop -  Kansas State down 6

New Editions - #13 Miami FL, #15 Missouri
Old News - Kansas State, Minnesota