1A and 1B are not available. I don’t have multiple favorites. It’s not Connecticut or Purdue or anyone else.
Purdue falls into the latter category. UConn is a category unto itself.
This weekend provided a perfect example of that. On Saturday afternoon, the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee announced the top 16 seeds they would have had they chosen their brackets at the time.
Purdue University came in first and was an obvious choice. The Boilermakers went 15-2 in Game 4 and Game 2, with wins over Gonzaga, Tennessee, Marquette, Alabama, Arizona, Illinois and Wisconsin. Six of those games were on the road or at neutral sites, and Purdue has six wins over the other top 15 teams in seeding. UConn, ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, had two.
But then the Huskies came out and treated the Golden Eagles like DePaul and destroyed the No. 4 market. The 28-point victory was the largest margin of victory in a top-five matchup in conference play in Associated Press history. Meanwhile, Purdue has lost nine of its past 11 games, losing to Ohio State, whose coach Chris Holtmann was fired last week.
But this isn’t about Purdue, it’s about Connecticut. This team has no weaknesses. He’s big, physical, and dynamic on both ends of the floor, ranking third in offensive efficiency and 11th defensively. Just the absolute wagon. The Huskies are undefeated when they are at their best. Stunning freshman Stephon Castle lost a four-point loss to Big 12 powerhouse Kansas on Dec. 1. In the Dec. 20 game against Seton Hall, star center Donovan Clingan played just 15 minutes due to a foot injury.
UConn not only achieved a nation-leading 14-game winning streak, but they did it in a distinct way. Those 14 victories were won by an average margin of 16.8 points, and five of those victories came without the dominant Clingan. The Huskies have one answer after another. They have six different leading scorers this season. Reserve guard Hassan Diarra has emerged from the bench as a key cog.
A few weeks ago, before the second game between Connecticut and St. John’s, Rick Pitino said he thought these Huskies were better than last year’s version. He coached Iona College against that group in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. I’m starting to believe that, especially since Castle and Klingan (two lottery picks) have made huge strides recently.
Two experts believe it would be a close bet if Connecticut and Purdue played on a neutral court. South Point Hotel and Casino sportsbook director Chris Andrews predicted the spread would be -3 in favor of the Huskies. SuperBook Sports executive vice president Jay Korengay suggested it would be a minus-one for UConn. If things go well, this matchup could happen in March or maybe even April.
I fully expect the Huskies to make it to the Final Four in Phoenix. In fact, they could play in the NCAA Tournament next month. Take the rampaging Connecticut. The team’s first consecutive champions since the 2006-07 Florida Games are not just doing well. I feel that’s highly possible.
All on a merry-go-round
Already, two major universities are scheduled to open: DePaul University and Ohio State University, with more on the way. The most talked about team is Louisville, where Kenny Payne is almost certain to leave one of the best jobs in the country with an abysmal 12-45 record. But Arizona State (Bobby Hurley), Oklahoma State (Mike Boynton), Washington State (Mike Hopkins), Stanford State (Jerrod Haas), Michigan State (Juwan Howard), Vanderbilt State (Jerry Stackhouse) could potentially be another college.
This looks to be a fascinating coaching merry-go-round season, and it’s not just because of the schools mentioned above, as several prominent coaches have been underperforming for years and are perhaps looking to take the next step. This is because there is. The names you hear most often in this regard are Mick Cronin and Eric Musselman. Florida Atlantic’s Maye was a player to watch last year and will continue to be, especially if the Owls can win the March again. Two very interesting names have already surfaced for him at Ohio State. Sean Miller of Xavier University and Greg McDermott of Creighton University.
A stupid season could get even stupider this year, especially considering the transfer portal moves that have become college basketball’s version of free agency.
this week’s game
No. 10 Iowa State, No. 3 Houston, Monday, 9 p.m.
Houston’s first year in the tough Big 12 was more successful than anyone expected. The Cougars have won eight of their last nine league games, with one loss coming at the University of Kansas, sitting atop the nation’s best conference. This week could decide whether or not they win the Big 12. They play co-leader Iowa State at home on Monday, then play second-place and 12th-ranked Baylor on Saturday. Houston has a perfect 14-0 record at Fertitta Center, winning each of its six home league games by at least 15 points.
sowing seeds
1. Connecticut, Purdue, Houston, Arizona
2. Tennessee, Kansas, North Carolina, Marquette
3. Baylor, Alabama, Iowa State, Auburn
4. Illinois, Creighton, Duke, Dayton
stock watch
Amir Abdul Rahim – Up
There may be no first-year coach in the nation doing a better job than Abdulrahim. South Florida has had 10 losing seasons in the past 11 years. During that span, they won fewer than 10 games five times. He quickly turned things around after Sunday’s win over No. 24 Florida Atlantic, leading the Bulls to a 19-5 record and first place in the AAC. A year ago, he led Kennesaw State to its first-ever NCAA Tournament.
Nate Oates – Up
He lost all three of his assistant coaches and five of his six leading scorers in the offseason. Taking a step back would not only have been expected, it would have been expected. Still, the Alabama coach faced an incredibly tough schedule. The Crimson Tide played Creighton, Purdue, Oregon, Clemson and others in their non-conference schedule, and it certainly seems to have paid off. Alabama stands alone atop his SEC and looks like a Final Four contender, led by a high-octane offense averaging 90.7 points per game. Oats deserves the National Coach of the Year award.
Jay Williams – Down
Iowa State superstar Caitlin Clark has never led the Hawkeyes to a national championship, so he gave an outlandish opinion that in his mind it’s not good. The ESPN analyst acknowledged that Clark is a prolific scorer just days after she became the women’s all-time leading scorer, but she hasn’t won it all yet, so in his mind she’s a prolific scorer. I don’t think he’s a great player. He also compared her to college legends who won titles, which is also ridiculous considering her talent on those teams. That means Williams doesn’t think players like Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing, Dan Marino or Barry Sanders are great either. It’s just an old-fashioned way of thinking.
memphis – down
After back-to-back wins over Texas A&M, Clemson and Virginia in mid-December, Memphis looked like a dangerous team in the second weekend. After double-digit losses to North Texas and SMU last week, they now need to win the AAC Tournament to advance to the Dance. Their NET ranking has plummeted to 81 and they are now 7-6 in a mediocre conference at best. On paper, it’s a good team led by impact transfers David Jones (St. John’s) and Jahvon Kunary (Alabama). and NaeQwan Tomlin (Kansas State). Despite being mediocre, it is an amazing talent.
