Sports With simply four weeks remaining except Resolution Sunday, faculty basketball delivered the most attention-grabbing weekend of the in model-or-backyard season that we’ve considered to this point, headlined by the fundamental No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in the game in four years.
Last week, we stored Auburn because the tip team in the country simply since the Tigers aloof possessed the most attention-grabbing résumé in The US — even after a condo loss to a projected No. 1 seed, Florida , and they also would possibly possibly possibly maybe well also afford to beget a day when things didn’t mosey their skill.
This week, Bruce Pearl’s team proved our rankings were correct, because the tip-ranked Tigers flexed their muscle groups in Tuscaloosa on Saturday with a 94-85 salvage over Alabama . How did Auburn defend an eye fixed on the game? With a protection that took away the three-point line, preserving the Crimson Tide to five-of-26 shooting from beyond the arc, and containing All-American guard Designate Sears to simply 4-for-17 shooting from the floor.
[Read more: Auburn keeps the No. 1 crown with complete win at No. 2 Alabama ]
Auburn’s Johni Broome persisted his nationwide participant of the 300 and sixty five days candidacy with 19 aspects, 14 rebounds and six assists, whereas Denver Jones tallied 16 aspects, Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara every had 15 aspects, and two others were in double figures. Alabama could also never manufacture traction on the defensive cease, and for correct motive. When Auburn is making 12 triples on 40% shooting and a guy worship Chaney Johnson is hitting constant elbow shots, it simply adds to the potency of the Broome-charged offense. He surely attach the tone for the salvage, person that confirmed why it would hang loads for Auburn to lose its standing because the fundamental total seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Listed right here are four other takeaways from a wild Saturday in faculty basketball:
Houston joined the Substantial 12 in the 2023-24 season. The Cougars are in the driver’s seat to salvage the in model-or-backyard-season title for a 2nd consecutive 300 and sixty five days and are 27-2 in their past 29 standard-season convention video games after a gutsy 62-58 aspect road salvage over Arizona . The Wildcats entered Saturday at 58-4 at McKale Center, courting assist to the starting up of the 2021-22 season. L.J. Cryer hit two grab 3s when the Cougars fell in the assist of 48-45 with seven minutes left and Milos Uzan scored 19 aspects, showing why Houston can minimize down the nets this April in San Antonio. Kelvin Sampson has a team that defends worship the program continually has, plus indispensable extra shot-making skills.
Tom Izzo is the fresh Substantial Ten wins king. The Hall of Famer handed Bob Knight for the most Substantial Ten convention sport wins by a head coach in league history, notching his 354th victory with a Seventy 9-65 salvage at Illinois on FOX Primetime Hoops. The Spartans held the Illini scoreless in the final 8:29. For a reflection of Izzo’s history, be taught this magnificent tribute letter from our very beget Invoice Raftery.
How about Wisconsin ! Greg Gard has reinvented his offensive intention, and it’s paying off in a vast skill. Wisconsin moved to 12-2 in its past 14 video games with a 94-84 salvage at Purdue on Saturday in the assist of John Tonje’s 32 aspects and Max Klesmit turning in 17. Two years in the past, Wisconsin became once 140th in effectivity on the offensive cease and omitted the NCAA Tournament. Rapid-forward to this 300 and sixty five days, and the Badgers are sixth in the country. They picked apart Purdue’s protection, with the Badgers’ monumental guards exploiting them in the lane and surely getting no matter they wanted at will. It became once an awfully impressive aspect road salvage for a high-four team in the Substantial Ten standings. Wisconsin is an real shadowy horse to internet to the Elite Eight, if no longer a step extra.
Kansas and UConn were pretty disappointing this season. The Jayhawks are 5-5 in their past 10 video games and 3-6 in correct aspect road contests after a 74-67 loss at Utah that dropped Invoice Self’s team to 8-6 in the league. In Self’s first Two decades at Kansas, his groups misplaced six video games in simply two seasons. The Jayhawks beget now executed that in assist-to-assist campaigns. The Hunter Dickinson era has no longer panned out.
After which there’s UConn, who’s 9-5 in the Substantial East and looks to be like simply about executed in the convention standard-season title flee after a unpleasant 69-68 time beyond legislation defeat at Seton Hall on Saturday. The Huskies led by seven with 36 seconds left in legislation, then by five with a minute left in time beyond legislation. The Hall had won only one sport since Dec. 5, however Saturday introduced a miraculous moment and salvage, courtesy of Scotty Middleton.
For UConn, it’s a brutal Quad 3 loss that hurts the tournament résumé. The Huskies could also thoroughly be in an 8-9 sport. There’s some extra or less reward for the 1-seed in that attach.
Mike DeCourcy had SMU , Arkansas , San Diego Remark and BYU as his final four groups to internet into the tournament in his most up-to-date bracket forecast, which is released every Tuesday and Friday on FOXSports.com. DeCourcy had Wake Woodland as considered one of his first four groups out of the tournament, however one would direct the Mustangs and Demon Deacons would reverse after Steve Forbes’ team won in Dallas. SDSU attach Boise Remark in the blender defensively, outlasting the Broncos 64-47, whereas BYU dominated Kansas Remark. Whereas Arkansas fell quick to Texas A&M , Texas — one other considered one of DeCourcy’s first four groups out — knocked off high-20 ranked Kentucky in the assist of a blended 58 aspects from Tre Johnson and Tramon Designate. The bubble is amazingly fluid this time of 300 and sixty five days, however Saturday’s monumental winners were Wake Woodland, Texas and BYU.
That stated, right here’s my updated high 25!
1. Auburn (23-2)
2. Florida (22-3)
3. Duke (22-3)
4. Alabama (21-4)
5. Houston (21-4)
6. Texas A&M (20-5)
7. Tennessee (21-5)
8. Iowa Remark (20-5)
9. Wisconsin (20-5)
10. Texas Tech (20-5)
11. St. John’s (22-4)
12. Michigan (20-5)
13. Michigan Remark (20-5)
14. Purdue (19-7)
15. Marquette (19-6)
16. Missouri (19-6)
17. Arizona (17-8)
18. Clemson (21-5)
19. Kentucky (17-8)
20. Memphis (21-5)
21. Maryland (20-6)
22. Mississippi Remark (18-7)
23. Louisville (20-6)
24. Recent Mexico (22-4)
25. Saint Mary’s (23-4)
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and creator for FOX Sports. He covers the game in a diversity of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to offering commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Note him at @John_Fanta .
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