Sports NCAA Tournament tickets are getting punched within the mid-critical leagues. Energy conference tournament brackets are being location. Stars are being born during The US and turning into family names.
March is in paunchy swing and the next week goes to be wonderful. Why? Since you if truth be told by no procedure know what to elevate up for. On Saturday, we noticed SIU Edwardsville — higher identified as SIUE — claim its first NCAA Tournament berth at the help of superstar guard Ray’Sean Taylor going for 20 substances, seven rebounds and 4 assists in a 69-forty eight salvage over Southeast Missouri Screech within the Ohio Valley Convention Championship Sport. Whereas the Cougars, who joined Division I in 2008, were making historic previous on Saturday, Auburn and Alabama performed the game of the twelve months to date.
Who wouldn’t join two more rounds between the Tigers and Tide with one other likely showdown within the SEC Tournament, as effectively as some point within the NCAA Tournament? The Tigers tied the game at 91 on a 2d opportunity and a triple by Johni Broome, sending The Jungle into a frenzy and leaving Alabama coach Nate Oats to blueprint up a play with 14 seconds left for the salvage. Ticket Sears got a step on no doubt one of many most attention-grabbing defensive guards in The US, Denver Jones, and the All-American made the most of it with a free-throw line runner at the buzzer.
Whereas Sears easiest scored nine substances on 3-for-9 taking pictures from the ground, it’s a testament to the Tide’s offense that they unexcited shot 52%. What modified on this rematch for Alabama to build up revenge from the house loss it suffered three weeks prior?
Alabama used to be the more bodily crew in key moments, with Grant Nelson handing over 23 substances and eight rebounds, while Cliff Omoruyi showed why he used to be such a gigantic switch portal add from Rutgers, handing over 15 substances and eight rebounds. With Labaron Philon supplying 15 substances within the salvage, it masked a couple of of what used to be missing. The replacement non-negotiable in opposition to Auburn is that it be a have to to give some resistance to its 3-point taking pictures. The Tigers’ backcourt used to be in a position to finding a rhythm once in a while, and Tahaad Pettiford used to be very factual with 19 substances and six assists off the bench, however coach Bruce Pearl’s starting up backcourt carried out with 4-for-13 taking pictures from 3-point territory. Broome had 34 substances, eight rebounds, five blocks, three assists and three steals within the loss, which speaks to Alabama’s ability to rob punches and counter.
[Related: Mike DeCourcy’s latest NCAA Tournament projections ]
Right here are six other things that stood out from the weekend:
Zuby Ejiofor hit a buzzer-beater for St. John’s within the program’s dual carriageway opener at Providence, a 16-point comeback victory that in actual fact modified the route of the Crimson Storm’s season at the time. After a infected flow in time beyond legislation on Saturday, the junior colossal man cashed in again at the buzzer to give the Johnnies an 86-84 salvage over twentieth-ranked Marquette.
The fact that the Johnnies matched a single-season file for traditional-season wins with 27 and matched last twelve months’s UConn national championship crew with a conference-file 18 league wins in a season is amazing. RJ Luis, who I mediate will be Noteworthy East Player of the twelve months, had 28 substances and 10 rebounds, while Kadary Richmond used to be no longer to be outdone. The Brooklyn native had the program’s first triple-double (10 substances, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) since Metta Sandiford-Artest (formerly Ron Artest) did so in 1999. Coach Rick Pitino used to be on “The Tonight Show” on Thursday and done a traditional season that’s as factual as any the program has had on Saturday. He’s the king of the sector at this moment and ought to be at the extinguish of the national coach of the twelve months voting.
How about Ticket Pope and Kentucky? The Wildcats matched a college basketball file with their eighth top-15 salvage of the season, spoiling Missouri’s Senior Day with a 91-83 victory. Kentucky is in most cases a wagon offensively, and it showed on Saturday when Otega Oweh scored 22 substances, Koby Brea used to be sizzling from deep with 17 substances, and Andrew Carr had 16 substances and 12 rebounds. Carr’s leadership procedure so significant to this crew and clearly a healthy Lamont Butler keeps the Wildcats organized. They might well perchance lose within the principle round of the NCAA Tournament or be sitting within the Elite Eight.
BYU has won eight in a row and will not be any doubt one of many freshest teams within the conference, powered by Richie Saunders and top draft prospect Egor Demin. That said, the account within the Noteworthy 12 unexcited belongs to educate Kelvin Sampson. For Houston to roam to 19-1 and steamroll to one other outright traditional-season title — this one coming by four games — is an awesome testament to Sampson. The Cougars are 34-4 in two years in Noteworthy 12 contests.
Duke done a 19-1 file in ACC play to grab the No. 1 seed within the conference tournament, and the Blue Devils might well perchance be the motive North Carolina is saved out of the NCAA Tournament after pulling away within the 2d half to salvage 82-69 at the help of a balanced attack. Cooper Flagg? Generational. Fifteen substances, nine rebounds, six steals, four blocks. Mix that with Kon Knueppel having 17 and the duo of Tyrese Proctor and Sion James combining for 32 to illustrate why they’re the No. 1 crew within the NET, KenPom and Torvik. Coach Jon Scheyer has a crew that can salvage it all in San Antonio.
Illinois is reduction in my top 25 after three consecutive wins, two of which luxuriate in been ranked victories over Michigan, and most no longer too prolonged ago, Purdue on Friday. The methodology the Illini strung stops together on the Boilermakers within the 88-80 victory, closing the game on a 13-1 depart, used to be in actual fact spectacular. Pictures were falling on the offensive stop for the Illini, as Brad Underwood’s squad drilled 11 triples. With a likely top-five pick within the NBA Draft in Kasparas Jakucionis and a stable core of damaged-down guys who luxuriate in no scarcity of making the proper performs, there’s a motive to mediate that this crew can produce the 2d weekend of the Noteworthy Dance. Fellow freshman Will Riley tallied 22 substances within the salvage, while Tre White had 20 substances and nine rebounds. When White, a switch from Louisville, scores more than 11 substances in a sport, Illinois is 10-1. Jakucionis had 10 substances and 7 assists, and even if it wasn’t his easiest offensive day, he unexcited made the shot of the game.
At last, bubble eye! With Duke’s salvage over North Carolina, the 1-11 file in Quad 1 appears to be like fancy the motive the preference committee might well perchance no longer encompass the Tar Heels within the NCAA Tournament. Indiana might well additionally wish punched its designate to the Noteworthy Dance with a 66-60 salvage over Ohio Screech, giving the Hoosiers a mixed nine wins in Quad 2. For Ohio Screech, its NET is 35 and its six Quad 1 wins are a proper differentiator. Boise Screech misplaced by 10 on Friday night to Colorado Screech. The Rams were led by Nique Clifford with a occupation-high 36 substances in their Mountain West Tournament-clinching victory over the Broncos. Meanwhile, Xavier has done all in its energy over the last month to enhance to a 12-3 file. The Musketeers got 46 substances mixed on Saturday from Zach Freemantle and Ryan Conwell on Senior Day within the salvage over Providence and clinched the No. 4 seed within the Noteworthy East Tournament. They are going to fulfill Marquette on Thursday afternoon within the quarterfinals. Getting a 2d Quad 1 victory would seemingly imprint Xavier’s picture. Even with a loss, barring an crude number of picture-stealers, the Musketeers are a top-50 metrics crew with an 8-1 file vs. Quad 2 and no harmful losses.
With that, right here’s my as a lot as this point top 25:
1. Duke (28-3)
2. Houston (27-4)
3. Auburn (27-4)
4. Florida (27-4)
5. St. John’s (27-4)
6. Alabama (24-7)
7. Michigan Screech (26-5)
8. Tennessee (25-6)
9. Texas Tech (24-7)
10. Clemson (26-5)
11. Maryland (24-7)
12. Louisville (25-6)
13. BYU (23-8)
14. Iowa Screech (23-8)
15. Memphis (26-5)
16. Wisconsin (23-8)
17. Kentucky (21-10)
18. Saint Mary’s (27-4)
19. Texas A&M (22-9)
20. Missouri (21-10)
21. Illinois (20-11)
22. Purdue (21-10)
23. Oregon (22-8)
24. UC San Diego (28-4)
25. Drake (29-3)
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports. He covers the game in a diversity of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to offering commentary on The Discipline of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta .
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