15 Jan19 - Mirror, Mirror

Volume XIX, No. 11 - 15 Jan19 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Mirror, Mirror

Even putting aside the undefeated runs of Kentucky and Virginia that are still intact, there's evidence that this is a strong year in college basketball overall. Maybe a dozen teams still have a shot at a No. 1-seed for the NCAA tournament with strong campaigns from here on out. But with the depth of the BIG 12, BIG 10 and the ACC elite as well as the competitive balance of the BIG EAST, ATLANTIC 10, the SEC underneath UK and the AMERICAN, it's tough for even good teams to post two solid wins on the week. Instead, you often get a Jekly and Hyde split, one "Good" and one "Bad", and then the question becomes which one is "The Real" team?
     "Bad Duke" lost by double-digits for the second-straight game, this time in a home blowout loss to visiting Miami(Florida), @74-90 (thanks to 24p5a5r from pAngel Rodriguez). The Blue Devils defended poorly on the perimeter (the Hurricanes were 10-for-20 on three-pointers), shot terribly from the free-throw line (10-for-20) and, frankly, got tired by the end of the game due to their short bench. But then, "Good Duke" showed off its inner prowess offensively (19p7r and 18p7r from fAmile Jefferson and SuperFrosh fJahlil Okafor) and defensively (30 percent shooting) at Louisville, winning 63-@52, its second elite road win.
     "Good Iowa State" outpaced Kansas, @86-81 (as 6 Cyclones reached double-figures); but only after "Bad Iowa State" tripped on the road at Baylor, 73-@74, blowing ISU's chance to break open the BIG 12 race. For its part, Kansas sank 32-of-46 free throws earlier in the week in its @67-57 win over Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, West Virginia split routs -- the "Good": a @86-65 win over Oklahoma (as 16 steals forced 22 turnovers); the "Bad": a 50-@77 loss at Texas (while shooting only 24 percent from the floor as the much taller Longhorns sank 31-for-37 free throws). Oklahoma bounced back with a @82-65 win over state-rival Oklahoma State (as bBuddy Hield was spectacular: 27p5r6to;10/10fg). For their part, the giant-killers couldn't keep the momentum going, either. Miami couldn't pull off the tough double, falling short at Notre Dame, 70-@75. Baylor tripped at home against suddenly 4-1 Kansas State, 61-@63. Butler edged host Seton Hall in overtime (79-@75[OT]; despite 30p;6/9 3s from gSterling Gibbs), but then fell 59-@61 at Georgetown. Mississippi couldn't get it done at home against LSU (falling @71-75), but then outran host Arkansas (96-@82; as both teams combined to shoot 69 free throws between them) to turn the race for second place in the SEC into a scramble (as Ark also fell at Tennessee, 69-@74).

A few teams delivered solid wins with no hiccups to taint them. Arizona pounded Utah, @69-51, in Part I of the PAC-12 Game of the Year as shifting freshman fStanley Johnson to the guard spot allowed the Wildcats to dominate the boards (40-19 in rebounds). Maryland completed the sweep of Michigan State
with an impressive @75-59 home rout (led by freshman gMelo Trimble[24p;6/11 3s] and xJake Layman[23p12r;11/12ft]). San Diego State won on the road at Wyoming, 60-@52, keeping the Cowboys from opening up a gap in the MOUNTAIN WEST race so early on.
     Iowa had a strong week, edging host Minnesota (77-@75) and beating Ohio State (@76-67; despite 27p14r;10/22fg from SuperFrosh D'Angelo Russell). Stanford did double-duty as well, winning at arch-rival California (69-@59) and then keeping struggling Connecticut in its funk, winning @72-59 (while dominating the boards 48-24).

In the WEST COAST, Gonzaga escaped at Pepperdine (78-@76) while the stars didn't disappoint when 7-0 St. Mary's hosted BYU in its @82-77 win (as 24p10r;10/15fg from cBrad Waldow countered 28p6r from bTyler Haws).
     Villanova wrapped up its second-straight BIG 5 title (undefeated again) with a 62-@47 win over Penn at the PALESTRA.
     Some key 1BC clashes were also on tap. In the ATLANTIC SUN, North Florida handled Florida Gulf Coast (@80-64; behind 27p9a from pDallas Moore). In the MEAC, North Carolina Central edged host Norfolk State (60-@56; despite 31p from gJeff Short). In the BIG SKY, Sacramento State handled Eastern Washington (@90-77).

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Champions hoping to repeat face stiff challenges this week. Arizona is on the road at Stanford (Thursday) (with reeling California to boot [Saturday]). Gonzaga hosts streaking St. Mary's (Thursday). Wisconsin hosts surging Iowa (Tuesday). Kansas hosts Oklahoma (Monday) and visits Texas (Saturday). San Diego State visits upstart Colorado State (Saturday).
     Elsewhere, key matchups abound. Indiana hosts Maryland (Thursday) and visits Ohio State (Sunday). Butler hosting Seton Hall (Sunday) is the best of the BIG EAST Wars on tap for the week. Washington's regular season hopes are on the line with a big road trip (Thursday at Colorado; Sunday at Utah). Mississippi (Tuesday at Georgia) and Florida (Tuesday vs LSU) are on the clock in the SEC before facing off in Oxford (Saturday). Kansas State's resurgence will be put to the test (Tuesday at Iowa State, Saturday vs Oklahoma State).
     Under-the-radar Northeastern can take control of the COLONIAL with a big week (Thursday vs James Madison, Saturday at William & Mary). HORIZON powers square off (Friday) when Green Bay hosts Valparaiso. It's Part I of the SOUTHLAND showdown (Saturday) when Sam Houston State hosts Stephen F. Austin.

-- Ron

P.S. Congratulations to this year's PIGSKIN POOL PARTY champion:   Joe Felix!

Key games this week:

Monday

Villanova-@Georgetown, @Kansas-Oklahoma, Texas-@TCU(TX), @StonyBrook-Albany(NY), @Hampton-NCCentral,

Tuesday:

@Wisconsin-Iowa, @IowaSt-KansasSt, Dayton-@Davidson, @Georgia-Mississippi, @Florida-LSU,

Wednesday:

@Tulane-SMU, @LoyolaIL-Evansville,

Thursday:

Arizona-@Stanford, @Gonzaga-StMarys, Maryland-@Indiana, @Colorado-Washington, @MiamiFL-NCState, @Providence-Xavier, @Hawaii-UCDavis, @Northeastern-JamesMadison, @WeKentucky-UTEP, @Hartford-Albany, @TexasSt-GeorgiaSo, @SCUpstate-FLGulfCoast, @Radford-HighPt, @NewMexicoSt-{GrandCanyon},

Friday:

@GreenBay-Valparaiso,

Saturday:

Arizona-@California, Kansas-@Texas, @WVirginia-TCU, Oklahoma-@Baylor, SanDiegoSt-@ColoradoSt, @KansasSt-OklahomaSt, @Syracuse-MiamiFL, @Minnesota-Illinois, @Mississippi-Florida, @Penn-@StJosephs(PhiladelphiaPA)(BIG5)(/PALESTRA/), @WeMichigan-Akron, @CMichigan-EaMichigan(MI), @Hawaii-UCIrvine, @William&Mary-Northeastern, @Hofstra-JamesMadison, @SamHoustonSt-StephenFAustin(TX), @GeorgiaSt-Louisiana, @OralRoberts-SDState, @Yale-Brown, @Wofford-ETennesseeSt, @VMI-TheCitadel(MIL), @StFrancisNY-RobertMorris, @AlabamaSt-AlcornSt,

Sunday:

@Utah-Washington, NotreDame-@NCState, Indiana-@OhioSt(BG), NoIowa-@IllinoisSt, @Butler-SetonHall,
NYC-WINTER CLASSIC DblHdr @ NewYorkNY/MSG/
-(Duke-@StJohns, @Iona-@Niagara[NY]),

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Monday week:

@IowaSt-Texas, @NCarolina-Syracuse.

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Top 25 - 15 Jan19 - [] Column

1. Kentucky (16-0)
   
2. Virginia (17-0)
   
3. Villanova (17-1) [BIG 5u]
   
4. Arizona (16-2)
   
5. Gonzaga (17-1)
   
6. Duke (15-2)
   
7. Wisconsin (15-2)
   
8. Louisville (15-3)
   
9. Maryland (17-2)
   
10. Iowa State (13-3)
    
11. Utah (13-3)
    
12. Notre Dame (17-2)
    
13. North Carolina (14-4)
    
14. Kansas (14-3)
    
15. Wichita State (15-2)
    
16. VCU (15-3)
    
17. Stanford (13-4)
    
18. Texas (13-4)
    
19. Iowa (13-5)
    
20. West Virginia (14-3)
    
21. Indiana (13-4)
    
22. Oklahoma (12-5)
    
23. San Diego State (13-4)
    
24. Northern Iowa (16-2)
    
25. Dayton (15-2)
    

Honorable Mention:

Miami-FL (12-5), Baylor (13-4), Butler (13-6), Mississippi (11-6), Tennessee (11-5).