16 Jan 4 - East Lansing And Down
Volume XX, No. 9 - 16 Jan 4 - [] Top 25 Ballot
East Lansing And Down
Sure enough, with xDenzel Valentine on the sidelines, Michigan State went from great to just good. Iowa handed the Spartans their first loss (@83-70 behind 25p from gMike Gesell); the Hawkeyes followed that up with a road win at Purdue (70-@63 as bJarrod Uthoff(25p5r) led the way) to take the early lead in the BIG 10.
Butler got off to a terrible start in the BIG EAST, falling at home to Providence (@73-81 as xRodney Bullock[25p10r] gave the Friars a third star for opponents to worry about) and then tanking on the road at Xavier (69-@88). After routing Penn to go 3-0 in the Big Five, Villanova got its two biggest wins of the season when the Wildcats handed Xavier its first loss in a runaway victory (@95-64 as pRyan Arcidiacono[27p8a;7/14 3s] had one of the best games of his career) and then earned a road win at Creighton (85-@71 as Josh Hart[25p5r] continued his excellent campaign). Meanwhile, Marquette was blown out at home by 11-2 Seton Hall (@63-83) and tumbled again on the road at Georgetown (70-@80).
Oklahoma stayed unbeaten, edging Iowa State (@87-83 despite 29p8r from tGeorges Niang). Kansas throttled Baylor (@102-74 as bWayne Selden[24p4a5r;5/6 3s] led the way). Surprising Texas Tech dismissed Richmond (@85-70 behind a 40-17 rebounding margin) out of conference and then made 27-for-30 free throws while beating rival Texas (@82-74) in BIG 12 conference play.
Utah stumbled out the blocks in the PAC-12, tripping in overtime at Stanford (68-@70[OT]) and falling at California (58-@71). (The Cal Bears had earlier put slumping A-10/Davidson out of its preseason misery [@86-60]). Oregon couldn't handle its grudge road game at 10-2 Oregon State, falling 57-@70. 10-4 Washington swept two nail-biter home games with UCLA (@96-93[2OT]) and USC (@87-85). Arizona did take care of its grudge road game, beating Arizona State (94-@82 as pGabe York led the way with 22p6a5r). UCLA double-dipped its Evergreen State weekend, falling at 9-5 Washington (78-@85).
Cincinnati dropped a disappointing home loss to a mediocre Temple team. Tulsa took a beating to start play in the AMERICAN, losing at home to still unbeaten SMU (@69-81) and then taking it on the chin at Cincinnati (57-@76).
By and large, the ACC powers avoided each other in the first week of conference play. Syracuse's first two games without coach Jim Boeheim (who must serve a 9-game suspension for the first half of the regular season) were a bust; but road losses at Pittsburgh (61-@72) and at Miami(Florida) (51-@64) might have happened, anyway. (Same as it ever was -- North Carolina ran its streak to 58-0 all-time over Clemson in Chapel Hill with an @80-69 win.)
LSU dropped a disappointing home loss to 9-3 Wake Forest (@71-77), but finally got a quality win in SEC play with a road win at Vanderbilt (90-@82 as GC cBen Simmons[36p14r] was unstoppable. The jury is still out on whether cSimmons' immense talent can lead the Commodores to a special season or whether he'll be more like Kevin Durant [Texas '07], who garnered every individual accolade but whose team was a 32-Splash disapppointment.)
In the WCC, surprising St. Mary's handled BYU (@85-74) with a balanced attack.
13-2 Southern Illinois proved its gaudy preseason record was no fluke, dismissing Loyola(Illinois) (72-@62) and edging Northern Iowa (@75-73) as gAnthony Beane averaged 29p in two games.
In the A-10, Richmond fell at home to 11-2 St. Joseph's (@73-77).
In the MWC, UNLV tripped at home against 10-4 Fresno State (@66-69). Meanwhile, San Diego State got a big road win at 9-4 Utah State (70-@67) to start things off.
Two of the best candidates for splashworthy 1BCs disappointed. HORIZON/Valparaiso tripped out of conference at underrated OVC/Belmont (81-@85 as cEvan Bradds[26p10r] continued his season-long fine play). Meanwhile, MAAC/Monmouth dropped a 84-@91 out-of-conference decision at PATRIOT/Army-West Point.
(For the first time in 15 years, crosstown dwellers Old Dominion and Norfolk State met -- ODU won @68-57.)
Elsewhere, COLONIAL: 9-3 College of Charleston got a big road win at James Madison (65-@62 as fJarrell Brantley had 29p). C-USA: UAB got a leg up on Middle Tennessee (@78-67). PATRIOT: 4-8 Bucknell's disastrous preseason didn't matter as the Bison pounded 9-5 Navy (@88-58) and won on the road at 10-4 Army-West Point (84-@76) as gChris Hass averaged 31p in two games. MEAC: Likewise, preseason success meant nothing as 2-11 Texas Southern routed Southern (@88-66).
- - - - - -
Unbeaten Oklahoma visits Kansas (Monday). Upstart Texas Tech has it rough when it visits Iowa State (Wednesday) and hosts Kansas (Saturday). Iowa State hosts Baylor (Saturday). Host Butler needs a win badly already to stay in the BIG EAST race, but beating Villanova (Sunday) is a tough way to do it. Unbeaten South Carolina gets a real test when Vanderbilt comes to town (Saturday). Unbeaten SMU only has the regular season to play for, so there's plenty of incentive against visiting Cincinnati (Thursday).
Tough to believe, but it's a must-win week for regrouping Wichita State when it hosts Evansville (Wednesday) and visits upstart Southern Illinois (Saturday). California's quest for validation continues at Oregon (Wednesday). Rhode Island hosts Richmond (Tuesday). Providence hosts Marquette (Tuesday). North Carolina should have no problem keeping host Syracuse in its funk (Saturday). UCLA has its own must-win week: hosting Arizona (Thursday) and Arizona State (Saturday). Kentucky visits LSU (Tuesday).
Chattanooga looks to take the lead in the SOUTHERN with a home win over Mercer (Tuesday). Valparaiso can take early control of the HORIZON with a road win at Oakland (Friday). New Mexico State won't feel so much like a Jack Dawson representative for the WAC come March if it can manage a road win at {Grand Canyon} (Saturday).
-- Ron
Top 25 - 16 Jan 4 - [] Column
East Lansing And Down
Sure enough, with xDenzel Valentine on the sidelines, Michigan State went from great to just good. Iowa handed the Spartans their first loss (@83-70 behind 25p from gMike Gesell); the Hawkeyes followed that up with a road win at Purdue (70-@63 as bJarrod Uthoff(25p5r) led the way) to take the early lead in the BIG 10.
Butler got off to a terrible start in the BIG EAST, falling at home to Providence (@73-81 as xRodney Bullock[25p10r] gave the Friars a third star for opponents to worry about) and then tanking on the road at Xavier (69-@88). After routing Penn to go 3-0 in the Big Five, Villanova got its two biggest wins of the season when the Wildcats handed Xavier its first loss in a runaway victory (@95-64 as pRyan Arcidiacono[27p8a;7/14 3s] had one of the best games of his career) and then earned a road win at Creighton (85-@71 as Josh Hart[25p5r] continued his excellent campaign). Meanwhile, Marquette was blown out at home by 11-2 Seton Hall (@63-83) and tumbled again on the road at Georgetown (70-@80).
Oklahoma stayed unbeaten, edging Iowa State (@87-83 despite 29p8r from tGeorges Niang). Kansas throttled Baylor (@102-74 as bWayne Selden[24p4a5r;5/6 3s] led the way). Surprising Texas Tech dismissed Richmond (@85-70 behind a 40-17 rebounding margin) out of conference and then made 27-for-30 free throws while beating rival Texas (@82-74) in BIG 12 conference play.
Utah stumbled out the blocks in the PAC-12, tripping in overtime at Stanford (68-@70[OT]) and falling at California (58-@71). (The Cal Bears had earlier put slumping A-10/Davidson out of its preseason misery [@86-60]). Oregon couldn't handle its grudge road game at 10-2 Oregon State, falling 57-@70. 10-4 Washington swept two nail-biter home games with UCLA (@96-93[2OT]) and USC (@87-85). Arizona did take care of its grudge road game, beating Arizona State (94-@82 as pGabe York led the way with 22p6a5r). UCLA double-dipped its Evergreen State weekend, falling at 9-5 Washington (78-@85).
Cincinnati dropped a disappointing home loss to a mediocre Temple team. Tulsa took a beating to start play in the AMERICAN, losing at home to still unbeaten SMU (@69-81) and then taking it on the chin at Cincinnati (57-@76).
By and large, the ACC powers avoided each other in the first week of conference play. Syracuse's first two games without coach Jim Boeheim (who must serve a 9-game suspension for the first half of the regular season) were a bust; but road losses at Pittsburgh (61-@72) and at Miami(Florida) (51-@64) might have happened, anyway. (Same as it ever was -- North Carolina ran its streak to 58-0 all-time over Clemson in Chapel Hill with an @80-69 win.)
LSU dropped a disappointing home loss to 9-3 Wake Forest (@71-77), but finally got a quality win in SEC play with a road win at Vanderbilt (90-@82 as GC cBen Simmons[36p14r] was unstoppable. The jury is still out on whether cSimmons' immense talent can lead the Commodores to a special season or whether he'll be more like Kevin Durant [Texas '07], who garnered every individual accolade but whose team was a 32-Splash disapppointment.)
In the WCC, surprising St. Mary's handled BYU (@85-74) with a balanced attack.
13-2 Southern Illinois proved its gaudy preseason record was no fluke, dismissing Loyola(Illinois) (72-@62) and edging Northern Iowa (@75-73) as gAnthony Beane averaged 29p in two games.
In the A-10, Richmond fell at home to 11-2 St. Joseph's (@73-77).
In the MWC, UNLV tripped at home against 10-4 Fresno State (@66-69). Meanwhile, San Diego State got a big road win at 9-4 Utah State (70-@67) to start things off.
Two of the best candidates for splashworthy 1BCs disappointed. HORIZON/Valparaiso tripped out of conference at underrated OVC/Belmont (81-@85 as cEvan Bradds[26p10r] continued his season-long fine play). Meanwhile, MAAC/Monmouth dropped a 84-@91 out-of-conference decision at PATRIOT/Army-West Point.
(For the first time in 15 years, crosstown dwellers Old Dominion and Norfolk State met -- ODU won @68-57.)
Elsewhere, COLONIAL: 9-3 College of Charleston got a big road win at James Madison (65-@62 as fJarrell Brantley had 29p). C-USA: UAB got a leg up on Middle Tennessee (@78-67). PATRIOT: 4-8 Bucknell's disastrous preseason didn't matter as the Bison pounded 9-5 Navy (@88-58) and won on the road at 10-4 Army-West Point (84-@76) as gChris Hass averaged 31p in two games. MEAC: Likewise, preseason success meant nothing as 2-11 Texas Southern routed Southern (@88-66).
- - - - - -
Unbeaten Oklahoma visits Kansas (Monday). Upstart Texas Tech has it rough when it visits Iowa State (Wednesday) and hosts Kansas (Saturday). Iowa State hosts Baylor (Saturday). Host Butler needs a win badly already to stay in the BIG EAST race, but beating Villanova (Sunday) is a tough way to do it. Unbeaten South Carolina gets a real test when Vanderbilt comes to town (Saturday). Unbeaten SMU only has the regular season to play for, so there's plenty of incentive against visiting Cincinnati (Thursday).
Tough to believe, but it's a must-win week for regrouping Wichita State when it hosts Evansville (Wednesday) and visits upstart Southern Illinois (Saturday). California's quest for validation continues at Oregon (Wednesday). Rhode Island hosts Richmond (Tuesday). Providence hosts Marquette (Tuesday). North Carolina should have no problem keeping host Syracuse in its funk (Saturday). UCLA has its own must-win week: hosting Arizona (Thursday) and Arizona State (Saturday). Kentucky visits LSU (Tuesday).
Chattanooga looks to take the lead in the SOUTHERN with a home win over Mercer (Tuesday). Valparaiso can take early control of the HORIZON with a road win at Oakland (Friday). New Mexico State won't feel so much like a Jack Dawson representative for the WAC come March if it can manage a road win at {Grand Canyon} (Saturday).
-- Ron
- Key games this week:
- Monday:
- Oklahoma-@Kansas, @
RobertMorris-Wagner,
- Tuesday:
- @Providence-Marquette, Kentucky-@LSU, @RhodeIsland-Richmond, @UtahSt-BoiseSt, @
Chattanooga-Mercer,
- Wednesday:
- @Villanova-SetonHall, @IowaSt-TexasTech, Duke-@WakeForest(NC), California-@Oregon, @WichitaSt-Evansville, @BostonU-
Navy,
- Thursday:
- Arizona-@UCLA, Louisville-@NCState, @SMU-Cincinnati, @LittleRock-
Louisiana, @USC-ArizonaSt, @ColofCharleston-Hofstra, @LouisianaTech-OldDominion, @MidTennessee-UTEP,
- Friday:
- @Oakland-Valparaiso,
- Saturday:
- Arizona-@USC, Kansas-@TexasTech, @IowaSt-Baylor, NCarolina-@Syracuse, @SCarolina-Vanderbilt, @Pepperdine-StMarys(CA), @NotreDame-Pittsburgh, @Connecticut-Memphis, @LittleRock-LAMonroe, @SetonHall-Creighton, @SoIllinois-WichitaSt, @UCLA-ArizonaSt, @BoiseSt-FresnoSt, @UAB-
UTEP, @NoIowa-Drake(IA)(BIG4), @Mississippi-Georgia, @OralRoberts-NDState, @UCIrvine-UCRiverside(CA), @William&Mary-Northeastern, @Penn-Princeton, @{GrandCanyon}-NewMexicoSt, @MOKansasCity-CalStBakersfield, @Montana-SacramentoSt, @Vermont-Albany, @NFlorida-Jacksonville(JacksonvilleFL), @SacredHeart-Wagner,
- Sunday:
- Villanova-@Butler, @WakeForest-NCState(NC),
- - - - - - -
- Monday week (CFP CHAMPIONSHIP):
- Monday week (CFP CHAMPIONSHIP):
- @Lamar-TexasA&MCC(TX).
Top 25 - 16 Jan 4 - [] Column
- Providence (14-1)
- Oklahoma (11-0)
- Miami(Florida) (12-1)
- Virginia (12-1)
- Villanova (12-2)
- Arizona (13-1)
- Xavier (12-1)
- Kansas (11-1)
- Iowa State (11-2)
- North Carolina (13-2)
- Duke (12-2)
- Kentucky (11-2)
- Iowa (11-3)
- Texas A&M (11-2)
- Maryland (13-1)
- Butler (11-3)
- Purdue (12-2)
- California (11-3)
- Michigan State (14-1)
- Utah (10-4)
- Gonzaga (11-3)
- Louisville (11-2)
- West Virginia (11-1)
- South Carolina (12-0)
- SMU (13-0)
- Honorable Mention:
- Stanford (7-5), Oregon State (10-2), Temple (6-6).
posted by Ron @ Friday, February 05, 2016
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