21 Jan 4 - Where It's At

Volume XXV, No. 7 - 21 Jan 4 - [] Top 25 Ballot

Where It's At

In the BIG 12, Texas dumped host Kansas (84-@59 as the Jayhawks shot a woeful 3-for-23 on three-pointers). West Virginia tripped at Oklahoma (71-@75 on bUmoja Gibson[29p5r]'s star turn). Texas Tech, tripped in overtime at home to Oklahoma State (@77-82[OT]).
     Meanwhile, no doubt the BIG 10 Wars are Where It's At this season. With three teams in this week's Top 5 (and 5 in the Top 10), the postseason promises to be a special one; but the battle for the regular season title will be massively entertaining. Minnesota did well going 2-1 in a big week: first, the Golden Gophers routed Michigan State (@81-56); then, they were handled by host Wisconsin (59-@71); finally, UM thumped Ohio State (@77-60 as cLiam Robbins[27p14r] starred). Iowa went 2-0 itself: thumping Northwestern (@87-72 on pJordan Bohannon[25p5a5r] star turn); and edging host Rutgers (77-@75). Wisconsin could only manage a split on the week, falling at home to Maryland (@64-70). Northwestern made it 0-2 after tanking at Michigan (66-@85).
     In the SEC, Tennessee earned its first quality win on the season, dumping Missouri on the road (73-@53 only allowing one double-figure scorer); but then, the Volunteers fell at home to Alabama (@63-71). Elsewhere, LSU tripped at Florida (79-@83); and surprising Georgia fell at home to Mississippi State (@73-83).
     Inside the AMERICAN, Houston lost its first game, tripping at Tulsa (64-@65 on fBrandon Rachal's game-winning free throws).
     In the MOUNTAIN WEST, San Diego State tripped at home against Colorado State (@67-70 on John Tonje's game-winning three). Meanwhile, it's Boise State that's off to a 4-0 start.
     In the BIG EAST, Xavier laid an egg, tanking at home against Seton Hall (@68-85).

In the PACIFIC-12, USC fell at home to Colorado (@62-72). Meanwhile, Oregon dumped Stanford (@73-56) to go 3-0.
     In the downgraded ATLANTIC COAST, Florida State fell at Clemson (67-@77). Surprising Georgia Tech edged North Carolina (@72-67 on pJose Alvarado[20p7a7r]'s star turn).
     In the ATLANTIC 10, Richmond tripped at home to St. Bonaventure (@66-69).
     Western Kentucky started out its CONFERENCE USA campaign splitting on the road at Charlotte (67-@63 ; 71-@75[OT] as pJahmir Young[24p7a7r] starred).

Preseason giant-killer San Francisco (edged Virginia) had nothing to bother mighty Gonzaga in conference: the G-Bulldogs cruised at home (@85-62).
     In the OHIO VALLEY Wars, Eastern Kentucky edged disappointing Austin Peay [2-2] (80-@75 on bWendell Green Jr.[30p5r] star turn).

PAT/Colgate played its first games of the entire season, splitting at home against Army-West Point (@101-75 on 65 percent shooting ; @73-75 on Aaron Duhart's game-winning free throws). AMER.E/Vermont struggled for the second-straight week: first, tripping at home in double-overtime against New Jersey Tech (@80-81[2OT] on San Antonio Brinson's game-winner); then, splitting at home against Albany (@62-63 despite 21p11r from xRyan Davis ; @74-66). SUN.B/Georgia State split at Coastal Carolina (69-@81 as xDeVante' Jones[24p6a14r] starred ; 70-@62).
     HORIZ/Wright State split at Oakland (90-@51 on xTim Finke[16p5a11r]'s star turn ; 71-@81 as pJalen Moore[24p12a] starred).
     BIG.W/UC-Santa Barbara tripped at UC-Irvine (69-@73) to get swept right away in the Series Of The Year. A-SUN/Lipscomb started regular season play with a home split against Liberty (@77-70 ; @50-66).

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Out of conference, Wichita State edged host Mississippi State (83-@79) to clinch what was left of the AMERICAN/SEC ALLIANCE 2-0.

Good news: Florida's fKeontae Johnson (who collapsed on court in December in a game against Florida State) is out of the hospital and back with the Gators (as a "coach" only; it's doubtful that he will return to play this season).
     Meanwhile, West Virginia fOscar Tshiebwe has left the WV-Mountaineer program (for personal reasons) and is not expected to return.

Bad news: Arizona has followed the path of Auburn in self-imposing a postseason ban for this year (in anticipation of severe NCAA punishment to come [connected to the 2017 Shoe Scandal]) ... Ugh.

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Minnesota has another tough week with two road games: at Michigan (Wednesday) and at Iowa (Sunday). Creighton hosts Seton Hall (Wednesday). Louisville hosts Virginia Tech (Wednesday). Northwestern hosts Illinois (Thursday). Missouri hosts LSU (Saturday). Upstart Oklahoma has a rough week: visiting Baylor (Wednesday) and Kansas (Saturday).
     West Virginia hosts Texas (Saturday). San Diego State needs a win to salvage a home split against Colorado State (Monday). Michigan State hosts Rutgers (Tuesday). Struggling Marquette needs a big week to stay in the BIG EAST race: hosting Connecticut (Tuesday) and visiting Villanova (Friday).
     Upstart Drake hosts MVC-favorite Loyola(Illinois) twice (Sunday, Monday week). . Colgate visits Boston University (Saturday, Sunday) the first time around in Part I of the PATRIOT Series Of The Year. .

- - Ron

Key games this week:

Monday:

@SanDiegoSt-ColoradoSt, @Bradley-LoyolaIL(IL),

Tuesday:

Rutgers-@MichiganSt, @Marquette-Connecticut,

Wednesday:

@Baylor-Oklahoma, Minnesota-@Michigan, @Creighton-SetonHall, @Houston-WichitaSt, VirginiaTech-@Louisville, @WeCarolina-Furman,

Thursday:

@Gonzaga-BYU, Illinois-@Northwestern, Oregon-@Colorado,

Friday:

@Villanova-Marquette,

Saturday:

Texas-@WVirginia, @Kansas-Oklahoma, @Rutgers-OhioSt, @Missouri-LSU, @GeoMason-Richmond, @Pittsburgh-FloridaSt, @Buffalo-BallSt, @BostonU-Colgate, @NewHampshire-MDBaltimoreCo, @PrairieViewA&M-TexasSo(HoustonTX), @FloridaA&M-NCCentral, @NorfolkSt-MorganSt,

Sunday:

@Iowa-Minnesota, @Drake-LoyolaIL, @BostonU-Colgate, @NewHampshire-MDBaltimoreCol, @FloridaA&M-NCCentral, @NorfolkSt-MorganSt,

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Monday week (CFP CHAMPIONSHIP):

@Drake-LoyolaIL.

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Top 25 - 21 Jan 4 - [] Column

1. Gonzaga (9-0)
2. Baylor (9-0)
3. Iowa (9-2)
4. Wisconsin (9-2)
5. Minnesota (10-2)
6. Villanova (8-1)
7. Texas (8-1)
8. Illinois (8-3)
9. Michigan (9-0)
10. Kansas (7-2)
11. Oregon (8-1)
12. Creighton (8-2)
13. Seton Hall (8-4)
14. Houston (8-1)
15. Alabama (7-3)
16. Virginia Tech (8-1)
17. Louisville (7-1)
18. Northwestern (5-3)
19. Rutgers (7-2)
20. Tennessee (7-1)
21. Ohio State (8-3)
22. Missouri (7-1)
23. Xavier (8-2)
24. Oklahoma (6-2)
25. Boise State (7-1)

Honorable Mention:

Tulsa (5-3), Maryland (6-4), Colorado State (5-1), Oklahoma State (7-2),

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Eastern Kentucky (8-2),

Furman (5-3),

Army-West Point (5-2), Winthrop (7-0),
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UC-Irvine (5-4).