Giovanni Fanta
College basketball broadcaster and reporter
The Auburn Tigers are the perfect workforce in males’s faculty basketball.
Sure, Tennessee is undefeated and impressed fairly a bit by testing that file at Illinois and profitable. And sure, Bruce Pearl’s workforce suffered a loss at Cameron Indoor Stadium, however what this workforce has achieved the previous two Saturdays — beating Ohio State by 38 factors and following it up with a blowout 87-69 win over Purdue — is sufficient for me. to place Auburn first till I see in any other case.
The Tigers (11-1) have outscored their competitors by averaging greater than 23 factors per recreation this season and are powered by nationwide participant of the yr favourite Johni Broome, who responded from his shoulder by coming out Tuesday in opposition to Georgia State and On Saturday, he recorded his eighth double-double of the season (23 factors, 11 rebounds). Its presence on the inside mixed with appreciable depth on the perimeter offers Pearl a luxurious of richness.
The win over Purdue summed up the depth the Tigers possess. While Chad Baker-Mazara and Miles Kelly shot a mixed 1-of-7 from 3-point vary, Denver Jones exploded, taking pictures 6-of-10 from the ground for 15 factors. And then there’s freshman Tahaad Pettiford, a 6-foot-5 guard who adjustments the Tigers’ dynamic when he is on the sport. He had 18 factors to associate with 5 assists within the double-digit win.
(Read extra: Ranking of the 50 finest gamers and coaches within the nation)
An Auburn workforce with the perfect offense within the nation is large as a result of Pearl-led groups all the time guard (tenth in KenPom protection this yr). That’s how he led this system to its first Final Four at school historical past in 2019. To suppose the Tigers are in first place once more is a testomony to Pearl and his potential to make Auburn a vacation spot in his tenure.
Here are 5 extra takeaways from this weekend:
The Buckeyes make an announcement!
Ohio State entered the yr with excessive expectations, however after a heartbreaking loss to Pittsburgh and blowout losses to Auburn and Maryland, it left us questioning whether or not the primary yr of the Jake Diebler period was going sideways.
On Saturday, Bruce Thornton and the Buckeyes made a convincing assertion that they’re an NCAA Tournament-caliber workforce, handing Kentucky a actuality examine with an eyebrow-raising 85-65 blowout of the beforehand 10-1 Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. It was a defensive efficiency by Ohio State, which had an all-around excellent Saturday in athletics with its rout of Tennessee within the College Football Playoff to advance to the Rose Bowl.
The Buckeyes held a top-10 Kentucky offense, recognized for its perimeter firepower, to 4-of-22 from lengthy vary. But the story was Thornton, who managed the sport with the perfect efficiency of his profession, scoring 30 factors on 8-of-13 taking pictures from the ground and flattening 13-of-14 from the free throw line. With Kentucky switch Aaron Bradshaw again within the lineup and scoring 11 factors — and freshman John Mobley persevering with to be an X-factor with 15 factors and a +28 plus/minus — Ohio State confirmed the basketball world one thing faculty this weekend. Is it sustainable? We’ll see, but it surely additionally confirmed that Kentucky is not the identical workforce when you shut down the perimeter and make the Wildcats play stout basketball.
North Carolina he saved his season with a shock comeback from sixteenth UCLA.
The Tar Heels appeared lifeless and buried, watching 6-6 and a really actual situation that they might miss the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years — an unfathomable situation. But RJ Davis and Ian Jackson did not let Hubert Davis’ workforce surrender, with freshman Jackson actually pushing UNC down the stretch by scoring 5 straight factors when the workforce trailed 65-60 to complete with 24 factors. UNC must keep away from unhealthy losses and wishes a top-three end within the ACC, in my thoughts, however getting a second Quad-1 win on Saturday was large.
Michigan State might be the perfect workforce within the Big Ten.
How about Tom Izzo in Year 30 on the helm? His workforce was unranked within the preseason, however received 5 straight on Saturday and topped Florida Atlantic. Jeremy Fears has dished out 20 assists within the final three video games, Jaden Akins has turn into an alpha scorer, Jaxon Kohler is averaging near a double-double, Jase Richardson is contributing as a fringe X-factor off the bench and Coen Carr is a freak of nature.
Izzo has a second-weekend NCAA Tournament workforce that ranks among the many prime 15 within the nation on protection.
State of Mississippi he ought to not sleep after a convincing victory Memphis.
Now in his third yr on the helm, Chris Jans has achieved an incredible job in Starkville constructing a program rooted in tenacity. We noticed it on Saturday, when MSU went to Memphis and dominated the Tigers at residence, 79-66. Florida switch Riley Kugel scored 19 factors within the win, Josh Hubbard continued his stellar season and KeShawn Murphy continued his junior surge with 13. Hubbard is really the most effective guards within the nation that nobody talks about.
Cincinnati has confirmed that he’s a nightmare matchup poised for a giant yr within the Big 12 with a 66-59 conquer Dayton.
Year 4 of the Wes Miller period in Cincinnati introduced each expectations and stress to interrupt by way of and attain the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats have not danced since Miller took over, however they’ve proven during the last two weeks that the drought will finish and that this workforce might be the one which goes to the underside of the event. His protection is excellent and we noticed that on Friday when he held Dayton to 17 first-half factors en path to the victory. Dan Skillings Jr., a part of a deep and versatile backcourt, paced Cincinnati with 17.
Let’s get to our Top 25!
1. Coppery (11-1)
The Tigers are off till Dec. 30, once they host Monmouth to finish nonconference play.
The Vols rolled previous Western Carolina and can host Middle Tennessee on Monday evening earlier than closing out nonconference play in opposition to Norfolk State on New Year’s Eve.
3. Iowa State (10-1)
Life within the Big 12 will resume once more for the Cyclones, who will open at 9-2 at Colorado on Dec. 30 earlier than internet hosting Baylor of their first recreation of 2025.
4. Duke (10-2)
Kon Knueppel paced the Blue Devils with 18 factors and 5 assists, whereas Khaman Maluach had 15 and eight rebounds as Jon Scheyer’s workforce moved to 2-0 in ACC play with an 82-56 win over Georgia Tech. Duke hosts Virginia Tech on New Year’s Eve.
The Crimson Tide have received seven of their final eight video games following wins in opposition to North Dakota and Kent State this week. I give them credit score for enjoying North Dakota in an actual street recreation to present Grant Nelson a chance to come back residence. Mark Sears and Nelson every scored 23 factors within the 97-90 win. The Tide finishes nonconference play in opposition to South Dakota State on Dec. 29 earlier than internet hosting undefeated Oklahoma of their SEC opener.
6. Florida (12-0)
The Gators are loaded with excellent guards and stay undefeated at 12-0 with a 26-point efficiency from Will Richard main them previous North Florida on Saturday. Florida hosts Stetson on Sunday earlier than visiting Kentucky.
The Golden Eagles moved to 11-2 with a 72-70 win at Xavier on Saturday behind a mixed 39 factors from Kam Jones and David Joplin. The ending sparked lots of controversy, because the Musketeers’ Ryan Conwell took the ball down the sector. What do you consider this? Marquette is pleased about it. Next up is a go to to Providence on New Year’s Eve (6pm ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app).
The Jayhawks outlasted Brown on Sunday to shut out nonconference play at 9-2. Next up: Big 12 play begins on New Year’s Eve in opposition to West Virginia.
9. Kentucky (10-2)
The Wildcats stay in my prime 10 however have some points to work on when their 3-point photographs aren’t falling. Beyond that, the pattern of sluggish begins should finish. They had been outscored and pushed round by the Buckeyes with Otega Oweh and Jaxson Robinson taking pictures a mixed 7-of-24.
There are two causes the Huskies are again in my prime 10:
1. They have received six video games in a row and are undefeated on dry land. That Maui Invitational nightmare is lengthy gone and within the rearview mirror — and this workforce regained its mojo, profitable 78-74 over Butler on Saturday as Alex Karaban hit two dagger 3s and Liam McNeeley continued his sturdy season.
2. In the top I actually would not take a workforce 10 over Dan Hurley’s, and I’m keen to say that this workforce has made nice strides defensively – with lots of work to do – and is a workforce of shooters.
11. Oregon (11-1)
12. Oklahoma (12-0)
13. Houston (8-3)
14. Texas A&M (10-2)
15. Michigan State (10-2)
17. Cincinnati (10-1)
18. State of Mississippi (11-1)
20. Maryland (10-2)
21. San Diego State (8-2)
22. Illinois (8-3)
23. Arkansas (10-2)
24. Baylor (7-3)
25. Georgia (11-1)
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports. He covers sports activities in a wide range of roles, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as a lead anchor on the BIG EAST digital community to offering commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him to @John_Fanta.
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