Giovanni Fanta
College basketball broadcaster and reporter
Friday introduced the largest collective evening of faculty basketball season with a slew of early-season, non-conference matchups throughout the schedule — and one convention that has a pair of prime 10 wins: the Big Ten.
If you are a non-conference staff within the common season, do not even hassle taking part in Purdue. That’s been true since December 2020. The Boilermakers put collectively a historic 39-game common season profitable streak in opposition to non-conference opponents following an 87-78 win over an Alabama staff that acquired six first-place votes in final week’s AP ballot. It’s not as if this 39-game profitable streak hasn’t been examined both, with 9 of these victories coming over top-10 opponents.
While everybody questioned within the preseason how Purdue would deal with life with out Zach Edey, coach Matt Painter stated junior Trey Kaufman-Renn was poised to have an enormous yr. Those phrases turned actuality in Friday’s win with the 6-foot-9 large man posting 26 factors, eight rebounds and 4 assists. Considering how constant the backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer is — with Smith placing up 17 factors and 10 assists and Loyer tallying 17 factors on 5-of-9 capturing — that third piece rising was the query mark with Purdue, and this was answered.
For Purdue to attain 87 factors and restrict the Crimson Tide’s highly effective backcourt to 9 of 29 from past the arc was spectacular. On the opposite hand, coach Nate Oats is clearly nonetheless making an attempt to determine issues out along with his Alabama staff, with Mark Sears (5-of-15 from the sphere) and Cliff Omoruyi (2-of-5) struggling within the loss.
Elsewhere, Wisconsin earned an unforgettable 103-88 win over ninth-ranked Arizona on an evening when the Badgers have been honoring their 2014 and 2015 Final Four groups.
There’s loads to unpack with this outcome. First, it reveals the depth of the Big Ten and why the convention could very effectively get a double-digit variety of NCAA event bids, as a result of when this system that was predicted to complete twelfth within the league in pre- championship beats a prime -10, it is an eye-opening and profile-building victory.
Missouri switch and sixth-year senior John Tonje turned in a historic efficiency with a career-high 41 factors, two shy of the Badgers’ single-game report. Tonje drilled 4 of Wisconsin’s 12 3-pointers and shot 21 of twenty-two from the free throw line in a sport stuffed with boos and a complete of 87 free throws made. It wasn’t at all times fairly, however for the Badgers to attain 103 factors, get double-digit performances from returnees Max Klesmit and John Blackwell AND eliminating Arizona (although they tied the sport after a sluggish begin) is actually a heartwarming outcome for coach Greg Gard. He presently has an assault that sits at No. 18 in KenPom effectivity. Wisconsin is in my Top 25 because of this.
(Read extra: 2024-25 faculty basketball preview: Rankings of the highest 50 gamers and coaches)
As for an additional large outcome from the weekend, a Big East staff went on the street and beat a Big Ten staff Friday evening in dramatic trend, whereas prime 15 Marquette got here into College Park and held off the Maryland, 78-74.
Golden Eagles senior star Kam Jones continues to show he is nearly as good as any participant within the nation proper now, with the 6-foot-5 guard going out for 28 factors on 10-of-18 capturing from the ground, marking his third efficiency within the first 4 video games out of not less than 24 within the scoring column. At one level within the second half, Jones made his private 12-2 run on the Terps, who fought again within the last two minutes and confirmed their potential for this season however fell brief. Jones’ classmate Stevie Mitchell continued to show why he’s Shaka Smart’s finest participant, doing the soiled work and ending the sport with Marquette’s last eight factors.
With that stated, right here is my up to date Top 25.
1. Kansas Jayhawks (4-0)
The Jayhawks began the week by selecting up a win over Michigan State in a sport dominated by Hunter Dickinson, however regardless of the win, questions arose in regards to the backcourt. That stated, they’re 4-0 with wins over North Carolina and MSU, with AJ Storr scoring 16 factors in 19 minutes in a 78-57 win over Oakland on Saturday evening. Is there a clear-cut prime staff within the nation? No, however Kansas is on the prime with sufficient work and Dickinson, who’s nearly as good as any offensive participant within the nation.
2. UConn Huskies (3-0)
The Huskies are 36-1 of their final 37 video games in opposition to nonconference competitors following a 90-49 win over Le Moyne on Wednesday. Preseason All-American Alex Karaban continued his sturdy begin to the season with 17 factors within the win. UConn performs its last tune-up earlier than the Maui Invitational, when the back-to-back defending nationwide champions host East Texas A&M on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app).
3. Gonzaga Bulldogs (3-0)
The Zags moved to 3-0 on the season with a 113-54 win over UMass Lowell on Friday behind 21 factors from Arkansas switch Khalif Battle. They have an enormous street sport Monday evening in opposition to San Diego State at Viejas Arena.
4. Copper tigers (3-0)
Johni Broome is without doubt one of the finest gamers in America, however I do not assume he will get sufficient nationwide love for what a fantastic man he’s. He had 18 factors, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and three blocks in Wednesday’s 79-56 win over Kent State.
5. Houston Cougars (2-1)
Even although the Cougars fell in need of Auburn final weekend, I nonetheless love coach Kelvin Sampson’s staff sufficient to maintain them in my prime 5. Seven gamers scored not less than eight factors in Wednesday’s 91-45 win over Louisiana. We’ll have a greater image for the Cougars once they meet Alabama on the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas subsequent week.
6. Purdue Boilermakers (4-0)
Freshman guard CJ Cox seems to be an X-factor on the perimeter, going 7-of-10 from 3-point vary within the final two video games and mixing for 23 factors. This is strictly the type of supplemental scoring the Boilermakers want round Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn. Purdue can have its first main street take a look at of the yr at Marquette on Tuesday (9 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app).
7. Iowa State Cyclones (2-0)
The Cyclones, who returned most of their items from a Sweet 16 and Big 12 Tournament championship staff final yr, are off to a 2-0 begin after an 82-53 win over Kansas City final Monday. Senior guard Curtis Jones got here off the bench and shot 7-of-11 from the ground for 20 factors. We’ll have a greater measuring stick for coach TJ Otzelberger’s staff when it meets Auburn within the first spherical of the Maui Invitational.
8. Alabama Crimson Tide (3-1)
The Crimson Tide are removed from hitting their stride offensively, capturing simply over 30% from 3-point land up to now and never but totally equipped. Give Nate Oats a while. Remember: final yr’s staff was 6-5 and ended up within the Final Four. Next up: The Tide will face Illinois, a staff simply outdoors my Top 25 rankings, on Wednesday. Tomislav Ivisic, coming off 20 factors within the win over Oakland final week, will meet Omoruyi in that matchup.
9. North Carolina tar heels (2-1)
The Tar Heels adopted up a powerful efficiency within the loss at Kansas with a 107-55 win over the Americans. Elliott Cadeau is a very completely different participant in his second season with the Tar Heels, because the UNC level guard had 18 factors, eight assists and 4 steals (and only one turnover) within the win. Having him and RJ Davis collectively within the backcourt makes for a scary duo for the remainder of the ACC. We’ll see UNC endure additional testing subsequent week on the Maui Invitational.
10. Tennessee Volunteers (3-0)
The Volunteers posted a 2-0 week with Charlotte switch Igor Milicic posting 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a 92-57 win over Montana on Wednesday. He then adopted that up with a 23-point, nine-rebound sport in a 103-67 win over Austin Peay on Sunday. It would seem that head coach Rick Barnes and his employees have as soon as once more hit the mark within the switch portal, after doing so final yr with Dalton Knecht.
11. Creighton Bluejays (4-0)
12. Kentucky Wildcats (3-0)
13. Duke Blue Devils (3-1)
14. Marquette Golden Eagles (4-0)
15. Baylor Bears (2-1)
16. Saverio Moschettieri (4-0)
17. Wildcats of Arizona (2-1)
18. Indiana Hoosiers (3-0)
19. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-0)
20. Red Storm of San Giovanni (4-0)
21. Florida alligators (4-0)
22. Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-0)
23. Arkansas Razorbacks (2-1)
24. Wisconsin Badgers (4-0)
25. Texas A&M Aggies (3-1)
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports. He covers sports activities in quite a lot 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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