NCAA Top 25 Recap: It's getting messy heading towards March!
With college football well behind us and the NFL on a bit of a break until the Super Bowl next weekend, most eyes in the US have turned to basketball. Okay, there's hockey too, and I know some of you really enjoy that other futbol game, but as far as I am concerned, my focus right now is college basketball!
In between the Big 10, Big 12, Big East, SEC, and ACC games (sorry West coast) games that I have been taking in, I have also been watching a lot of school level ball. @mrsbozz and I's good friends have a son who decided to play basketball this year. We ran over on Saturday to watch him play at my wife's old Junior High School.
It was a quick game and it was fun watching him play. He didn't score any baskets, but he got quite a bit of playing time and he really held his own on the court. It was a joy to watch.
Basketball at that age can be a bit hit or miss. The kids are just learning to run plays and it starts to feel a lot more structured than just everyone on the floor congregating towards the ball. If you have seen an elementary level basketball game, you know what I mean.
Friday night, we got the chance to watch my niece play in both her junior varsity and varsity games. She was a commanding presence on the court during the JV game. I was texting her on Saturday and asked if they keep stats for the JV games. She said she thought so, but she doesn't know how she would get her hands on them.
I think it would be interesting to see how many assists she has on the season. Sure, she has scored some points, but she has been a virtual assist machine from what I have seen. She is probably one of the least selfish players I have ever seen touch the ball. Almost to her detriment sometimes. I'd love to see her take shots more. She needs that practice.
She didn't play as much on the varsity side, but she still gave it 100% for the few minutes she did get to play. Friday night was all about the seniors, so the coach tried to give some of them time on the court who may not have otherwise gotten it through the season. Both JV and V beat their opponents with little difficulty. They were some fun games to watch.
In the NCAA there was only one top 25 game played on Friday night. #22 San Diego State easily beat Boise State 72 to 52.
Saturday on the other hand gave us 16 top 25 games and some of them were really great. Although not a top 25 game, the Michigan State game was not one of them. I am definitely at the point where I am out of excuses for them. I don't know as though I can even say the talent is there.
They seem to be on a one way trip to sitting and watching the tournament from home this year. At first it felt like nothing could fall for them. Rutgers was a highly defensive team and the score was already looking to be a low one. MSU pulled ahead for a bit, but then they just ran out of steam. Eventually Rutgers took the lead and didn't relent it.
It should be pointed out, this is the same Rutgers team that beat the #1 Purdue team earlier in the year, but this is the time of year State needs to be tightening things up, not getting sloppier. I really do think the school needs to start questioning if Izzo is the right man to move forward. At the very least I think Izzo needs to be wondering if he is helping or hurting the program at this point in time. It pains me to say that, but it is the truth.
#24 UConn narrowly beat Geogetown 68 to 62 while #8 Kansas fell to #13 Iowa State 68 to 53. Pretty funny given the fact that Kansas was a bit of a darling just a couple of weeks ago. Virginia Tech also had an upset over #6 Virginia beating them 74 to 68.
Keeping the upsets rolling, Oklahoma State beat #15 TCU 79 to 73, and #23 Miami beat #20 Clemson 78 to 74. #2 Tennessee narrowly defeated #25 Auburn in an extremely low scoring game 46 to 43.
As I mentioned, Rutgers upset Purdue earlier in the season, but this weekend the Indiana team that recently beat Michigan State also upset #1 Purdue, 79 to 74 in Indiana.
That was probably the biggest upset of the weekend.
It wasn't the last one though, #10 Texas beat #7 Kansas State 69 to 66, and #18 Saint Mary's beat #12 Gonzaga in overtime for the final upset of the weekend.
I feel like I have said this for the past three years, but I can't remember a time when there has been so much movement in the top 25. It honestly feels like a pretty even field this year. Purdue, continues to look really good, but we have seen at least twice that they aren't perfect.
#3 Houston only has two losses as well, but many would point to strength of schedule. Alabama has three loses, but again, the SEC isn't a huge basketball conference. In all honesty, I would put my money on #5 Arizona to be one of the top seeded teams for the tournament.
There you go West coast, I redeemed myself...
Speaking of Houston, they were the only top 25 game on Sunday and they beat Temple 81 to 65.
Things are really starting to heat up as we barrel towards March. I'm already making some notes to apply to my bracket when the time is right. Be ready for a wild ride!
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