John Fanta
College Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter
Michael Cohen
College Football and College Basketball Writer
One of the best time of yr has arrived! Faculty hoops followers might be handled to a flurry of motion this week as energy convention tournaments get underway with computerized bids to the Large Dance on the road. The Large 12 and ACC Convention Tournaments kick off Tuesday, whereas the Large East, Large Ten and SEC Tournaments get underway on Wednesday.
Which convention tournaments ought to followers be paying shut consideration to? What does Xavier must do within the Large East Event in an effort to really feel good come Choice Sunday? And who’re the names followers needs to be attending to know because the Large Dance approaches?
FOX Sports activities faculty basketball writers John Fanta and Michael Cohen are right here to reply that and extra as we get set for convention event motion.
Which males’s basketball convention event ought to followers be trying ahead to probably the most, and why?
John Fanta: There may be actually just one reply for this yr: the Southeastern Convention. When you could have the depth of nationwide championship contenders reminiscent of Auburn, Florida, Alabama and Tennessee, together with celebrity expertise starting from Johni Broome to Mark Sears to Walter Clayton and even Chaz Lanier, the extent of play on this convention is off-the-charts.
There are 16 groups on this league and 13 are ready to make the NCAA Event. There is no such factor as a foul sport in Nashville when each crew within the convention converges.
The three issues I’m watching:
- How will Auburn reply after back-to-back losses? The Tigers fell to Alabama this weekend, 93-91, on a Mark Sears’ buzzer-beater. Earlier within the week, the Tigers misplaced by 11 to Texas A&M. That is noteworthy as a result of Bruce Pearl’s crew had as many losses this previous week as that they had all through everything of the season as much as that time. Am I frightened? Not one bit. We might get a quarterfinal matchup between the Tigers and a scorching Arkansas crew that has received 4 of 5 to get again into the NCAA Event dialog in John Calipari’s first season.
- Will Kentucky make a run in 12 months 1 of the Mark Pope Period? The Wildcats are made for the highlight, matching an NCAA document with eight top-15 wins this season behind Otega Oweh, Andrew Carr and the sixth-most environment friendly offense within the nation. Coming off a momentum-boosting win at Missouri, UK is the 6-seed within the SEC Event and can get Georgia or Oklahoma within the second spherical. How a few quarterfinal showdown with Alabama? That will be a heck of an offensive show.
- We might have a semifinal slate that includes Auburn/Tennessee and Florida/Alabama. The Gators are a title contender with a top-three offense, a top-10 protection, an All-American in Walter Clayton, a high-level massive man in Alex Condon, who’s coming off a 17-and-15 efficiency, in addition to Alijah Martin, who’s the right Robin to Clayton within the backcourt. That is new territory within the Todd Golden Period. How will they deal with it?
Michael Cohen: This one is a no brainer, identical to John mentioned. Given the supreme depth of expertise on this yr’s SEC — with 4 groups within the prime eight of this week’s AP Ballot and 7 within the prime 25 general — somebody goes to make the argument that successful the SEC Event is tougher than successful the NCAA Event, particularly for the groups that may start their run towards the Ultimate 4 with mid-major opponents. And whereas that idea would possibly nonetheless be one thing of a stretch, particularly contemplating the journey and further video games concerned within the Large Dance, the sentiment is price noting given simply how extraordinary the extent of competitors has been within the SEC.
Sometimes, the opening spherical at main convention tournaments can really feel a bit sleepy because the cellar-dwellers do battle in half-empty arenas earlier than most followers arrive in time for the next day. However this yr’s first-day SEC slate features a handful of high-level draft prospects in Texas’ Tre Johnson (lottery), Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears (lottery), South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles (first spherical), Georgia’s Asa Newell (first spherical) and three potential draft selections from Arkansas in Adou Thiero (first spherical), Boogie Fland (second spherical) and Zvonimir Ivisic (second spherical). That is sufficient expertise for NBA scouts and personnel to flood the bleachers for what is generally a listless slate.
After which the heavy hitters arrive on Thursday and Friday, with the highest eight seeds on this yr’s bracket all ranked among the many prime 27 groups within the nation by KenPom. Storylines abound: From the quartet of groups all battling for potential No. 1 seeds within the NCAA Event (Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama), to the resurgence of Ole Miss below second-year head coach Chris Beard, to the impossibly excessive expectations surrounding first-year Kentucky coach Mark Pope, to the upstarts from Missouri and Texas A&M, all of whom are having fun with their greatest seasons in fairly a while. The crowds in Nashville this week needs to be implausible given simply what number of packages are having fun with magical runs so far, with legit March Insanity success more likely to comply with. This SEC Event is deeper than something we have seen because the 2011 Large East discipline that included 9 groups ranked within the Prime 25, together with eventual nationwide champion UConn.
Which crew at present sitting on the NCAA Event bubble has probably the most to achieve from this weekend’s convention tournaments?
Michael: The Large East Event bracket got here collectively fairly favorably for Xavier (21-10 general, 13-7 Large East) within the sense that any success the Musketeers have in New York will come towards a few of the greatest groups within the league, all however assuring head coach Sean Miller’s group of a visit to the Large Dance. Winners of seven straight video games, together with 5 victories by double digits, the Musketeers did sufficient to earn a first-round bye earlier than going through fifth-seeded Marquette on Thursday afternoon. And whereas the Golden Eagles will arrive at Madison Sq. Backyard having dropped back-to-back video games (UConn on the highway; St. John’s at house), they have been nonetheless mainstays within the AP Ballot all season, which affords Xavier the possibility for what quantities to a different ranked win earlier than Choice Sunday.
From there, Miller and his crew would have the possibility to do one thing particular in a possible semifinal matchup with St. John’s, the No. 1 seed and unquestioned greatest crew within the league. The one Large East groups to topple the Red Storm this season have been Creighton on Dec. 31 (one-point margin) and Villanova on Feb. 12 (two-point margin), however Xavier performed head coach Rick Pitino’s group fairly properly in a pair of slender losses by 18 mixed factors. The Musketeers even pushed St. John’s into additional time at Madison Sq. Backyard on Jan. 22 earlier than in the end falling, 79-71.
A second-round win over Marquette is likely to be sufficient to get Xavier into the NCAA Event — though a non-conference slate devoid of any high quality wins actually hurts Miller’s crew — however an upset of St. John’s within the semifinals would unquestionably do the trick. Something past that, like a attainable matchup with second-seeded Creighton or third-seeded UConn within the championship sport, could be gravy. The Musketeers simply should hold their momentum from the final three weeks rolling into Madison Sq. Backyard.
John: The Mountain West Event needs to be renamed the “groups with most to achieve invitational” as a result of that is what we’ve got on this convention this week. For the time being, Mike Decourcy has 4 groups from the league – New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah State and Boise State – within the dance. However the Broncos misplaced at house on Friday to the Rams and now have the Aztecs in a mammoth 4-5 quarterfinal sport on Thursday. The second-seeded Colorado State Rams are top-55 within the NET with one Quad 1 win and two Quad 2 losses, leaving them on the skin for at-large consideration. However successful this event removes any of that chatter, and Nique Clifford, who’s averaging 18.4 factors, 9.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists, is coming off a 36-point exhibiting in Friday’s win at Boise State.
Boise State must win their quarterfinal matchup probably the most. A NET of 45 and two Q1 wins is sweet, however proudly owning one loss in Q3 and This fall wipes that out. Beating the Aztecs means getting a Quad 1 sport towards New Mexico in what might be a win-and-in state of affairs.
Title one participant who is not a family title however has the possibility to make a reputation for himself this weekend throughout the convention tournaments?
John: Ja’Kobi Gillespie of Maryland. The Terrapins are the No. 2 seed within the Large Ten Event and it seems like they don’t seem to be getting mentioned sufficient. Winners of seven of their final eight video games, Kevin Willard has a gaggle with probably the greatest beginning fives in America, nicknamed “The Crab 5.” Whereas one-and-done NBA Draft prospect Derik Queen is the headliner, Gillespie is the junior level guard who steers the ship for Maryland, averaging 14.9 factors and 4.7 assists per sport whereas taking pictures 47% from the ground and 42% from 3-point vary. He is gotten higher because the season’s gone on, scoring 17-or-more in 4 of the final six video games and actually working the offense properly. I like the way in which issues are arrange for Maryland, and if the Terrapins make it to the title sport on Sunday, we’ll naturally be speaking in regards to the man who runs their offense. His crew is 24-7 and peaking on the proper time. Be careful for the Terps. They’re again on the map and have – dare I say it – dark-horse potential to be taking part in into April.
Michael: How about JT Toppin from Texas Tech? A switch from New Mexico, the place he spent one season, Toppin is averaging 18.1 factors and 9.3 rebounds per sport for a crew that has solely misplaced 3 times since Jan. 11, below head coach Grant McCasland. Few gamers in faculty basketball, if any, have been hotter than Toppin over the past month of the common season, a stretch wherein he poured in 41 factors throughout a double-overtime win over Arizona State, 32 factors in a highway win at Oklahoma State and 30 factors in a house win over Colorado. Toppin is averaging 24.4 factors and 11 rebounds over his final 9 video games to propel the Red Raiders into the Large 12 Event because the No. 2 seed, trailing solely Houston.
However Texas Tech (24-7 general, 15-5 Large 12) is excess of only a one-man crew below McCasland, who’s in his second season with this system. The Purple Raiders rank seventh general in offensive effectivity and have cracked the highest 50 within the following sub-categories: efficient discipline objective share (twenty seventh), lowest turnover share (thirty ninth), free-throw share (twenty ninth) and help price on made discipline targets (forty eighth). Toppin is one in every of three gamers averaging a minimum of 14 factors per sport this season and one in every of 5 averaging a minimum of 9. The defensive numbers are sturdy, too: Texas Tech is twenty seventh in defensive effectivity and thirty ninth in efficient discipline objective share.
So if the Purple Raiders play properly this week in Kansas Metropolis, then Toppin might actually vault himself right into a family title.
4. Who’re your convention event winners?
Michael:
Large East: St. John’s. There hasn’t been this a lot pleasure surrounding the Purple Storm in additional than 20 years, and the crowds at Madison Sq. Backyard this week are more likely to replicate that. Head coach Rick Pitino’s crew, which has the third-best protection within the nation, is just too massive, too sturdy and too mature for the remainder of the Large East, as evidenced by the 18-2 mark in convention play. St. John’s will minimize down the nets on Saturday evening and roll into the NCAA Event with loads of confidence.
Large Ten: Michigan State. The Large Ten presents an attention-grabbing discipline as a result of Michigan State and Maryland are the one groups with a double bye who will journey to Indianapolis feeling good about the way in which they’re taking part in. Third-seeded Michigan, which acquired blown out by the Spartans on Sunday, has dropped 4 of its final six and seems misplaced on offense. Fourth-seeded UCLA has misplaced three of its final seven and final defeated a crew ranked among the many prime 30 by KenPom on Feb. 4. Maybe somebody like Indiana or Illinois can get sizzling and make a run, however the Spartans are taking part in higher basketball than everybody else.
SEC: Florida. The Gators have been one of many steadiest groups within the nation all season and enter the SEC Event with the game’s No. 3 offense and No. 10 protection, a mirrored image of simply how balanced head coach Todd Golden’s crew actually is. That Florida has solely misplaced two video games since Jan. 14 regardless of taking part in within the rigorous SEC speaks to the psychological toughness of this yr’s crew. Guards are likely to win video games in March, and the Gators have an elite trio in Walter Clayton Jr. (17.2 factors per sport), Alijah Martin (14.5 factors per sport) and Will Richard (13.3 factors per sport).
Large 12: Houston. This yr’s Large 12 jogs my memory of the Large East in that one crew was head and shoulders above the remaining throughout the common season. Houston (27-4 general, 19-1 Large 12) received the convention title by 4 video games (!) over Texas Tech and 5 video games over each BYU and Arizona. The Cougars are tenth within the nation in offensive effectivity and second within the nation in defensive effectivity, with greater than sufficient expertise to chop down the nets twice within the subsequent few weeks. That can possible begin in Kansas Metropolis.
ACC: Duke. The Blue Devils have an opportunity to safe the No. 1 general seed within the NCAA Event with a dominant run by way of the ACC Event this week, and that needs to be loads of motivation for head coach Jon Scheyer and his crew. An exceptionally weak ACC largely boils down to a few contenders: Duke, Clemson and Louisville. The Blue Devils break up with these groups throughout the common season however have been completely dominant since falling to the Tigers on Feb. 8. They’ve received eight straight by a median of 29.5 factors per sport.
John: I’ve a rule that I abide by. Choosing a No. 1 seed in a convention event isn’t any enjoyable in any respect, so I will attempt to make the case for someone outdoors the highest seed.
Large East: UConn. The Huskies have received 5 of their final six video games and Alex Karaban has regained his taking pictures stroke at 8-for-15 in his final three contests. If this Connecticut crew has Karaban, Liam McNeeley and Solo Ball all in rhythm from 3-point land, they’ve the weapons that may masks a lot. Plus, Husky followers journey to MSG extraordinarily properly, and I just like the draw with a Villanova crew that has struggled away from house, if not an 11-seeded Seton Hall crew, adopted by a possible matchup towards Creighton. I believe we get a St. John’s vs. UConn title sport.
Large Ten: Maryland. I will go along with Maryland due to the steadiness between the frontcourt of Queen and stud veteran Julian Reese, and the three-headed backcourt monster of Gillespie, Selton Miguel and Rodney Rice. If this crew will get high quality perimeter taking pictures from their guards and there is no frontcourt foul hassle, the Terps are a troublesome out.
SEC: Florida. The Gators can lock you up defensively and have 5 gamers averaging a minimum of 9.1 factors per sport. In addition they know they will depend on Clayton to be a big-time shotmaker and the depth and size inside is basically sturdy.
Large 12: Texas Tech. The Purple Raiders rank seventh within the nation in KenPom. This crew can attain San Antonio – let’s make that clear. They’ve the size and flexibility to protect 1-5 and the combo of Toppin and Chance McMillian is basically particular as they’re averaging 33 and 13 per sport.
ACC: Clemson. The Tigers are 14-1 of their final 15 video games and have influence returners again for a program that reached the Elite Eight final yr. Chase Hunter averages 16 factors per sport, Jaeden Zackery turns the water off of an opponent’s prime scorer together with his protection, and Ian Schieffelin and Viktor Lakhin present the inside punch. This crew is well-rounded.
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in quite a lot of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Area of 68 Media Community. Comply with him at @John_Fanta.
Michael Cohen covers faculty soccer and basketball for FOX Sports activities with an emphasis on the Large Ten. Comply with him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.
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