St. John’s Still a Work In Progress, But Better

St. John’s headlined the Legend’s Classic this week and took care of business, beating California 82-79 Monday night and outlasting VCU 87-86 in overtime last night.

The Red Storm (5-0) were far from flawless in their two victories. It took them until the last seconds of regulation to finish off Cal - last place in the PAC 12 last season and picked to finish last again this season - and needed overtime and multiple clutch shots from Shamorie Ponds to get by a VCU squad picked to finish 5^th in the Atlantic 10.

The Johnnies are a talented, if small, offensive unit led by the junior Ponds and junior returnees Marvin Clark II and Justin Simon. Newcomers Mustapha Heron, LJ Figueroa and Mikey Dixon give St. John’s an offensively talented nucleus that should be able to play with anyone in the country.

6-foot-9 Center, Sedee Keita, the Red Storm’s lone true big on the roster, is out with a knee injury and is expected back in five weeks.

This week at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, St. John’s showed off their offensive talent and versatility, but also showed that they may not yet be ready for prime time. Defensively, they allowed unheralded Cal to shoot 57% from the field, including 44% from beyond the 3-point line. While Cal made some tough shots, St. John’s also exhibited “Swiss cheese defense” (shout out to Clyde Frazier), allowing way too many easy forays into the paint and uncontested layups.

The following night, the defense was improved versus VCU, but mental lapses often allowed the Rams to stay in the game and take leads late in regulation and overtime.

However, a win is a win is a win. And maybe those preseason prognostications were wrong and Cal and VCU will prove to be better than was thought.

St. John's coach Chris Mullin addressing the media after the Red Storm's victory over VCU.

“My thing is this, we played two really good teams that played well, they made shots,” St. John’s coach Chris Mullin said after the game. “I mean from a coach’s standpoint sometimes you think you can play better defense, you can contest better and that’s all true, but they still gotta make them… So give our opponents a lot of credit, but to our credit, we were in some tough situations the last two nights.”

“We fought back and didn’t hang our heads,” Mullin continued. “That’s really where the experience comes in. They truly believe they can win the game and I don’t think that was the fact the last two years.”

Yes, it is easy to get caught up in the influx of talent and experience now on the Red Storm’s roster and expect them to easily win the games they are favored in. But, teams take time to build and there is no doubt progress is being made. As Mullin eluded to, it is highly likely that St. John’s would have lost one or both of those games last year.

Ponds, who scored 32 and 35 points in the two wins respectively, made every big shot and big play the Johnnies needed. He looks even better than last year and is clearly one of the better guards in the country. Heron is a big time player and Figueroa is better than advertised.

St. John’s is not there yet. They are not an NCAA Tournament team yet. They are not the best team in the Big East, yet. But, the pieces are there, the experience is there and most importantly, the belief is there.

Ranking The Regions - A Look At Each Corner Of The NCAA Tournament Bracket

Every year at this time there is chatter about who the committee stiffed, who was given the easy road (usually Duke), and what region of the bracket was unfairly overloaded.

I plan to answer all those questions for you this year, as I rank the regions in the 2015 NCAA Tournament bracket from strongest to weakest.

#1: EAST

There is no question that fans and even some “experts” undervalue Villanova.

But, the Wildcats are the second strongest 1 seed in the dance. They are playing better than anyone not named Kentucky and have won 15 straight Big East games (2^nd rated conference in the country) by an average of 17 points.

The 2 seed is a team many believed should have been a 1, in 29-3 Virginia.

Oklahoma is a team fully capable of making a deep run as a 3 seed, coming out of America’s best conference this season.

4 seed Louisville and their coach Rick Pitino are a team that I can guarantee no one wants to run into this time of year. Yes, they have struggled a bit, before and after the loss of Chris Jones, but if any coach can gather the troops and make a run, it’s Pitino.

That’s a tough 4 seed frontline, but it doesn’t stop there. Northern Iowa, Providence, and Michigan State are all teams that can play with anyone in the country and it should surprise no one if they go on a run.

#2: MIDWEST

Well, the best team in the country is here, so there’s that.

Kentucky of course is gunning to make history as the first undefeated team since the 1976 Indiana squad. It won’t be as easy as many think, particularly in this sneaky tough region.

Kansas, the 2 seed in this region, has been overlooked all season.

But, all they do is win.

Remember, the Jayhawks won the Big 12 (the #1 rated conference) again this season and actually come into the tournament with the most top 25 wins, at 9. There is no team more tested.

There is also no team that will have more incentive to beat Kentucky, considering the Wildcats drilled them by 32 for all the world to see, back in November.

Notre Dame is capable of beating anyone, with their high-powered offense, led by one of the best players in the country, Jerian Grant.

The 4 seed, Maryland, is a team many believed should have been a 3 seed, based on the Terps’ 27-6 record, high RPI, and the combination of Dez Wells and Melo Trimble.

This region also has the scariest collection of tough/gritty teams, with West Virginia, Butler, Wichita State, and Cincinnati inhabiting seeds 5-8.

#3: WEST

It’s hard to argue with the top two seeds in this region.

Wisconsin and Arizona are almost mirror images of each other. Both are super talented, experienced teams that dominated their respective weaker-than-usual conferences. But, both have shown unpredictable weakness here and there.

Baylor is an interesting 3 seed. Formidable, yes, but they feel more like a sleeper than a team to be counted on. The Bears have some big-time wins, but all within their conference.

North Carolina is similar to Baylor: dangerous, but hard to count on.

Arkansas, Xavier and VCU all seem capable of winning a game or two, max.

#4: SOUTH

I’ll start with the obligatory, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but…

On paper, it looks like the Committee was pretty, pretty kind to Duke (Larry David voice). The Blue Devils have been great, but a tiny bit fragile.

They are joined in the South by perhaps the weakest 2 seed – at least, resumé wise – in Gonzaga. The Zags have the fewest number of top 50 and top 25 wins of the 2 seeds.

Iowa State is a strong 3 seed that is capable of reaching the Final Four. But, Georgetown and Utah, have been up and down, more recently down.

6 seed SMU is a solid team with a nice story and Larry brown is a great coach. However, the Mustangs’ best wins this season came against AAC foes Temple and Tulsa; neither is in the field.

 This article first appeared at College Hoops Daily, The College Basketball Blog.

Don't Believe The Hype - 4 tournament hopefuls whose fans shouldn't worry (too much).

This time of year, everyone - including yours truly, of course - has an opinion about who's on the bubble, who's not on the bubble, who deserves to be on the bubble, just a lot of bubble ish.

We all know that the only opinions that matter are the ones held by the Selection Committee members who convened today.

But, let me assuage the fears of a few fan bases that have unnecessarily been driven to cold sweats by much of the college basketball media.

VCU 

Most people acknowledge that the Rams are solidly in the field, but I have heard a few voices putting that bubble label on them. Remember, the Committee looks at a team's complete body of work, not just how they finish. The injury to Briante Weber has ignited talk that they went from a force to a farce based on Weber's absence. I would argue that they were slightly overrated with him - a solid, but far from great team - pre injury and only marginally weaker now. Their RPI is still very high and don't count out a nice run in the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

Texas

According to many, the Longhorns are sweating this thing out. People are paying way too much attention to Texas's conference record when the Committee has explicitly stated they pay no attention to it. Plus, 8-10 in the country's best conference is far from an embarrassment. Their RPI is decent, but they are very strong in the other metrics. They have the 14th ranked strength of schedule and have yet to lose to a non-tournament team.

BYU 

The Cougars have probably been the most talked/worried about of the bubble teams. But, let me tell you why BYU fans should be happier than Pharrell, pre infringement ruling. First and foremost, their metrics are really good. That includes the RPI, which everyone acknowledges is important, but also the others, such as Sagarin, Ken Pom and the BPI. Those other metrics don't matter, you've heard? One thing we know about the committee is that they take their job very seriously and are more likely to seek out more information than less. No, those other metrics aren't built into the system like the RPI is, but it's naive to think that Committee members aren't more than aware of and somewhat influenced by this "other information." Back to the real game, the Cougars' win at Gonzaga - though, maybe their only "good" win - was one heck of a win. It was a top 10 road win. Only 5 other teams have such a win: Duke (2), Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma State and Miami. Miami is the bubble team some like to compare to BYU, but the Hurricanes have more bad losses and their metrics are worse across the board. Finally, almost everyone agrees that the Cougars pass the good ol' eye test.

Indiana 

Now, Hoosier fans have reason to be just a little bit concerned. 4-6 in their last 10 is not a good thing and neither particularly are their metrics However, let's look on the bright side. Indiana has 4 top 50 wins and 3 top 25 wins. Wins over SMU, Butler on a neutral court, Maryland and Illinois on the road look even better when spelled out. Still, IU might want to win at least a game in the Big Ten Tournament.

Twitter: @Blacketologist 

Eye On The Tourney - Games To Watch/Pick of the Night - Tuesday

Last night, North Carolina and Iowa State took care of business, beating Syracuse and Texas respectively. The Tar Heels and Cyclones remained on pace for possible 2 or 3 seeds, while Syracuse is struggling to remain on the bubble and Texas is trending a bit downward from a coveted top 4 seed spot.

Tonight, there are a bunch of games with tournament and seeding implications. Let's take a look...


Xavier (13-7, 4-4) at #19 Georgetown (14-5, 6-2) 7PM, Washington, DC, FS1

The Hoyas come into this one on fire, having thrashed Villanova last week and survived a thriller at Marquette over the weekend. They have moved into the 5 seed range and the arrow's pointing upward. Xavier too would be in the current field, but their resume has been built almost exclusively at home. In order to secure a spot in the dance, the Musketeers will likely have to show they can win on the road. Prediction: Georgetown 72, Xavier 63.

#21 West Virginia (16-3, 4-2) at Kansas State (12-8, 5-2) 7PM, Manhattan, KS, ESPN2

The Mountaineers pulled off a Houdini act by somehow beating an improved TCU squad over the weekend. They are looking a lot like a 5 or 6 seed right now. Kansas State has rebounded from a shaky non conference showing to near the top of the Big 12 and more importantly, back into the NCAA Tournament discussion. Prediction: Kansas State 69, West Virginia 65.

George Washington (16-4, 6-1) at #13 VCU (16-3, 6-0) 7PM, Richmond, VA, CBSS

Big game tonight in the Atlantic 10, but an even bigger game tonight for GW, who are firmly on the bubble and can use a marquee win like this one would be. VCU, has been winning not so impressively lately, but winning nonetheless. The Rams are looking like a solid 4 seed at the moment. Prediction: VCU 73, GW 70.

Florida (10-9, 3-3) at Alabama (12-6, 3-3) 9PM, Tuscaloosa, AL, ESPN

In case you haven't heard, Billy Donovan and the Gators are squarely on the outside looking in when it comes to the tourney. They obviously could use this win and a few more. Bama's also likely on the wrong side of the bubble, but are a bit closer to their goal than Florida is. This should be an intense match-up between coaches who are also great friends. Prediction: Alabama 66, Florida 64.

Tennessee (12-6, 4-2) at Arkansas (15-4, 4-2) 9PM, Fayetteville, AR, ESPNU

The Vols are yet another SEC team with tenuous hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth. Don't count them out though, a couple of big wins like a win tonight would be, and they're right in the mix. Arkansas is looking good for an SEC team not named Kentucky. The Hogs are in the 7/8 seed range and are always tough at home, though Alabama took them to OT in Fayetteville last week. Prediction: Arkansas 71, Tennessee 68.

#23 Baylor (14-4, 3-3) at Oklahoma State (12-6, 3-4) 9PM, Stillwater, OK, ESPNN

This Big 12 match-up features two teams that you're very likely to see dancing in March. Baylor is the more secure of the two, having come up with big wins over Iowa State and Oklahoma in the last two weeks. Oklahoma State has been very tough at home and will need to keep that up in order to improve on their current 8/9 seed prospects. Prediction: Oklahoma State 74, Baylor 67.

#25 Colorado State (17-2, 5-2) at Boise State (12-6, 4-3) 11PM, Boise, ID, ESPNU

If you're going to be up late, you might want to check out this Mountain West match-up. Colorado State got a big win over San Diego State over the weekend that gave credence to their gaudy win-loss record. The Rams are likely in the current field, but barely, so a solid road win would help their cause greatly. Boise State isn't bad either, just a few good wins away from joining the discussion. Prediction: Boise State 66, Colorado State 63. 

Other games of note...

Vanderbilt (10-8, 1-5) at Georgia (13-5, 4-2) 7PM, Athens, GA, SECN
Nebraska (12-7, 4-3) at Michigan (11-8, 5-3) 7PM, Ann Arbor, MI, ESPN
Tulsa (14-4, 7-0) at Tulane (12-7, 4-4) 7PM, New Orleans, LA, ESPNN
Texas A&M (13-5, 4-2) at Auburn (9-9, 2-4) 9PM, Auburn, AL, SECN

Vegas Pick (6-4): 

Kansas State -1.5 vs. West Virginia

Today's Games to Watch - Saturday, 12/13/14

After a couple of soft schedule days, college basketball kicks back into high gear today with several big time match-ups.

#13 North Carolina (6-2) at #1 Kentucky (10-0) 12PM, Lexington, KY, CBS

Today we have one of the season's marquee match-ups, in a rematch of last season's 82-77 Tar Heel win in Chapel Hill. Many have branded Kentucky as unbeatable, however, UNC is one of the few teams in the country that can match the Wildcats' size and depth of size. They are also one of the few teams that can put at least half as many McDonald's All-Americans on the floor. Big Blue Nation suffered a soon-to-be-determined-how-serious blow, with the loss of junior Alex Poythress for the year due to an ACL tear. Though Kentucky has the bodies to replace him, Poythress was one of their frontline veterans, coming into his own, and often sparked them offensively and defensively in moments of need during close games.  The Tar Heels were a popular preseason Top 5 pick, but have struggled early, losing to Butler and Iowa. This should be a fun game to watch, as UNC will likely be the first team to attempt to run with the gazelles from Lexington. Prediction: Kentucky 83, UNC 77.

#19 Utah (7-1) vs. #10 Kansas (7-1) 3:15PM, Kansas City, MO, ESPN

Very intriguing game, here. Utah has opened eyes this season, jumping out to a more than solid start, with a win versus Wichita State and coming off a nice road win at rival BYU this week. Their road gets tougher today in Kansas City. Yes, we remember, Kansas lost by 32 to Kentucky in November. But, apparently, the Jayhawks remember as well. Bill Self's team has not lost since and their last three wins were solid ones over Michigan State, Florida and Georgetown. Both squads are good on both sides of the ball and both have a wealth of offensive contributors. Prediction: Kansas 66, Utah 61.

#21 Michigan (5-3) at #4 Arizona (9-0) 5:15PM, Tucson, AZ, ESPN

Go Blue has been more blue than go, recently, after losing back-to-back home games to NJIT and Eastern Michigan. They will undoubtedly fall from the rankings unless they can pull off the huge upset in Tucson. It might be more realistic for Michigan to focus on simply playing well. Arizona has been rock solid again this year, as evidenced by their win-loss record. Last Saturday, the Wildcats prevailed in maybe the season's best game to date, a 66-63 overtime win versus Gonzaga. Prediction: Arizona 70, Michigan 62.

#24 Northern Iowa (9-0) at VCU (5-3) 7PM, Richmond, VA, NBCS

The upstart Panthers of Northern Iowa get their first real test of the season in the form of havoc in Richmond. UNI has looked impressive on the court, but their best wins so far have been over the likes of Stephen F. Austin and Richmond. Not exactly murderers row. VCU, on the other hand, has paid for their tough early schedule. Two of their three early losses have come to two of the country's best teams, Villanova and Virginia. So, while this game is obviously huge for the team from the Missouri Valley, it is just as big for the Rams to get back on the national radar. Contrasting styles will be in play here, as VCU will attempt to speed up the methodical Panthers. VCU 71, UNI 67.

#8 Gonzaga (7-1) at UCLA (8-2) 10PM, Los Angeles, CA, ESPN2

The high-powered Zags play their second road game versus a high profile Pac 12 team in as many weeks, after losing a heart-breaker at Arizona last Saturday. That, of course, was Gonzaga's only loss of the season. They possess one of the country's most potent offenses, with nearly 6 players averaging double figures (Gary Bell being the 6th at a 9.6ppg clip). UCLA's record looks OK until you take a closer look and notice that their best wins came over the likes of Long Beach State and San Diego (not State). The Bruins were beaten rather soundly by Oklahoma and blown out by UNC. Prediction: Gonzaga 82, UCLA 72.

Other games of note...

Dayton (7-1) at Arkansas (6-2) 2PM, Fayetteville, AR ESPN2
St. Bonaventure (6-1) at Pittsburgh (4-3) 2PM, Pittsburgh, PA, ESPNU
Saint Mary's (4-1) at Creighton (8-2) 2:15PM, Omaha, NE, FS1
#12 Oklahoma (5-2) at Tulsa (5-4) 2:30PM, Tulsa, OK, CBSS
Xavier (7-2) at Missouri (4-4) 4PM, Columbia, MO, ESPN2
Oregon (4-3) at Illinois (7-2) 7PM, Chicago, IL, BTN
Florida State (4-4) at #22 Notre Dame (9-1) 8PM, South Bend, IN, ESPN2
Cincinnati (6-1) at Nebraska (5-3) 9PM, Lincoln, NE, BTN
Purdue (8-2) at Vanderbilt (4-2) 9PM, Nashville, TN, SECN

Other Top 25 games...

#11 Wichita State (5-1) at Detroit (4-3) 12PM, Detroit, MI, ESPNU
Morehead State (3-7) at #14 Ohio State (7-1) 1PM, Columbus, OH, BTN
Nicholls State (0-4) at #6 Wisconsin (9-1) 3PM, Madison, WI, BTN
Texas State (3-1) at #7 Texas (7-1) 8PM, Austin, TX, LHN

Tonight's Games to Watch

First, let me say, after seeing Villanova in person last night in Brooklyn, I was very impressed.

A friend of mine, a long time Big East antagonist, tweeted me during the game saying that this Nova team reminded him of their teams from the mid 2000s.

While they don't have the NBA-ready guards those teams had, they have a bunch of very good guards and forwards who can attack you in a variety of ways and play unselfishly.

Ryan Arcidiacono is as solid of a PG as there is in the country and plays with a football mentality. Darrun Hilliard and Josh Heart can score. JayVaughn Pinkston is a do-it-all forward and Daniel Ochefu has turned into a solid big man, who seems to have more ability than he is showing at the moment.

But, the glue-guy, at least last night, was sophomore Kris Jenkins. He always seems to make the right play, whether it's the assist, the hockey assist, or scoring the basketball. He had 13 points (2-4 from 3pt) in Villanova's 77-53 win over VCU.

This is a team that looks like it is just hitting their stride and will only improve as the season progresses.

VCU, on the other hand, was exposed in the 2nd half of the game (outscored 45-23).

They are a team that currently lacks go-to scorers and will struggle if their system (pressure defense creating quick buckets) fails to provide points.

Briante Weber, however, is a pleasure to watch and can create havoc all by himself.


#10 Villanova (4-0) vs. #14 Michigan (3-0), 10PM, Brooklyn, NY, ESPN2

This will be a fun match-up, particularly on the perimeter. If Nova plays anything like they did last night, it could be difficult for the Wolverines. Michigan has weapons, but they are relying on youth down low. Prediction: Nova 74, Mich 66.

#11 VCU (3-1) vs. Oregon (3-1), 7:30PM, Brooklyn, NY, ESPNU

VCU will have to regroup from last night's embarrassing loss. It won't be easy against another strong perimeter team that can put up points. This should be nip and tuck. Prediction: VCU 78, Oregon 75.

#17 Iowa State (3-0) vs. Maryland (4-0), 9:30PM, Kansas City, MO, ESPNU

This will be a nice test for both teams. Iowa State has looked good so far. Is Maryland for real this year? This will give us our first look. Prediction: Iowa State 70, Maryland 64.

Kansas State (3-1) vs. #6 Arizona (4-0), 7:30PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN

Arizona has cruised so far by putting opponents in the grinder. K State bounced back from a surprising loss at Long Beach with a solid win over Purdue yesterday. Prediction: Arizona 71, K State 61. 

#23 Arkansas (3-0) vs. SMU (2-2), 7:30PM, Dallas, TX, ESPNews

We get to see tonight whether either of these two teams are any good. SMU needs this home game for their resume, after dropping two away games already. Arkansas winning on the road could change their perception, as well. Prediction: SMU 75, Arkansas 74.

Pittsburgh (2-1) vs. #16 San Diego State (4-0), 10PM, Lahaina, HI, ESPN

Pittsburgh lost at Hawaii last weekend and decided to stick around for the Maui Invitational. SDSU needed two OTs to finish off a solid BYU squad, last night. This should be a serious defensive struggle where shots are tough to come by and even tougher to watch. Prediction: SDSU 51, Pitt 44.

Others games to keep an eye on...

#18 Miami (5-0) vs. Charlotte (3-1), 9PM, Charlotte, NC
Arizona State (3-1) vs. Alabama (3-1), 7PM, Kansas City, MO, ESPN3
Houston (2-0) vs. Harvard (2-1), 7PM, Boston, MA

MARATHON WRAP UP

Yes, the college basketball season started Friday, but the official start was Monday night and the outset of the 29-hour marathon.

Yes, 29 hours.

It may be early, as in the beginning, but all these games count and will have serious bubble and seeding implications.

Yes, seriously.

So, let’s take a look at some of the notable games and their serious implications.

Miami (2-0) 69, Florida (1-1) 67

The Hurricanes, who I projected would be one of the “first four out,” (2014-15 Preseason Bracketology) definitely helped their case with a road win over a Gator team that figures to be a tournament team. Miami can use the win as a confidence builder as well, as they head into the gauntlet that is the ACC.

Winthrop (2-0) 77, Clemson (1-1) 74

We figured Clemson would struggle to even gain sight of the bubble, but a home loss to a Big South team puts the Tigers even further behind the 8-ball.

Gonzaga (2-0) 72, SMU (1-1) 56

The Zags are stacked and expected to be one of the better teams in the country. They got off to a good start with an impressive win over an SMU squad many expect to be in the big dance.

Colorado (2-0) 90, Auburn (1-1) 59

Colorado is one of those teams we don’t know what to expect from, but we think they could and should be pretty good. That prognosis looked on point early this morning when the Buffaloes throttled Bruce Pearle’s Auburn team. Pearle will just try to establish some credibility for his new program this year.

UMass (3-0) 77, Manhattan (0-2) 68

Massachusetts continued its strong start, holding on to beat a pesky Manhattan team in overtime. While still without a marquee win, the Minutemen avoided what would have been looked at as a bad loss.

Baylor (2-0) 69, South Carolina (1-1) 65

I had Baylor on the outside looking in in my tourney projections, but their play today may force me to reevaluate. The Bears looked solid in their road win vs. Frank Martin’s Gamecocks. It looks as if it may be a struggle for Martin to get South Kak back into the dance.

Wichita State (2-0) 71, Memphis (0-1) 56

We knew Wichita State was good and we knew Memphis was not. But the Shockers did what a good team is supposed to do to a not-so-good team: handle them easily. Wichita State, for the moment, solidified their rightful spot as a top 15 squad.

San Diego State (2-0) 53, Utah (1-1) 49

Two preseason top 25 teams met in this one. The Aztecs won an ugly game at home, but that’s what they do. Utah actually impressed in the loss, by keeping it close on the road against a good team and doing so with their best player, Delon Wright, shooting 2-13 from the field and scoring 7 points. Expect both of these teams to stay right in the thick of things.

VCU (2-0) 87, Toledo (1-1) 78

This may have seemed like a nothing game for VCU, but it was another solid win for the Rams. Toledo is a good team, expected to win the MAC, and they gave VCU all they could handle for about 36 minutes. VCU looks like a legit top 15 team.

Northeastern (2-0) 76, Florida State (1-1) 73

Just when I was about to put FSU in the upper-echelon of the ACC, they go and lose at home to a CAA team. Or maybe that CAA team just beat them. Northeastern is a favorite in their league and it may have helped the Seminoles’ preparation if their coach had actually heard of the CAA, which he claimed he hadn’t after the game. This game serves as a caution light for Florida State.

Duke (3-0) 81, Michigan State (1-1) 71

Duke looks really good, better than that 3 seed I predicted for them. The Spartans actually looked better in the loss than they did in their season opening win versus Navy. MSU looked solid and gritty and will only improve as the season progresses, barring injury, of course.

Saint Louis (2-0) 69, Indiana State (1-1) 56

This game could have been easily overlooked, but the retooled Bilikens were actually underdogs at the MVC’s Indiana State. Saint Louis showed that they may be better than the bottom tier Atlantic 10 team many projected them to be.

Kentucky (3-0) 72, Kansas (1-1) 40

Um, yes, you read that score correctly, and yes, Kentucky is good. But let’s remember, this is the same team that trailed Buffalo at the half on Sunday, so the undefeated talk seems a bit hyperbolic to me. I will say, Big Blue Nation does seem to be a lock for a 1 seed. Bill Self and Kansas shouldn’t cry too much over this one. They’re very young, will improve greatly and be formidable in the next few weeks.