Saturday’s slate of top-10 matchups not solely provided an opportunity for a number of the most fun basketball we have witnessed this season however it was additionally a chance to reply a number of questions. Within the ACC, North Carolina had soared forward of its assembly with rival Duke, after which, it misplaced at Georgia Tech. The Blue Devils are stacked with a projected lottery decide (Kyle Filipowski) and a fleet of five-star prospects, however Jon Scheyer’s squad had not defeated many elite groups, because it ready for the Tar Heels. Which staff would show one thing on Saturday?
Houston had been on a five-game profitable streak. However might they cease Kansas if the Jayhawks bought sizzling in Allen Fieldhouse? Would Johnny Furphy’s breakout stretch proceed for Kansas? Might Dalton Knecht add one other massive efficiency in his pursuit of Zach Edey and the Wood Award? And would Kentucky truly play protection?
By the tip of Saturday night time, we had some solutions.
ESPN’s Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello and Joe Lunardi have taken within the three massive top-10 matchups and have some ideas.
0:26
Filipowski, Ingram get testy in Duke-UNC matchup
Tempers flare as Duke and North Carolina attempt to assist their teammates up from the ground.
Medcalf: Hubert Davis has not been shy about praising Harrison Ingram (21 factors, 5-for-9 from the 3-point line, 13 rebounds, 4 steals), the Stanford switch, for his poise, affect and management. On Saturday, he performed just like the third star on a staff with nationwide title ambitions. With RJ Davis (5-for-14) struggling, Ingram put collectively one of the vital spectacular all-around efforts of the weekend and strengthened the concept that the Tar Heels might make their second Remaining 4 run in three years. For the whole lot Ingram did on offense, he was additionally disruptive for a gaggle that turned Duke (5-for-19 from the 3-point line) right into a subpar 3-point capturing staff (the Blue Devils had related on 39 % of their photographs from past the arc coming into the sport). With Armando Bacot and Davis, the Tar Heels have a pair of legit elite skills. However Ingram’s greatest recreation of the 12 months arrived within the largest recreation of the 12 months. And that is a promising signal for Davis’ rotation and Ingram’s future contributions for a staff with nationwide title goals.
Borzello: Armando Bacot has taken a backseat offensively this season to RJ Davis, which is admirable in a means, however Hubert Davis was vocal earlier this week about needing Bacot to return to the manufacturing degree he had earlier in his profession to ensure that Carolina to succeed in its full potential. After averaging 6.3 factors and 6.7 rebounds over his final three video games, Bacot regarded like his dominant self in opposition to Duke. He completed with 25 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Carolina made a concerted effort to get him touches in good spots within the put up and Bacot was in a position to go to work early and sometimes. He was additionally energetic on the offensive glass and barely pressured offense when Duke was in a position to double-team him on the block. Davis has been arguably the perfect guard within the nation this season, however Bacot provides Carolina a physicality and put up presence that only a few groups can match on the inside. When he performs like he did tonight, it brings a special dimension to the Tar Heels’ offense.
Joe Lunardi’s bracket affect: North Carolina strongly affirmed its No. 1 seed standing. The Tar Heels stay fourth amongst these on the highest line of the projected bracket, however took a giant step towards accumulating what can be the ACC’s first 1-seed in 5 years. Maybe extra importantly, it is now fairly probably Carolina will open its NCAA event run-regardless of seed-in close by Charlotte. This big in-state benefit has been loved ceaselessly by ACC groups over time. Duke, alternatively, continues to dwell within the 3/4 seed vary, however might clearly enhance on that with a victory within the groups’ rematch subsequent month.
0:25
Kansas followers go wild after this Kevin McCullar Jr. sequence
Kevin McCullar Jr. will get a steal and goes all the way in which for an enormous slam to place Kansas up 15 over Houston.
Myron Medcalf: Throughout their five-game profitable streak they loved earlier than their loss at Kansas on Saturday, Houston had been a harmful defensive staff that had held their opponents to a 44 % clip contained in the 3-point line. However the different aspect of that success was price contemplating, too: The Cougars had gone chilly. Throughout these 5 video games, Houston was a sub-300 staff with a 44 % clip contained in the 3-point line on offense. They completed 16-for-40 (40 %) of their loss to the Jayhawks, who made 78 % of their 2-pointers. Kansas made almost 70 % of their field-goal makes an attempt. The very best defensive staff in America could not stall Invoice Self’s squad. However additionally they could not sustain with that offensive barrage. And that has quietly been a subplot for this Houston squad. Can Houston win all of it? That may rely upon its capability to not solely defend a sizzling staff however to match it.
Jeff Borzello: Kansas was lights-out offensively on Saturday, however it’s been the continued emergence of Johnny Furphy as a reliable offensive possibility that takes the Jayhawks to a different degree at that finish of the ground. All season, Invoice Self spoke about the necessity to discover a dependable fifth participant exterior of his 4 veteran anchors — Hunter Dickinson, Kevin McCullar Jr., KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris Jr. At completely different instances, Elmarko Jackson, Nicolas Timberlake and Jamari McDowell all stepped up, however no one might do it persistently till Furphy was inserted into the lineup in mid-January. He is scored in double-figures in six straight video games, and went for 17 factors and eight rebounds on Saturday in opposition to Houston, hitting three 3-pointers. The freshman from Australia has 6-foot-9 dimension, is capturing 44.4 % from 3-point vary and is a finisher in transition. His capability to stretch the ground and take a number of the warmth off Dickinson and McCullar Jr. makes Kansas a lot more durable to defend.
Lunardi’s bracket affect: Even in defeat, Houston stays a strong No. 1 seed on our board. A single loss at Phog Allen Discipline Home is not going to trigger a lot of a budge within the Cougars’ energy numbers. They got here into this recreation ranked first in NET, BPI and KenPom, in addition to second in our Energy of Report (SOR) metric. For Kansas, this was an optimum first step again to a attainable No. 1 seed. The Jayhawks will almost definitely be a 2-seed once we replace the complete bracket on Tuesday, however the high line is effectively inside attain for a program that has lived within the 1-seed neighborhood just about all of Invoice Self’s tenure.
0:21
Vescovi blows a kiss to the Kentucky followers after the three
Tennessee’s Santiago Vescovi knocks down the 3-pointer and blows a kiss to the Kentucky crowd.
Medcalf: Kentucky’s expertise cannot overcome its defensive woes. That is a problem that might result in one other early end in March. Days after it suffered a loss to Florida — the Gators registered 118 factors per 100 possessions — Kentucky gave up 103 factors to Tennessee in a loss. Kentucky boasts a number of projected first-round picks in 2024, per ESPN’s newest mock draft. However that expertise cannot erase historical past: No staff with a sub-75 mark in adjusted defensive effectivity has ever received a nationwide title. The Wildcats have been 76th in adjusted defensive effectivity earlier than the Tennessee dwelling loss on Saturday. They’ve surrendered 85 factors or extra in seven video games this season. Rob Dillingham (35 factors in opposition to the Vols) and his teammates can put up massive numbers, however the Wildcats simply do not have the statistical make-up of a Remaining 4 staff primarily based on their defensive points. How dangerous are they? 4 sub-100 groups on KenPom have wins over the identical UNC-Wilmington (50 % clip contained in the arc) staff that beat Kentucky on Dec. 2 at Rupp Enviornment. This is not an issue for John Calipari’s squad. It is a disaster.
Borzello: The story for Tennessee the previous couple of weeks has been Dalton Knecht, Dalton Knecht, Dalton Knecht. The Northern Colorado switch has been among the best gamers in faculty basketball all season, however he is taken his recreation to a brand new degree up to now 5 video games, averaging slightly below 32 factors per recreation over that span. On Saturday in Lexington, although, Knecht cooled off, ending with 16 factors on 5-for-14 capturing. However the Volunteers confirmed they’ll win with out him having a monster efficiency. Zakai Zeigler confirmed elite playmaking capability with 26 factors and 13 assists, whereas Josiah-Jordan James went for 26 factors. The staff shot 12-for-30 from 3-point vary and in addition scored 42 factors within the paint. Knecht is the explanation Tennessee has a dramatically improved offense this season — and he’ll probably be the catalyst if the Vols make a deep run in March — however placing up 103 factors on the highway at Kentucky with out Knecht going off is a superb signal for Rick Barnes’ aspect.
Lunardi’s bracket affect: Tennessee firmly made its case for a No. 1 seed by racing previous Kentucky at Rupp Enviornment. The Vols’ wire-to-wire victory definitely handed any attainable “eye check,” giving us 5 groups with reliable high line profiles. The knee-jerk response after Saturday can be to drop Houston and transfer Tennessee up, however that might be the incorrect impulse and unlikely what the committee would do in comparable circumstances. The Cougars nonetheless have the metrics and wins to sit down behind solely Purdue and UConn, leaving UNC and UT for the ultimate spot. The Tar Heels’ slight edge is bolstered by a pre-conference win over the Vols. Kentucky, in the meantime, misplaced an opportunity to regain a high 4 seed whereas dropping for the third time in 4 begins.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/beef_stroganoff_072_0-1-14b979e7e0e943e0bea96ca93d54ef06.jpg "60 Winter Dinner Recipes Assured To Hold You Heat")