Uncover the Highlights and Dominance in College Basketball
Notable Results
In a thrilling week of college basketball, several teams put on impressive displays. (4) Kentucky faced off against Clemson, with Clemson emerging victorious with a score of 70-66. Cincinnati took on Villanova, with Villanova winning 68-60. Michigan battled (11) Wisconsin, with Wisconsin coming out on top 64-67. Ole Miss dominated Louisville, winning 86-63. BYU faced Providence, with Providence winning 83-64. Baylor had a close encounter with (25) UConn, with UConn winning 76-72. Alabama defeated (20) North Carolina with a convincing score of 94-79. Marquette faced (6) Iowa State, with Iowa State winning 81-70. Kansas took on Creighton, with Creighton emerging victorious 76-63. Pittsburgh played against Mississippi State, with Mississippi State winning 90-0. Auburn clashed with (9) Duke, with Duke winning 84-78. Purdue defeated Penn State, winning 81-70. Illinois faced Northwestern, with Northwestern winning 70-66. Kentucky had another intense battle with (7) Gonzaga, with the game ending in a 89-90 victory for Gonzaga. Wisconsin defeated (5) Marquette, with Marquette winning 88-74.
The week also saw some significant conference showdowns. The SEC continued to dominate in non-conference play, winning 14 out of 16 matchups. Auburn and Kentucky, the league's highest-ranked teams, faced off against Duke and Clemson, respectively, and came away with losses. However, in the 14 wins, the SEC teams absolutely decimated their foes, with five winning by 20 points or more and 12 by double digits. Overall, the SEC outscored the ACC by 201 total points across the 16 games. The Big 12 and Big East also had their battles, with the Big 12 leading 6-3 and showing their strength away from home.
Heading into Sunday's Slate
Heading into Sunday's action, nine college basketball teams remained undefeated. Loyola Chicago (8-0), Rhode Island (9-0), Oregon (9-0), UC Irvine (9-0), Drake (8-0), Utah State (9-0), Oklahoma (9-0), Florida (9-0), and Tennessee (8-0) all stood strong. The SEC led the way with three undefeated teams and 12 of their 16 teams having just one loss or less. The Big Ten had six such teams, the Big 12 had five, the Big East had two, and the ACC had just one team (Clemson) with one loss or less.
A Wooden Award Peek
After reaching the one-month mark, let's take a look at the early candidates for the Wooden Award. Kam Jones (Marquette) has been a standout, leading the Golden Eagles with an average of over 20 points and 6.6 assists per game. Johni Broome (Auburn) has been a force, averaging 20.6 points, 12.6 rebounds (leading the NCAA!), and 2.9 blocks per game. PJ Haggerty (Memphis) has been driving the Tigers to success, with a scoring average above 22 points per game and a potential All-American candidate.
Games to Watch
This upcoming week, there are some key matchups to keep an eye on. (11) Wisconsin takes on (19) Illinois on Tuesday. (6) Iowa State faces Iowa on Thursday. (16) Memphis plays against Clemson on Saturday. (22) Texas A&M battles (8) Purdue on Saturday. Arizona State faces (13) Florida on Saturday. (3) Tennessee goes against (19) Illinois on Saturday. (5) Marquette plays against Dayton on Saturday. Creighton takes on (10) Alabama on Saturday.