CBB Week 17

Dude…

March Madness is in the air!! Massive final games of the season are lining up,and  seeds are being set for the conference tournaments. There are still a few vital games that have taken place and that will take place this week!! The Dudes have you covered with the latest from CBB as the wild roller coaster is almost at its climax!!! 

PC’s CBB Corner-

The Wild, Wild SEC- The SEC has been one of the best conferences in college hoops this year. The top end of the conference has multiple teams competing for the #1 spot going into the SEC Tournament. The Tennessee Volunteers are at the top of the conference. They have been running the gauntlet these past few games. Even though the last 5 games of the schedule are against the top of the top of the SEC. They have proven over and over again why they are the top team in the SEC. First, the Volunteers invited Auburn into town. The Tigers are also a top tier level program in the SEC and Dalton Knecht decided to ball out. Dalton Knecht had 39 points and it didn’t seem like anyone on Auburn could stop him. The Volunteers beat the Tigers 92-84 in an instant classic. Then, they traveled to Alabama. Dalton Knecht didn’t have his normal All American level of scoring, however, the rest of the team stepped up on the defensive end and they beat Alabama on their own floor. The Volunteers have some absolute studs that are coming together at the right time. Dalton Knecht is the main man, but Vescovi, Zakai Zigler, and Josiah Joseph-James are key role players that can carry the team if Knecht has a off night. The gauntlet isn’t over, but it’s not over. Tennessee gets to go to South Carolina tonight. The Gamecocks are cooking this season. South Carolina has won three straight, with big wins over Mississippi State and hot Florida. Meechie Johnson is an All SEC type of point guard who has been on fire this season. He continues to demonstrate his unique play style and streaky shooting. In their final game, Tennessee is hosting Kentucky. Kentucky is an offensive powerhouse this season. Kentucky has had 6 games where they scored over 100 points. They have two first round draft picks in Rob Dillingham and Reed Shepard. They also have Antonio Reeves captains this ship into a Final Four contesting team. The Volunteers have played a lot of tough competition in the SEC. They’ve proven to be the best team so far, but the SEC Tournament is always full of upsets. It should be a tournament you definitely want to watch.

Kansas has fallen off a cliff, but can recover- Kansas has had one of its worst teams in the Bill Self Era. The Jayhawks invited the BYU Cougars to Allen Fieldhouse. In case you don’t know, KU doesn’t lose at home. They lost so little in that building, that they had only lost 17 times in that building during Bill Self’s 23 year career. Well, the total moved up to 18. The Cougars defeated the Jayhawks 76-68. Dallin Hall lit it up from 3 going 5-8 with 18 points. The Jayhawks were in shambles without Kevin McCullar and it was proven against BYU. Then, Kevin McCullar came back into the fold as they took on Baylor in Waco. Even with McCullar, the offense was out of sync. The Baylor Bears took care of business and won 82-74. RayJ Dennis and Missi continued to be awesome players for this Bears squad. Jayden Nunn went 7 for 8 from the floor, and 3 for 3 from deep. Again, the Kansas team lacked offensive consistency that led to their downfall. All hope seemed lost, but the Jayhawks clapped back with a massive win over K-State in Phog Allen. The Jayhawks showed up on offense for once and obliterated the K-State Wildcats 90-68. Nick Timberlake actually played the way he was supposed to be playing all year. He scored 18 points and went 5-8 from 3. Hunter Dickenson posted a double-double with 15 points and 20 rebounds. The Jayhawks have a shot at a deep run in the postseason if they perform like they did against K-State. However, if the other Jayhawks show up, don’t expect to see them in the second weekend.

The Zags are in the tournament, and are clicking- Gonzaga has seemed like a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament all year. After losing to St. Mary’s earlier this year, all hope seems lost. However, the Zags continued to fight. They had a big win over Kentucky that moved them back onto the bubble. The big game against St. Mary’s this past Saturday. With a win, the Zags would pretty much cement themselves with an automatic bid to the big dance. That’s exactly what the Bulldogs did. They beat the Gaels 70-57. Ryan Nembhard, the little brother of Zags former player Andrew Nembhard, made the move to Spokane due to his brother’s success. He had been struggling all year, but managed to put up 20 points for the Zags in their most important game of the season. Graham Ike, the transfer from Wyoming, also balled out with 24 points. The Zags have more than likely punched their ticket to the big dance, but they need to complete the season on a strong note. No better way to do that than a championship in the WCC Tournament.

Big Saturday weekend- Yes, the conference tournament is next week. Yes, the tournament is right around the corner. However, there are some key last games marked on the schedule. One of the biggest games of the weekend, the Kansas Jayhawks take on the Houston Cougars in Houston. The Jayhawks have had a down year this year. Ranked in 5th in the Big 12. Kansas was the favorite for the Big 12. Hold on, correction, they were supposed to WIN THE WHOLE SHABANG!! However, they have had one of the worst years in the Bill Self Era. Now, that still makes them 22-8 and 10-7 in the Big 12. Their starting 4 has been lethal, but have had their faults. With a win, it would propel Kansas into the top 4 for a bye through the first round. If not, they face elimination in the first night, which hasn’t been seen in a while. Houston is first 1st in the Big 12 and has pretty much locked up a #1 seed in this year’s tournament. Jamal Shead should be a favorite to win Big 12 Player of the Year. The Cougars stifling defense has caused fits to all offenses this year. With a win, they secure a Big 12 Regular Season Championship in their very first year in the Big 12. The stakes are high, and you know I’ll be watching this one with an ice cold beer. Then, Tennessee takes on Kentucky at their place. Tennessee has been one of the hottest teams in all of the SEC. As stated above, they’ve been proving how dominant they have been all season. Dalton Knecht would be Player of the Year if a man named Zach Edey didn’t exist. The core around Knecht in Vescovi, Zigler, and Joseph James can lead to a Final Four run. Kentucky has been shooting the lights out. They’ve scored over 100 points in a game six times this season. Their incredible guards in Antonio Reeves, Reed Sheppard, and Rob Dillingham. Kentucky is a tough place to play, easily a top 10 place in the nation. Tennessee has a tough task ahead of them. This game will be worth watching. Another great matchup is North Carolina vs. Duke at Cameron indoor. ACC Player of the Year favorite RJ Davis, is looking to win the ACC regular season title. However, they have to go down to the quick trip at Duke to seal the deal. Duke has a remarkable roster starring Kyle Filipowski. The Duke Blue Devils lost the first match up at North Carolina. Cameron Indoor makes all the difference if Duke wants to share the regular season title. Some other matchups include UCONN at Providence, who needs a big win to make the tournament, and Baylor at Texas Tech, which both teams are fighting for that first round bye in the Big 12 Tournament. Saturday is usually for sitting outside, drinking a beer, and hanging out with friends. Unless it’s March. Then we’re sitting in front of the TV screens and watching some College Hoops!!!