Dude…
Kansas suffered another painful loss, blowing a 21-point halftime lead against Baylor, ultimately losing by 11. There's a clear lack of heart, and it might be time to move KJ off the bench. While the team is still fine for now, if the losses keep stacking up, they might end up on the bubble. However, a huge win over Iowa State at home. When Hunter Dickinson plays like a center, they have a better chance at winning. It just depends on which Hunter Dickinson shows up. As for the Big 12, it's been a wild ride: Iowa State lost three times, first to Caleb Love in OT, then got blown out by a struggling K-State team. Iowa State was in a bit of a slump heading into their game at Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas on Monday.However, it ended up in another loss. Bad shooting killed the Cyclones and they have fallen from the top of the mountain and need to get back in the win column, fast. Meanwhile, Houston suffered a surprising loss to Texas Tech, with J’wan traveling late in the game and coming up short. Arizona continues to turn its season around as they win against BYU with an impressive second half. The Wildcats are a lot like the Jayhawks with Caleb Love. If he’s hot, then watch out.
In the SEC, Auburn remains undefeated and is a legitimate national title contender. Johni Broome delivered a huge performance—20 points and 12 rebounds—as Auburn took down Chris Beard and Ole Miss. Broome’s a serious NPOTY candidate, and Auburn’s depth and defensive play make them a tough team to beat. On the other hand, Florida is struggling; they lost by 20 to Tennessee, even with two of Tennessee's starters out. Florida is folding under pressure, but got a bounce back win over Vanderbilt. Alabama, despite a tough road ahead, is still a national championship contender. They’ll need to prove it over the rest of the season. Meanwhile, Mizzou continues to impress, with a big win against Mississippi State. Caleb Grill is hitting logo threes, and Tamar Bates can heat up quickly. Mizzou has a better basketball team than Kansas this season and is ranked higher than KU (#15 vs. #16) in Monday’s polls.That’s a tough pill to swallow for a Jayhawk fan, but the Tigers have something cooking over there in Columbia. Calipari got a much-needed win at Kentucky, even amid boos from the fans. Could this be the spark for a late-season push? Doubtful. However, I bet Calipari was happy to shut all the Kentucky fans up.
In other news, Duke dominated North Carolina in Cameron, with Cooper Flagg putting up 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Collin Kneppel added 22 and Tyrese Proctor chipped in 17. A solid overall performance, but can they stay unbeaten in conference for the rest of the season?. Who knows, but Cooper Flagg is great, and he is a proven baller. Watch out for the Blue Devils in March.
Michigan State took a tough loss to USC but remains at the top of the Big 10. Illinois is in a rough patch, losing two in a row to Nebraska and Maryland, but they managed to beat Ohio State to stay in the hunt. Purdue is quietly a half-game behind, with Braden Smith leading the charge. Michigan is only a game back, with first-year coach Dusty May and Vlad Goldin showing promise. The Big 10 is shaping up to be a bit of a mystery. Oregon lost to Nebraska and has had a plummet down the rankings after a promising start early in the season. Maryland has gotten hot, riding a 5-game win streak with wins over Illinois and Wisconsin. Expect the Terps to make a conquest that will lead them to the big dance in March.
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