By Riley Saxon
Surprises and Disappointments So Far
We’re about a quarter of the way through the college basketball season, and for every team far exceeding expectations, there are some teams, and even whole conferences, that are already doing some soul searching.
The Surprises
Arizona
With their win at Illinois on Saturday, Arizona has cemented itself as the media darling and ultimate dark horse national championship winner.
The WCC
There’s talk of the WCC being a five bid conference. The Zags have been the Zags, BYU has been BYU, and St. Mary’s has been St. Mary’s. San Francisco is 10-0, Portland is 7-3, and Santa Clara has multiple wins over power 5 schools.
Iowa St
A year after being in the conversation for worst power 5 team, the Cyclones are now in Big 12 upper tier talk.
USC
Despite losing superstar Evan Mobley, USC might be better this year. Boogie Ellis has been everything the Trojans have needed, and they could be knocking on the door of Conference Championship Rings.
The Disappointments
The Oregon Schools
It just keeps getting worse for the Ducks, who played some shoddy defense at the end of the Stanford game to drop their second conference game. Joining the Ducks in the cellar are the Beavers, who have won 1 game so far this year.
Memphis
There’s not much to say here, other than the fact that this feels quite like Penny’s first year in which James Wiseman opted out and the Tigers finished in disappointing fashion. Could Duran and/or Bates follow suit?
Michigan
Of all the teams/groups on the list, the Wolverines feel like they are the most capable of turning it around. They are above .500, but 75% of their losses have been by double digits.
ACC + PAC 12
The ACC has one top 25 team, Duke, who is comfortably in the top 2. North Carolina is always lurking, but beyond that it’s… Wake Forest? Every other team has multiple unseemly losses. The PAC 12 is even weirder, as they have 3 top 10 teams… and no one close to even sniffing the top 40.
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“A man who strays from the path of understanding comes to rest in the company of the dead.” –Proverbs 21:16
The Bruin Bias
Wednesday, 12/15 vs Alabama State
Alabama State’s Record: 2-9
Last time vs. Alabama St: First Game
Up to this Point: 9 of Alabama State’s 11 games have been blowouts, with the exceptions being their first win, an overtime victory, and the Iowa State game (see below)
Notable: Alabama State played Iowa State tough on the road, leading early in the second half and cutting the lead down to 3 with under five to go. They eventually fell 68-60.
Saturday, 12/18 vs North Carolina
UNC’s Record: 7-2 (vs. Furman on Tuesday)
Last time vs. North Carolina: L 74-64 in 2019 CBS Sports Classic
Up to this point: UNC has been a mixed bag, as they struggled with Brown at home and College of Charleston on the road before losing to Purdue and Tennessee. They’ve since won four in a row.
Notable: The last time these two teams met, UCLA was breaking in a new coach with an uneven beginning to the season. Now, UNC is doing the same thing.
College Hoops Breakdown appears twice a month at JoeTorosian.com
Riley Saxon can be reached at:
Email: rileymsaxon@gmail.com
Twitter: @CHoopsBreakdown
