Parity continues across the country, as even the top teams can’t seem to stay out of their own way for more than one week at a time. The highs from big wins seem to last shorter and shorter as the year goes on, though to be fair, the lows from upsets also don’t look to be extended ones.
Take Iowa State, for example. The Cyclones have been my pick to unseat Kansas atop the Big 12 since before conference play. Now, ISU still sits at 5-2 in conference play right in a position to challenge the Jayhawks, and their 89-86 win over Texas at home on Monday night saw to that. However, it was their Saturday afternoon choke job at Texas Tech that provided a glimpse into why they may have trouble ultimately grabbing the conference title from KU. The Cyclones had three players in double-figures, including just 10 points from Georges Niang. We’ve talked at length on here about just how hard it is to win new year road games, but giving the Red Raiders their first conference win was not what we had in mind.
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Avoiding an overreaction when it comes to these kinds of losses is difficult, especially when they follow it with a win over a ranked foe. But the question that circles ISU moving forward will be whether or not their defense can hold up on nights when their offense isn’t firing on all cylinders. At 15-4, it’s not like right now is the time to hit the panic button, as ISU must still be considered a legitimate threat to advance deep into the NCAA Tournament. As for what this all says about Texas, well, that’s for another time.
The Big Ten was a flurry of action over the weekend, with two ranked teams falling and another squad who we’ve bestowed constant praise upon disappointed. After a dominating win over Maryland–by the way, sorry Terps fans, that one is on us–the Hoosiers went on the road to make sure that Ohio State fans felt the need to get reenergized about the season. The Buckeyes’ 82-70 win over the Hoosiers gives them a “look at me” win that they desperately needed to reverse the negative momentum they’ve experienced recently. What is most important about the win, though, is that we’re finally ready to recognize D’Angelo Russell as perhaps the best lead guard in the country.
Russell poured in 22 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. His 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds ad 5.1 assists per game are, well…silly. Last week, I said that Melo Trimble was the second best freshman in the country, but I’m ready to admit that I was wrong. This 6-foot-5 point guard is for real, and will be a hot commodity come the NBA Draft later this year.
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Iowa went on the road and fell to Purdue, 67-63. If one was to simply read the box score, than it would make sense to once again question just what in the heck Iowa is doing. However, the story here is the injury to Aaron White. It’s still unsure just how severe this shoulder injury is, but White speculated after the game as to the integrity of his collar bone. If he misses an extended period of time, the Hawkeyes will be riding a thin line with bubble-comfort.
Wrapping up the Big Ten coverage here was Michigan State’s perplexing loss at Nebraska. When your top two players, like Denzel Valentine and Travis Trice for the Spartans, combine for 48 points and 16 rebounds, you’re supposed to win. When you collect 24 offensive rebounds on the road, you’re supposed to win. What plagued Michigan State, and what has plagued them for much of the season, is their inability to play defense without fouling. Nebraska went to the line 37 times on Saturday night, and those free throws proved pivotal in the win.
In the NCAA Tournament, games are played in large, sometimes cavernous arenas. Shooting percentages plummet and teams search for each ways to generate points. A defense that is constantly fouling allows for just that. Tom Izzo will need to correct that if he wants this team to make the kind of run that so many of his teams have in March.
Finally, there’s the case of Seton Hall. Losing by 20 at Butler is just the latest set back for the Pirates and their hopes to keep pace in the conference, despite Butler being a very formidable opponent. After starting Big East play 2-0, The Hall is just 1-4, and have yet to find a consistent scoring threat to fill in besides Sterling Gibbs. What does this mean for them moving forward? Right now, Seton Hall looks like a solid “sell” bet right now.
