Top Teams Are Not Safe
With the new rankings out, Auburn now sits atop the rankings as the new number one. Tennessee held that claim before getting knocked off this weekend thanks to their loss last week to then No.8 Florida. Though the Tigers are now in the lead, their game against South Carolina came down to the wire and possibly cost them their star player for a game or two. Johni Broome exited in the second half after an ankle sprain, finishing with 6 points on the night. Despite losing Broome, Auburn kept the Gamecocks to only 23 points in the second half after allowing 40 points in the first.
Iowa State’s game vs Texas Tech was saved by the late game heroics of Joshua Jefferson. Jefferson hit the game tying shot with .1 seconds remaining in regulation to send the game into overtime, where he then drained the go-ahead free throws with 4.1 seconds left to secure the victory. Oregon also squeaked by with a one-point win against Penn State, while Utah State escaped a narrow defeat to Boise State, winning 81-79.
Overall, the top 4 ranked teams only won by a combined margin of 16 points, showing the importance of every game from here on out. After all, many teams still remain very much in the hunt and are chasing down squads that have shown some vulnerability as of late.
A New Record Holder – Flagg Drops 42 on Irish
Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg sets a new record for himself by breaking a nearly 20-year record and setting a new one. During Saturday’s game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Flagg cemented himself as the ACC single game record holder for points with 42. While breaking the record, he also became the first Duke player with a 40-point game since JJ Reddick back in 2006. While his performance was legendary, it’s also important to note that during the last 6 games he’s only gotten better from 3-point range, shooting an impressive 12-22 in that span.
Apart from gaining experience as being the go-to player on a dominant team, Flagg is also gaining valuable experience in close game situations which will no doubt benefit the young star throughout the upcoming playoffs and beyond. Head Coach Jon Sheyer said after the game that close games allow players and coaches to learn, and also to “understand the value of every possession.” No doubt Flagg will understand the value of possessions as Duke edges closer and closer to playoff season.
Auburn and SEC Dominates AP Top 25 Rankings
Literally half of the top ten ranked teams belong to the SEC. No.1 Auburn, No. 4 Alabama, No. 5 Florida, No. 6 Tennessee, and No. 8 Kentucky all stand at the top in the AP Top 25 currently. Two of those five teams are in the top 3 in the NCAA in points per game, with Alabama at No. 1 with 91.1 points per game, and Kentucky right behind them at third with 89.2 points per game.
This week with certainly shake up the SEC, as the Auburn Tigers take on No. 15 Mississippi State on Wednesday, followed by No. 23 Georgia on Saturday. Kentucky will host two tough SEC opponents back-to-back when they play Texas A&M tomorrow and Alabama on Saturday. No. 21 Ole Miss heads to Tuscaloosa to take on No. 4 Alabama tomorrow night, and Mississippi State on Saturday.
Perhaps the biggest game of the week is No. 8 Kentucky hosting No. 4 Alabama. The top scoring offenses of the NCAA will face off on Saturday in one of the first games of the day at 10am MST, and possibly the most significant. With both teams so close to each other in the rankings, the landscape of the SEC could look significantly different a week from now. With so many SEC teams in the AP Top 25, each week brings about a whirlwind of possibilities and adversity while also all but eliminating the margin for error.
For more articles from Jesse, head to hardwoodheroics.com, or click here.
