Looking for something else on Sports News on Tap, I found a gem called 'CBB Stock Market' which highlighted what happened on the weekend of college hoops. Sometimes I will use this space for a longer form recap, but mostly, it will be a subheading.
BUY BUY BUY
BUY BUY BUY
Kansas Jayhawks - This might be jinxing Kansas tonight, but if they were to win tonight, Kansas notches their 10 straight Big 12 title. That's phenomenal. No coach has done that in college basketball. While people talk about John Calipari, Coach K, Tom Izzo and others, people sort of forget about how good Bill Self is at his job. Self might be when it is all said and done, one of the best coaches in the sport as he continues to win games, conference titles and I am wondered if he had more than one National Champion and two Final Four appearances if people would consider Self differently. This season was up and down a bit, but they pulled it together to win big in a tough Big 12.
North Carolina Tar Heels - All of the sudden, here comes the Heels. They were 1-4 to start the ACC season, and people began to wonder if this team would even make the tournament after falling to Miami at home. They have reeled off nine straight wins vaulting them nearing the top of the ACC Conference. The thing about North Carolina is it seems like there is another guy every night stepping up for them which has not been the case for the entire year. Recently, it is Leslie McDonald but in the past, Kennedy Meeks came up big, same goes for Marcus Paige (This holds for most of the season) and throw in James Michael McAdoo as well. North Carolina is without question a Final Four contender if they get the right avenue.
New Mexico Lobos - Remember when people questioned where this team would go when Steve Alford left the program for UCLA? It really did not happen as they have only lost five games this season including winning their last 14 of 16 including a big win at The Pit against San Diego State. They held the Aztecs to 44 points in a truly dominating performance. Cameron Bairstow might be one of the least talked about players who has been fantastic in the last couple of months. Bairstow had 15 or more points since late December where he only put up 14 points against Grand Canyon. It will be interesting to see if they can be better in March than they were last season.
Virginia Cavaliers - With the ACC this season, people are forgetting about Virginia due to being not very sexy of a team. It is like watching an offensive lineman in spandex and nothing else. They have only lost one game in the ACC. ONE. They currently have an opportunity to win the ACC outright something not been done by the Cavs since the mid-eighties. Their remaining three games are home against Miami and Syracuse before heading to Maryland. They will likely have a share of the ACC crown at the very worst. Tony Bennett did a great job with this program building it from where it was before taking over.
North Carolina Tar Heels - All of the sudden, here comes the Heels. They were 1-4 to start the ACC season, and people began to wonder if this team would even make the tournament after falling to Miami at home. They have reeled off nine straight wins vaulting them nearing the top of the ACC Conference. The thing about North Carolina is it seems like there is another guy every night stepping up for them which has not been the case for the entire year. Recently, it is Leslie McDonald but in the past, Kennedy Meeks came up big, same goes for Marcus Paige (This holds for most of the season) and throw in James Michael McAdoo as well. North Carolina is without question a Final Four contender if they get the right avenue.
New Mexico Lobos - Remember when people questioned where this team would go when Steve Alford left the program for UCLA? It really did not happen as they have only lost five games this season including winning their last 14 of 16 including a big win at The Pit against San Diego State. They held the Aztecs to 44 points in a truly dominating performance. Cameron Bairstow might be one of the least talked about players who has been fantastic in the last couple of months. Bairstow had 15 or more points since late December where he only put up 14 points against Grand Canyon. It will be interesting to see if they can be better in March than they were last season. Virginia Cavaliers - With the ACC this season, people are forgetting about Virginia due to being not very sexy of a team. It is like watching an offensive lineman in spandex and nothing else. They have only lost one game in the ACC. ONE. They currently have an opportunity to win the ACC outright something not been done by the Cavs since the mid-eighties. Their remaining three games are home against Miami and Syracuse before heading to Maryland. They will likely have a share of the ACC crown at the very worst. Tony Bennett did a great job with this program building it from where it was before taking over.
HOLD HOLD HOLD
Syracuse Orange - I am not ready to give up on Syracuse's tournament chances. This was bound to happen. They might lose to Maryland tonight too, so what? They were due for it. Let's break it all down here... Syracuse still has Tyler Ennis running point guard and he already proved to have ice in his veins throughout the year. Orange still have depth, senior leadership and coach that knows how to get them there. If Syracuse loses out the year, sure I will press the panic button but this team could still be a one seed right now, still a Final Four contender.
Kentucky Wildcats - I do not think we should ignore Kentucky beat LSU in the last second in overtime at Rupp Arena. Like that's not a good thing at all. Kentucky is a team that will either find its way into the Elite Eight or Final Four, or be knocked out in the first round to some no-name team. The possibilities are endless with this team as they are chalk full of talent, but it does not seem like they give a shit on defense besides Julius Randle. They will be able to handle the SEC and probably lose another game with heading to Florida at the end of the season with them probably losing to the Gators again in the SEC Tournament.
SELL SELL SELL
Kentucky Wildcats - I do not think we should ignore Kentucky beat LSU in the last second in overtime at Rupp Arena. Like that's not a good thing at all. Kentucky is a team that will either find its way into the Elite Eight or Final Four, or be knocked out in the first round to some no-name team. The possibilities are endless with this team as they are chalk full of talent, but it does not seem like they give a shit on defense besides Julius Randle. They will be able to handle the SEC and probably lose another game with heading to Florida at the end of the season with them probably losing to the Gators again in the SEC Tournament.
SELL SELL SELL
Players not helping Jim Boeheim - One of the big things missing from all of the #HotTakes about Jim Boeheim explosive tirade after the C.J. Fair offensive foul call late in the game in their loss against Duke is how none of the players grabbed him. You see players all the time grab their coach to settle them down. Marquette did them with Buzz Williams at times, same goes for other coaches around basketball. Watch the video below and tell me why Rakeem Christmas, a senior, does not grab him to restrain him from getting kicked out of the game. Fair's comments should be taken with a grain of salt as it happened right after the game. I do not think there is any beef with Fair and Boeheim. The players needed to be there more for their long-time coach.
GAMES TO WATCH THIS WEEK
Monday: 4. Syracuse at Maryland 6:00 pm ESPN, Oklahoma at 5. Kansas 8:00 pm ESPN
Tuesday: 1. Florida at Vanderbilt 6:00 pm ESPN, 20. Iowa at Minnesota 6:00 pm Big Ten Network
Indiana at 14. Wisconsin 8:00 pm ESPN
Wednesday: 16. Michigan at Purdue 6:00 pm Big Ten Network,
19. North Carolina at NC State 7:00 pm ESPN3, Baylor at 24. Texas 8:00 pm ESPNU California at 3. Arizona 8:00 pm ESPN
Monday: 4. Syracuse at Maryland 6:00 pm ESPN, Oklahoma at 5. Kansas 8:00 pm ESPN
Tuesday: 1. Florida at Vanderbilt 6:00 pm ESPN, 20. Iowa at Minnesota 6:00 pm Big Ten Network
Indiana at 14. Wisconsin 8:00 pm ESPN
Wednesday: 16. Michigan at Purdue 6:00 pm Big Ten Network,
19. North Carolina at NC State 7:00 pm ESPN3, Baylor at 24. Texas 8:00 pm ESPNU California at 3. Arizona 8:00 pm ESPN
Charlie.
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