College basketball picks: Brighter future -- Memphis or Tennessee?
ESPN.com's college hoops experts make their picks for this weekend, which include the annual Memphis-Tennessee grudge match.
ESPN.com's college hoops experts make their picks for this weekend, which include the annual Memphis-Tennessee grudge match.
With more than a month of the season in the books, we revisit our top-25 players list. Who made the cut, and who was bumped out?
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast by discussing Anthony Cowan as the Mariano Rivera of college hoops, why Butler reminds Dan of Brad Stevens-era Butler team, Ohio State's potential weakness and Louisville's terrific defense. Next, the guys welcome Louisville head coach Chris Mack to the podcast (13:20) to talk about how his family takes losses, his team's defense, the Xavier tradition of throwing down cash at a bar and why it was a tough decision to leave his old school and coach the Cardinals. Later Seth and Dan ask, what's up with North Carolina and Virginia (37:26)?
Mamadi Diakite scored 12 points and No. 5 Virginia rebounded from a blowout loss with a 56-47 victory against No. 7 North Carolina on Sunday.
Louisville of the ACC remains No. 1, but the Big Ten is well represented, even without preseason favorite Michigan State.
ESPN.com's college hoops experts make their picks for this weekend, which includes an intriguing UNC-Virginia matchup.
The ACC did not have a good night. Virginia dropped 9 spots to No. 12 in BPI- its worst ranking since Nov 11 2016. UNC dropped 17 spots to No. 38 in BPI, its worst BPI ranking since Jan 29, 2014.
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge is over, and opinions are emerging on both leagues' key teams.
Sasha Stefanovic scored a career-high 20 points, Jahaad Proctor also had 20 and Purdue routed No. 5 Virginia 69-40 on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Purdue was No. 17 in BPI and the metric had it favored by a point against Virginia due to home court advantage. A win this dominant will surely move the Boilermakers much higher. espn.com/bpi
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast by discussing their Feast Week All-Americans and teams that impressed during the last few days, Indiana's weak schedule and why Michigan isn't No. 1. Next, SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele joins the pod (17:42) ahead of Stuart Scott Day to talk about what Scott meant to her and ESPN, Scott doing P90X while undergoing chemotherapy and how he was always himself despite the naysayers. Later, the guys preview the Big Ten-ACC Challenge (29:31), looking ahead to Purdue-Virginia, Michigan State-Duke, Michigan-Louisville, Ohio State-North Carolina and Maryland-Notre Dame.
Preseason expectations have been skewed a month into the season, as a number of new teams hit the No. 1 seed line.
The unbeaten Cardinals are the new No. 1 and have a challenging week ahead, including a date with No. 2 Michigan.
Michigan got hot at the right time, thanks to more than its 3-point shooting. Plus, defense will continue to be a major key for Virginia.
Mamadi Diakite scored 15 points and Jay Huff had 13 as No. 7 Virginia beat Maine 46-26 on Wednesday night.
Guard Braxton Key, Virginia's second-leading scorer and top rebounder, is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery for a wrist injury.
The Wooden Legacy basketball tournament, played during Thanksgiving week, will be reduced to four teams in 2020, featuring Georgetown, Kansas, UCLA and Virginia.
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast by discussing how Georgetown looked against Duke, the Blue Devils' rugged defensive identity, Virginia's comeback still leaving lots of offensive questions and Florida looking improved. Then, the guys welcome Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing to the podcast (11:49) to chat about his assessment of Sunday's loss to Duke, his team's outlook this season, how being a legendary NBA player helps with parents but not with the kids when recruiting, if he practices any Hoya Paranoia tactics and what he was thinking during the Knicks-Heat brawl as Jeff Van Gundy was clinging to Alonzo Mourning's leg. Later, Seth and Dan get into their concerns with Michigan State, Feast Week tournaments, Baylor-Villanova and Dan's Thanksgiving at the Greenberg household (32:01).
The majority of college basketball's top teams will face significant challenges -- some against each other -- during Thanksgiving week.
Freshman Casey Morsell scored 19 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:02 remaining, and No. 7 Virginia rallied past Arizona State 48-45 to win the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament.
TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Louisville | 2-0 | - | 9-1 |
Virginia | 2-0 | - | 8-1 |
Boston College | 2-0 | - | 6-5 |
Duke | 1-0 | 0.5 | 9-1 |
Florida State | 1-1 | 1 | 8-2 |
NC State | 1-1 | 1 | 7-2 |
Pittsburgh | 1-1 | 1 | 7-3 |
Virginia Tech | 1-1 | 1 | 7-3 |
North Carolina | 1-1 | 1 | 6-3 |
Georgia Tech | 1-1 | 1 | 4-3 |
Syracuse | 1-1 | 1 | 5-4 |
Miami | 0-1 | 1.5 | 5-3 |
Notre Dame | 0-2 | 2 | 7-3 |
Clemson | 0-2 | 2 | 5-4 |
Wake Forest | 0-2 | 2 | 5-5 |
AP | COACHES |
---|---|
9 | 8 |
NAME | POS | STATUS | GRADE |
---|---|---|---|
Jabri Abdur-Rahim | SF | Signed | 88 |
Reece Beekman | PG | Signed | 86 |
Carson McCorkle | SG | Signed | 80 |
Final Fours | 2 |
Tournament Record | 29-21 |
Championship Seasons | None |
Tournament Appearances | 21 |