Delivering wins (and food)

On a night with 48 games, it was an Atlantic 10 matchup that stole the show. But mostly because someone got hungry. I'll explain in the recaps.

Let's get to the news.

1. It wasn't pretty, but Bama prevailed

For the first time in about a month, it looked like No. 2 Alabama might actually lose.

It entered Wednesday's game against Mississippi State as winners of nine straight, with an average margin of victory of more than 20 points. But the Bulldogs were the dominant force, leading by double-digits in the first half, their defense looking more like the physical, disruptive force from early in the season.

Credit the Crimson Tide for rising to meet the challenge. Alabama (18-2, 8-0 in SEC) used a 15-3 run midway through the second half to take control of the game and pull off a 66-63 win.

“They came ready to play," coach Nate Oats said. "I didn’t think we did a great job getting our guys ready to go, and we didn’t do a good job attacking them. We didn’t start the game the way we needed to, but I give our guys a lot of credit in the second half. We found a way to get a win in a tight game. We haven’t had a lot of tight games, so it’s not the worst. We have to figure out how to win close games.”

The thing is, Alabama has been so good lately, it actually has won these types of games. Wins against Houston, Memphis and North Carolina tested the Tide before conference play (the victory against UNC was a test for anyone watching the game, too); those three victories were by a combined 11 points. But when you can run away from teams, and grind out wins, it's just another sign that Oats' squad might be the betting favorite come March.

Especially when it is getting bench production. Senior guard Jahvon Quinerly scored seven of his team-high 14 points in the second half, his most since that win against UNC. That's now at least 10 points in five of his past seven games. He's perfect as the sparkplug off the bench, scoring or feeding teammates.

And we'll see how Alabama responds to this challenge when it travels to Oklahoma this Saturday for the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Sooners aren't as physical as Mississippi State, but they'll slow the pace and work to take away Alabama's perimeter scoring (as much as that's possible).

2. X gave it to UConn (again)

Xavier came to play on Wednesday night. UConn arrived too late.

The Musketeers blitzed the Huskies from the jump, leading by nine before the Huskies even got on the scoreboard. For the rest of the half, Xavier got anything it wanted on offense, whether it was Zach Freemantle raining 3s or these types of dunks against the UConn frontline.

But anyone who's watched Xavier this season knows defense can be optional. That was the case in the second half as Jordan Hawkins led a furious rally, scoring 26 of his game-high 28 points after the intermission. UConn trailed by a bucket for the final 2:40, and his jumper with 20 seconds left would've cut it to a one-point deficit, but coach Dan Hurley called timeout.

"The possession was going not great," Hurley said afterward. "What we wanted to run, there were a couple of players who didn't get to the right spots. It didn't look like it was going to end the way it ended. I even called it sooner than Tony probably gave it to me."

Xavier coach Sean Miller was more than a little relieved.

“There is no telling what would have happened if they had taken the lead. The roof may have blown off. So, I think that when they were really close and we answered with a basket or a free throw, I think that continued to help us just keep fighting.”

The 82-79 final means No. 13 Xavier (17-4, 9-1 in Big East) retains its lead atop the conference and has swept the season series versus the Huskies (16-6, 5-6). That's 13 wins in its past 14 games and erases pretty much any doubt about Xavier's Final Four potential.

For the Huskies, their rally displayed some much-needed offense, and the defense showed some spark. It was enough to ensure avowed UConn fan Rob Dauster could find some silver linings, even in a loss.

3. Auburn's Buzz-kill

At this rate, Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams won't have to worry about the NCAA Tournament bubble.

The Aggies rebounded from a loss at Kentucky by ending the nation's longest home win streak with a 79-63 win at No. 15 Auburn. A&M (14-6, 6-1 in SEC) didn't waste any time against the Tigers (16-4, 6-2), building a 15-point lead in the first half behind Tyrece Radford's 30 points.

More results to know from a busy Wednesday. (My fingers are tired)

UNC Asheville 88, Presbyterian 80Take a bow, Drew Pember. His 48 points are the most by any D-I player this season (it was also his second 40-point game of the year.) He scored 10 in overtime which proved to be the difference for the Bulldogs (16-6, 8-1 in Big South).

Per Jared Berson, that's the latest scoring outburst for D-I in the past five days. WIU's Trenton Massner had 46 on Monday, and Long Beach State's Marcus Tsohonis scored 46 on Saturday.

Houston 82, UCF 71No. 3 Houston pulled away in the second half and improved to 19-2 on the season and 7-1 in the AAC. Emanuel Sharp had 18 off the bench for the Cougars, who allowed a season-high 1.16 points per possession to the Knights (13-7, 4-4). But... Houston did have one of its better shooting nights of the season (51 percent), as well.

Tennessee 70, Georgia 41Unless it's Kentucky, No. 4 Tennessee (17-3, 7-1 in SEC) feasts in games against unranked opponents at home. Georgia (13-7, 3-4) was no exception as it shot just 29 percent from the field. Of note, the Vols didn't exactly click on offense. Josiah-Jordan James and Julian Phillips were just 2-of-16.

Providence 79, Butler 58No. 23 Providence had no trouble with the Bulldogs, getting 16 points from Bryce Hopkins and another 35 from its bench. The Friars (16-5, 8-2 in Big East) remain tied for second in the league.

Creighton 104, St. John's 76The Bluejays (12-8, 6-3 in Big East) cracked the century mark for the first time this season, making 57 percent of their shots, and going 37 percent from beyond the arc. All five starters hit double figures.

Florida 81, South Carolina 60Quietly, the Gators (12-8, 5-3 in SEC) continue to play like one of the SEC's better teams. They've won five of their past six, and this game marked their largest margin of victory in the SEC under Todd Golden.

Indiana 61, Minnesota 57Trayce Jackson-Davis is doing things nobody has done this decade. He went for 25 points, 21 rebounds, and six blocks, probably because his legs are actually pogo sticks. The Hoosiers (14-6, 5-4 in Big Ten) have won four straight.

Northwestern 78, Nebraska 63The Wildcats (14-5, 5-3 in Big Ten) got 26 points from Ty Berry and breezed to an easy win at ailing Nebraska (10-11, 3-7). Northwestern is tied with Michigan for third in the Big Ten, just like we all predicted.

Maryland 73, Wisconsin 55Home court remains Maryland's salve. The Terps (13-7, 4-5 in Big Ten) are 10-1 at the XFINITY Center and handed the Badgers (12-7, 4-5) their fifth loss in their past six games. Jahmir Young led all scorers with 22 points.

Pitt 81 Wake Forest 79The Panthers didn't break any backboards (see our fifth headline) because they were too busy making a school-record 18 3-pointers. Pitt (14-7, 7-3 in ACC) kept pace with Miami and UNC for third in the ACC. Wake (14-7, 6-4) has lost two straight.

San Diego State 85, Utah State 75Adam Seiko scored 25 points off the bench, providing the primary scoring punch for the Aztecs (16-4, 7-1 in MWC), who stayed atop the league. Utah State (16-5, 5-3) gets a chance to earn its first road win on Saturday against Fresno State.

Duquesne 72, Loyola Chicago 58The Dukes (14-7, 4-4 in A-10) used a big second half to pull away from the Ramblers (7-13, 1-7), but that's not the story. This is.

Was it a prank? Probably. Was it a coincidence that Duquesne outscored Loyola 35-18 the rest of the way? Nah. Also, Keith Dambrot seemed pretty chill about it.

Rhode Island 75, Dayton 70The Flyers (13-8, 5-3 in A-10) are hurting. They've lost three of four and are now fourth in the A-10 standings. Ishmael Leggett and Brayon Freeman combined for 46 points for the Rams (7-13, 3-5).

UMass 85, Richmond 76The Minutemen (12-8, 3-5 in A-10) snapped a two-game skid thanks to one of their most efficient offensive nights of the season. They limited turnovers, went 24-of-28 from the line and got 23 points from RJ Luis. Tyler Burton led Richmond (11-10, 4-4) with 20 points.

Stanford 72, Chicago State 65For 30 minutes, it looked like the Cougars (5-17) would pull off the shocker of the night at Stanford. But the Cardinal (8-12) got 21 points from Spencer Jones and made just enough plays late for the win. Four of their past five victories have come against teams rated 197 or lower in KenPom.

Furman 91, Samford 84, OTA showdown between the two of the Southern Conference's top teams needed more than 40 minutes. Jalen Slawson scored four of his game-high 26 points in OT as Furman (16-6, 7-2) pulled to within a game of Samford (14-8, 8-1) and UNC Greensboro atop the league.

Maine 75, UMass Lowell 70A stunner in the America East. Maine (8-12, 2-5) led for most of the game against the favored River Hawks (17-5, 5-3) behind Kristians Feierbergs (18 points) and Kellen Tynes (15). It's the first time this season UMass Lowell hasn't led the conference.

Vermont 80, Binghamton 55Meet your new America East leader, same as it ever was. The Catamounts (11-10, 5-2) had no troubled with the Bearcats (8-12, 4-3), getting 20 points from Finn Sullivan and 18 from Dylan Penn.

Tulane 95, Wichita State 90 OTI'm just gonna turn things over to Taylor Eldridge for this summary.

Lehigh 74, Holy Cross 68With Colgate not playing until Saturday, the Mountain Hawks (12-8, 7-2 in Patriot) pulled to within two games of the league leader thanks to a monster first half. Evan Taylor (17 points, six rebounds) led the way.

4. News and links worth your time

Sometimes the news just overwhelms the Fast Break, and we have to use a headline on 3-4 stories worth some additional context. That's life when hoops season is rolling.

• FAU's hoops history is younger than coach Dusty May. It's made just one NCAA tournament (2002) and has had just 10 winning seasons since it began play in 1988. So how has May gotten the Owls to 18 straight wins, ranked 21st in the AP poll, and maybe the best program vibes this season? Fun read on FAU.

• No. 9 Kansas is 16-4, yet will enter Saturday's game at Kentucky with three consecutive losses. Bill Self isn't panicking but admits there's not "as much margin for error as we've had in years past." Yet, for all the talk about the Jayhawks' recent shooting woes, their turnovers are the problem. They turned the ball over on 24 percent of their possessions against TCU and 22.6 percent of possessions against Baylor; they're usually around 17 percent.

• When you can bring a sixth-year senior off the bench, that's a huge benefit. Even bigger for Utah State? Dan Akin's been there in the biggest moments for coach Ryan Odom, including when Odom's UMBC squad pulled off the ultimate March upset. A fun read on Akin's college hoops journey.

5. 35 years of 'Send it in, Jerome!'

Most timeless highlight clips are from title games or the NCAA Tournament. Then there's this one.

The shattered backboard. Bill Raftery's iconic phrasing. It's the perfect blend for a viral clip, even before virality was a thing. It's, without a doubt, the most-viewed Pitt-Providence highlight ever.

That clip turned 35 on Wednesday — more than enough reason for Pitt to celebrate Jerome Lane's massive dunk, because why not? It remains one of the coldest plays you'll ever see in a game. (Peep the anniversary gear, though this shirt was the star of the night.)

Lane, btw, finished with 17 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks in that 90-56 win. Not too bad.

But part of what also makes that clip so cool is the people associated with it. Sean Miller threw the pass to Lane. Charles Smith was Pitt's leading scorer. Jeff Van Gundy and Herb Sendek were Providence assistants. Take two minutes and watch this Stadium clip where Miller talks to Seth Davis about his part. Then watch Lane's dunk again. It'll be worth it.

West Coast's best?

Gonzaga's won the last 10 regular-season West Coast Conference. That streak's in jeopardy this season. But it's not a surprise who's challenging the Zags.

Saint Mary's has long been the Bulldogs' WCC foil. The Gaels have finished second 12 times since 2004 and are the only non-Gonzaga program to win the regular-season title, back in 2013. That squad did it with an incredibly efficient offense.

This season, it's all about defense.

Saint Mary's (18-4, 7-0 in WCC) only allows .88 points per possession, good for sixth in KenPom's adjusted metrics. That's better than Iowa State and right behind Alabama. Defense has been its calling card the past three seasons, but this year's the best yet under coach Randy Bennett. What's made the difference? We discussed that and more with junior center Mitchell Saxen for the Four Questions.

Q: Your defense has been locked in since the start of the season. Some ridiculous numbers: You guys are currently 12th in effective field goal percentage. Teams only make 30 percent of their 3s and they're an abysmal 43 percent inside the arc. You're No. 1 in defense rebounding percentage. So, teams can't get good shots, and then they only get one crack at it. What's the No. 1 reason the defense is clicking?

Mitchell Saxen: Well, No. 1 is we practice it. Every day. For a lot of time. (pauses) But we know it shows on the court, so we dedicate a lot of time to it. We have really good individual defenders in Logan Johnson and Kyle Bowen; we know they can guard the best players every night. And we're really detailed in our scouting with personnel. So when they get into their half-court offense, we know where our positioning should be. When that happens, it's a lot easier to clean up the defensive glass.

Q: Were there any specific things you worked on over the summer? Your jump in production came with Matthias Tass' graduation, but even then, it's been a really solid year for you. You're second on the team in scoring (12.6 ppg), grabbing 8.1 rpg and making 55 percent of your shots, all improvements over the post last season.

Mitchell Saxen: Not really. That's just how it works in this program. You sit and learn behind the older guys. Matthias is a heck of a player, and that process of playing him every day in practice and iron sharpens iron. It's not like I'm infinitely better as a player this year; it's just more opportunity. And this summer we did a foreign tour and went to Australia. I got to play like the starter's minutes, which helped me get used to that role and helped bridge the adjustment from backup to starter. It's not one thing, just the accumulation of work over the past two or three years.

Q: I’m assuming coach Bennett does his best to ensure you stay focused on the next opponent, but given the opportunity to win the WCC this season amid Gonzaga’s relative struggles, is that something you and your teammate discuss and the larger implications?

Mitchell Saxen: Yeah, we’re obviously aware. And it’s a big deal because most years it seems like we're always on the bubble. So this is where we want to really lock in. We feel like we’ve been doing that since the start of the season, but there is the added game pressure. So we want to ensure we’re winning the games we’re supposed to.

Q: You're a Seattle guy. How does Moraga compare to to Seattle? Are you now a Northern California guy?

Mitchell Saxen: Ha, it's a lot like Seattle weather-wise and the Bay Area is pretty similar culture-wise. I didn't know much about Saint Mary's growing up. I never watched them on TV coming up through high school, but once they started recruiting me, it started connecting with me. And I love Seattle. I always talk about Seattle with my friends here, and never really pictured myself leaving when I'm an adult, But I dunno. I really do like it here, so we'll see.

Saint Mary's play at BYU on Saturday.

Revenge on the Palouse

Washington State entered the season as a potential darkhorse in the Pac-12, but injuries derailed its start to the season. The Cougars (9-12, 4-6 in Pac-12) haven't ever found a groove — except for Jan. 7 in Tucson when they upended then-No. 5 Arizona as 13-point underdogs. Can the Wildcats (17-3, 6-3) steal one on the road? If the defense plays anywhere near as well as it did Saturday against UCLA, Tommy Lloyd's team won't have a problem. Probably. (11 pm ET, FS1)

Other games to watch (All times ET)

• Iowa (12-7) at Michigan State (13-7), 7 pm (FS1)

• Purdue (19-1) at Michigan (11-8), 9 pm (ESPN)

• UCLA (17-3) at USC (14-6), 9 pm (ESPN2)

• Utah Valley (16-5) at Southern Utah (14-7), 9 pm

• UC Santa Barbara (16-3) at Hawaii (16-3), 11:59 pm (ESPN+)

Orange crush

Illinois is 5-1 since it had to adjust its lineup when Skyy Clark left the program. But are the Illini consistent enough to make a run up the Big Ten standings? Terrence Oglesby, Meghan McKeown and Tyler Hansbrough debate what's ahead for Illinois.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 AFTER DARK on YouTube and click here subscribe to the AFTER DARK podcast.

Links as you wonder if a healthy AD and Rui Hachimura really is enough for the Lakers to make the playoffs.

• Amari Bailey will reportedly be available to play tonight vs. USC.

• Boise State's "ugly" win over Fresno State might be a promising sign for Leon Rice's team.

• Could we have a burgeoning Southern Illinois-Murray State rivalry?

• Really enjoyed this feature on Shaheen Holloway. Friends are the best.

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