Your college hoops weekend recap

After a long Fourth of July weekend, what’s better than to sit back, relax, crack open the inbox and procrastinate with The Field of 68 Daily?

For the first time since the season ended, the weekend carried on with no big-named transfers or recruits announcing decisions. Rosters are finally settling like Joey Chestnut’s stomach after a gallon of Pepto. Nonetheless, a handful of storylines emerged over the past few days. We’re here to break them down.

THREE POINTERS

1. Get your covered wagon ready; the Big 12 is heading west

As the Pac-12 deteriorates, a new cluster of schools eyes a move to the Big 12. The group — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah — will meet with the league office today, per Jason Scheer of WildcatAuthority.

Though football money controls everything, this is welcome news for the Big 12’s basketball-centric identity. Obtaining Arizona would be massive. This past season, the ‘Cats earned their first 1 seed since 2014, and they won’t lose their perch among the sport’s elite any time soon.

Second-year coach Tommy Lloyd once helped turn Gonzaga into a juggernaut with his eye for talent. We’re seeing that unfold in Tuscon. With Lloyd showing internationals more love than Chris Brown and Pitbull, Zona will continue to dominate overseas recruiting, building primarily with talented, multi-year players.

On the court, Lloyd’s uptempo blitzkrieg will add another level of excitement to a league that already features competitive matchups on a nightly basis. Plus, imagine Kerr Kriisa talking smack on the road at Kansas or Texas Tech.

Oh wait…he already has some experience taunting a Big 12 school?? Amazing.

Regarding the other three schools, Colorado’s won 21 or more games nine times in 12 seasons under Tad Boyle, Arizona State has attracted a number of five-star recruits in recent years, and Utah features a promising young coach in Craig Smith. So they all bring a little something to the table. Every feast needs side dishes.

2. GG Jackson takes home the hardware

From June 27 through July 1, Disney’s Wide World of Sports hosted the NBPA Top 100 Camp. The event seeks to be “the premier event available to elite high school athletes” and features fierce competition between its participants.

During the five-day showcase, GG Jackson, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2023, displayed his tantalizing upside:

No one has ever questioned Jackson’s athleticism — his promise as a rim runner and a lob threat has been evident for a couple of years. However, his maturing perimeter game evoked praise from scouts and media members throughout the week.

But he didn’t just brandish his individual talent. The South Carolina product also led his team to a 56-49 victory in the finals, earning the camp’s MVP honors in the process.

As it stands, Jackson has verbally committed to North Carolina. Although whether he makes it to Chapel Hill is up for debate.

3. Bellarmine vs. everybody (or just the NCAA)

It’s time to get to know the Bellarmine Knights. Head coach Scott Davenport runs a labyrinthine offense based on constant cutting, strong screens, and unselfish ball movement. So far his scheme has yielded results. Bellarmine led the ASUN in offensive efficiency in 2021 and finished second in 2022, per KenPom. Notably, it scored over 1 point-per-possession in 13 of its 16 conference games last season. The tape backs up the numbers — it can’t be fun to gameplan against this:

But most importantly, the Knights rode their hot offense to a conference tournament championship this past March. Even more impressive, they notched this achievement in just their second season in Division I. Yet because of the archaic NCAA “transition” rule, Bellarmine was ineligible for the Big Dance, despite earning the auto-bid.

Now, one of its players is taking matters into his own hands. Juston Metz, a wing and team captain entering his sixth season with the program, penned a letter to the NCAA, lobbying for a change. From the USAToday:

The NCAA notoriously trudges five steps behind the crowd, so who knows if it will change this policy any time soon. But the cries will only get louder if Bellarmine sustains last season’s success.

SUMMER LEAGUE ROUNDUP

Keegan Murray shines while a few undrafted rookies make noise

The first round of the NBA’s Summer League tipped off Saturday in San Francisco, giving us the first glimpse of a handful of rookies. While we can’t draw any substantial conclusions from these exhibition games, it’s always fun to try. Some highlights:

• Sacramento’s Keegan Murray dazzled in his Summer League debut, pouring in 26 points (4 for 5 from 3) and snaring 8 boards. The former All-American showed the touch, body control and movement shooting that led the Kings to draft him with the fourth overall pick.

• Two undrafted rookies, Scotty Pippen Jr. (Vanderbilt) and Cole Swider (Syracuse), looked impressive for the Lakers. Through the first two games, Pippen averaged 6.5 assists and 7.5 free throw attempts. Small guards often face an uphill battle sticking in the NBA. But if Pippen can maintain his high-level passing and frequently get to the charity stripe, he has a chance. Swider, on the other hand, displayed the elite shooting that he showed in college (8 for 13 from 3 in the first two games). The duo’s performance likely has the Lakers’ front office feeling optimistic about their recent two-way signings.

• Former LSU guard Javonte Smart, now playing for the Heat’s Summer League squad, posted one of the more…confident stat lines of the weekend. Showing off the ultimate green light, Smart shot 4 for 20 from the field in Miami’s Saturday loss to the Lakers. The game ended in a 100-66 blowout, so to Smart’s credit, someone had to try to score.

OFF THE CAROUSEL

What can ECU fans expect from their new coach Mike Schwartz? A premium on defense, for one. The former Tennessee assistant orchestrated the Volunteers’ vaunted defense for the past five years and hopes to instill a similar system in Greenville. Tune in to my interview with Schwartz to hear more:

THE FAST BREAK

Links to click in between all the Brian Windhorst and Usher memes

• ESPN’s Jeff Borzello announced the schedule for the Holiday Hoopsgiving MTE, highlighted by a matchup between Memphis and Auburn.

• Oklahoma announced a new assistant for Porter Moser — Sooner alum Ryan Humphrey, formerly on Notre Dame’s staff.

• Drake did likewise for Darian Devries, as Tom Ostrom joins the staff.

• InsideCarolina’s Buck Sanders made the case for UNC to leave the ACC.

• Four-star 2023 big man Blake Buchanan committed to Virginia.

• Mid-major fans rejoice! Vermont, the class of the America East, and North Texas, one of the two best programs in Conference-USA, headline the Baha Mar Nassau MTE.

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