Your college hoops weekend recap 🏀

Gonzaga holds off Michigan State, the ACC (especially Louisville) looks shaky, our stars of the week, the Gavitt Games loom, plus more

Author

Riley Davis
November 14, 2022

The first weekend of college basketball felt as refreshing as a cool, fall breeze. That is unless that breeze was a gusty sea wind that struck while you were trying to carry out an athletic feat. Then, it might've been unpleasant.

Let's get to the news.

1. Gonzaga stays afloat

Friday evening delivered the season's first marquee matchup, as the Armed Forces Classic resumed after a 10-year hiatus. Gonzaga didn't quite play up to the standard fans and spectators have come to expect, but it still disembarked the USS Abraham Lincoln with a quality win, toppling Michigan State 64-63.

The score oscillated back and forth for the first 15 minutes, as both teams found success scoring around the basket. It didn't take long for preseason All-American Drew Timme to show off his fancy footwork and array of moves in the post. But Spartan forward Malik Hall and point guard AJ Hoggard countered, repeatedly getting into the paint and challenging Gonzaga's rim protection. Hall out-muscled Zags defenders down low and poured in seven first-half points; Hoggard, meanwhile, operated as the facilitator, dishing out five assists in the opening period.

As the game progressed, Michigan State shored up its defense (it turned Gonzaga over 11 times and held it to .75 points-per-possession in the first half), Hoggard's ball movement became contagious, and the Spartans went into the half with a seven-point lead.

Michigan State sustained its momentum after the intermission, building a 12-point lead with 17 minutes to go. However, behind a Timme eruption, the Zags rallied. The elder statesman pierced through resistance from Joey Hauser and Jaxon Kohler, scoring and finding open teammates on the perimeter. Whether by basket, free throw or assist, Timme contributed on 16 of Gonzaga's final 18 points.

Guards Rasir Bolton and Malachi Smith, along with backup big man Efton Reid, hit key baskets as Gonzaga took the lead with three minutes left and ultimately held on to win.

But beyond the final whistle, (and the stunning images from the setting) there are a few notable takeaways from this matchup. First, both teams should expect to shoot better than they did on the Lincoln. The past two aircraft carrier showcases yielded similar 3-point numbers, so it’s no surprise that the two squads combined for 7-34 from long distance.

Secondly, Tom Izzo can rest assured that he has a legit point guard. On Friday night, Hoggard excelled at probing the defense and making smart, crisp passes. Relatedly, Izzo has to feel encouraged by junior Mady Sissoko’s performance. Through two seasons, the Malian big man looked overwhelmed in his limited minutes, but he answered the bell on Friday — Sissoko caught lob after lob from Hoggard en route to 14 points, and he flashed as a rim protector.

Regarding the Zags, interior defense remains their biggest concern. For instance, Michigan State was able to match Gonzaga’s points in the paint (32) — a rarity for any Mark Few-coached team. Additionally, Few needs more consistent play from point guard Nolan Hickman. Per EvanMiya, the sophomore has a plus-minus of -7 through two games, while every other player has a plus-minus of at least +18. (Malachi Smith is at +36).

Michigan State will get a chance to rebound against Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Tuesday, while Gonzaga will travel to Austin to play Texas on Wednesday.

2. Louisville fans' emotional state? Payne.

It’s hard to envision Kenny Payne’s Louisville tenure starting off any worse. First, it was an exhibition loss and a close win to D-II programs. Now, the Cards have started their season with consecutive buy-game losses to Bellarmine and Wright State, respectively.

In the matchup with the Knights, Louisville couldn’t keep up with Scotty Davenport’s surgical offense. Bellarmine carved the Cardinals up like Thanksgiving turkeys, scoring over a point per possession and shooting 22 free throws. (Louisville, for comparison, shot 14).

Against Wright State on Saturday, Louisville again failed to get to the line, attempting a mere eight freebies. However, turnovers proved to be its ultimate undoing — particularly from senior guard El Ellis, who coughed the ball up eight times. The turnovers exacerbated the Cardinals' inability to finish games, and Wright State made them pay. Senior guard Trey Calvin hit a contested mid-ranger as time expired to hand L’ville the L.

From longtime Louisville reporter Mike Rutherford:

Following back-to-back threes by El Ellis, who led all scorers with 29 points, Louisville owned a 70-65 advantage and seemingly all of the game’s momentum. Then, the same inability to close out games that we’ve seen for three seasons now, reared its head once again.

The Cards' final three possessions included two turnovers and one atrocious trip that ended in a 25-foot attempt from Jae’Lyn Withers. Meanwhile, on the other end, U of L allowed Wright State to make its final four field goal attempts — one dunk, one layup, and two midrange jumpers from Calvin.

Rutherford also notes that this is the first time since 1999-00 that Louisville has started the season 0-2.

The Cardinals may not improve much this season. Their lack of guards has been bemoaned for months (and for good reason); but in addition to that problem, they lack the high-end talent needed to compete in the ACC.

3. Atlantic Coast Catastrophe?

Unfortunately, Louisville's problems are emblematic of the conference to which it belongs.

...And this was before Georgia Tech escaped Georgia State, 59-57, on Saturday.

The list of shortcomings is sobering for any ACC backer. Moreover, even No. 1 North Carolina has shown warts. It struggled to find an offensive rhythm against UNC-Wilmington last Monday, then played with its food for 30 minutes before flipping a switch on Charleston on Friday. Oddly enough, a Duke team full of freshmen and a new head coach has looked like the most stable ACC team thus far.

So what's ailing the storied conference for a second straight season? Well, for one, a couple programs that are probably due for fresh starts still employ their head coaches primarily due to hefty buy-outs — such as NC State's Kevin Keatts and Pitt's Jeff Capel. The Wolfpack have enough pieces to break out of the ACC cellar, but a porous defense could again cause their downfall. The Panthers, on the other hand, were without preseason all-league big man John Hugley in the Backyard Brawl. But a blowout loss to a middle-of-the-pack West Virginia team doesn't leave much room for optimism.

The two most confounding squads have been Notre Dame and Florida State. The Irish are comprised of guys closer to mid-life crises than their freshman year of college, and they still struggle mightily on defense. Radford freshman Kenyon Giles got whatever he wanted versus Notre Dame. Mike Brey's group can get back to the NCAA Tournament, though they seem like less of a sure thing than they did two weeks ago.

Florida State, meanwhile, should already be pushing the panic button. Injuries and an unjust suspension have eviscerated the 'Noles' depth, and so far, Jalen Warley and Matthew Cleveland have yet to make a sophomore leap. Hopefully, Leonard Hamilton can right the ship.

The conference still boasts two Final Four contenders, but the rest of the teams need to get their ACCt together.

4. Gavitt all you got

The Gavitt Games tip-off today, and the showcase always delivers quality matchups. For instance, last year saw Marquette defeat Illinois, signaling that Shaka Smart's rebuild was ahead of schedule. Seton Hall also became the first team to expose the cracks in then-No. 4-ranked Michigan's armor. And Providence kicked off its magical season by beating Wisconsin in the Kohl Center.

Ahead for this season:

It starts slowly tonight, but the following days bring the firepower. Marquette will again test its mettle, this time against Purdue and Zach Edey. Through two games, the Canadian Goliath is averaging 21 points, 14 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game in just 27 minutes. Junior center Oso Ighodaro has performed admirably for the Golden Eagles, notching a KenPom game MVP against Radford, but he will have his hands full against the Boilermakers.

We get a clash of styles between the lockdown Seton Hall Pirates and the run-and-gun Iowa Hawkeyes. In its first two contests, Seton Hall has held both Monmouth and St. Peter's under .7 points per possession, flaunting an intimidating combination of length, athleticism and cohesiveness on the defensive end. Iowa, on the other hand, is fresh off a 112-point outing against North Carolina A&T, and Kris Murray looks ready to live up to the breakout hype.

Friday provides the headlining events, as Indiana travels to Xavier and Michigan State hosts Villanova. IU has hit 40 percent of its triples so far and will arrive in Cincinnati with the 16th-best offense and 6th-best defense in the country, per KenPom. Villanova, will be coming off a game tonight against Delaware State and last week's upset loss to Temple — and it might have the services of highly-touted freshman Cam Whitmore. Still, re-energized Sparty will be no cakewalk.

5. Recruiting news you can use

Of course, some happenings occurred off the court this weekend — namely, a couple of top-100 prospects committing.

First, Penny Hardaway landed yet another recruit in the class of 2023. This time, it was point guard Ty-Laur Johnson. After a year in which zero incoming freshmen committed to Memphis, next season's group now consists of six members — all of whom have given their pledge in the last month. The class represents a nice mix of instant-impact prospects and long-term, developmental pieces.

Johnson likely slots somewhere in between. While he probably won't start, his quick-twitch, passing acumen and scoring instincts could provide a spark off the bench.

Turning to the second big-name recruit, Porter Moser reeled in Kaden Cooper, a 6-5 wing who elected to play for his home-state Oklahoma Sooners. Scouting reports cite Cooper's chiseled build, explosive hops and defensive upside as reasons to buy into his trajectory. If his perimeter shot progresses, he could thrive in a Lucas Williamson-type of role.

Other commitments from the weekend:

Team of the week: Grambling State Tigers

On Friday, Grambling knocked off Colorado to get to 2-0 for the first time since 2019 (and just the second time in the past 17 seasons). The matchup occurred as part of the Pac-12/SWAC Legacy Series. Senior guard Shawndarius Cowart built off of last year's solid finish, chipping in 19 points, 7 boards and 6 assists.

The runner-up? Grambling State's SWAC counterpart Texas Southern, who beat Arizona State, 67-66 (OT), on Sunday.

Player of the week: Foster Loyer, Davidson

Foster Loyer's stat line in Wednesday's contest at Wright State looks like it's straight out of a video game: 38 points, 5 made 3s, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Davidson trailed by as many as 21 before Loyer ignited the comeback. His triple with 18 seconds left in the second overtime sealed the deal for the Wildcats. He followed that performance up with 17 points and 5 dimes Sunday in a 75-71 win over VMI. Through three games, he's averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists, while shooting 46.7% from deep (14-30).

Weekend warrior: KJ Simpson, Colorado

How sweet it is to be on the other side of an upset. Colorado reversed its fortunes Sunday afternoon, thwarting Tennessee in Nashville, 78-66. Sophomore point guard KJ Simpson led the way with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists off the bench.

Others in consideration: Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan (30 points in loss to Michigan), Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State (23 points off the bench in win over BYU), RayJ Dennis, Toledo (23 points, 7 assists in win over UAB), Brandon Miller (20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals in win over Liberty)

Butler's chance for a statement

Thad Matta and the Butler Bulldogs head to University Park, Penn., tonight to take on Penn State. Can Manny Bates expose the Nittany Lions' inexperienced frontcourt? Caleb Dorsey and Kebba Njie must hold their own, or else Butler may head back to Indy with the win.

  • DePaul (2-0) at Minnesota (2-0), 7 pm ET (Big Ten Network)

  • Florida Atlantic (1-1) at Florida (2-0), 7 pm ET (SEC Network)

  • Belmont (1-1) at Lipscomb (1-1), 8 pm ET (ESPN+)

Keeping it ship-shape

Did Gonzga's performance against Michigan State create some doubt about the Zags as a championship contender? Did the Spartans look like a team that might surprise in the Big Ten? Rob Dauster, Meghan McKeown and Jeff Goodman discuss Friday's game and what it means for both teams going forward.

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

Links to click as you wonder how Justin Jefferson did this:

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Get smarter every day.

Every day Refind picks 7 links from around the web for you, tailored to your interests. Loved by 50k+ curious minds. Subscribe for free today.

To sponsor a future Field of 68 Daily newsletter, please connect with us here. For article ideas, newsletter feedback, tips and more, shoot us a note at [email protected].