One month in

We spend most of the time in college basketball looking ahead to March. Who's making the tournament? Who's winning regular-season and tournament titles? Who's heading to Houston? All questions that drive the season forward.

But we're about a month into the 2022-23 season. So let's take today and examine where we've been ... and then we can keep talking about what's next.

Let's get to it.

1. The view from the top (and some NET thoughts)

North Carolina's historically sub-par start has sucked up most of the oxygen during the first few weeks. For whatever reason, be it selfish play, a banged-up Armando Bacot, or a soft defense, the Heels are struggling. But when it comes to the rest of the teams in the Top 25 of the AP poll, KenPom or BartTorvik, there isn't overwhelming variance over the first four weeks.

For the AP, only six of the Top 25 teams are out of the AP poll. KenPom's only missing five. BartTorvik's had the most with eight out of his preseason ratings. The more interesting thing, as shown below, are the changes at the top.

Seven of the AP's Top 10 teams are different. Contrast that with only four from KenPom and BartTorvik, and it's clear that voters have some trouble predicting which teams will make jumps (at least a month into the season; the obvious caveat is everything can still change).

That Purdue and UConn surprised everyone is more about the sport's general volatility. We'll always have 2-3 surprise teams. That idea also applies to Maryland, Iowa State and West Virginia.

(As an aside, all three snapshots above still contain significant biases. Poll voters give the benefit of the team to teams that win, regardless of performance. KenPom and BartTorvik both have some preseason adjustments in those ratings. For those who want to see a representation of pure performance thus far, these Barttorvik ratings are quite interesting. This weighs performance and strength of schedule, which is why schools like Saint Mary's, Kent State, and Mississippi State are all in the Top 15. If we didn't have preseason rankings, this might be what things actually looked like.)

Here's another look at how teams in the top 10 conferences compare.

So this is probably a good time to discuss the NET Rankings.

The NCAA dropped its debut version on Monday, which contained its usual bit of interesting info. The NET (different from the RPI; full explainer here) is results-driven and a predictive metric, but I tend to think of it mostly as the former because of how the data is visualized by who teams have played and how those teams are grouped. 

ANYWAY, some takeaways from NET Rankings:

• Sam Houston State is seventh thanks to wins at Oklahoma and Utah. Let 'em soak it in. Won't last.

• Every Big 12 team is in the top 85 of the NET, but West Virginia (11) is the highest team, not Texas (12). That will change once Texas plays a road game and fewer Quad 4 opponents. Expect to see TCU (81) rise. 

• Twelve of the Big Ten's 14 teams are in the top 100, without any surprises at the top. Seeing Nebraska (59) ahead of Wisconsin (77) and Michigan State (92) is a bit jarring, though.

• The SEC is loaded at the top — seven in the top 42; Kentucky is the lowest of the bunch — while Ole Miss (66), Florida (69) and LSU (83) are all solid. Texas A&M (120) is already fighting to get on the bubble.

• There's a definitive top, middle and bottom of the ACC. Then there's Florida State (293) and Louisville (361). Only two D-I teams rank below the Cards.

• UConn (2) is the class of the Big East. Creighton (33), Marquette (37) and Xavier (48) are next, which is probably how most would rank the league's top four.

• The top A-10 team is Saint Louis (56). The conference has some work to do if it wants multiple NCAA Tournament bids.

• Cal (341) is going to give Louisville a run as the worst power conference team. OK, probably not, given the Golden Bears might actually win their next game. The Pac-12 probably wishes it had more than four teams in the top 60, though.

• More on the Mountain West later on, but give Utah State (15) some kudos.

• Saint Mary's (16) is ahead of WCC rival Gonzaga (29). Wonder if it can last into March?

• Florida Atlantic (23), Kent State (24), Southern Miss (31), Yale (36) and James Madison (40) will all drop from here because of SOS, but you love to see the mid-major schools this high. All five are off to tremendous starts and are a combined 36-7.

Finally, because nobody should end with notes on NET Rankings, here are some insights from sites you might trust more.

• A Big Ten player tops Evan Miya's indispensable player rankings, but not the one you think.

• Purdue was the nation's most efficient offense for most of last season. They're on top again this year.

• Northwestern State has beaten TCU, Stephen F. Austin and Southern Miss this season. They're No. 1 in KenPom's luck factor.

• Brice Sensabaugh needs more minutes.

2. Ain't no Mountain high enough

Pop quiz: Which two conferences have six of the 12 unbeaten teams remaining? 

The SEC (Auburn, Miss State and Missouri) might be obvious (even if the teams weren't), but bravo if you also guessed the Mountain West. Utah State (7-0), UNLV (8-0) and New Mexico (7-0) should all be counted among the pleasant surprises thus far this season.

All three have solid wins (the Lobos' win at Saint Mary's being the best of the bunch), and each should surpass the 20-win threshold. Coming from three teams projected to finish in the middle of the MWC, that's a terrific early-season outcome for those programs and the conference.

After all, the Mountain West's strongest season in years resulted in four 2022 NCAA Tournament bids. When injuries derailed starts for Wyoming (Graham Ike and Hunter Maldonado) and Colorado State (Isaiah Stevens), it seemed like matching that number wouldn't be possible.

But with five teams among the NET's top 50 teams (Nevada and San Diego State are the others), and with Boise State just behind at 57, four bids remain a possibility. When you can play two bottom dwellers (San Jose State and Air Force) to help pad the win totals and play Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents through the rest of the conference, your league is sitting pretty. 

(Of course, this assumes that Wyoming, sitting at 3-5 overall and 275th in the NET Rankings, doesn't throw a massive wrench into things when Ike returns and Maldonado is fully healthy.)

3. They've got that Dog in 'em

There's more than one team in the state of Connecticut throttling opponents.

Yale is 8-1. Its lone defeat was a 65-62 result at Colorado (the only team to beat Tennessee this season; do Ivy leaguers put any stock in the transitive property?) and has been untouchable at home, winning four games by an average of 46.8 points.

Sure, two of those were against D-III schools, but that 73-44 win against Vermont is no joke. Still a skeptic? Have a peek at the graph below. See that Y alongside Texas and Houston?

These are raw efficiency numbers that aren't adjusted for competition, which is why Yale is still hovering around the 100s in other predictive metrics (except for the NET, where it's 36). And things are about to get more difficult than an organic chem final: The Bulldogs travel to Butler tonight (6:30 pm ET, FS1) and Kentucky on Saturday.

Is coach James Jones worried about his team being prepared for such a jump in competition?

“No, no absolutely not,” Jones told the Yale Daily News. “The defense when you play against teams like Kentucky, Colorado is obviously on a much different level than what we faced tonight. Those guys are better, bigger and longer. But our guys play against those kinds of guys all the time during the summer in scrimmages and that kind of stuff.” 

4. Another win in Gonzaga's gauntlet schedule 

We normally don't do results this low in the Daily, but with just 12 games on Monday, it seemed appropriate. 

Drew Timme scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to help Gonzaga (6-3) survive at home against Kent State in a 74-66 win. It was their 69th consecutive home win. Not that it was a sure thing.

The Golden Flashes (6-3) — who lost to No. 1 Houston by five a little over a week ago — led 66-62 with under four minutes left, but Timme's spinning basket in the lane a minute later put the Zags ahead. And, unlike their late lead against Baylor on Friday, they held onto this one thanks to timely plays, like a Timme block on Sincere Carry, a Malachi Smith offensive rebound as part of a three-point play, and some great defense by Hunter Sallis.

Call it a relief, call it a big win, call it whatever. Gonzaga was happy to have it.

“It’s huge,” Timme said, via the Spokesman-Review. “This game was a must-win. This is a place we don’t lose in and we don’t like to lose in. The way we were able to (make a) quick, quick turnaround, and that team was a hell of a team.

“For us to learn from our mistakes in — what was it? two days ago or whatever — that’s a testament to how much we learned from that situation (Friday). It’s promising for our team just to know we’re capable of doing stuff like that. Hopefully, we don’t look back from here.”

San Diego State 60, Troy 55: Matt Bradley had his best game of the season, scoring 19 points on 7-of-10 field goal attempts, including six of their final 10 points. The Aztecs (7-2) needed it, too. They shot just 41 percent as a team against a tough defense from the Trojans (6-4), who trailed by 1 point with just over four minutes left.

UMass 87, Albany 73; UMass Lowell 84, LIU 64: Neither game was really in doubt, which sets up a Thursday showdown in Amherst between the Minutemen (7-1) and the River Hawks (9-1). UMass hasn't lost in five games against UMass Lowell. This will be the low-key must-watch game of the night.

North Dakota State 67, Portland 62: Coming off their strong showing at PK85 and a home win against North Dakota on Saturday, the Pilots (7-5) were stunned in their own building by the Bison (2-8). Portland was held to just 34 percent from the field, with leading scorer Tyler Robertson going just 3-of-18.

New Mexico State 77, Simon Fraser 35: It's not so much the score on this one as what was happening off the court. About two weeks after his involvement in a shootout that resulted in one death, the team indefinitely suspended Mike Peake. But it got stranger when a report surfaced that players and an assistant coach helped Peake hide his gun.

We'll dive into this in Wednesday's Daily. Need more time to wrap my head around what's happening in Las Cruces.

5. Don't give up. Don't ever give up.

The Jimmy V Classic tonight will be its usual terrific doubleheader of elite teams. Illinois vs. Texas and Iowa vs. Duke (all starting at 7 pm ET on ESPN) means we'll get to watch four teams capable of deep NCAA Tournament runs, which is ideal for a Tuesday night in December.

For those looking for your standard game preview, you can find them here and here, courtesy of Tristan Freeman. The Field of 68 will be there for a live show after, and we'll have coverage in tomorrow's Daily. That covers the basketball portion.

In the meantime, here's Jimmy V's famous speech. Because for as good as the basketball games will be, it's good to remember why the event is held in the first place.

I've seen the thing hundreds of times. Any college hoops or even casual ESPN viewer has. But it has been on my mind a lot lately because a person just can't escape cancer. 

My family and I used to live in Seattle. We visited last summer for the first time since moving to the East Coast, which also meant reconnecting with old friends.

Our friend Erika started treatments for throat cancer the day after we arrived. Thin and hoarse, she only found out about her diagnosis after continued prodding from friends and family about her increasingly common health ailments and fatigue. I think about her a lot and how I wish we still lived there. There's nothing like friends for support.

About a year ago, our friend George couldn't shake severe back pain. It turned out to be bone cancer that was localized in his lower back. His treatments wear him out, making the past nine months (or so) a challenge. He's always been one of the most positive and friendliest people I know — not to mention still the single best editor around — and this is one of the instances where I'm desperate for him to get some sort of reprieve. (A few Stanford wins would also help).

But they're both fighting. And I keep thinking about how much that matters. My dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer 12 years ago. But he's fought the thing every step of the way. He and my mom are visiting us now. I can hear them chatting with my son in the other room. 

That kind of option isn't there for everyone. Some cancers are such a POS that they never give people a chance. That loss of agency is what you see in that Jimmy V speech. The guy did his best to fight cancer, but the tumors just kept spreading. 

Sports are fun, but they're also about resilience. They foster a belief that anything is possible and that any odds can be defied. But defying those odds takes help. So while you're watching the games tonight, think of friends. Think of loved ones. And donate what you can to fight cancer. Because it shouldn't win.

New Mexico's new era

It's been a good month on the court for Richard Pitino's squad. They're one of 11 unbeaten teams and feature a fearsome foursome thanks to returning guards Jamal Mashburn Jr. and Jaelen House and transfers Morris Udeze and Josiah Allick. 

There's a chance the Lobos (7-0) could enter 2023 without a loss, but that's getting ahead of ourselves. First, we'll find out why Pitino's program is on a roll.

Q: This 7-0 start is just the second time you've done that in your career. What's worked for the Lobos thus far? You knew Mashburn Jr. and House would be a terrific backcourt, but did you know that Udeze and Allick could have this kind of impact?

Richard Pitino: We set out in Year 2 to address some needs. You never really know what you have until you go through that first season. Going into the spring recruiting period, we felt like we needed to add an impact power forward and an impact center. We were fortunate enough to get some interest from Morris and Josiah. Both have been extremely valuable, and both have done nothing but help move this program forward with their competitive spirit on a daily basis.

Q: The Pit remains one of the game's low-key iconic venues, but I'm not sure college hoops fans truly appreciate life in the Mountain West, with the challenges of playing at 7,000 feet in Laramie or the distractions that come with playing in Las Vegas, etc. Compare a Mountain West road trip to a Big Ten road trip.

Richard Pitino: One of the reasons why I was intrigued by the New Mexico job was to have an elite home court. When Coach [Steve] Alford was here and they were winning Mountain West championships, a lot of people would say it was one of the best home courts in all of college basketball. There are some venues in this league where there is great support because it is the biggest thing in town, especially places like San Diego State, where they have had a lot of success. There are some unbelievable venues in the Big Ten, but I look at The Pit very similarly to how I look at Assembly Hall or Mackey Arena.

Q: The Lobos are the main draw in Albuquerque, which must feel very similar to what you (and your dad, Rick) experienced in Louisville. Describe what it's like to have a large city's sole attention vs. sharing it with professional teams or other schools.

Richard Pitino: There are a lot of similarities between this team in Albuquerque as there was in Louisville. The difference is we don’t have the University of Kentucky in our state. Louisville, when my father got there, was in Conference USA and we are in the Mountain West. What my father, and Tom Jurich, and many others did was continue to build facilities and revenue and have the program grow every single year. In Albuquerque, we have the fan base and we have a great home-court advantage, but there is just so much potential growth right in front of us, similar to Louisville when my father first got there.

Q: It's your 11th season as a head coach. You turned 40 this year. Do you have much time (or need) for reflection about your career and how it's progressed? As a fellow child of the 80s and 90s, it's wild to think about where the game is now and the changes since you started as an assistant in 2004.

Richard Pitino: I am lucky that I had eight years at a really cool place in Minnesota. It is a challenging job, but it is a great school in a great community and a great basketball conference. I cherish those eight years. I was lucky to get FIU at 30 years of age. And now I am at an incredible basketball job at New Mexico. There are so many positives here and so much to build upon. Looking back, where it has substantially changed is the transfer portal. That rule has allowed for coaches to be able to dive into the portal and get some impact guys. The difference is everyone is doing it. It has changed recruiting as we know it. It used to be all about the fall, now it's really all about the spring. It will be a unique challenge every single year, but you have to adapt to the times, and we have been able to do that here.

New Mexico plays Western New Mexico tonight. Take note for its Dec. 18 game against Iona and Rick Pitino.

Unstoppable force meets immovable object

Nothing like a little headline hyperbole. But a fella can dream, right? When James Madison travels to Virginia, it's not your usual in-state buy game. The Dukes are 7-2 and play fast. They average nearly 73 possessions a game (16th, per KenPom), take just 15 seconds per possession (also 16th) and shoot the ball like few others, making 41.5 percent of their threes and 56 percent of their twos. Only three teams are better. But now they face Virginia (7-0), a team that plays slower than all but three D-I teams and uses its defense to grind down offenses like a car without brake pads. Man, do I love contrasting styles. (8 pm ET, ACC Network)

Other games to watch (All times ET)

• Maryland (7-0) at Wisconsin (6-2), 9 pm (ESPN2)

• Saint Louis (7-2) at Iona (4-2), 7 pm

• Sam Houston State (7-1) at Oklahoma State (5-3), 9 pm (ESPNU)

Finding their flow

Arkansas was already fitting its new pieces together during the first three weeks of the season. And now, after freshman Nick Smith finally joined the active roster, the Razorbacks might be scarier than ever. Any team that can throw out a lineup of guys who are all 6-5 and taller should be scary.

Listen to Patric Young, Rob Dauster and Kevin Sweeney explain why Arkansas is lining up as the team to beat in the SEC.

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

Links as you give thanks that college basketball doesn't use free throws to settle ties.

• Wofford says coach Jay McAuley is taking a leave of absence. Dwight Perry will be the interim head coach.

• Bryant junior Kvonn Cramer is in stable condition in intensive care at a Cincinnati hospital, the team announced Monday.

• All Washington, DC, residents can attend Wednesday's Georgetown game for free.

• The Knight Commission Co-Chair says it's time for the NCAA to re-visit its formula to distribute money from the NCAA Tournament.

• From the weekend, a halftime highlight you'll love.

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