Stuck in the tar

The first Sunday without football came with a flair for the dramatics. Buzzer-beaters abounded, a handful of upsets unfolded, and the preseason No. 1 team hit another low.

Before we get into that, you may notice today's edition is shorter than previous Monday iterations. That's due to Rob Dauster penning the first Sunday Daily available only to our premium subscribers. (More sleep for me, thank you, Rob.) (Also, you can sign up for T he Field of 68 Premium here.)

Let's get to the news.

1. Heel freezes over

After losing four of its past five games — and falling out of the projected field of 68 — North Carolina found itself in dire straits. But Sunday's showdown at NC State gave it a chance to change the narrative. A road win would have quieted the doubters and doubled as the Heels' first Quad 1 victory of the season.

Well, their shot at a turnaround closed quicker than a new business on Franklin Street.

UNC started the game relatively strongly; it forced NC State into tough shots, dominated the glass and got to the charity stripe. But a bevy of turnovers kept the Tar Heels from capitalizing. Consider this: the Wolfpack shot just 30 percent from the field in the first half, but they scored 12 of their 32 points off of UNC blunders.

Thus, for the fourth time in six games, North Carolina trailed by one at the intermission. And like the previous occasions, it couldn't flip the script in the second half.

Perhaps most frustrating for this UNC fan, the Heels held a six-point advantage with 10 minutes remaining, marking the sixth time in 11 losses they've led by six or more in the second half. For a veteran-laden team — one that returns four starters from a national runner-up squad — the late-game collapses are exceedingly difficult to stomach.

If things don't change quickly, North Carolina will continue to make history in all the wrong ways. The Heels' 11 losses are the most for an AP preseason No. 1 team since the poll began in 1961-62.

So what other unwanted recognition is at stake?

• No preseason No. 1 team has missed the NCAA Tournament since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985

• Only three preseason No. 1 teams have earned lower than a 3-seed in that same time frame.

Of course, Tar Heel fans remember the confounding losses that marred last year before late February. But after the postseason run, momentum charged like a freight train throughout the spring and summer, making this fall from grace particularly shocking. Here's to hoping we can turn it around in a similar fashion.

Oh, and some quick thoughts on NC State: Jarkel Joiner was awesome in the second half. In response to UNC's six-point lead, the super-senior ignited a 7-0 spurt, then a 15-3 run, scoring 18 of the Wolfpack's final 29 points.

The 77-69 victory is the latest achievement in Kevin Keatts' squad's bounce-back campaign. The Wolfpack are on pace to finish top-5 in the ACC for the first time since 2018. And regardless of what seed they earn in the NCAA Tournament, their guards' eruptive shot-making, plus the matchup nightmare that is DJ Burns, gives them the firepower to make a deep run in March.

2. Purple reign

Last Monday, I re-capped the season's biggest storylines for the NFL fans just now joining us. But I only briefly mentioned the Northwestern Wildcats.

My mistake. This team rocks.

Over its five-game winning streak, Northwestern has emerged as the Big Ten's second-best team. And at 11-5 in the conference (the first time it has notched 11 Big Ten wins since 1931), it has an outside chance to catch the Boilermakers for the regular season crown.

Performances like Sunday's 80-60 triumph over Iowa indicate it can accomplish that task.

As usual, the Wildcats' defense played with ferocity, forcing 18 turnovers and limiting the Hawkeyes to .92 points per possession. Additionally, Chase Audiege, Robbie Beran and Brooks Barnheizer took turns harassing Kris Murray, holding him seven points below his season average. (He also shot 0-for-6 from 3.)

But just as impressive was the Northwestern offense. Boo Buie played sensationally, scoring 14 of his 23 points in the first half on a litany of insane buckets. Beyond his shot-making, his superb passing created open looks for his teammates and proved infectious. Just look at this ball movement:

Now, Northwestern's offense ranks just inside the top 100 on KenPom (99th), and this game was only the fifth time in conference play the Wildcats eclipsed 1.1 points per possession. Suffice it to say they still have work to do on that end of the court.

However, if they can come close to matching this efficiency on a regular base — and away from home — they might reach the tournament's second weekend for the first time in program history.

3. A return to No. 1?

Another day, another W for Houston, which handled Memphis, 72-64.

The Coogs led from wire to wire, although the Tigers held their own, despite no Kendric Davis in the lineup. They cut a one-time 14-point deficit to four early in the second half, thanks to some timely trifectas. However, Houston's defense locked in, and Marcus Sasser reminded everyone why he was a preseason All-American. The senior guard dazzled with shots off the bounce and flashed his burst on drives to the basket.

The Coogs also got a career-high 20 points from J'Wan Roberts — the latest example of an unheralded big flourishing under Kelvin Sampson.

Thanks to his breakout and Sasser's heroics, Houston has now won seven games in a row. So that begs the question: Was it enough to convince the AP voters to move the Coogs back to No. 1?

With Alabama's loss at Tennessee earlier in the week, the door has opened; and Houston tops the holy trinity of metrics, ranking first on KenPom, Bart Torvik and EvanMiya. However, a better question might be...do the Coogs want to be No. 1? That hasn't exactly been the most stable spot in the AP Poll.

Still, Houston might be too good to be toppled — at least by an AAC team. The Coogs are the only team in the country to place in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, per KenPom. Plus, their schedule stacks up favorably for them to run the table heading into the conference tournament. An away matchup at Memphis stands as the only formidable challenge. Time to put the curse of No. 1 to the test.

4. Respect to Michigan State and Tom Izzo

Saturday evening, Michigan State faced off with Michigan in Ann Arbor. But a contest usually characterized by bitter rivalry was overshadowed by an off-the-court tragedy. The game marked the first time the Spartans took the court since the shooting in East Lansing that took the lives of three students and hospitalized five more.

Michigan State competed admirably, despite the circumstances. The Spartans engaged in a back-and-forth bout with the Wolverines, and a Tyson Walker 3 knotted the game up at 72 with 2:29 remaining. But that's when the tank emptied. Thanks to some dogged Michigan defense, MSU didn't score another point and lost, 84-72.

And yet, the game's result was secondary to how the players responded in-game and how Tom Izzo responded afterward. The coach was noticeably emotional during the pre-game moment of silence, and his post-game presser tactfully mixed analysis of the contest with candid, heartfelt reflections on the week.

It's worth watching the whole interview, but here are some of the most notable quotes:

• "I asked for 40 minutes of focus, got 38. I feel pretty honored about that. I’m proud of the guys because I don't know how they felt. I know how I felt. I know the beginning, the national anthem, the tribute, as a parent, you look at it a little differently as a coach, and I had to try to do both."

• "I told them a lot that they have an opportunity that I cherish every day, and that’s a chance to make other people feel good. But with that opportunity comes pressure, and some can handle it and some can’t handle it. So that’s what I worried about most. I wanted to win it for every human being that went to Michigan State. I think I can handle that pressure, I'm not sure every person could. We did the best we could do."

• "The game was not lost because of what happened. What happened is still tragic, and if we forget about it, we’re making a mistake. And if we don’t do everything we can do to stop the crap that’s going on around our country, then shame on all of us."

Izzo rarely, if ever, holds back when talking to the media; Saturday's comments served as the latest example. However, they were necessary. With a community still grieving and processing a range of emotions, hopefully, the coach's words provided comfort for and connection to the Spartan faithful.

5. Other notable games

Georgetown entered Sunday's battle in Hinkle Fieldhouse with one win in its past 24 Big East games. But perhaps all it needed was a little inspiration from Hoya great Mac McClung to pull off the upset.

Jokes aside, Georgetown (7-21, 2-15 in Big East) dug itself out of a seven-point deficit late in the second half to secure its first road victory since 2021. The Hoyas dominated the Bulldogs on the glass, with Qudus Wahab's eight boards leading the way. Butler's (13-15, 5-12) season hit a new low in a year its fans will want to forget.

Nebraska 70, Maryland 66 (OT)The Terps (18-9, 9-7 in Big Ten) had won six of their past seven games, but that didn't matter in Lincoln on Sunday. Nebraska (14-14, 7-10) used its defense to stymie Maryland, holding it to just 33.3 percent from the field.

Washington State 68, Oregon 65Oregon (15-13, 9-8 in Pac-12) may have witnessed its bubble burst last night, as Washington State (13-15, 8-9) dealt the Ducks their third straight loss. They had no answer for Mouhamed Gueye, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Cincinnati 73, UCF 71After a surprising loss at ECU on Wednesday, Cincinnati (18-10, 9-6 in AAC) rebounded with an impressive win at UCF (15-11, 6-8). And it didn't lack dramatics. The Bearcats' David DeJulius showed off his dribble package as he shook Darius Johnson for the game-winner.

Purdue Fort Wayne 77, Wright State 75Yet another buzzer beater on your Sunday afternoon, this one courtesy of Damian Chong-Qui.

DCQ's long-range bomb gave the Mastodons (16-13) their eighth conference win, as they seek to keep pace with the middle of the Horizon. Wright State (16-13), meanwhile, fell to 9-9.

Boise State 73, UNLV 69Boise State (20-6, 11-3 in MWC) kept its at-large hopes alive with a narrow win over UNLV (16-11, 5-10.) Max Rice, Tyson Degenhart, Naje Smith and Marcus Shaver all scored in double figures for the Broncos

Quinnipiac 90, Rider 88 (2OT)Thanks to 28 points from Dezi Jones, Quinnipiac (19-9, 10-7 in MAAC) stayed in the top 4 of its conference. This triumph didn't come easy — Rider (14-11, 11-5) led by as many as 16 in the second half. The Bobcats are now one win away from 20 — a mark they haven't hit since 2014.

George Washington 83, St. Bonaventure 81 (OT)St. Bonaventure (13-15, 7-8 in A10) suffered a gut-wrenching loss on its home court after a dramatic 18-point rally fell just short. GW's Brendan Adams, brother of Bonnies legend Jaylen Adams, contributed 28 points to push the Colonials (13-14, 7-7) to the overtime win.

Furman 83, East Tennessee State 79Don't look now, but the Paladins (22-7, 13-3) are yet again in contention for the SoCon title. They underwhelmed preseason expectations in the nonconference but have rounded into shape, winning nine of their past 10. Samford still has a one-game lead, but that could change when it hosts Furman on Saturday.

Team of the week: Kansas JayhawksThe Jayhawks won both games this week by an average of 13.5 points, the most impressive being the home victory over Baylor. After Keyonte George stunted on them in the first half, they outscored the Bears by 29 (!!!) after the break.

Player of the week: Jalen Pickett, Penn StatePickett played an indispensable role in the Nittany Lions' 2-0 week. He dropped 41 points and eight assists on Illinois on Valentine's Day then followed it up with a near 30-point triple-double against Minnesota on Saturday. Even more encouraging? He shot 9-for-17 from 3-point range in the two contests.

Weekend warrior: Jr. Clay, Tennessee StateHow about some love for the Ohio Valley? Jr. Clay's 40-burger propelled the Tigers to a blowout win over SIU Edwardsville. Behind the explosive guard, Tennessee State stayed in contention for a top-4 seed in the OVC Tournament.

Holding down the Fort (Worth)

On Saturday, TCU received a boost from the return of All-American hopeful Mike Miles. After a five-game absence, the junior guard helped the Horned Frogs blow out an Oklahoma State team that had been playing well. But they can't rest on their laurels. Kansas, fresh off a ridiculous rally against Baylor, comes to town tonight. Remember, TCU smoked the Jayhawks in Allen Fieldhouse a month ago — that'll surely be on their minds. (9 pm, ESPN)

Other games to watch (all times ET)

• Oklahoma State (16-11, 7-7 in Big 12), at West Virginia (15-12, 4-10), 7 pm, ESPN2

• Minnesota (7-17, 1-13 in Big Ten), at Illinois (17-9, 8-7), 9 pm, Big Ten Network

• Louisville (4-23, 2-14 in ACC), at Duke (19-8, 10-6), 7 pm, ESPN

Predicting Pitino's future

Iona clinched at least share of the MAAC title on Sunday. With back-to-back regular-season crowns (and NCAA allegations behind him), it seems likely that programs will come calling for Pitino's services after the season. Where does he end up? Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster have some thoughts.

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

Links to click as you watch some Josh Gordon XFL highlights:

• 2023 4-star wing Paul McNeil committed to NC State

• Southern Indiana's Tyler Henry is "in good spirits" after collapsing on the court on Saturday

• Mick Cronin has an axe to grind with the selection committee's seeding of UCLA.

• SDSU's athletic director reportedly told people at a banquet that the school will be joining the Pac-12.

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