Something's Bruin'

Who doesn't love a good underdog story? Just look at some of the biggest successes in Hollywood: A young Harry Potter slaying the seasoned Voldemort, Forrest Gump developing into an electrifying kick returner, Dwight Schrute ignoring the hindrances of workplace safety and becoming a pretty decent regional manager — we eat this stuff up.

It's no different in the sports world. Almost four years ago, UCLA named Mick Cronin its men's basketball coach, drawing mixed responses (with UCLA taking most of the heat for botching the process). However, no one is criticizing the move now. Cronin added one more accolade to his résumé Sunday, leading the Bruins to their first outright Pac-12 title since 2013. That's where we'll start.

(As a reminder, today's Daily focuses primarily on Sunday's games. To read our recap of Saturday, subscribe to The Field of 68 Premium here.)

1. UCLA clinches the Pac-12

Blame it on the travel, the altitude, or the delay in tip-off, but UCLA started sluggishly against Colorado. Through the first six minutes, the Bruins mustered one basket while the Buffs got whatever they wanted offensively and built an 11-2 lead.

However, around the eight-minute mark, Cronin adjusted. The coach extended the Bruins' pressure and heated up the ball, taking a set of jumper cables to his team. Jaylen Clark provided the first jolt, picking Tristan Da Silva's pocket and turning it into a layup at the other end. From there, UCLA used nine Colorado turnovers (and some strong finishes from Adem Bona and Jaime Jaquez) to cut the lead to two heading into the break.

In the second half, Amari Bailey and Tyger Campbell shouldered most of the scoring load, combining for 22 points in the final 20 minutes (Campbell, in particular, starred down the stretch.) But the Bruins' defense also came up clutch. With just over 20 seconds remaining — and UCLA holding onto a two-point lead — Adem Bona delivered an emphatic block on Colorado's KJ Simpson, which led to a run-out for Clark and a 60-56 victory.

Now crowned as the outright champs, UCLA can breathe a little more easily heading into its final two games. Well, sort of. The Bruins are still in play for a 1-seed — presumably in the West Regional.

That may sound odd, considering the Pac-12 will almost certainly earn fewer bids than the much-maligned ACC. But don't be fooled by their weak conference; their defense places just a smidge below Tennessee's for second in the country, and they have two proven studs who can take over in crunch time in Campbell and Jaquez. Plus, the advanced metrics love the Bruins. UCLA ranks second on KenPom, third on Torvik, fifth on EvanMiya and fourth in the NET.

Nevertheless, despite Cronin's lobbying, it will still have to win its last two games to nab that coveted 1-seed. NCAA Tournament-hopeful Arizona State and fellow national title contender Arizona await.

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2. An a-maize-ing finish

The buzzer-beaters and crazy finishes didn't stop on Saturday. Sunday delivered another thriller in the Big Ten, this time in Ann Arbor.

Though the game didn't start too hot for the Wolverines in their showdown with Wisconsin.

Through almost eight minutes of the first half, Michigan found itself an eight-point hole, trailing 17-9 — not exactly the fireworks it was hoping to spark on its home floor. But then, Dug McDaniel kindled the offense with a 3-pointer. A 17-3 run ensued as McDaniel, Kobe Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson all connected on big-time shots.

However, the Badgers wouldn't go quietly. Wofford transfer Max Klesmit erupted for a season-high 19 points, including a triple that gave Wisconsin a three-point lead with under two minutes to go. Dickinson and Bufkin answered, but a Connor Essegian trifecta and a couple of Kamari McGee free throws once again put Michigan on the ropes. Then, with 2.1 seconds left on the clock and Wisconsin nursing a 68-65 lead, Dickinson made, perhaps, the most outstanding play of his career:

The bobble. The shot. The stone-cold stare down.

Michigan then used a 7-0 spurt in overtime to emerge victorious, 87-79, and keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive.

And Dickinson played brilliantly all afternoon, not just on his incredible shot. His 23 points and 10 rebounds jump off the stat sheet, but his four assists were equally impressive. The junior made cross-court skip passes look routine, finding Bufkin and McDaniel for open 3s when the Badgers double-teamed him. Not a bad follow-up after his ski mask stint went wrong two weeks ago!

Of course, Bufkin and McDaniel deserve plenty of credit. Bufkin finished with a career-high 28 points, while McDaniel contributed 20 — his third straight game with 16 or more points. Those two have kept the perimeter unit afloat in the wake of Jett Howard's injury, with McDaniel evoking palpable excitement from Michigan fans. Yesterday's performance prompted an unnamed Field of 68 writer to text me, "He will end his career as a senior and be First Team All-American... He's Tyler Ulis with stepback 3s."

McDaniel Mania aside, the Wolverines still must work to get into the Big Dance. And their last two games look daunting: At Illinois and Indiana (on Trayce Jackson-Davis' senior night.) However, like the past three seasons, Juwan Howard has his team operating at its highest level with March approaching.

3. Big Ten Bonanza

Michigan wasn't the only Big Ten team to display a flair for the dramatic yesterday. The league's other three contests featured intriguing storylines as well.

Only the good by Young:Just over a month ago, Maryland was 12-7 and was rapidly fading after a hot start. Since then, the Terps have reeled off eight wins, compared to just two losses, and will almost certainly earn a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. So what ignited the resurgence?

Well, it's more of a who. Senior guard Jahmir Young has played like one of the best transfers in the country over the past 10 games, averaging 17.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists. But most importantly, the DMV native has knocked down 44.7 percent of his 3-point attempts during that stretch after shooting 25 percent through Maryland's first 19 contests.

Young exhibited the full extent of his shotmaking in Sunday's 75-59 win against Northwestern. He finished with 18 points and cashed 4-of-7 from long distance, including this beauty as the first half expired.

The Terrapins boast several characteristics of a team poised for March — they have a playmaking wing in Hakim Hart, a rock-solid frontcourt in Donta Scott and Julian Reese, and they can impose their will defensively (Northwestern scored just 20 points on .74 points per possession in the second half.) Young performing at this level gives them the final component needed for a run: Firepower in the backcourt.

Erratic Illini:Good luck making sense of this Illinois team. On Thursday evening, the Illini mounted a furious comeback against Northwestern, outscoring the Wildcats 47-25 in the second half. Terrence Shannon played brilliantly, pouring in 24 of his 26 points in the game's final 20 minutes.

Thus, one might assume Illinois would parlay the galvanizing effort into a strong finish. Nope. Lowly Ohio State had other plans.

The Illini led for the first five minutes before the Buckeyes took over. They controlled the glass and benefited from Bruce Thornton's best performance in nearly two months (20 points, five rebounds, two assists.) Illinois, meanwhile, couldn't weather an off night from Shannon (10 points, 3-of-12 from the field, five fouls), and its defense allowed Ohio State to make its final seven field goal attempts.

Maybe the 72-60 loss isn't all that shocking. After all, this squad has battled inconsistency all season (remember the fart noise heard 'round the world?) Illinois fans might just have to accept the volatility and hope for the best.

The resilience of Rutgers:Most teams would fold after falling behind 19 points on the road. But somehow, some way, Rutgers rallied and delivered a crushing blow to a Penn State team hoping to get off the bubble.

In a reversal of roles, the Scarlet Knights used hot shooting in the second half to pull off the 59-56 victory. Cam Spencer, Caleb McConnell and Oskar Palmquist all connected on big baskets, while the team collectively held the Nittany Lions to 25.9 percent from the field in the second half.

But most impressive was the poise of freshman Derek Simpson while Paul Mulcahy dealt with foul trouble. The rookie guard made a number of smart plays out of high ball screens, flashing a savvy that belied his youth. Simpson tied a career-high with 16 points; his development will be something to monitor as we approach the postseason.

4. Bradley wins the Valley, plus other recaps

Among the Power 5, no regular-season titles will be determined by the preseason favorites. But that's not the case for the Mo Valley.

Sunday showcased a battle between the league's preseason No. 1 (Drake) and No. 2 (Bradley) for the rights to a 1-seed in the conference tourney and a regular-season championship. (It also featured the rare matchup between two bigs who wear No. 51 — Roman Penn for the Bulldogs, and Rienk Mast for the Braves.)

A month and a half after suffering a 25-point loss at Drake, Bradley pulled off a 73-61 win on its home court. The Braves stymied the Bulldogs defensively, holding them under a point per possession for the first time since Jan. 24.

The win gave Bradley its first Missouri Valley championship since the 1995-96 season.

Other notable games:

Memphis 76, Cincinnati 73The Tigers (22-7, 12-4 in AAC) raced out to an 11-point halftime — and a 13-point advantage with under nine minutes left in the game — before the Bearcats (19-11, 10-7) summoned a near-comeback. Behind a flurry of 3s and some clutch David DeJulius buckets, Cincy cut the deficit to two with six seconds remaining. But Damaria Franklin's free throws sealed the win.

Iona 93, Siena 60Rick Pitino and Iona (22-7, 15-3) notched their second straight MAAC regular-season title by thwarting Siena (17-12, 11-7.) The Gaels have won nine games in a row since the Saints got the better of them on Jan. 27. Also of note? They boast a top-100 offense and defense, per KenPom.

Providence 88, Georgetown 66Despite Bryce Hopkins' foul trouble, Providence (21-8, 13-5 in Big East) made light work of Georgetown (7-23, 2-17.) Big man Ed Croswell chipped in a career-high 25 points and obtained a fun team recognition called "the triple crown."

Murray State 77, Valparaiso 76 (OT)Elsewhere in the Valley, Murray State (16-14, 11-9) secured a dramatic victory, as sophomore guard Brian Moore hit the game-deciding free throw with eight seconds left. The win dropped Valpo to 11-20 (5-15.)

5. Ball movement fueling Duke's winning streak

Inconsistency characterized the Duke Blue Devils early this season. Just think back to November and their trip PK85 (I know, it feels like eons ago.) But in Portland, their games ricocheted between highs and lows — a near defeat to 10-19 Oregon State, a high-quality win over 21-8 Xavier, and a blowout loss to 24-5 Purdue — exemplifying the unpredictability of the sport.

Uneven showings continued through the start of ACC play (blown out at NC State and Miami, gritty wins over Pitt and North Carolina, for instance.) However, Duke has flipped the script. Just days away from March, it is riding a four-game winning streak and playing as a cohesive unit. Attribute much of that to its improved ball movement.

The Blue Devils have assisted on 60 percent or more of their baskets in each of their last four wins. Before the streak, they had not posted that number in more than two consecutive games. After last week's W over Louisville, Jon Scheyer weighed in on the excellent passing:

"We’re getting a feel for each other. Early in the year, we’ve had to do a lot of different things when you talk about the roles that guys are playing, and the continuity," he told reporters. "So just the experience of playing with each other, understanding who’s going to be where, and then just understanding the value of every play."

Both Tyrese Proctor and Jeremy Roach deserve recognition for this development. Proctor has emerged as the main initiator of the offense, allowing Roach to thrive as a secondary playmaker. Duke's first possession in its trouncing of Virginia Tech perfectly illustrates the shift and its impact:

That was the first of 10 assists Roach dished out against the Hokies.

The junior guard echoed the same sentiments of his head coach regarding the ball movement.

"That's been a big thing he's been preaching, just moving [the ball], sharing it and having everybody touch it," he told me last week. "When you make the right play, the shot's probably gonna go in."

If Duke sustains this level of play, don't be surprised to see it advance to the second weekend — and potentially further.

Team of the week: Kentucky Wildcats

Remember when Kentucky stunk? Those days are gone. Over the past two weeks, the 'Cats are 4-0, each win a Q1 victory. The streak's most eye-popping game came on Saturday when Kentucky annihilated Auburn, 86-54. Oscar Tshiebwe reminded everyone he's still pretty good, scoring 22 points and grabbing 17 boards.

Player of the week: Nick Smith, Arkansas

Smith flashed his massive potential early in the week against Georgia, scoring 26 points on 14 shots, leading Arkansas to a blowout victory. Four days later, he put on a show in Tuscaloosa, pouring 24 points on the No. 2 Tide. The Hogs fell just short of the upset, but their fans have to feel confident with their floor general finally playing.

Weekend warrior: DeMarcus Sharp, Northwestern State

Northwestern State couldn't quite pull off the upset at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, but it wasn't due to a lack of production from Sharp. The senior guard dropped a 40 burger on the Islanders, shooting 12-of-28 from the floors. Sure, the Southland winner likely gets a 16-seed in the Big Dance, but that doesn't mean you should ignore the conference's tournament next week. Sharp might lead the Demons to their fourth NCAA Tournament in program history.

Ames to please

February has not been kind to Iowa State (17-11, 8-8 in Big 12.) The 'Clones are just 2-5 this month and enter Big Monday on a three-game losing streak. The matchups don't get any easier, as they face a West Virginia squad (16-13, 5-11) that gave Kansas all it could handle and is hungry for a Quad 1 win. However, some good news: Iowa State plays in the comforts of home tonight. While that advantage didn't lift it to a win Saturday against Oklahoma, perhaps Hilton magic makes a difference against the 'Eers (9 pm ET, ESPN2)

Other games to watch (all times ET)

• Baylor (21-8, 10-6 in Big 12) at Oklahoma State (16-13, 7-9), 9 pm, ESPN

• North Carolina (18-11, 10-8 in ACC) at Florida State (9-20, 7-11), 7 pm, ESPN

• Florida Gulf Coast (17-14, 7-11 in ASUN) vs. Queens (17-14, 7-11) (ASUN Tournament), 7 pm, ESPN+

• Bellarmine (14-17, 9-9 in ASUN) vs. North Florida (14-16, 9-9) (ASUN Tournament), 7 pm, ESPN+

Boiling over

Purdue's on its way to a Big Ten title. Zach Edey remains the front-runner for National POY. But by dropping four of their past six games, the Boilermakers might actually be in danger of losing a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Watch this, then be sure to tune into our Bracketology show, Fielding the 68, today at 5 pm ET for more info.

Links to click as you watch Damian Lillard highlights

• Keyonte George won't play tonight vs Oklahoma State due to an ankle injury.

• Liberty extended Ritchie McKay through 2030.

• Turn away Spartan fans. Michigan State's win probability was this close to 100.

• Relatedly, Iowa women's hoops had a crazy finish yesterday.

• Pete Nance's breakout wasn't just on offense for UNC. Here's a breakdown of his defensive impact.

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected].

Sign up for The Field of 68 Premium. Coming this weekend: A deep-dive into San Diego State and the Mountain West's prospects in March, plus a deep dive into Saturday's results.

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