New Year, New Takes

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you've enjoyed your holiday festivities and rested up for what'll be a two-month regular-season sprint in college basketball. League play is here, and we'll learn which teams can make a deep run in March. Maybe we'll even overreact a bit.

Let's get to the news.

1. Xavier knocks off unbeaten UConn. Now what?

Entering the weekend, three unbeaten teams remained in college basketball. One was UConn, which rattled off 13 straight double-digit victories. But things change in league play. And after trailing in the second half against Georgetown and beating Villanova by eight, the Huskies ran into a team they couldn't overwhelm.

Not that UConn looked bad in its 83-73 loss at Xavier. It's just that the Musketeers (12-3, 4-0 in Big East) had enough firepower to match the Huskies. Four players scored 15 or more points, led by 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists from Zach Freemantle. Jerome Hunter was an unsung hero for the team, coming off the bench to drop 15 in a season-high 20 minutes.

But Xavier's most gutsy performance came from Jack Nunge. The center wasn't 100 percent for this game, as he dealt with an illness.

"30 minutes before tipoff, he was sleeping," coach Sean Miller noted. "He did the best that he could. We certainly wouldn't have won if he didn't play." The senior big man finished with 15 points in 24 minutes.

Talent has never been a question for Xavier. But consistency and a lack of signature wins in the past four years prompted the switch to Miller, which has clearly paid off. Xavier is tied with Providence atop the Big East and should contend for the crown — especially if their defense continues to improve. Xavier held UConn to a season-low .98 points per possession.

For UConn (14-1, 3-1), there are lessons to be learned, even though it would be easy to chalk this up to the law of averages. Andre Jackson nearly had a triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists), while Adama Sanogo added 18 points and six rebounds. 

What about the late technical foul called on coach Dan Hurley? He laid into the refs for missing a foul on a moving screen, though he maintains that he was only saying it was "unbelievable." As Rob Dauster noted on AFTER DARK, the tech didn't help, but the late turnovers and missed opportunities all played a part in the loss.

The loss won't sink the Huskies' chances in the Big East. There's a clear hierarchy in the league, with UConn, Xavier, Providence, Creighton and Marquette at the top and Seton Hall, St. John's, Butler, DePaul and Georgetown at the bottom. Villanova, who's 7-7 overall and 1-2 in the Big East, is a TBD.

2. Big 12 isn't for the faint of heart

If the Big East has its good and bad, the Big 12 has no such delineation. There are no down teams. Saturday's start of league play confirmed as much. Let's analyze what happened.

No. 4 Kansas 69, Oklahoma State 67: The Jayhawks have won 32 consecutive league openers. They have won 14 straight at Allen Fieldhouse. Oklahoma State put both streaks to the test. The Cowboys (8-5, 1-1 in Big 12) started hot, hitting nine first-half 3-pointers en route to a 45-30 halftime lead. But the Jayhawks, true to 2022 form, staged a second-half rally — though the final play did have some questions.

"There aren't any 15-point plays... so the main thing was to win every 4 minutes and that's what we did," said Jalen Wilson, no stranger to 15-point comebacks.

Former Kansas guard Bryce Thompson tied his career-high with 23 points to lead all scorers, while John-Michael Wright had 19. But the frontcourt disparity was apparent, with Wilson going for 20 while KJ Adams chipped in 14 on 6-of-6 shooting. 

On paper, Kansas (12-1, 1-0) looks like the favorite to win another regular-season title, but Saturday proved that it isn't immortal. What happened with its challengers?

No. 6 Texas 70, Oklahoma 69: Sometimes, the most significant wins are the ones teams claim even when they don't play well. That was the case for Texas (12-1, 1-0), which, despite just 18 points combined from Marcus Carr and Tyrese Hunter, pulled out a last-second victory and won its fourth-straight game at Oklahoma (9-4, 0-1).

This one has to sting for the Sooners, who led for most of the second half and were arguably the better team. Grant Sherfield once again showed up, scoring a game-high 22 points. And forward Jacob Groves sunk five 3-pointers. But for a team without any Quad 1 wins, this was a missed opportunity against a top-10 squad at home. (Then again, there will be more in league play.)

Are the Sooners over-reliant on Sherfield? Coach Porter Moser addressed that during the postgame: “They were all over him the whole time but it was like a boxer with body blows... the second half they just — I mean you go in the paint and they just took three and surrounded him. They trapped him on ball screens.

“And I think for him, we were asking him to do so much and I thought he had some spectacular plays in the first half. But over a long period of time they were like — it was like a boxer with body blows.”

No other Sooner averages more than 11 points per game, which might be a concern if those body blows continue.

Iowa State 77, No. 12 Baylor 62: The lone upset in the Big 12 was also the lone blowout, as the Cyclones ran the Bears off the court in the second half. Guards Gabe Kalscheur and Caleb Grill thoroughly outplayed Baylor's backcourt, combining for 41 points on 10 made 3-pointers. It's another big win in the coach TJ Otzelberger era, giving Iowa State (10-2, 1-0) its best win of the season.

Baylor (10-3, 0-1) hasn't been sharp on both ends of the court in the past month and didn't have guard LJ Cryer (14.9 ppg) for the game. 

But coach Scott Drew wouldn't allow that to be an excuse. "You can't have seven assists and 19 turnovers and let the other team shoot 50 percent, 44 from 3 and win. A lot of things we've got to do better." It's a roster capable of winning the Big 12, but right now, there are some things the Bears need to fix.

No. 18 TCU 67, Texas Tech 61: After scoring 100-plus in three straight games, Texas Tech (10-3, 0-1) turned in its season-low offensive output, managing just eight points in the final 10:36 in the loss. Credit TCU's (12-1, 1-0) defensive pressure, which forced 23 turnovers.

Mike Miles showed why he was the Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, scoring a game-high 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. Emanuel Miller and Damion Baugh combined for 30. What prompted the adjustments, after trailing by 11 at the half?

"I gave them an earful at halftime, we were slow defensively and didn't see it coming," coach Jamie Dixon said. Miles added, "we just had to get back on defense — in the first half we weren't, we were leaving guys and not matching up." 

It was a game where neither team played great, but it was a nice win for TCU, who has flown under the radar in the nonconference, yet is still 12-1 (1-0) on the season.

Kansas State 82, No. 24 West Virginia 76 (OT): I've talked before about the stellar play of Wildcats senior guard Markquis Nowell. Well, Saturday was his best game to date: 23 points and 10 assists. 

"He is just a competitor," Kansas State coach Jerome Tang said of Nowell. He's now second in the country in assists to Yuri Collins of Saint Louis, and he and Keyontae Johnson form one of the best duos in the country. K-State matched its best start to a season (12-1, 1-0) since 2016-17.

Tre Mitchell had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for West Virginia (10-3, 0-1). The 'Eers can look at this two different ways: They only got seven points on 3-of-10 shooting from their best player (Erik Stevenson) but got 24 bench points and an overall solid effort. But history hasn't been kind to teams where Stevenson has been the best shooter. Could this be a sign that Big 12 play will be rough on him and West Virginia?

3. What else should you know about the weekend?

This is the first weekend where most of the contests were conference games, which also means they were true road/home games. Here are the most notable results.

Pittsburgh 76, No. 25 North Carolina 74: The Tar Heels led for 36 minutes, but Jamarius Burton, who scored a career-high 31 points on 14-of-17 shooting, ensured the Panthers hung around. Then a key 3-pointer by Blake Hinson sealed the deal for Pitt (10-4, 3-0 in ACC). Armando Bacot had 22 points and 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough for UNC (9-5, 1-2), who took a step back after wins over Michigan and Ohio State.

No. 3 Houston 71, UCF 65: It took nearly all 40 minutes for Houston (14-1, 2-0 in AAC) to get past UCF (10-4, 1-1), who has proven to be a legit team in the AAC. Four players were in double figures for the Knights, led by Darius Johnson with 17. Marcus Sasser notched 18 for the Cougars, but he took 20 shots. Tramon Mark was much more efficient, with a game-high 19 on 6-of-9 shooting.

No. 5 Arizona 69, Arizona State 60: A 17-point halftime lead was nearly erased by Arizona State's (11-3, 2-1 in Pac-12) pressure defense, but the Wildcats (13-1, 2-1) held on, thanks to 21 points from Azuolas Tubelis and another double-double from Oumar Ballo. Frankie Collins was the lone player in double figures for the Sun Devils, producing 12 points, five rebounds and six assists.

No. 22 New Mexico 76, Wyoming 75: In a matchup of the biggest surprise and the biggest disappointment in the Mountain West, the Cowboys were a buzzer-beater away from pulling off the upset. Ethan Anderson had 17 points and Hunter Maldonado had 15 for Wyoming (5-9, 2-0 in MWC), while Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 20 to lead all scorers for the Lobos. Despite Morris Udeze going scoreless in 12 minutes, another impact transfer in Josiah Allick stepped up for 15 points and 15 rebounds to keep New Mexico (14-0, 2-0) unbeaten.

Wake Forest 77, Virginia Tech 75: Tyree Appleby played all 40 minutes in this game and produced 24 points and seven assists in a starring effort for Wake (10-4, 2-1 in ACC). Justyn Mutts and Sean Pedulla each had 18 for Virginia Tech (11-3, 2-1), which missed sharpshooter Hunter Catoor; the Hokies were 6-of-21 from beyond the arc.

Marquette 68, Villanova 66: The usual stars for the Golden Eagles (11-4, 3-1, Big East) struggled, but Stevie Mitchell stepped up with a game-high 19 points. They held the Wildcats to just 22 second-half points. Cam Whitmore had 14 points to lead Villanova (7-7, 1-2) but the decision by coach Kyle Neptune to keep him on the bench late in the game may have been the difference.

Saint Mary's 67, Santa Clara 64: After beating San Francisco to open WCC play, Santa Clara (13-4, 1-1) nearly got a massive win over the Gaels. Brandin Podziemski scored a game-high 19 points for the Broncos, but Saint Mary's (12-4, 2-0) countered with 18 from guard Aidan Mahaney, along with 15 rebounds from forward Kyle Bowen. These are the best non-Gonzaga teams in the WCC.

Michigan 81, Maryland 46: Hunter Dickinson's revenge tour against Maryland (10-4, 1-2 in Big Ten) continued on Sunday. The DMV native poured in a season-high 32 points and was simply unstoppable for Michigan (8-5, 2-0). On the other hand, Maryland scored just 13 points in the first half and looked lifeless to open the new year.

Penn State 83, Iowa 79: Penn State (11-3, 2-1 in Big Ten) built an 18-point lead by the break and was on cruise control. Don't do that against Iowa (8-6, 0-3), which had a chance to tie or take the lead with 20 seconds left. It didn't work out, as the Hawkeyes wasted Kris Murray's career-high 32 points. Jalen Pickett stuffed the stat sheet yet again (26 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists), while forward Andrew Funk chipped in with 20.

Washington State 81, USC 71: The Cougars got their first win in Pac-12 play, led by 15 points and seven assists from Justin Powell. Backcourt play has been an area of concern for Washington State (6-9, 1-3), but when he, TJ Bamba, and Jabe Mullins all go for 14-plus points, they'll be a tough out in league play. The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for USC (11-4, 3-1).

South Carolina 74, Eastern Michigan 64: In a battle of former 5-star prospects, Emoni Bates won the individual matchup, scoring 36 points, compared to 24 points and nine rebounds from GG Jackson. But Jackson had more help, allowing South Carolina (7-6) to build momentum heading into SEC play. As for EMU (3-10), they enter MAC play having lost 4 of 5 games.

4. Memphis' loss raises an eyebrow

Memphis enters American Athletic Conference play in an interesting spot. The Tigers look like an NCAA Tournament team, thanks to a trio of wins in the nonconference against SEC opponents (Auburn, Ole Miss, Texas A&M) and a near-miss against Alabama. But the AAC doesn't offer many chances for marquee victories. Conversely, Memphis' schedule is mainly filled with potential pitfalls.

The Tigers avoided one earlier in the week with a 93-86 escape against South Florida. It couldn't do the same in Sunday's 96-89 loss at Tulane.

Davis led all scorers with 31 points and dished out seven assists, while DeAndre Williams contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds. Memphis' defense vanished in the second half, though, allowing 59 points, and giving the Green Wave (8-5, 1-1) a signature win of their own.

Memphis loses any wiggle room in the AAC, while games against UCF and Houston loom large. But while the defense needs work, one positive is that Davis has been as good as advertised coming over from SMU. When those battles with Houston come, Memphis (11-4, 1-1) can make the case that they'll have the best guard on the court, which they'll need when trying to topple the Coogs.

5. Four performances that flew under the radar

Daryl Banks: The most eye-opening result from the Atlantic 10 was St. Bonaventure beating UMass at home by 19 points, even with the return of leading scorer Noah Fernandes for the Minutemen. Credit Banks, who dropped 31 points for the Bonnies while making 6-of-12 from 3-point range.

James Bishop: One of a few players to average at least 20 ppg and 5 apg on the season, Bishop topped 40 points for the second time this season in George Washington's 97-87 victory over Loyola-Chicago. After getting swept in the Diamond Head Classic, the Colonials needed a bounce-back effort like this to start A-10 play.

Jordan Johnson: New Orleans' first-year guard went off this weekend, going for a season-high 39 points on 12-of-17 shooting in the team's double-overtime defeat (101-96) to Houston Christian to open Southland league play. Johnson went 8-of-9 from beyond the arc and now is shooting 51 percent on the season, ranking top 10 in the country.

Kellan Amos: Central Connecticut's breakout transfer had a career day against Saint Francis (PA), going for 36 points while making all six of his 3-point attempts. After averaging just six points last season at Binghamton, Amos is now up to over 16 ppg, leading the team to a split to open Northeast Conference play.

Team of the Week: Xavier Musketeers

Xavier's win over UConn was the primary headline, but don't forget the 84-79 victory at St. John's earlier in the week, where the Musketeers were rolling before the Johnnies crept back late. Credit to Sean Miller for making the fit between big men Jack Nunge and Zack Freemantle work. Both had leading performances for this 2-0 week.

Player of the Week: Kobe Brown, Missouri

First-year coach Dennis Gates brought in a lot of talent to Missouri last offseason but keeping All-SEC forward Kobe Brown around was the most important move. He had 30 points and six rebounds in the team's blowout win over Kentucky, moving the Tigers to 1-0 in SEC play. Mizzou looks like a Top 25 team.

Weekend warrior: Sion Thomas, Tulane

Before Sunday, the season-high for the Tulane guard was 15 points. He doubled that in the win over Memphis, going for 30 points, six rebounds and seven assists on 6-of-8 shooting. That included making all four shots from deep and 14-of-15 from the line, including the late ones to seal the deal.

Rutgers looks to get another upset over No. 1 Purdue

One of the top moments last season was Rutgers beaten then-No. 1 Purdue, thanks to 30 points from Ron Harper Jr, including a game-winning buzzer-beater. For Rutgers (9-4, 1-1), to do it again this year, they'll need to slow Zach Edey (21.9 ppg and 13.6 rpg) and ensure Purdue's freshmen guards don't get comfortable. But the Boilermakers (13-0, 2-0) are at home, which may be too big of an ask for Rutgers. (7 pm ET, Big Ten Network)

Also worth watching:

• West Virginia (10-3, 0-1) at Oklahoma State (8-5, 0-1), 7 pm ET (ESPNU)

Villanova's a scary team*

Why the asterisk? Villanova has to be healthy. Before Saturday's loss to Marquette, the Wildcats had finally found their offense, with five wins in December and an impressive outing against UConn.

But they need to be healthy, as Randolph Childress notes on AFTER DARK. 

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Links as you figure out how many conferences have yet to begin league play (answer is 3)

• After another conference loss to Butler, is Georgetown's lockeroom crumbling?

• After losing an early lead in a loss to Seton Hall, St. John's big Joel Soriano accuses his own team of "quitting".

• Spencer Johnson, who led BYU in scoring before getting injured, returned to have the Cougars off to a 2-0 start in WCC play.

• Preseason MVC favorite Drake fell to 2-2 in league play after losing to Missouri State.

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