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The Breakfast Buffet: Iowa State hits the road against Iowa, Murderer’s Row awaits Xavier, Joson Sanon

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Iowa State hits the road against Iowa
The Cyclones have been unequivocally the most impressive team in the Big 12 to start this season, but they’ve to play a true road game. That will change tonight when T.J. Otzelberger’s squad takes its 7-1 record to Iowa City to face in-state rival Iowa. Iowa State features incredible balance as five different players — Keshon Gilbert, Curtis Jones, Milan Momcilovic, Dishon Jackson, and Joshua Jefferson — are averaging in double figures. That doesn’t include veteran point guard Tamin Lipsey (8.6 points, 3.9 assists), who excels as this team’s calming presence. How good are the Hawkeyes? Good enough to be somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten standings, but beyond that is a major question. Iowa boasts two All-Big Ten players in Owen Freeman (16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds) and Payton Sandfort (16.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists) along with a burgeoning piece in junior guard Josh Dix (13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds). A win tonight could change the trajectory of the Hawkeyes’ season.

Murderer’s Row awaits Xavier
There’s not another team in college basketball that has a harder stretch ahead than the Musketeers, who announced on Wednesday that sophomore guard Trey Green (5.0 points) will take a leave of absence for health reasons. Sean Miller’s team will visit Cincinnati on Saturday in the Crosstown Shootout at Fifth Third Arena and then head to Hartford next Wednesday to open Big East play against UConn at the XL Center. A home game against Marquette follows on Dec. 21st at the Cintas Center. Xavier is currently 8-2 overall.

Joson Sanon has lived up to the billing
Many people — including me — wondered how the Sun Devils would gel with so many new faces after they were blown out by Duke in a Charity Exhibition in late-October. They’ve responded with eight wins in their first nine games, with their only loss coming at Gonzaga. A big reason for that has been the stellar play of Sanon. The 6-4 freshman has found an offensive rhythm after a slow start to the season and is averaging an impressive 19.6 points over his last six games while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and 58.2 percent from three-point range during that span. Sanon has quickly emerged as Bobby Hurley’s go-to scorer on the perimeter. Arizona State will next face undefeated Florida on Saturday in Atlanta.

On The Side

  • Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier has made at least four three-point shots in five consecutive games.
  • Providence’s Bryce Hopkins is averaging 17.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games that he’s played since returning from injury. When fully healthy, the 6-9 Hopkins is a bonafide Big East Player of the Year candidate. The Friars are 2-1 this season with Hopkins in the lineup.
  • Wisconsin’s John Tonje is in a bit of a slump after an incredible start to the season. During the Badgers’ three-game losing streak, the 6-5 Tonje is averaging just 14.0 points while shooting just 13-38 from the field and 6-17 from three-point range. He’s also had 12 turnovers during that three-game span.
  • Through nine games, UCLA’s Skyy Clark has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 21:7. Last season at Louisville, Clark’s assist-to-turnover ratio was 87:88.
  • Texas has a dangerous buy game tonight in Austin against New Mexico State, who’s coming off a win at New Mexico. The Longhorns — who are in the second game of a five-game home stand — will not leave Austin until their SEC opener at Texas A&M on January 4th.

Daily Specials

  • Iowa State at Iowa
  • New Mexico State at Texas

Leftovers