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
Cam Thomas could lead the SEC in scoring
Another Buddy Hield? Don’t think of that question as hyperbole. LSU’s star freshman shooting guard is putting the ball in the basket about as frequently as the concept of Electoral College is being debated. The 6-4 Thomas is averaging 21.6 points through the Tigers’ first five games. By comparison, Hield only averaged 7.8 points during his freshman season at Oklahoma. Any conversation this season regarding the best freshmen in college basketball has to include Thomas.
Rutgers has become the hunted
That is not a misprint. Despite not playing in an NCAA Tournament game since 1991, Steve Pikiell has built a program that will be a legitimate contender at the top of the Big Ten in what should be the deepest year that the conference has seen in recent memory. The Scarlet Knights have experience, depth, elite rim protection, and a burgeoning star in Ron Harper Jr., who had 27 points in Monday night’s 74-60 win at Maryland. After years of trying to climb out of college basketball’s basement, the Scarlet Knights are now a team that others are chasing. Expect that sentiment to continue all season long.
Liam Robbins against Kofi Cockburn
The 7-foot Robbins has lived up to the billing for the Gophers after transferring from Drake, averaging 12.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks through the first six games of the season. Tonight though, he steps into a different weight class — literally. Minnesota’s Big Ten opener against Illinois in Champaign will provide a stern test for Robbins, as he tangles with the 7-foot, 285 pound Kofi Cockburn in the post. If Robbins can hold his own, it’ll be a tremendous sign for the Gophers’ potential as a team. Richard Pitino’s squad is a perfect 6-0 entering tonight’s conference opener.
On The Side
- Taz Sherman and Sean McNeil — two of West Virginia’s wings — will ultimately control the Mountaineers’ ceiling. The duo is currently shooting a combined 39.3 percent from three-point range. Both players are also currently averaging in double-figures; neither averaged in double-figures last season.
- Xavier’s Paul Scruggs has tallied 50 assists in his first seven games. He only had 81 assists during all of last season. The 6-4 senior is quietly playing the best basketball of his career and is also averaging 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and two steals.
- Loyola-Chicago will get a major opportunity to move the needle nationally tonight at Wisconsin. The Ramblers are now the clear favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference following Northern Iowa’s loss of A.J. Green’s to a season-ending hip injury.
- This is quietly a huge week for Alabama. The Crimson Tide host upstart Furman tonight in Tuscaloosa and then face Conference-USA favorite Western Kentucky on Saturday. Nate Oats’ squad is 3-2 following Saturday’s loss to Clemson in Atlanta.
- Bryant is the first team in the history of the Northeast Conference to score 80 or more points in its first six games. The Bulldogs are also averaging 98 points and 10.8 made three-point shots per game.
Daily Specials
- Clemson at Virginia Tech
- Minnesota at Illinois
- Loyola-Chicago at Wisconsin
- Georgia Tech at Florida State
- Furman at Alabama
