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The Breakfast Buffet: Samuell Williamson, Baylor-Texas, USC’s big week

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

Samuell Williamson looks like a difference maker for Louisville
The former top-40 recruit had 20 points and 18 rebounds in the Cardinals’ 16-point win over Georgia Tech on Monday and finally resembled the player that Louisville thought it was getting a few years ago when he was a top-40 prospect. If Williamson can give Chris Mack three quarters of what he did on Monday in every game throughout the rest of the season, the potential ceiling of this team will completely change. Louisville is 5-1 this season in games where Williamson scores in double figures and 3-1 in games where he grabs double figure rebounds. When Williamson plays well, so do the Cardinals. This could be a key third option for Louisville moving forward alongside both Carlik Jones and David Johnson.

Texas could be Baylor’s biggest test yet
The Longhorns are finally back to full strength after several weeks of issues related to COVID-19 and had all 11 of their scholarship players together on Sunday for the first time in 19 days. Now comes the hard part: Becoming the first team this season to beat Baylor. The Bears have won 14 of their 16 games this season by double figures, but they’ve yet to face a team like Texas that has two mobile big men in Jericho Sims and Kai Jones who can completely change the game with their defense. This could be the game of the year in the Big 12.

USC quietly has a big week
I admit as a lifelong New Yorker that East Coast bias is a real thing and it’s a big reason why USC has to make something out of the opportunities that it has over the next few days. The Trojans are 13-3 overall, own sole possession of second place in the Pac-12 standings, and have a top-five pick on their roster in Evan Mobley. But despite all of those things, Andy Enfield’s team is barely on the national radar. That can change this week. USC travels to Palo Alto today to face Stanford and then will return home to Los Angeles to host crosstown rival UCLA on Saturday. This team can earn a place in next week’s AP Top 25 and instantly boost its national perception with two wins this week.

On The Side

  • Illinois is 8-2 in games this season where Adam Miller scores nine or more points. Can you say X-Factor? If Miller can become a consistent double figure scorer, things will instantly go to a different level for the Illini. 
  • The four teams that played in November’s Champions Classic — Duke, Michigan State, Kansas, and Kentucky — have a combined record of 31-28. 
  • Steve Pikiell’s decision to switch his starting lineup midway through the season has instantly made Rutgers more productive off the bench bench. The Scarlet Knights are averaging 22 points in reserve during their current three-game winning streak.
  • They’re not the exact same player, but St. John’s freshman Posh Alexander is having the same type of impact for the Red Storm that Levance Fields had for Pitt many years ago. Over his last four games, the 6-foot Alexander is averaging 17 points, four assists, 3.8 steals, and 3.5 rebounds. St. John’s has won four straight.
  • UCLA is currently in sole possession of first place in the Pac-12 and is 8-1 since Chris Smith was lost for the season with an ACL injury. The Bruins are 7-1 this season in games that have been decided by six points or less.

Daily Specials

  • Michigan State at Iowa
  • Baylor at Texas
  • Penn State at Wisconsin
  • North Carolina at Clemson
  • Illinois at Indiana

Leftovers: