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The Breakfast Buffet: Pac-12 outperforming Big Ten, Luka Garza, Chaundee Brown

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

The Pac-12 has had a better NCAA Tournament than the Big Ten
There’s a sentence that I never thought I’d write on Selection Sunday. The Pac-12 has four teams — USC, Oregon, UCLA, and Oregon State — in the Sweet 16. The Big Ten has one — Michigan. 80 percent of the teams from the Pac-12 that made the NCAA Tournament will be playing next weekend. Only 11 percent of the teams from the Big Ten that made the NCAA Tournament will be playing next weekend. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Pac-12 has great brands, great players, and terrific coaches. The league just needs better visibility during the regular season. We’re seeing what this conference is truly capable of. 

Let’s salute Luka Garza
Not all champions get to end their careers on a ladder cutting down a net. From the moment he stepped on Iowa’s campus four years ago, Garza had the look of someone that could transcend the Hawkeyes’ program. He did. The National Player of the Year gave everything he had on every single play, especially in Monday’s loss to Oregon where he tallied 36 points and nine rebounds. There may never again be a player in Iowa City like Garza. 

Chaundee Brown answered the bell
Pat Riley said many years ago that “injury is opportunity”. Brown was apparently listening. With Isaiah Livers sidelined indefinitely due to a foot injury, Brown stepped into an enhanced role for Michigan in Monday’s Round of 32 win over LSU. The Wake Forest transfer came off the bench to score 21 points and also played key defense in the second half. There’s absolutely no way that the Wolverines would be going to the Sweet 16 without him.

Johnny Juzang is emerging for UCLA
What a difference a year makes. One year after averaging just 2.9 points as a freshman at Kentucky, Juzang is flourishing for UCLA. In the Bruins’ three NCAA Tournament games,, the 6-6 wing is averaging 22.3 points while shooting 42.8 percent from three-point range. Juzang has firmly entrenched himself as this team’s go-to guy following Chris Smith’s season-ending knee injury. 

Player retention has been a major key for Loyola Chicago
In a day and age where fewer players are staying in the same place for the duration of their college careers, the Ramblers are an exception. It’s a big reason for their success. Loyola Chicago’s top eight scorers were in its program a year ago, reiterating that roster continuity is a major key to success in college basketball. Porter Moser’s team is 26-4 entering Saturday’s Sweet 16 matchup with Oregon State.

Leftovers: