College Hoops Today

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The Breakfast Buffet: Chet Holmgren, UConn/Auburn, Memphis

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

Chet Holmgren changes everything about Gonzaga
Just ask UCLA. Unlike last season, Gonzaga’s defense has some bite and nastiness. That’s directly related to Holmgren. The 7-foot freshman completely changes things at the front of the rim for the Bulldogs and instantly makes them a significantly better defensive team than the one that lost to Baylor last spring in the national title. It’s not as much about the shots that Holmgren blocks as much as it is about the shots that he alters. His sole presence in the middle of the paint on Tuesday night made it virtually impossible for the Bruins to penetrate or post up as UCLA shot just 33.8 percent from the field as a team in Gonzaga’s 83-63 win. Holmgren finished with 15 points, six rebounds, and four blocks in the victory, but his value goes well beyond the box score. Remember: It’s not shots blocked — it’s shots altered.

UConn/Auburn
We’ll find out just how good both of these teams are after this game today in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis, which feels like a Round of 32 tilt in the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies have the deepest frontcourt in college basketball, but that frontcourt will be tested against the skill and versatility of Auburn’s power forward/center combo of Jabari Smith and North Carolina transfer Walker Kessler. Both of these players are face up big men who like to stretch the defense and bring the opponent away from the basket on defense. This could create an interesting dynamic between Kessler and UConn’s Adama Sanogo, a 6-9 bruiser who’s averaging 15.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. The Tigers are still playing without arguably their best player in Allen Flanigan (14.3 points, 5.5 rebounds), who is out until December with an achilles injury.

Memphis begins a pivotal stretch
The rubber is about to meet the road for the Tigers. Starting with tonight’s game against Virginia Tech in the Preseason NIT at the Barclays Center, Memphis will play five straight and seven of its next eight games against power conference opponents. We’ll know a lot more about Penny Hardaway’s team after these next couple of weeks. It will be interesting to see if the Tigers’ ball security is able to improve against higher caliber competition. Through four games, Memphis has a combined 64 assists as a team to 86 turnovers.

On The Side

  • Loyola Chicago’s Drew Valentine was a graduate assistant under Tom Izzo at Michigan State from 2013-15. Today, the two will meet head-to-head in the first round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Valentine detailed his relationship with Izzo and more in this week’s edition of the College Hoops Today Podcast.
  • It’s officially time to be concerned about Oregon. The Ducks are 0-2 against two WCC teams — BYU and Saint Mary’s — and averaged just 49.5 points in those two games. Both defeats came by double figures. Oregon faces Houston today in Las Vegas in the consolation game of the Maui Invitational.
  • Ohio State’s Justin Ahrens has attempted 24 shots this season. 23 have been from three-point range. Can you say specialist? Ahrens is currently shooting 52.2 percent from long distance.
  • Santa Clara’s offensive numbers are ridiculous. The Broncos are shooting 55 percent from the field as a team and are 13th nationally as a team in assists (19.8). Santa Clara’s top four scorers are shooting 37.5 percent or better from three-point range. Herb Sendek’s team is 5-0 and will face Fresno State tonight.
  • DePaul has a star and his name is Javon Freeman-Liberty. Through four games, the 6-4 guard is averaging 24.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.8 steals. We’re only a few weeks into the season, but Freeman-Liberty is currently producing like an All-Big East first-team caliber player.

Daily Specials

  • Michigan State/Loyola Chicago (Battle 4 Atlantis)
  • UConn/Auburn (Battle 4 Atlantis)
  • Wisconsin/Saint Mary’s (Las Vegas)
  • Ohio State/Florida (Fort Myers)
  • Memphis/Virginia Tech (Preseason NIT)

Leftovers