College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

The Breakfast Buffet: Adama Sanogo, Mick Cronin has UCLA playing “Cincinnati” caliber defense, Gonzaga

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

Adama Sanogo’s face up game continues to impress
During the first two years of his college career, the 6-9 Sanogo didn’t make a single three-point shot. He’s already made eight this season. Beyond that, Sanogo’s ability to be a threat facing the basket has opened up the floor for both he and his teammates on offense. In Saturday’s 68-46 win over Butler at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Sanogo regularly opened possessions away from the basket and finished them directly at the rim. He tallied 27 points and 14 rebounds in the 22-point win and was 13-21 from the field. The Huskies are 12-0 and have won all 12 games by double figures.

Mick Cronin has UCLA playing “Cincinnati” caliber defense
The Bruins improved to 57-2 under Cronin when they hold their opponents to 65 points or fewer following Saturday’s 63-53 win over Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. It was the type of defensive performance that reminded many of Cronin’s teams at Cincinnati, where he installed a ruthless, physical style that allowed the Bearcats to advance to nine straight NCAA Tournaments from 2011-19. In two games this week against teams who were ranked in last week’s AP Top 25 — Maryland and Kentucky — the Bruins only allowed an average of 56.5 points in a pair of double digit victories. This is the first time during Cronin’s tenure in Westwood where UCLA has shown this type of nastiness on defense.

Gonzaga is in good shape as it heads towards WCC play
A pair of double figure losses to Texas and Purdue in November had many people — including myself — wondering if this group of Bulldogs was as good as the units we’ve seen in the past couple of seasons. While all of that is still TBD, Gonzaga has still navigated an arduous non-conference schedule with a terrific 9-3 record, which was highlighted by Saturday’s 100-90 win over Alabama in Birmingham. Mark Few’s squad also owns wins over Michigan State, Kentucky, Xavier, Washington, and MAC contender Kent State. Its only other loss in addition to Texas and Purdue was a one-point defeat to Baylor on a neutral court. Barring something unforeseen, this team should be 11-3 entering WCC play.

On The Side

  • Alabama’s Brandon Miller has officially become appointment television. The 6-9 freshman had 36 points in Saturday’s loss to Gonzaga and averaged 30 points in two games this week while shooting 10-19 from three-point range during that span. This kid is ridiculous.
  • Pete Nance is not going to be Brady Manek for North Carolina, but his last-second shot at the end of regulation in Saturday’s overtime win over Ohio State could be the type of moment that propels the Tar Heels moving forward. North Carolina (8-4) has won three straight and will next face Michigan (7-3) on Wednesday in the Jumpman Invitational in Charlotte.
  • Rick Pitino is 2-0 in head-to-head meetings with Richard Pitino entering tonight’s game between Iona (7-2) and New Mexico (10-0) in Albuquerque. The elder Pitino won both of those games against his son when he was at Louisville and Richard Pitino was at both Minnesota and Florida International respectively.
  • Auburn (8-1) will begin its two-game West Coast trip today against USC at the Galen Center. The Tigers will then play in Seattle against Washington on Wednesday.
  • Baylor’s Adam Flagler (illness) and LJ Cryer (back) will be available for today’s game against Washington State in Dallas, Scott Drew told College Hoops Today on Saturday. The duo has not played since the Bears’ win over Gonzaga on Dec. 2nd. Flagler averages 16.1 points and Cryer averages 16.5 points for Baylor, who enters tonight’s game at 7-2 overall.

Daily Specials

  • Texas/Stanford (Dallas)
  • Auburn at USC
  • Iona at New Mexico
  • Colorado State at Saint Mary’s
  • Baylor/Washington State (Dallas)

Leftovers