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The Breakfast Buffet: Pitt, Texas Tech looks for a marquee win, Julian Phillips

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

Pitt is on the verge of a return to national relevance
This program hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, which was Jamie Dixon’s last season before he left to take the head coaching position at TCU. It may be a little premature to start talking about Pitt (10-4) as a potential NCAA Tournament team, but the Panthers can officially become nationally relevant with a win tonight over Virginia at the Petersen Events Center. Friday’s comeback win over North Carolina was one of the best victories that Pitt has had under Jeff Capel. The Panthers have solid veteran guards in Nelly Cummings (11.1 points, 4.9 assists), Greg Elliott (10.8 points), and Jamarius Burton (15.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists) along with one of the top transfers in college basketball in 6-7 forward Blake Hinson (17.1 points, 7.3 rebounds). A win tonight would only enhance what this program has been building by winning nine of its last 10 games.

Texas Tech looks for a marquee win against Kansas
The good news for the Red Raiders? They play in the Big 12 and will have a plethora of opportunities to earn quality wins between now and Selection Sunday. The bad news? Despite a 10-3 record, Texas Tech’s only two wins this season versus power conference opponents have come against Georgetown and Louisville, who are a combined 7-22. The Red Raiders need to start stacking quality victories, starting with tonight’s matchup with Kansas in Lubbock. Texas Tech will also host Oklahoma on Saturday. This is a pivotal week for Mark Adams’ team.

Tennessee needs more out of Julian Phillips
The five-star prospect has only scored a total of 21 points in his last four games and hasn’t reached double figures since Dec. 7th. If the Vols are going to be a threat to advance deep in the NCAA Tournament, they need Phillips to play like one of the best freshmen in the country. “He’s a really important piece for us,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes told College Hoops Today recently regarding the 6-8 Phillips, who’s averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds. “He’s got to become a big part of what we do.” The Vols’ top five scorers — Santiago Vescovi, Olivier Nkamhoua, Zakai Zeigler, Tyreke Key, and Phillips — have all attempted between 93 and 122 shots entering tonight’s game against Mississippi State in Knoxville.

On The Side

  • Why aren’t more people talking about Ohio State’s Brice Sensabaugh as one of the best freshman in the country? I don’t understand it either. The 6-6 wing is averaging 15.9 points and is doing so with ridiculous offensive efficiency. Sensabaugh is shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 46.6 percent from three-point range.
  • Six different players — Olivier Maxence-Prosper, Oso Ighodaro, David Joplin, Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, and Stevie Mitchell — have led Marquette (11-4) in scoring through the first 15 games of this season. The Golden Eagles will visit St. John’s tonight at Carnesecca Arena.
  • Dennis Gates praised Missouri’s Kobe Brown on this week’s edition of the College Hoops Today Podcast for not entering the transfer portal last spring when Gates was hired. Brown played the first three years of his college career under Cuonzo Martin. The 6-8 forward is averaging a career-high 15.6 points while shooting 45.7 percent from three-point range. Brown only shot 20.6 percent from long distance last season.
  • Alabama’s Nimari Burnett (wrist) is still three-to-five weeks away from returning to action, Nate Oats told College Hoops Today on Monday. The 6-4 Burnett is averaging 7.9 points and is one of the top perimeter defenders in college basketball.
  • UC Santa Barbara has a star in 6-5 sophomore Ajay Mitchell. The Belgium native is currently averaging 16.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds, but has scored 22 or more points in each of his last four games. If the Gauchos — who are 11-2 overall — reach the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three seasons, Mitchell will be a name to watch.

Daily Specials

  • Mississippi State at Tennessee
  • LSU at Kentucky
  • Kansas at Texas Tech
  • Kansas State at Texas
  • Virginia at Pitt

Leftovers