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The Breakfast Buffet: Alabama/Kentucky, Khaman Maluach, Purdue visits Eugene to face Oregon

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

Alabama/Kentucky
Two weeks ago, the Wildcats’ 106-100 win over Florida at Rupp Arena was one of the best games we’ve seen this season. Today’s matchup in Lexington has a chance to be better. And no, hat’s not hyperbole. The Crimson Tide are primed for a strong offensive performance after they only scored 64 points earlier this week in a loss at home to Ole Miss while the Wildcats are in the midst of a beautiful offensive stretch. Kentucky scored 95 points and shot better than 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line in last Saturday’s win at Mississippi State while it tallied 19 assists on 24 made field goals in a win earlier this week against Texas A&M. Expect 40 minutes of elite entertainment this afternoon at one of the sport’s best venues.

Khaman Maluach is taking things to another level for Duke
And he could be a potential X-Factor for the Blue Devils as they chase their first Final Four appearance under Jon Scheyer. Like both Cooper Flagg (18.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists) and Kon Knueppel (13.4 points) — the two other freshmen in Duke’s starting lineup — Maluach was a five-star prospect before he arrived in Durham. The 7-2 center is averaging 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 1.0 block in his last three games entering tonight’s tilt at Boston College. If the Blue Devils continue to get this type of production in the pivot, it would open things up even more for Flagg, who is now firmly entrenched in the discussion for National Player of the Year honors. Duke is 15-2 and has won 11 straight games.

Purdue visits Eugene to face Oregon
Many college traditions have died with realignment, but that also opens the door for unique conference matchups that we’ve never seen before. Today’s game between the Boilers and Ducks in Eugene is one of those examples. Both of these programs have been to a Final Four in the last decade and their respective head coaches — Purdue’s Matt Painter and Oregon’s Dana Altman — are universally viewed as two of the best at what they do. Keep a close eye on the point guard matchup in this one between the Boilers’ Braden Smith (15.1 points, 9.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds) and the Ducks’ Jackson Shelstad (12.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists). Oregon currently has eight Quad 1 wins, which is the second-most nationally, only behind Auburn.

On The Side

  • Kadary Richmond (10.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists) returns to Newark tonight as St. John’s faces Seton Hall for the first time this season. The 6-6 Richmond played three seasons for the Pirates before transferring. The Red Storm have won four straight games and 10 of their last 11.
  • Tennessee’s Chaz Lanier is in the midst of a slump. The All-American candidate is averaging just 8.3 points in his last three games while shooting just 18.6 percent from the field and 16.6 percent from three-point range during that span. The Vols are 16-1 entering today’s game against Vanderbilt in Nashville.
  • North Carolina is 5-2 in games this season decided by five points or fewer. The Tar Heels have quietly won four straight games and are 12-6 entering today’s game in Chapel Hill.
  • Desmond Claude’s ascension has made USC into a potential Big Ten sleeper. The 6-6 guard is averaging 28 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in his last two games, which have both been victories. The Trojans are 11-6 and will host Wisconsin this afternoon at the Galen Center.
  • Three of UCF’s next four games are against Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas, starting with today’s game against the Cougars in Orlando. A win in any of the three would go a long ways in helping build the Knights’ NCAA Tournament resume, which currently features a victory over Texas A&M. Tip off for today’s game is at Noon ET on CBS Sports Network.

Daily Specials

  • Alabama at Kentucky
  • Creighton at UConn
  • Auburn at Georgia
  • Purdue at Oregon
  • Ole Miss at Mississippi State

Leftovers