College Hoops Today

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The Breakfast Buffet: Auburn/Alabama, Houston/Arizona, John Tonje

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

Auburn/Alabama
10 years ago, neither of these programs had ever been to a Final Four. Today, they’re both at the epicenter of the sport as the top two teams in college basketball. Both Auburn and Alabama were projected as number one seeds in Friday’s BRACKET BREAKDOWN and both will be trendy picks to win the national title in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Today’s game in Tuscaloosa could be the first of four meetings between these two teams if they square off in the SEC Tournament and then again in March Madness. The Crimson Tide are 6-4 against the Tigers since Nate Oats was hired as Alabama’s head coach in 2019.

Houston’s trip to Arizona represents a changing of the guard in the Big 12
Neither of these programs were in this conference two years ago, but right now, they’re clearly the class of the league with Iowa State and Texas Tech not far behind. For years, Kansas and then Baylor were mainstays at the top of the Big 12 standings, but realignment has changed that. Over the last two seasons, Houston is 27-4 in Big 12 regular season games. Arizona meanwhile, is 11-2 in Big 12 play this season and trails the Cougars by just a single game in the conference standings. This game is a rematch of the 2022 Sweet 16 when Houston upset top-seeded Arizona en route to the Elite Eight.

John Tonje has returned to All-American form
That’s bad news for the rest of the Big Ten. The 6-5 senior — who transferred to Wisconsin after spending last season at Missouri — is averaging 23.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in his last six games. Tonje is also shooting 53.6 percent from the field and 48.8 percent from three-point range during that span. Those are All-American caliber numbers. After a 41-point performance against Arizona on Nov. 15th put Tonje on the national map, he’s now in position to become one of top scorers in the sport as the nation gets set to count down to Selection Sunday. The Badgers have won 11 of their last 13 games and will visit Purdue today at Mackey Arena. Tip off is at 1 PM ET on CBS.

On The Side

  • UConn is in position to finish the regular season strong. The Huskies finally got Liam McNeeley (15.4 points, 6.4 rebounds) back from an ankle injury last week and won’t have to get on a plane before the NCAA Tournament. The three road games for this squad prior to the Big East Tournament? At Seton Hall (today), St. John’s (Feb. 23rd), and Providence (March 1st).
  • Only one of Duke’s last 15 opponents — Clemson — was a lock to play in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. And the Blue Devils lost. This is ONLY February.
  • Is Rick Barnes’ coaching career underrated? The 70-year old head coach has Tennessee on the verge of being a number seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever and is a month away from taking the team he’s coaching to March Madness for the 21st time in the last 24 years that there’s been an NCAA Tournament. Barnes is a nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025. The Vols will host Vanderbilt today in Knoxville.
  • Dug McDaniel is averaging 15.2 points and 6.7 assists during Kansas State’s six-game winning streak. The Wildcats will go for their seventh straight victory tonight against BYU in Provo.
  • UCLA’s win on Friday night at Indiana was its first victory this season outside the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.

Daily Specials

  • Wisconsin at Purdue
  • Houston at Arizona
  • Auburn at Alabama
  • Michigan State at Illinois
  • Kentucky at Texas

Leftovers