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
Kansas is operating with a non-traditional look
For years, Bill Self was known for playing two post players together in his vintage high-low offense. Then recently, the Hall-of-Famer shifted to using four perimeter players around one player in the paint. Now, Self is pivoting again, but this time to a five-out look which features five players on the floor who can all pass, dribble, and shoot. Without a dominant interior force like Udoka Azubuike, Kansas is regularly making an effort to just put its best players on the floor, as evidenced by long stretches in last night’s win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic. The Jayhawks also used a similar formula in last week’s loss to Gonzaga. Kansas needs David McCormack — who had just seven points and five rebounds against Kentucky — to emerge in the pivot if it truly wants to hit its ceiling, but Self is already showing that he’s not going to wait for McCormack to play catch up. Part of what makes great coaches is their willingness to continue to evolve. We’re seeing that now by what’s happening at Kansas.
Drew Timme will be tested against West Virginia
Gonzaga’s 6-10 sophomore hasn’t looked human in his first two games, averaging 26.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting a blistering 71 percent from the field. Can he come close to that type of production against the Mountaineers’ front court combo or Oscar Tshiebwe and Derek Culver tonight in the Jimmy V Classic? We’ll find out soon enough. No power forward/center combination in college basketball is as physical as West Virginia’s and it will be interesting to see if they can rattle Timme, who looks primed to be an All-American in his second year in Spokane.
Texas has an incredible window of opportunity
The door is open for the Longhorns to show that they’re again capable of becoming a national force. After a violent defensive performance on Tuesday where it held Indiana to 44 points and 23.9 percent shooting in a 22-point victory, Texas will face North Carolina today in the finals of the Maui Invitational. This isn’t a vintage Roy Williams team, but it’s still North Carolina. And after that? Shaka Smart’s squad will return home to Austin to host Villanova on Sunday as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle. That’s two games in five days against two programs that have won two of the past three national titles. No other words are needed.
On The Side
- Tonight could be the night where Baylor’s Adam Flagler becomes a national name. The Bears’ staff has raved about the Presbyterian transfer throughout the offseason and thus far he hasn’t disappointed, averaging 14.5 points during his first two games. The 6-3 Flagler joins an already impressive perimeter nucleus for Baylor which also features Davion Mitchell, Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Matthew Mayer. Scott Drew’s squad faces off with Illinois in the nightcap of the Jimmy V Classic in Indianapolis.
- Michigan State’s 75-69 win over Duke last night at Cameron Indoor Stadium was only the third non-conference loss that the Blue Devils have had in the last 20 years. The other two? Stephen F. Austin last season and St. John’s in 2000.
- Florida State freshman Scottie Barnes makes his long awaited debut tonight as the Seminoles host North Florida. A five-star prospect, the 6-9 Barnes could be the best freshman that has ever played for Leonard Hamilton in Tallahassee. Remember the name.
- Rhode Island won’t have a better chance to pick up a significant victory all season than tonight on its home floor against Seton Hall. The Rams held serve last week at Mohegan Sun and are 2-2 overall. Tonight’s tip off against the Pirates will be at 7 PM ET on CBS Sports Network.
- St. John’s freshman Posh Alexander may very well wind up being the most impactful perimeter newcomer in the Big East. Through three games, the 6-foot point guard is averaging 14 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 all while quickly becoming the new face of Mike Anderson’s program. If the Red Storm were a snake, Alexander would the head. St. John’s is 3-0 and will face BYU later today at Mohegan Sun.
Daily Specials
- North Carolina/Texas (Asheville)
- Stanford/Indiana (Asheville)
- Oregon/Missouri (Omaha)
- West Virginia/Gonzaga (Jimmy V Classic)
- Baylor/Illinois (Jimmy V Classic)
