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The Breakfast Buffet: Bruce Pearl, Great Osobor, Bobby Hurley has rallied Arizona State

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

Bruce Pearl deserves more credit for the job he’s done sustaining Auburn’s success
I know Pearl took the Tigers to the Final Four in 2019. I also know that he’s made Auburn’s program a perennial contender at the top of the SEC. But when you look closer at the numbers, what’s being done by Pearl in his current post is truly eye opening when the history of this program is dissected. The Tigers improved to 12-2 after Saturday’s 33-point win over Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena and are on their way to their sixth 20-win season in the last seven years. Prior to Pearl’s arrival in 2014, Auburn only had six 20-win seasons in the previous 30 years. This is truly one of the great rebuilding jobs in college basketball’s modern era.

Great Osobor is America’s unknown star
Never heard of Osobor? That will soon change. After thriving under Danny Sprinkle at Montana State, the 6-8, 250 pound big man followed his coach to Utah State, where’s been the anchor of the Aggies’ 14-1 start. In two Mountain West games this season, Osobor is averaging 26 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting a ridiculous 17-26 from the field. The Mountain West is in position to have five teams reach the 2024 NCAA Tournament — Osobor’s presence is one of the primary reasons why Utah State is now a part of that conversation.

Bobby Hurley has rallied Arizona State
The former point guard was a tough SOB when he was a player at Duke and he’s the exact same way as a head coach. The Sun Devils were 6-5 after a 19-point loss to Northwestern on Dec. 20th and headed towards purgatory, but Hurley wouldn’t let them get there. Arizona State has won four straight games since is a perfect 4-0 in Pac-12 play after back-to-back wins this weekend over both Utah and Colorado. This guy is at his best when the odds aren’t stacked in his favor. Remember: Hurley’s current tenure with the Sun Devils — where he’s led Arizona State to three of the past five NCAA Tournaments — is the best in program history.

On The Side

  • Ta’lon Cooper has been an unsung part of South Carolina’s 13-1 start. The veteran floor general —who previously played at both Minnesota and Morehead State — has 14 assists to just two turnovers in his last three games.
  • Seton Hall is 3-0 this season in games decided by six points or less.
  • Wake Forest is 7-0 this season with 7-foot big man Efton Reid (eight points, 9.3 rebounds, two blocks) in the lineup.
  • Cincinnati’s two-headed monster at center of Viktor Lakhin and Aziz Bandaogo combined for 29 points and 17 rebounds in Saturday’s win at BYU.
  • The Big Ten has had a minimum of eight teams in the last three NCAA Tournaments. Don’t be shocked if that number drops in 2024. I’d be very surprised if more than half of this league winds up in the bracket on Selection Sunday.

Leftovers