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The Breakfast Buffet: Cade Cunningham, Iowa makes statement against Ohio State, Mark Turgeon doing one of his best coaching jobs

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

Cade Cunningham could be the next Mr. March
Over the last 15 years, we’ve seen guys like Steph Curry, Kemba Walker, and Shabazz Napier make the month of March their own personal sanctuary. Cunningham could be next. The potential number one overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft sent a message in Saturday’s overtime win at Oklahoma — which came without Isaac Likekele — by scoring 40 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The two teams will meet again tonight in Stillwater. During the Cowboys’ current four-game winning streak, Cunningham is averaging 24 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. America has been warned.

Iowa showed Final Four potential against Ohio State
Three days after the Hawkeyes were blown out by Michigan, they put together their most complete game of the season. Iowa’s 73-57 win over Ohio State on Sunday in Columbus wasn’t just impressive because of the result — it was impressive because of how the result was achieved. The Buckeyes entered the game ranked as one of the top three offenses in the country according to KenPom.com and Iowa kept Ohio State under 60 points on its home floor. Seven days earlier in a loss to Michigan, the Buckeyes scored 87 in the very same setting. Iowa has flaws as most teams do, but it may be time to start appreciating what this team does have and not always focusing on what it doesn’t. If Fran McCaffery can add a consistent stingy defense to go with a prolific offense anchored by Luka Garza and Joe Wieskamp, a deep NCAA Tournament is more than a realistic possibility. 

Mark Turgeon is quietly doing one of his best coaching jobs
12 months ago, Maryland was robbed. Let me repeat that: 12 months ago, Maryland was robbed. The Terps had a legitimate chance to go to the Final Four a year ago before the NCAA Tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19. Following that announcement, Maryland lost its two best players — Jalen Smith and Anthony Cowan — after both performed like two of the top players in the sport last season. The 6-10 Smith was a lottery pick and Cowan — a four-year starter at point guard — was quietly one of the most productive players in the Big Ten over the last half decade. Those types of players are not easy to replace at a non blue blood program. Nevertheless, Maryland is 15-10 after Sunday’s win over Michigan State and comfortably in the NCAA Tournament. Turgeon isn’t getting enough credit for the job he’s done with this team. Let’s hope that changes when the Terps hear their name called on Selection Sunday. 

On The Side

  • Is Indiana still an elite job? This might be a good time to remind people that the Hoosiers have gone to just one Final Four (2002) since Bob Knight left Bloomington in 2000. The furthest that Indiana has advanced in the bracket since 2002 is the Sweet 16, which happened three times under Tom Crean in 2012, 2013, and 2016. 
  • Since Kansas’ loss at West Virginia in early February, David McCormack is averaging 15 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting 52.3 percent from the field. The Jayhawks have won six of seven.
  • How good defensively is Loyola Chicago? No opponent has scored more than 58 points against the Ramblers since Jan. 10th. That’s elite. Porter Moser’s squad is 21-4 and has held 20 of its 25 opponents this season to 60 points or less. 
  • Howard transfer R.J. Cole is starting warm up for UConn. A potent scorer before he transferred to Storrs, the crafty lefty is now finally in a rhythm. Cole is averaging 17 points over his last five games and has finally given the Huskies’ a secondary scoring option alongside James Bouknight. 
  • West Virginia’s Sean McNeil has already made 53 three-point shots this season as a junior. He made 29 during all of last year as a sophomore. This is quietly a key cog in the Mountaineers’ offensive attack. McNeil is averaging 11.7 points and shooting 39.6 percent from long distance.

Daily Specials

  • Dayton at St. Bonaventure
  • Rutgers at Nebraska
  • North Carolina at Syracuse
  • Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
  • Arizona at Oregon

Leftovers: