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The Breakfast Buffet: Justin Moore, Harrison Ingram, Texas/Baylor

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

Justin Moore is authoring a tremendous comeback story
Life hasn’t been easy for this young man over the last 24 months, but he’s showing his resiliency each and every time he steps on the floor. Two years ago in 2022, Moore suffered a torn achilles tendon late in Villanova’s Elite Eight win over Houston and then earlier this season, he missed a month due to a knee injury. None of those things have altered his will. The fifth-year guard had a game-high 15 points in the Wildcats’ win on Saturday at Providence and has scored in double figures in four of his last five games. Part of the reason why Villanova has played its way back into the NCAA Tournament picture is because of Moore’s ascension. He’s averaging 11.8 points in his last five outings while shooting 14-25 from three-point range during that span. 

Harrison Ingram has been a difference maker for North Carolina
The big difference between Roy Williams’ coaching style and Hubert Davis’ coaching style is that Williams liked to play two traditional big men together at the same time. Davis does not. Two years ago when the Tar Heels reached the national title game and lost to Kansas, Davis brilliantly used Brady Manek as a lethal pick-and-pop threat at power forward. Meanwhile this season, Ingram’s bounce, athleticism, and versatility have been a perfect complement at the four to R.J. Davis on the perimeter and Armando Bacot inside. A transfer from Stanford, the 6-7 Ingram is averaging 12.2 points and 9.2 rebounds while also providing spacing on offense as he’s shooting 39.5 percent from three-point range. Ingram is a completely different player than Manek, but he reiterates that when Davis gets high-level play at power forward, his teams are normally really, really good. North Carolina is 23-6 with two games remaining in the regular season.

Texas/Baylor
With each passing day, the Bears are looking more and more like they’re going to be a trendy Final Four pick on Selection Sunday. Since Feb. 1st, Baylor is 6-3 with its three losses coming by a combined 16 points against Kansas, BYU, and Houston. Two of those losses were on the road while the loss to Houston was at home in overtime. The Bears have also only played three games since Feb. 1st with Langston Love — their top reserve — due to several nagging injuries. And Texas? The Longhorns are safely in the NCAA Tournament thanks to very good play up front from Dylan Disu, who averaged 22.5 points and 10 rebounds in two games last season during March Madness before being sidelined with a foot injury. The 6-9 Disu is averaging 19 points and 5.5 rebounds in his last two games entering tonight’s tilt in Waco.

On The Side

  • Kentucky freshman Zvonimir Ivisic is averaging 11.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and four blocks in games this season where he’s logged 15 minutes or more. 
  • Washington State has never won more than 26 games in a season, but don’t be shocked if that changes in the next few weeks. The Cougars currently have 23 wins and still have one more regular season game remaining before playing in both the Pac-12 Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. 
  • Iowa’s Josh Dix has had a major hand in the Hawkeyes’ late-season surge. The 6-5 sophomore has scored 20 or more points in his last three games and had 24 in Saturday’s win at Northwestern. Fran McCaffery’s team is firmly in the bubble picture and has a huge opportunity in its regular season finale on Saturday at home against Illinois.
  • South Carolina is 10-3 this season in games decided by six points or fewer.
  • One thing I never thought I’d write? Barring a miracle run in the Pac-12 Tournament, Oregon will miss the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season.

Daily Specials

  • Duke at NC State
  • Texas at Baylor

Leftovers