College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

The Breakfast Buffet: Kentucky makes a statement, Ohio State’s trip to Purdue, Marquette goes for its eighth straight win at Providence

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

Kentucky makes a statement
I’ve been covering college basketball for close to two decades — this was the most impressive performance that I’ve ever seen by a team against the Jayhawks at Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Texas beat Kansas by 25 a year ago in Lawrence, but the big difference between that game and Kentucky’s 80-62 win on Saturday was that the Wildcats had to deal with a full crowd in attendance and last season the Longhorns did not due to COVID. I’ve written for weeks about how John Calipari’s team was being undervalued nationally and that sentiment was reiterated by this performance. Remember: Kentucky has not lost a game at full strength in 2022. The Wildcats had 19 assists on 31 made field goals in Saturday’s win. Kentucky (17-4) can win a national title — this season.

Ohio State’s trip to Purdue
Many people — including myself — didn’t think that Purdue would lose a game at home this season. We were wrong, but it took at 37-point, 14-rebound performance from Johnny Davis for Wisconsin to beat the Boilers in West Lafayette earlier this month. I doubt it happens again. Purdue (17-3) has all the requisites to be one of the top four seeds in the NCAA Tournament, especially if its point guard play continues to improve. The Boilers’ two primary floor generals — Eric Hunter Jr. and Isaiah Thompson — combined for 25 points, four assists, and just two turnovers in Thursday night’s win at Iowa. That duo will be a key tandem to monitor today against Ohio State (13-4) and moving forward the rest of the season. The Buckeyes have won three straight games, but need to beat a team the caliber of Purdue to truly be viewed as a contender for the Big Ten regular season title. Tip off for today’s game is at Noon ET on CBS.

Marquette goes for its eighth straight win at Providence
The Golden Eagles and Friars are a combined 11-0 in games this season that are decided by five points or less. It’s a major reason why both programs are having breakthrough years. Which team is better suited for a long run in March? We’ll have a better idea after today’s tilt at the Dunkin Donuts Center. Shaka Smart’s team is 15-6 overall and in its last four games has swept Seton Hall, won at Villanova, and beaten Xavier by double figures. A win today by Marquette on the road would send yet another message that this team is a bonafide candidate to earn a high seed in the NCAA Tournament.

On The Side

  • Jeremy Roach’s ball security has been elite for Duke over the last two weeks. The Blue Devils’ sophomore point guard has 29 assists and just four turnovers in his last four games.
  • Alabama (14-7) could go to the Final Four or lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide have beaten Baylor, Gonzaga, LSU, and Houston, but have also lost to Georgia, Missouri, and Memphis.
  • UConn’s Andre Jackson is shooting 48 percent from three-point range as a sophomore after shooting just 11.8 percent from long distance last season as a freshman. The 6-6 wing may be the Huskies’ best long-term prospect.
  • West Virginia (13-7) has quietly lost five straight games and is trending downward. Next up for the Mountaineers? A showdown on Monday night in Waco against Baylor.
  • The sleeper game of the day in college basketball is in the Missouri Valley as Drake (15-6) hosts Loyola Chicago (16-3). As of Saturday, the Ramblers were ranked 25th in the NET while the Bulldogs were 102.

Daily Specials

  • Ohio State at Purdue
  • Marquette at Providence
  • Minnesota at Wisconsin
  • Loyola Chicago at Drake
  • Colorado at Washington State

Leftovers