College Hoops Today

Serving College Basketball 365 Days a Year

The Breakfast Buffet: Notre Dame, Jack Nunge, Missouri’s big stage

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 won’t be the only desperate team today at Rupp Arena
The Wildcats may be getting the majority of the attention entering today’s game against Notre Dame because of their 1-3 start, but the Irish didn’t go to Lexington with the intent of being a sacrificial lamb. Notre Dame is 1-2 overall after a home loss to Ohio State earlier in the week and has an arduous December slate which features games against Duke, Purdue, Syracuse, and Virginia. It needs a win today just as badly as Kentucky. Keep an eye on junior point guard Prentiss Hubb who’s flourishing out of the gate, averaging 22.3 points, 5.3 assists, and five rebounds. Tip off for this game is at Noon ET on CBS. 

Iowa has another big man
Luka Garza may have scored 34 points and shot 13-14 from the field in Friday night’s 105-77 rout of in-state rival Iowa State, but another big man — Jack Nunge — also helped the Hawkeyes’ get separation in the victory. The 6-11 Nunge tallied a double-double, scoring 17 points while grabbing 10 rebounds in just 19 minutes. He’s been a long time favorite of Fran McCaffery’s and was a starter in the early portion of last season before being sidelined for the year with a torn ACL. Through three games, Nunge is averaging 13 points and six rebounds. Remember the name.

Missouri’s biggest game since the 2018 NCAA Tournament
Not since Michael Porter Jr. suited up for the Tigers has Missouri played in a game as significant as the one that it will take part in tonight against Illinois in Columbia. The annual “Braggin’ Rights” game is one of college basketball’s most underrated rivalries and it’s the first major national stage for the Tigers’ program since Porter and Missouri lost by 13 to Florida State in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are a combined 34-33 since that loss against the Seminoles. A win over Illinois wouldn’t just signal that Cuonzo Martin’s team has the requisites to be a player in the SEC; it would be a signal that this program is ready to again be a player nationally.

On The Side

  • Villanova’s bench is improving. The Wildcats’ top three reserves — Cole Swider, Brandon Slater, and Eric Dixon — combined for 18 points in Friday night’s win over Georgetown. Developing quality depth was a major concern of Jay Wright’s in the preseason.
  • Florida sophomore Tre Mann is fully in the spotlight entering today’s game at Florida State. The 6-5 guard looks like a completely different player than a year ago and is averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and four assists. Last year as a freshman, Mann averaged 5.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists.
  • Tonight’s game between Alabama and Clemson in Atlanta features a unique contrast in styles. The Crimson Tide are an offensive minded team that averages 79.8 points while the Tigers have been a defensive menace out of the gate, holding opponents to just 50.3 points. This feels like a first round matchup in the NCAA Tournament. 
  • The Atlantic 10 has several outstanding players this season and UMass sophomore Tre Mitchell is at the top of the list. The 6-9 big man had 31 points and 11 rebounds in his season debut on Friday against Northeastern and was 13-18 from the field. Mitchell could play in any program in America — he’s that good.
  • If conference tournaments are not able to be played in March due to COVID-19, regular season champions will earn an automatic qualifier to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Every game always matters when it comes to league play, but they may matter a little bit more this season because of the circumstances. 

Daily Specials

  • Florida at Florida State
  • Notre Dame at Kentucky
  • Cincinnati at Tennessee
  • Illinois at Missouri
  • Alabama/Clemson (Atlanta)

Leftovers: