One of the top offensive perimeters in the sport has already led the Jays to road victories this season at Arizona State, Villanova, Xavier, Seton Hall, and Marquette.
Now it’s endeavoring to lead Creighton to a Big East regular season title.
Hardcore college basketball junkies know all about the Jays’ perimeter. They know about the long-term potential of Marcus Zegarowski, the two-way ability of Ty-Shon Alexander, and the cerebral play of Mitch Ballock.
But as the calendar flips from February to March, more names associated with non blue blood programs are primed to come to the forefront.
This includes Creighton’s starting perimeter of Zegarowski, Alexander, and Ballock, who are currently averaging a combined 45 points, 14 rebounds, and 10.4 assists.
“These three guys rank right up there with the best perimeters we’ve had since I’ve been at Creighton,” Creighton head coach Greg McDermott said last week. “You win in the college game with guards and we’ve got three really good ones.”
SEMO transfer Denzel Mahoney has also shined in his role. The 6-5 wing is averaging 11.8 points all while thriving off the bench.
“He can drive, we can post him a little, and he can get to the free throw line,” McDermott said of Mahoney. “He helps get us in the bonus.”
The Jays along with Villanova, trail Seton Hall by one game in the Big East standings, but Creighton has the most favorable schedule of the three down the stretch.
A road game looms on Sunday at St. John’s with two home tilts following next week in Omaha against Georgetown and Seton Hall. The Jays have already beaten Seton Hall in the first meeting between the two teams this season.
Before heading to Omaha for the regular season finale, the Pirates will travel to Marquette this weekend and then host Villanova next week in Newark.
The Wildcats will host Providence on Saturday and then close on the road at Seton Hall and Georgetown.
Here. We. Go.
Wisconsin is starting to look like vintage Wisconsin
There’s no Sam Dekker or Frank Kaminsky on this team, but that doesn’t mean that this group of Badgers isn’t formidable.
Greg Gard’s squad won its fifth straight game on Thursday night at Michigan and continues to play its best basketball at the most important time of the year.
Wisconsin has made a combined 61 three-point shots in its last five games, adding much needed offense to a style that’s known for both physicality and elite ball security. The Badgers had just eight total turnovers against Michigan.
Another big thing to remember?
Wisconsin is 13-5 with Micah Potter in the lineup and 5-5 when he is not. A transfer from Ohio State, Potter missed the first 10 games of the season, but has made a major impact since. The 6-10 Potter is averaging 18.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in his last two games.
The Badgers are 18-10 overall and have already beaten three NCAA Tournament caliber teams — Michigan, Penn State, and Ohio State — on the road. Wisconsin also beat the Buckeyes in Madison along with Maryland, Michigan State, Indiana, and Marquette.
You won’t want to play this team in March.
Ochai Agbaji is the X-Factor for Kansas
If this guy has a big stretch over the next five weeks then everyone else may as well be playing for second.
Bill Self boasts the best inside-outside combination in the sport with Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike as well as an elite utility piece in Marcus Garrett.
This sometimes leaves Agbaji as a forgotten man in Lawrence.
If that changes, look out.
The 6-5 wing didn’t score in last Saturday’s massive win at Baylor, but then came back and had 15 points in Monday’s win against Oklahoma State. The Jayhawks can’t have that type of inconsistency from Agbaji and be the team that they’re capable of being.
He’s scored in double-figures in 14 of Kansas’ 28 games this season and is averaging 10.1 points.
This and That:
– Maryland’s 74-73 win over Minnesota on Wednesday night was just another sign that the Terps are having a dream season. The most amazing part of the victory? Maryland came back from a 17-point deficit and shot just 6-28 from three-point range. “We’re a good shooting team that hasn’t shot it well yet,” Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon said. “We can definitely improve in that area and we will.” The Terps are 23-5 overall and can clinch the Big Ten regular season title with a win over Saturday night over Michigan State in College Park.
– Kentucky needs to get Ashton Hagans going offensively. The sophomore point guard has scored a total of 35 points in his last four games and continues to be a non-factor from long distance. In the month of February, Hagans is just 4-18 from three-point range.
– Need more proof that Baylor is much better than it showed last Saturday against Kansas? The Bears’ starting perimeter — Jared Butler, MaCio Teague, and Davion Mitchell — shot a combined 12-37 from the field against the Jayhawks. Baylor was also just 8-15 from the foul line. “I told the team after the game that it’s just one game,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said earlier this week. “Every team starts the year wanting to win a conference title. We still control our own destiny.” The Bears are 25-2 overall and tied with Kansas for first place in the Big 12. Drew has never won a regular season title during his time Waco.
– Villanova lost a combined 35.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.9 assists when Phil Booth and Eric Paschall graduated after last season, but the Wildcats will have a significantly better seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2020 than they had in 2019. How? The best culture in the sport. Villanova was a six seed last season and should be either a three or potentially a two seed on Selection Sunday. The Wildcats are 22-6 overall entering Saturday’s game against Providence in Philadelphia.
– Arkansas is now 17-5 with Isaiah Joe in the lineup and 1-5 when he is not. Barring something unforeseen, Eric Musselman will be coaching in his fourth NCAA Tournament next month. He went to the field of 68 in each of the past three years with Nevada. The 6-5 Joe is averaging 16.5 points.
– Washington is unlikely to get Quade Green back for the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas, according to Huskies head coach Mike Hopkins. A transfer from Kentucky, Green was Washington’s starting point guard before being declared academically ineligible in early January. The 6-foot Green averaged 11.6 points and 5.3 assists in 15 games this season. Washington is currently 13-15 overall.
– Rhode Island’s close to the regular season is an arduous one. That’s a scary thing if you’re a team that’s squarely on the bubble. The Rams host underrated Saint Louis this weekend and then have a massive opportunity on Wednesday at home against Dayton. David Cox’s squad will wrap up the regular season in Amherst against rival UMass. A defeat against anyone other than Dayton may be enough to put this team outside of the NCAA Tournament picture.
– Frank Haith should be the American Conference Coach of the Year. Picked 10th in the league’s preseason poll. Tulsa (19-9) is currently in a three-way tie for first place with Cincinnati and Houston. The Golden Hurricane will close the season with back-to-back road games at Temple and Wichita State following a home game this weekend against UCF.
Games to Watch:
Friday: Davidson at Dayton
Saturday: Auburn at Kentucky, Duke at Virginia, Michigan State at Maryland, Arizona at UCLA, Saint Mary’s at Gonzaga
Sunday: Creighton at St. John’s, Cincinnati at Houston, Michigan at Ohio State
