Dietz’s Debrief is a weekly column dedicated to the ever changing college basketball landscape. There will be weekly updates to recap the games of the week, upcoming matchups and bracket implications for March Madness.
We have officially made it to March and are less than two weeks away from Selection Sunday. At the mid-major level, conference tournaments begin this week with teams fighting for automatic bids to the big dance. At the top, it has been a battle for the fourth No. 1 seed. Duke (28-2, 16-1 ACC), Michigan (27-2, 17-1 Big Ten) and Arizona (28-2, 15-2 Big 12) have all established themselves as No.1 seeds, but the last spot is up for grabs.
UConn (27-3 17-2 Big East) has the highest chance to earn that last spot, as all they have to do is take care of business in the Big East and not lose any games they aren’t supposed to.
Florida (23-6, 14-2) is in a similar situation and if they win the SEC championship, they would also have a strong case. The ball is in UConn’s court, but we will see how it all pans out.
Games of the Week:
The Ohio State Buckeyes (18-11, 10-8) had a roller coaster of a week in Big Ten conference play, losing to Iowa, but bouncing back with a huge win over Purdue. Before this win, the Buckeyes tournament chances were looking bleak, but this win was exactly what they needed to put them back in contention.
The star studded backcourt of senior guard Bruce Thornton and sophomore guard John Mobley Jr. combined for 41 of the Buckeyes’ 81 total points and played exceptionally well. Purdue senior center Trey Kaufmann-Renn had 19 points and star senior point guard Braden Smith notched 20, but it wasn’t enough for the Boilermakers to pick up a win on the road.
Saint Mary’s (27-4, 16-2) took on Gonzaga (28-3, 16-2) in a likely West Coast conference championship matchup, where the Gaels came out on top. Sophomore Guard Mikey Lewis was on fire, scoring 31 points in the game with numerous threes and strong drives. Sophomore guard Joshua Dent was also big as a facilitator and scoring contributor, adding 14 points. Senior center Graham Ike led the way for the Zags scoring 17 points and grabbing four rebounds. Graduate transfer forward Tyon Grant-Foster has continued to find his rhythm with Gonzaga and was also great in this game, with 13 points. Despite Gonzaga’s effort, Saint Mary’s came away with this game and proved to the nation that they are legit.
After losing star junior forward JT Toppin, people seemed to write off Texas Tech from making any meaningful run in March. The Red Raiders (22-7, 12-4) proved those doubters wrong with an enormous win against No.6 Iowa State (24-6, 11-6) on the road. The team is still extremely good, led by the stellar guard play from sophomore Christian Anderson, freshman guard Jaylen Petty and senior forward Donovan Atwell. Don’t let this team heat up from deep as they are all capable of shooting the three, shooting a fifth nationally ranked 39.5% as a team and it looks like they have found a solid replacement down low in sophomore forward transfer Luke Bamgboye. He had 13 points in a solid outing while Atwell led the way with 18.
Notable Upcoming Games:
On Friday, Miami Ohio (30-0, 17-0) will look to complete the regular season undefeated in what has become the most compelling story in college basketball. They take on the Ohio Bobcats who are one of the better teams in the MAC conference.
Sophomore guard Luke Skaljac is the leader of this team averaging 10.8 points a game and just under five assists. After escaping with a win against Toledo this is the final test of perfection for the Redhawks who will be dangerous in March Madness.
Another notable upcoming game is the rivalry in the state of Alabama between Auburn (15-14, 6-10) and Alabama (22-8, 12-5). The Tigers are coming into this game on the bubble and this would be a great opportunity to get a win that would help their tournament chances. Sophomore guard Tahaad Petiford has made a much-needed jump and has elevated his game. He is averaging nearly 15 points per game and is one of the only returning players from the Final Four team last year. Another sophomore who has been outstanding is Crimson Tideguard Labaron Philon Jr. He is coming off the back of hitting a game-winner against Tennessee and has been great all year.
Bracket Implications:
The Indiana Hoosiers (17-12, 8-10) led by coach Darian Devries looked like a lock for the tournament not too long ago, but as of now they are listed as the last team in the field. They have lost four straight games, one of which to Northwestern (13-16, 5-13), who is the fourth worst in the conference. If Indiana doesn’t win out in its remaining game against Ohio State, they can kiss its tournament hopes goodbye.
Virginia Tech (18-11 7-9) is the last team I’ll highlight on the bubble, they have a lot of work to do if they want to make the field. The Hokies need to win their remaining games and can make a statement to the selection committee if they upset No.13 Virginia in their final regular season game. That victory paired with a successful conference tournament run could put them in a favorable position heading into the postseason.
March Madness is nearly here and with Selection Sunday less than two weeks away, anything can happen. Teams are fighting for their lives in every game and it’s crucial to give maximum effort as for many it is win or go home.