By Buzz King (@Fieldof68Freak)
ROAD TO SELECTION SUNDAY -- A look back at the week in college basketball, as always starting with our weekly “Field of 68” projection. Projected automatic qualifiers in multiple-bid conferences are noted with an *. Teams are listed in order of NET ranking.
FIELD OF 68 PROJECTION (through games played 12/20/24)
America East (1): Maine (165)
American (1): Memphis (36)
ACC (3): *Duke (3), Pitt (11), Clemson (30)
ASUN (1): Lipscomb (95)
Atlantic 10 (2): *Dayton (47), Saint Bonaventure (54)
Big East (3): Marquette (10), UConn (14), *Saint John’s (23)
Big Sky (1): Montana State (139)
Big South (1): High Point (151)
Big Ten (10): Maryland (8), *UCLA (12), Illinois (15), Oregon (16), Michigan State (21), Michigan (26), Penn State (28), Purdue (31), Wisconsin (40), Nebraska (60)
Big XII (8): *Iowa State (5), Houston (7), Baylor (17), Kansas (19), Cincinnati (22), Texas Tech (25), West Virginia (29), Arizona State (51)
Big West (1): UC-San Diego (57)
Coastal (1): Hampton (233)
Conference USA (1): Liberty (64)
Horizon (1): Youngstown State (207)
Ivy (1): Columbia (96)
MAAC (1): Merrimack (189)
MAC (1): Kent State (102)
MEAC (1): Norfolk State (158)
Missouri Valley (2): Drake (43), *Indiana State (179)
Mountain West (3): *Utah State (42), Boise State (52), San Diego State (55)
NEC (1): Central Connecticut (132)
OVC (1): Little Rock (244) replaces Southern Indiana (240), ineligible for NCAA Tournament
Patriot (1): Holy Cross (218)
SEC (13): *Auburn (1), Tennessee (2), Florida (6), Kentucky (9), Alabama (13), Georgia (18), Mississippi State (20), Texas A&M (24), Ole Miss (27), Missouri (37), Vanderbilt (38), Oklahoma (41), Arkansas (48)
SoCon (1): Furman (88)
Southland (1): Lamar (157)
SWAC (1): Southern U (203)
Summit (1): North Dakota State (93)
Sun Belt (1): Louisiana (339)
WCC (2): *Gonzaga (4), Saint Mary’s (50)
WAC (1): Grand Canyon (114)
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Bid Stealers (1): Indiana State (179)
Last 4 In: Cincinnati (22), Arkansas (48), Boise State (52), Nebraska (60)
First 4 Out: Oregon State (33), Texas (39), SMU (44), Nevada (49)
On the Radar (5): UC-Irvine (34), BYU (45), Iowa (56), LSU (58), Northwestern (61)
Non-Power 5 At-Large Bids (5): Drake (43), Saint Mary’s (50), Boise State (52), Saint Bonaventure (54), San Diego State (55)
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RANDOM RAMBLIN’ MUSINGS
Five Guys (no fries)
If the University of Minnesota/Athletic Director Mark Coyle decide to make a change, I’d have these 5 coaches on a shortlist to gauge their interest in becoming the next Gophers head coach: Ben McCollum (Drake), Greg McDermott (Creighton), Niko Medved (Colorado State), Sean Miller (Xavier), and TJ Otzelberger (Iowa State). Aim high, don’t be looking to hire someone on the cheap.
I don’t care how crappy and irrelevant the Gophers have been recently, Minnesota still is a Big Ten job. In today’s “Power 2” climate, jobs in the Big Ten and SEC are coveted ($$$$$$$); there’s only 34 of ‘em. Use some of that Big Ten TV partner money. Are you serious about putting a competitive product on the floor or not?
Start your search with proven high-major head coaches, (1) Otzelberger, (2) Miller, and (3) McDermott, in that order. You won’t know if you don’t ask. Make it hard to say no. If those splashy names turn you down, then turn your attention to guys like Medved – a U of M grad & program-builder at Furman/Drake/Colorado State — and McCollum, already doing yeoman’s work in his first season at Drake (Bulldogs are undefeated) after winning four Division II national championships at Northwest Missouri State. That’s just 5 names, and there certainly are other proven coaches out there who might be ready to make a move to the Big Ten.
Bluebloods Feelin’ the Blues
Arizona and North Carolina are a combined 0-10 vs. Power 5 opponents.
Bringin’ the Payne
Pharrel Payne is becoming a beast off the bench for Texas A&M (10-2). Friday vs. Houston Christian the former Gopher went for 10 points (5 for 7 FG), 7 boards (5 offensive), and 3 blocks. That followed a 12-points, (6 for 6 FG), 9 boards, 2 blocks performance in a win over Purdue.
Reach The Summit (League) Strong at the Top
It should be a fierce battle for the Summit League regular season championship. North Dakota State (#93), defending champ South Dakota State (#111), and St. Thomas (#123) all have had their moments in non-conference play.
NDSU (10-4) sports a 7-game winning streak and has wins at Butler and Santa Clara. SDSU (9-5) playing a tough non-conference schedule beat preseason Southland national darling McNeese on a neutral court. The Tommies (9-4) have won 5 straight including a pair in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge to improve their record to 4-0 in the challenge’s first two seasons. And up & down South Dakota (9-5) could be the wildcard. I’m already looking forward to Semifinal Monday on March 8 in Sioux Falls.
Tis’ the Season for Maine’s Black Bears?
With perennial kingpin Vermont (5-7, #249 NET) having an atypical down season, the America East automatic bid appears wide open. Currently, Maine (#165) is the top NET team in the America East, and it would be quite a story (I’ve mentioned it a few hundred times over the years) if the Black Bears earned their first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. And not just because of that. More amazingly, it also would mean the Black Bears will have won their first (and second & third) AE Tournament games SINCE TWO-THOUSAND FREAKING FIVE! That’s 19 seasons without a single conference tourney W.
Mele Kalikimaka in Hawaii
My picks for the Diamond Head Classic, the final in-season bracketed tournament (Dec. 22-23, 25). Though there are no Top 25 teams in the field, the tournament does have some pop. Nebraska, Oregon State, and Loyola-Chicago all have solid NCAA tourney aspirations, and winning the DHC would help their resume.
Quarterfinals: Oregon State over College of Charleston, Loyola-Chicago over Oakland, Nebraska over Murray State, Hawaii over Charlotte
Semifinals: Oregon State over Loyola-Chicago, Nebraska over Hawaii
Championship: Oregon State over Nebraska
Heart of the Bubblicious (NET #45-55) -- In or Out?
#45 BYU (OUT), #46 North Carolina (OUT), #47 Dayton (IN), #48 Arkansas (IN), #49 Nevada (OUT), #50 Saint Mary’s (IN), #51 Arizona State (IN), #52 Boise State (IN), #53 San Francisco (OUT), #54 Saint Bonaventure (IN), #55 San Diego State (IN)
The Unconquered 4
#2 Tennessee
#6 Florida
#41 Oklahoma
#43 Drake
POWER 5 HEAD-TO-HEAD (+ Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s/San Diego State)
1 SEC (59-17, 77.6%)
2 Gonzaga/Saint Mary’s/San Diego State (9-6, 60%)
3 Big Ten (26-24, 52%)
4 Big East (19-23, 45.2%)
5 Big XII (25-33, 43.1%)
6 ACC (15-50, 23.1%)
Team Non-Conference Record vs. Power 5
6-0: Oklahoma, Tennessee
5-0: Florida
4-0: Vanderbilt
3-0: Oregon
2-0: Missouri
1-0: UCLA
4-1: Auburn, Marquette, Wisconsin
6-2: Texas A&M
3-1: Georgia, Iowa State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Saint Mary’s, UConn
5-2: Alabama
4-2: Kansas
2-1: Cincinnati, Clemson, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Texas Tech
3-2: Butler, LSU, Pitt, Purdue, South Carolina, West Virginia
4-3: Gonzaga
3-3: Michigan
2-2: Arkansas, Duke, Indiana, Rutgers, Saint John’s, San Diego State, Texas
1-1: Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State
2-3: Baylor, Houston, Wake Forest, Xavier
2-4: Creighton, Louisville
1-2: Arizona State, BYU, Cal, Colorado, Georgetown, Illinois, Providence, SMU, TCU, UCF, Villanova
1-3: Ohio State, Virginia
1-4: Notre Dame
0-1: Boston College, DePaul, Iowa, Minnesota
0-2: Florida State, Kansas State, USC, Utah
0-3: Miami, Seton Hall
0-4: Georgia Tech, NC State, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
0-5: Arizona, North Carolina
Non-Power 5 Wins vs. Power 5 (45)
5: Memphis
3: Drake
2: Dayton, Nevada, New Mexico, North Florida, Saint Joseph’s, VCU
1 -- Austin Peay, Boise State, Cal Poly, Charleston Southern, Colorado State, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Davidson, Elon, FAU, Fordham, Grand Canyon, Hofstra, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Monmouth, North Dakota State, North Texas, Rhode Island, Saint Bonaventure, Santa Clara, Utah State, Wichita State
The Local NETters
#123 St. Thomas Tommies (9-4)
#168 Minnesota Gophers (6-5)
Tommies Week Ahead
Saturday: @ #279 Bowling Green (1 p.m. CT/ESPN+)
Tommies Stat Leaders
Miles Barnstable (12.8 ppg), Kendall Blue (4.2 rpg), Drake Dobbs (3.4 apg), Blue (1.2 spg), Dobbs (51.9 3PFG%), Nolan Minessale (1 bpg)
Tommies (D1) Non-Conference D1 Opponents
Arizona State (8-2)
Oklahoma State (7-3)
Milwaukee (7-4)
UC-Riverside (6-4)
Montana (4-5)
Northern Colorado (4-5)
Portland State (4-5)
Wofford (4-7)
Bowling Green (3-6)
Western Michigan (2-8)
Green Bay (2-10)
Chicago State (0-13)
Totals: (51-72, 41.5%)
Gophers Week Ahead
Saturday: Host #316 Fairleigh Dickinson (1 p.m./BTN)
Gophers Stat Leaders
Dawson Garcia (19.3 ppg), Garcia (7.1 rpg), Lu’Cye Patterson (3.7 apg), Femi Odukale (2.1 spg), Mike Mitchell Jr. (47.6 3PFG%), Odukale (1.3 bpg)
Gophers Non-Conference D1 Opponents
Wake Forest (9-3)
Wichita State (8-3)
North Texas (6-3)
Yale (5-5)
Cleveland State (5-6)
Central Michigan (2-5)
Bethune-Cookman (3-8)
Omaha (3-9)
Morgan State (2-8)
Oral Roberts (1-7)
Fairleigh Dickinson (1-9)
Totals: (45-66, 40.5%)
The B1G Tenuous Trio – hoping to make it to Weakling Wednesday
** The 3 Big Ten teams tracking toward an early end to their 2024-25 season (no invitation to Indianapolis & the Big Ten Tournament):
#16 Wisconsin (9-3, 0-2)
#17 Washington (8-3, 0-2)
#18 Minnesota (6-5, 0-2)
NET Kings
#1 Auburn (10-1)
Kinda’ Bubble Cutline
#50 Saint Mary’s (9-2)
Stuck in the Middle with You
#182 Seattle (2-8)
Bottom of the Barrel
#364 Mississippi Valley State (0-9)
Power 5 Non-Conference Head-to-Head
Saturday
Maryland vs. Syracuse (11 a.m./ESPN)
North Carolina vs. UCLA (2 p.m./CBS)
DePaul @ Northwestern (3 p.m./BTN)
Auburn vs. Purdue (3:30 p.m./ESPN)
Kentucky vs. Ohio State (4:30 p.m./CBS)
Iowa vs. Utah (5 p.m./BTN)
Oregon vs. Stanford, (7 p.m./BTN)
Cal vs. San Diego State (9:30 p.m./ACCN)
Sunday
Illinois vs. Missouri (noon/ESPN)
Next Field of 68: December 27
