NCAA Basketball: Five takeaways from the weekend's action
January 21, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats guard Kobi Simmons (2) controls the ball against UCLA Bruins guard Bryce Alford (20) during the second half at Pauley Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
After another crazy weekend of NCAA basketball, I will give my five takeaways, including how the race for the Pac 12 title is wide open.
Things are just starting to heat up. With just one football game remaining (the Super Bowl) and the NBA still in regular season mode, college basketball is about to be more and more relevant nationally.
And that’s an excellent thing for the sport because it sure does deserve it, especially this year.
We came into the season thinking that Duke was going to be a clear-cut favorite to win it all. Instead, the Blue Devils have suffered injuries, a suspension to one of their best players and are dealing with their absence of their head coach.
That has created a hodgepodge at the top.
Villanova, Kansas, Kentucky, Gonzaga and Baylor all look like they are a cut above the rest, but there are teams like UCLA, Arizona, Oregon, North Carolina, Louisville, Florida State and of course, Duke that are looming.
It’s officially wide open.
While most of us want to see the best four teams playing in the Final Four in Phoenix, what makes college basketball the best sport in the country is the unpredictability. Can Villanova repeat? Is Kansas good enough up front? How will Kentucky’s lack of outside shooting effect them? What about Gonzaga’s lack of true tests during conference play? And can Baylor keep playing above expectations?
No one can truly predict what is going to happen in March and April. So buckle up because it’s going to be a fun and exciting ride.
Jan 21, 2017; Omaha, NE, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles guard Markus Howard (0) looks to pass against Creighton Bluejays guard Davion Mintz (1) at CenturyLink Center Omaha. Marquette defeated Creighton 102-94. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
5. Markus Howard could help lead Marquette to NCAA Tournament
Marquette freshman Markus Howard is 17 years old (17!). He doesn’t turn 18 until March 3rd.
And the guard could help lead the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Tournament out of the Big East.
It’s ridiculous how well and how composed Howard is playing at such a young age. We knew how talented he was coming out of high school (four-star recruit and ranked in ESPN’s top 100), but he was supposed to be a class of 2017 prospect.
Instead, Howard reclassified, and we can see why that was a smart decision on the part of him and his family.
The 6’0″ Arizona native is averaging 12.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.0 steals and only 1.6 turnovers per game. He’s also shooting an efficient 52 percent from the field overall, 51 percent from beyond the arc and 95 percent from the free throw line.
He’s the starting point guard for a Marquette team that is slowly rising in the Big East.
Sure, Creighton was zapped of energy due to the fact that they were playing without Maurice Watson Jr. for the first time all season, but that doesn’t make the Golden Eagles’ win over the Bluejays in Omaha any less impressive. That’s not a place where teams win very often.
And it’s not a place where freshman thrive.
But Howard did. He scored 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting, grabbed six rebounds (he’s only six-foot!) and turned the ball over a single time.
Marquette has one of the top offenses in the Big East and they can shoot the three with high efficiency, but Howard is one of the keys to their success. If he is playing great basketball, the Golden Eagles are that much more likely to break through and make the NCAA Tournament.
Jan 21, 2017; Chestnut Hill, MA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Justin Jackson (44) is guarded by Boston College Eagles forward A.J. Turner (11) and forward Mo Jeffers (15) during the second half at Silvio O. Conte Forum. The North Carolina Tar Heels won 90-82. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
4. Justin Jackson might be the most improved player in the country
Following a loss on their home floor to North Carolina, Boston College head coach Jim Christian’s eyes lit up when he was breaking down the Tar Heels’ roster.
It wasn’t Joel Berry II that he was raving about, though. It was Justin Jackson.
“To me, Justin Jackson might be the most improved player in the country,” Christian said. “Without question, with what I’ve seen this year, the most improved players in the ACC are (Matt) Farrell and him. Justin Jackson, those threes he hit deep, he didn’t have that consistently last year. Credit to him.”
And if you think about it. It’s true.
The Tar Heels don’t have Marcus Paige anymore. They needed another wing player to step up in order to help out Berry and their dominant front court.
Jackson’s has been that guy.
The junior came to North Carolina as a player with NBA potential — great size, great shooting and great physical tools — but he never lived up to his potential…until now.
Jackson didn’t have his most efficient game against Boston College (6-of-16 shooting), but he scored 22 points and nailed three big threes. On the season, Jackson is averaging career highs in points (18.2 points), rebounds (5.0) and most importantly, three-point percentage (40%). He is also shooting 46 percent from the field overall and is nailing 80 percent of his free throws.
In my opinion, North Carolina is the best team in the ACC right now. Jackson’s shooting ability and scoring talent (first on the team in points per game) give them a different dimension, one that makes them a National Title contender.
Jan 21, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Louisville Cardinals forward Ray Spalding (13) defends Florida State Seminoles forward Jonathan Isaac (1) during the second half at the Donald L. Tucker Center. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports
3. Florida State is the real deal
If you were questioning whether the Florida State Seminoles were the real deal before this weekend, the time to stop is now.
It’s still questionable as to whether or not they can win a National Title (that’s the case with a lot of teams right now), but there is no doubt they can capture the ACC regular season and/or conference tournament titles.
The Seminoles finally finished up a stretch of six games against top-25 opponents on Saturday against Louisville. The Noles didn’t win half of those games: they won five of them. They finished 5-1 over the stretch and are currently tied for the ACC lead with North Carolina and Notre Dame.
What is most impressive about the Noles though is how their winning. This is a team that is potent on both sides of the basketball. They can score with the majority of the teams in the country because of Dwayne Bacon, Xavier Rathan-Mayes, and Jonathan Isaac. But they can also wear you down defensively because of their athleticism, length, and depth.
Isaac, in particular, took another step, not just this weekend but this week in general. He recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks against Notre Dame on Wednesday and followed that performance up with his third straight double-double (16 points and 10 rebounds).
The one knock against FSU over this six game stretch is their lack of wins on the road — other than Virginia, all their wins were in Tallahassee. However, their schedule gives them another opportunity to prove themselves, as they play three straight road games at Georgia Tech, Syracuse, and Miami. The Noles are the real deal.
Jan 21, 2017; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks forward Jordan Bell (1) shoots a free throw during the first half against the Stanford Cardinals at Matthew Knight Arena. The Ducks won 69-52. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
2. The Pac 12 will be the nation’s best conference race
The game of the weekend wasn’t any ACC game or Big East showdown. The game of the week happened in Los Angeles, as UCLA took on an Arizona team that had Allonzo Trier on the court for the first time this season.
The game had everything.
Pace. Absurd passes (thanks, Lonzo Ball). And game-breaking dunks.
Kobi Simmons with a sweet bounce pass to Allonzo Trier for a slam. This game is a lot of fun. pic.twitter.com/BrWVcle2tm
— Ryan Kelapire (@RKelapire) January 21, 2017
Lauri Markkanen with the exclamation point for @APlayersProgram!
????: CBS https://t.co/BgIl9EdtoF
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) January 21, 2017
But we aren’t here to recap the Arizona-UCLA game. We are here to talk about the Pac 12 race, a race that is going to be the best in the country.
Yes, I know that sounds crazy given what is happening in the ACC and the Big Ten, but the truth is Oregon, Arizona, and UCLA all have a legit shot at winning the league title. And all three teams are fun to watch.
The Ducks have a spread offense that is as dangerous as any in the country when Dillon Brooks is in the lineup. We all know what UCLA is doing on the offensive end of the ball. And of course, Arizona showed they can put the ball in the basket when Trier and Kobi Simmons are on their games.
Right now the Bruins are two games behind Oregon and Arizona (they lost to both teams), but who knows what will happen over the next month and a half. All I know is that all three of these teams have a chance to win a National Title. The conference title will be the coveted crown first, though.
Jan 21, 2017; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils acting head coach Jeff Capel gives his players instructions from the bench in the first half of their game against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
1. The second half against Miami could be turning point for Duke
Despite losing four games so far this season, Duke has talent that is on par with the Kentucky team from 2013-14 that was undefeated heading into the NCAA Tournament.
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The Blue Devils have struggled mightily due to injury concerns and poor defense, though.
The latter has been the bigger concern as of late, as Harry Giles, Marques Bolden, and Jayson Tatum are all finally on the court. Amile Jefferson was out with a bruised foot, but Duke’s defense was awful when he played versus Virginia Tech.
Jefferson returned on Saturday night, however, he wasn’t the lone cure. The true cure: effort, energy, and newfound intensity in the second half against Miami.
In the first half, Duke’s issues crept up again. They were weak in ball screens, struggled to protect the rim and didn’t challenge outside shots. Jeff Capel’s team trailed by 11 at the break and looked like they were going to earn their third straight loss.
Instead, the Blue Devils held Miami to 22 second half points. Matt Jones re-energized Duke, but it was also Bolden’s ball screen defense and Capel’s intensity on the sidelines that helped spark an improved defensive effort.
A team that lacked a killer instinct all season finally showed it in the second half against the ‘Canes, and maybe that will be the turning point for the Blue Devils.
They may never hit their true ceiling, but with a stretch of games coming up against Wake Forest, NC State and at Notre Dame, Duke has a chance to build a bit of a winning streak. Remember, a couple years ago the Blue Devils turned things around after a blowout, eye-opening loss to Miami on their home court. They won the National Championship that year. Maybe a Miami game will once again turn the tides of their season.
