Well, that was quite a start for your favorite prognosticator. The bad news is, I went 0-5 against the spread last Saturday. The good news is, I have a lot of room for improvement!
That starts today with a solid slate of games, headlined by the UConn-BYU clash in Boston. I’m looking for a big-time bounceback, and I plan to take you along for the ride. Enjoy the day, everyone.
Clemson at Georgetown
Seth’s Analysis
I’m surprised Clemson is favored, because these are not your older brother’s Georgetown Hoyas. We are in year three of Ed Cooley’s reclamation project, and he has the Hoyas off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2018. They are powered by a veteran three-man nucleus of 6-foot-4 junior guard K.J. Lewis, 6-foot-1 junior guard Malik Mack and 7-foot-1 senior center Vincent Iwuchukwu. The 3-0 start includes a statement-making win at Maryland, which is undergoing its own rebuild under first-year coach Buzz Williams. Clemson coach Brad Brownell has gone from the perennial “hot seat guy” to the longest tenured coach in the ACC. His team is playing typical Brownell basketball so far (No. 2 on KenPom in turnover percentage and No. 6 in effective field goal defense), but the Tigers have played very weak competition thus far. This is a step up in weight class, and I think the Hoyas will rise to the occasion at home.
Maryland at Marquette
Seth’s Analysis
Welcome to The Buzz Williams Game as the Terps’ new coach returns to Marquette for the first time since he left for Texas A&M in 2014. Williams coached for six years in Milwaukee and took the Golden Eagles to three Sweet Sixteens and an Elite Eight. He has proven masterful at building a culture around toughness, defense and offensive rebounding, and while the Terps have shown some of those elements in the early going (especially from 6-foot-9 senior forward Pharrell Payne, who came with Williams from A&M), those things take time. Marquette is still smarting from its 100-77 beatdown from Indiana on Nov. 9. The Golden Eagles are getting good production out of 6-foot-4 senior guard Chase Ross, who is averaging 18.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The health of 5-foot-10 junior guard Sean Jones is a concern (he sat out Wednesday’s win over Little Rock with his arm in a sling), although freshman Nigel James (13 points) stepped up admirably in his first career start. The bottom lins is that this is a really important game for Marquette given the symbolic significance of Williams’ return. Maryland is rebuilding, but Marquette is Continuity U, as Shaka Smart is still the only high-major coach who doesn’t take transfers. I think the Golden Eagles will take care of business.
Princeton at Kansas
Seth’s Analysis
The Jayhawks rolled over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Tuesday as expected, but the larger question was Jayhawks freshman phenom Darryn Peterson, who sat out the the game with what Bill Self called a “tight” hamstring. Peterson has also been dealing with cramping issues in the early going. It’s vital that he is in peak health for the Jayhawks’ brutal upcoming schedule against Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse, UConn and Missouri. It’s also important that Kansas improve its defense after giving up 58 second-half points in last Friday’s loss at North Carolina. Without Peterson, KU got solid performances from two other freshmen, Kohl Rosario (team-high 16 points) and Bryson Tiller (11 points off the bench). Now they need more help from upperclassmen like Melvin Council, the 6-foot-4 senior guard who transferred from St. Bonaventure and is scoring just 6.7 points per game, although he has been hampered by a dislocated finger. I don’t expect a whole lot of resistance from a Princeton squad that lost its opener at Akron by 35 points and is ranked No. 224 on KenPom. Normally I would look for the underdog to pull a backdoor cover, but after last week’s oh-fer I’m good with riding the favorite.
UConn vs. BYU
Seth’s Analysis
After some light tuneups over New Haven, UMass-Lowell and Columbia, UConn is about to embark on a formidable gauntlet, with games coming up against BYU, Arizona, Illinois, Kansas and Florida in a three-week span. Dan Hurley’s Huskies are ready for the challenge. They’ve been led thus far by the three-man nucleus of 6-foot-8 senior forward Alex Karaban (17.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game), 6-foot-3 junior guard Solo Ball (18.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists) and 6-foot-10 senior forward Tarris Reed (19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds). UConn’s combination of experience, height and continuity render the Huskies well-prepared to contain BYU’s incandescent freshman forward A.J. Dybantsa, who averaged 18.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in his first three game. For all the hype about Dybantsa, 6-foot-5 senior guard Richie Saunders actually leads the Cougars in scoring with 20.3 points per game on 47.4 percent three-point shooting. I wish this game was is in Gampel Pavilion, but I’m sure Husky Nation will have no trouble packing TD Garden. Hurley’s guys are going to give them plenty to cheer about.
Oklahoma vs. Nebraska
Seth’s Analysis
Attending a game at the Sanford Pentagon is definitely on my bucket list, and the good folks in Sioux Falls will be treated to another good one here. The Huskers have looked impressive while beating up on weak competition. That includes a triple double (18 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists) from 6-foot-10 senior forward Rienk Mast in a win over FIU. I like that Nebraska has shown an ability thus far to defend well (No. 8 on KenPom in effective field goal D) without fouling (No. 7 in defensive free throw rate). Unlike Nebraska, the Sooners did play a difficult road game against a great Gonzaga squad, but they were dominated in an 83-68 loss. Xzayvier Brown, the heralded 6-foot-2 junior transfer from Saint Joseph’s, scored a game-high 21 points, but the Sooners could not overcome a woeful 6-for-26 performance from three. It’s hard to tell this early who the better team is, but given that this is a neutral site game, I think Oklahoma’s experience at Gonzaga was a growth opportunity that Nebraska hasn’t had thus far.
