A chaotic week of males’s basketball was marked by shocking outcomes and the rise of unranked groups. Andy Katz returns to evaluate his high 36 groups after a tumultuous week.
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Energy 36 | Jan. 22
1. UConn (1): The highest-ranked Huskies beat Creighton and gained at Villanova. 2. Purdue (2): The Boilermakers gained at Indiana and Iowa. 3. North Carolina (3): The Tar Heels are making a robust case for a No. 1 seed of late. 4. Tennessee (5): Dalton Knecht was merely sensational within the win over Alabama. 5. Auburn (8): Don’t look now however Bruce Pearl has a Last 4 potential crew once more. 6. Kentucky (10): The Wildcats lastly bought their elusive large man eligible in 7-2 Zvonimir Ivisic.7. Arizona (16): The Wildcats look the half once more because the crew to beat within the Pac-12. 8. Wisconsin (9): The Badgers bounced again from a street loss at Penn State with a win over Indiana. 9. Houston (13): The Cougars had a re-set and are again to being in rivalry for the Massive 12 title. 10. Kansas (4): The Massive 12 street continues to be a wrestle of late after a loss at West Virginia. 11. Illinois (18): Terrence Shannon Jr., is again for the Illini and he made a distinction within the Sunday win over Rutgers. 12. Oklahoma (15): The Sooners bounced again with a stable two-win week. 13. Creighton (26): The Bluejays bought the cut up on the street swing by beating Seton Corridor in triple-overtime after dropping at UConn. 14. Seton Corridor (17): The Pirates are nonetheless on track to complete within the high three after the robust loss to Creighton. 15. Marquette (19): The Golden Eagles have gained two in a row however nonetheless path UConn by two video games. 16. Dayton (23): The Flyers are one of many hottest groups within the nation with a 12-game win streak. 17. Kansas State (NR): Kansas State is again to being a Massive 12 contender with just one loss. 18. Baylor (11): Took a buzzer-beater from Texas to take down Baylor. 19. Duke (7): The Blue Devils have been surprised by Pitt however they have been with out two key gamers, together with Jeremy Roach. 20. Alabama (14): The Tide bumped into the buzzsaw that’s Tennessee. 21. New Mexico (29): The Lobos bought the win over Utah State however then didn’t fall at Air Pressure, which may have been a tricky follow-up. 22. Michigan State (34): The Spartans are again, winners of three in a row. 23. Texas Tech (22): The Crimson Raiders have had fairly a turnaround this season, now tied for the highest spot within the Massive 12. 24. Iowa State (25): The Cyclones bought a much-needed resume win at TCU by one. 25. Utah State (20): The Aggies suffered their first loss — however at New Mexico. 26. Saint Mary’s (NR): The Gaels have gained six in a row and are the present crew to beat within the WCC. 27. Memphis (6): The Tigers have been surprised Sunday at Tulane after South Florida beat them at dwelling.28. Oregon (24): Misplaced a late-possession recreation at Utah Sunday, however confirmed effectively on the street. 29. Wake Forest (31): The Demon Deacons have gained two of three and are within the thick of the top-four ACC race.30. Nebraska (33): The Huskers ended a two-game slide with a win over Northwestern. 31. Northwestern (32): The Wildcats adopted up a house win over Maryland with a street loss at Nebraska. 32. TCU (12): Dropped two in a row within the rugged Massive 12. 33. Boise State (36): The Broncos stayed within the high spot chase within the MWC with a one-point win over SDSU.34. San Diego State (30): The Aztec’s street slate continued to be daunting however they have been nonetheless solely a recreation out of first. 35. South Carolina (NR): The Gamecocks are 3-2 within the SEC after a convincing, 13-point win at Arkansas. 36. Syracuse (NR): The Orange had a terrific week getting the sweep of Pitt and beating Miami on the buzzer. The one two losses in 2024 are on the street at Duke and at North Carolina.
Dropped out: Ole Miss (21), St. John’s (27), Villanova (28), Clemson (35).
👉 MUST READ: Kansas, Duke surprised, 3OT Massive East thriller on loaded Saturday
Into consideration: Colorado, FAU, Ohio State, Iowa, Colorado State, Gonzaga, Georgia, Florida, BYU, UCF, Texas, Mississippi State, Arizona State, Utah, Stanford, Indiana State, Virginia, Florida State, Princeton.
High 10 Video games to Watch
1. Auburn at Alabama, Wednesday: This has develop into a terrific hoops rivalry once more with the type of play Bruce Pearl and Nate Oats are teaching now. Auburn is the higher crew — for now. However the Tide might have the sting within the backcourt. Must be a enjoyable one.
2. Kansas at Iowa State, Saturday: Hilton must be rocking, prefer it at all times is when Kansas involves Ames, for a recreation that would proceed to assist the Cyclones’ total resume.
3. Kentucky at South Carolina, Tuesday: The Wildcats added one other dimension with the addition of 7-2 Zvonimir Ivisic. The Gamecocks bought a resume win by successful at Arkansas. Taking down Kentucky would go a good distance towards a bid.
4. Wake Forest at North Carolina, Monday: The Demon Deacons are two video games again of first-place Carolina. A loss and catching UNC might not be believable, however getting a win right here and Wake is within the race to remain.
5. Michigan State at Wisconsin, Friday: The Badgers bought the primary one within the season sequence. Each groups are higher now — which nonetheless might give the benefit to the Badgers. Wisconsin nonetheless has to play at Minnesota earlier than this recreation whereas the Spartans have the week off earlier than this tip.
6. Arizona at Oregon, Saturday: The Geese and Arizona began the week tied within the loss column after Oregon misplaced at Utah Sunday. That is the final time they may play in Eugene in a convention recreation. This recreation may find yourself having a significant say within the Pac-12 regular-season champion.
7. Illinois at Northwestern, Wednesday: The Illini beat the Wildcats by 30 just a few weeks in the past in Champaign. Northwestern has improved dramatically since then and Boo Buie is a late-game shot maker. Illinois is coming off a house Rutgers win and the primary recreation with Terrence Shannon Jr. since he gained a court docket injunction.
8. Texas at Oklahoma, Tuesday: Subsequent season this will probably be an SEC recreation, not one within the Massive 12. Texas is coming off a buzzer-beater to knock off Baylor whereas the Sooners have gained two in a row, together with at Cincinnati.
9. Houston at BYU, Tuesday: The 2 new members of the Massive 12 meet for the primary time in Provo. BYU is a recreation again of Houston and 4 others within the Massive 12. This must be a extremely entertaining recreation.
10. Villanova at St. John’s, Wednesday: The Crimson Storm, which gained in Philadelphia the primary time they performed, has misplaced three in a row, whereas Nova has misplaced two. This recreation is vital to each within the quest to complete within the high 5 within the Massive East.
🏀 The bottom seeds to make the lads’s Last 4, Elite Eight and Candy 16
March Insanity Nationwide Participant of the Week
Zach Edey, Purdue: The case is closed. Edey goes to win back-to-back nationwide participant of the yr awards. He would be the first individual to do it since Ralph Sampson in 1982 and ’83. The opposite gamers who’ve executed so are Jerry Lucas, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Invoice Walton. That’s the record. Nicely, after Edey demolished the competitors this previous week he will probably be a lock to take action. Edey scored 33 factors and grabbed 14 rebounds in a street win at rival Indiana after which dropped 30 and 18 rebounds with 4 blocks within the street win at Iowa. Edey is averaging 23.5 factors and 11.5 boards a recreation, to this point.
🏆 Weekly Awards from @TheAndyKatz 🏆
Participant of the Week: Zach EdeyTeam of the Week: Tennessee pic.twitter.com/DBZWM3Syjw
— NCAA March Insanity (@MarchMadnessMBB) January 22, 2024
March Insanity Nationwide Crew of the Week
Tennessee: The Vols have re-emerged as one of many high groups to beat within the SEC, together with Kentucky and now Auburn. Tennessee crushed Florida 85-66 and destroyed Alabama 91-71. The star in each video games is a possible first-team all-American in Dalton Knecht. He scored 39 factors within the win over Florida and 25 within the victory over Alabama. The earlier week Knecht scored 36 within the win over Georgia. He’s averaging 18.8 a recreation in his first season with the Vols after enjoying at Northern Colorado.