…because it’s almost FEAST WEEK, you see.
Illinois lost to Alabama. Washington should’ve lost to Southern. Same for Maryland with the Mount. And Michigan State pounded Kentucky.
That about sums up the week of Big Ten basketball, yes?
Thursday, November 20
#1 Purdue Boilermakers 80, Memphis Tigers 71 It was jarring to see Purdue give up 15 offensive rebounds, but Memphis took and missed a lot of threes. What was more concerning were the ways in which the non-Dug McDaniel backcourt for Memphis challenged Braden Smith (2/14
from the field, though 11 assists) and Fletcher Loyer (4 TOs, though 20 points on 4/10 from deep).
The Tigers are a kind of unicorny team—size, pace, depth, lots going on—that managed to foul out Trey Kaufman-Renn, but it’s a solid win for the Boilers. Onto Texas Tech down in the Bahamas.
Indiana Hoosiers 73, Lindenwood Lions 53
Nebraska Cornhuskers 84, New Mexico Lobos 72
First game of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, and the Huskers passed their first test—a game Lobos squad that should be upper-half of the Mountain West—with flying colors. Frosh and Lincoln native Braden Frager dropped 20 on 4/6 from deep, which bodes well for Nebraska if he can replicate it against mid- to high-majors. They get K-State in the championship tonight.
Iowa Hawkeyes 93, Chicago State Cougars 54
Ohio State Buckeyes 91, Western Michigan Broncos 58
USC Trojans 107, Troy Trojans 106 (3OT)
The Left Coast Trojans got all they could handle from the Alabama Trojans, and then some. Troy’s probably the best team in the Sun Belt, but Eric Musselman clearly some work to do in Los Angeles. This was ugly: Chad Baker-Mazara looked frustrated throughout the overtime, the USC defense didn’t appear to be on the same page, and then in the third overtime they just kind of stopped guarding Troy’s little ginger guy. Oopsie.
Thank goodness for USC that Troy couldn’t get the ball up court, and then that this happened:
Also, I just genuinely don’t know how USC fans listen to that band play the same two songs over and over and over. Horrible.
Friday, November 21
#23 wisconsin badgers at #9 BYU Cougars
3pm | Peacock | BYU -5.5 | O/U 161.5
Bad Boy Mowers Series – Salt Lake
Five years ago, I would’ve made a joke about this being the whitest matchup in college basketball. Of course, I have grown beyond such immaturity, and also the Mormon Money Cannon (TM Rodger Sherman) is firing on all fuckin’ cylinders, with AJ Dybantsa lighting it up for the Cougars.
Never fear, of course—Richie Saunders is still the punchable BYU player you know, hate, and expect.
Enjoy the church carpet basketball. (They should actually play this on a church hall carpet.)
Northwestern Wildcats vs. Virginia Cavaliers
4pm | CBSSN | UVA -4.5 | O/U 146.5
Greenbrier Tip-Off (White Sulphur Springs, WV) — Mountain Division
WELL AH DO DECLAIIIR-UH
No, it matters not that this is in West Virginia, not the heart of Georgia. When you say “the Greenbrier,” I hear Vanderbilt money. (Also, Jim Justice can fuck himself with Babydoll’s dog dish.)
The ‘Cats (KP 45) play the best metrics team in the field, Virginia (KP 40), and then South Carolina (KP 88) on Sunday. The Hoos are a tough matchup—they run two-deep at seven-footer centers, with German frosh Johann Grunloh and senior Ugonna Onyenso both averaging 10 points a game in support of 6’9” Belgian freshman forward Thijs de Ridder’s 17 points a game. In fact, UVA has five averaging double-digits and two more at 9.5 ppg. They do the same old annoying shit, only now with a campier European accent and more offensive rebounds, which should trouble Northwestern’s lack of depth in the frontcourt and sketchy outside shooting.
Detroit Mercy Titans at #17 Michigan State Spartans
5:30pm | BTN | MSU -30.5 | O/U 148.5
Central Connecticut Blue Devils at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
5:30pm | BTN+ | RU -14.5 | O/U 136.5
#1 Purdue Boilermakers vs. #15 Texas Tech Red Raiders
8:30pm | CBSSN
Baha Mar Championship (Nassau, BH) — Championship
TKR. JT Toppin. That and a nice pretzel are the price of admission.
Efficient offenses and good defense—you’d think, at least. Tech barely escaped Wake Forest (the kings, now, of the “almost” victory), and Illinois might’ve provided the blueprint for how to drag the Red Raiders out of their comfort zone.
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Kansas State Wildcats
8:30pm | Le Coq
Hall of Fame Classic (T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO) — Championship
The Wildcats have scored in the 90s in all but one game this year, having P5 wins over Cal and Mississippi State already. This one could very end in the 100s for both teams in regulation, and I wouldn’t be stunned—K-State is shooting 45.7% from deep, and the Huskers have been exceedingly efficient on offense, as well. Two very similar profiles and local fanbases should make for a fun time.
Presbyterian Blue Hose at #19 UCLA Bruins
9:30pm | BTN | UCLA -26.5 | O/U 129.5
Saturday, November 22
Long Island Sharks at #8 Illinois Fighting Illini
1pm | BTN+
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Providence Friars
3pm | truTV
Hall of Fame Showcase (Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT)
This one could be well over 100 points if Prov has their druthers—the Friars are getting out and running in the Kim English Era. Six Friars score in double-digits, and all but one is a guard. A potentially fun, interesting matchup, and the best test the Lions will get until a December 9 date at Indiana.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. San Francisco Dons
4:30pm | Peacock
at Sanford Pentagon (Sioux Falls, SD)
The Dons are a good, disciplined basketball team that has only lost to Memphis. They roll nice and deep as a lineup, have multiple players shooting over 50% from deep on 18+ attempts for the year, and get to/convert from the line at a good clip.
Can Minnesota turn them over enough to win this? I don’t know. We’re playing basketball in Sioux Falls. There are no rules there, just an Applebee’s on every corner.
Except for the ones that don’t have an Applebee’s. Those corners have a McDonald’s.
Sunday, November 23
Northwestern Wildcats vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
4pm | CBSSN | Greenbrier Tip-Off
If you need a separate spot to talk B1G hoops this weekend, here’s one for you. I do declare.
