UConn did what? Auburn could win? How to react to

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN

  • Personnel WriterDec 2, 2024, 08:00 AM ET Close Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

Well, well, well.Remember all of

that stuff we stated ahead of Feast Week? We wish to issue a retraction. Since whatever that appeared real a couple of weeks ago is questionable now.The Maui Invitational boasted among its greatest

fields in current memory. Yet the long lasting picture of that occasion will be of Dan Hurley, the two-time national champion, throwing a tantrum on the sidelines in multiple games.While his feelings were the main attraction as UConn collapsed in three losses

, other forecasted competitors– paging Duke, North Carolina and Indiana– likewise emerged from the Thanksgiving weekend with real issues that might hinder them this season.But we likewise have been introduced to brand-new stars. Oregon could be a consider the Big Ten. Yes, in college basketball, not

simply football. And Louisville is back? Perhaps? We’ll see.All of the action has just encouraged the brand name of dialogue that sometimes leads to overstated overreactions. That’s why we’re here to help you sort through

the post-holiday turmoil. Connecticut’s hopes of a three-peat are finished In between a

series of outbursts and a rare three-game losing streak, it’s safe to presume Hurley won’t return to the Maui Invitational. He most likely will not even go back to Hawai’i for trip. That disastrous run stopped any chatter about a prospective three-peat for Connecticut, which has claimed back-to-back nationwide titles. UConn was still good offensively, ending up 14th in adjusted offending performance nationally and shooting 38 %from 3 over those 3 days, per barttorvik.com.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated But its defense was godawful( 185th nationally) in those losses to Memphis, Colorado and Dayton, who integrated made 53%of their

3-point attempts. It was a worrying screen for a program that’s looking for to become the first team to three-peat because UCLA’s run from 1964 to 1973 under John Wooden. This isn’t the NBA, so the Huskies can’t make a midseason trade to fix this.Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION An odd thing took place at the end of UConn’s loss to Colorado in the Maui Invitational. With seconds remaining in a one-point game, UConn’s Hassan Diarra sprinted to the right side of the floor, with the help of a few screens, as Colorado’s Julian Hammond III chased him. Colorado didn’t change at all on those screens, as if it didn’t think Diarra postured a severe danger, and more importantly, it didn’t appear to believe a prospective mismatch with another UConn player would cost the Buffaloes, either.That defensive gamble would not have actually been possible over the previous two years, when UConn had some mix of Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, Webcam Spencer, Adama Sanogo

and Jordan Hawkins. However this isn’t that team.One personnel, per a coach who faced UConn at the Maui Invitational, even informed its group that this UConn team did not have the exact same skill of those previous groups.”We informed our group that if you take UConn off their chest, that’s not the same talent level, “stated the coach. “They don’t have any pros, outside of Alex Karaban. Besides that, we took a look at their lineup and said:’We can play with them.'”Hurley is plainly among America’s leading coaches. And he has weathered misfortune in the past. However those teams had more skill. It’s tough to see how UConn will overcome its personnel deficiencies to win a third national title. It’s possible, but it’s not misdirected to think those dreams are now dashed after what happened last week.Auburn needs to be the early favorite to win the national title play 0:18 Johni Broome gets an early 3 to choose Auburn Johni Broome gets an early 3 to go for Auburn On the very first ownership of his group’s win over Memphis in the Maui Invitational title game, Johni Broome, who has made a strong case to be the front-runner for the Wooden Award after the first month of the season, struck a 3-pointer. A couple of belongings later on

, he scored on a left hook in the lane. Minutes after

that relocation, he ended up with a putback on the left side of

the rim. So far, Broome has been an unpredictable force(in an excellent way)for the Tigers.He has made 68%of his shots inside the arc this season and is 7-for-15 from beyond the arc over his past four games. His advancement has actually helped Auburn, which gets in the week first in KenPom’s rankings, end up being the most well balanced team in the nation(initially in adjusted offensive efficiency, seventh in adjusted protective performance). Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION Broome, a 6-foot-10 power forward, is

surrounded by versatile talent in a starting rotation that does not include a player shorter than 6-4. That length has made Auburn a group that’s defensively versatile, and with Broome, one of America’s best, the Tigers are also scoring 86.7 PPG.The Tigers likewise boast the country’s finest résumé with wins over Memphis, North Carolina, Houston and Iowa State. Although it’s early, they have made a compelling argument that they could be the team to beat in March. The early metrics respect them. The pollsters, too. And Bruce Pearl has eight players who have actually averaged a minimum of 15 minutes per game. Pearl seems to have everything a coach would desire in a potential contender.Indiana will get left behind in

the Big 10 race Prior to this season, coach Mike Woodson informed ESPN he believed he had the best roster of his tenure at Indiana. That seemed legitimate. Oumar Ballo got here from Arizona. Myles Rice transferred from Washington State. Plus, Mackenzie Mgbako is an NBA possibility and among 3 essential veterans who returned from last season’s team.But a few of the exact same early difficulties that afflicted last season’s team stay. The Hoosiers surrendered 124 points per 100 possessions to Louisville and 120 points per 100 ownerships to Gonzaga, atrocious numbers for a team that’s 71st in adjusted defensive efficiency right now. Last season, Indiana suffered 7 losses by 14 points or more. The team’s lopsided losses to Louisville and Gonzaga in the Battle 4 Atlantis was concerning because Indiana’s collapses last season were equally remarkable. Plus, the Hoosiers have struggled to make shots inside the arc.Verdict: NOT

AN OVERREACTION” It’s an entire team effort. My guys supported me,”said Oregon guard Keeshawn Barthelemy, after he led his group with 22 points in its 83-81 success over No. 9 Alabama on Saturday in the Players Age Festival Champion. “And I’m simply delighted to win. We’re winners.”Top stories of the week from Get exclusive access to thousands of premium articles a year from leading writers. – NBA’s 25 under 25: Wemby, Sengun, more”- 20 finest games of Rivalry Week were …” – Recruiting: 5-stars turn; UGA, PSU look for

QB”More ESPN+ content”Oregon not just left that occasion with a trophy and an extra $1 million toward its NIL spending plan, however the Ducks also most likely protected a Leading 25 ranking on that journey, which included wins over Texas A&M, San Diego State and Alabama.But that’s only one of the surprises in the Big 10. Purdue hasn’t lost its contender status because

of the increase of Trey Kaufman-Renn(19.1 PPG, 7.1 RPG). And John Tonje(22.9 PPG)has changed Wisconsin’s fortunes, too. Illinois and Kasparas Jakucionis, a forecasted lottery choice in next summer’s NBA draft, simply beat Arkansas.
Michigan State scored a win over North Carolina at the Maui Invitational. And Rutgers hasn’t strike its stride yet, but the team has a pair of prospective top-three picks in next summer’s NBA draft.Overall, 11 Huge 10 teams went into the week ranked in the leading 50 on KenPom, however Indiana was not among them after the Hoosiers’journey to the Bahamas.Questions about their status in the Huge 10 hierarchy stand after the Hoosiers entered the season as a severe risk to the Boilermakers in the league title race.Duke’s schedule will impact the confidence, advancement of young skill play 2:07 Cooper Flagg’s 24-point night leads Duke to victory Duke’s star freshman Cooper Flagg scores 24 points with six rebounds to lead the No. 12 Blue Devils previous No. 17 Arizona.Jon Scheyer comprehended the stakes entering the season. He ‘d set up hard games for Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 choice in next summer’s NBA draft, and his young group in tough locations.”[ Flagg]

would not have it any other way,”he told ESPN, prior to his team’s match at Arizona 2 weeks ago.The Blue Devils have actually lost to Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Atlanta, beat Arizona in Tucson and lost to Kansas in Las Vegas. In the losses to Kentucky and Kansas, Flagg’s late turnovers were costly, however Duke was in position to win both games

. It’s clear that Scheyer is still looking for properly to help Flagg & Co. in

those late-game scenarios. However couple of freshmen enter their first season of college basketball with the gauntlet Duke has actually withstood thus far.Verdict: OVERREACTION First(and it’s worth duplicating all season ), Flagg isn’t even 18 years old

yet. The late-game challenges for Flagg and his teammates against Kentucky and Kansas have been scrutinized. But there is another method to look at this: a teen and his young teammates played a set of squads with Last 4 aspirations to the final possession. That’s remarkable. Which’s precisely what Scheyer hoped this team would experience, sans the losses

, with a schedule that will likewise consist of an ACC/SEC Challenge match next week against Auburn before conference play starts with a game at Louisville days later.No, Scheyer didn’t send his group into these competitive matchups to evaluate them. He knew, however, those games would assist this young group fully grown. And they will. The 2018-19 Duke team led by Zion Williamson lost a close game to Gonzaga in the Maui Invitational before it rattled off 9 consecutive wins. Throughout the 2011-12 nonconference season, Kentucky

fought North Carolina in a thriller and lost at Indiana in its next game. The Wildcats won the nationwide title that season.The highs and lows Duke has actually sustained thus far will just assist the program when it faces misfortune come March.Louisville found the best leader in Pat Kelsey Louisville benefited from its experience in the Fight 4 Atlantis, which included wins over Indiana and West Virginia and a spirited rally that fell short versus Oklahoma in the tournament’s title game. The Cardinals played a few of the very best basketball we have actually seen from them in years.And that’s important. Pat Kelsey was charged with restarting a brand that has actually sustained scandals and enormous battles over the past years. The name, image and similarity era does not offer any warranties, which is why the school turned to a stimulated leader to guide it through this new era.Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION On his Twitter feed, there is a video of Kelsey walking through Louisville’s campus and asking fans to come to the group’s game against Tennessee. To some, the technique may appear corny or odd. But it’s also exactly what Louisville needed following its battles under Kenny Payne.More than anything, Payne did not radiate the energy that seems required to reconstruct a brand name in this current environment

. Kelsey’s vitality is apparent, however last week’s success mattered due to the fact that it showed he’s not simply a trick.