What we learned: Top seeds, ceilings and a UConn domination

Feb 17, 2024, 10:45 PM ET Saturday marked exactly one month until Choice Sunday– and if groups weren’t aware that a sense of seriousness was required progressing, the NCAA tournament choice committee’s mock bracket expose happened early Saturday afternoon. For groups with hopes of sitting in the top quarter of the bracket, they suddenly understood exactly where they stood in the eyes of the committee and what they required to do moving forward.UConn discovered it was

No. 2 behind Purdue– and after that had to play a top-five group in Marquette a couple hours later. Auburn was perhaps an area or more lower than expected and after that was set to play host to a desperate Kentucky team later that night. (For what it deserves, the Huskies and Tigers fared very in a different way in their particular games.)

What else mattered on Saturday? ESPN’s Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello and Joe Lunardi break down the big storylines from another jam-packed weekend of games.

play 0:20 Adou Thiero gets up for the slam Kentucky’s Adou Thiero throws down a big dunk for the Wildcats.

Myron Medcalf: Just a few weeks before Selection Sunday throughout the 2014-15 season, Notre Dame was second in adjusted offensive performance and 151st– not a typo– in adjusted defensive performance, per KenPom. That team made a go to the Elite 8, where it lost to Kentucky on Andrew Harrison’s complimentary tosses with six seconds to play. The Combating Irish never ended up being an elite defensive team to extend that run. Kentucky faces a comparable obstacle. But this week, the Wildcats (102nd in adjusted protective efficiency getting in Saturday) have revealed they can enhance before the 68-team bracket is set next month.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated They held

Ole Miss to

simply 88 points per 100 belongings on Tuesday. And throughout the first half on Saturday, they restricted the Tigers to simply 28%of their attempts. The same Tigers that had scored a minimum of 80 points in 17 previous games. Kentucky has actually had fun with more defensive energy in current days. If it can make that effort consistently down the stretch, it might alter its postseason fortune.Jeff Borzello: Kentucky may have discovered something on Saturday

with the power forward-center duo of Adou Thiero and Ugonna Onyenso. Thiero offers the Wildcats a different level of physicality and energy at the 4, specifically in up-and-down games versus deep, athletic groups like Auburn. He went for 14 and 8 versus the Tigers.Onyenso is someone to see progressing. The arrival of Aaron Bradshaw and the midseason addition of Zvonimir Ivisic seemed like it may relegate Onyenso to the bench, however he’s begun the previous six games and his ability on the protective end gives John Calipari a rim protector. He had 10 blocks to opt for 8 points versus Ole Miss and seven points, 11 boards and two blocks against Auburn. He also didn’t permit the Tigers to dominate the paint. This duo might change when Tre Mitchell returns, however it’s working for now.Joe Lunardi’s bracket impact: Kentucky gained more than Auburn lost in regards to bracket effect. The Wildcats go up a complete line(5-seed, No. 20 overall)thanks to a near wire-to-wire road success. The Tigers can be found in with a good bit more cushion in terms of seeding and will retain the No. 4 seed they got in the NCAA’s Saturday expose. Looking ahead, though, it’s not unthinkable these two rivals might trade locations between now and Selection Sunday. Donovan Clingan’s supremacy has made the Huskies unsurpassable. The historic 28-point thrashing of Marquette on Saturday validates this. Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire

Medcalf: On its way to a second consecutive national title in 2007, Florida beat then-No. 3 Ohio State 86-60 during a 17-game winning streak. This was a Buckeyes team with eventual No. 1 NBA draft pick Greg Oden and multiple NBA prospects, who ended up the season on a 22-game winning streak. That streak was snapped by the Gators in the national title game. Ohio State’s achievement vanished when it satisfied the real king of the sport.The exact same thing happened to No. 4 Marquette on Saturday. The Golden Eagles are great. They have a double-digit win over Kansas, among other highlights. But UConn dabbled them for 2 halves.The Huskies’ dominant performance resembled Florida’s

in 2007 and must be spoken about the same method. If the Huskies are predestined to end up being the first team given that the Gators in 2006 and 2007 to duplicate as national champions, Saturday’s effort over the Final Four-level Marquette group was strong supportive evidence of that possibility.play

0:36

Hurley on Marquette: ‘It’s an advantage to play them’

UConn coach Dan Hurley says he appreciates Marquette’s program after Huskies’ dominant 81-53 win.Borzello: Donovan

Clingan might be the differentiator between UConn and everyone else in college basketball. There are other elite huge men, naturally, consisting of the Wooden Award preferred leading the other dominant group in the sport. But the method the Huskies have ended up being absolutely unbeatable because Clingan went back to full health in late January is remarkable. UConn’s offense has actually always been at a champion level, although having someone like Clingan (17 points, 10 rebounds on Saturday) running to the rim and finishing is a big boost. But the effect he’s had on their defense is unparalleled.Top stories of the week from Get exclusive access to thousands of

premium articles a year from top writers. – Lowe: What to make from LeBron-Warriors”- Kiper’s brand-new Big Board: Upgraded leading 25 “
– Bilas Index: Ranking the leading 68 teams”More ESPN +content”Since Clingan returned,
UConn’s defense has been right there with the defenses of Houston and Iowa State as being amongst the elite in college basketball. Groups simply can’t score around the rim when he’s on the flooring– further evidenced by Marquette going 5-for-15 on layups.Lunardi’s bracket impact: UConn’s case for the No. 1 general seed continues to improve

after this blasting. The Huskies are still a bit shy of Purdue in the résumé department, but definitely close sufficient to warrant tracking the two groups over this final month. As for the Golden Eagles, the committee provided the top No. 2 seed in Saturday’s expose and their seeding will not alter, despite the fact that their location among the 2-seeds will obviously drop.Quick ideasplay

1:49

Jared McCain drops 25 points in the 1st half for Duke

Jared McCain is unstoppable in the very first half as he cooks Florida State for 25 points.Duke increases again Duke has now won 4 in

a row and 7 of its past eight games considering that its loss at rival North Carolina earlier this month. The Blue Devils are striking their stride at the right time. And the development of freshman Jared McCain is the most promising advancement. His 35-point effort– he connected the scoring record for a Duke freshman– in the 76-67 victory at Florida State was a showcase for a player with NBA dreams and the possible to help this team make a Last Four run.Mark Mitchell, Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach are currently a trio couple of teams in the nation can match. But when McCain plays the way he did on Saturday– his 8 3-pointers set a record for a Duke freshman– heaven Devils look like a team that can make a run in March.– Medcalf play 0:19 LSU upsets South Carolina as Jacobi Wright misses potential game-winner South Carolina fails vs. LSU after Jacobi Wright’s 3-pointer fails to drop.Not so quickly, South Carolina It’s gut check time for the Gamecocks, who were perhaps the most significant surprise in college basketball this season, going

from last in the preseason SEC survey to league title competitor. But because increasing to No. 11 in the nation, Lamont Paris ‘group is no longer able to slip up on teams and has dropped back-to-back games today: at Auburn by 40 and in the house versus LSU, which had lost six of seven.So how will the Gamecocks respond to their first genuine hardship of the campaign? Their defense, which was so remarkable in marquee wins over Kentucky and Tennessee, has now allowed more than one point per possession in five straight games. And here’s another thing: South Carolina’s final five games of the regular season are all versus teams in ESPN’s newest bracket.– Borzello The NCAA vs. Lunardi The only surprise in Saturday’s committee reveal was the inclusion of San Diego State as a 4-seed. Many believed Creighton or Clemson would be

in that spot. The Aztecs came in at No. 14 general, which is excellent news for SDSU’s chances to hold its position and maybe a signal of how the committee will view the remainder of the Mountain West a month from now. For the record, yours truly had San Diego State at No. 19 overall, so it’s not like the Aztecs came out of nowhere. It’s a fair assessment and an excellent task by the committee overall.– Lunardi