Tag: debuts

It was a great week for the Badger State, as Marquette and Wisconsin notched huge wins and skyrocketed up the Power Rankings.

Marquette was incredibly impressive in its 18-point victory over Purdue — a game that followed a road win at Maryland on Friday. The Golden Eagles have plenty of continuity from last season, starting five juniors or seniors, and they have Kam Jones, who is playing arguably the best basketball of anyone in the country through two weeks. They’re a legitimate top-10 team in the country and should be right with UConn at the top of the Big East standings.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin had the surprise result of the week, scoring 103 points and taking down Arizona on Friday night. The Badgers then had to scrape by UT Rio Grande Valley — but for a team picked 12th in the preseason Big Ten media poll, a 5-0 start with a top-10 win is enough to get a spot in the Power Rankings.

Looking slightly ahead, the annual rivalry game between these two teams comes on Dec. 7 at Marquette.

Previous editions: Preseason top 25 | Week 1

Previous ranking: 1

Bill Self’s mix of returning players and star newcomers is still trying to find its rhythm. But one thing the Jayhawks will look to improve upon in upcoming heavyweight games against Duke in Las Vegas (Tuesday) and at Creighton (Dec. 4) is their outside shooting. The additions of Rylan Griffen, Zeke Mayo and AJ Storr were expected to help Kansas’ perimeter shotmaking, but the team has shot below 30% from 3 in three of its five games.

Next seven days: vs. Duke at Vegas Showdown (Nov. 26)

---

Previous ranking: 3

Ryan Nembhard’s start to the season seems to get a little more ridiculous with each contest. Five games in, he’s now totaled 47 assists and just six turnovers. He’s shooting nearly 44% from 3-point range and averaging 12.2 points per game. Nembhard was the best guard on the floor against Jeremy Roach and Baylor in the season opener, and should get a couple more challenging tests next week in the Bahamas. Matchups against Myles Rice and Indiana and Caleb Love and Arizona are possibilities.

Next seven days: Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas (vs. West Virginia on Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 2

Johni Broome is playing like arguably the best big man — and one of the premier players — in college basketball through two-plus weeks. His performance against Houston (20 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks) got lost in the Tahaad Pettiford hype, but he also went for 30 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks in a blowout win over North Alabama. Broome is shooting nearly 79% from 2 on more than 10 attempts per game.

Next seven days: Maui Invitational in Hawaii (vs. Iowa State on Nov. 25)

---

Previous ranking: 5

It’s about to get real for the Huskies. After beating up on four cupcakes to start the season — and becoming just the third reigning champion to win each of its first four games by 30 points, according to ESPN Research — UConn heads to Hawai’i for the Maui Invitational. The Huskies have Memphis in the opener, before facing the winner of Colorado vs. Michigan State and then either Auburn, Iowa State or North Carolina in the title game.

Next seven days: Maui Invitational in Hawai’i (vs. Memphis on Nov. 25)

---

Previous ranking: 6

Iowa State’s upcoming showdown against Auburn on Monday promises to be one of the best games of the week — and a matchup more suited for a Feast Week title game than an opening-round affair. A couple of early keys for the Cyclones: They must slow down Auburn and Johni Broome around the rim to prevail. Broome has been dominant, and Auburn leads the country in 2-point shooting. Second, Iowa State must make shots from the perimeter. The Cyclones made 10 3s against Kansas City but went 12-for-46 in their other two games.

Next seven days: Maui Invitational in Hawai’i (vs. Auburn on Nov. 25)

---

Previous ranking: 7

Milos Uzan isn’t Jamal Shead — and Houston didn’t expect him to be an exact replica of one of the nation’s best point guards of the past few seasons. But Uzan has been highly effective while filling Shead’s shoes at point of the Cougars’ attack. He has 19 assists to five turnovers through three games, while also making a pair of 3s in two of three contests. A matchup against Mark Sears and the Crimson Tide awaits next week.

Next seven days: vs. Hofstra (Nov. 22), Players Era Festival in Las Vegas (vs. Alabama on Nov. 26)

---

Previous ranking: 15

The headliner for Marquette this season has been Kam Jones — and trust me, we’ll write plenty about Kam Jones in the coming weeks and months — but the emergence of Stevie Mitchell over the past three games as a bona fide complementary scorer is great news for Shaka Smart. Mitchell had 21 points in the win over Purdue, after going for 18 points against Maryland and 17 against Central Michigan. Prior to this three-game stretch, he had scored 17 or more points just twice in 103 games.

Next seven days: vs. Georgia in the Bahamas (Nov. 23), vs. Stonehill (Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 4

Alabama bounced back from its loss at Purdue with a comprehensive 100-87 win over Illinois on Wednesday. Freshman guard Labaron Philon has been a revelation for the Crimson Tide; he was one of the bright spots against the Boilermakers with 18 points and 4 assists and then had 16 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists against Illinois. He helped Alabama overcome a scoreless effort from All-American Mark Sears — the first time he’s been held scoreless since Nov. 27, 2020. It was the third game of his college career, he was at Ohio, and he was facing, coincidentally, Illinois.

Next seven days: Players Era Festival in Las Vegas (vs. Houston on Nov. 26, vs. Rutgers on Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 8

Dayton transfer Koby Brea was considered the best 3-point shooter in the portal when he entered in the spring, but he’s shooting the ball at an unprecedented clip through four games: He’s 15-for-19 from behind the arc after making all three of his triples against Lipscomb on Tuesday. That continues his scorching form from last season, when he shot 49.8% from 3. Mark Pope keeping him in the same sixth man role he had at Dayton has proved to be a sound decision.

Next seven days: vs. Michigan State (Nov. 22), vs. Western Kentucky (Nov. 26)

---

Previous ranking: 14

What changed for Purdue between its win against Alabama over the weekend and its loss to Marquette on Tuesday night? Simply put, it was the Boilermakers’ offense. Against the Tide, they were able to run it with relative ease, getting to their spots without much resistance. That’s not how it works against Marquette, however. The Golden Eagles’ aggressive defense took Purdue out of rhythm and forced someone else besides Braden Smith to initiate offense. And right now, Purdue doesn’t have a consistent second playmaker.

Next seven days: vs. Marshall (Nov. 23)

---

Previous ranking: 11

One thing to monitor in Duke’s next two games is whether freshman Isaiah Evans will have carved out a bigger role after his shotmaking against Wofford over the weekend. Evans was a five-star recruit but played sparingly in the opening two games against Maine and Army before not getting off the bench against Kentucky. Against Wofford, he played 12 minutes and made four 3s — notable, given Duke’s lack of consistency in the half court against the Wildcats at the Champions Classic.

Next seven days: at Arizona (Nov. 22), vs. Kansas in Las Vegas (Nov. 26)

---

Previous ranking: 10

Igor Milicic Jr. wasn’t the most touted transfer of Tennessee’s incoming group — much of the reason for the intrigue surrounding the former Charlotte big man was his ability to step outside and make 3s at a consistent rate. Yet, in the Volunteers’ past two games, Milicic Jr. has totaled 41 points, 19 rebounds and 9 assists, making an impact with his efficiency around the basket and his passing ability. He and Felix Okpara have been a formidable interior duo.

Next seven days: Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas (vs. Virginia on Nov. 21), vs. UT Martin (Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 12

Hubert Davis was adamant all offseason that this year’s version of Elliot Cadeau would be “unrecognizable” compared to the 2023-24 Cadeau. So far, Davis has been spot on. Through three games, Cadeau is averaging 15.7 points and 7.7 assists, with just six turnovers. He’s also making 40% of his 3-point attempts, a dramatic improvement on last season’s 18.9%.

Next seven days: at Hawai’i (Nov. 23), Maui Invitational in Hawai’i (vs. Dayton on Nov. 25)

---

Previous ranking: 13

Ryan Kalkbrenner has been a star, Jamiya Neal and Jackson McAndrew have been pleasant surprises, but we’re still waiting for the breakout offensive performance from Pop Isaacs. An all-conference performer at Texas Tech, Isaacs was one of the best offensive players in the Big 12. But he’s hit double figures in just one of three games this season, shooting 40% from 2 and 29.4% from 3. His track record is too strong for this to be anything more than him still adapting to his new program, so more productive days are ahead.

Next seven days: vs. Nebraska (Nov. 22), Players Era Festival in Las Vegas (vs. San Diego State on Nov. 26, vs. Texas A&M on Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 16

Robert Wright III has quietly been one of the most consistent freshmen in the Big 12 this season, despite coming off the bench in all four games. He’s hit double figures in all four, making a pair of 3s last time out against Tarleton State while also dishing 23 assists to just seven turnovers. Wright is accustomed to being a table-setter for more ballyhooed teammates; he played alongside Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeeley, Asa Newell and Derik Queen at Montverde Academy.

Next seven days: Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas (vs. St. John’s on Nov. 21), vs. New Orleans (Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 22

A quick glance at KenPom’s early Player of the Year standings reveals mostly the names one would expect: Johni Broome, Cooper Flagg, Hunter Dickinson, Kam Jones. But right behind them is one that caught my eye: St. John’s wing RJ Luis Jr. While incoming transfers Kadary Richmond and Deivon Smith received most of the preseason buzz, it’s been Luis standing out through four games. He’s averaging 17.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Next seven days: Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas (vs. Baylor on Nov. 21), vs. Georgia in the Bahamas (Nov. 24)

---

Previous ranking: 19

It’s early, so let’s revisit this after they go to the Bahamas and face stiffer competition, but the Hoosiers are indeed shooting the ball better than last season by a wide margin. Last season, they made 32.4% of their outside shots; they’ve shot better than that in each of their first three games of 2024-25. Mackenzie Mgbako’s continued improvement and the arrival of Myles Rice have buoyed the numbers. That said, they’re still in the bottom 30 nationally in 3-point rate and have made just 20 3s this season. Like I said, let’s revisit in a week.

Next seven days: vs. UNC Greensboro (Nov. 21), Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas (vs. Louisville on Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 17

One of the eye-opening stats of the week comes courtesy of EvanMiya.com: Simas Lukosius has the best per-possession statistical output of anyone in college basketball this season. As Miyakawa points out, Lukosius is putting up 17.8 points and 4.8 assists, while shooting nearly 70% from 3 on nearly six attempts per game.

Here are the most impressive individual stat-lines so far this season in CBB, based on Box BPR at https://t.co/cegyfz96ax.

The top two are outrageous:
– Simas Lukosius (17.8 PTS / 4.8 AST / 70% 3PT with 4 made 3s a game)
– Kam Jones (22.6 PTS / 6 AST / 5.6 REB / 46% 3PT) pic.twitter.com/7I9m5f4PgS

— Evan Miyakawa (@EvanMiya) November 20, 2024

Next seven days: at Georgia Tech (Nov. 23), vs. Alabama State (Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: Unranked

On a crowded Friday night of hoops last week, the best performance came from an unlikely source: Missouri transfer John Tonje, who averaged 2.6 points in 9.8 minutes last season for the Tigers. The 6-foot-5 senior led his new Badgers team to a 15-point win over then-No. 9 Arizona, finishing with 41 points on just 14 field-goal attempts. He became the fifth Big Ten player with 40 points vs. a top-10 opponent in the past 25 seasons.

Next seven days: Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia (vs. UCF on Nov. 22)

---

Previous ranking: 18

In theory, John Calipari’s roster-building strategy of signing just nine players and surrounding them with guys who will primarily be used in practice makes some sense. You can’t keep 13 players happy. But we’re already seeing drawbacks. With Jonas Aidoo and Trevon Brazile out for Arkansas’ game against Pacific on Monday, Calipari used just seven players and essentially had zero big man depth. It’s a risky strategy, especially once SEC play begins.

Next seven days: vs. Little Rock (Nov. 22), vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore (Nov. 25)

---

Previous ranking: 9

Arizona desperately needs Caleb Love to return to form for its home game against Duke on Friday as well as next week’s trip to the Bahamas. The former North Carolina transfer opened the campaign with 17 points and six assists in just 21 minutes against Canisius but followed that with just 10 points against Old Dominion and 6 points on 2-for-13 shooting against Wisconsin before fouling out. The biggest shot of Love’s career came against Duke in 2022, so maybe he’ll have some extra motivation.

Next seven days: vs. Duke (Nov. 22), Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas (vs. Davidson on Nov. 27)

---

Previous ranking: 20

It’s only fair to highlight Alijah Martin’s improved production after pointing out last week his need for consistency. Martin totaled 31 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in wins over Florida State and Florida A&M this past week, and while his perimeter shot still isn’t falling, he’s making an impact at both ends of the floor. It’s also worth noting that Urban Klavzar, the Slovenia native who was cleared just last week, was thrown right into the mix. Klavzar played 15 minutes against FAMU on Tuesday.

Next seven days: vs. Southern Illinois (Nov. 22)

---

Previous ranking: 23

Tech will get its first test this week in Brooklyn, New York, at the Legends Classic. The Red Raiders open with Saint Joseph’s and its talented backcourt duo of Xzayvier Brown and Erik Reynolds II, and then could potentially face an old Big 12 foe in the title game in Texas. The return to health of Elijah Hawkins has been crucial for Grant McCasland. After missing the first two games of the season with a lower body injury, he has totaled 15 assists and seven steals in the past two games.

Next seven days: Legends Classic in Brooklyn (vs. Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 21)

---

Previous ranking: 24

Ole Miss had, by far, its best offensive game of the season against, by far, its toughest opposition. The Rebels scored nearly 1.33 points per possession against Colorado State over the weekend, turning the ball over just four times and shooting better than 47% from 3-point range. It was also a breakout performance for UNC Greensboro transfer Mikeal Brown-Jones, who averaged nearly 19 points a game last season in the SoCon. He had 14 points against Colorado State after totaling six points in the Rebels’ first three games.

Next seven days: vs. Oral Roberts (Nov. 21)

---

Previous ranking: 25

After missing the first two games of the season, projected No. 2 pick Ace Bailey made his college debut against Monmouth to the tune of 17 points and six rebounds. Bailey was even better against Merrimack on Wednesday, finishing with 23 points and 10 rebounds, making a pair of 3-pointers and producing multiple highlight-reel moments. After the game, Merrimack coach Joe Gallo said Bailey is “as good of a player as I’ve ever coached against.”

Next seven days: at Kennesaw State (11/24), Players Era Festival in Las Vegas (vs. Notre Dame on 11/27)

---

Dropped out: Ohio State Buckeyes (No. 21)