Funny things happen in college basketball in late January and early February, and Saturday was a perfect example of as much.
Saturday was marked by upsets and near-upsets, and we’re talking real upsets, not a team in the back half of the top 25 on its home court defeating a top-10 team. A number of developments of the day came almost out of nowhere and would almost be too wild to be believed, if they didn’t actually happen.
First, there was Oklahoma State going on the road, jumping on Kansas in the first half and never giving the lead back again, defeating the Jayhawks 84-79 at Phog Allen Fieldhouse. Okie State pounded Kansas on the glass, shot 51.6% and shut down the hosts’ perimeter game most of the way. Before this, the Cowboys looked like a team ready to fade in the Big 12, while KU appeared set to pull away in the league, and now everyone will have to rethink both of those.
Not long after, St. John’s-winless in the Big East and a team that hadn’t won since December-pulled one of the real surprises of the season. The Johnnies defeated Duke 81-77 at Madison Square Garden in the latest game in these teams’ sort-of-regular series, coming back from a halftime deficit and holding on at the end.
If one saw St. John’s earlier in the season, they never would’ve guess the Red Storm would be 0-11 even in the hypertough Big East. It’s a team with some quality pieces, and showed as much Saturday, with Shamorie Ponds scoring 33 and Bashir Ahmed (19) and Tariq Owens (17) also combining for 36 points. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, were done in by 18 turnovers. Coach Mike Krzyzewski was notably peeved with his team’s effort and intensity for much of the game, and it will be interesting to see if this is something of a turning point for a young team as it begins the stretch run before the postseason, or if this is just what Duke is-a young team that, though talented, is vulnerable against many teams supposedly outside its realm.
There also was a surprise in Conference USA that probably shouldn’t be as much of one anymore. Former Kansas State star and Lon Kruger assistant Steve Henson has quickly made Texas-San Antonio a very tough out in that league, and UTSA knocked off Western Kentucky 74-63 on Saturday, capping a big week for the Roadrunners that also included a win over Marshall. While some will no doubt label this as a major blow to the Hilltoppers’ NCAA tourney hopes-and it certainly doesn’t help-they should also take time to appreciate the improvement at UTSA, which went 5-27 just two years ago.
You also could find the eye-openers well outside the TV sphere. Feisty Drexel knocked off CAA co-leader William & Mary 91-79 on the road, and it’s become clear; Zach Spiker’s team is capable of biting just about anyone at any time. The Citadel-seemingly always facing an uphill battle in the Southern Conference-took down contender Furman 100-92 in overtime. And in the Ohio Valley, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville has shown some signs of life this year and defeated a good Jacksonville State team 75-67.
This doesn’t even count a number of near-misses (Purdue squeezing by Rutgers 78-76 on the road; Xavier’s 96-91 overtime escape from Georgetown). It was a day with its share of puzzlers, but it really is what we’ve come to expect at this time of year, even as we’re still a month from the time of year when we really expect them.
Side Dishes:
- Hoopville’s Phil Kasiecki has his Saturday Notes covering all of the day’s biggest games.
- The day’s top individual performances included some incredible ones from some wild games. The game of the day just might’ve been in the Big West, where Long Beach State’s Gabe Levin scored a career-best 45, yet the 49ers came up short in double overtime against UC Davis as T.J. Shorts hit a running three-pointer in the final seconds for a 105-104 Aggies win, capping a 31-point showing for Shorts.
- Northern Colorado’s Andre Spight is one of a number who can light it up in the Big Sky, and he went off for 41 in the Bears’ easy 86-63 win over Montana State.
- St. Bonaventure star Jaylen Adams scored a career-best 40, and most impressively on the road against a formidable Duquesne defense as the Bonnies got a solid 84-81 win.
- Georgia State’s Devin Mitchell hit a career high with 38 in the Panthers’ 81-51 blowout of Arkansas-Little Rock.
- James Madison guard Stuckey Mosley scored 35 in the Dukes’ surprising 79-73 win over Towson.
- Finally, it seems Jock Landale could be in this category most every Saturday, and the Saint Mary’s senior star and his wonderful low-post game were good for 34 points plus 18 rebounds in the Gaels’ 65-62 escape at San Diego.
Today’s Menu:
- Super Bowl Sunday means a light schedule and an early one, but not without one big game. Seton Hall and Villanova have had some dandy battles the past several years, from this year’s SHU freshmen winning a memorable overtime game three years ago, to the Pirates winning the Big East tourney title two years ago, as well as the Wildcats getting the better of several other close ones. The Hall is clearly one of the teams that can play with Nova. But can the Pirates shut down the Wildcats’ lethal outside shooting (19 three-pointers last time out) or match it? (Noon Eastern, Fox).
- Otherwise, the TV slate is quite underwhelming. A pair of Big Ten offerings have Illinois at Ohio State (Noon, FS1) and Wisconsin at Maryland (1 p.m., CBS).
- Some good backcourts meet with Georgia Tech at Boston College (Noon, ESPNU).
- Two upper-division Patriot League teams square off with Colgate at Navy (Noon, CBSSN).
- Fresh off the high of knocking off Wichita State, Temple now hits the road halfway across country to Tulane, which already knocked off the Owls in Philly (3 p.m., ESPNews).
- An intriguing game in the Metro Atlantic is Canisius at Saint Peter’s. The Golden Griffins are second in the conference but face the always-stubborn Peacocks, and John Dunne’s team of late has been controlling tempo and imposing its will as well as ever. Also, MAAC leader Rider has a tricky one on the road at Quinnipiac.
- The schedule wraps up with still-ranked (for now) Arizona State at Washington State (4 p.m., ESPNU).
Enjoy your Super Bowl Sunday.
