We got an indication that this was going to be a wild season when it came to the top teams early on, and as conference play is about to take over around the country, nothing has happened to disabuse us of that notion. Kansas’ trip to Villanova on Saturday fits right into that category.
As Villanova survived 56-55 to knock off the Jayhawks, a new record was reached. For the fifth time this season, the team atop the Associated Press poll lost this season. That has never happened before the new year, until now – and it’s not Christmas. Michigan State, Kentucky, Duke, Louisville and now Kansas have all done it. Most likely, Gonzaga, who blew out Eastern Washington 112-77 on Saturday, will be the new team at the top come Monday.
This was a close back-and-forth game throughout, and not just because of ties or lead changes. There were periods where neither team scored as well, a surprise given what these two teams have usually been capable of at the offensive end. Scoring is certainly down in college basketball this year, though, and this was symbolic of it.
With Kansas up by two in the final minute, the ball worked its way out to Jermaine Samuels Jr. He’s waited his turn and patiently made it through a season where he got hurt at a key juncture, which didn’t help him get into a good rhythm right away. Rather than transfer like many have done, he stuck it out and emerged last season when it was his turn. He’s a key player for them this season, and as his shot swished through the basket to give the Wildcats a one-point lead late, you had to feel good for him just knowing that journey. He hasn’t had it easy all the time, but he’s worked for a moment like that.
The Wildcats still had to get through a dramatic final possession. They guarded Devon Dotson well enough that he could only put up a tough shot that missed, and the buzzer sounded to give them a win they really needed.
This certainly isn’t the national championship Villanova team from two recent seasons, but they should be closer to it than the team of a year ago that was up and down. But thus far, they have won the games they should have, while not looking as good against the best teams. They beat Mississippi State in Myrtle Beach, but they were blasted at Ohio State early on (we’ve since learned that the Buckeyes are really good, of course) and lost to Baylor in the final in Myrtle Beach. This was easily their best win of the season.
And the wild season of college basketball continues at the top of the polls. It shows no signs of abating anytime soon, even if Gonzaga has played so well that it’s not hard to envision them running the table in the West Coast Conference. The way this season has gone, you can almost expect them to lose one, and not necessarily to Saint Mary’s or BYU although they would be the most likely candidates to knock them off (Santa Clara and San Francisco have good teams as well, though perhaps a notch below the big three). It would only make sense with the way this season has gone before we have even hit Christmas.
Side Dishes
For notes on many of Saturday’s games, please see the Saturday Notes.
Kansas lost more than a basketball game on Saturday, as the Jayhawks saw Marcus Garrett go down with a right leg injury that has not been determined. Garrett was helped off the court and went right to the locker room, before returning to sit on the bench with his team in the second half. The junior guard is their best defender and also one of their most experienced players, so it’s not a small loss if he misses any significant time.
The career of Tennessee standout guard Lamonte Turner is over, as the senior told reporters following the Volunteers’ 75-53 win over Jacksonville State that he will have shoulder surgery. Turner had a big hand in the Vols’ rise during his career into a team that last season reached the top of the polls at one point and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. He has struggled shooting the ball this season, the lowlight being a 1-11 mark against Memphis a week earlier.
Tonight’s Menu
The slate is a little lighter, but still a busy one as Christmas gets closer.
- In the D.C. Holiday Hoops Fest, William & Mary takes on Saint Francis U (1 p.m.), then Richmond takes on Radford (3:30 p.m.)
- Harvard plays for a second straight day in the nation’s capital, this time visiting Howard, coached by former assistant Kenny Blakeney (2 p.m.)
- Northern Iowa gets back in action with a visit from Marshall (2 p.m.)
- Duquesne tries to stay undefeated in the second game in the St. Pete Shootout on the day as they take on UAB (2:30 p.m.)
- South Carolina hits the road to visit Virginia, while Mississippi State welcomes New Mexico State and Loyola-Chicago hosts Davidson (3 p.m.)
- The Diamond Head Classic gets underway in Honolulu, with Houston taking on Portland (3 p.m.) and Georgia Tech taking on Boise State (5 p.m.) in the first quarterfinal session. In the evening, Ball State battles Washington (9:30 p.m.) and UTEP takes on Hawaii (11:30 p.m.)
- Yale heads south to give Clemson a challenge (4 p.m.)
- Fort Worth should be home to a good one as Xavier visits TCU (5 p.m.)
