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Sunday, December 22, 2024
Not many people have been talking about Maryland for a while, but after Friday night, that is bound to change, especially if they can keep up what they’re doing. Plus ahead of a big day of rivalry games, Mother Nature intervenes and interferes, a tough ending for a competitor in New Haven, and a few other interesting results on a light night of action.
In the early going, the standings in one conference look very little like the preseason poll, especially with the lone undefeated team having a nice lead. Plus the Mountaineers win a slugfest, a Blue Devil is out for a while and another ACC player succumbs to a constant source of pain for the season.
Tournaments may be the talk of the town, but Stephen F. Austin took that over for one night at least. Plus a big tournament delivers, one tournament is getting smaller, and a new assistant is coming to Omaha.
The first day of action in the Maui Invitational didn’t quite start off as expected, but that might help in a year where it may be surpassed in terms of having the best field. Plus more tournament action includes one championship, a program first in Richmond, and a Hawkeye is done for the season.
Just a week into the season, we’ve already had our first shocker and second top team in the polls to go down. Plus other close calls in the same conference, the Gavitt Games continue, and a conference’s attempt at a resurgence continues.
The Sun Belt in 2018-19 continued where it has often been in recent years, as a good, solid conference, but also one struggling to break into a higher tier among Division I leagues.
After a distinctly dull first round a year ago, it can be argued-quite easily, in fact-that the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament already has delivered more. And college hoops fans can be most thankful for it.
The Big 12 and SEC once again provided a nice jolt to the late January college hoops schedule with their annual challenge event, but this year’s was notable for and different from other previous ones for several reasons.
We continue Hoopville’s preseason quick look at all 32 NCAA Division I conferences with the Big East, Big Sky, Big South and Big Ten. Plus: exhibition news.
The Sun Belt was one of the best-kept secrets of the college basketball season, with improved teams and an improving cache of star power leading to its best year collectively in more than a decade.
