It was a bizarre sports weekend that began with college basketball upset wins for Western Illinois, Monmouth, William & Mary and Radford. They were the type of season openers that could only make sense on Friday the 13th.
And as the oddity of outcomes transitioned to Sunday football, with Green Bay losing at home to the lowly Lions and Peyton Manning effectively benching himself, a traditional power in college basketball returned to form.
Starters for today's game against Robert Morris – Caupain, Clark, Cobb, Thomas and Ellis pic.twitter.com/ahS7DRlq5j
The Cincinnati Bearcats ripped Robert Morris, winning 106-44.
Robert Morris was a tournament team last season. However, they only returned four players to this current roster. (This is also the same Robert Morris program that defeated Willie Caulie-Stein/Kyle Wiltjer’s Kentucky team in the 2013 NIT).
Still, Cincinnati ran circles around the Colonials with 32 team assists for the game.
Chad Brendel is the co-owner of bearcatsjournal.com and was in attendance. After the game, he was asked by collegebasketballeyetest.com if this was for real.
“Bearcats are very much for real,” Brendel responded. “Robert Morris not as good as last year, but still (a) decent mid major. (Robert Morris) just got rolled.”
Bearcat fan Walt Merritt agrees. “(They) passed my eye test — making shots they didn’t make last year.
“(Their) defense struggled in first game but killed it today,” Merritt said.
The Bearcats repeatedly launched 20-something to single digit scoring runs. The Bearcats shot 53.5% from the field. Senior Shaq Thomas put a punctuation mark on it all:
Bearcat fans were excited by Mick’s boys taking a track meet approach. Timmy Hinds watched the game on TV.
“(I was) impressed by how much better shape the bigs are; those guys look so much better and fluid,” Hinds tells @CBBEyeTest on Twitter.
“The maturity of the team is great,” Hinds continued.
Freshmen Jacob Evans and Justin Jenifer played quality minutes. Jenifer scored 11 and dropped 9 assists in just 16 minutes of action.
The win had some national pundits, like CBS’s Jon Rothstein, demanding a top 25 ranking. And that’s what you can expect to happen early this coming week.
I've never put much stock in rankings, but saying Cincinnati isn't a Top-25 team is the equivelant of saying @minkakelly isn't attractive.
Bo Ryan’s squad was one half away from a national championship, having been tied with Duke at halftime last April.
But on this November night, fans witnessed what growing pains losing Frank Kaminsky, Traevon Jackson, Sam Dekker and Josh Gasser will result in.
Western Illinois won this opener, 69-67.
“Since I’m a believer I’m just calling it a fluke,” super fan Marci Williams tells collegebasketballeyetest.com. Williams was in attendance at the Kohl’s Center in Madison Friday night. She said that the Badgers lack of defense and chemistry was apparent.
Jonathan Eckelberg is an ambassador for the Badger State, working for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. This loss won’t cost the state any tourism to the Kohl’s Center. Eckelberg says the team just needs to fix the little things.
“They needed to make more free throws for sure. Easy points that they threw away,” Eckelberg told @CBBEyeTest on Twitter.
Danny Lemanske boasts on his Twitter bio as being the biggest Badger fan ever. He watched the game at home.
“They got beat over and over again inside. They don’t have a rim protector. (It) seemed like offensive ball movement was a lot worse,” Lemanske said late Saturday.
If you follow Badgers Men’s Basketball on Twitter, this offseason would have you thinking Nigel Hayes is primed to be the next Arlando Tucker:
And it won’t be long before that excitement returns. In fact, it appears Wisconsin fans are already over it. Most tweets Saturday night point to Bo Ryan’s ability to develop young talent to fit his system.
Lemanske said “suddenly I don’t feel so bad,” after seeing that coach Buzz William’s Virginia Tech team lost to Alabama State.
Let’s also put into context who this Western Illinois Leathernecks team is. First, they hail from the Summit Conference, which recently brought you the North and South Dakota state division 1 teams to the NCAA Tournament. In 2014, North Dakota State defeated 5th seed Oklahoma. Last season, they lost to Gonzaga by just 10. In prior years, South Dakota State earned itself as low as a 13 seed and competed well round one against Baylor and Michigan respectively.
Contrary to Wisconsin, this Western Illinois team got 136 minutes contributed from its senior players. Perhaps our takeaway should be less about Wiscsonsin’s chemistry and more about who the Summit League’s next representative may be.
Going to a college basketball game this season? Share your eye witness report by tweeting @CBBEyeTest.
Before you just say, “Oh, just another basketball blogger in his basement blowing steam,” allow me to clarify: I am just another blogger in his basement! But my past picks paved the way for some street cred. In 2013, I listed UCONN as one of my five top value picks (click here to read the archive). In 2014, all five of my underdog value plays made the NCAA tournament. That included Utah, which I correctly threw the flag on Vegas when it listed the Utes at 200-to-1.
Of course, this past March Madness, ESPN business reporter Darren Rovell shared my winning ticket after parlaying UAB and Georgia State for first round upsets:
Here are my top 5 underdogs for the 2015-16 college basketball season. I am taking this show on the road, as in down the street, by visiting college basketball’s epicenter:
You’ll bookmark this article. Maybe e-mail it to yourself. Tweet it out with your reasons why you disagree.
But in March, you’ll come back and say “damn, he was right.”
San Diego State
The biggest snub, as it stands now, is San Diego State. The AP got it wrong putting teams like California and Utah over their fellow West Coast residents. Coach Steve Fisher has made it a hallmark of his program to defend the post, and, again, has the assets to do it this season. Shot-blocker Skylar Spencer returns for his senior season as does Arizona defector Angelo Chol. Looking for scoring punch? Winston Shepard and Malik Pope can provide. In fact, I would not be surprise if Malik Pope’s gaudy 6-10 athletic makeup propels him into an NBA lottery pick if he puts it together in his sophomore campaign. Point guard Trey Kell went through some growing pains last season under the tutelage of Xavier Thames.
SMU Turmoil. But not a bad team Somehow Nic Moore has another year of eligibility. Add to that, his quality play with Kansas basketball as part of the World University Games, and you have a point guard who can lead his team to the tournament. I think this American Conference will continue its being watered-down. Let’s not crown UConn just yet, Memphis is a cluster and both Temple and Cincinnati lost some key pieces. I think shooting guard Keith Frazier is the best player on this roster, which might explain why a school administrator took online classes to solidify his eligibility (according to what Frazier told ESPN) without his knowledge. I think SMU could play the role of spoiler this season. Does a ban from postseason play mean they shouldn’t be ranked? I don’t think so. https://twitter.com/Keith_Frazier/status/647947471390314496 Let the record show my preseason top 25 published weeks ago. Click here to view it.
Texas A&M
Aggies alum DeAndre Jordan made a splash this offseason in pro basketball. I think his alma mater should have got more press as well. DJ Hogg, Tyler Davis and Elijah Thomas are stacked together in the 30-40th ranked recruits nationally, according to ESPN. All these Texas boys could make it an interesting year for the Aggies, with a lot of upside. I am especially focusing on the most underrated point guard in the nation, Alex Caruso. Caruso is a true facilitator. He is a senior this season. He averaged 5.5 assists per year last season. (Watch these highlights and watch what I’m talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJCGQTXb5Us ). Texas A&M returns scoring punch with Danuel House and I think it has enough dogs to scrap ahead of the Auburns and LSU’s in the SEC. (Let’s not discount that Florida will need at least a year adjustment minus Billy Donovan).
Florida State
As my father once said, “You can’t teach size.” This haunted me as a 5’8″ high schooler failing to make the varsity roster. The concept may also haunt the ACC as I’m looking at Florida State’s roster. 7-3, 7-4, 7-1 it reads. Then think about the scoring punch. Freshman Dwyane Bacon is advertised as a better scorer than Xavier Rathan-Mayes, but that does not have to be the case for this team to be difficult to defend. Rathan-Mayes scored over 22 six times last season, including a 35-point outburst against Miami (while it was fighting for its playoff life in late February). Leonard Hamilton’s Seminole clubs used to be the higher seed squads no one wanted to face in March Madness. They made the Sweet Sixteen in 2011. I feel he has refueled and will return with new faces to those old ways of defending the ball and scoring just enough to stifle the opponent. Yeah, Montay Brandon is a solid swingman as well. I almost forgot about him.
For the blue bloods, my eye test evaluation of offseason YouTube videos pins Skal Labissiere atop any of the Duke recruits.
Keeping in the ACC, I think the Louisville “scandal” won’t go away anytime soon. That won’t set a team back as much as losing Montrezl Harrell, Chris Jones, Terry Rozier and Wayne Blackshear. Meanwhile, Florida State returns a scary amount of its signature size. Not to mention, Xavier Rathan-Mayes could lead the nation in scoring here in his sophomore season. Notre Dame is also a better team than Louisville when I account for the talent, especially in the post, that it returns.
Xavier Rathan-Mayes set for monster year. His work ethic through the roof. @YungBoiMayes explains off season here https://t.co/cCYvpFcdFH
Don’t discount my entire list because I have Wichita State number three. Hear me out. Ron Baker foregoes the NBA to pursue a championship in his senior season. Running mate and fellow senior guard Fred Van Vleet makes Wichita State the best backcourt in the nation (and they may have been that last season). The Shockers also quietly add Kansas transfer Connor Frankamp, whose range can pose matchup nightmares if the Shockers choose to go three-guard-lineup. The big fella, Shaquille Morris, made strides last season as being a reliable post option.
Speaking of so-called “Mid-Majors,” Gonzaga stands firm in the top five because of the girth it returns. The Bulldogs return Wiltjer, Sabonis and Karnowski down low. Gonzaga also makes my top five of under-appreciated seasons from last year. See the full list as part of my YouTube playlist previewing each team:
In the SEC, all the ink will be about LSU and whether its diaper dandies can out-match Kentucky. However, I am focusing on the most underrated point guard in the nation, Alex Caruso. Texas A&M returns scoring punch with Danuel House and I think it has enough dogs to scrap ahead of the Auburns and LSU’s in the league. (Let’s not discount that Florida will need at least a year adjustment minus Billy Donovan).
Yes, Arizona is left out of my top 25. TJ McConnell was the quarterback of this team for two years. That said, I will give new starting point guard Justin Simon all of the credit in the world if he can lead the Wildcats to a top 25 position. https://twitter.com/RoseAlyVal/status/651793422131396608
I think AP voters might make the mistake of leaving Georgetown out of the top 25. We could be looking at the nation’s leading scorer in D’Vauntes Smith-Riviera and a surrounding cast worthy enough for that vote. Plus, the Hoyas had a trip to Italy this offseason. How could they not play well with an offseason Tuscan diet?
Oklahoma’s collapse last season still bothers me. The Sooners led by 10 for majority of the first half against Michigan State, but really struggled to score the ball late. However, I can’t deny a backcourt of Buddy Hield and Isaiah Cousins from my top 20. The Big 12’s disappearance from March Madness, in fact, still irks me. But I cannot keep veterans Perry Ellis and Frank Mason Jr. from the top 5 with KU, nor can I keep Baylor from the top 25 with Taurean Prince peaking late last season.
Outside: Utah and Xavier drop from my top 25 for the same reason: they each lose their floor general point guards (Delon Wright, Dee Davis respectively).
For the same reason, Northern Iowa won’t be making my top 25. Losing a leader like Seth Tuttle, I need to wait-and-see whether the Panthers can regroup. Plus, Louisville shellacked them in the tournament and that image is still in my mind.
Rhode Island cracks my top 25 as they showed flashes last season. E. C. Mattthews, the junior from Detroit, averaged 17 points per game last season. The Rams return a nucleus from last season and plays in a wide-open A-10 (with Shaaka leaving VCU). Look out for George Washington in this conference as well!
Old Dominion leap-frogs conference mate UAB to finish my top 25. Senior Trey Freeman is one of my favorite combo guards in the nation. He is silky smooth with his handle and jump shot. Watch for UAB and its returning roster of the squad that shocked Iowa State in the tourney last season. https://twitter.com/ODUMBB/status/651064807114809344
Josh Solomon, a senior writer with the GW Hatchet, chats with Matty D. about the upcoming basketball season. George Washington narrowly missed the NCAA tournament last season and returns a lot of talent. Visit http://collegebasketballeyetest.com for hoops content. Tweet @CBBEyeTest to share your eyewitness reports.
The Champions Classic will be the (un)official start to the college basketball season, as a yearly rotation of powers Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan State and Duke square off.
Matty D., yours truly, wanted to mark the countdown by getting insight from three of last season’s tournament teams. I spoke with beat reporters who know these teams best. Like most young basketball teams, all these programs are experiencing some transition this summer. Watch then join the conversation by tweeting @CBBEyeTest or finding College Basketball Eye Test on Facebook and Instagram.
Last season’s Indiana Hoosiers ball-club was many top 25 teams I was able to witness in person. Watching them lead Georgetown at halftime at Madison Square Garden, I saw flashes of brilliance from their back-court.
I already knew about Yogi Ferrell, but was blown away by watching James Blackmon Jr.’s ability to score in a variety of ways. Troy Williams’s athleticism was also a sight to see.
With the obligatory rumors about Tom Crean’s job security floating around, I check in with beat reporter Tyler Smith to talk Hoosiers basketball. Here is my interview and some insight on Indiana’s summer:
The Cowboys were one of my favorite teams to watch in 2014-15. After watching Wyoming crush Colorado in a November game, I knew this squad was for real. The Cowboys cracked the top 25, but then had their hardships. They persevered and made the NCAA Tournament with a dramatic conference championship.
Knowing team “Go Pokes” lost a load of talent this summer, most notably Larry Nance Jr. to the NBA, I checked in with Robert Gagliardi to see how their summer is going. Here is my interview with the WyoSports.net beat reporter, who covers the Cowboys:
Okay, it’s July. We are mid-way between March Madness and Turkey tournaments. I needed to get my fix. Enter, Kansas City’s College Basketball Experience:
Kids (and adults) can shoot hoops while surrounded with some of the best college basketball images.
The CBE is tucked inside Kansas City’s Sprint Center within the “Power and Light District.”
There are a few surprises underneath the facade of the CBE.
College Basketball Eye Test 