Welcome to Volume I of my college basketball Index, the most
reliable measure of basketball excellence on this tiny, little planet. My Index
has farsightedness, trustworthiness and uncanny accuracy that are
mind-boggling. It is a constant. It is a national treasure. And it is the only
measure the Selection Committee should use.
The My Index is not a ranking or poll voted upon at the whim
of the uninformed. It is an ordered listing of the best teams in
college basketball. It is not a "snapshot" or the flavor of the week.
It is based upon actual data and the vast reservoir of hoops knowledge of my
index. My index does not rely upon any one metric, such as the NET or RPI. My Index inputs every reliable piece of
basketball data and sorts it all for you in an easily digestible package. It
must be pointed out annually that even though my Index is available to the
Selection Committee, it cannot keep that group of well-intentioned people from
making a mess of selections and seeding. Nothing, including Zion
Williamson in midair, is that imposing. That said, enjoy my
Index. As always, you're welcome.
1. VIRGINIA
CAVALIERS
Remember, the Bilas Index is not a poll that bends to the
prevailing wind of each result. If Tiger Woods in his prime hit a tee shot out
of bounds, that wouldn't make him less than the best golfer. Similarly, a road
loss at Duke hardly disqualifies Virginia as the No. 1 team. Everybody has lost
and will lose again. That's basketball. Virginia has better offensive weaponry
than it had with last season's overall No. 1 seed. Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome make
up one of the best backcourts in the country, and De'Andre
Hunter is a legit lottery pick. Virginia isn't going anywhere.
2. DUKE BLUE
DEVILS
The thing that gets lost in Zion-mania is the value of Tre Jones.
This kid is a "next-level" defender. Watch film of him. He is a
savant on and off the ball. He is also a very good finisher. With Jones, Duke
is as formidable a defensive team as there is in America. Free throw shooting
and perimeter shooting could be issues down the stretch; Duke needs to improve
in both areas. But Zion and RJ Barrett are good enough to carry the offense.
Wow.
3. TENNESSEE
VOLUNTEERS
The Vols are legit and have two SEC Player of the Year
candidates in Grant
Williams and Admiral
Schofield. Williams is nearly unstoppable in the middle of the
floor, and he brings it every game. But Tennessee is not going to overwhelm
teams with talent alone. When the Vols guard people "five as one,"
Tennessee can beat anyone. When the Vols are casual on the defensive end, any
good team can give them a tussle. Grit is this team's calling card.
4. MICHIGAN
STATE SPARTANS
Don't be surprised if Tom Izzo's team cuts down the nets in
Minneapolis this year. The Spartans have experience, toughness and the best
overall offensive point guard among Power 5 teams in Cassius
Winston (sorry, Cassius, you play in the age of Ja Morant of
Murray State). The Spartans have won 20 straight Big Ten games, a streak that
just doesn't happen in today's game.
5. MICHIGAN
WOLVERINES
The Wolverines' poor performance at Wisconsin was an
aberration. Michigan might not have a juggernaut on the offensive end, but it
has a great defensive team. The lack of a go-to scorer is a concern, but there
are precious few teams that will feel comfortable playing Michigan on a neutral
floor. Ignas
Brazdeikis will continue to improve as a lead performer, and he
will not have another bagel. It was a great win by Wisconsin, but not one I
would expect to come often at Michigan's expense.
6. GONZAGA
BULLDOGS
With Killian
Tillie back and getting into game shape again, the Zags add an NBA
first-rounder to the rotation. Tillie is the Zags' best shooter and
shot-blocker, and he provides another dimension to an already terrific team. Is
this Zags team better than its 2015-16 version? No. But this team is good
enough to beat anyone. Sadly, we won't really get to see that until March.
7. KENTUCKY
WILDCATS
Give John Calipari credit. This dude does not surrender to
the excuses of youth, and he just keeps coaching up the young guys. And they
respond. Like last season with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, freshman point
guard Hagans has broken out to become a team-changing star. We often refer
to a player breaking out due to offensive performance. Yet Hagans broke out
with his defense, his harassing pressure on the ball, his steals and his
resulting offensive improvement. Plus, Tyler Herro has
blossomed into a reliable scorer and defender. The next step is for Nick Richards to
play more minutes. His rim protection is the one thing Kentucky lacks.
8. NORTH
CAROLINA TAR HEELS
The Heels are a bit of a puzzle, and the missing piece is
defense. When North Carolina plays defense with intensity, passion and pride,
this team is really good. When the Heels play to just "outscore" or
"out-offense" an opponent, they are just OK. And to Roy Williams, OK
is not OK. Carolina is not big inside and has nobody to throw it to for an easy
post score, but Littlies starting to get comfortable out on the floor. He
is a difference-maker.
9. BUFFALO BULLS
This team is legit. With top scorer and shooter CJ Massinburg, lefty wing Jeremy Harris and
super-sub Nick Perkins,
the Bulls can beat anyone. Until they tripped at Northern Illinois on Tuesday,
the only loss for Buffalo was at Marquette, when Markus Howard turned
into a video game. The Bulls might not lose again until the postseason. If
there is a non-Power 5 team (other than Gonzaga) that can reach the Final Four,
look no further than Buffalo.
10. NEVADA WOLF
PACK
The Wolf Pack started 18-1, with the only stumble coming at
New Mexico in a bizarre blowout. Jordan Caroline has
been the consistent horse, and he is a double-double machine. The areas of
concern are rebounding and consistent shooting from the perimeter. Caleb Martin is
a good shooter who has not shot the ball well, and Jazz Johnson is
a microwave shooter, but will Nevada have enough over three weeks in March?
11. KANSAS
JAYHAWKS
If Kansas wins the Big 12 yet again, this will be Bill
Self's most improbable title. Kansas has every reason to give up the title to
the field this season because the Jayhawks are smaller inside without Udoka
Azubuike and Silvio De
Sousa and because the Jayhawks' guards are so darn young.
Yet Dedric Lawson has
been so consistently productive and the "good Lagerald Vick"
has shown up so often that Kansas has been able to overcome its deficiencies.
Buckle up, KU fans. There will be a lot of close games this season, but it will
be fun.
12. MARQUETTE
GOLDEN EAGLES
Markus Howard is
simply ridiculous. Sam Hauser is
a pro and will play in the NBA for a long, long time. Marquette has fiber and
fights down to the last minute. There is not a more fun team to watch in all of
college hoops than Wojo's Warriors. They will shoot from anywhere and make it,
and they don't give up.
13. TEXAS TECH
RED RAIDERS
The Red Raiders are listed this high due to amazingly tight
and tough defense. Texas Tech defends as well as any team in the country, but
the Red Raiders simply cannot score efficiently. Jarrett
Culver is a great player who will be a first-round pick, but
what other Red Raiders player can score at the end of a clock? This is not a
top-50 offensive team, and most of the analytics suggest that this is not a
top-100 offensive team. Defense will get Texas Tech to the second weekend of
the NCAA tournament. You have to score to get beyond that.
14. AUBURN TIGERS
The Tigers have great guards in Jared Harper and Bryce Brown,
but without Austin Wiley in
the lineup, Auburn did not have enough inside or on the glass to beat Kentucky
at home Saturday. Auburn can force turnovers and be disruptive, but the Tigers
need to rebound the ball better at the defensive end.
15. HOUSTON
COUGARS
Kelvin Sampson isn't a good coach. He is a great coach.
It is amazing what he has done with a Houston program that was more of an
archaeological dig than a good hoops job. Houston defends well and has a great
guard in Corey Davis
Jr. who can shoot it from anywhere and (almost) never misses a
free throw. The Cougars are not 1983 vintage, but they are damn good.
16. MARYLAND
TERRAPINS
The Terps are back. Anthony Cowan
Jr. is one of the best guards in the country, yet he is still
under the radar. He has elite quickness and has been incredibly efficient and
selfless with a young group. The key for Maryland has been Bruno
Fernando, who has emerged as a star. Fernando commands a double team
with his near 70 percent shooting from the floor, yet he is a good passer out
of that situation. As the young guys get more comfortable and consistent,
Maryland should get better. The Big Ten will present a challenge to the
freshmen's confidence.
17. VILLANOVA
WILDCATS
The Wildcats have adapted to a new style. They cannot play
offensively the same way they did the past few years. There are more isolations
and "back downs" to get the ball into the right hands, but Phil Booth has
been excellent. What a selfless player and winner. Villanova got caught short
with Donte DiVincenzo and Omari Spellman going pro early, but this "bridge
year" will be important for the future. Villanova still has the best
culture in college basketball.
18. VIRGINIA TECH
HOKIES
This is a fantastic offensive team, and it is a pleasure to
watch the Hokies move the ball and shoot it. The only things standing in the
way of Virginia Tech contending for the ACC title and a Final Four are defense
and rim protection. The Hokies can be a good defensive team and have improved,
but opposing teams can get the ball into the paint too easily, and Kerry
Blackshear Jr. (who had 19 points and 17 rebounds at North Carolina) cannot
protect the paint and the rim all by himself. But remember, Loyola-Chicago
reached the Final Four by shooting the stuffing out of the ball. Virginia Tech
can also do that.
19. IOWA STATE
CYCLONES
The Cyclones are now healthy and have a full complement of
players. Marial Shayok is
now a conference-leading scorer after being a role player at Virginia (which
should give you an indication of how good Virginia is and has been), and five
players on the roster can hit multiple 3s in any given game. Iowa State does
not have a ton of size, but Talen
Horton-Tucker provides a wonderful matchup problem for any
opponent. Give this team another month, and the Cyclones will be the best team
in the Big 12 not named Kansas.
20. KANSAS STATE
WILDCATS
Without Dean Wade,
Kansas State was average. With Dean Wade, Kansas State is very good. Wade is an
NBA player, and he provides a go-to scorer and passer alongside Barry Brown Jr.
The Wildcats are a rough, tough defensive team, but with Wade, Kansas State can
be a respectable offensive team as well. Without Wade? Not so much.
21. LOUISVILLE
CARDINALS
Chris Mack has brought a new system, new identity and new
feel into The Ville, and the team and community are responding. My Index thinks
it is the hair, but reasonable minds might disagree on that. Jordan Nwora is
one of the best players in the ACC, and Steven Enoch is
an NBA-caliber athlete with a terrific shooting touch. The keys have been
togetherness and Christen
Cunningham, one of the prime examples of why transfers should not be
discouraged. Cunningham was a grad transfer from Samford, where he would have
played in obscurity. Yet he transferred to Louisville and is respected
nationally for his game and his character. Can only coaches aspire to move?
22. NEBRASKA
CORNHUSKERS
Tim Miles has done a great job in Lincoln, and the Nebraska
brass has stuck with him rather than stay on the "fire the coach, don't
give adequate time, fire the next coach" carousel. Miles has veteran
guards in James Palmer
Jr. and Glynn Watson
Jr., along with outstanding wings in Isaac
Copeland Jr. (the Georgetown transfer) and Isaiah Roby.
If Nebraska can rebound the ball better, this is a potential second-weekend
team.
23. TCU HORNED
FROGS
On the list of "Coaches Who Have Done A Great
Job," the name Jamie Dixon would be near the top. Think of the difference
Dixon, Rick Barnes, Kermit Davis, Ben Howland, Kevin Keatts and Chris Mack, to
name a few, have made at their current programs. TCU lost a good guard in Jaylen Fisher but
has a really good guard in Alex Robinson,
one of the best passers in the country. Keep an eye on Kevin Samuel.
He is an elite prospect as a big man in the Big 12. When he starts knocking
down free throws, look out. He already shoots better than 70 percent from the
floor.
24. IOWA HAWKEYES
Winner of 10 of 11 games heading into the Thursday battle at
home with Michigan State, Iowa has been a very good offensive team and has been
coming along on the defensive end. The Hawkeyes do a great job of balancing the
offense and getting to the foul line.
25. PURDUE
BOILERMAKERS
The analytics will tell you that Purdue is a top-10 team,
but the Bilas Index factors in the inconsistency and defensive issues to put
the Boilermakers at a solid top-25 slot. Carsen
Edwards' brilliance gives Purdue the ability to beat almost anyone
on a given night, but Purdue is not quite there. In Mackey, Purdue packs a much
better punch.
26. SYRACUSE
ORANGE
If Syracuse makes shots, the Orange are very good. If
Syracuse is clanking rims ... yikes. Tyus Battle, Frank Howard and Oshae
Brissett seemed to find something in the Big Monday game at
Duke, and Cuse followed that with a solid win against Pittsburgh. The Orange
should continue to get better, but they need consistent production from Howard
to win in the ACC.
27. LSU TIGERS
The Tigers have talent. Tremont
Waters, Naz Reid and Skylar Maysare
all very good, and LSU has size and athleticism. If LSU can cut down on
turnovers and mental errors (while trying to do good things), this team can
take off. The schedule favors LSU to have a nice run into mid-February.
28. NC STATE
WOLFPACK
Kevin Keatts has done a masterful job in building the NC
State program. With Markell
Johnson out of the lineup for a few games, the Pack were a
little shaky, and the schedule does not favor NC State the next couple of
weeks, but this is a solid team that will hurt some feelings going forward.
29. OLE MISS
REBELS
The Rebels have good guards in Terence Davis, Breein Tyree and Devontae
Shuler, and their home win over Auburn and road win at Mississippi
State have made believers of many. Ole Miss can score. Blake Hinson can
stretch the defense, and Dominik
Olejniczak can protect the rim pretty well. Ole Miss is not a
pushover and should be an NCAA tournament team. The Rebels play Tennessee and
Kentucky only once each, both at home.
30. ST. JOHN'S
RED STORM
Shamorie
Ponds is having a spectacular season and is putting up crazy
numbers. Ponds is averaging almost 21 points and six assists per game, and he
has shot more than 100 free throws this season. Five Johnnies average double
figures, and Chris Mullin has one of the most talented teams in the Big East.
If St. John's can defend and rebound at a higher level, the scoring can take
the Johnnies places. No rebounds, no rings, though.
31. WASHINGTON
HUSKIES
Put Mike Hopkins on the list of coaches who have done a
fantastic job of turning around a program. The Huskies are Syracuse West, with
a formidable zone defense to go with some good guards. Jaylen Nowell is
an NBA player, and Matisse
Thybulle is one of the very best defenders in the nation. At
6-foot-5, Thybulle is among the nation's leaders in steals and blocks. If
Washington played man-to-man, more people would know what a great defender Thybulle
is.
32. WISCONSIN
BADGERS
The Badgers have a bona fide player of the year candidate
in Ethan Happ and
should continue to rack up quality wins to add to last week's Michigan victory.
One possible issue for Greg Gard's crew: the 66.5 free throw percentage that
ranks perilously close to 300th in Division I.
33. MISSISSIPPI
STATE BULLDOGS
Ben Howland has three experienced SEC vets in Quinndary
Weatherspoon, Aric Holman and Lamar Peters,
all of whom can score, hit 3s and get to the foul line. With a solid offense,
Mississippi State is an NCAA tournament team.
34. CINCINNATI
BEARCATS
The Bearcats are good but not quite as good on the glass or
the defensive end as Mick Cronin's past teams. But this Cincinnati squad scores
a bit more easily. Jarron
Cumberland is the go-to scorer, especially from deep (more than
40 3-point field goals made). Justin
Jenifer is the only other Bearcat with as many as 20.
35. FLORIDA STATE
SEMINOLES
Talent and size are not issues for Florida State. The
Seminoles are huge, athletic and talented. Yet after a tough loss to Duke in
which the Noles were one play away from a "storm the court" win,
Florida State turned one loss into three, with uninspired performances against
Pitt and Boston College. Disappointing. The truth is Florida State hasn't
beaten anybody formidable. Home wins against Florida, Purdue and Miami look
good, but Florida State has not performed to its talent ... yet.
36. OHIO STATE
BUCKEYES
The Buckeyes play solid defense and play hard. But scoring
has been inconsistent, and the Big Ten has knocked the Buckeyes around out of
the gate. C.J. Jackson has
been the primary perimeter shooting threat, but no other Buckeye has more than
30 3-point field goals made.
37. TEXAS
LONGHORNS
The Longhorns have been up and down, but they are always
right there to win. The only thing standing in the way of a better record has
been consistent perimeter shooting. Keep your eye on Jaxson Hayes.
That dude can play, and he is getting better by the day.
38. SETON HALL
PIRATES
The Pirates have taken on water a bit since those wins over
Kentucky and Maryland in the nonconference, but I still believe in guard Myles Powell.
Powell has 56 3s this season, more than double that of anyone else on Kevin
Willard's squad.
39. UCF GOLDEN
KNIGHTS
Johnny Dawkins has his best team at UCF, largely because of
the return of his son, Michigan transfer Aubrey Dawkins.
The combo of Dawkins and B.J. Taylor presents
one of the better guard tandems in the country. Taylor leads the Golden Knights
in scoring and gets to the foul line as often as any player in the country,
while Dawkins is a complete offensive player. UCF gave one away on the road
against Missouri, but the Golden Knights have otherwise been solid.
40. OKLAHOMA
SOONERS
How do you lose Trae Young and get better? Oklahoma is far
better defensively, and Christian
James has emerged as a reliable leading scorer. The Sooners
still need to be more efficient with the ball and cut down on turnovers.
41. ARIZONA STATE
SUN DEVILS
Luguentz Dort has
cooled off a bit, which is understandable for a freshman garnering so much
defensive attention. Take a look at Zylan
Cheatham, a 6-foot-8 wing with a triple-double this season. The San
Diego State transfer averages just fewer than 10 rebounds per game, and he
plays really hard at both ends of the floor.
42. CREIGHTON
BLUEJAYS
That heartbreaker against Marquette has proved tough to
recover from, but the Bluejays have some important things going for them.
Nobody in the country shoots the ball better (59.5 effective field goal
percentage), and that includes a 41.9 percent clip from 3.
43. CLEMSON
TIGERS
The Tigers are going to have plenty of opportunities to
knock out quality wins in the coming weeks, but getting there is going to
require them to shoot it better from the perimeter. Clemson makes just 31.2
percent from 3 and 29.9 percent in ACC play.
44. BUTLER
BULLDOGS
Kamar Baldwin is
the Big East Player of the Year candidate you haven't heard enough about; the
junior guard has put the Bulldogs on his back at times. He has freed up
perimeter threats Sean
McDermott (53 made 3s, 43.8 percent) and Paul
Jorgensen (44 made 3s, 40.4 percent) for open looks.
45. MURRAY STATE
RACERS
If you haven't seen Ja Morant outside of SportsCenter, watch
this dude play. He is Russell
Westbrook and C.J. McCollum wrapped
into a 6-foot-3, dynamic package. He leads the nation in assists, and he scores
at will in transition and off the bounce. His athletic tools are amazing, and
he has legit skills. When his defense reaches the level of his offense -- and
it will because he is very good on the ball -- Morant will be the third player
selected this June. And his teammates Shaq Buchanan and Tevin Brown are
both outstanding players. Murray State is very good, with only close losses to
Alabama and Auburn on the road.
46. INDIANA
HOOSIERS
The Hoosiers' struggles during their five-game losing streak
aren't particularly hard to pinpoint. They're shooting 26.8 percent from
distance during the Big Ten portion of the schedule. Romeo Langford is talented, but he's 0-for-10 from beyond
the arc in his past three outings.
47. ARIZONA
WILDCATS
The Wildcats play really hard and do a great job of
defending the paint, but they cannot score enough points to beat the very best
teams with any consistency. Chase Jeter has
been solid with 13 points and seven rebounds per game. Brandon
Randolph and Brandon
Williams have carried the scoring load, with some help from
Samford transfer Justin
Coleman (another example of why transfers should not be
discouraged). Coleman has had some really good moments for Arizona and has
stabilized the point guard position.
48. FLORIDA GATORS
The advanced algorithms love the Gators, who have seven
losses on their ledger, none of them embarrassing. But Mike White's team needs
to start blending those with some quality wins, and senior guard KeVaughn
Allen will lead that effort.
49. BAYLOR BEARS
The Bears are going to miss Tristan Clark (knee)
for the remainder of this season, but there's still a lot to like here. Yale
transfer Makai Mason can
really score, and Scott Drew's group gets after it on the offensive glass
(fifth nationally in offensive rebound percentage).
50. SAN FRANCISCO
DONS
Point guard Frankie
Ferrari is among the best point guards in the country. A good
shooter and fantastic passer, especially passing ahead on the break, Ferrari
can score, dish and win. San Francisco has lost only to Buffalo and Gonzaga in
addition to an away squeaker at UCSB.
51. NOTRE DAME
FIGHTING IRISH
Facing Duke and Virginia in a three-day span presents a
challenge and an opportunity for the Fighting Irish. They'll need to be better
around the basket. The Irish are making just 43.6 percent of 2s, which ranks
14th in the ACC.
52. TEMPLE OWLS
The Owls handed Houston its only loss of the season, and it
was no fluke -- Fran Dunphy's group can play. Shizz Alston Jr. is a conference player of the year
candidate in the American. He has bombed 56 3s and is shooting better than 90
percent from the line.
53. NEW MEXICO
STATE AGGIES
The Aggies are going to slow you down (18.7 seconds per
possession is one of the highest in the country) and hit the glass (top 30 in
both grabbing offensive rebounds and preventing them), and that's why NMSU has
a great chance at its seventh NCAA appearance in the past eight years.
54. ALABAMA
CRIMSON TIDE
The Tide have some good pieces and a chance to take a big
step this season. Alabama has been competitive in every game and has a
17-year-old point guard in Kira Lewis
Jr. who is legit. There is not a big guy in the country who
plays harder than Donta Hall.
If John Petty can
be more consistent at a high level, Alabama can move up in the Bilas Index and
become an NCAA tournament team.
55. PITTSBURGH
PANTHERS
Credit to Jeff Capel for scoring strong ACC wins over
Florida State and Louisville, with a team that is one of the youngest in the
country. As freshman (and Pitt points and assists leader) Xavier
Johnson continues to mature, watch out.
56. VCU RAMS
The Atlantic 10 might get only one NCAA bid this year, and
there's a great chance it will go to the Rams. Junior guard Marcus Evans,
a Rice transfer, can both score and distribute for Mike Rhoades' team.
57. MINNESOTA
GOLDEN GOPHERS
Richard Pitino's Gophers have been tough to figure: getting
blown out by Illinois and Boston College, beating Wisconsin and Nebraska, and
pushing Michigan to the limit. More consistent perimeter shooting for a team
shooting just 30.5 percent from 3 in Big Ten play would help.
58. NORTHWESTERN
WILDCATS
Seniors Vic Law and Dererk Pardon form
one of the best frontline combos in the league. The duo is pulling down more
than 30 points and 14 rebounds combined, and Pardon (65.8 percent from the
floor) is particularly good around the rim.
59. VERMONT
CATAMOUNTS
The Catamounts are one of the consistent winners in college
basketball and could end up a very tough outcome tournament time. Much of that
has to do with the work of 20-plus-point-per-game scorer Anthony Lamb,
who could play anywhere.
60. FRESNO STATE
BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs look like a contender in the Mountain West, and
their perimeter work has a lot to do with that. Justin Hutson's group both
shoots it well from 3 (38 percent) and defends the 3 (28.3 percent) better than
just about anyone in the country.
61. GEORGIA TECH
YELLOW JACKETS
A couple of early-season losses might have caused you to
dismiss the Jackets, but this team handled Syracuse on the road and will go
into Duke on Saturday looking to inflict similar damage. If Tech is going to
take the next step, it has to take better care of the basketball (last in ACC
turnover percentage) and make its free throws (ACC-worst 65.7 percent in
conference games).
62. LIPSCOMB
BISONS
The Atlantic Sun has fielded some quality teams this season,
and the cream of the crop might be the Bisons, thanks to their senior-driven
roster. Both Garrison
Mathews and Rob Marberry can
score and rebound for a team that likes to push the pace (12th in adjusted
tempo, per KenPom).
Junior guard Jordan Ford is
averaging more than 22 points per game and is on the list for best players in
the country you're not hearing enough about. The Gaels have been effective by
playing a halfcourt style (near the bottom of the country in possession length)
and getting it to Ford near the end of the shot clock.
64. SOUTH DAKOTA
STATE JACKRABBITS
Mike Daum is
again among the best and most productive players in the nation, averaging more
than 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. His sharpshooting teammate, David Jenkins,
has hit more than 60 3-point field goals and is averaging just a shade less
than 20 points per game. Right now, Duke's Williamson and Barrett are the only
teammates averaging more than 20 points. Add Skyler
Flatten, who has hit more than 50 3-point field goals, and South
Dakota State has a terrific offensive team.
65. TOLEDO
ROCKETS
Buffalo has been the story in the MAC this season, but the
league has a bunch of teams that could ruin someone's day in the second half of
March. Toledo is one of those teams. You don't want to be down late to a team
that shoots 78.8 percent from the free throw line.
66. WOFFORD
TERRIERS
The Terriers got some December attention for knocking off
South Carolina and are fresh off a win over early season darling Furman. This
is another team that might enter March with a long win streak. Senior
forward Cameron
Jackson (15 points and close to eight boards per game) might be
this talented team's most productive player.
67. UTAH STATE
AGGIES
The Aggies have a good scorer in junior guard Sam Merrill (more
than 18 points per game) but are at their most menacing around the basket. They
allow opponents to make just 40.7 percent of 2s (second lowest in the nation),
and only Loyola-Chicago allows offensive rebounds at a lower rate.
68. EAST
TENNESSEE STATE BUCCANEERS
Steve Forbes has done a tremendous job with a team that lost
almost all of its key players from a year ago, with newcomers such as budding
double-double machine Jeromy
Rodriguez (he has done it 12 times already this season) helping
this group contend right away.
No comments:
Post a Comment