Another great week of college basketball has concluded! Over the next few weeks, many fun "feast week" in-season tournaments will take place, meaning many schools will get opportunities at big time matchups. That will make to difficult to truly narrow it down to 10 teams, but we will do our best, as we have done below. Check it out!
Teams of the Week!
1. Virginia:
Firstly, want to take a moment and recognize how tough of a week this was for the families and fans of Virginia and those effected by the tragedy early last week. Sports cannot fix tragic events, but when difficult moments happen, they can provide something to come together towards. While what Virginia basketball did on the court this week won’t heal any wounds, I’m sure it made Hoo nation proud. Virginia won the Main Event tournament, defeating two great teams in Baylor and Illinois to get it done. Armaan Franklin was the catalyst against Baylor, scoring 26 on 7/12 shooting, while defense and balanced scoring led by 17 from Reece Berkman, got it done against Illinois Sunday afternoon. As is the case most years, this Virginia team is good and should be near the top of an improved ACC this season.
2. Michigan State:
What a week for Michigan State. On Friday of week 1, MSU suffered a one point loss to Gonzaga in a hard fought battle. The Spartans did not let that close loss derail them. Instead, Michigan State had a 2-0 week, defeating Kentucky in a double OT thriller in the Champions Classic, followed up with a two point win over Villanova on Friday in the Gavitt Games. MSU had a balanced attack in both wins, with four scorers in double figures in each win. The Spartans will look to continue this momentum in a loaded Phil Knight Invitational field starting Thursday this week.
3. Arizona State:
Talk about responding in the best way. Just eight days ago, the Sun Devils could have let it’s season unravel quickly after a shocking OT loss to Texas Southern. With the Legends Classic looming against two tough opponents, it could have signaled a losing streak. Instead, ASU not only defeated VCU 63-59, but also dominated Michigan 87-62 to win the Empire Classic! Desmond Cambridge Jr and Dj Horne were outstanding against Michigan, combining for 39 points and 7 made threes in the win. This week’s showing puts Arizona State back on track heading into some winnable games before Pac 12 play begins in early December.
4. State of South Carolina Feast Week Champions:
This week, also known as “Feast week”, included two fun eight team tournaments both located in South Carolina. Boy were these in season tournaments a blast! The Myrtle Beach Invitational saw all four underdogs win on day one, and the upsets continues as UMass went on to win the tournament defeating Colorado, Murray State and Charlotte in the process. Senior Noah Fernandes hit an incredible buzzer beater in the semifinals versus Murray State that allowed the Minutemen to make the final in the first place. Incredible showing from a group that looks to be a real factor in the A-10 this season. Staying in South Carolina, the College of Charleston finally won the Charleston Classic, a tournament it has hosted for years now. The Cougars defeated Davidson, Colorado State and Virginia Tech to win the title, three quality wins to add to the resume early. This not only makes CofC a real threat in the CAA, but also begins the discussion on potential at-large hopes for Charleston down the line should they need it.
5. Northwestern State:
Northwestern State went 2-0 this week, including a win against Illinois State, who the Demons lost to a week prior. That win, however, is not what gets NSU on this list this week. That is due to the incredible upset over nationally ranked TCU on Monday by a score of 64-63. Northwestern State got 25 points including 7 threes from senior Jamonta Black to secure the big upset. A solid win and start to the season for a team that has hopes of finishing near the top of the Southland Conference this year. NSU has games against SF Austin, Baylor and Texas A&M in December to try and gather another upset or two on the year.
6. Florida Atlantic:
Florida Atlantic lost its first D1 game of the season this year against Ole Miss on 11/11. Since then, the Owls have won three straight, including two double digit wins over Bryant and Detroit Mercy in the Paradise Invitational, and a big time in-state upset over Florida on Monday. FAU averaged 10 made threes a game in its three wins this week, and had at least nine players score a basket in each game. Michael Forrest was especially special off the bench against Florida, scoring 20 points on 7/12 shooting. Look for Florida Atlantic to be in the mix in what looks to be a deep Conference USA this season.
7. Maryland:
There were some questions coming into the year on how good Maryland would be this season. Some, if not many, of those questions were answered this week. The Terps went 3-0 this week, including two wins in the Basketball Hall of Fame tip-off, leading Maryland to the title. Maryland won both games in that tournament in dominating fashion, beating Saint Louis by 28 points, and Miami by 18, scoring an average of 91.5 points over the two contests. In the tourney final win over Miami, all five starters scored in double figures, and the Terps shot 60% from the field while out rebounding the Canes by 19. There will be more to learn about Maryland soon, but what we do know is that this team is solid and should be a factor this season.
8. Texas:
In a week with so many in-season tournaments, it’s difficult for a team to make this list without having a few wins on the week. What Texas did this week is a great exception. The Longhorns only played one game this past week, but man was it impressive. Texas defeated Gonzaga 93-74 Wednesday night, and looked like a much better team from start to finish. Tyrese Hunter was lights out in this game, scoring 26 points in 26 minutes, including 5/8 from downtown. The Iowa State transfer is more known for his defense, and averaged 11 points last year for the Cyclones. If he can keep a higher level of offensive output going, that unlocks a whole new gear for Texas. On top of the hot shooting night, the Horns forced 20 Gonzaga turnovers. That’s quite the winning combo! Texas has a few easier games upcoming before it meets Creighton and Illinois in back to back games in a few weeks.
9. UCF:
UCF suffered a tough loss on opening night to UNC Asheville in double overtime. However, instead of letting that linger, the Knights have not lost since, winning four straight including three games this week. UCF beat Western Illinois on Monday by 33 points before winning both games of the Bahamas Championship tournament this weekend. In the title win, Central Florida defeated Oklahoma State in overtime, followed up by a nice win over Santa Clara in the final. UCF held both opponents under 60 points in the mini tournament, and is allowing just 49.3 points per game on its four game win streak. Fantastic defense! The Knights will face Evansville next before a big in-state battle against Miami on Sunday, 11/27.
10. UNLV:
UNLV is now 4-0 on the season, and picked up two of those wins this week. On Friday, the Runnin Rebels defeated High Point, but the win that puts UNLV here is the 60-52 victory over Dayton on Tuesday. Ej Harkless and Keshon Gilbert combined to score 40 of the Rebels 60 points that night, and UNLV held the Flyers to just 36% shooting while forcing 24 turnovers. The Mountain West should once again be a solid league this season with many tough games. Despite the difficulty, don’t be surprised if UNLV is hovering around the top this season.
Thanks for reading hoops fans! Enjoy a packed week 3!