Saturday marked exactly one month until Selection Sunday, and if teams weren't aware that a sense of urgency was needed to move forward, the mock reveal of the NCAA Tournament selection pool occurred early Saturday afternoon . Teams that had hopes of placing in the top quarter of the group suddenly knew exactly where they stood in the eyes of the committee and what they needed to do to move forward.
UConn found out it was No. 2 behind Purdue, and then had to play a top-five team in Marquette a couple of hours later. Auburn was maybe a spot or two lower than expected and then set to host a desperate Kentucky team later that night. (For what it's worth, the Huskies and Tigers fared very differently in their respective games.)
What else mattered on Saturday? ESPN's Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello and Joe Lunardi break down the big stories from another weekend full of games.
0:20
Adou Thiero rises for the slam
Kentucky's Adou Thiero throws down a big dunk for the Wildcats.
Myron Medcalf: Just weeks before Selection Sunday during the 2014-15 season, Notre Dame ranked second in adjusted offensive efficiency and 151st (not a typo) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. That team reached the Elite Eight, where they lost to Kentucky on free throws by Andrew Harrison with six seconds left. The Fighting Irish never became an elite defensive team to extend that streak. Kentucky faces a similar challenge. But this week, the Wildcats (102nd in adjusted defensive efficiency through Saturday) have shown they can improve before the 68-team bracket is set next month.
On Tuesday they held Ole Miss to just 88 points per 100 possessions. And during the first half on Saturday, they limited the Tigers to just 28% of their attempts. The same Tigers who had scored at least 80 points in 17 previous games. Kentucky has played with more defensive energy in recent days. If he can make that effort consistently down the stretch, he could change his postseason fortunes.
Jeff Borzello: Kentucky might have found something Saturday with the power forward-center duo of Adou Thiero and Ugonna Onyenso. Thiero gives the Wildcats a different level of physicality and energy at the 4, especially in up-and-down games against athletic, deep teams like Auburn. He went 14 and 8 against the Tigers.
Onyenso is someone to watch in the future. The arrival of Aaron Bradshaw and the midseason addition of Zvonimir Ivisic seemed to relegate Onyenso to the bench, but he has started the last six games and his ability on the defensive end gives John Calipari a rim protector. He had 10 blocks left with eight points against Ole Miss and seven points, 11 rebounds and two blocks against Auburn. He also didn't allow the Tigers to dominate the paint. This duo could change when Tre Mitchell returns, but it's working for now.
The impact of Joe Lunardi's bracket: Kentucky gained more than Auburn lost in terms of impact on the group. The Wildcats move up the entire lineup (fifth place, 20th overall) thanks to a nearly wire-to-wire road win. The Tigers came in with a little more cushion in terms of seeding and will retain the No. 4 seed they received in Saturday's NCAA reveal. Looking ahead, however, it is not inconceivable that these two rivals could swap places between now and Selection Sunday.
Medical calf: On its way to a second straight national title in 2007, Florida beat then-No. 3 Ohio State 86-60 during a 17-game winning streak. This was a Buckeyes team with eventual number one NBA draft pick Greg Oden and multiple NBA prospects, who finished the season on a 22-game winning streak. That streak was broken by the Gators in the national title game. Ohio State's greatness faded when it met the true king of the sport.
The same thing happened to No. 4 Marquette on Saturday. The Golden Eagles are very good. They have a double-digit win over Kansas, among other highlights. But UConn played them for two halves.
The Huskies' dominant performance was similar to Florida's in 2007 and should be talked about the same way. If the Huskies are destined to become the first team since the Gators in 2006 and 2007 to repeat as national champions, Saturday's effort over Final Four-level Marquette team was strong evidence of that possibility.
0:36
Hurley on Marquette: “It's a privilege to play them”
UConn coach Dan Hurley says he respects Marquette's program after the Huskies' dominant 81-53 win.
Borzello: Donovan Clingan could be the differentiator between UConn and everyone else in college basketball. There are other elite big men, of course, including the Wooden Award favorite leading the other dominant team in the sport. But it's remarkable how the Huskies have become absolutely unbeatable since Clingan returned to full health in late January. UConn's offense has always been at a championship level, although having someone like Clingan (17 points, 10 rebounds on Saturday) rushing to the rim and finishing is a big boost. But the impact he has had on his defense is unparalleled.
Since Clingan returned, UConn's defense has been right there, along with the defenses of Houston and Iowa State, among college basketball's elite. Teams simply can't score around the rim when he's on the court, further evidenced by Marquette going 5-of-15 on layups.
Impact of the Lunardi bracket: UConn's case for the No. 1 overall spot continues to improve after this explosion. The Huskies are still a little behind Purdue in the resume department, but certainly close enough to warrant a follow-up of the two teams over this last month. As for the Golden Eagles, the committee gave them the first No. 2 seed in Saturday's reveal and their ranking will not change, although their spot in the top 2 spots will obviously decrease.
quick thoughts
1:49
Jared McCain drops 25 points in first half for Duke
Jared McCain is unstoppable in the first half as he cooks up Florida State to score 25 points.
Duke stands up again
Duke has won four in a row and seven of its last eight games since its loss to rival North Carolina earlier this month. The Blue Devils are moving forward at the right time. And the emergence of freshman Jared McCain is the most promising development. His 35-point effort (tied Duke's freshman scoring record) in a 76-67 win at Florida State was a testament to a player with NBA dreams and the potential to help this team reach the Final Four.
Mark Mitchell, Kyle Filipowski and Jeremy Roach are already a trio that few teams in the country can match. But when McCain plays like he did on Saturday (his eight 3-pointers set a record for a Duke freshman), the Blue Devils look like a team that can advance in March. –Medcalf
0:19
LSU upsets South Carolina as Jacobi Wright misses potential game-winner
“South Carolina falls short against LSU after Jacobi Wright's 3-pointer misses”.
Not so fast, South Carolina
It's time to check your instincts for the Gamecocks, who were arguably the biggest surprise in college basketball this season, going from last place in the SEC preseason poll to league title contenders. But since rising to No. 11 in the country, Lamont Paris' team can no longer sneak up on teams and has lost back-to-back games this week: at Auburn by 40 and at home against LSU, which had lost six. of seven.
So how will the Gamecocks respond to their first real adversity of the season? Their defense, which was so impressive in wins over Kentucky and Tennessee, has now allowed more than a point per possession in five straight games. And here's another thing: South Carolina's final five regular-season games are all against teams in ESPN's bottom bracket. –Borzello
The NCAA against Lunardi
The only surprise in Saturday's committee reveal was the inclusion of San Diego State as the fourth seed. Most thought Creighton or Clemson would be in that spot. The Aztecs came in at 14th overall, which is great news for SDSU's chances of maintaining its position and perhaps a sign of how the committee will view the rest of the Mountain West a month from now. For the record, this server had San Diego State ranked 19th overall, so it's not like the Aztecs came out of nowhere. It's a fair assessment and good work by the committee overall. –Lunardi
