ESPN Men's Basketball

Andy Katz discusses Miami's Angel Rodriguez, New Mexico State's Cullen Neal and the beginning of a potentially historic season for Kentucky.

1. Rodney Hood had to pull out of the World University Games trials in late June due to an Achilles injury. The fear was that the Mississippi State transfer could have some sort of lasting injury. But the removal from the trials was just precautionary and Hood has been fine all summer at Duke. "He is completely recovered," said Duke associate coach Steve Wojciechowski. "He has participated in summer workouts." Hood could end up being the most important transfer at any major Division I school. He has the chance to be an all-ACC guard and a first-round draft pick. He should thrive playing at Duke. The most notable newcomer for the Blue Devils is Jabari Parker, but Hood may outshine him at times with his play on the perimeter. Meanwhile, Parker has been all Duke has asked for so far this summer. While Hood is being termed as being very versatile, Wojciechowski describes Parker as "an extremely talented player who has fit in very well." Duke will be the favorite in the ACC, likely a bit over new league member Syracuse.

2. La Salle coach John Giannini wasn't thrilled that the Explorers will play Saint Joseph's twice this upcoming season, watering down the Big Five rivalry and making it more of a traditional A-10 game. "We used to play Saint Joe's once at the Palestra and it was special," said Giannini. "Now, we may just move it to home sites and it will become just like every other (league) game." This is not out of the norm for Big Five/conference games. Temple and Saint Joe's would play twice when both were members of the A-10. Now Temple is off to the AAC, making a Saint Joe's-Temple and a Temple-La Salle game more unique, much like the single Philadelphia Big Five games against Villanova for all three of those teams and of course the same for Ivy League member Penn. (Even though I'm not a native of Philadelphia, I would like to see the Big Five expand to include Drexel).

3. Kansas State transfer guard Angel Rodriguez hasn't applied for his waiver to play immediately for Miami yet, according to a Hurricanes' spokesperson. Rodriguez is expected to do so after football season starts when the NCAA waiver office can focus on the winter sports. The NCAA traditionally gets backlogged at this time of year in clearing players for the fall sports. The Hurricanes desperately need some experience after losing the majority of last season's contributing players and the early entry of point guard Shane Larkin. Rodriguez wanted to transfer back to Miami to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico.

1. Miami had to go the transfer route to catch up in the ACC and continue the momentum. Adding Kansas State's Angel Rodriguez and now Texas' Sheldon McClellan does give the the Hurricanes two experienced players coming into the program. McClellan was hardly the picture of consistency for the Longhorns, but he's given himself new life with the 'Canes. Miami had a historical season, but ran the risk of dropping significantly without beefing up and balancing the classes. This is not a band-aid fix, but more of a necessity to ensure they remain competitive without being too young.

2. The more NBA decision makers lament about the frustrations of this draft and the indecisions of what lies ahead next week, the more it proves what a unique decision Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart made in staying in school. Smart would have been the No. 1 draft pick had he decided to come out this season. I don't think it's a reach to say he would be a lock based on how hard it has been for teams to fall for someone in the top four. Smart showed yet again how much loyalty he has by returning to play for another gold with the FIBA U-19 USA team off to Prague next week. Now, Smart won't be the No. 1 pick next season, assuming Andrew Wiggins of Kansas declares. And Smart had to know this, making his move even more of a rare treat.

3. Expect the four players cut Monday by USA basketball to use that as a motivational factor next season. Pitt's James Robinson was probably the most curious of the players trimmed, because he was on the team a year ago that won gold in Brazil. Oregon's Damyean Dotson was kept initially for his shooting. But the squad has gone for more defensive quickness and pressure. Villanova's Ryan Arcidiacono and Georgia Tech's Marcus Georges-Hunt were also left off the final 12-man roster. But you'll hear from these four quite a bit next season, with Pitt, Oregon and Villanova all expected to be tournament-type teams.

The stars aligned for Angel Rodriguez. In the same span of weeks in which Rodriguez decided to leave Kansas State and play basketball closer to his family in Puerto Rico, Miami point guard Shane Larkin decided to leave for the NBA draft. Suddenly, Miami needed a point guard. Rodriguez went to high school in Miami. Miami is close to Puerto Rico, or as close as you'll get on the continental United States. It isn't exactly the plot of Primer, but the loop was successfully closed. It all came together.

Naturally, Jim Larranaga was thrilled:

Larrañaga agreed: “You have to feel fortunate when a player of his caliber and character calls you and says, ‘I need to play closer to home.’ He will be very much at home here in Miami, where so many people speak Spanish, so many people know him, and he is a short flight from his family. He’s also a very bright young man and serious about academics."

But there is one remaining question. Will Rodriguez be able to play this season?

That's a bit trickier. Rodriguez has made it clear he plans to apply for a hardship waiver, which, if granted by the NCAA, would allow him to skip the customary transfer season. What are the chances? They depend on information we can't (and shouldn't) know, unless Rodriguez deigns to tell us himself. The hardship waiver is for student athletes who are compelled to transfer because of financial hardship or illness or injury to themselves or a family member. Rodriguez has frequently mentioned his mom and two brothers in Puerto Rico, but we don't know if any of them are ill or if there is a financial component related to the transfer. Surely the flights home will be cheaper.

It's hard to say. Larranaga will obviously be hoping the answer is yes, because Rodriguez's presence on both ends of the floor (he was second-team All Big 12 and a first-team defender) would be huge for a team losing not only its starting point guard but much of the rest of its senior-laden team. Stay tuned.

1. The NCAA offered up an explanation as to why there can be a difference between the Memphis-Derrick Rose and Duke-Lance Thomas case when the person in question chooses not to cooperate and talk to the NCAA. According to NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn, if there is more information to allow the enforcement staff to allege a major violation through information gathered then it can go forward. Osburn said if there is a case in which there is no other information to suggest a violation without cooperation then the case cannot go forward. "You can't tell someone you violated a rule if they're not a member of the NCAA or if there is no other evidence to suggest a rule was broken. If there was a major violation there has to be evidence. It can't just be he said/she said. If you have folks who have information and they haven't said anything like an agent or a jeweler they don't fall under NCAA rules. So they don't have to talk to you. If they're no longer a student athlete they don't have to, either unless the school says it will disassociate you from the school. We don't have the subpoena power so we can only do so much." Translate: The NCAA claims it had other evidence in the Rose-Memphis standardized test case (it ultimately forced Memphis to vacate the 2008 Final Four) without talking to Rose but didn't have anything else in the Thomas case and never got Thomas to talk.

2. Harvard made my early-season Top 25 and with good reason. The Crimson beat New Mexico in the round of 64. The assumption was the two best players -- who were suspended for the year with a number of other students from the general student body over an academic scandal -- would be returning next season. Harvard coach Tommy Amaker said Wednesday that Brandyn Curry and Kyle Casey will be back as expected. That was always the plan but there could have been a hiccup with neither player being on campus during the past year. Harvard has a few high-profile games next season with the series continuing against UConn and a return games against UMass and Boston College. The Crimson are in the Great Alaska Shootout, a tournament that has waned in importance recently. But the 2013 field is decent with a few teams that could end up in the NCAAs in 2014 like Iowa, Denver, Indiana State and Tulsa. TCU, Pepperdine and host Alaska-Anchorage are the other three in the field.

3. Miami coach Jim Larranaga said he'll know in a few weeks who might be his replacement for Shane Larkin at the point. But he now knows who will be the lead guard in the fall of 2014 with the arrival of Kansas State transfer guard Angel Rodriguez. There's always a chance Rodriguez will appeal to play immediately since he wanted to be closer to his family in Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, Georgia coach Mark Fox said he has the player ready to take over for his early-entrant sophomore and leading scorer Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Fox said freshman Kenny Gaines, who averaged 3.7 points or almost 15 fewer than Caldwell-Pope, would take over. "He had many solid nights as his backup (last year)," said Fox. "He's a good player."

Angel Rodriguez's decision to transfer from Kansas State hurts more than just the Wildcats.

It damages the Big 12.

The conference already seemed poised for a down year in 2013-14. Now it’s starting to appear as if the Big 12 will be the worst power conference in the country next season. And, no, I’m not basing that comment solely on Rodriguez’s departure.

It’s merely the cherry on top.

Think about it.

Kansas loses five starters. Oklahoma and Iowa State will say goodbye to four of their top six players. And Big 12 scoring and assists leader Pierre Jackson has played his last game for NIT champion Baylor, which is also expected to lose 7-foot center Isaiah Austin to the NBA draft.

Until Monday, Oklahoma State and Kansas State appeared to be league’s only two NCAA tournament teams that wouldn’t experience much turnover.

Now things have changed.

By leaving Manhattan after a promising sophomore season, Rodriguez has put what appeared to be one of the Big 12’s better teams in a huge bind.

Usually the departure of one player -- even if he’s a semi-star -- isn’t enough to derail a team. But Rodriguez was one of the main catalysts for a Wildcats squad that went 27-8 and won a share of the conference title for the first time since 1977.

Rodriguez led the team in assists (5.2) and ranked second in scoring (11.4 points) behind Rodney McGruder, a senior who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors.

K-State was already likely to take a small step back following the graduation of McGruder and 7-foot center Jordan Henriquez, but losing Rodriguez could make a dramatic difference.

Because he was the starting point guard, Rodriguez was more than just "one player" for the Wildcats. He was the leader, the tone-setter for one of the Big 12’s grittiest, toughest teams and a shoo-in for preseason All-Big 12 honors this fall.

Those things are irreplaceable, especially for a program that will now likely depend on unheralded newcomer Jevon Thomas to play a significant number of minutes at point guard. That’s a lot to ask of a freshman.

Bruce Weber’s squad returns a handful of quality pieces in guards Shane Southwell and Will Spradling and forwards Thomas Gipson and Nino Williams.

Still, by losing its top two players in Rodriguez and McGruder (and some would argue top three if you throw in the enigmatic Henriquez), the Wildcats may be in danger of missing the NCAA tournament for the first time in four years.

If that happens it’d certainly be a blow to the Big 12, which had only one team (Kansas) advance past the opening weekend of the most recent NCAA tournament.

Oklahoma State returns every key piece of last season’s team including conference player of the year Marcus Smart, who bypassed millions in the NBA draft to return for his sophomore season. The Cowboys probably will open the season ranked in the top 10 or 15.

Beyond that, it’s difficult to imagine a single Big 12 team improving from last season. Well, I supposed TCU, Texas Tech and West Virginia will be better -- but only because they can’t get much worse.

Even after losing five starters, Kansas will find a way to contend for a 10th straight conference title. But remember, the Jayhawks return only two players (Naadir Tharpe and Perry Ellis) who played significant roles on last season’s team. Bill Self’s squad has signed the nation’s third-ranked recruiting class, but most of its members are three- and four-year players -- not one-and-dones. They’ll need time to grow and adjust.

Iowa State graduates four of its top six scorers in Chris Babb, Will Clyburn, Korie Lucious and Tyrus McGee, which means the junior college signees Fred Hoiberg lured to Ames will have to step up in a hurry.

Oklahoma loses Romero Osby, Steven Pledger, Amath M'Baye and Andrew Fitzgerald. The foursome combined for 43.4 points and 19 rebounds per game. Much like the Cyclones, it’s hard to imagine the Sooners getting better.

The loss of Jackson (19.8 points, 7.1 assists) is a massive blow for Baylor. But the Bears could still be decent with the return of Cory Jefferson and Ricardo Gathers in the paint and Brady Heslip on the perimeter. Much of their success will depend on junior college signee Kenny Cherry, a point guard.

Then there’s Texas, which went 16-18 in 2012-13 and missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 14 years. The top two players from that team are gone, as Myck Kabongo has entered the NBA draft and Sheldon McClellan has transferred. Rick Barnes’ squad could really struggle next season; just like the Big 12, which has only two schools (Kansas and West Virginia) that signed top-20 recruiting classes, according to ESPN.com.

These things are cyclical, of course. The ACC has been subpar in recent years, at least in terms of depth. The Pac-12 was so bad two years ago that its regular-season champion (Washington) wasn’t even granted an NCAA tournament bid. And the SEC was in a transition year last season.

Through it all, the Big 12 has managed to avoid such dips.

Until now.

Angel Rodriguez had 21 points and 10 assists as Kansas State topped TCU 79-68.

Thomas Gipson scored 20 points and Angel Rodriguez added 16 to power No. 13 Kansas State over Texas Tech 75-55.

Rodney McGruder scored 20 points and Angel Rodriguez added 16 as No. 13 Kansas State won 81-69 at Texas.

A few observations from another exciting Saturday evening in college basketball ...

Let’s talk about Alex Len: The 7-foot-1 sophomore from Ukraine got paid Saturday. Settle down, NCAA. No runners were involved. But the young man clearly elevated his NBA draft stock with his grown-man performance in Maryland’s 83-81 victory over No. 2 Duke, a crucial victory for the Terrapins' at-large résumé. Seth Allen's late free throws sealed the win after a furious late push by the Blue Devils turned Maryland’s 80-72 lead into an 81-all tie in the final seconds. But Len’s performance was the difference. He was a star (19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks), while Duke counterpart Mason Plumlee (4 points, 2-for-7) struggled.

The Terrapins don’t have any postseason guarantees right now. It’s a soft bubble but they’re still on it. Right now, the Terps are on Joe Lunardi’s “First Four Out” list, but every game on their remaining ACC slate is winnable. Maryland, however, needs this Len every night. He had failed to crack double figures in three previous losses. But on Saturday, he showcased the talent that has fueled the NBA lottery buzz that currently surrounds him. If he gives the Terps that juice over the next six games, they might not lose again in the regular season.

Arizona State stays in the Pac-12 race with crazy win: The Pac-12 has given college basketball fans multiple exciting finishes this season. And the conference did not disappoint Saturday, when both Oregon-Washington State and Arizona State-Colorado were decided in overtime. The latter matchup ended on Evan Gordon's buzzer-beating layup. The Sun Devils’ 63-62 road win was significant in their pursuit of the Pac-12 crown.

Freshman Jahii Carson (18 points, 4 assists) can take Herb Sendek’s program there. It won’t be easy, especially since the Sun Devils have road games against UCLA and Arizona in the coming weeks. But at least they’ll face two of the Pac-12 teams slotted ahead of them in the standings. Arizona State just made the Pac-12 race more interesting.

UNLV needed this one: The Runnin’ Rebels were desperate Saturday. They’re now 6-5 in the Mountain West, three games behind first-place New Mexico. But a lot can happen over the next five games, especially in a volatile league such as the MWC. A loss Saturday, however, would have certainly removed the Runnin’ Rebels from the conversation. And their so-so at-large résumé would have taken another hit, too.

They played like a team that understood the stakes in the 72-70 victory over San Diego State. Khem Birch blocked Jamaal Franklin's shot in the final seconds as UNLV preserved the win, completed a sweep of the Aztecs and maintained a place in the Mountain West race. Anthony Bennett (21 points, 12 rebounds) and Birch (16 points) could lead the Rebels to a strong finish and help the team solidify a bid. The latter seems far more reasonable and feasible. I don’t think I would have felt that way about either if UNLV had lost.

Kansas State recovers: On Monday, the Wildcats went to the Phog and suffered a 21-point loss to archrival Kansas. On Saturday, they beat Baylor by 20 points. No better way for a team to clear its head after a tough loss. I think the 81-61 win says a lot about Kansas State’s mental makeup.

Sure, Baylor has been inconsistent all season. But the Bears also are one of the Big 12’s top defensive teams. The 81 points they surrendered to Kansas State were the most they’d given up in Big 12 play this season. Angel Rodriguez led the Wildcats with 22 points and 10 assists. Four Wildcats recorded double figures in a game that helped K-State remain in the Big 12’s three-way tie for first place (Kansas and Oklahoma State both won Saturday, too). And it helped the program move past Monday’s lopsided loss to the Jayhawks.

Memphis? I think the Tigers have the athleticism and talent to compete with other top-25 teams at neutral sites. Their problem is they don’t have many opportunities to show it right now due to the limited competition in Conference USA. Much like Gonzaga or Florida, the only way for the Tigers to prove their value nationally is to stomp opponents in league play.

To their credit, they’ve won three games by 13 or more in February. They returned to the national rankings last week based on that dominance. They beat Marshall (71-59) on Saturday. There were highlights for the Tigers. But there also were a few confusing moments.

Like the fact that Memphis scored 43 points in the first half but just three points in the first 10 minutes of the second half in a matchup against a Marshall squad that is at the bottom of C-USA and had lost five of its previous seven entering the game.

The Tigers might have the skill to make noise in March. That ugly second half, however, didn’t convert anyone.

On the Horizon: Detroit and Valparaiso might have played the best game of the night. Detroit was down by 15 points with 10 minutes remaining in its road game against the Crusaders. But the Titans launched a 17-2 run over the next five minutes. They eventually won by 10 points, 84-74, and now they’re a half-game behind Valpo in the Horizon League standings. Nick Minnerath and Jason Calliste scored 21 points apiece, while Ray McCallum Jr. added 15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. In the first meeting between the two teams, Detroit led by 18 at halftime and 11 with three minutes to play -- but lost by one. Sweet revenge tonight.

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Twenty-four hours before its most impressive win of the Big 12 season -- an 81-61 victory over Baylor -- Bruce Weber kicked his Kansas State basketball team out of practice.

Loafing through drills, snickering during dead balls, not paying attention as they were being given the scouting report. The Wildcats were doing it all -- and Weber had had enough. Using words that aren’t fit for print, he told his players to go home.

There was one problem.

The Wildcats refused.

“He was like, ‘Get out of here! Get out!’” guard Rodney McGruder told ESPN.com. “I was holding the ball, and he came up and tried to yank it away from me, but I put it behind my back.”

McGruder paused.

“As a leader on this team, as a senior, I wasn’t going to let that happen,” McGruder said. “It was my job to make sure we finished that practice on a high note.”

One night later, it paid off.

The Wildcats are still tied for first place in the Big 12 standings following Saturday’s shellacking of the Bears. McGruder was far from the star of the game with 10 points, but the stance he took during Friday’s practice clearly helped to focus a handful of his teammates.

Point guard Angel Rodriguez scored 22 points, dished out 10 assists and, more importantly, forced Big 12 leading scorer Pierre Jackson into his first single-digit scoring game of the season.

Just as vital was the play of 7-foot center Jordan Henriquez, who had 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 blocks against Baylor’s imposing front line of Isaiah Austin, Ricardo Gathers and Cory Jefferson.

A senior, Henriquez was brilliant at the end of last season but has been inconsistent in 2012-13. He entered the game averaging just 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds. Weber was asked after the game if Henriquez’s performance could be a turning point in his season.

“I hope and pray,” Weber said. “He likes playing against bigger teams, bigger players. He definitely responded to the challenge tonight.”

Of course, Weber could’ve said that about his entire team.

Just five days earlier, the Wildcats suffered what could’ve been a deflating loss in a 21-point setback to Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse. Weber, though, reminded his squad it was still tied with KU and Oklahoma State for first place in the Big 12 standings. He pointed out that the Wildcats could claim their first conference title since 1977 by winning the rest of their games.

“We control our own destiny,” Weber told his players.

KSU is now 20-5 overall and 9-3 in conference play. Kansas and Oklahoma State both won Saturday as well, meaning there’s a three-way tie in the league race. Baylor is now 16-9 and 7-5.

“Kansas State showed why they are the 10th-ranked team in the nation,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “They really dominated and imposed their will.”

Baylor trailed by as many as 14 points early in the second half before using a flurry of Brady Heslip 3-pointers to pull within two points, 43-41. K-State, though, was hardly fazed.

Weber’s squad responded with a 16-4 run that made it 59-45, basically putting the game out of reach.

“We didn’t hang our heads,” Rodriguez said. “Right when we got into the huddle we said, ‘They punched us. We’ve got to punch them back.’”

That type of resiliency is why the Wildcats’ chances at that elusive Big 12 title are looking more and more realistic.

Four of KSU’s remaining games are against Big 12 bottom-feeders West Virginia, Texas Tech, TCU and Texas. The matchup against the Longhorns could be tricky considering it’s on the road and Texas has welcomed back standout point guard Myck Kabongo from a 23-game suspension. There are also dangerous road tilts ahead with Baylor (March 2) and Oklahoma State (March 9).

Still, while the entire college basketball season has been defined by wacky, out-of-nowhere scores, Kansas State is one of the few teams that has managed to avoid upsets. Its only losses are to Kansas (twice), Michigan, Gonzaga and Iowa State (on the road). There is no shame in any of those setbacks.

“All of our goals are still in reach,” McGruder said. “We have a chance to do a lot of great things.”

Especially after what happened Saturday night in Manhattan.

And Friday night, too.

 
No. 10 Kansas State bounced back from its loss to Kansas by beating visiting Baylor 81-61, getting 22 points from Angel Rodriguez and 18 from Shane Southwell.

Saddle Up is our semi-daily preview of the night's best basketball action. It was really weirded out by Taylor Swift.

No. 24 Marquette at No. 20 Georgetown, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

This wasn't supposed to be a vintage year in the Big East. Vintage, in this usage, is basically synonymous with "brutal"; it harkens to 2009, when the league dominated the landscape for months, staged an utterly awesome Big East tournament, and placed three No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament bracket. This wasn't supposed to be that year. This year, the Big East was supposed to be tame.

In some ways, that's true; this league isn't going to be placing three teams on the top seed line come mid-March, that's for sure. But in other ways, the Big East has been much better than anyone expected. Alongside Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, Marquette and Georgetown are the reasons why.

This is primarily because while both teams lost veterans, they've both managed to stay not only relevant but dangerous. Georgetown waved farewell to brilliant passer Henry Sims and fellow senior Jason Clark; Marquette bid adieu to not one but two Big East player of the year candidates in Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom. Both teams were expected to fall off, at least slightly. Instead, both are in the Top 25, and both are playing the type of high-quality basketball that should provide for a fascinating game tonight.

That's because that basketball poses a battle of strengths. Marquette is an offensive team. The Golden Eagles aren't as fast as they were a year ago, but they're playing the most efficient offense in the Big East to date, making 52 percent of their 2s and scoring 1.09 points per trip. Center Davante Gardner in particular has been a revelation. The spread-perimeter offense of a year ago has been rebuilt around the big fella. Georgetown, meanwhile, has frequently played some of the ugliest offense you'll ever see, but they back it up with the type of stifling athletic D that keeps them in games all the season. Forward Otto Porter might be the ideal Georgetown player under John Thompson III; he does everything well.

Whatever the outcome, it is important to recognize that these teams, along with a still-underrated Pitt and a steady Cincinnati have formed a really nice second-tier group in the putatively "down" Big East. It's not all about Louisville and Syracuse anymore.

No. 13 Kansas State at No. 5 Kansas, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN

I am not a grizzled veteran of this college hoops writing game. I am actually still kind of young, to the point where there has never been a point in my career wherein I didn't, at least on some level, take Bill Self's Kansas teams for granted.

Last year was the real wake-up call: That's when Self coached his eighth straight KU team to at least a share of the Big 12 title, a streak unmatched not only in other "power six" conferences but in every other college hoops league full stop. The Big 12 is a good league! It has had a lot of pros -- Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Acie Law, Tristan Thompson, James Anderson, Tony Allen, D.J Augustin -- stop by during Self's tenure. And every year Self has won.

That's why it has been so baffling to see these current Jayhawks struggle so mightily. Let's keep it in perspective. In this case, struggling mightily means losing three games in a row, one of which came to a good team at home, one of which came to a good team on the road, while the one in the middle, the loss at TCU, was the product of the worst offensive performance in the history of Kansas basketball. (With the possible exception of Dr. James Naismith's early games against the Topeka YMCA, according to Self's hilarious postgame news conference). Most coaches at most programs see three losses as the occasional unfortunate cost of doing business. At Kansas under Self, three straight losses is cause for a full-fledged existential meltdown.

Is it really that bad? I actually don't think so. Yes, the Jayhawks have had their struggles on the offensive end, and senior guard Elijah Johnson is in a major shooting slump, one that seems to have caused a crisis of confidence. But as SI's Luke Winn pointed out last week, Johnson always slumps this time of year before turning it on in the spring. He'll probably be fine. The offense was atrocious when it played against Kansas State in January, but that felt like more of an aberration than anything else.

If anything, the biggest cause for concern is on the defensive end. The Jayhawks scored 1.11 PPP against Oklahoma State and 1.0 against Oklahoma; they allowed 1.18 to the Cowboys and 1.09 to the Sooners. That's the bigger problem. The Kansas defense is always been its biggest strength this season, and if it suddenly becomes porous for any reason, the Jayhawks suddenly become -- gasp -- vulnerable.

That's why you can't consider a win at Allen Fieldhouse automatic against Kansas State. The Wildcats defend and rebound and grind with the best of them, but in Big 12 play they've actually been the league's best offense, scoring 1.09 points per trip. Bruce Weber goes deep into his bench and spreads minutes around, and all the pieces -- Angel Rodriguez's perimeter ballhandling, Rodney McGruder's scoring, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez's interior strength -- fit together. You watch K-State play long enough and you start to think of them as a strictly defensive team, but they can really score. And if Kansas wants to avoid a fourth straight loss, and a real statewide freakout, it will have to stop that offense Monday night.

It's going to be a good one.

Elsewhere: I wonder if TCU and Oklahoma are going to get together before the game and swap stories about beating Kansas. Maybe they can make a burn book or something. … The CAA and MAAC are in action, but the real team to keep an eye on is Weber State. Even with former point guard Damian Lillard tearing it up for the Portland Trail Blazers, Weber State is actually better. Does the Ewing Theory apply to the NBA draft?

Don’t change the channel. Ever.

In this sport, one last-minute switch could cost you. You might miss something epic, monumental. A classic.

I nearly did. Notre Dame had lost after all. Or so I thought. We all thought.

Right as I grabbed the remote, though, Fighting Irish wing Jerian Grant grabbed his cape.

After going 0-for-6 from the field up to that point, he scored 12 points in the final 47 seconds of regulation. Beast mode.

So a first overtime. And then another. And another. And another. And another.

The first five-overtime game in college basketball in four years. Notre Dame was down by eight points with 50 seconds to play and yet the Irish won 104-101 in five overtimes.

My observation? Wow. That’s my observation. Should be yours, too.

Two teams battled and battled and battled. They fouled out. Eight of them in fact. Notre Dame lost Jack Cooley and Grant. Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng eventually fouled out for Louisville.

Reserves who hadn’t played had to play. Grab the media guide. “Who’s that guy?” Garrick Sherman isn't a complete unknown, but he had scored just six combined points in ND's last five games. He didn't play a second in regulation tonight, but still finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds. That's about all you need to know about this one.

But just in case you want some more fun facts:

• Louisville and Notre Dame combined to shoot 97 free throws (48 for UL and 49 for ND).
• The teams had the same amount of 3-point attempts (25) and offensive boards (19).
• The two teams took a total of 158 shots and 10 players scored in double figures.
• It was the longest game in Big East regular-season history.
• Eight players fouled out, but six players played 50-plus minutes.

I’m excited, thrilled and exhausted. I can’t imagine how the combatants in both locker rooms feel right now.

Both groups deserve kudos because we all won.

Some other observations from Saturday night’s games:

1. Bruce Weber deserves more buzz as a national coach of the year candidate. I remember Weber’s final news conference at Illinois. His former team had just lost in the Big Ten tournament. Weber stood among a fleet of reporters and tried to hold back tears. He was unsuccessful. It was certainly one of the most emotional postgame press events I’ve ever attended. He was terminated a few days later. But how do you like Bruce Weber now? In a matter of months, he’s gone from the guy who couldn’t elevate the Fighting Illini to a level that appeased administrators and supporters to a man who’s guided Kansas State to first place (8-2) in the Big 12. The No. 13 Wildcats’ 79-70 victory was a gritty win -- their fourth in a row -- against an Iowa State squad that’s played its way into the at-large conversation. The Cyclones looked like a tourney team (49 percent from the field, 44 percent from behind the 3-point line). But the Wildcats played like champs, hours after Kansas suffered its third consecutive loss. They forced 18 turnovers and went 9-for-18 from beyond the arc. Rodney McGruder and Angel Rodriguez combined to score 42 points in the perfect setup for Monday’s rivalry game at Kansas.
2. Steven Adams’ development is the most important development in the Big East race. I’m not sure we solved anything within the Big East on Saturday. We know that the conference has a bunch of good teams. Notre Dame and Louisville settled things in five overtimes. Marquette beat DePaul. Georgetown defeated Rutgers. But there’s not much separation at the top. With weeks remaining in the regular season, I wouldn’t be surprised if three or four squads finished with the title. That’s why I think Adams’ offensive development could be a major factor in the title hunt. On Saturday, Pittsburgh's freshman 7-footer finished with 13 points and four blocks. He was an offensive and defensive presence for the No. 23 Panthers, who held No. 17 Cincy to a 30.8 percent clip in a 62-52 win. In a league with a group of teams that are so close to one another, Adams' offensive growth is a factor. Pitt is good enough to win the rest of its games, especially with its final three matchups against squads (Villanova, South Florida and DePaul) that have combined to win eight conference games.
3. I don’t trust New Mexico. The Lobos are ranked 19th in adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy. They’re second in the Mountain West in scoring defense (59.2 points per game). They have wins over Cincy, UNLV and Connecticut. But they’re also very unpredictable. They scored just 23 points in the first half of a 64-55 road loss to UNLV. The loss wasn’t that surprising given the Runnin’ Rebels’ diminished hopes of a MWC title. They were hungry. But every time I watch the Lobos, I see a different team. One night, I watch a program that justifies its first-place standing in the league. The next night, they seem disinterested. With seven or eight games left for the teams in the conference, I still don’t have a favorite. But I think the Lobos have the most complete squad, the team that should win it. But their inconsistent effort and execution makes it hard to latch onto that notion.
4. Michigan State finally looks like a Tom Izzo team. Road wins are scarce, even among the top 25. So the Spartans’ 78-65 victory at Purdue wasn’t insignificant. But Michigan State was tough in a hostile venue. And it held on. When I saw MSU in Minneapolis on Dec. 31, the Spartans just didn’t display the toughness that I’d witnessed with past Izzo teams. They just weren’t feisty enough. I had my doubts. But they’ve matured. The veterans have stepped up. And they’re playing the physical style that’s fueled past success within the program. With that attitude, these Spartans can win the Big Ten championship.
5. What’s happening in the Missouri Valley? Good question. Remember when No. 16 Creighton looked like the favorite for the conference title? Well on Saturday, the Bluejays lost 75-72 at home to Illinois State. The same Illinois State team that lost its first six MVC games. Indiana State beat Southern Illinois by one. Wichita State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 29-point win over Missouri State. Wichita State, Indiana State and Creighton are locked in a three-way tie for first place (each have 9-4 MVC records). Another wacky weekend for this league. Wow.

NEW YORK -- Quick thoughts from No. 4 Michigan’s 71-57 victory over Kansas State in Friday's championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden.

Overview: With its second-half crushing of Kansas State, Michigan won its first in-season championship since the 2006 John Thompson Classic and its first neutral-site tournament since the 1997 Puerto Rico Holiday Classic.

Tim Hardaway Jr. carried the Wolverines with a 23-point, seven-rebound performance, even more important because Michigan (5-0) didn’t receive much help from sophomore guard Trey Burke, who sat for seven minutes of the first half in foul trouble and scored his first basket 21 minutes into the game.

Kansas State (5-1) struggled with Michigan’s pace and athleticism. The Wildcats, who used a methodical, plodding style to knock off Delaware in the semifinals, could not approximate that type of defense against Michigan. The Wolverines were able to run the break well and play strong in the post, even with starting forward Jordan Morgan in foul trouble the entire night.

Turning point: Hardaway threw down a nasty crossover on Kansas State’s Will Spradling before hitting a 15-foot jumper, and Burke followed with a layup on the next possession, giving Michigan a 35-24 lead less than two minutes into the second half and opening up the game for the Wolverines.

Key player: Hardaway looked like every bit a guy who could play in the Garden on the next level as well. He had multiple pro-caliber moves, including a floating layup between three Kansas State defenders and the aforementioned crossover.

Key stat: Forty rebounds. Under coach John Beilein, Michigan has never been a good rebounding team, usually sacrificing wins on the boards for 3-point shots and transition defense. Not this team. The Wolverines outrebounded a strong front line for the second consecutive game, outrebounding Kansas State 40-28 after outrebounding Pittsburgh, 31-21, on Wednesday.

Miscellaneous: Michigan captain (and walk-on) Josh Bartelstein missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. … Michigan also went deep into its bench early, playing little-used reserves Eso Akunne and Max Bielfeldt in the first half. … Rodney McGruder had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats. … Hardaway left the game with 3:37 remaining with an injury and did not return. He was taken inside the tunnel before returning to the bench in the final minute. … The NIT Season Tip-Off All-Tournament team comprised Delaware guard Devon Saddler, Pittsburgh forward Talib Zanna, Kansas State guard Angel Rodriguez, Burke and the tournament's most outstanding player, Hardaway.

Next game: Michigan heads home to face another BCS-conference team, No. 16 NC State, in an Big Ten/ACC Challenge game on Tuesday night. Kansas State is off until it faces South Carolina Upstate on Dec. 2.