ESPN Men's Basketball

PITTSBURGH -- The copiers had just stopped churning out box scores and the fans had barely made it to the exits before Ohio State’s honeymoon officially ended.

There should have been more time. The Buckeyes had just eliminated a Gonzaga team that authoritatively put to bed any notion that West Coast hoops is soft, winning 73-66 on Saturday.

In a kinder world, Ohio State would have been able to savor the moment of the victory.

The Buckeyes do not live in a kind world. They live in the real world and in their reality, they will head to Boston for the East Regional packing their uniforms, sneakers, warm-ups and King Kong.

The gorilla is getting cozy on the Buckeyes’ back now, courtesy of yet another trip to their unhappy place, the Sweet 16. In 2010, No. 2-seeded Ohio State lost to sixth-seeded Tennessee and last year, No. 4 seed Kentucky eliminated the heavily favored and top-seeded Buckeyes in the regional semifinal.

“We gotta get past it, it’s that simple,’’ star big man Jared Sullinger said. “The last two years, we’ve been stopped short. We have to move beyond it. That’s it.’’

As recently as two months ago, Ohio State looked like anything but a smart pick for March success. After they lost to Illinois, the Buckeyes were lost in the black hole of dysfunction. Sullinger publicly questioned his team’s chemistry, saying, "We’ve got to like each other on the basketball court," and guard Aaron Craft echoed the sentiments, arguing, "One of the big things we need to do is find a way to play together."

Bad got worse in February, with Ohio State dropping three games in two weeks, a losing streak that ultimately would allow for a three-way tie for first in the Big Ten regular season.

But before the season slid off into the abyss, the Buckeyes stopped bad from becoming awful. There was no great Kumbaya moment as much as there was a realization that this is a very talented team and the players were in danger of ruining it for themselves.

Ohio State reeled off five consecutive wins to finish the season, losing only in an incredibly well-played Big Ten tournament title game against Michigan State, and entered the NCAA tournament on a mission.

But now that the Buckeyes are here, on the doorstep of their Waterloo, how do they know they can change their fate?

Ironically the Buckeyes say it is because of the earlier turmoil that they now are more equipped than ever before to avoid a premature exit.

“We’re more battle-tested,’’ Sullinger said. “We’ve had our bumps and bruises this year and that’s only made us stronger.’’

Perhaps most importantly the Buckeyes have learned they can no longer be a one-note song. Other players bristled then and still bristle now at the notion that this team revolves solely around Sullinger.

“Is that what they say?” William Buford asked. “That’s probably because that’s the only name they hear in the media.’’

But the fact is, until recently if Sullinger didn’t go, neither did Ohio State. Teams would double Sullinger, begging someone else to score and too often, no one answered the call.

No more.

The Buckeyes’ game against Gonzaga served as a microcosm of what has made Ohio State look more dangerous now than it did a year ago.

The Zags concentrated hard on Sullinger with decent success. The big man played just nine minutes in the first half, thanks to foul trouble, but still had eight points. In the second, Robert Sacre and Elias Harris limited him to only three field goals.

And in response, three other Ohio State players hit double figures, most critically Craft.

The point guard picked apart the Zags’ defense so deftly -- he had 10 assists -- coach Mark Few was forced to go zone.

Craft responded by sinking shot after shot, 7 of 9 in all for 18 points and his first double-double of the season.

“We just decided that he needed to score, and we were going to dedicate some of our attention to some other people,’’ Few said. “That allowed him to get the corner a couple of times because we were worried about [DeShaun] Thomas and Sullinger.’’

Now Ohio State is becoming a scouting nightmare. Whom do you worry about?

Against Loyola (Md.) in the opening round, Sullinger had only 12 points and Craft just eight, six of which came at the free throw line.

Instead Thomas had 31.

“You know I think a lot of people thought we were just Jared Sullinger,’’ Thomas said. “We’re not. People like me, Aaron, all of us -- we can score. People are starting to realize they can’t underestimate us.’’

Have you caught your breath yet? Me neither. But the glorious first weekend of the NCAA tournament rolls on undaunted, and so must we. Thirty-two teams remain. By the end of tomorrow, there can be only 16.

You know the math. And since you know the players and the teams and coaches, and there's more on the line today than even Thursday, let's avoid exclusions and run through each specific game quickly.

East Region

No. 1 Syracuse vs. No. 8 Kansas State, 12:15, p.m. ET, CBS: Syracuse barely survived UNC Asheville on Thursday, and it required at least some small measure of fortuitous officiating to do so. So perhaps it's natural to see Jim Boeheim's team as shaky, even vulnerable, and the matchup won't do much to quell such fears. The Orange are a famously poor defensive rebounding team, ranking No. 341 in the country in opponents' offensive rebounding percentage this season, while Kansas State, with Jamar Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez, just so happen to be one of the 10-best offensive rebounding teams in the country. K-State isn't pretty, but it defends and rebounds.

Will that be enough? Boeheim's team is masterful at creating turnovers and scoring easy points in transition, and the Wildcats turn the ball over on a whopping 21.2 percent of their possessions, No. 237 in the country. If K-State coughs it up, there won't be enough wayward rebounds to collect in the first place, and Syracuse — warts and all — will advance.

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Gonzaga, 2:45 p.m. ET, CBS: Make shots, get to the line, make free throws. That is, in incredibly simplified form, what Gonzaga will have to do against Ohio State to win this game. It doesn't look altogether likely: OSU guard Aaron Craft is the nation's best perimeter defender, and he could take star Zags freshman point Kevin Pangos out of the game entirely. That will leave Elias Harris, Robert Sacre and Sam Dower to do work in the middle. Few teams can match up with that forward rotation; Ohio State is most definitely one of them. We saw some clunkers from this OSU offense down the stretch, but its defense never wavered. If the Buckeyes are locked in on both ends of the floor, well, look out.

No. 4 Wisconsin vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt, 6:10 p.m. ET, TNT: Two great coaches. Two intelligent, veteran-led teams. Two very good, if not great, programs yet to achieve (to varying degrees, of course) ultimate NCAA tournament glory. This is a fantastic Round of 32 game, one of the best in the bracket, and one that should come down to (a) how difficult Wisconsin can make it for guard John Jenkins and the rest of the Commodores to knock down outside shots, and (b) whether Vandy forward Festus Ezeli can extend his defense away from the basket far enough to check Jared Berggren, a solid outside shooter, without losing sight of Jordan Taylor and the rest of the Badgers' attack. Both of these teams probably deserve a spot in the Sweet 16. Only one will get it. Shame, that, but it'll be awfully fun time watching them duke it out all the same.

West Region

No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 6 Murray State, 5:15 p.m. ET, CBS: Before Norfolk State and Lehigh and any other mid-major darling-come-lately, the Murray State Racers and their near-undefeated regular-season run captured the college hoops world's collective consciousness. Is that run near its end? It would appear so: Few teams are as well equipped to handle star Murray guard Isaiah Canaan, and Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder look like too much for the Racers to handle. But hey: Crazier things have happened. (Understatement of the year? Understatement of the year.)

No. 4 Louisville vs. No. 5 New Mexico, 8:40 p.m. ET, TBS: Another fascinating No.4-No.5 matchup here, and another one that's difficult to predict. Here's one thing we do know: Both teams really defend. On a per-possession basis, the Cardinals' defense ranks in the top five nationally, while New Mexico's ranks in the top 15, and both teams are adept at stopping opponents in the half court specifically. New Mexico forward Drew Gordon may dictate whether the Lobos — who will struggle to find quality looks against Rick Pitino's defense — can collect enough second-chance opportunities to keep pace. And, as usual, Louisville guard Peyton Siva will play a major role. Should be a good one.

South Region

No. 12 VCU vs. No. 4 Indiana, 7:10 p.m. ET, TBS: VCU will bring the "HAVOC." How does Indiana react? Can point guard Jordan Hulls and off-guards Will Sheehey and Victor Oladipo protect possessions and make good decisions once they cross half court? Can Indiana get Cody Zeller touches, and can Zeller finish those touches — or pass out of VCU's shapeshifting double-teams — without getting bogged down in the Rams' scrapping, digging half-court defense? The Hoosiers will have to do all this and more to get past the best turnover-forcing team in the country, one that pressures relentlessly and attacks opposing defenses with similar gusto. Havoc, indeed.

No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 11 Colorado, 7:40 p.m. ET, TNT: Old-school Big 12 matchup ahoy! The Bears haven't seen this edition of the Buffaloes this season, but they may remember Andre Roberson — CU's hyper-active rebounding big man, who ranks second in the nation in defensive rebounding percentage — from Colorado's last season in the old conference. The Bears will have to contain Roberson on the glass, but if they do, their offensive weapons, from Pierre Jackson to Perry Jones III to Quincy Miller to Quincy Acy and on down the line, should be too much for the Buffaloes to handle.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 8 Iowa State, 7:45 p.m. ET, CBS: Apparently, everybody "wanted" to see the talented Connecticut Huskies take on the Kentucky juggernaut, but not me. For one, I like to watch teams that don't constantly appear apathetic. For another, I'm fascinated by Royce White, the most versatile big man in the country. Few players mix size and skill like White, and his unique talents — and the sharpshooting of the Cyclones' perimeter — have reignited a once-dormant, now-frenzied fan base in central Iowa. Unfortunately for those fans, though, the Cyclones couldn't ask for a worse matchup for White. The Wildcats are the Wildcats; they're the most talented team in the country, with Anthony Davis, the nation's most impactful defender, and a guy who mixes size and athleticism in once-in-a-generation style. It would be a shock to see White and Co. get past this Kentucky team.

Jimmy Dykes on Gonzaga rolling to a 77-54 victory over West Virginia.

PITTSBURGH -- The month of March can be like a great big tub of aloe, here to cure all that ails you, make you forget everything that went wrong in the regular season.

And surely a lot went wrong for Gonzaga this season, or at least by the Zags’ incredibly high standards.

For the first time since 1997, Gonzaga won neither the West Coast Conference regular-season nor tournament titles. Worse, the Zags ceded both to rival Saint Mary’s.

It was not an entirely illogical result, considering this is a Gonzaga team heavily dependent on freshmen at key spots, but a tough pill to swallow nevertheless.

Two weeks later, and suddenly those things seem like ancient history.

Gonzaga, the original mid-major gone big-time, rolled over home favorite West Virginia 77-54, putting together arguably its most complete game of the season.

“We played pretty well against BYU in the [WCC] tournament, too, but yeah, this might have been our best,’’ coach Mark Few said.

The Zags flew 2,000 miles to play this game, compared to the 75-mile bus ride the Mountaineers took from Morgantown.

Somehow West Virginia looked jet-lagged.

The Mountaineers were never in it, trailing by 18 at the break and then merely playing out the clock from there, handing coach Bob Huggins his worst loss in NCAA tournament play since West Virginia's 21-point defeat to Duke in the Final Four in 2010.

Gonzaga did what it wanted on offense, shooting at 56 percent from the floor, and locked down WVU on the other end. Never a good shooting team, the Mountaineers were positively dreadful Thursday, clanking to the tune of 32 percent from the floor and a woeful 3-of-17 from the arc.

“The truth of the matter is, this is really a microcosm of our season,’’ Huggins said. “This is the worst defensive team I’ve had in 30 years. We don’t get the help, we don’t get the loose balls, we don’t do the things we’ve done for years and years and years. A lot of it is because we’re so inept offensively. They get breakouts. We throw the ball around, throw the ball to them. That adds to it.’’

Robert Sacre came to Pittsburgh hoping he would finally get a taste of some Big East beefcake basketball. It never really happened. The Zags doubled Kevin Jones every time he touched the ball and Jones, who does a lot of his damage on the offensive glass, was fairly innocuous. He scored 13 but had just 4 rebounds and, more, only 2 offensive rebounds, as the Zags were able to match the Mountaineers’ effort on the glass, something Few had emphasized all week.

“I just want to go out with a bang,’’ Sacre said. “Coach always says, ‘Play like Rob, have a lot of energy, have passion, have fun.' That’s what I’m trying to do. That’s what the results are.’’

He’ll have another chance on Saturday, against either Ohio State or Loyola, and perhaps a little more of a soothing balm, too.

PITTSBURGH -- Quick thoughts on Gonzaga's 77-54 victory over West Virginia on Thursday in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Overview: West Virginia traveled 75 miles for its second-round NCAA tournament game, Gonzaga 2,000. That was about right for the cruising speed for the teams, too.

While Gonzaga zipped, zigged and zagged, the Mountaineers looked like they were anchored to the court.

The Zags ate West Virginia up offensively, shooting 56 percent from the floor and a blistering 53 from behind the arc. They were also smothering defensively, forcing WVU out past the arc, from where the Mountaineers could hit only 3-of-17.

It was nothing less than a clinic from a team that, like West Virginia, is young, but is blessed with the one thing the Mountaineers have lacked all season -- decent shooting.

Senior forward Kevin Jones scored only 13 points -- and that’s not going to win many games for WVU.

Turning point: Approximately 16 seconds in. The Mountaineers led 2-0 ... and that was about the end of the highlights for West Virginia. By the end of the half, Gonzaga owned a 40-22 margin, completely dominating and outplaying the Mountaineers. It didn’t get better after that.

Key player: Robert Sacre came to Pittsburgh salivating at the chance to play some East Coast power ball. The Gonzaga forward didn’t really get that game, but he was important nonetheless, contributing 14 points and six rebounds. He got the outside part of the inside-outside compliment from Kevin Pangos (13) and Gary Bell Jr. (14).

Miscellaneous: The 23-point loss marked the worst for West Virginia coach Bob Huggins since a 21-point defeat to Duke in the Final Four in 2010, and nearly matched the 24-point beating Illinois handed his Cincinnati team in 2004. … This is the third year in a row Gonzaga has won its opening game in the NCAA tournament. ... These are two of the younger teams in the country. Gonzaga has three freshmen and four sophomores on its roster; West Virginia has seven freshmen.

Next game: Gonzaga faces No. 2 seed Ohio State, setting up a couple of terrific battles Saturday — between Pangos and Aaron Craft at the point and Sacre, who has been begging for more physical games, against Jared Sullinger.

Well, it’s early, but that doesn’t mean we have to wait to make predictions. And in my opinion, you don’t waiver. You make statements and projections and you stand by them, regardless of what happens in the coming weeks. Hold me to the following bold predictions about the NCAA tournament:

1. No Big East team will reach the Final Four: Another big haul for the Big East. Nine of its teams will participate in this season’s edition of the NCAA tournament. But I don’t think the conference will send any teams to New Orleans. I think Syracuse, a team that’s vulnerable due to its challenges on the glass, has a tough path in the East with Ohio State and a pair of hot squads (Florida State and Vandy) standing in its way. Georgetown, Cincy and UConn could lose in the first round. Marquette has to get through Missouri. I just don’t see it. No Big East in the Big Easy.
2. [+] Enlarge
   Peter G. Aiken/US PresswireKim English and the Tigers could be one of two teams representing the Big 12 in New Orleans.
   The Big 12 will send two squads to New Orleans: Among the 2-seeds, Missouri has the easiest path to New Orleans. The Tigers’ speed and perimeter versatility will pose matchup problems for every team in the West Region, including No. 1 seed Michigan State. Kansas losing in the first round to Detroit? Nah. The Jayhawks will beat every team in the Midwest, including the Tar Heels if they face them in the Elite Eight.
3. Vanderbilt will reach the Final Four: I know it’s the sexy pick following its win over Kentucky in the SEC tournament title game. But the Commodores shouldn’t be judged by that victory. And they shouldn’t be dismissed because of premature exits in past years. They have veterans. And they’ve built momentum down the stretch, a la Connecticut a year ago. They’ve hit nearly 40 percent of their 3s this season. The East Region is stronger than it looks with teams such as Syracuse, Ohio State, Florida State and Wisconsin in the mix. But the Commodores can emerge with their senior leadership and shooting. Plus, they have the confidence that comes from beating Kentucky, a team that they challenged in two previous meetings, too.
4. Iona will win two games: I don’t agree with the Gaels’ inclusion. Washington and Drexel had stronger arguments. But just because many don’t believe they belong doesn’t mean that they won’t prove critics wrong. I think the Gaels, who own the No. 1 scoring offense in the country (83.3 ppg), are dangerous. To reach the third round in the West Region, the Gaels will have to get through BYU in Dayton and Marquette in Louisville. Mark it down. The Gaels are playing a pair of shaky defensive teams. They have three NBA-level talents in Scott Machado, Michael Glover and Lamont “Momo” Jones. As much I thought Iona didn’t have a case for a slot in the field of 68, I think the Gaels can show doubters that they’re worthy.
5. The Badgers will go home early: I’m picking Montana over Wisconsin in the 13/4 matchup in the East Region. Wisconsin’s offense has stalled multiple times in recent weeks. Even though the Badgers are capable of neutralizing any offense, they’ve had problems capitalizing due to their own inconsistent offense. Montana will be ready. The Grizzlies beat their Big Sky rivals Weber state by 19 points in the conference’s tournament title game, their 14^th consecutive victory. Plus, Will Cherry (16.0 ppg) can match Jordan Taylor. Grizzlies will advance.
6. Long Beach State is a Sweet 16 team: Numerous NCAA tournament teams have hungry veterans. But few upperclassmen have gone through the things that T.J. Robinson, Larry Anderson and Casper Ware have throughout their careers. The seniors missed the past two NCAA tournaments after losing in the conference tournament title game to UC Santa Barbara twice. But this season they earned the Big West’s automatic bid. If Anderson’s not ready (knee injury), then that will change Long Beach State’s March Madness potential. But even without Anderson, the league’s defensive player of the year, this is a talented team that’s played the top nonconference schedule in the country. The 49ers will not be intimidated. They’ll beat New Mexico and Louisville on their way to the Sweet 16.
7. [+] Enlarge
   AP Photo/Lenny IgnelziCreighton's Doug McDermott may meet up with former high school teammate Harrison Barnes of North Carolina.
   Michigan State will be the first No. 1 seed to fall: Call me crazy. But I think Memphis’ athleticism will create problems for the Spartans in the third round. I understand the “How will the Tigers guard Draymond Green?” question. But what about Will Barton and Joe Jackson? In the Big Ten, the Spartans didn’t play teams that possessed the raw athleticism that’s anchored Memphis’ roster. The Spartans will be tougher than the Tigers in this East Region matchup, but the latter has an element that Michigan State hasn’t faced since its season-opening to loss to North Carolina.
8. Doug McDermott will outplay Harrison Barnes on Sunday: I expect North Carolina and Creighton to advance and set up a Sunday matchup in the Midwest Region between former high school teammates Doug McDermott and Harrison Barnes, who earned two state titles together at Ames High School in Ames, Iowa. The Tar Heels will win the game, but McDermott will be the star. Both guys have talked about this potential matchup in the past. The McDermott vs. Barnes buildup will be immense. But McDermott will outperform his prep teammate in their first collegiate meeting, albeit in a loss.
9. The VCU/Wichita State winner is headed to the Sweet 16: It’s unfortunate that this game will eliminate a potent mid-major. Wichita State and VCU, a Final Four team last year, are two of the best in the country. I predict that the winner of this game will end up facing Kentucky in the Sweet 16. They’re both tough, physical defensive teams that will pressure Indiana in the round of 32. The Hoosiers have struggled outside of Bloomington. And whether they face the Shockers or the Rams, they’ll be in for a battle, one that I expect them to lose.
10. The West Coast Conference won’t win one game: BYU will lose to Iona. Saint Mary’s will go down against Purdue. West Virginia will beat Gonzaga. I thought the WCC would turn the corner this year with the way BYU, Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga fought for the WCC title. But all three have looked vulnerable in recent weeks. I just don’t think they’re going to advance. Plus, tough matchups for all three teams in their first games. Iona is very talented. The Boilermakers are tough, too. Kevin Jones will lead the Mountaineers to a win over the Bulldogs.

Matthew Dellavedova scored 22 points to lead Saint Mary's to a 78-74 victory against No. 24 Gonzaga on Monday night to claim its second West Coast Conference tournament title and automatic NCAA bid in three years.

This Saturday was always going to be a bit more underwhelming than recent weeks, but boy, did it end well. Once it ended, that is. Creighton students rushed the court before the game was officially over. Their reverse storm, in which they calmly walked off the court, was one of the most surprisingly orderly things I've ever seen. Bravo, Bluejays fans. Bravo.

Read up on Long Beach State-Creighton, Michigan-Ohio State and the rest of Saturday night's action here. If you missed our afternoon recap, catch up now.

No. 19 Michigan 56, No. 6 Ohio State 51: Here's something I learned Saturday -- Michigan hasn't won a Big Ten title since 1986. As Dan Shulman said on the broadcast, that's kind of hard to believe. Here's something else we learned Saturday: The Wolverines have a legitimate chance to break that streak this season.

The race for the Big Ten title is officially a three-way affair. How did Michigan get there? By taking care of business at home. Saturday's win was the Wolverines' 16th consecutive victory in Ann Arbor. For much of the past 10 years, under Tommy Amaker and then John Beilein, Crisler was usually a cold, detached, almost lifeless place. On Saturday, it was rocking in Minute 1 and Minute 40 and constantly in between.

Of course, a home atmosphere is nice, but it doesn't mean much if your team can't play. And Michigan most certainly can play. Point guard Trey Burke continued his impressive freshman campaign against the Buckeyes, scoring 17 points -- including a flurry of much-needed late buckets, one of which he took straight at former grade-school teammate Jared Sullinger -- and dishing five dimes against the best perimeter defender in the country, Ohio State guard Aaron Craft. Tim Hardaway Jr. added efficient perimeter scoring, while forward Jordan Morgan scored 11 points and 11 rebounds against Sullinger. Those matchups -- point guard and forward -- should be Michigan's weaknesses, particularly against OSU. In this one, Burke and Morgan turned them into strengths.

That said, Michigan won the game on the defensive end, where it held the Buckeyes to .91 points per trip, and in some part it has the Buckeyes to thank. Shooting guard William Buford struggled yet again, going 3-of-12 and continuing his senior slump. Credit the Wolverines for forcing the Bucks into perimeter jump shots, but also blame Ohio State, which often settled for those jumpers without first attempting to get Sully into an iso situation on the low block. When Sullinger did touch the ball, the Buckeyes usually got a score. They figured this out eventually, which is what got them back into the game in the second half. But it was too little, too late. You wouldn't think you'd need to "figure out" that you should probably give the ball to Sullinger because, you know, he's really good.

Look, Ohio State remains a very good defensive team. After all, holding Michigan to 56 points on its own floor is no easy task. But the Buckeyes' offense, particularly its perimeter shooting (or lack thereof), looks like a serious liability. It lurched helplessly against Michigan State's defense last Saturday, and it played right into Michigan's hands tonight. As a result, OSU allowed its sworn rival to tie it in the league standings, a game behind MSU in the loss column. If the Buckeyes can't fix these problems, their March ceiling -- once as limitless as any team's in the country -- will suffer accordingly.

No. 14 Murray State 65, No. 16 Saint Mary's 51: How much fun is Murray, Ky., having right now? With a rare national audience and Dickie V in the house, the Racers played as well as they have all season, as their fans -- an intense, buoyant bunch -- gleefully soaked it all in. Judging by Vitale's rave reviews of the small burgh, I'd say Murray might be one of the best places in the country to spend this exact Saturday night. I kind of wish I was there. (My colleague Jason King is and had this to say about the game.)

In any case, the nation got a chance to see what this Murray State team was all about, and the timing couldn't have been better. After its loss to Tennessee State two weeks ago, the tone of the discussion around the Racers changed from "Whoa, this team could go undefeated!" to "Well, that was fun, but check out that at-large profile -- Murray State could miss the tournament!" I think we can put that debate to rest. The Racers might not be a national title contender, but with Isaiah Canaan leading the way (he had 23 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, a 5-for-8 mark beyond the arc and at least two or three downright crossovers that made this viewer yelp in enjoyment), they are certainly one of the better mid-major teams in the country and one that can give plenty of outfits issues in the NCAA tournament. Sure, some of the wins were shaky, and sure, the Ohio Valley Conference is bad, but when you win your first 23 games, guess what? You're pretty good.

Saint Mary's was far less convincing. The Gaels' offense was hobbled by Matthew Dellavedova's rolled ankle and Rob Jones' early foul trouble, but those weren't the primary causes -- and the road atmosphere and tough Murray defense don't explain it all, either. In reality, the Gaels, who have lost three of their past four (all by double digits), are just flat-out struggling. Over the course of the WCC season, the Gaels have posted about 1.17 points per possession (adjusted), best in the league. In their three recent losses, Dellavedova & Co. have failed to exceed a point per trip. Much like Creighton, this team's defense isn't nearly good enough to get the job done when the offense struggles. Much like Creighton, if the Gaels don't throw points in at something near their usual rate, they're going to lose. It's really just that simple.

Creighton 81, Long Beach State 79: Speaking of fun, how much fun was this? The finish -- Antoine Young's brilliant left-handed, last-second game winner -- was merely the icing on the cake. The 40 minutes that preceded that shot were chock full of high-octane mid-major awesomeness. LBSU's Casper Ware, T.J. Robinson and Larry Anderson trading deep 3s and inside moves with Young and Doug McDermott? Yes, please.

We couldn't have predicted the ending, but we should have seen the entertainment value coming. These teams both excel most at one thing: scoring the basketball. That's what Creighton does. When the Bluejays don't put the ball in at a high rate, they lose, as they did in their recent three-game losing streak, culminating with a home blowout at the hands of Wichita State last weekend. The defense simply isn't good enough to save Creighton from an off night.

Fortunately, Creighton has Doug McDermott. McDermott has been great all season, though he's struggled of late, and it's no coincidence his team had lost three of its past four in that span. But on Saturday night, he was amazing. Not "amazing" in a "wow, this sesame chicken is amazing" sort of way; McDermott was actually, literally amazing. He scored 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting and added 11 rebounds, six of which on the offensive end. The most impressive came late in the second half, when McDermott flew to the hoop and somehow tipped in a wayward shot arcing halfway over his head. Once it was clear McDermott was on, LBSU coach Dan Monson ordered his charges to begin aggressively double-teaming the opposing coach's son. But McDermott's eager passing and ability to make plays without the ball in his hands -- see the aforementioned tip-in -- neutralized that strategy. He was just so good. And at the perfect time, too.

As entertaining as this game was, as memorably as McDermott performed, the good news for Long Beach is that a loss at Creighton hardly hurts its at-large profile. Chances are, this team will continue its blistering Big West pace and get to the NCAA tournament in academic, auto-bid fashion. But if something goes awry in the conference tournament, LBSU's crazy nonconference schedule -- the toughest in the country by, like, a lot -- should be more than worthy of the committee's respect. Whatever happens, we'll always have Saturday night in Omaha. What a game, man. What a game.

Other observations from the night that was:

• All season, Arkansas has been bad on the road (where it is still winless) but great in its own building (where it was undefeated). That trend ended emphatically against the Gators. Florida hung a 98-68 offensive blitz on the young, up-tempo Razorbacks, led by Erving Walker's career-high 31 points on 9-of-11 from the field, 5-of-6 from 3, and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Walker has been criticized this season, and rightfully so; his insistence on forcing bad shots in bad situations (at Kentucky, for example) is maddening. But you can't really play much better than he did Saturday night. Insane line.
• Harvard's vaunted defense handled rival Yale with relative ease, which immediately brings to mind images of old men in smoking jackets, teasing each other over cigars and snifters of cognac. (This is how I see Harvard-Yale. I know it's silly, but I can't help it.) This creates a rather compelling finish to the conference season: Harvard, the long-dormant program with sudden title expectations, will face traditional league powers Penn and Princeton at home this week. If the Crimson win, they'll sew up at least a share of the Ivy title, maybe more. There's something slightly poetic about that.
• Huge win for Xavier, which held on to its slim margin in the final seconds of overtime to beat Dayton, 86-83. The Musketeers have been flagging badly along the bubble cut line lately and they desperately needed a home win tonight to stay viable. Oh, and here's a fun fact (unless you're a Dayton fan): This loss made it 27 straight for the Flyers at rival Xavier. Dayton hasn't won there since -- get this -- 1981. Yikes.
• Speaking of fun facts, after an 18-point effort in a 64-53 win over Minnesota, Northwestern forward John Shurna became the Wildcats' all-time leading scorer, toppling Billy McKinney's 35-year hold on the honor. That's all well and good, but Shurna is no doubt more focused on the here and now, where the Wildcats couldn't afford to drop this game and still hope to land an at-large NCAA tournament bid, at least if the bracket was selected tomorrow. The victory keeps Northwestern very much alive. Minnesota's chances, unfortunately, will suffer in proportion.
• When it rains, it -- well, you know. The cliche certainly applies to Villanova, which is struggling through an uncharacteristically bad season but had, even without Maalik Wayns (knee) and James Bell (ankle), a 20-point lead in this game. Notre Dame came back and won in overtime and, well, yeah: That's a tough way to lose. Villanova could surely have used some brief flash of sunlight in an otherwise dark year. It was so, so close Saturday. And then it wasn't. Brutal. Notre Dame, meanwhile, won its eighth game in a row. The Irish don't always look pretty, but they get the job done.
• Southern Miss lost at Houston. Yep. That happened. It's bad news for Larry Eustachy's team, of course -- it puts a definite dent into the Golden Eagles' otherwise stellar tourney résumé, which features gaudy RPI and SOS numbers -- but also bad news for Conference USA, which would no doubt prefer to be a multi-bid league this season. Speaking of which, Memphis took its own awful loss today, too, 60-58 at home to UTEP. Yes, Memphis lost to UTEP at home. The Tigers had been quietly working their way through C-USA play with relative ease, but the offensive inconsistency that plagued them in their nonconference slate crept back in against the Miners, and that doesn't bode well for the coming tournament. Mild C-USA intrigue abounds!
• Speaking of bad losses by Mississippi teams, what is going on at Mississippi State? The Bulldogs were listless at Auburn -- Auburn! -- in a 65-55 loss, MSU's third in a row in a season that is stunningly spiraling in the direction of the bubble. The Bulldogs are just 6-6 in the SEC and have games against Kentucky and at Alabama this week. Uh-oh.
• And speaking of uh-oh and three-game losing streaks, Gonzaga lost in the closing seconds at San Francisco -- the third consecutive year it's lost to the Dons on the road. The Zags shot 51 percent and yet still lost, falling into a tie with BYU for second in the WCC, one game behind 12-2 Saint Mary's.
• Colorado State held on for a rather ugly win over Wyoming. This was a definite bubble elimination game, one Wyoming couldn't afford to drop if it wanted to preserve any chance of at-large consideration. The victory won't put CSU in the field by any means, but it keeps the Rams alive, if only barely.
• Watching Georgetown, it's hard not to be impressed with the Hoyas' pinpoint Princeton offense. But this team's real strength is its defense. We saw that again Saturday, as Georgetown held Providence to 25 percent shooting at the Dunk, a win that pushed Georgetown to 10-4 in the Big East and should quell any lingering concerns its fans may have had about another late-season collapse. That's not happening.

And Then There Were None

Murray State becomes the last Division I men’s team to lose, falling to Tennessee State, 72-68. Murray State led by as much as 13 in the second half, but allowed Tennessee State to outscore them 37-20 in the final 14:45.

Not only is it the first loss for Murray State, it’s the first career loss for Racers head coach Steve Prohm.

Although Murray State just lost for the first time this season, should the Racers be concerned about not even making the Men’s Basketball Championship?

Murray State has five regular season games remaining, including next Saturday at home against No. 13 Saint Mary's. If the Racers lose two of those five games, lose in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and don't get an at-large bid, the Racers would wind up on this list.

Gonzaga hands No. 13 Saint Mary’s its first loss since December
Kevin Pangos scored 27 points (5-of-6 from 3-point range) and Elias Harris contributes 10 points and 10 rebounds as Gonzaga hands Saint Mary's its first WCC loss of the season and snaps its 12-game winning streak. The Bulldogs have beaten the Gaels in three of their past four meetings and three straight times when Saint Mary's has been ranked. Gonzaga has defeated Saint Mary's in 15 of its last 16 meetings in Spokane.

Mississippi State avoids being swept by Ole Miss for first time since 1998
Arnett Moultrie had 18 points and nine rebounds to lead the Bulldogs. Dee Bost added 15 points and a career-high 13 assists. Mississippi State has won 13 straight home games and avoids being swept by its rival, something that hasn't been done since 1998. Mississippi State is 13-1 at home against Ole Miss under Rick Stansbury. Reginald Buckner had 15 points and 9 rebounds for the Rebels, who have lost three of their four games against ranked opponents this season.

Scott Wood misses a FT
In North Carolina State’s 61-52 win over Georgia Tech, Scott Wood had his streak of consecutive free throws made end at 66. The 66 straight made free throws is the fourth-longest streak in Division I history.

Vanderbilt hosts GameDay and Kentucky
This will be the 179th meeting between these SEC rivals, with Kentucky leading the all-time series 135-43. The 135 wins against Vanderbilt are the second-most for Kentucky against any one opponent (Tennessee, 148).

The Wildcats have opened SEC play winning their first 10 games for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The past three times Kentucky started 10-0 in the SEC, the Wildcats reached at least the Elite 8 in the each time, including winning the national championship in 1996.

For Vanderbilt, the Commodores will look to earn their eighth win and seventh home win against the AP No. 1-ranked team.

If the Commodores pull the upset, they’ll move into a tie for the fourth-most wins all-time against the No. 1-ranked team, along with being tied for the most home wins all-time against the No. 1-ranked team. In fact, the past four times Vanderbilt hosted the No. 1-ranked team, the Commodores won the game.

The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of last night's best basketball action. It is glad to be back in the blogging saddle after this week's trip to ESPNU's The Experts, not to mention an insane stopover in Chapel Hill, but it feels like it hasn't slept in weeks.

Gonzaga 73, No. 13 Saint Mary's 59: The last time Gonzaga faced their chief WCC rival, a team over which they've held a decade-long advantage, Saint Mary's -- like creepy Kevin Spacey/John Doe -- had the upper hand. The Gaels went off, shooting 30-of-59 from the field, scoring 1.3 points per trip, and looked like not only the best team in the WCC but one of the most fluid and entertaining offenses in the country. Since then, Randy Bennett's team had rolled along, slapping the rest of their WCC opposition aside with preternatural ease. Frankly, the Gaels' West Coast Conference dominance most closely resembled, well, Gonzaga.

Gonzaga has lorded over the WCC for the past 10 years with relative impunity, winning the regular-season conference title in every year and splitting it only twice, most recently with Saint Mary's last season. More often than not, Saint Mary's was the little brother, a plucky, solidly improving program never quite good enough to unseat Mark Few's winning machine. When Saint Mary's unloaded on Gonzaga in the first meeting and followed it up with win after win on their way to an 11-0 WCC start, there was a feeling that this rivalry had taken a definitive turn. Finally, unquestionably, Saint Mary's would pin its hated rival to the mat.

It must have been a sigh of relief for Gonzaga fans -- so used for so long to having their way in league play -- to see their team right the ship and reclaim some intra-rivalry superiority Thursday night. The Zags played one of their best games of the season in this win, scoring 1.2 point per possession and holding Saint Mary's to just .97 ppp on the defensive end. As good as Gonzaga was on offense, they were even better on defense, stifling Matthew Dellavadova and Rob Jones's apparently unstifleable (new word!) perimeter attack. Kevin Pangos (27 points, 8-of-16 from the field, 5-of-6 from 3) led the second-half run that sealed the game, as a raucous Kennel crowd enjoyed every last bucket.

As far as the conference standings go, Saint Mary's is still on top. Gonzaga's two losses still keep them just out of arm's reach from the Gaels, who should by all rights finish their final four WCC games (vs. Santa Clara and Loyola Marymount, at Portland and San Fransisco) with four wins. At the end of the day, that's the victory the Gaels are after: Their first outright WCC title in a decade. Said another way, you better believe Saint Mary's would absolutely love to put Gonzaga in second place -- no split titles, no ties -- for the first time in forever. But Gonzaga is now in striking distance. Saint Mary's is now vulnerable. A bad loss here, a mistake or two there, and the Bennett-led coronation could come to a screeching halt. It's go time.

In any case, this rivalry, which has become one of the best and most underrated in college basketball in recent seasons, is now more equitable than ever. Are there enough bragging rights to go around?

No. 23 Indiana 84, Illinois 71: Don't look now, but Indiana is finishing games. That's bad news for their remaining Big Ten foes, many of whom may not be as talented as the Hoosiers, but could at least count on the occasional late-game meltdown, like Minnesota's win at Assembly Hall or Indiana's 11-point come-from-ahead loss at Nebraska. But in their past two games, the Hoosiers have played good but inferior Big Ten foes (the other being Purdue Saturday) even for much of the game just before turning it on in the second half, stretching leads and cruising to victory in convincing fashion. That may be a sign of maturity, or more well-rounded play. Whatever it is, it's a good sign.

Coverage links of note: Myron popped in to see Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor win his first game at the Barn in his last chance as a senior; his story of Taylor's final victory is here. Meanwhile, Andy checked in on Murray State after the Racers lost their first game of the season -- hey, it had to happen eventually -- at home to Tennessee State. It will be interesting to see what the polls do with the Racers Monday. That's been a fascinating subplot all season, but now it gets especially tricky. Will voters respect the body of work? Or will they judge a home loss to a team ranked No. 190 in Pomeroy's rankings (subscription required) more harshly than most? Is the suspense killing you? No? Pshh. Killjoy.

Everywhere else: "Mississippi State has little trouble with Ole Miss" was the AP's headline for the Bulldogs' 80-70 win over the Rebels, and that just about sums it up. ... It wasn't pretty, but NC State got a win at Georgia Tech, which shot 1-of-17 from 3 and may just find itself in the Bottom 10 later today (hint, hint). At this point in the season, for a team with a cautiously optimistic NCAA tourney outlook, the Wolfpack essentially got a must-win ... Northwestern handled business versus Iowa. ... Miami handled business versus Virginia Tech. ... And in the strange-as-ever Pac-12, streaking Washington was dominated at Oregon, Arizona handed Colorado yet another disconcerting road loss, Cal rolled at USC, and Washington State won a road game at Oregon State. You tell me. I have no idea.

Led by 27 points from Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga scored a 73-59 upset victory over No. 13 Saint Mary's.

He ranks third in the nation with a scoring average of 23.6 points per game. Still, as good as Doug McDermott has been for Creighton this season, the Wooden Award candidate is hardly the only reason the No. 12 Bluejays are 21-2 entering Saturday’s game at Northern Iowa.

“Everyone,” wing Grant Gibbs says, “has found their own way to contribute.”

That includes Gibbs, the 6-foot-4 Gonzaga transfer who averages a team-high 5.8 assists and 1.2 steals.

Without him, Creighton finished 23-16 overall and 10-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season. This year, his leadership and court presence has helped take the Bluejays to a new level.

ESPN.com conducted a 10-minute question-and-answer session with Gibbs after Thursday’s practice.

What’s the atmosphere like in Omaha these days?

People are really excited because of the start we’re off to this season. But what’s crazy is that it’s been like this for years. The people of Omaha love Creighton basketball. Even last year, when we were .500, we still had 15,000 season-ticket-holders. It’s a sports city. There’s no doubt about that.

Creighton leads the nation in field goal percentage (51.6) and assists (19.3). Why has your team been so efficient offensively?

It’s unselfishness and ball movement. There’s no doubt that those are the biggest reasons on why our offensive numbers are where they’re at. Guys are being unselfish and making the extra pass. We’ve gotten really good shots. We shoot a really high percentage. We play inside-out because we’ve got two really talented bigs in Doug McDermott and Greg Echenique. We play through them and they’re both willing passers. We get a lot of open 3s and other shots because of those guys. There’s no question our unselfishness is what makes our offense go.

Speaking of unselfishness, I heard an interesting tale about you involving McDermott and some technical fouls at Nebraska. What happened?

It was a stagnant game. Nebraska was doubling Doug and doing a bunch of stuff to mess up his rhythm. There was a situation where I got fouled (while shooting) and then they got nailed with two technicals (one on a player for arguing the call, another for coach Doc Sadler leaving the bench). So we had six free throws to shoot. I thought we needed to do something to get Doug going. He hadn’t had many good looks and he’s a good free throw shooter. I told Coach, ‘I’ll shoot the two I have to shoot, but let Doug take the other four so he can get his confidence back and his rhythm going.’ I knew we were going to need him down the stretch. He made me look like a genius, because he ended up scoring 10 points in the last 10 minutes of the game. Note: Creighton won 76-66.

Doug is received a ton of notoriety this season and is even garnering some mention in national player-of-the-year conversations. What impresses you the most about him?

He’s a low-key guy about stuff like that. Doug’s best quality is his ability to not pay attention to any of that stuff. He’s so quiet and unassuming as our star that it’s almost as if he doesn’t really believe the kind of hype he’s received and how good of a year he’s had and how good he is as a player. Any time your star player is like that, it keeps the rest of us very grounded. We feed off of his approach of being focused every game and every practice.

Your playing the “three” position for Creighton, but anyone who only reads box scores would probably assume you were a point guard because you’re averaging 5.8 assists. Do you sense that a lot of people are confused?

I’ve been a point guard my whole life. That changed when I got to college here. Coach (Greg) McDermott has watched me play for so long. He understands where I can be successful. In this system it’s almost like being a point-forward. Distributing the ball, getting people the ball ... that’s my strength. It’s what I do.

What’s the chemistry like between yourself and starting point guard Antoine Young (4.5 assists)?

He’s tremendous. Last year he had to shoulder a lot of the burden of trying to create plays. We didn’t have a lot of playmakers. It wore on him a little. Having me here to make a few plays has opened the game up for him a little. He’s having a great senior year and is really playing well down the stretch. He’s a big reason we’re doing what we’re doing.

What was your experience like at Gonzaga and why did you want a change?

It just wasn’t a good fit in any facet. I jumped the gun by going there. I should’ve thought it over a little more. Most of the problem was being hurt. I sat out my whole freshman year with a torn labrum in my shoulder. Then I played sparingly my redshirt freshman year. I had tendinitis in my knee but I tried to play through it. When I decided to transfer here, I had a whole year to get healthy and get everything back together. I’m extremely fortunate to have landed in this situation. It couldn’t have worked out much better.

Which opponent have you been the most impressed with this season and why?

We’ve played a lot of teams that aren’t getting nearly enough attention, teams that are sneaky-good. San Diego State was really good. That was a big win for us. Wichita State was really good. I don’t think they’ve gotten the kind of exposure they deserve. I think they’re a top 25-team.

Any particular game on your remaining schedule that you’re looking forward to the most?

They’re all big from here on out, there’s no doubt about that. We play Northern Iowa on Saturday, and that’s really close to where I’m from. I grew up about 40 minutes away. They’ve lost some close games, but that’s a team we’re very familiar with. Any time we play them it’s going to be a close game. But like I said, they’re all big. Playing Wichita State again is going to be fun, and we’ve got a great opportunity to play Long Beach State in the BracketBusters game. They’re a quality team. We know how good they are.

Editor’s note: ESPN.com writers Myron Medcalf and Dana O'Neil are joined by ESPN Insider John Gasaway to discuss several burning questions in college basketball. Chief among them: Which conference is the best?

The Big Ten has had a crazy start. Do you still consider it America’s best conference?

John Gasaway: Yes, the Big Ten's still No. 1, even if its teams continue to beat up on each other. There's a good chance the league will put eight teams into the NCAA tournament, and I still think Ohio State is a threat to win it all (as long as the Buckeyes don't run into Brandon Paul in the field of 68). The Big Ten is tops in the nation.

Myron Medcalf: Nope. And I thought that before Nebraska beat Indiana on Wednesday night. The Big East might be deeper. And who cares how "deep" a league is in March anyway? It's all about the contenders. And right now, I'm not convinced that this league's top teams are better than the Big 12's or the Big East's. Tied for second at best. Possibly third.

Dana O’Neil: I do, and the crazy start only reaffirmed it. When conferences go bonkers, either you’ve got average teams beating average teams or good teams finding their footing. In my opinion, this was good wackiness. Michigan, Northwestern and Minnesota are good teams. They aren’t the league’s best, but they are teams that ought to be in the NCAA tournament conversation and are proving that with the “upsets” they chalked up this week. My guess is that come Selection Sunday, the committee will see it the same way and reward a good league for real depth.

More disappointing preseason top-20 team: Arizona or Texas A&M?

Gasaway: Definitely the Aggies. Losing Khris Middleton to a knee injury for seven games didn't help, certainly, but even taking that into account, I'm shocked that this team hasn't been able to put even a midlevel Big 12 offense on the floor. To this point in the conference season, A&M's tied with Texas Tech for last place in the league in points per possession. Very disappointing.

Medcalf: Texas A&M. The Aggies survived their nonconference slate and then collapsed in the Big 12. Florida beat them by 20. Iowa State crushed them by 24 on their home floor. Huge disappointment. And I still can't understand why this team can't score. Isn't that the goal?

O’Neil: That’s almost a coin toss, but I’ll lean toward A&M, and the reason is, unlike Arizona, they had the guts of the team back. The Aggies have had horrible and unfortunate issues -- Middleton’s injury, and worse, coach Billy Kennedy’s illness -- but this remains a team with proven starters who should be better than one win in the Big 12. Arizona, on the other hand, lost its heart (Derrick Williams) and its point guard (MoMo Jones), leaving Sean Miller with talented but unproven players.

Will either Villanova or Pitt (or both) return to respectability in the final two months?

Gasaway: If by "respectability" you mean "NCAA tournament," no. Villanova did beat Seton Hall this week, but think of the point Jay Wright's team has reached when we're touting a win at home over the Pirates as a bullet point on its résumé. And while both Nova and Pitt have struggled mightily on D, the Panthers additionally have issues on offense. I'm afraid this will be remembered as a down season for two teams that met in a memorable 2009 regional final.

Medcalf: I don't think so. I think a couple of teams are going to make the Big East interesting in the coming months (see Cincy, West Virginia). But Villanova and Pitt aren't on that list. Bad season for both squads. And I just don't see how either will right the ship before season's end … unless they trade for Dwight Howard.

O’Neil: It depends on how you define respectability. Respectable as compared to what the Wildcats and Panthers are accustomed to? That ship sailed somewhere around the time the Wildcats lost to South Florida and Pitt scored 39 against Rutgers. Respectable as in not in the Big East basement? Maybe. The Big East is not the beast it typically is -- it's more wildly unpredictable than a murderers' row. That works in the favor of both teams, which still have the talent to beat almost anyone in the conference. Added bonus for the Panthers: if and when point guard Travon Woodall returns.

Is this finally the season Memphis and/or Gonzaga finally loses its league stranglehold? If so, which is more vulnerable?

Gasaway: Gonzaga is definitely more vulnerable, because it has two teams as good as Saint Mary's and BYU in the West Coast Conference. Memphis, on the other hand, should actually have a much easier time of it in Conference USA this season than it did last season, when the Tigers had to win the conference tournament to go dancing. The Tigers are the clear favorites to win a regular-season title in their league in 2012. Can't say the same for the Zags.

Medcalf: I still think Memphis will snatch the Conference USA crown, despite the Adonis Thomas injury. But this could be the end for Gonzaga. The Zags have struggled on the road. And Saint Mary's bullied the Bulldogs in their first meeting. Plus, BYU is going to make a run, too. Gonzaga is certainly more vulnerable in the WCC than Memphis is in C-USA.

O’Neil: Tricky question. Gonzaga clearly has a tougher conference to survive, with not just Saint Mary’s but BYU to contend with. Memphis, on the other hand, has to regroup without Adonis Thomas. I’m still not giving up the ship on Gonzaga just yet. The Zags get Saint Mary’s at home and have BYU at their place as well as the Marriott Center. And that, obviously, answers the second question.

Memphis would have seemed more vulnerable to me last week, but now with the news that Thomas is done for the season, Josh Pastner has to make do without his third-leading scorer, and more troublesome, he must rely heavily on the enigmatic Wesley Witherspoon.

It didn't look like a great slate of games coming in, but Saturday turned out to be full of upsets and last-second thrillers. Here are some things we learned from all the action ...

The Top Three

Florida State 90, No. 3 North Carolina 57
What we learned: Wow. A true beatdown. Perhaps we don’t have an elite team in college basketball this season. North Carolina has as much potential as any team in the country to warrant that title, but Saturday’s meltdown -- the most lopsided of the Roy Williams era -- contradicted much of what we thought we knew about the Tar Heels. The Seminoles are always feisty against Carolina and Duke and tend to be giant-killers, but this was just silly. The Noles were 12-for-27 from the 3-point line in this victory. Deividas Dulkys was 8-for-10 from beyond the arc and scored a career-high 32 points. He had scored a combined 32 points in his previous nine games. The Tar Heels lost their fire once the barrage began. The Seminoles saw a vulnerable team and pounced. For the third time this season, the Heels lost a game outside of Chapel Hill. But in this loss, they were bullied and lethargic. How will UNC recover, and what on earth is the ACC about right now?

No. 2 Kentucky 65, Tennessee 62
What we learned: Cuonzo Martin’s Volunteers haven’t looked like an 8-9 squad over the past week. In their past three games, they’ve defeated Florida, nearly knocked off Mississippi State on the road and battled Kentucky for all 40 minutes. Freshman Jarnell Stokes, the highly touted prep player who joined the team Monday, recorded nine points and grabbed four rebounds in his debut. Once Stokes gets into shape, he’s going to have a major effect on a Tennessee squad that led Kentucky by eight in the second half and stuck with the Wildcats until the end. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Anthony Davis (18 points, 4 blocks) are two of America’s best, but their squad is going to get caught in league play soon if it continues to show up only after halftime.

No. 1 Syracuse 78, Providence 55
What we learned: This game was over when Ed Cooley announced stud point guard Vincent Council would not play. The Friars’ leading scorer might not have affected the final outcome, but he could have helped his squad’s deplorable offense (3-for-14 from beyond the arc, 22 turnovers) against Cuse's press. Council was a beast in PC's 31-point destruction of Louisville earlier this week. But Syracuse proved, again, that it’s the undisputed No. 1 team in the country. SU has separated itself from one of the most competitive leagues in the country. The Orange’s 19-0 start matches the best in school history. With North Carolina losing to Florida State and Kentucky struggling against Tennessee, it’s about time that Syracuse gets more credit for its strong start. Best team. In the country. No debate.

The Midwest Upsets

Northwestern 81, No. 7 Michigan State 74
What we learned: Oh, Big Ten. How you always find a way to amaze us. Within the past week, the league’s top three teams all have fallen in upsets. At home in Evanston, the Wildcats (losers of four of their previous five entering the game) snapped Michigan State’s 15-game winning streak as John Shurna led four double-figure scorers with 22 points. This game meant a few things: (1) There’s far less separation between the top and bottom of the Big Ten than there appeared to be two weeks ago. (2) Much like Michigan and Wisconsin, the Spartans are looking for a consistent No. 3. Draymond Green and Keith Appling were the team’s only two scorers in double figures. (3) Northwestern needs to prove it can put together a string of games that resemble Saturday’s outing. The Wildcats have pieces, but they tend to showcase their potential in spurts. Wonder whether this season will be different.

Iowa 75, No. 13 Michigan 59
What we learned: I can’t figure out Iowa or the Big Ten right now. The Hawkeyes knocked off their second nationally ranked opponent in two weeks. And in a Big Ten that’s as hard to peg as any league in the country right now, the Hawkeyes look like a factor. I didn’t say contender. But the Hawkeyes prove the Big Ten doesn’t offer any easy victories. No pushovers in this conference (see Minnesota-Indiana, Northwestern-Michigan for further proof). For Michigan, this game just confirmed how much the Wolverines rely on Tim Hardaway Jr. He is 17-for-55 in the team’s four losses. The only way the Wolverines -- now 1-3 on the road -- will make a push toward the top of the Big Ten standings is if Hardaway is more consistent.

Oklahoma 82, No. 18 Kansas State 73
What we learned: Frank Martin was enraged after his team lost to an undefeated Baylor squad Tuesday at home. He preached defense in his postgame interviews. That was a major challenge for the Wildcats on Saturday, too. The Big 12’s eighth-ranked scoring defense allowed a Sooners team that lost its first three Big 12 games to shoot 55 percent from the field. K-State's performances against Mizzou and Baylor suggested the Wildcats deserve a spot among the Big 12’s elite. That’s not necessarily the case anymore, with the Wildcats having dropped three of their past four games. Their conference slate gets easier from here over the next few weeks, but the Cats will find themselves in vulnerable spots, especially on the road, if their defensive woes continue. That's now 3-8 in its past 11 Big 12 road games for KSU. After a strong debut, Lon Kruger’s squad fell hard (the Sooners had lost four of five entering Saturday’s game). But the Kansas State victory should be a major confidence booster for OU. The Sooners snapped a 14-game losing skid against ranked opponents.

The Mountain West Thriller

No. 22 San Diego State 69, No. 12 UNLV 67
What we learned: The Mountain West is going to make noise in March. The league’s top two squads, both nationally ranked, battled for 40 minutes in San Diego. This wasn’t a basketball game. It was a title fight. I wasn’t there, but it felt like a tournament game from my couch. This game had some of the best back-and-forth action I’ve seen all season. Neither team could pull away. Jamaal Franklin (team-high 24 points) tumbled over a photographer in the final seconds and hurt his ankle. But he returned to the floor moments later and scored the game-winning bucket. Steve Fisher continues to exceed expectations after losing Kawhi Leonard to the NBA draft and three other starters. The Rebels won’t beat the top squads in their league or the NCAA tournament if their two leading scorers, Chace Stanback (7 points, 3-of-9 shooting) and Mike Moser (9 points, 3-of-11), struggle in big games. But San Diego State is headed to Las Vegas on Feb. 11 for the rematch. Can’t wait to see that. This matchup wasn’t just a boost for the two teams on floor; it was a boost for the entire league. The Mountain West is tough. And don't forget about New Mexico, which won its 13th straight with a victory at Wyoming. The Aztecs and Lobos go at it Wednesday night.

Taking Care Of Business

No. 9 Missouri 84, Texas 73
What we learned: The Tigers aren’t conventional. They’re undersized in a league with a multitude of skilled bigs and they’re not very deep. But Frank Haith used seven players in his second consecutive victory since last week’s lopsided loss at Kansas State. Ricardo Ratliffe led the Tigers with 21 points (10-of-12). Marcus Denmon, who had six in a win at Iowa State on Wednesday, scored 18 against the Longhorns. Phil Pressey (18 points, 10 assists, 0 turnovers) continued his impressive play. Few teams possess the perimeter depth and skill to challenge Missouri’s talented backcourt for 40 minutes. J’Covan Brown scored 34 points for the Horns, matching the combined scoring tally for the team’s other four starters. But they couldn’t defend a Mizzou team that held a 43-30 edge at halftime and finished with four scorers in double figures. A week ago, folks questioned the Tigers' legitimacy. But they clearly have regained their mojo since the KSU loss and should pose a threat to any top-tier Big 12 team.

No. 20 Mississippi State 56, Alabama 52
What we learned: Alabama entered this game on a five-game winning streak. But Bama won’t beat most teams in the SEC by scoring 52 points. JaMychal Green (14 points) was the Crimson Tide's only double-digit scorer. The Bulldogs weren’t much better. However, Arnett Moultrie’s 25-point, 13-rebound output was the difference. The two teams combined to shoot 4-for-26 from the 3-point line, but Dee Bost was 3-for-3 from long range in the closing minutes and that was that. Man, the SEC is confusing. Kentucky is obviously the league’s best, but who are Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5? This was an opportunity for these squads to make a definitive statement about their places in the league. Didn’t really happen. I expected more from this one, but hey, Mississippi State will take the win.

Some more observations from Saturday

• Baylor looked like a national champ in its 106-65 victory over Oklahoma State. No, the Cowboys aren’t an elite team. But the Bears shot 52 percent on 3-pointers (15-of-29) and had almost twice as many rebounds as OSU (48-25). Nine players scored for the Bears. Their depth is underrated, and it’s going to be a huge asset in March.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Al BehrmanMaalik Wayns, left, dropped 39 for Villanova in a loss at Cincinnati.
• Iowa State blew a 12-point second-half lead and lost its second consecutive matchup against a ranked opponent in its 82-73 defeat at Kansas. But with Royce White (18 points, 17 rebounds), the Cyclones can win nine or more in the Big 12. By the way, a career-high 28 points out of Tyshawn Taylor should quiet a few of his critics.
• Connecticut is such a different team when Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond are fully engaged. Drummond (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Oriakhi (12 points, 7 rebounds) were impressive in the Huskies’ 67-53 win at Notre Dame, ending the Irish's 29-game home win streak. The Huskies didn’t have Ryan Boatright, but they played like a complete team with their bigs being so active.
• Pittsburgh played better Saturday but still lost at Marquette 62-57. The Panthers, the models of consistency over the past decade, have lost six straight and are 0-5 in the Big East. Holy cow. Let that one sink in.
• His team lost once again in a close game at Cincinnati, but it's worth mentioning the effort by Villanova's Maalik Wayns, who had a line of 39 points (6-of-13 from 3), 13 rebounds and six assists, and put his struggling Wildcats in a position to win on the road.
• Xavier has won three in a row, after topping St. Bonaventure 77-64. Mark Lyons and Tu Holloway combined to score 33 points in the victory. The Musketeers didn’t secure any signature wins during this mini-revival, but that doesn’t matter. X needed to get back to winning as it prepares for the Atlantic 10's toughest squads. Until someone in the conference knocks off the Musketeers at the Cintas Center (where they've beaten 42 consecutive A-10 opponents), this team is still the league favorite in my opinion.
• Conference USA should be fun this season. Like Xavier, Memphis -- a decisive winner at Houston on Saturday night -- should still be considered the favorite until someone proves they can beat the Tigers on the road. But Marshall and UCF played a classic in a 65-64 Thundering Herd victory, and both could give Memphis trouble. Southern Miss is right in the mix as well.
• Meanwhile, in the Mid-American Conference, Akron now has to be considered the favorite after a 68-63 victory over Ohio, which looked so solid in nonconfernece play but has faltered of late. The Zips have wins at Mississippi State and Marshall. If they make the NCAA tournament, look out.
• Have to be impressed with the way Oregon swept the Arizona schools. Winning in Tempe is nothing to be overjoyed about, but winning in Tucson -- no matter how mediocre the Wildcats have been for most of the season -- is still special for any Pac-12 school. The Ducks are as good a bet as any to win this crazy league.
• You know who won't win the Pac-12? The Ducks' rival, Oregon State. The Beavers have played great at times this season, but the bottom line is 1-5 in a down conference after a horrendous double-digit loss at Arizona State on Saturday.
• You know who just might win the Pac-12? Stanford. The Cardinal now are 5-1 in the conference after a 20-point beatdown of Colorado, which began 3-0 (all at home) but got a rude awakening in the Bay Area by Cal and Stanford.
• Gonzaga was shaky early Saturday night, but the Zags have to be happy with their 62-58 win at Loyola Marymount, a team that has knocked off UCLA and Saint Louis this season. Mark Few's team was absolutely humiliated at Saint Mary's on Thursday. A bounce-back victory was a must, and the Zags got it done.

Newsflash! Alert! Somewhat obvious but nonetheless worthwhile information incoming!

Ready? The Saint Mary's Gaels are really good at scoring basketball points. There. Now you know. Of course, you could have received this information by staying up late Thursday night, when you would have seen the Gaels not only beat hated rival Gonzaga, but thoroughly demolish hated rival Gonzaga -- thanks primarily to beautiful, ruthlessly efficient offense.

The Gaels scored 82 points in 64 possessions Friday night, or 1.3 points per trip, and did so because they a) made shots (eFG%: 58.5), and b) turned the ball over just five times in those 64 possessions. Four-factors-wise, Gonzaga got to the line at about the same rate as Saint Mary's, and neither team outrebounded the other by a significant rate on the glass. But the Gaels' play up until the first shot of each possession -- careful, deliberate and fluid -- was enough to create a huge gap between these two teams.

Take a gander (provided you're subscribed, and you should be) at the Pomeroy page for Saint Mary's. Check out each starter. There isn't a single offensive rating among any Gaels starter that registers below 111.6, and that belongs to forward Rob Jones, far and away this team's most relied-upon all-around contributor. Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Holt, Jorden Page and Clint Steindl -- especially Steindl, whose offensive rating is a crazy-good 138.6 (fire away, Clint!) -- all of these players are individually capable of scoring bursts and effective play. Together, they occasionally touch the sublime. It's a gorgeous thing to watch.

Of course, Randy Bennett's team played some solid defense Thursday night, too. It's worth noting Gonzaga fell just short of scoring a point per trip, only the second time this season the Bulldogs have failed to do so. Saint Mary's has always been a good offensive team and a so-so defensive team in recent seasons, and for much of 2011-12 that has appeared to be the case. But Dellevadova told Yahoo!'s Jeff Eisenberg that this team has committed itself on the defensive end, too, and if that dedication can produce this kind of defensive outing against a good Gonzaga offense, well, look out.

The Bulldogs will still have plenty to say about the 2012 WCC title chase. So, for that matter, will BYU. But St. Mary's appears to be your new favorite in the West Coast Conference. More importantly? The 2011 team that collapsed before it could turn promise into tourney reality is in much, much better position for 2012. Frankly, it would be a shock to see this team miss the tournament now.

But that doesn't mean you should wait to catch video of this offense. The spacing, the passing, the cuts, the shooting -- if you like watching teams put points on the board, with their own unique style to boot, then you're going to love the 2012 Gaels.