Texas Tech stars Christian Anderson and JT Toppin put on a pick-and-roll clinic in a 78-75 overtime win Saturday at No. 1 Arizona.
Just as they’d done earlier this season to give Duke its first loss.
No. 16 Texas Tech (19-6, 9-3 Big 12) now has two of the best wins this season with victories over the Wildcats and Blue Devils, both likely No. 1 seeds next month. Arizona (23-2, 10-2), after back-to-back losses, is in second place in the Big 12, a game behind Houston, which next Saturday hosts Arizona. Texas Tech is in a three-way tie for third with Kansas and Iowa State.
With Arizona’s two losses, Michigan will likely be the unanimous No. 1 on Monday after smoking UCLA 86-56 on Saturday.
The bigger concern is Arizona freshman power forward Koa Peat, who had two points in 11 minutes in the first half before leaving the game with a lower leg injury.
The Red Raiders have arguably the best one-two punch in college basketball, and it was a chess match with Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd mixing his coverages Saturday to try to figure out a solution.
Anderson picked on dropped coverage and hedges in the first half, making jumpers against the drop (four 3s) and then hitting Toppin on the short roll when the Wildcats hedged. He had 12 points, four 3s and six assists at halftime. With Peat out in the second half, Lloyd had Tobe Awaka guard Toppin and then switch ball screens. In overtime, the Red Raiders really picked on that coverage, with Toppin scoring 8 of his 31 points in the final five minutes to pull out the win. He also had three assists and 13 rebounds.
Anderson, who picked up his fourth foul with just under 16 minutes left in the game, never came off the floor and finished with 19 points and eight assists. Donovan Atwell added 11, including a huge 3 in overtime when Anderson found Toppin on the short roll and then he passed to a wide-open Atwell.
The Red Raiders spread the floor and aren’t overly complicated, but no one is better at picking on mismatches.
Arizona, which led 64-57 with 3:29 left in regulation, struggled to score down the stretch, missing its final seven field-goal attempts of regulation.
In its losses, Arizona’s lack of outside shooting has proven costly when an opponent can actually put up a fight in the paint. The Wildcats scored 26 paint points and went just 4-of-16 from beyond the arc.
The Red Raiders are a dark horse when it comes to title contenders, but with the ability of Anderson and/or Toppin to take over a game at any moment, they’re going to be a tough out.
Here’s what else you might have missed from a jam-packed Saturday of men’s college hoops, which included a melee at Providence and a fire in Oklahoma. — CJ Moore
Florida making 3s? Watch out for the Gators
In late November, Florida was off to a horrible shooting start, and I talked to coach Todd Golden, who was convinced “we’ll get there” when it comes to making shots. Two reasons why?
“Xaivian (Lee)’s in a position he’s never been in his life,” Golden said at the time. “We’re just asking a lot more of him than has ever been asked of him before, and I think that’s taking his legs away from him a little bit, but he’s a great shooter. … And (Urban) Klavzar can really shoot.
The Gators’ season-long 3-point shooting is still not pretty (29.3 percent), but coming into last week, they’d had only two games all season with double-digit 3s made. Now they’ve had two straight, knocking down 10 3s in a 92-83 win over No. 25 Kentucky.
Lee? He had 22 points and made 4 of 7 3s following an 18-point performance earlier in the week at Georgia. Klavzar? He scored 19 points off the bench made 5 of 11 treys and is now shooting 42.3 percent from 3 in conference games.
Florida, ranked 14th, is starting to look like a title contender and wildly underrated because of its defense, ability to dominate the glass (another 17 offensive boards against UK) and the fact that it’s starting to get decent production out of its backcourt.
The Gators (19-6, 10-2 SEC) have won five straight and look to be the heavy favorite to win their first SEC title since 2014, with a game lead on Arkansas, which has to come to Gainesville in two weeks. — Moore
Duke’s ‘really beautiful’ defense
DURHAM, N.C. — No. 4 Duke laid waste Saturday to No. 20 Clemson, running away with a 67-54 home victory that was never as close as the final score makes it seem. After a so-so first half — in which Duke settled for 18 3-pointers and star freshman Cameron Boozer scored only 6 points — the Blue Devils quickly broke the contest fully open.
It’s no surprise that Duke — which ranks third nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KemPom — eventually put the clamps on Clemson, holding Brad Brownell’s team to a season-low in points. The Tigers shot just 35.1 percent overall and 25 percent from 3, struggling to generate (and make) many open looks. But after a few less-than-dominant defensive efforts — including last weekend, when Jon Scheyer’s team allowed rival North Carolina to finish on a game-winning 9-0 run — Saturday was a strong reminder of how dominant Duke can be when its defense is playing to its potential.
“When we’re all locked in, five guys moving on a string,” said sophomore Isaiah Evans, “I think it’s really beautiful.”
Beyond the final score, this was the second of five straight Saturdays for Duke against ranked teams. Next up is No. 2 Michigan in Washington, D.C., before two more critical ACC games at home: No. 15 Virginia and, finally, No. 11 North Carolina in the regular-season finale.
That Michigan game may serve as a Final Four preview — ESPN’s “College GameDay” is even making a rare neutral-site appearance for the expected top-five showdown — but the following week’s contest against the Cavaliers may prove just as consequential. As of now, Duke has a game and a half lead over UVa in the ACC standings.
Beating Clemson — and in this fashion — was undoubtedly a positive, but there’s plenty more coming down the pipe. — Brendan Marks
Purdue learns lesson, keeps throttle high at Iowa
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Purdue let a 22-point lead collapse Tuesday at Nebraska before gathering itself in overtime to pull out a 3-point win. Faced with a similar situation Saturday at sold-out Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the No. 13 Boilermakers were determined not to let a 22-point lead slip away again. And this time, they increased it, then maintained it in a 78-57 win.
In a physical game, Purdue relied on relentless defense and quality spacing on offense. Purdue began the second half on an 11-2 run and led by as many as 26 points with 10 minutes remaining.
“Coach (Matt Painter) at halftime was telling us, ‘Don’t let up, don’t flinch, because the game’s not over yet,’” said Purdue guard C.J. Cox, who drilled three consecutive 3-pointers to stretch a 14-point advantage to 21.
The win was the fourth straight for the Boilers (21-4, 11-3 Big Ten), who wrapped up an eight-game stretch with six on the road. Iowa (18-7, 8-7 Big Ten) dropped its second straight game.
“In our league, it gets really hard,” Painter said. “We look at it like, man, we’ve got to go to Nebraska, we’ve got to go to Iowa. We got beat at UCLA. We get beat at Indiana. That just shows you how the game is. They beat Indiana by 17. We lose to Indiana (by 5) there. Then you watch this game, that doesn’t make sense, right? Tying all that together doesn’t make sense from our end. It doesn’t make sense from their end, but that’s basketball.”
With two of the nation’s top point guards playing, they were impactful in different ways. Bennett Stirtz was Iowa’s only offensive threat and finished with 19 points, but none of his teammates hit double figures. Purdue’s Braden Smith took only five shots and sank only one field goal, but he had 12 assists.
Purdue, which began the year as the preseason No. 1, gets one last run at the Big Ten regular-season crown Tuesday when it hosts Michigan (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten). — Scott Dochterman
Iowa State’s pressure defense eats up Kansas
Iowa State constantly put two on the ball, and the pressure overwhelmed Kansas in a 74-56 win for the fifth-ranked Cyclones.
They bounced back from their loss to TCU and avenged a 21-point loss last month to Kansas that was the start of an eight-game winning streak for KU.
It was like the Jayhawks had never seen a double team on Saturday. They had 13 turnovers and just seven assists in a low-possession game, resulting in their worst efficiency (0.89 points per possession) all season.
The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12) took control when they opened the second half making their first six 3s. The Jayhawks (19-6, 9-3) struggled with switches, opening up ISU’s shooters for easy catch-and-shoot looks. ISU’s Milan Momcilovic made four 3s and led the Cyclones with 18 points.
Darryn Peterson, who missed Monday’s win against No. 1 Arizona with a flu-like symptoms, returned for Kansas but struggled to get many good looks, finishing with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting. Peterson also had no rebounds or assists in 23 minutes. — Moore
Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed, and other Bracket Watch implications
Even if Arizona would have found a way to beat Texas Tech, and even though Peat sat most of that game with a lower-body injury, Michigan would have moved past the Wildcats for the No. 1 overall seed in Tuesday’s Bracket Watch. Arizona losing left no doubt.
More importantly, the Wolverines left no doubt that when they bring focus and energy, there’s no scarier group in the sport. Down 58-42 with 14:22 left on Wednesday at Northwestern, they outscored the Wildcats 45-17 from there. It did not look like two teams that could possibly be in the same conference. On Saturday at home, Michigan (24-1, 14-1 Big Ten) was up just 40-38 on UCLA at the half and won 86-56 — with 18 baskets on 23 shots in the second half, finishing with 1.59 points per possession for the game.
(UCLA coach Mick Cronin, who lost center Aday Mara to Michigan in the offseason, said of Dusty May’s team after the game: “They’ve got the best talent in the country. Give them credit. That’s really all I’ve got to say.”)
The top line will consist of the same four teams on Tuesday after Duke and UConn took care of their business this week. Other non-bubble developments after Saturday’s action include:
• Houston will be the No. 5 overall seed after beating Kansas State on Saturday — that’s Kansas State with no names on the backs of the jerseys — which followed up a win at Utah.
• Florida is in line to jump to the 2 line after handling Kentucky on Saturday, if Illinois goes 0-2 on the week with a home loss Sunday to Indiana. The Gators won at Georgia earlier in the week. Purdue also is a No. 3 seed making a case to move up after a heck of a week of heartland barnstorming — an upset at Nebraska and a thorough domination of Iowa.
• Texas Tech will move from the 4 line to the 3 line, sending Michigan State from the 3 line to the 4 line, after the Red Raiders got one of the best wins of the entire season Saturday. Texas Tech has won three straight since the home heartbreaker against Kansas. The Spartans played just one game this week, a 92-71 humiliation Friday at Wisconsin. That’s three losses in four games and a decidedly downward trend offensively for Tom Izzo’s team.
• Speaking of downward trends in the Big Ten, a non-bubble team threatening to remove the “non” is Iowa. A No. 7 seed in last week’s Bracket Watch, Ben McCollum’s team followed up a brutal loss at Maryland (No. 150 NET, No. 126 KenPom) with a big “non” against Purdue, as in non-competitive at home. And Nebraska and Wisconsin are next on the schedule. — Joe Rexrode
Miami’s joy, Virginia Tech’s stumble lead the Bubble Roundup
Just like any weekend in February, the bubble was tremendously active on Valentine’s Day. But the love was not spread evenly around the at-large contenders: Some were thrilled, but some left Saturday crushed.
No league displayed the extremes of emotions like the ACC. After getting only four teams into the NCAA Tournament last year, the conference needed a rebound, and it is tracking to possibly double its representation in the field.
Miami felt the joy of victory. Five days after a thrilling win over North Carolina, the Hurricanes doubled down on the drama in Raleigh, N.C., erasing a 76-69 deficit in the final minute to beat NC State 77-76. That road victory likely pushed Miami onto the right side of the bubble.
The Hurricanes got big buckets from Malik Reneau and Tru Washington to cut the deficit to 2 with 32 seconds left. Point guard Tre Donaldson followed that up with a steal, and Washington drew a foul on a 3 with just 3 seconds remaining. He knocked down all the foul shots, and Miami escaped with a pivotal victory that could give it the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth since making the Final Four in 2023.
On the flip side Saturday, Virginia Tech felt the cruelty of the bubble. Earlier this week, the Hokies notched their biggest win of the season at Clemson, loudly announcing their at-large intentions and putting themselves in position to earn a bid. Saturday erased most of that optimism, though.
The Hokies lost at home to Florida State, 92-69, in a game that was equally damaging in resume (FSU is currently a Q3 loss) and pride (the game was never close for the final 10 minutes). The loss lands them comfortably outside the field with just a few weeks left until Selection Sunday.
Other winners
TCU edged Oklahoma State in overtime, 95-92, notching a crucial road win over a bubble rival. For the Horned Frogs, that followed up a midweek Q1 win at home against Iowa State, and though TCU has a wild resume, Jamie Dixon’s team is giving itself a real chance at punching its ticket.
The other major bubble game of the day was Texas at Missouri, and the Longhorns pulled out a vital victory in Columbia, 85-68, to further strengthen their profile. Dailyn Swain (25 points) has Texas on the precipice of the NCAA Tournament, while Missouri continues its peculiar pattern of big wins and discouraging defeats.
The rest of the bubble winners generally did what they needed to. Cal took care of business at Boston College, 86-75, and VCU escaped rival Richmond, 78-67, despite a challenging seesaw game that saw the Spiders reduce a 23-point second half deficit to just 2. San Diego State (vs. Nevada) and Saint Mary’s (at Pacific) each took care of their respective bubble business late into the night, as well.
Other losers
SMU fell at the buzzer at Syracuse, 79-78, and though the Mustangs remain in solid position to make the NCAA Tournament, they cannot sustain a flurry of losses down the stretch. The same is true of Georgia: The Bulldogs did great work early in the season, but after a 94-78 disappointment at Oklahoma, they have now dropped five of their last six and are flirting with disaster. The schedule does not get any easier, either; the Dawgs head Tuesday to Kentucky.
Texas A&M is another SEC team that is likely still in the field, but a convincing 82-69 loss at Vanderbilt marked the Aggies’ fourth straight defeat. They have gone from competing for the SEC title to needing a couple of victories to stabilize their at-large hopes.
In a vital game in the WCC, Santa Clara could not quite topple powerhouse Gonzaga for a massive Q1 win, falling 94-86 at home. The Broncos are still in decent shape, but that was their biggest chance to move the needle. They still host Saint Mary’s, but a Gonzaga win would have meant much more.
It’s hard to call UCLA a loser after the Bruins battled likely No. 1 seed Michigan to a near-draw for 20 minutes in Ann Arbor, but the final 30-point margin did not reflect well on Cronin’s team. An angry Michigan State awaits Tuesday in East Lansing. Fellow Big Ten bubble hopeful Ohio State was far closer to a major result against Virginia, but without John Mobley Jr., the Buckeyes fell 70-66 in Nashville. They remain without a Q1 win (0-8) and need positive results to feel comfortable. — Jim Root
