LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Joe Lunardi, AP poll voters and Santa Claus are gaga about Big Ten basketball.
People talk about Gonzaga as if the Zags are the greatest thing since the 2015 Kentucky Wildcats, the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers or Fannie May chocolate.
Extra-strength antacids have been prescribed in Lexington, Kentucky; East Lansing, Michigan and, perhaps, Durham, North Carolina.
Confusion reigns in the Southeastern Conference.
And apparently, coach Fran McCaffery still believes he can do great things at Iowa without a Top 20 — make that Top 75 — defense.
Conference play has started to rage in college basketball. So have questions about early trends.
What are you buying — or selling?
1. Does the Big Ten deserve this hype?
Lunardi shared his latest, greatest 2021 NCAA Tournament bracket at ESPN.com Tuesday. He included 11 of the league’s 14 teams and mentioned another (Maryland) as one of the first four out.
Voters in the AP Top 25 recognized nine Big Ten teams, six in the Top 17.
Ken Pomeroy has eight Big Ten teams in his top 26.
The only person who hasn’t written a love letter to the Big Ten is Dabo Swinney.
Yes, the Big Ten won its annual ACC challenge, 7-5. Yes, Michigan State and Illinois both won at Duke. Yes, Ohio State handled UCLA, Indiana took care of Stanford and two Big East teams and Michigan is unbeaten.
But look closer. There are mustard stains on the Big Ten’s warm-ups.
That Northwestern team that popped Michigan State, Indiana and Ohio State wasn’t able to defeat Pittsburgh.
Illinois lost by double figures to Baylor, just as Iowa lost by 11 to Gonzaga. Texas was 22 points better than IU. Purdue stumbled twice against ACC opponents.
Yes, the Big Ten has delivered a solid November and December. But is the league miles ahead of the rest of college basketball?
I’m SELLING that one, especially after I remind you a Big Ten team has not won the NCAA title since 2000. Prove it in March and April.
2. Will Gonzaga run the table?
I am not a Gonzaga basher. I have been voting Mark Few’s team No. 1 on my AP college basketball ballot for several weeks.
You can write the Zags down for a one-seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament and focus on determining the three other top seeds.
Think about this: Gonzaga has beaten four Top-25 opponents by an average of nearly 13 points.
Next question: Will Gonzaga finish unbeaten?
Regular season? Absolutely, positively.
Regular season and postseason? I’ll SELL that one.
Ask the members of the 2015 Wildcats, the 1991 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels or Richie “The Fixer” Perry how challenging that is. Every NCAA men’s champion since 1976 has lost at least twice.
3. Will Kentucky and Michigan State miss the NCAA Tournament?
I don’t care if your name is John Wooden or Dean Smith, your team will whiff on the NCAA Tournament with a 1-6 record.
Does that mean the Wildcats are finished?
No.
Their best route is to finish in the top four in the Southeastern Conference and earn a double bye in the conference tournament. Do that and all John Calipari’s team would have to do is go crazy, win three games in Nashville and grab the league’s automatic bid.
The Wildcats are not the only heavyweight staggering. Check the bottom of the Big Ten standings.
Yep, that’s Michigan State. Not only are the Spartans 0-3, they’ve lost to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Minnesota by 14, 9 and 25.
Tom Izzo has not found a replacement for Cassius Winston at point guard. There is a hole where Xavier Tillman played inside. Aaron Henry was benched against Minnesota. The Spartans rank 10th in the Big Ten in defensive efficiency.
Ken Pomeroy projects Michigan State to finish 7-13 in the Big Ten and 13-13 overall. His formula has Kentucky 9-8 in the SEC, 10-15 overall.
Does that read like the resume of an NCAA Tournament team?
I’m BUYING UK and Michigan State missing the tournament.
4. Is Tennessee the team to beat in the SEC?
What if I told you that one of the best games of the entire SEC men’s basketball season will be played Wednesday night?
You should believe me.
Five SEC teams made Lunardi’s latest 68-team bracket: LSU, Florida, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee.
Two made the AP Top 25: Missouri (a four-seed) and UT (a two-seed).
The Vols and Tigers are scheduled to play twice: Wednesday night in Columbia, where Missouri made it name by beating Illinois 17 days ago, and a rematch in Knoxville Jan. 23.
Rick Barnes has put together another solid team in Knoxville. The Vols (6-0) have yet to allow more than 66 points. Pomeroy has them winning the SEC by two games.
I’m taking a chance by overlooking the fine print. The Vols have played every game at home and their best wins have been against Colorado (31 in Pomeroy) and Cincinnati (77).
I’m a believer in Barnes and BUYING this one — unless the Vols stumble at Missouri on Wednesday night.
5. Will Fran McCaffery ever figure it out?
This was the season the Iowa basketball team was supposed to have it all: the returning national player of the year (Luka Garza); three-point shooters at every spot; depth; experience, the works.
Somebody whispered the Hawkeyes had improved their defense, which has been top 100 once in the last four seasons.
Lies.
For the fourth straight season, Iowa attacks with a Top-20 offense. Only Gonzaga’s offense is ranked more efficient than Iowa by Pomeroy.
But this is what Iowa is calling improved defense: Jumping from 97th to 91st in that category.
Gonzaga dropped 99 on Team McCaffery. Minnesota scored 102, including 19 in five minutes of overtime.
There is a reason McCaffery has taken nine teams to the NCAA Tournament and never seen the Sweet Sixteen.
I’m SELLING Iowa.
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