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Good morning! Be nice, Ja Morant.
Refresh, Pt. 1: It’s JuJu’s world, but UCLA’s town
We briefly mentioned this yesterday, but now is the time of year when college basketball re-enters our national consciousness. As football season wanes, we are exactly two months away from the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Time for a refresh, and we have quick dossiers on both the men and women today. We’ll start with the side that intrigues me most right now, with insights from our insider Sabreena Merchant:
Let’s get right to it, Sabreena. Who’s the best women’s team in the country?
💬 UCLA. There are three unbeaten teams (UCLA, LSU and Ohio State), but only the Bruins boast a convincing victory over defending champion South Carolina, the lone loss the Gamecocks have taken in the last two seasons. The nation’s No. 1 recruiting class two years ago is all grown up, with juniors Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice leading the way. Transfers Janiah Barker and Timea Gardiner help give the Bruins one of the most versatile and athletic frontcourts in recent memory. This roster is big and menacing defensively and the deserving top-ranked team.
OK, but who’s the best team no one is watching?
💬 Kentucky. The Wildcats have been something of an afterthought on the women’s side — they’ve gotten to the second weekend of the tournament once in the last decade — but it’s a new era. Fresh off of building Virginia Tech into an ACC powerhouse, coach Kenny Brooks has brought his magic, and his fifth-year point guard Georgia Amoore, to Kentucky. She is arguably the best pure passer in the country, and busts out a few ankle-breakers. The Wildcats aren’t necessarily in the top tier of the SEC yet, but they’re riding an eight-game win streak.
Lastly: Who’s your favorite player to watch?
💬 USC star JuJu Watkins. Forgive the L.A. bias: No one puts on a show quite like JuJu. She can do it all, and she’s leading the Big Ten (a conference that now also includes UCLA, in case you need a realignment refresher) in both points and steals. The sophomore is even on pace — it’s early, I know — to eventually break Caitlin Clark’s NCAA scoring record. Honorable mentions to Flau’jae Johnson (LSU) and Aziaha James (NC State).
Many thanks to Sabreena. See our latest Power Rankings for more, too.
We’ll hit the men’s side shortly. Let’s keep moving:
News to Know
Ewers declares
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is heading to the NFL after all, ending speculation that he could return to the Longhorns or enter the transfer portal. Ewers has an interesting draft profile: He grades out more as a second-to-fourth-round pick, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, but the lack of QB depth in this class could elevate his standing. It’s the right call, per Sam Khan.
More news:
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Refresh, Pt. 2: We already have a bracket-buster pick
Stew Milne / Getty Images
We continue with the men’s side, where there are plenty of talented teams but no one’s really staked a hard claim to No. 1. I went to C.J. Moore for, ahem, more:
Best team so far?
💬 Auburn. Coach Bruce Pearl has an aged, deep roster that understands how to excel in his flex offense, and scorers both inside and out. Even without the injured Johni Broome, guys like veteran wing Chad Baker-Mazara, freshman point guard Tahaad Pettiford, senior shooting guard Miles Kelly and senior combo guard Denver Jones have shown the ability to carry the offense, and Pearl’s teams always give great effort on the defensive end. You can make an argument for Duke, which beat Auburn head-to-head at Cameron Indoor, or Iowa State, which lost to Auburn on a Broome tip-in.
Best team no one’s watching?
💬 I’ll give you two: UC Irvine and UC San Diego, both in the Big West. Irvine has consistently been good for years under coach Russell Turner, and this is his best defensive team yet, ranking eighth in adjusted defense at KenPom. UC San Diego, eligible for the NCAA Tournament for the first time, had the nation’s longest win streak (12) until Saturday, when the Tritons lost to Irvine. They also have one of the best wins among mid-majors: a road win over currently ranked Utah State. Whichever team wins the Big West could be a team you want to pick in your bracket.
And your favorite player to watch?
💬 Kam Jones, Marquette guard. He is a magician with the basketball, from his ball-handling to his passing to his below-the-rim finishes at the basket. He’s played off the ball next to Tyler Kolek the last three seasons and moved to the point guard spot this year, and along with Broome and Cooper Flagg, I’d say he’s one of three locks to be a first-team All-American. He’ll do something two or three times a game that’ll make your jaw drop.
Feeling prepped? I am. Make sure to keep up with C.J.’s work the rest of the year. His Top 25 column each week is a must-read.
P.S. In related news yesterday: Schools will now get paid for women’s March Madness games, just as men’s teams have earned money for years. About time.
Watch, Listen and Play
📺 NHL: Red Wings at Panthers
7 p.m. ET on ESPN
Detroit has been hot since installing Todd McLellan as head coach Dec. 26, but reality has set in for the plucky Red Wings. The schedule ahead is a bear, starting with tonight’s game against the defending Stanley Cup champs.
📺 NBA: Rockets at Kings
10 p.m. ET on TNT/truTV/Max
Yes, it’s wild I picked this game over Round 2 of Cavaliers-Thunder (7:30 p.m. ET on the same channels), but there is real intrigue here. Houston is the West’s second-best team right now, and Sacramento has refound its footing after firing Mike Brown. Let’s mix it up.
Get tickets to games like these here.
🎧 “Until Saturday” wonders, with guest Paul Finebaum, why SEC football faceplanted this season. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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