February is slowly slipping away and we’re on the fast track to college basketball’s most celebrated and important month. With that in mind, there’s no better time for a discussion about the college season and the upcoming stretch run.
This week in the Rivals Roundtable, national analysts Rob Cassidy and Travis Graf explore a trio of questions related to the late-season intrigue.
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WHICH UNDER-THE-RADAR PLAYER ARE YOU MOST EXCITED FOR THE COUNTRY TO GET TO KNOW IN MARCH?
“It’s a shame UCF probably won’t be in the tournament, because Taylor Hendricks is the obvious choice, as he’s having the kind of season that should be more nationally relevant and will probably be a pro at this time next year. But since he isn’t an option, I’ll go with Drake’s Tucker DeVries. DeVries had an outstanding season a year ago, but the Bulldogs failed to make it to the big stage, so his MVC Freshman of the Year season flew mostly under the radar. His standing as a niche star feels set to change next month, however, as the sophomore is averaging nearly 20 points and six rebounds per game for a team that seems like a good bet to be in the field of 68. DeVries has the feel of a player that is going to absolutely ruin some high-major fan base’s day in March.” - Cassidy
“Sometimes you have to really try to find a Memphis basketball game on your TV, and then try even harder if you’re outside of the Midwest and Southeast regions. The Tigers are a bubble team that I’m going to mention, and they’re led by Kendric Davis, who is having one of the best seasons nationally, yet he is still not getting the same notoriety as other top players. Davis, an SMU transfer, is sixth in the nation in scoring at 21.8 points per contest while also dishing out over six assists per game. If the Tigers make it into the field, he’s a player that could lead them to a couple of upsets.” - Graf
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WHO DO YOU SEE AS THE TEAM THAT COULD BARELY SLIP INTO THE TOURNAMENT AND MAKE SOME NOISE AFTER DOING SO?
“I feel like I always end up with a pet bubble team, and this year it’s everyone’s favorite plucky, lovable underdogs: Kentucky. I’m predisposed to root for Italian-American head coaches as it is, so when you figure in the fact that everyone was tossing dirt on John Calipari’s body early in the season, seeing him make the tournament then rattle off a few wins is an exciting possibility. This is obviously a cop-out pick, as the Wildcats have as much talent as any bubble team in history and look like a decent bet to qualify, so it stands to reason that things could click at the right time for Calipari and company. Either way, I’m here for the discourse a deep UK run would create.” – Cassidy
“As it stands today, Arkansas is firmly on the bubble. It's on the right side of the bubble, but still … on the bubble. The Razorbacks are a big, physical, strong team that will out-muscle and out-hustle opponents. Their three-point shooting is rocky at times, but they are great at driving the basketball. If Nick Smith comes back anytime soon, they’d have a couple of weeks to build chemistry between Smith and Anthony Black in the backcourt. Talent-wise, Arkansas could have the most dangerous backcourt in the tournament, if they’re able to get in.” - Graf
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WHO DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE TEAM IN THE COUNTRY?
“I’ve specialized in unpredictability since I was a kid, so I feel some weird kinship with teams that boast a Jekyll-and-Hyde persona. It’s the reason I can't get enough of this very mediocre Virginia Tech team. Wins over Virginia, Duke and North Carolina? Sure. Two losses to 12-13 Boston College? Why not? Will Virginia Tech make the NCAA Tournament? Almost certainly not, but are you ready to say that unequivocally? Point guard Sean Pedulla makes them worth watching, and the fact that you literally have no idea what you’re going to get from game to game keeps me extra intrigued, despite the realization that I probably won’t be seeing them in the bracket come Selection Sunday. What can I say? I have a deep respect for fellow chaos agents, even when they aren’t particularly talented … or able to win on the road.” - Cassidy
“I’ll go with UConn here. The Huskies started off the season in dominating fashion, winning their first 14 games, including victories over Alabama, Iowa State, Oregon, Florida and Villanova. Since then, they are 5-6 with double-digit losses to Xavier, Providence and St. John’s. They’re currently sitting on a three-game winning streak, but this season has definitely featured peaks and valleys for Dan Hurley’s squad. January was their worst shooting month, both from the floor and from behind the arc, and their offense as a whole sputtered at times during that time frame. They’ve picked it back up over the last couple of weeks, and it will be interesting to see if they’re riding momentum into the tournament or if the offense hits another wall.” - Graf
