Player of the Week:
Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
As Houston’s schedule continues to increase in competition, Marcus Sasser’s (pictured) game continues to shine. In the past three games this season, the senior guard has consistently posted double-digit points, especially a 25-point performance against the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide in an emotional loss that was overshadowed by the team’s post game antics. Sasser continues to assert his dominance on the American Athletic Conference by averaging 18.4 points per game on 45.2% shooting from the floor. A consistency comes in the free throw department, as three of his last four games had a 100% clip from the charity stripe, with his most recent matchup against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, being the streak-breaker for the free throw run.
Who’s Hot?
Jovan Blacksher Jr., G, Grand Canyon
At the 5-foot 11-inch stature Blacksher Jr. finds himself at, the bigger guards should have a field day locking him up. However, the junior guard from Oakland, California, has been on a consistent pace of double-digit scoring. One of his best performances came against the previously undefeated San Francisco Dons, where Balcksher Jr. dropped 23 points, four assists, on about 53% shooting from the floor and 50% from downtown. His performance was the key factor in the Antelopes’ win against the Dons.
Hofstra Pride, Colonial Athletic Association
To open their season, the Pride started off with a rough slate of buy games, including taking on ranked Houston and Maryland in the process. After dropping four of their first five games, Hofstra turned their season around, winning five out of their last six games, including a huge upset over the No. 24 Arkansas Razorbacks, who currently find themselves in a bit of a struggle. The Pride are now feeling themselves and look to conference play to sneak into the tournament via automatic bid.
Who’s Not?
Patrick Baldwin Jr., G, Milwaukee
As one of the crazier commitments in the sport, the former five-star athlete headed to Milwaukee to join his father, head coach Patrick Baldwin, to make a name for himself. His production as of late has been questionable. When it came to bigger opponents like the Colorado Buffaloes and the Rhode Island Rams, Baldwin has managed to find himself in a little bit of a slump. After a 12-point performance on 23.1% shooting, he followed up with a worse performance of six points on 12.5% shooting. Those performances managed to give their teams huge losses of 11 points or more. If Baldwin doesn’t play well, the team feeds off of his energy.
St. Bonaventure Bonnies, Atlantic 10
The Bonnies were deemed as a mid-major team that was going to wreck multiple brackets in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Over the past two games, Mark Schmidt’s team has struggled against their Power Six opponents. After a 10-point loss to the UConn Huskies, the team traveled to Charlotte to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. From the moment the ball was tipped, Virginia Tech took control with a 13-0 run to start the game. The Bonnies played catch-up the entire time, and it only got worse as they fell 86-49. The problem consists of bench depth, meaning how inefficient their bench helps their starters. Bench help can bring their season back on track heading into conference play.
Top 5 Mid-Major All Time Upsets
5.) Florida Gulf Coast vs. Georgetown (March 22, 2013)
In what sparked a Cinderella run for the ages, Florida Gulf Coast proceeded to be another data point of huge upsets in the NCAA Tournament. As the No. 15 seed, they took on the No. 2 Georgetown Hoyas. FGCU relied on something seen in Los Angeles at the Staples Center: the dunk. Named “Dunk City”, the Eagles hammered down numerous dunks and gave the crowd a show en route to their first-round win in 2013.
4.) Texas Western (UTEP) vs. Kentucky (March 19. 1966)
The stakes were at its highest in the 1966 National Championship. For Texas Western, their team was special because they started an all-African American lineup for the first time in the sport. They battled through racism, adversity, and large programs to their first title in school history. Their story is now told in the 2006 film Glory Road.
3.) Stephen F. Austin vs. Duke (November 26, 2019)
Cameron Indoor is a tough place to play in all of college basketball. The Lumberjacks decided to defy the odds and take down Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils. Their high-pressure defense kept them close, but a steal and a coast-to-coast layup at the buzzer gave Stephen F. Austin the win, a feat no team outside of the ACC has done in 20 years.
2.) Oral Roberts vs. Ohio State (March 19, 2021)
A similar situation to FGCU, Oral Roberts had a tough test against an Ohio State team that finished runner up at the Big Ten Championship. However, the Buckeyes were not prepared for the combination of Max Abmas and Kevin Obanor. The duo combined for 59 out of the team’s 75 points in an overtime game. That led to their Cinderella story that ended in the Sweet Sixteen, but that first round game started it all for the Golden Eagles.
1.) UMBC vs. Virginia (March 16, 2018)
Before the 2018 season, no No. 16 seed in the tournament had beaten the No. 1 seed. Enter the UMBC Retrievers. They were paired up against the overall No. 1 seed in the Virginia Cavaliers. The hustle that the Retrievers put on destroyed the Cavaliers all 40 minutes, embarrassing Tony Bennett and all of the fans in Charlottesville. The feat has not been repeated since that day, and that game is one to remember forever.