Player of the Week
Drew Timme, F, Gonzaga
It’s no kept secret that the big man for the Gonzaga Bulldogs was going to put up numbers once again, but to be the big man on campus, no pun intended, is a whole different story. In three games leading up to their matchup against the Bellarmine Knights, Timme has managed to post 19.3 points per game on 64.1% shooting, 5.3 rebounds per game, and and 3.0 assists per game.
Three of those games did come without head coach Mark Few, as he carries out his sentence of a three-game suspension after a DUI charge. The main concern was their game against a newly revamped Texas Longhorns team ranked No. 5 in the nation. Timme stepped up big time when the lights shined the brightest.
In their home game against Texas, Timme put up 37 points on 78.9% shooting with seven rebounds and three assists. A dim light to his starlit game was his four turnovers, but an overall dominating performance by the early Naismith award frontrunner.
Who’s Hot?
Marcus Sasser, G, Houston
The Houston Cougars, after a Final Four run, lost some talent to the NBA Draft and the transfer portal. Yet, they find themselves sitting at 3-0 entering their next game against the Butler Bulldogs on Nov. 22. It all falls to junior guard Marcus Sasser.
Through the first three games of the season, Sasser boasts a 25.5 points per game average with a 48.5% clip from the court. His lowest point total came on Nov. 16 when the Cougars faced a defensive juggernaut in the Virginia Cavaliers. Sassers posted 19 points on 42.9% shooting with four assists and three steals. His best work is behind the arc, where the junior guard shot 57.1% from downtown.
The offense in Houston seems to run through Sasser, and his numbers as of late have shown that correlation. Looking ahead to an American Athletic Conference, the Cougars can find themselves atop of the table with the Memphis Tigers as their true tests of legitimacy. Even after a close call with the Hofstra Bison to start the season, Houston seems to get the ball rolling, and it’s all thanks to Marcus Sassers.
UMass Minutemen, Atlantic 10
After getting routed by Yale by a margin of 20 points, UMass had their eyes set on vengeance, and they found their perfect target, especially for new transfer forward in Trent Buttrick. The Minutemen host the Penn State Nittany Lions with a new head coach in Micah Shrewsberry and five transfers added to their roster. With a prime target, Buttrick and company knew how to strike, and strike they did.
Overall, the team shot 48.1% from the field and 44.8% from the perimeter, with most of their contributions coming from guards Rich Kelly and C.J. Kelly (no relation). Trent Buttrick, former Nittany Lion, led all scorers with 19 points while adding six assists and three steals to his dataset. UMass also used their advantage to the best of them: height/length.
UMass took away easy opportunities in the lane and created havoc for Penn State to get easy layups at the rim. This caused Penn State to shoot more from the perimeter, which caused them to force shots that looked terrible. The Nittany Lions shot 37.3% from the floor and 26.7% from three. UMass did everything right to get back on track after a blowout by Yale.
Memphis Tigers, American Athletic Conference
Head coach Penny Hardaway was one of few candidates years ago to rebuild a program to prominence, and he brought that to the Memphis Tigers. Bringing in two top recruits in Emoni Bates and Jalen Duren have made this team a significant dark horse as title contenders. Bates has averaged 16 points per game, which leads the team, 50% from three-point land and 57.7% from the floor. His partner in Duren is not to far behind him with 12.78 points per game on 81.3% shooting and 8.0 rebounds per game.
In their three games this season, the Tigers have won by double-digits in each game. Along with that, they have managed to score around 90 points in that timeframe. That comes with depth on their bench as multiple players have scored over five points per game, with two of them breaching the 10 point-per-game mark.
The team is ready to make a run to the Final Four in New Orleans, but can they stay afloat in the American. With Houston fresh off a run of their own, and the rise of Marcus Sasser, can Hardaway’s squad overcome the Cougars and bypass the upsets of the NCAA Tournament to get to the Big Easy?
Who’s Not?
Robert Morris Colonials, Horizon League
Whenever you have the UCF Knights, Kentucky Wildcats, and the Ohio Bobcats scheduled three games in a row, chances are you come out of that 0-3. That is the exact case for Robert Morris. Even going back to the beginning of the 2020-2021 season, the Colonials have managed to lose 15 out of their last 19 games. For a team that won the NEC tournament against St Francis (PA) in 2019, their move to the Horizon league has given them a step back.
Their bright spot is in forward Kahliel Spear, who in 29.3 minutes per game has averaged 14 points per game, seven rebounds per game, and 1.3 blocks per game. His consistency to hit free throws at a 90.9% conversion rate makes him a valued assets to Robert Morris.
Their upcoming schedule may prove tough in the mid-majors as the Colonials face off against Mount St. Mary’s, Davidson, and Green Bay throughout Feast Week. Robert Morris may have its head down due to their recent lack of success, but more pain may come to Moon Twp. Soon due to the tough landscape the Horizon League has in store.
Matt Lottich, Head Coach, Valparaiso
The Valparaiso Beacons, yes, they did change their name, were always a bid to get into the NCAA Tournament. They found themselves making the same mistake Robert Morris did: moving to a bigger conference.
Ever since the move after winning the 2017 Horizon League title, the team has managed to breach .500 once. This says a lot for a mid-major that has gone dancing nine times since 1996. They now have lost two games to other mid-major programs in Toledo and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
If things start to pan out to Valpo becoming a bottom feeder of the Missouri Valley Conference, the athletic administration may have to start looking for a replacement. The standards were high for Valpo, but now things have taken a turn towards rebuild, even if they got four transfers from the Big Ten. The Beacons need to start winning now to save Lottich’s job.
Top 5 Early Season Mid-Major Teams
1.) Gonzaga Bulldogs, West Coast Conference
As ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation, Gonzaga has the same expectation as last season: title or bust. With the addition of No. 1 prospect out of the 2021 class of high school recruits in Chet Holmgrem, it adds to your odds. Holmgrem adds height to a squad that returns one of the more dominant players from last year in Drew Timme.
As a team, without head coach Mark Few for their last three games, has averaged 89 points per game while giving up 64.7 points per game. The Bulldogs consistently find ways to grab boards, dish it down to the posts, and let the big men do the work, which is giving them déjà vu from last season. The question still remains: can they get over the hump to win their first national championship as a program?
2.) Memphis Tigers, American Athletic Conference
As mentioned before, Penny Hardaway’s team is making strides to be a sneaky contender for the title. Their two new stars in Jalen Duren and Emoni Bates, who originally committed to Michigan State, have been the forefront of their success, getting it done on the perimeter and the low block.
The duo has a great supporting cast that has managed to produce in a multitude of ways that contribute to their dominant success. Their last three games have them shooting for 90 points per game, however they have faced inferior competition in the process. Their true test begins in December when they face SEC foes in No. 14 Alabama, No. 17 Tennessee, then straight into conference play.
3.) Houston Cougars, American Athletic Conference
Houston faces a similar situation that Memphis has, but their resume as of right now gives them a slight advantage. When you beat a Tony Bennett Virginia team by 20 points, chances are you are headed in the right direction.
After a Final Four run and losing some key pieces to that squad, the Cougars find themselves at a 3-0 record. Guard Marcus Sasser, alongside a supporting cast of J’Wan Roberts and Kyler Edwards, have managed to take the reigns from Quentin Grimes and consistently keep Houston in the mix for the AP polls.
4.) St. Bonaventure Bonnies, Atlantic 10
St. Bonaventure is off and running once more to defend their conference tournament title. In their two games this far into the season, the Bonnies have blown out Siena and rallied against Canisius. A little back track from last season.
Looking at the stat sheet, three players have averaged double-digits points thus far into the season, with a few more eclipsing the five point margin. Kyle Lofton leads this team once more, as one of their go-to guys. However, the Bonnies are going about eight deep on their roster, creating more fatigue for their players. Would that cause some concern heading into March?
5.) BYU Cougars, West Coast Conference
The Cougars are picking up right where they left off, starting the season 3-0. With impressive wins over three tournament teams to start the season, BYU looks to gain ground on the leading Gonzaga Bulldogs. After their dominant 32 point victory against the Oregon Ducks in the Phil Knight Classic, BYU has high hopes.
Their star is guard Alex Barcello, who averages 22 points a night for this Cougar team, shooting 74% from the floor and 61.5% from the perimeter. To put that into perspective, the next scorer behind him, Te’Jon Lucas, averages 10 points per game. On the other hand, BYU likes to utilize their bench by going 4 deep from the pine. This team can shock the world by taking the conference title away from Gonzaga if they play their cards right.