There is no great team yet…
The upsets continue to happen in college basketball this season. Ohio State lost on the road against Minnesota. That leaves only four unbeaten teams left in college basketball with Auburn, San Diego State, Liberty and Duquesne. Parity has always been there in college basketball, however, with the roster turnover being at an all-time high this leads to less roster continuity. As conference play is approaching there is the same amount of uncertainty of who college basketball’s best are and it is setting up a for the terrific second half of the season.
Liberty
Ritchie McCay has this Liberty team at 11-0 setting itself up for a potential higher seed than normal in March. In addition, the guard play of Liberty has them playing at a great level. That is led by Caleb Homesley and Elijah Cuffee who are both bigger guards who can really score. Also, Darius McGhee and Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz add an element of toughness and defense to the backcourt as well. Furthermore, Scottie James is very important to their success giving an interior presence scoring-wise and on the boards. In addition, Myo Baxter-Bell gives some depth to this Liberty team also. Liberty has a great team defense and consistency that makes them a Mid Major threat.
Wichita State
The Shocker way is back for Gregg Marshall and he has a team that is ready to compete for the AAC title. This team has displayed balance and that will be key coming down to having success towards March. In addition, Erik Stevenson is applying good all-around play on both ends and Tyson Etienne is giving major toughness for Wichita State. Also, Trey Wade has played with really good versatility and great play on the boards. Jamarius Burton is a sharpshooter for Wichita State and extends the defense. Further, Grant Sherfield adds additional depth to the backcourt providing more scoring. Greg Marshall has a team that’s ready to compete for the AAC title.
Memphis
No, James Wiseman, no problem for Memphis as they continue to find ways to get the job done. The win over Tennessee symbolizes what this team is all about and the success Penny Hardaway has had with this team. Furthermore, the play of D.J. Jefferies has been very impressive with his ability to defend and score inside and out consistently. Next, the energy of Precious Achiuwa is contagious and provides a very good ability to get second chance opportunities and runs the floor very well. In addition, Damion Blaugh came up big giving additional scoring and big shots to the perimeter. The steadiness of Alex Lomax and Tyler Harris off the bench were very key in their win over Tennessee. Now, once Wiseman returns for Memphis they will be in the mix to compete for the national championship.
Auburn
The ability for Auburn to play at an uptempo speed and have multiple players making a huge impact is vital. In addition, J’Von McCormick’s speed in the backcourt and ability to score getting the basket sets the tone for Auburn. As well as, the play of Austin Wiley inside who is extremely tough and brings a consistency that’s needed. Furthermore, Danjel Purifoy and Issac Okoro on the perimeter have been exceptional for Auburn with great versatility and the ability to score consistently. Continued, the veterans in Anfernee McClemore and Samir Doughty are apart of the early success for Auburn. Bruce Pearl has a dynamic veteran team that’s ready for SEC play.
Images Courtesy of, Liberty University, Tri-State Defender, USA Today
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