College Basketball Weekend Takeaways 11/15-11/17

In year one under Mark Pope, he has already had success with getting a marquee win at Houston. This was without their best player Yoeli Childs as he serving his nine game suspension. The play of Jake Toolson was great on the perimeter with his shooting ability. Alex Barcello is playing with great energy and assertiveness on both ends. Also, Kolby Lee showed his capabilities scoring inside and his ability to rebound. T.J. Haws can be more efficient as a shooter but provided the biggest shot against Houston to win the game at the buzzer. This BYU team with Yoeli Childs returning will have an opportunity to make the NCAA tournament this season.

The freshman for West Virginia has been a force inside and a problem for teams to contain. His last game against Pittsburgh he went for 20 points and 17 rebounds. The activity he provides around the basket is exceptional and he is very strong with the basketball but finishes with great touch. Also, his ability to protect the basket on the defensive end is outstanding with his activity. He will continue to develop into an offensive threat and will be even more of a problem to contain for teams. Tshiebwe’s energy and effort as a player make him a great defender. West Virginia has a star center and the country will continue to see his dominance.

This Gonzaga team is already showing it is one of the premier teams in college basketball this season. This starts with the consistent play of Corey Kistpert to the backcourt providing leadership and the ability to score from the perimeter. Also, Admon Gilder is producing at the point guard position as he initiates the offense well and provides energy on the boards. Next, the play of Filipe Pretusev inside is a game-changer, as he has a really good feel around the basket and has great athleticism. He will only improve. Further, the addition of Ryan Woodridge on the perimeter has been key to their success, as an efficient player who knows his role. When Killian Tille returns from his injury this will be one of the best teams in all of the college basketball competing for a number one seed.

He is playing as one of the most efficient big men in the country. He is averaging 21.0 points with 6.0 rebounds shooting a remarkable 84.6%. Furthermore, he has been a great spark for Arizona in the frontcourt for Arizona. He is providing a dominant force down low for Arizona and has a really good touch around the basket. In addition, his face-up game is really good as he’s poised and confident in his decision making. The athleticism he brings is really good with his versatility which gives him the ability to score in multiple ways and be able to distribute the ball. Arizona has a gem freshman in Zeke Nnaji who can become one of the best bigs in the country.

The early struggles continue for Florida with losses to Florida State and Connecticut. Further, the offensive numbers for Florida have not been strong at all averaging 62.5 points a game and shooting 38.4% from the field and 24.1% from deep. The inconsistency in chemistry with this team is off with six new freshmen and three transfers. Next, Kerry Blackshear Jr. has not been the dominant big man he can be and the guards have produced inconsistent shooting. In addition, the only positive has been the play of Keyonte Johnson as he’s been very efficient. Noah Locke and Tre Mann must shoot the ball better from three to stretch the defense. Florida must find scoring from the perimeter and be consistent in their scoring approach to find an identity.