Cinderella Watch: Week 2. TK
Cinderella Watch is Back!
Last season as the lead mid-major contributor to The Athletic's national college basketball vertical, I began ranking the top 25 mid-major schools in the country every Monday. Lest you question the utility of such an exercise, that Cinderella Watch led to the successful prediction of many upsets in the NCAA Tournament's opening weekend. Clearly you all didn't take my advice, because my bracket finished in the 98th percentile on ESPN's app!
Plus, following mid-major hoops throughout the year is a lot of fun. Nowhere else will you get a "Lamb Bonanza" game like South Dakota State has every year, or 40+ point performances from players like Campbell's Chris Clemons, or bitter rivalries like Grand Canyon vs. New Mexico State. At the mid-major level, you truly find the beating heart of college basketball.
So without further ado, here is week two of the top 25 power rankings:
Cinderella Watch - Week 2
Reminder: teams from the top seven conferences (ACC, B1G, Big 12, Big East, SEC, Pac 12, American) and Gonzaga have been excluded from consideration.
1. Nevada (2-0): The Wolf Pack better get used to facing 2-3 zone in nearly every game, because very few of their opponents can match up with them. When they're missing shots, like they were against BYU, they'll be in some close games. If they're hitting, like they were against Pacific, prepare for a blow out. (Previous rank: 1)
2. Buffalo (2-0): A win over No. 13 West Virginia in Morgantown was the best effort of the college basketball season by any team so far. 6-3 senior CJ Massinburg absolutely snapped in that game, throwing up 43 points and 14 rebounds, but the most impressive thing to me was how the undersized Bulls grabbed a staggering 21 offensive rebounds. They could merit a top 25 ranking before too long, they're really that good. (Previous rank: 3)
3. South Dakota State (3-0): 6-2 sophomore David Jenkins Jr. has swagger. Serious swagger. He carries himself like he is the one with over 2,000 career points, instead of his teammate Mike Daum. He dropped 31 points in an impressive opening night home win over Grand Canyon. In the final eight minutes, Daum was held scoreless while Jenkins scored 12 points to close the game. (Previous rank: 2)
4. Montana (1-0): The win over Georgia State on Friday night was a knockdown drag out mid-major slugfest. The Grizzlies defended their home court behind four different players scoring in double figures, and impressive poise down the stretch. Holding the Panthers below 75 points is no easy task. (Previous rank: 11)
5. Marshall (2-0): Backcourt duo Jon Elmore and C.J. Burks have combined for 103 points through the Thundering Herd's first two games, both decent wins against Eastern Kentucky and Hofstra. Anyone know any hard games? (Previous rank: 7)
6. Belmont (1-0): It's too early to say for certain that the Bruins are true Cinderella contenders, but I know this much for sure: when they hit 14 threes and score 100 points, as they did in a convincing win over Illinois State on Saturday, nobody on this list is going to be able to beat them. (Previous rank: 13)
7. San Diego State (1-0): We'll wait and see on the Aztecs. They took care of business in their only game this week, but it was against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. (Previous rank: 8)
8. BYU (1-1): The Cougars held a second half lead against Nevada on opening night, and I think the case could be made pretty easily that if star forward Yoeli Childs doesn't get into foul trouble, they close that game out. Ifs and buts, candy and nuts, Merry Christmas, etc. etc. They posted a good bounce-back win at home against Utah Valley.
9. Davidson (2-0): The Wildcats narrowly avoided a bad loss to Dartmouth at home this week, but it's a good sign that they can win even when the normally-reliable three-point barrage isn't available. Oh, and in case there was some dispute, Kellen Grady is as good advertised. 24 and 23 points in the two games.
10. Western Kentucky (1-1): The Hilltoppers had a second half lead on the road against No. 25 Washington, and played them admirably, but completely crumbled down the stretch and lost by 18. At times they might work a little to hard to use their new shiny toy, 5-star freshman center Charles Bassey, at the expense of an offensive flow. (Previous rank: 9)
11. Illinois State (1-1): Despite the loss to Belmont, I'm still a big believer in these Redbirds. But they're another team that better get used to facing 2-3 in almost every game because of their size and athletic advantages. When they face the zone, they can't settle for jacking up threes quite so often. (Previous rank: 4)
12. Murray State (1-0): The Racers ran away from the preseason Horizon League favorites Wright State, eventually posting a 19-point win. 6-3 sophomore star Ja Morant means everything to the team, posting 26 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds, but his high usage rate led to 7 turnovers as well. Gotta take the good with the bad. (Previous rank: 15)
13. Lipscomb (2-0): The Bisons are going to be a good team, even though we can't tell that from two victories over a non-DI and Tennessee State this week. A cross-town matchup with Belmont will go a long way toward determining just how good they really are. (Previous rank: 18)
14. Saint Louis (2-0): I mean, the Bilikens didn't lose, so I guess I can't drop them as much as I want to. But a 10-point win over SE Missouri State and a 4-point win over Troy, both at home, isn't doing much to inspire confidence. (Previous rank: 14)
15. Loyola Chicago (1-1): The home loss to Furman was shocking, and all things considered probably already eliminated the Ramblers from at-large bid contention. But what we're not going to do is overreact and pretend like this isn't a very good team. (Previous rank: 5)
16. St. Joseph's (1-0): The fact that the Hawks were left off my preseason rankings was not an oversight. I really didn't believe in them. Well consider me an early adopter, because their 15-point home victory over Old Dominion, and the way they putt up 79 points against ODU's stout defense, was mighty impressive. (Previous rank: unranked)
17. Georgia State (1-1): An action-packed opening week for the Panthers included a pair of really close games, one a win over feisty ETSU and one a close loss at Montana. 6-3 junior D'Marcus Simonds showed why everyone was talking about him as an NBA prospect, putting up 23 and 30 points respectively, and hitting seven of 17 three-pointers combined. He's a weapon of mass destruction. (Previous ranking: 10)
18. Southern Illinois (0-1): Yes, it was a loss that catapulted the Salukis into my rankings this week. An impressive loss, in Rupp Arena against No. 2 Kentucky, in which SIU led by seven points with 14 minutes to play. 6-10 Kavion Pippen was a handful down low, and no one could stay in front of 6-2 junior Aaron Cook.A mega-matchup with Buffalo looms on Monday night. (Previous rank: honorable mention)
19. UNC Greensboro (1-1): Another team that deserves credit for a strong effort in a loss. The Spartans traveled to No. 23 LSU on Friday, and fought off several LSU runs to keep the game close down to the wire. 6-8 junior Kyrin Gallaway's shooting prowess (8/10 from three) gives UNCG a weapon that is seldom seen at the mid-major level (Previous rank: 19)
20. Wofford (1-1): The Terriers made the most of their rare opportunity to host a game against blue blood North Carolina, putting together a competitive game despite a cold night shooting from star Fletcher Magee (3/16 from three). Then they got a true road win at in-state foe High Point. (Previous rank: 16)
21. Rhode Island (1-0): No idea what Rhody is working with this year after a one-game sample against Bryant. A road game against College of Charleston this week should clear things up. (Previous rank: 17)
22. Penn (2-0): I feel vindicated! I was very high on the Quakers in my way-too-early rankings in April, but backed off when I didn't see any buzz for them in the preseason. They came out and snatched a true road win against a good George Mason team, then wiped the floor with Rice. Starting guard Ryan Betley is out for the season with a torn Achilles, but this team is still armed and dangerous. (Previous rank: honorable mention)
23. Saint Mary's (2-0): Home wins over McNeese and Utah Valley get a big ho-hum from me. A win on the road at New Mexico State this week would certainly open my eyes. (Previous rank: 21)
24. Stony Brook (2-0): Seriously, did any school in the country have two better wins that Stony Brook? It doesn't mean they're going to beat Vermont out in the Am. East, but wow. A crazy road comeback win against George Washington then another at South Carolina? While collecting those buy game checks for your athletics department? That ought to make your AD smile. (Previous rank: unranked)
25. Ball State (1-1): The Cardinals beat up on Missouri Valley foe Indiana State at home on opening night, then gave Purdue all it could handle on Saturday. Unseating Buffalo looks near-impossible at the moment, but watch out for this team. 6-3 senior guard Tayler Persons is a baaaad man. (Previous rank: honorable mention)
Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Ball State, Bradley, Charleston, East Tennessee State, Furman, Grand Canyon, Harvard, Jacksonville State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Northeastern, Northern Kentucky, Vermont
I Can't Make This Stuff Up
1. George Washington led Stony Brook 22-0 in the first 10 minutes of their opening night game. Stony Brook fights back, and with five seconds left trails by four points, headed to the foul line for two shots. They make the first, then try to intentionally miss the second, but the ball bounces in. On the ensuing inbound, GW gets a FIVE SECOND CALL to turn the ball over. Stony Brook's inbounds play kinda sorta works but they miss a short shot to tie, then another player comes flying in to tip the ball in and send the game to overtime. They'd go on to win.
2. Speaking of comebacks, Charlotte trailed Oklahoma State by 24 points in the second half of their game on Saturday. Down just one with seconds remaining, 49ers guard Jon Davis banked in a buzzer beater three FROM THE TOP OF THE KEY with two defenders draped all over him. Onions.
3. Of all the plays to call when the game is tied and there's under 10 seconds left, Furman depended on an old school back door cut to beat Loyola Chicago. By now you've probably seen what forward Clay Mounce did with it. I can't remember the last time I saw a game-winning poster dunk. Sister Jean couldn't save the Ramblers from that thunderous throw-down.
4. And somehow after all that, the best game-winner I saw this week came from James Madison vs. East Carolina. James Madison was down one, just a few seconds left and the length of the court to go. JMU guard Stuckey Mosley dribbles coast to coast, but can't get open so at the top of the key he turns to his left (his strong side) and starts dribbling to the wing. He still can't get open, but there's less than a second left, so he decides to fling a hook shot over his right shoulder, on the dead run, body still pointing towards the baseline, from one step inside the three point line. And from a nearly impossible angle it bounces in. I don't know how.