NCAA Basketball: Wofford, Jordan Ford top mid-major performers
By Logan Butts
Week 6 of the mid-major recap column is here, and with the debut of the NCAA Basketball NET rankings on Monday, the mid-majors are entering the national discussion.
Best Performance, Team – Wofford
For the second time in three seasons, the mighty Wofford Terries have knocked off a ranked North Carolina squad on the road.
Two seasons ago, Wofford beat the then No. 5-ranked Tar Heels in the Dean Dome 79-75 for its first-ever Top-25 win. On Sunday, the Terriers took down a depleted 17th-ranked UNC team 68-64 in Carmichael Arena (UNC’s first game in the venue since 1986). And what did Wofford do in the season in between those two upsets? They simply had the greatest season in program history.
The Tar Heels were without star freshman Cole Anthony and fellow starter Leaky Black on Sunday, but the win was still an impressive one for Wofford. The Terriers did not wilt under the pressure on the road, hitting 14 three-pointers and turning the ball over just five times (!).
Trevor Stumpe, injured during last season’s magical run, led the Terriers with 19 points, five assists, and two steals. Point Guard Storm Murphy 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists. The two combined to shoot 9-16 from deep. Freshman Messiah Jones also had an impact with 13 points, five rebounds, three steals, and three blocks.
Wofford may not be as good as they were last year (30 wins, Final AP ranking of 19, 7-seed in the NCAA Tournament, greatest shooter in college basketball history in Fletcher Magee), but following a tough four-game losing streak in November, this win proves they have what it takes to compete in the SoCon, which is still a strong conference, just not four top-100 RPI teams strong like they were last year.
Other big wins this week included Northern Iowa winning 79-76 at No. 24 Colorado and Liberty winning at Vanderbilt 61-56 to remain unbeaten. I must also mention poor UNC G, who now have three losses: at Kansas by 12, vs Montana State on a half-court buzzer-beater, and vs NC State on a half-court buzzer-beater. That’s a tough break for a team with potential at-large dreams.