NCAA Basketball: Big Ten, Auburn highlight Monday Morning Mailbag

What are the biggest NCAA Basketball questions you have this week? We answer them all in this week’s Mailbag, including looks at Auburn and the Big Ten.

The NCAA Basketball season is approaching its halfway point as conference play is now in full swing. Still, there are plenty of unknowns around the country, including just how good (or bad) some teams are. We’re also starting to look ahead to the NCAA Tournament which is always fun, but this Monday Morning Mailbag will start with a look at an undefeated Auburn.

Do you have a college basketball or NBA Draft question you want to have answered? Join the conversation on Twitter @brauf33. Thanks as always to those who contributed this week.

In terms of the SEC, it’s tough. Auburn is definitely a contender to win the conference and should be a Final Four contender, although I understand people may doubt that given their schedule so far. Their pace, athleticism, and – most importantly – defense makes them tough for anyone to handle, ranked or not. I don’t think they have the talent to be considered a legitimate national title threat, but that may change if they prove themselves over the next month.

Arkansas is in between for me when it comes to the SEC. I don’t think they’re on the same level as Auburn and Kentucky, but I don’t think there’s anyone else in the conference that can scare them. I think they’re probably looking at a double-bye in the SEC Tournament, which would be a great accomplishment for them.

Is the SEC Auburn’s to lose? – Matt McGloin (@mathewarkansas)

Not necessarily, because Kentucky is turning it on right now. That said, they’ll pretty much finish in the top two for sure. So many teams – Florida, LSU, and Tennessee, especially – have not been playing at the level we thought, which has presented the opportunity for Auburn and Kentucky to run away from the rest of the conference like they have been.

What power 5 teams do you think are not good, but because of name, or coaches name gets more value than they should. Is there a team you think is worse more than the public? – Matt McGloin (@mathewarkansas)

Virginia. And I know they just won the national championship but a lot of people don’t seem to get the fact this is a different team without their core. Tony Bennett is a great coach and Virginia will be back to being a contender next season, but the young players they’re relying on offensively simply aren’t ready to carry the load.

San Diego State and Auburn are the last two unbeatens in college basketball and the Aztecs look better to me and have the stronger resume. They also won perhaps the toughest conference game they’ll face when they beat Utah State on the road, which is why this is a conversation. That said, it’s much more likely they’ll slip up somewhere along the way – perhaps at New Mexico – than go undefeated. Bad shooting nights do happen, you know.