NCAA Basketball: Top 10 most watchable teams midway through 2019-20 season
By Max Hastings
8. Duquesne
Another surprising story this season, the mighty Dukes have come out as one of the hottest teams in the nation, winning their first 10 games of the season and winning five of their first six games in conference play. Unlike the first two teams mentioned, Duquense has done its damage on the defensive side of the ball. They are the 2nd most watchable team on that side of the ball, ranking 7th in Steal %, 20th in Block % and 45th in Defensive Rating.
Head coach Keith Dambrot, a 3-time MAC coach of the year at Akron, has brought his aggressive 1-2-1-1 full-court press to Duquense and has a program that has only two 20 win seasons in the past 40 years looking like strong contenders in the A-10.
As we’ve seen in the past with West Virginia and VCU, effective full-court presses can be extremely fun to watch, and that’s exactly what Dambrot has brewing with his Dukes. If he can get Duquense into the tournament, this team has all the makings of a Cinderella the world can fall in love with.
7. Gonzaga
As you’ll see, there are a couple of familiar faces, in this season’s top 10, and we’ll kick them off with the mid-major GOAT Gonzaga Bulldogs. Despite losing its top four scorers to the NBA draft, Coach Mark Few reloaded once again and has his ‘Dogs playing like one of the best teams in the country. And, of course, they’ve been as watchable as ever.
Ranking #1 in Offensive rating and #2 in Effective Field Goal percentage, Mark Few’s Popovich-like offense has been shredding opposing defenses all season long. With no real stars this year like Rui Hachimura and Brandon Clarke, the scoring has come from everywhere, with six different players averaging double-digit points per game.
And, unlike Dayton, their defense has been stout too, as they rank 40th in Block %. The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the San Antonio Spurs of college basketball, and if you’re a fan of that style, I suggest you tune in whenever possible.