Here are the biggest takeaways from the past week in NCAA basketball, including Kansas’ dominance, Florida State being overrated, and more.
We are only four weeks away from Selection Sunday and, though we’re still in February, the madness has already started in NCAA Basketball.
Unranked teams won eight games against ranked opponents on Saturday, all of whom significantly helped their tournament resumes in what has become commonplace in the sport this season. That said, one ranked that held serve (on the road, no less) was Maryland, who closed on a 14-0 run to beat Michigan State, 67-60, solidifying my belief in them as a national championship favorite as discussed last week.
Kansas was another national championship favorite that flexed their muscle in a significant way this week. We start this week’s Rauf Report, breaking down my top takeaways from the past week of NCAA Basketball action, with a look at KU’s dominance.
1) Kansas deserves more credit for how dominant they’ve been
The Jayhawks extended their current win streak to 10 games on Saturday, blowing out an NCAA Tournament-caliber Oklahoma team for an easy 87-70 victory. That’s nothing new as Kansas has won half of their conference games by double digits yet, somehow, it almost feels like this group is underrated.
For starters, their defense is elite. In fact, it’s the best in the country, according to KenPom. They have only allowed two opponents to score more than 70 points against them all season, and one was their overtime victory over Dayton. Their offense is really good, too, ranking 13th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, making them one of just three teams (Duke, San Diego State) to rank in the top 13 in both categories.
Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike are both stars that produce at a high level whenever they’re on the court. You know what you’re going to get from them, and Isaiah Moss has emerged as the kind of reliable three-point shooter the Jayhawks needed him to be.
When they have a fourth offensive threat step up, they look like the national championship favorite. That was Marcus Garrett on Saturday, as he had a team-high 24 points to go along with seven assists. When he plays like that – which doesn’t happen consistently – there is no better team in the country.
Baylor’s success has largely caused people to look past the Jayhawks a bit, yet the conversation surrounding them would be so much different if it wasn’t for some untimely injuries. They did not have Moss in their season-opening loss to Duke, had Garrett get hurt in the first half against Villanova, and had Dotson get hurt in the first half against the Bears. Kansas likely wins at least two of those games if none of that happens.
Now, the Jayhawks don’t really have a ton of offensive depth and so much of what they do is based on Dotson and Azubuike. They have looked vulnerable when Azubuike gets in foul trouble, but they continue to showcase their dominance with the kind of consistency few others have.
Because of that, Kansas might be the No. 1 seed you should have the most confidence in.