NCAA Basketball: 10 teams with most to prove during 2023 Feast Week
2. Wisconsin Badgers
MTE: Fort Myers Tip-Off
For a team that returned most of its talent from last season, Wisconsin hasn’t looked overly impressive to this point. They lost two games already to Tennessee and Providence and were in a one-possession game against Robert Morris late in the second half. And the bigger issue is that Connor Essegian, one of their best players from a year ago, is averaging just 2.0 ppg in 7.3 mpg so far.
The Badgers take on a team that operates in a similar style to them in Virginia in the opening round of the Fort Myers event. But even if they lost to the Cavaliers, it’s almost a “must” that they beat either SMU or a depleted West Virginia squad in the next game. An 0-2 run would be detrimental for the Badgers, who if anything, need to show that they can be an NCAA Tournament threat.
1. Florida Atlantic Owls
MTE: ESPN Events Invitational
Is it too early to panic with the Owls? They may have suffered the worst loss of any preseason top-25 team to this point, falling to Bryant at home. And with guard Alijah Martin still recovering from a preseason injury, this season could be very vulnerable in the upcoming week.
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Yet the reality is that being in the AAC limits the chances for FAU to get marquee wins to guarantee an at-large berth. And from a national standpoint, the question of whether last season is a fluke or not is going to be loud if they don’t win a couple of games this week. They had no pressure and succeeded a year ago, what will they do with all eyes on them this time?