CBB: Champ Week Preview
Week 17 wrapped up the 2016-17 college basketball regular season with a handful of great games as No. 13 Florida was upset at Vanderbilt, No. 9 Louisville pulled away from No. 23 Notre Dame, No. 1 Kansas held off Oklahoma State, and No. 4 North Carolina defeated No. 12 Duke in the game's best rivalry. Now, it's time for ESPN's Champ Week. We will witness some of the best games of the year as March begins, with the ACC, American, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, MAC, Pac-12, SEC, and more conference tournaments taking place. Tunde Aduroja and I will be giving our weekly top-25, conference awards and tournament predictions, and much more.
Composite Top-25:
1. Kansas (28-3)
2. Villanova (28-3)
3. Gonzaga (32-1)
4. North Carolina (26-6)
5. UCLA (28-3)
6. Oregon (27-4)
7. Baylor (25-6)
8. Kentucky (26-5)
9. Arizona (27-4)
10. Louisville (24-7)
11. Florida State (24-7)
12. Purdue (25-6)
13. Duke (24-8)
14. SMU (27-4)
15. Florida (24-7)
16. St. Mary's (28-4)
17. Butler (23-7)
18. West Virginia (24-7)
19. Wisconsin (23-8)
20. Notre Dame (23-8)
21. Creighton (23-8)
22. Virginia (21-9)
23. Cincinnati (27-4)
24. Maryland (24-7)
25. South Carolina (22-9)
On the Bubble:
26. Arkansas (23-8)
27. Miami (FL) (21-10)
28. Utah (20-10)
29. Michigan (20-11)
30. Vanderbilt (17-14)
ACC: North Carolina
American: SMU
Big 12: Kansas
Big East: Villanova
Big Ten: Wisconsin
MAC: Akron
Pac-12: Oregon
SEC: Florida
Week 17 Record: 8-2.
Overall Record: 131-49.
Winning Percentage: 72.7%.
ACC: North Carolina
American: SMU
Big 12: Kansas
Big East: Butler
Big Ten: Michigan
MAC: Akron
Pac-12: Oregon
SEC: Florida
Week 17 Record: 6-4.
Overall Record: 30-10.
Winning Percentage: 75.0%.
Week 17 Record: N/A.
Overall Record: 78-42.
Winning Percentage: 65.0%.
Current No. 1 Seeds:
Midwest — Kansas (28-3, 16-2)
East — Villanova (28-3, 15-3)
West — Gonzaga (31-1, 17-1)
South — North Carolina (26-6, 14-4)
Current No. 2 Seeds:
Midwest — Baylor (25-6, 12-6)
East — UCLA (28-3, 15-3)
West — Oregon (27-4, 16-2)
South — Kentucky (26-5, 16-2)
Last Four In:
Xavier (19-12, 9-9)
Syracuse (18-14, 10-8)
Michigan State (18-13, 10-8)
Vanderbilt (17-14, 10-8)
First Four Out:
Rhode Island (21-9, 13-5)
Kansas State (18-13, 8-10)
Utah (20-10, 11-7)
Houston (21-9, 12-6)
Sleepers to Watch According to Tunde:
Michigan: I have these guys making a deep run in the tourney. Derrick Walton has simply been ridiculous over the last couple of months, and if you've got a guy who can score in isolation like him, then you've got a chance. Michigan is an especially tough match-up for teams with slow, plodding big men, since they start two very athletic stretch bigs in D.J. Wilson and Moe Wagner. Both of those guys can put it on the floor and punish you. Wagner has an especially pretty behind the back move that he's been using to put opposing bigs in the blender with. This team's been pretty hot, and I think they have "deep run" written all over them.
Virginia: Don't look now, but Virginia's starting to play well again. After a midseason malaise, London Perrantes and Co. look like the highly efficient, well-oiled machine that we've come to expect from Virginia. Perrantes has really picked his play up recently. He's hitting shots, contested and open. Look for Virginia and their pack-line defense to give people problems in March.
Sleepers to Watch According to Charles:
Florida: Even though the Gators have been in the top-25 for the majority of the season, and are annually at or near the top of the SEC, they have been flying under the radar. Most people have penciled Kentucky in as the SEC Tournament champion but with an experienced and efficient backcourt of Kasey Hill (9.6 points, 4.6 assists) and KeVaughn Allen (13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds), the Gators can win the SEC and continue their momentum into March Madness.
Wake Forest: John Collins (19.1 points, 9.8 rebounds) has been an absolute monster this season, and has helped secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest has shown their offensive explosiveness over the last couple of weeks (averaging 83.0 PPG during 4-game winning streak) and if anyone has the ability to put their team on his back and carry them through the month, it's Collins.
*Player of the Year in boldface.
All-ACC Team:
G - Donovan Mitchell (Louisville)
G - Luke Kennard (Duke)
F - Justin Jackson (North Carolina)
F - Bonzie Colson (Notre Dame)
C - John Collins (Wake Forest)
Honorable Mention(s): Dennis Smith Jr. (NC State).
All-American Team:
G - Jalen Adams (UCONN)
G - Rob Gray Jr. (Houston)
F - Semi Ojeleye (SMU)
F - Dedric Lawson (Memphis)
C - Kyle Washington (Cincinnati)
Honorable Mention(s): Damyean Doston (Houston) and Tacko Fall (UCF).
All-Big 12 Team:
G - Frank Mason (Kansas)
G - Jawun Evans (Oklahoma State)
F - Josh Jackson (Kansas)
F - Johnathan Motley (Baylor)
C - Jarrett Allen (Texas)
Honorable Mention(s): Monte Morris (Iowa State).
All-Big East Team:
G - Jalen Brunson (Villanova)
G - Josh Hart (Villanova)
F - Marcus Foster (Creighton)
F - Kelan Martin (Butler)
C - Angel Delgado (Seton Hall)
Honorable Mention(s): Kris Jenkins (Villanova) and Justin Patton (Creighton).
All-Big Ten Team:
G - Derrick Walton Jr. (Michigan)
G - Melo Trimble (Maryland)
F - Miles Bridges (Michigan State)
F - Caleb Swanigan (Purdue)
C - Ethan Happ (Wisconsin)
Honorable Mention(s): Peter Jok (Iowa).
All-MAC Team:
G - Marcus Keene (Central Michigan)
G - Jaaron Simmons (Ohio)
F - Jonathan Williams (Toledo)
F - Jimmy Hall (Kent State)
C - Isaiah Johnson (Akron)
Honorable Mention(s): Ray Lee (Eastern Michigan) and Thomas Wilder (Western Michigan).
All-Pac-12 Team:
G - Lonzo Ball (UCLA)
G - Markelle Fultz (Washington)
F - Dillon Brooks (Oregon)
F - T.J. Leaf (UCLA)
C - Lauri Markkanen (Arizona)
Honorable Mention(s): Bryce Alford (UCLA).
All-SEC Team:
G - De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky)
G - J.J. Frazier (Georgia)
F - Malik Monk (Kentucky)
F - Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina)
C - Luke Kornet (Vanderbilt)
Honorable Mention(s): Moses Kingsley (Arkansas).
Final Four Picks:
Wooden Award Standings:
1. Frank Mason (Kansas PG) — 20.5 points, 5.1 assists per game.
2. Josh Hart (Villanova SG) — 18.7 points, 6.5 rebounds per game.
3. Caleb Swanigan (Purdue PF) — 18.7 points, 12.6 rebounds per game.
4. Justin Jackson (North Carolina SF) — 18.3 points, 4.7 rebounds per game.
5. Josh Jackson (Kansas SF) — 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds per game.
Photo Credit: NCAA.com.
