Ryan Hammer🔨

It’s beautiful 🥹

What a slate of games we have on this fine December Saturday

History tells us that one of these 12 teams will win the national championship & cut nets in April.

Every national champion since 2004 was top 12 in the week 6 AP Poll... and here we are

Some final team takeaways:

Surprising zoid teams: UCLA, OSU, Pitt, Maryland.
Tenn playing like what we usually see in Houston.
Kentucky playing like Alabama last year.
Xavier, Rutgers, Creighton ranking low.

Notable non powers: Drake, Dayton, Utah St, Boise, VCU, UC Irvine

How important is it at this point in the season?
Its important but not end all be all.

This is a look at the 23/24 non conference. Teams will move in conference play but a lot of the high seeds that won in March ranked high: UConn, Purdue, Bama, Illinois, Tennessee, Clemson

It also isnt a "out = bad"

Teams that play super slow/fast (Bama last year) have advantages against opposite style teams if they can force those teams out of their comfort zone & into their style.

With right matchups, could make a run, with wrong ones, could get bounced early in March. Volatility.

Reminder on the Trapezoid's theory:

The faster/slower you play, the more elite you have to be to win a national title. The more adaptable you are, the better your chances.

Ex. 2019 UVA played at historically low pace for a champion but at a historically high net rating

This year's first edition of 'The Trapezoid of Excellence'⬇️

🟩 The current zoid teams
🔴 Tough watch at the moment
🟠 Playing fast & ranking low
🟡 Kentucky

(thread of details & notes⬇️)

A mid major focus:

*San Diego St is right behind Drake
UC Irvine defense is NO JOKE - allowing 58.8 ppg

The CBB Efficiency Landscape *post-Feast Week*⬇️

🟢 Analytical darlings on both ends
🔴 No bueno (would only worry for power teams)
🟠 Miami

Absolutely asinine behavior from the AP voters…

But no surprise bc the AP Poll always sucks lol

Post Feast Week CBB Power 30⬇️

📈 Oregon, Memphis, Michigan, MSU
📉 Indiana, UConn, Arizona, Arkansas

The freshmen in college basketball this season have been unreal. I truly don’t remember a class that was so good & deep this early on.

Legit stars, elite role players all over the nation. This class has lived up to the hype & then some 📈

Dylan Harper is simply the truth. Got ALLLLLL the goods of an All American & a #1 pick.

Unreal young player

RUN IT BACK.

Louisville vs #14 Indiana - 12 PM
WVU vs #3 Zags - 2:30 PM
Colorado vs #5 Iowa St - 2:30 PM
Oregon vs SDSU - 4 PM
Memphis vs #4 Auburn - 5 PM
#20 Texas A&M vs #21 Creighton - 6:30
Mich vs #22 Xavier - 8:30
Mich St vs #12 UNC - 9:30
Rutgers vs #9 Bama - 10
#2 UConn vs Dayton - Midnight

For a second thought I was watching the final four but it’s just Bama & Houston in November

Duke/Kansas
Iowa State/Dayton
Alabama/Houston

All on at the same time…

Somebody pinch me...

SDSU vs #21 Creighton - 2 PM
#2 UConn vs Colorado - 3:30 PM
Oregon vs #20 Texas A&M - 4:30 PM
Memphis vs Michigan St - 6 PM
#6 Houston vs #9 Alabama - 8 PM
#5 Iowa St vs Dayton - 8:30 PM
#1 Kansas vs #11 Duke - 9 PM
Rutgers vs Notre Dame - 10:30 PM
#4 Auburn vs #12 UNC - 11 PM

No joke feel like it’s the 3rd week in March after that UConn/Memphis game

My heart rate is BUMPINNNN

Tyrese Hunter & PJ Haggerty vs UConn:

Feast Week College Hoops Power 30⬇️

📈 Tennessee, Georgia, Drake, Utah St
📉 Rutgers, Creighton, Illinois

Ugh we are so back … MAUI INVITATIONAL IS LIVE ON MY TV🥹

The Drake Bulldogs are the best story in college basketball…

Ben McCollum won 4 D2 national titles at NW Missouri State, brought over his scheme & players to Drake - now 6-0 after beating FAU, Miami & Vandy🏆

The feast has already begun with sides and appetizers but tomorrow.... the main course is served 😏

#FEASTWEEK

Was gonna go watch my Terps playing local in Newark… 45 minute drive from me

but then I realized I would have to watch Villanova play so I decided stay home

Dalton Knecht’s last 2 games:

37 points, 12/16 FG, 9/12 from 3
27 points, 10/17 FG, 5/10 from 3

11.3 ppg on 52/46/92 shooting on the season. Unconscious shooter. I still have no idea how he fell to the Lakers at 17😭

Kam Jones would very much like that NPOY award, my god.

17/13/10 triple double what a night
😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

And as a Dyson truther for years it feels great to see him cooking. I was ready to put my hypothetical scouting career on the line for him back in 2022

No NBA player has EVER won DPOY & MIP in the same season…

Dyson Daniels, AKA “The Great Barrier Thief” has as good a chance as ever to do it. Currently 5th in MIP odds & 3rd in DPOY odds

Adding that to my formulas

Wins are wins …. & this was a NASTY dog fight win for McNeese State

MUCH needed victory for Will Wade’s Pokes vs a good North Texas team - 68th in KP & just beat Minnesota. Pokes are just an insane defensive team, so much intensity. Mid major Houston style