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After sending a median of eight groups to the NCAA Event in years 2016-2019, the ACC was on observe to land simply 4 groups within the 2020 area, based on CBS Sports activities Bracketology professional Jerry Palm’s ultimate projection of the 68-team area. The COVID-19 pandemic finally led to the event’s cancellation and saved the league some Choice Sunday embarrassment.
However the ACC’s depth points have been clear, they usually confirmed up once more on Wednesday through the opening day of the 2020-21 season. Pittsburgh misplaced to St. Francis (Pa.) of the Northeast Convention for the primary time in 30 conferences between the packages, whereas Georgia Tech misplaced to Georgia State 123-120 in quadruple time beyond regulation. Boston College may have made up for a few of that embarrassment by pulling off an upset of No. 3 Villanova, however the Eagles’ valiant effort fell quick because the Wildcats escaped with a 76-67 win over BC.
The losses by Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh may very well be dismissed as probably inconsequential aberrations on the onset of an extended season. However in a late-starting marketing campaign more likely to be stuffed with virus-related disruptions, groups with NCAA Tournament aspirations just like the Yellow Jackets can ill-afford such unhealthy losses.
Neither can leagues seeking to enhance their nationwide profiles such because the ACC. Although Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh each stumbled, one staff from the ACC prevented catastrophe. Trailing 43-42 at one level within the second half in opposition to Charleston, No. 16 North Carolina bounced again for a 79-60 win. The ACC could not return to its 2016-19 type this season. But when the Tar Heels can stick within the top-25 after final yr’s 14-19 catastrophe, the league ought to have the ability to muster greater than 4 NCAA Event groups.
The night time ended with San Diego State defeating No. 22 UCLA 73-58, however the opening day of the 2020 season had all of it — A mask-wearing McNeese State hooper. A Memphis participant making an attempt — and bless his coronary heart, failing in spectacular trend — to start out the season together with his jersey on backwards. A scheduled recreation being referred to as off simply hours earlier than tipoff due to constructive COVID-19 checks.
The 2020-21 school basketball season bought underway Wednesday, however very like the remainder of the bumpy yr that’s 2020, it was something however an strange opening day.
Listed here are the highs, lows and highlights from the opening-day motion because the season will get off to its begin.
Aztecs wreck Bruins’ opener
Possibly San Diego State ought to be ranked in spite of everything. The Aztecs misplaced three starters, together with main scorer Malachi Flynn, from final yr’s 30-2 staff that completed No. 6 nationally. However Brian Dutcher’s unranked squad seemed prefer it may very well be a power once more throughout a 73-58 win over No. 22 UCLA. The Bruins are returning practically all of their key gamers from a staff that gained seven of its final eight video games final season. However UCLA had its depth examined Wednesday with beginning massive man Jalen Hill and Kentucky switch Johnny Juzang each out. San Diego State’s bench outscored UCLA’s bench 21-6, which accounted for the distinction within the ultimate rating.
Cade Cunningham leads OSU to shut win
It wasn’t fairly, no less than not for Oklahoma State, however Cade Cunningham’s Cowboys bought it achieved on the street Wednesday with a 75-68 win over UT Arlington to open their season. Cunningham, the No. 1 total nationwide recruit in final yr’s recruiting cycle and the favourite to go No. 1 total within the 2021 NBA Draft, scored 21 factors and added 10 rebounds and three assists within the effort. He was one in all three Pokes who reached double figures in scoring, together with Keylan Boone (10) and Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe (11).
Coming off a monster junior season by which he completed second in Nationwide Participant of the 12 months voting and earned consensus All-American honors, Iowa massive man Luka Garza picked up proper the place he left off. The 6-foot-11 Garza paced Iowa in its 97-67 win over North Carolina Central with 26 factors, 10 rebounds and three blocks … in solely 24 minutes of motion in a recreation that was nicely in hand.
A few dramatic finishes
Opening day introduced just a few dramatic finishes, together with a buzzer-beater from Loyola Marymount’s Justin Anderson. The true freshman enjoying in his first school recreation hit a fallaway jumper from the baseline on the ultimate horn to raise the Lions to an 85-83 win over Southern Utah.
A game-winner by South Alabama’s Michael Flowers was not technically a buzzer-beater. However the senior switch from Western Michigan lifted the Jaguars to a 68-66 win over Florida Atlantic together with his contested step-back 3-pointer that hit nothing however internet with one second left. The second was particularly vital for Flowers as a result of it got here the day after his father’s dying, based on South Alabama coach Richie Riley.
“He missed a few week to go be there for his dad,” Riley said. “I bear in mind telling him that he has to placed on a present for his dad. I do know his dad was smiling down and he was pleased with him tonight. It exhibits what kind of particular person he’s for him to have the ability to play how he did tonight.”
4 freshman begin for Kentucky in straightforward win
It seems the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class featured some fairly good gamers. Or no less than it certain appeared that manner as No. 10 Kentucky cruised to an 81-45 win over Morehead State. The Wildcats began 4 freshmen, they usually mixed for 46 factors. Brandon Boston Jr. led the best way with 15 factors. Devin Askew and Terrence Clarke every contributed 12 factors, whereas Isaiah Jackson contributed 9 factors and two blocks.
A dominant win was anticipated contemplating that Morehead State opened the season ranked No. 320 at KenPom. However it was an encouraging signal nonetheless for a Kentucky staff that didn’t use a single participant who performed vital minutes for this system final season.
St. Francis (Pa.) shocks Pittsburgh
St. Francis (Pa.) got here inside a recreation of profitable the Northeast Convention Event in Pittsburgh final season earlier than the Purple Flash’s greatest marketing campaign since 1991 ended with a loss to Robert Morris.
This system started the brand new season again within the Metal Metropolis on Wednesday and picked up a win that will have been much more historic than the one it missed out within the Northeast Convention championship recreation again in March. The Purple Flash knocked off Pittsburgh 80-70 within the season-opener for each groups. St. Francis pressured Pittsburgh into 23 turnovers and held the Panthers to simply 6-of-24 taking pictures from 3-point vary. The Purple Flash is now 1-29 all-time in opposition to Pittsburgh.
Illinois exhibits off its depth, star energy
When you took heed to my preseason advice — and why would not you’ve?! — then you will have gotten in on Illinois earlier than it is too late with 15-1 nationwide title odds. Wednesday was about pretty much as good because it may’ve been for the Illini. Returning star Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 28 factors and made a career-high 5 3-pointers, however maybe extra impressively, freshman Adam Miller added 28 factors of his personal and knocked down six of his eight 3-point makes an attempt.
We already knew primarily based off final season and the returning gamers this season that Dosunmu and large man Kofi Cockburn — who had 18 factors and 10 boards — can be a power. However Miller’s scoring capability is a game-changing expertise that may elevate this Illini staff from superb to probably nice. We needn’t crown this staff but, in fact — North Carolina A&T got here in at No. 338 on Matt Norlander’s preseason rankings of every team in the sport — however circle this recreation. It could be an indication of larger issues to return in Champaign.
DJ Jeffries with the Doug Gottlieb out of the gate
Are you able to consider any single image that higher sums up 2020? Bueller? Bueller? That is proper. You’ll be able to’t.
Eerily reminiscent to Doug Gottlieb’s infamous backwards-shorts outing in opposition to Kansas. And it was a foreshadowing of how the sport would go for Jeffries, sadly, as he completed 2-of-10 taking pictures for four factors. Memphis bought the 73-56 win over Saint Mary’s, although, and Jeffries managed so as to add a team-high 9 boards.
Shouts to this mask-wearing McNeese State hooper
McNeese State guard Ra’Shawn Langston wore a masks whereas balling the heck out within the Cowboys’ opener, main the staff in assists (3) and ending second in scoring (10) in a powerful off the bench displaying.
He was the one participant on the ground to put on a masks, however you realize someplace Dr. Anthony Fauci is smiling with delight. Signal of the occasions.
Virginia star switch addition shines in debut
Marquette star-turned Virginia star Sam Hauser scored 19 factors on 7-of-9 taking pictures on Wednesday in his debut with the fourth-ranked Cavaliers, together with an ideal 3-for-Three mark from the 3-point line. His 19 factors have been simply shy of a team-high 21 from Trey Murphy III, and his eight rebounds was tops on the staff as UVA opened its season with a blistering 89-54 beatdown of Towson. Towson missed practically twice as many photographs because it made within the recreation (18-of-49).
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