The protecting nationwide champion UConn Huskies ruled the 2023 NCAA Tournament with six double-digit wins in six video games by way of a mean margin of 20 issues. But if their season-opener on Monday is any indication of items to return, this season’s Huskies staff, dare I say, is also much more unstoppable.
OK, so no longer each recreation it performs this season will likely be towards literal Lumberjacks, however No. 6 UConn however made fast and simple paintings of visiting Northern Arizona, dominating the Lumberjacks 95-52 in probably the most lopsided showings of the day. The unfold used to be between 25.5 issues in desire of UConn, so successful isn’t a surprise, however successful by way of 43 and outscoring them by way of 26 in the last 20 mins — much more than the unfold for the sport — is demolition harking back to the UConn staff that automatically demoralized combatants en path to the name closing season.
That’s sufficient to get you the highest line in our opening day winners and losers recap of the day that used to be in faculty basketball. A tip of the cap, Huskies. We see ya.
Here are extra winners and losers from the primary day of the 2023-24 faculty basketball season.
Loser: Michigan State cannot hit from deep in loss to JMU
JMU is projected to win the Sun Belt. They’re a just right basketball staff. Nonetheless, that should not topic if you find yourself a Final Four contender and a top-five staff like Michigan State is. On a night that featured more than one Power Six groups at the ropes towards inferior combatants, No. 4 Michigan State used to be the one ranked staff to move down, falling in time beyond regulation 79-76 to the Dukes. Tyson Walker is among the absolute best scorers in the rustic. He wishes lend a hand and there will likely be nights (like vs. JMU) the place others need to step as much as lift the weight. MSU shot 1 of 20 from distance. That’s simply no longer going to chop it towards any respectable staff. The Spartans play No. 2 Duke in precisely 8 days and if they do not blank up their mess rapid, it will get unpleasant towards the Blue Devils.
Winner: USC seems like Top 25 staff in win over Kansas State
Welcome to university basketball, Isaiah Collier. USC’s celebrity freshman arrived to the scene in a large method by way of scoring 18 issues on 7-of-9 taking pictures and dished out six assists in the No. 21 Trojans’ 82-69 win over the Wildcats. Collier had six turnovers and fouled out with 4:49 left, however his shot variety used to be spectacular for a participant seeing his first faculty motion. Collier seems to be the easiest backcourt mate to score-first guard Boogie Ellis, who completed with game-high 24 issues.
The just right news for USC is that they may well be getting Bronny James again in the fold simply in time for convention play. The son of LeBron James is predicted to have a take a look at up on the finish of the month and if it is going neatly, he’ll go back to follow with the goal of having again at the courtroom in a while after. The Trojans should blank up at the quantity of turnovers, however a win over a staff that is recent off an Elite Eight look is one thing to construct on.
Michigan State wasn’t the one energy convention faculty to lose a stunner at house. Oklahoma State fell 64-59 to Abilene Christian, in spite of getting into as a ten.5 level favourite towards its WAC foe. The Cowboys made simply 5 of 23 makes an attempt from 3-point vary (21.7%) in a discouraging opener for a staff that ranked 333rd in 3-point taking pictures closing season at 31%. Outside taking pictures woes have been a number one explanation why Oklahoma State completed at the fallacious facet of the 2023 NCAA Tournament bubble, and they are obviously nonetheless an issue. Freshman Connor Dow hit 3 of seven makes an attempt from past the arc for the Cowboys, however the remainder of the staff blended to move 2 of 16.
Winner: Kentucky’s rookies produce
Of the 8 avid gamers who gained rotational mins all the way through No. 16 Kentucky’s 86-46 win over New Mexico State, 5 have been rookies. By recreation’s finish 4 of them had reached double figures because the baby-faced Wildcats loved a forged debut from their children. Rob Dillingham led the best way with 17 issues off the bench whilst D.J. Wagner contributed 13. Reed Sheppard and Justin Edwards contributed 12 apiece. A 5th freshman, Jordan Burks, added 7 issues. The 5 blended to shoot 24 of 44 (54.5%) from the ground, and all 5 hit no less than one 3-pointer. You assume the Wildcats are younger now? They gets even more youthful if/when freshman bigs Aaron Bradshaw and Zvonimir Ivisic are cleared to play.
Loser: Louisville narrowly avoids crisis
It seems Louisville’s 71-68 exhibition loss towards Division II Kentucky Wesleyan would possibly not had been a fluke. The Cardinals just about misplaced to every other staff it must have treated simply prior to escaping with a 94-93 win over UMBC. The visiting Retrievers shot 50.7% from the ground and led by way of up to 13 overdue in the primary part prior to falling simply in need of a memorable disappointed in the general seconds. On the heels of a traditionally terrible 4-28 season, Year 2 of Kenny Payne’s training tenure in the ‘Ville isn’t off to an encouraging get started.
Fairleigh Dickinson picked up the place it left off closing season by way of enjoying at breakneck tempo and successful when it wasn’t liked. The Knights slayed Buffalo at the street 92-86 at the back of 24 issues from Jo’el Emanuel, who’s one among a number of key avid gamers again from closing 12 months’s squad, which changed into the second one No. 16 seed to ever beat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament after provoking Purdue closing season. FDU outscored the Bulls 18-3 in issues off turnovers whilst incomes Jack Castleberry his first head training victory after he used to be promoted upon Tobin Anderson’s departure for Iona.
Belmont ahead Malik Dia put two Georgia State defenders on a poster with a ferocious dunk in the primary part of the Bruins’ 89-87 win over the visiting Panthers. At 6-9 and 240 kilos, Dia is basically Belmont’s heart. Yet, he defended the passing lane like a guard to create a scouse borrow, which ended in a transition alternative. From there, he increased like a small ahead prior to the usage of his energy to hammer it house at the unsuspecting defenders. A Vanderbilt switch, Dia scored a career-high 24 issues and made the go-ahead loose throws with six seconds left in one among opening night’s maximum exciting video games.
Winner: Princeton builds off magical NCAA Tournament run
Remember the Princeton Tigers: the staff that knocked off Arizona in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and then beat Missouri to advance to the Sweet 16? Yeah, that staff. They’re again for extra. The Tigers are not even the favourite to win the Ivy League (that belongs to Yale), however they delivered {one of the} extra spectacular wins on opening night by way of knocking off Rutgers 68-61.
“We’ve got class tomorrow,” Princeton trainer Mitch Henderson mentioned. “I’m thankful for the 15-minute ride (home).”
Loser: Opening day has few compelling matchups
Twenty-one of the 25 groups ranked in the AP Top 25 preseason ballot have been in motion on Monday, and but there used to be no longer a unmarried ranked vs. ranked matchup at the slate to open the 2023-24 season. (Spalding and IUPUI opened the season formally on Monday afternoon for crying out loud!) Now, to be truthful: the hole slate at the entire didn’t disappoint, and there have been quite a few standout performances and entertaining bouts, particularly for sickos who love the game such as you and I. But to mention the day opened with a thud can be hanging it kindly. We love ourselves some faculty hoops and will watch absolutely anything at the TV, however some marquee matchups — heck, only one! — can be a pleasing option to kick the season off in taste. Alas.
Winner: Syracuse wins again an previous fan
The Adrian Autry technology formally started for Syracuse basketball. The Orange’s 83-72 victory vs. New Hampshire marked the primary time the staff has performed a recreation no longer coached by way of Jim Boeheim in greater than 4 a long time. That happy no less than one fan in attendance, who proudly let or not it’s recognized that as a 1975 alum, he used to be looking at the Orange for the primary time since his time in faculty. (Boeheim, in fact, took over as head trainer in 1976.)
We’re no longer certain if he overlooked the Boeheim technology in protest of zone protection or simply did not prioritize looking at basketball for four-plus a long time, however we are inspired the entire identical.
It’s something to lose a “buy” recreation. That, to be transparent, is unhealthy. But it occurs on occasion in faculty basketball. It’s every other factor totally to lose a “buy” recreation to a staff who’s coached by way of your former trainer – however mentioned trainer isn’t even there as a result of he’s serving a suspension.
That’s what took place Monday as McNeese State used to be at the street to tackle VCU and got here away with a 76-65 win in spite of being a double-digit underdog. With Will Wade, former VCU trainer and present McNeese trainer, serving a 10-game suspension because of NCAA recruiting violations that passed off whilst he used to be trainer at LSU, the Cowboys shocked the Rams and passed their new trainer a hilarious and sudden welcoming present to open the 2023-24 season.
Winner: Samford guard dazzles in opening tip
OK, so I’ll admit, I’m the usage of the phrase “dazzle” loosely right here. And by way of loosely I actually imply: incorrectly. But Samford guard Dallas Graziani stole the display – despite the fact that for causes that are not specifically flattering – in the staff’s opening tip vs. No. 3 Purdue on Monday. The 5-foot-8 guard covered up throughout from 7-4 heart Zach Edey in a in reality improbable second that went right away viral, and it used to be as impressive as chances are you’ll consider:
Even extra impressive, although, is the context at the back of this second. Samford (clearly) knew the hole tip can be towards Edey, the towering large guy who received nationwide participant of the 12 months closing season, in order that they leaned into it on social media in a sequence in which they prepped Graziani – hilariously overmatched – for the massive second.
Edey and Purdue certainly got here up large as he completed the night along with his fortieth profession double-double, scoring a game-high 16 issues with 11 rebounds in simply 20 mins of motion because the Boilermakers rolled over the Bulldogs 98-45.