And down goes yet another #1 in this wide open NCAA basketball season. Jermaine Samuels of Villanova drained a 3-pointer with 24 seconds to play to put his team up 56-55 over the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday. This proved to be the final score, sealing the Jayhawks’ fate as the latest former #1 team in the country. Who will be the next team to don the crown and the target that comes along with it? Probably Gonzaga — but for how long? Here’s a look ahead at the next week in what’s proving to be a highly unpredictable college basketball season.
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Monday, December 23
#22 Washington Huskies (9-2) vs Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (8-3)
11pm ET on ESPN2
With Isaiah Stewart scoring 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting and pulling down 10 rebounds, the Huskies took the opener of the Diamond Head Classic in a 85-64 win over Ball State. Hawaii overcame a 6-point deficit at the half to beat UTEP 67-63 in their opening round game at Diamond Head, as Bernardo Da Silva came off the bench to lead the team with 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting.
Wednesday, December 25 (aka Christmas)
Diamond Head Classic
1:30pm ET on ESPNU
3:30pm ET on ESPNU
6:30pm ET on ESPN2
8:30pm ET on ESPN2
It’s the final day of the tourney featuring Ball State, Washington, UTEP, Hawaii, Boise State, Portland, and Georgia Tech, with the matchups TBD. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, your family will forgive you eventually.
Saturday, December 28
Brown Bears (5-5) vs #4 Duke Blue Devils (10-1)
11:30am ET on ESPN2
Its been nearly two weeks since Brown’s last game, a 82-71 loss to St. John’s in which Brandon Anderson scored 25-points and Tamenang Choh had a double-double. Blue Devil Joey Baker came off the bench to lead all scorers with 22 points in Duke’s 86-57 dismantling of Wofford on Dec. 19.
New Orleans Privateers (4-7) vs #11 Memphis Tigers (10-1)
1:30pm ET on ESPN2
The Privateers did themselves in with 22 turnovers in their 87-79 loss to Sam Houston State on Saturday. Bryson Robinson and Troy Green combined for 44 points, but coughed the ball up 10 times. The Tigers reeled off their eighth straight win on Saturday, beating Jackson State 77-49, with Precious Achiuwa leading the way with 20 points and 9 boards.
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Sunday, December 29
#25 West Virginia Mountaineers (10-1) vs #5 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)
Noon ET on FS1
Derek Culver went 15-7-7 as the Mountaineers overcame 10-of-20 shooting from the charity stripe to beat Youngstown State 75-64. The Buckeyes won a huge matchup against Kentucky on Saturday, beating the then#6 team 71-65, as Ohio State outscored the Wildcats 21-to-8 at the free throw line.
#1 Kansas Jayhawks (9-2) vs Stanford Cardinal (11-1)
3pm ET on ABC/ESPN3
The Jayhawks are the latest team to fall from the top of the college hoops heap, losing to Villanova 56-55 on Saturday and wasting Udoka Azubuike’s fourth double-double of the season. Oscar Da Silva scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on Saturday to lead the Cardinal to a 62-59 victory over San Diego State.
Alabama State Hornets (1-11) vs #8 Oregon Ducks (10-2)
4pm ET on PAC12
The Hornets lost Sunday to Austin Peay, 80-69, as their opponent made 24-of-34 shots from inside the arc. Payton Pritchard scored a season-high 29 points on Saturday to lead the Ducks to a 84-78 win over Texas Southern. Pritchard is now top 5 in the Pac-12 in points, assists and steals per game.
Stats through Monday, courtesy SRCBB
