21. Louisville
The old adage, “live by the 3, die by the 3,” applies to the Louisville Cardinals. A poor shooting night cost them against North Carolina on Monday, as even sharpshooter Isaac McKneely went 0-5. This style of play gives them the ceiling to beat (and blow out) anyone, but it can come back to bite them anytime.
22. NC State
After completely fumbling away the Miami game, how could you not be impressed with the Wolfpack’s complete evisceration of North Carolina last week? The more time goes by, the more it is clear that Will Wade was the perfect hire for THIS school at THIS point in time, and I’m excited to see what he can accomplish in Raleigh.
23. Wisconsin
Talk about a team that no one will want to see in their bracket in March. This team is a true giant killer and has beaten Michigan, Illinois, and Michigan State, and the season isn’t even over yet. The backcourt tandem of Boyd and Blackwell is as dangerous as ever, and look for this team to make noise in March.
24. North Carolina
I have been impressed with this team’s response to playing without Caleb Wilson – it’s why they’re back on the list this week after falling out last week. Sophomore Zayden High is not Caleb Wilson, but he’s playing quite well in his stead, and Seth Trimble is turning into the emotional leader this team needs.
25. BYU
I thought we would be saying goodbye to this team after the injury to Richie Saunders, and then they go and beat Iowa State Saturday night. Turns out, with no Richie Saunders, BYU is just giving more minutes to defensive menaces and giving more shots to AJ Dybantsa. Seems like a smart game plan to me.
