In exciting news from the world of college basketball, three DI college basketball teams from Ohio are ranked in the top 16 in the Associated Press poll for the week. The DI men’s basketball committee gave a sneak peek of its top 16 teams as of Sunday, Feb. 11. Xavier is in the third spot, Cincinnati is in eighth and Ohio State is in 14th. With Selection Sunday only about a month away, it leaves many fans wondering: Are we in for a crazy March Madness? Only time will tell.
The Xavier Musketeers are a team with pure talent, and it is not surprising that they are highly ranked in the poll. Although they have never made a Final Four, Xavier has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 27 times, 15 in the last 17 years. Ranked first in the Big East, the Musketeers average 84.7 points per game versus their opponents who average a total of 74 points. All-America candidate Trevon Bluiett, a senior guard from Indianapolis, has the team high averaging about 18.9 points and is ranked seventh in the Big East. This team has an unexplainable charisma that equals success on the court, which allowed them to achieve their eighth straight win with a 72-71 victory at Creighton on Saturday, Feb. 10.
The Cincinnati Bearcats are a team that has impressive statistics as an organization, with six appearances in the Final Four. With 16 wins in a row as of Feb. 12, the Bearcats need to “remember to stay humble, I think that’s the No. 1 thing for any team in our situation,” according to UC head coach Mick Cronin. He stresses the importance of knowing what it takes to win games, and to not get distracted.
Although UC’s offense has been lacking when compared to their opponents, when they are on top of their game, they are strong. The Bearcats proved their effort when they overcame an 18-point deficit to beat Houston 80-70 on Jan. 31. As long as they keep evolving their offense as the season continues, and junior guard Jacob Evans maintains his average of 13.5 points per game, the Bearcats will be a tough team to beat.
With only two weeks left in the Big Ten basketball season, the Ohio State Buckeyes sit in first in the conference and are hungry for a title. Interestingly enough, Ohio State was unranked in the preseason. The Buckeyes were actually predicted to finish in the bottom three in the conference, but are suprisingly in first place in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes have a very tough schedule ahead against Penn State and Michigan within the next week, but if Ohio State wins three of its final four games, it would guarantee a stab at the Big Ten regular season title. The Buckeyes have an impressive record of 22-5 and are 13-1 in-conference. Keita Bates-Diop, a starting forward averaging about 20 points per game to lead the conference, has paved his way for a likely Big Ten Player of the Year award. With the Buckeyes achieving so much success this season, it is exciting to think about when they played our very own Wooster Fighting Scots basketball team back in November. Even with an opponent from a lower division, the Buckeyes only won 88-63.
As an Ohio native and a die-hard sports fan, it is extremely exciting to see three talented teams represented. So, to answer the question: Are we in for a crazy March Madness this year? If you’re an Ohio fan, you may very well be.