Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.
Mangia!
Things To Sample
Rutgers/Michigan State
There’s a lot of reasons why I’m so fascinated by the Scarlet Knights’ surge under Steve Pikiell, but one of the biggest is that Rutgers (13-5) has not won a conference regular season title since 1991. How long ago is that? My friend and CBS Sports colleague Bob Wenzel was the head coach and this program was in the Atlantic 10! The Scarlet Knights trail Purdue by one game in the Big Ten standings entering tonight’s matchup with the Spartans and have already beaten the Boilers head-to-head this season. Rutgers has never beaten Michigan State (12-6) in East Lansing since joining the Big Ten.
UCLA has a massive weekend
The Bruins will take a 13-game winning streak to the desert where they’ll face Arizona State (15-3) tonight and Arizona (15-3) on Saturday. UCLA (16-2) can’t clinch a Pac-12 regular season title or a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning both games, but it would go an awfully long way. Both games are Quad 1 opportunities for the Bruins, who are still expected to be without freshman guard Amari Bailey due to a foot injury. The 6-5 Bailey averages 9.5 points and hasn’t played since Dec. 21st.
Keyonte George is taking things to another level
Baylor’s 0-3 start in Big 12 play may have slightly pushed the Bears off the national radar, but this team is still very much in play to be a factor when things matter most. George is a primary reason why. The five-star prospect has elevated his game in conference play and is averaging 22 points and 5.7 rebounds in six league games while getting to the free throw line 53 times during that span. The 6-4 George is playing like an All-American. Baylor (13-5) has won three straight games.
On The Side
- Four players — Purdue’s Zach Edey, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme, Kansas’ Jalen Wilson, and Alabama’s Brandon Miller — have separated themselves as first-team All-Americans. The fifth spot is still TBD.
- Iowa State has won its first three Big 12 games at Hilton Coliseum by an average of 20 points.
- Creighton (11-8) has three of its next four games at home. The one road tilt during that stretch is at Georgetown. The Bluejays could be on the verge of going on a run.
- NC State (15-4) has already won more games this season than it did in each of the past two years. Don’t sleep on Kevin Keatts as a potential ACC Coach of the Year candidate.
- Max Rice — the son of Boise State head coach Leon Rice — has quietly performed like one of the most improved players in the Mountain West. The 6-5 guard has made 16 three-point shots in his last four games and is averaging 13.1 points for the entire season. He only averaged four points last season. The Broncos have won five straight games and are 15-4 overall.
Daily Specials
- Rutgers at Michigan State
- Purdue at Minnesota
- Indiana at Illinois
- USC at Arizona
- UCLA at Arizona State
Leftovers
- Episode 397 — Georgetown’s Ed Cooley
- Weekend Brunch: Why Zach Edey’s return means that Purdue’s expectations are again “Final Four or bust”
- Creighton/UNLV, New Mexico/Santa Clara to headline Jack Jones Classic
- USC to play Kansas State, Oregon to face Georgia on opening night in Las Vegas
- Saint Mary’s no longer slated for Diamond Head Classic, will instead play in Continental Tire Main event with Xavier, SDSU, and Washington
