Hello and welcome to Midweek Madness! This is The Floor Slap’s weekly CBB article from our CBB expert, Jordan Beckley… Hi, that’s me. Every Thursday, I will be recapping the week that was, the weekend ahead and doing so in a variety of recurring segments and superlatives. So, follow us (@thefloorslap) and have our site bookmarked to make sure you don’t miss a moment of the Madness all season long!
by Jordan Beckley
Hello and welcome to my column.
My favorite sport is College Basketball. This column is my attempt to try and spread the joy of the sport to more people. In my opinion, College Basketball is so much more than just the best three weeks of the Sports Calendar in March.
In fact, the Madness of College Basketball happens all year. That’s where the name comes into play. I will be writing all year about the Midweek Madness that happens in the sport. I want to bring die-hards, new found fans, and people who might not have a team and tell them about the most wild, infuriating, joyous and demoralizing sport in existence.
What did the “Drive to Survive” show teach us about sports consumers? In order to care, all we need to know are the characters, the stories behind them and the stakes.
So, this column will try to bring to life the characters of College Basketball, dig up stats that teach the stories, prepare for the stakes of all the prime time matchups and then talk about the fallout of what happened after the buzzer sounds.
Anyways, let’s get into some of our recurring segments:
The Iso
Time to clear out and go 1 on 1 on this week’s Isolated Team.
The Big 3
3 things I noticed in the world of CBB. Could be a big win, a big performance, a trend in the sport, a coach who made a dumb face on camera, really anything I want to talk about.
Good Game Bad Game
Loosely defined as a weekly game where I name one (or more) good game and bad game from a player, coach, ref, mascot, towel boy, jumbotron operator or anybody in CBB.
Weekend Wagers
I preview the biggest games in the weekend slate and give my moneyline picks. For picks ATS follow us on X.
Award Winning Wings
A rotating selection of made up superlatives and awards. Named fondly after how every restaurant has ‘award winning wings’
No Explanation Power Rankings
I am just the humble mouthpiece for the No Explanation College Basketball Committee, who release their weekly Big Ten Rankings to me. I provide their rankings with… no explanation.
So that’s basically what each week will be. After 400 words, let’s finally start the article.
The Big 3
No Iso Team this week as we instead try to focus on all the games from a loaded early week for the Big Ten.
1. Michigan Making a Statement
You can give me all the St. John’s is overrated talk or bring up that Joel Soriano is so slow he couldn’t stop a sloth with it’s feet in mud from getting to the basket, I don’t care. The Wolverines have made their presence known.
Michigan rode a monster first half from Nimari Burnett in a competitive 20 minutes. Burnett had 21 of Michigan’s 48 first half points going 8-9 from the field and 4-4 from 3. Then, Phil Martelli’s squad left St. Johns in the dust for a 89-73 win in Madison Square Garden.
Michigan wasn’t supposed to be that good this year, but they look awesome so far. The Wolverines didn’t even need their ‘best player’ Olivier Nkamhoua to smoke the Johnnies. Nkamhoua was hampered by foul trouble and only took 5 shots. It was all good though as Dug McDaniel was awesome with 26pts, 7asts, and 6rebs, Terrance Williams dropped 12 points on good shooting, and Will Tschetter added another 10 points off the bench. The Wolverine offense is humming (no. 18 on Kenpom) and the defense seems good enough.
Take Michigan’s start for granted if you want to, but just know that all the coaches in the Big Ten have taken notice of McDaniel, Burnett, Williams, Nkamhoua and co. The Wolverines know who they are and are playing free on offense.
Michigan plays Long Beach State next before heading to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis. They open with a tough Memphis team and if they win that game a potential matchup with Arkansas looms. After that tournament we will really know what to think of Michigan heading into the Big Ten schedule.
2. The Threes Aren’t Falling
The Dwyane Wade part of the Big 3 this week is going to be a theme among the teams that were supposed to finish at the top of the conference. And that is nobody can make a damn shot.
Here are the six Big Ten teams who are shooting 30% or worse as of me writing this: Wisconsin (30%), Northwestern (28%), Ohio State (25% **), Rutgers (25%), Maryland (23%) and… Michigan State dead last at 16% and that improved after the Duke game!
I detailed why Maryland should be concerned about how nobody can hit shots for them, but now you are starting to worry if you are Wisconsin and should be panicking if you are a Spartan fan.
AJ Hoggard has never been a good 3pt shooter but you have to make something! He’s 0-7 from 3 on the year. Jaden Akins needs to step up. He doesn’t have to be Joey Hauser, but Tyson Walker won’t survive if there is a big, Malik Hall, Hoggard and Akins is a non-shooter (1-10 3pt so far) surrounding him.
If you’re the Badgers you might chalk it up to two tough games and weird playing time for a hurt and potentially in the doghouse Connor Essegian. Still, be wary of it. Essegian might just make them like Illinois where Luke Goode is singlehandedly propping up their percentage.
And Indiana isn’t off the hook either! IU is shooting just 12.6 three pointers per game and that is good for dead last in the conference by 4 shots and is almost 18 lower than what league leader Nebraska is chucking at 30 a game. The Hoosiers are hitting 33% but that number is dismally low and might be hinting that IU is in that same group listed above.
3. National Signing Day and Recruiting Update
This is an especially busy time in recruiting and Big Ten teams are getting some dudes of the future.
The first National Signing Day happened and some names were officially inked. Top 5 Recruit Ace Bailey is a Scarlet Knight. Other big recruits like Juni Mobley (OSU), Morez Johnson (Illinois) and Cooper Koch also crossted the t’s and dotted the i’s.
Michigan State had a great Signing day as they locked up a Top-10 class with 4-Star guard Kur Teng, Top150 forward Jesse McCulloch and recent commit 4-Star Jase Richardson (son of Jason Richardson) all sign their NLI to head to East Lansing.
There have been other big signings in and around this date including 4-Star and Top 30 forward Khani Rooths committing to Juwan Howard and Michigan. However, no one has had a better few weeks than Purdue. The Boilers nabbed 7′ big man Daniel Jacobsen away from Wisconsin and yesterday picked up a commitment from 4-star Gicarri Harris the son of Purdue legend and former no. 1 NBA draft pick Glenn Robinson.
The commitments have pushed Purdue to be the 7th ranked class nationally and no. 1 in the Big Ten. Remember that includes Oregon, USC, Washington and UCLA too. Let’s ignore the scholarship math of Matt Painter adding 6 guys to the roster.
One name that didn’t commit in advance of National Signing Day is Derik Queen. The 5-Star big man and Top 10 recruit is heavily considering both Maryland and Indiana. The Hoosiers have put on a full court press for him and already landed his 5-star teammate Liam McNeeley recently. Keep your eye out for Queen in the coming weeks, would be a game changer for the Terps or Indiana if either land him as Kansas and Bill Self are never dead (see Flory Bidunga).
Good Game Bad Game
Good Game: Malik Hall
Candidates for this included Nimari Burnett and his first half, Zach Edey who I thought had an okay game against Xavier as I watched live then found out he had 28pts 11reb and 4 blocks when I checked the box score, but I chose Malik Hall.
Hall scored 18 points on 5-7 inside the arc and 2-4 beyond it against Duke. One of my favorite things to say whenever I have a good K:D in a game of Call of Duty is, “I didn’t lose, y’all lost.” Malik Hall can look at the box score and know the loss to the Blue Devils wasn’t his fault.
Bad Game: Abou Ousmane (Xavier)
Abou Ousmane experienced what it was like to have to guard Zach Edey. Ousmane came into the game at Purdue averaging 10ppg and 6rpg on 23 mpg. He fouled out in 10 minutes with 6 points and 3 rebounds and had no clue what he was supposed to do to stop the Big Maple.
Xavier fans learned the frustration that Big Ten fans felt all last season watching Edey either bury their man below the basket for a dunk or see the ref call fouls all game on the defender trying to slow down the brute. Ousmane had a tough night, but he gets to rest easy he won’t play Edey again this season. Big Ten fans don’t have the same luxury.
Award Winning Wings
The “I See You” Award
Congrats to Dawson Garcia for winning the I See You Award this week. Sometimes people don’t always shout you out if you aren’t a hot name or a big program. Garcia is averaging 22.5pts, 10reb, 4.5 apg and 1.5 blocks through his first two games. I see you Dawson. Now, let’s do it against real teams Minnesota.
The “Why Is He Getting So Many Minutes” Award
Mady Sissoko. Truly, nobody understands the hold Sissoko has over Tom Izzo. He eventually was benched over Carson Cooper in the Duke game, but c’mon could we find some more minutes for Xavier Booker please?
The Offseason Weight Loss Award
The early part of the season for play by play guys is mainly stories about the new freshmen (and transfers now) and telling you how in shape the returning players are. Whether they gained weight (lean muscle of course) or lost a bunch of weight, it is important that the fans know the collegiate (and basically semi-pro) athletes are in the best shape of their life.
The Offseason Weight loss Award winner this year is Zed Key. Skinny Zed is legitimately moving differently after his weight loss. He is much faster zipping to the hoop on rolls and his feet seem to be on springs he jumps so high so quickly. Will Key becoming a truly small ball big hurt the interior of the Buckeyes when they have to take on the Zach Edey’s of the world? We will see. Congrats on working out to all the Big Ten basketball players!
Player of the Week
Dug McDaniel is my player of the week. Here is what he has done in three games so far: 22pts 8ast 2reb / 16pts 4ast 3 reb / 26pts 7ast 6reb. With the shot vacuum of Jett Howard gone, McDaniel has stepped in for Kobe Bufkin and been a maestro thru the first three games.
Coach of the Week
Phil Martelli is my coach of the week. For all the reasons I’ve already talked about with Michigan and their hot start it is easy to forget they have been playing this way with an interim head coach. I can’t stress enough how good this offense looks so far. The Phil Martelli effect is happening in Ann Arbor.
Ethan Morton 3 Point Tracker
I am going to do an updated Ethan Morton 3 point tracker for the whole season or until I no longer find it funny. Why Ethan Morton? Because every Purdue fan already does this mentally so might as well have the rest of the Big Ten fans read it too.
Morton is 2/2 so far from deep through 3 games. We will not be keeping track of his 2 pointers where he is 0-1 so far in 25 minutes played.
Did Louisville win a game this week?
Similar to the Morton Tracker, I will be updating you each week on whether or not Kenny Payne won a game for the University of Louisville that week. So, did Louisville win a game this week?
Yes! Louisville has won TWO games this week against UMBC and Coppin State and only lost by 10 to Chattanooga. Good job Kenny!
Weekend Wagers
Let’s look ahead to the big games of the weekend. Now, because not all the lines are available, I can only do Moneyline picks now. Follow us on X to see betting picks daily.
Missouri (-2.5) at Minnesota (Tonight)
- Missouri comes into the Barn to take on Minnesota for the first time in forever.
- I love Dennis Gates and the Tigers to beat Minnesota
- By how much though?
- 2.5 seems low to me.
- I know it is a true road game, the Tigers lost a lot from last years team and yes I saw the score against Memphis. Yet, Minnesota was really bad last year and I don’t know if there is enough for me to believe in them.
- Mizzou to cover.
Maryland at Villanova (Friday)
- This is a rebound game for both teams.
- Maryland just dropped two to UAB and Clemson. Villanova just dropped one to Penn. Not Penn State. Penn, like the Ivy League school.
- Two Second year coaches in Kyle Neptune and Kevin Willard who could really use a win in a game like this.
- Oh and it’s a Hakim Hart revenge game.
- I like Villanova to win this one and for Terps fans to really enter a panic.
Butler at Michigan State (Friday)
- If Villanova wins that would make the Gavitt Games be 3-4 in favor of the Big East.
- The Spartans could end the series with a tie. How great, we love ties in American sports.
- Michigan State needs to bounce back from a disappointing Champions Classic loss.
- Butler seems improved in Year 2 under Thad Matta, but not enough to win in the Breslin Center.
- Give me the Spartans probably all the way up to -11 or so.
Nebraska Oregon St (Saturday)
- So… Nebraska and Oregon State are playing in the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on a College Football Saturday where both football programs have huge games?
- CBB non-conference scheduling is weird.
- Nebraska is sneaking up as a potential tournament level team.
- Technically both of these teams are undefeated.
- I am fascinated to see Hoiberg and Tominaga against a real team this year.
- Give me the Huskers to beat the Beavers. Would take the spread into the low teens too.
Indiana vs UConn (Sunday)
- Wow.
- How cool will this game be?
- These two Multiple National Title programs meet in the Mecca of Basketball and fans of each team have very different opinions so far.
- Kel’el Ware meet Donovan Clingan
- UConn should roll given how awesome Tristen Newton, Alex Karaban, Cam Spencer and Stephon Castle have looked.
- However, I think IU covering the spread could be the play if it is anything higher than +8.5.
- I can’t imagine it’s been a fun first two weeks for Mackenzie Mgbako. This could be a huge game for him. Let’s see how he responds.
- Excited to see Indiana play the first team that’s better than them and see how Woody and the Hoosiers try and gunk up the pretty Husky offense.
No Explanation Power Rankings
Again these are handed to me from the No Explanation College Basketball Committee. These are not my power rankings I am just a servant for the Committee. If you don’t like something be angry at the Committee not me.
- Purdue
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Northwestern
- Wisconsin
- Iowa
- Indiana
- Nebraska
- Ohio State
- Maryland
- Rutgers
- Penn State
- Minnesota
Again, no explanations given. So, no questions at this time.
That’s it for Week 1 of Midweek Madness! Next week is Feast Week including a packed Maui Invitational for Purdue, a path for Michigan in Atlantis, and much more!
Read more on The Floor Slap:
- College Basketball Super Sixteen: December Edition
- Midweek Madness: Feast Week Leftovers
- Big Ten Betting Guide: Rivalry Week
- Big Ten Betting Guide: Week 13
- Big Ten Football Preview: Week 13