Player of the Week:
Armando Bacot, PF/C, North Carolina Tar Heels
Man, did the Tar Heels need a week like this. It started with a 100-point outburst against The Citadel to earn their students free biscuits and ended with a comeback overtime victory over a ranked opponent in Ohio State. Their star center recorded 10 or more rebounds on Tuesday for the 62nd time in his career, passing Billy Cunningham for the school record.
All he did on Saturday was extend that record, claim his 56th career double-double, only four away from Cunningham’s other record, and lead the Heels to a desperately needed win against a ranked opponent. Maybe this will be the boost Hubert Davis needed to get his team back into NCAA Tournament form.
Who’s Hot?
El Ellis, PG, Louisville Cardinals
The only positive thing going for the Cardinals heading into the week was the play of Ellis, a senior guard carrying the weight of an entire program on his back. His efforts materialized into the first two wins of the season and career for Kenny Payne.
In the win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday, Ellis registered 30 points and 10 assists, single-handedly willing his team to their first win in 10 tries to start the year. He scored 13 more points and tallied seven more assists to prevent a disgraceful upset loss to the 358th ranked Rattlers of Florida A&M according to KenPom. That’s fifth worst in Division 1 basketball, but Ellis was there, thankfully, to avoid the catastrophe in Louisville.
Matthew Cleveland, SF, Florida State Seminoles
Cleveland came into last season with many excited about his long term outlook. It has been a tough road so far to say the least and it didn’t take long for him to fall off the radar entirely. Now things are starting to turn around as the 6-7 sophomore.
Cleveland has scored in double-figures in nine of the last 10 games and complemented that with a double-double in three of the last four contests. With nearly as many 3-pointers this year as he had all of last season, the flashes we saw in high school of a intriguing prospect are becoming evident at the college level.
Who’s Not?
Reece Beekman, PG, No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers
This might be the first, but it won’t be the last Cavalier mentioned on the only list you don’t want to be on in this article. There’s no shame in losing to Houston, but Beekman’s struggles are becoming more than just a one-game issue.
After an exceptional start to the season, the junior point guard is crashing back down to earth as he has scored just 13 points in his last three games. While an injury held him to just four minutes against James Madison, there is still reason for concern that the early offensive success for Virginia and Beekman is a thing of the past and not the future.
Ben Vander Plas, SF/PF, No. 6 Virginia Cavaliers
Part of Virginia’s problem comes from the struggles of Ohio transfer, Ben Vander Plas. The former Bobcat drilled 67 3-pointers last season at a 34% clip, but only has eight to his name this season at a 28% average. That includes a drought of 10 straight misses and just one make in his last 14 tries. They need more from Vander Plas if they want to knock off Miami this week and if they want to be known as legit contenders in March.
Freshman of the Week:
Chris Bell, SF, Syracuse Orange
It certainly wasn’t the week of the freshman in the ACC, but that shouldn’t detract from the play of Bell so far this season. He was forced to slide into the Cole Swider role on the wing for the Orange and is starting to hit his stride when called upon for more minutes.
In the six games he received more than 20 minutes, Bell is averaging 11 points and is finding a rhythm beyond the arc with a 35% average. His play will only get better as the season goes on and I’m excited to see his growth in that time.
Top 5 Christmas Wishes
5. Louisville Cardinals: Win a conference game
This might be too much to ask since winning a game at all seemed unlikely a week ago, but Christmas is about asking for major gifts. There aren’t many opportunities on the schedule, but fans will surely be wishing for at least one conference win this holiday season. Let’s see if Santa will be nice this year.
4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: To go back to the Michigan State game
Vibes were high in South Bend as the Irish laid a memorable beat down on the 20th-ranked Spartans to assure fans the St. Bonaventure loss was a fluke. It turns out the win over MSU was the real fluke. Three losses in the last four games put a damper on the hot start to the season and it looks like they’ll need a second-half surge once again to sneak into the NCAA Tournament this year.
3. Miami and Virginia Tech: Legitimacy
This conference has long been run by Virginia, Duke and North Carolina but it’s the Hurricanes and Hokies that enter Tuesday atop the ACC. Both teams rode some March magic with the Hokies claiming the conference tournament championship and the Canes dancing their way into the Elite Eight, but neither fanbase is content with a one-year wonder. Each could run it back this season and all they want for Christmas is to know that they can legitimately do it again.
2. Duke: Some experience, please
With a brand-new coach and a starting lineup composed of four freshmen, sometimes five, there isn’t a lick of experience to be found on the Blue Devils lineup. That’s not a great recipe for success in March. It’s not impossible to win in the NCAA Tournament with a lineup of freshmen, but I’m sure the Blue Devil faithful is wishing they could have some more experience for their run toward another national championship.
1. North Carolina: For it to be March again
This North Carolina roster is no stranger to early season struggles – it was the defining characteristic of their team last year until March. Everyone who had the chance to run it back decided to, but the preseason AP No. 1 has looked nothing like the team that ran through the NCAA Tournament last year. Maybe all they need is the calendar to tell them when to kick it into high gear.