Boilermakers

Zach LaVine has an Olympic gold medal. What he doesn&rsquo;t have is NBA playoff experience.
At last, that part is about to change.
No active NBA player has been in more regular-season games without making his playoff debut than LaVine, who has appeared in 478 games with the Chicago Bulls. He&rsquo;s expected to play in his first playoff game Sunday night when the Bulls visit Milwaukee.
Once LaVine makes his playoff debut, the title nobody wants &mdash; active player with most games and no playoff appearances &mdash; will fall to Buddy Hield. He&rsquo;s been in 468 games with Sacramento, New Orleans and Indiana.
If Hield appears in at least 32 games next season, he will become the eighth player with at least 500 regular-season appearances but zero playoff contests. He&rsquo;ll join Tom Van Arsdale (929), Otto Moore (682), Nate Williams (642), Omri Casspi (588), Sebastian Telfair (564), Popeye Jones (535) and Eddy Curry (527) in that club.
Curry has a ring from his time with the Miami Heat in the 2011-12 season, but didn&rsquo;t play in a game during that postseason run.
EIGHT IS (USUALLY) ENOUGH
Phoenix won eight games more than any other team this season. That usually means a championship.
Not always, though.
The last four teams to have at least eight more wins than any other team in the regular season have gone on to win a title. Those clubs are the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, the Chicago Bulls in 1992 and 1996, and the Boston Celtics in 1984.
The 1971 Milwaukee Bucks, 1967 Philadelphia 76ers, and both the 1960 and 1965 Celtics also ended seasons with such huge regular-season margins with championships. But the Celtics in both 1958 and 1973 did not, nor did the Washington Capitols in 1947 &mdash; the inaugural season of the BAA, which was the precursor to the NBA. The Capitols (49-11) won 10 more regular-season games than anyone else in 1946-47, but the Philadelphia Warriors (35-25) won that first season&rsquo;s championship.
PLAYOFF MONEY
The NBA has set this season&rsquo;s playoff pool at $17,317,334. All 16 playoff teams are guaranteed $258,449 just for making the field; most teams will make more, and the deeper teams go in the playoffs, they&rsquo;ll make much more.
Phoenix is already assured at least $1,194,952. The Suns would claim $5,077,456 if they win the NBA title.
Miami has secured $695,527 already. The Heat would get $4,578,031 if they win the championship.
Any team that makes the NBA Finals is guaranteed $3,106,286; any team other than the Suns or Heat that wins the championship would receive at least $4,140,953.
BEST EVERYWHERE
Phoenix had the NBA&rsquo;s best home record and the NBA&rsquo;s best road record this season &mdash; 32-9 in both instances.
Only four of the last nine teams to pull off that feat, including ties in the standings, went on to win the NBA title. Those clubs were Golden State in 2015 and 2017, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000 and the Chicago Bulls in 1996.
The most recent teams to be best at home, best on the road and still not win a title: Houston in 2018, Dallas in 2007, Seattle in 1994, Portland in 1991 and the Lakers in 1990.
MILESTONE WATCH
Philadelphia&rsquo;s Doc Rivers is on the cusp of becoming the fifth coach in NBA history to win 100 postseason games. The 76ers need just two wins in their first-round series against Toronto to get Rivers to the milestone.
The other coaches with 100 wins: Phil Jackson (229), Pat Riley (171), Gregg Popovich (170) and Larry Brown (100).
Miami&rsquo;s Erik Spoelstra can also get to 100 playoff wins this year &mdash; but the Heat would have to get to the NBA Finals, then win three games in the title round to get him there. Spoelstra enters these playoffs with 85 postseason victories.
Among players, Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant is three points shy of matching Jerry West (4,457) for eighth on the all-time playoff list. Durant needs 307 points to tie No. 7 Karl Malone (4,761) on that list, meaning the Nets would likely have to get to at least the second round for that to occur this year.
FAVORED TEAMS
Utah was favored in more games than any other team this season, picked by oddsmakers 73 times in the 82-game regular season. The Jazz were followed by Phoenix (70), Milwaukee (66), Golden State (62), Boston (61) and Miami (59) on the most-favored list.
The team that covered a spread with the most regularity this season: Memphis, which rewarded its backers 64.6% of the time. Utah was tied for next-to-last in that department, covering at a 40.2% rate.
Oklahoma City was favored the fewest times in the league, just on three occasions. Portland was the worst at covering, doing so 37.8% of the time.
BACK TO BACK
If Milwaukee&rsquo;s Giannis Antetokounmpo wins his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award &mdash; now named for Bill Russell &mdash; he would join select company.
Only six players have won that award in consecutive years. Chicago&rsquo;s Michael Jordan won it back-to-back-to-back on two separate occasions, 1991 through 1993 and then 1996 through 1998. Shaquille O&rsquo;Neal won three in a row for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 through 2002. Hakeem Olajuwon won for Houston in 1994 and 1995, Kobe Bryant did for the Lakers in 2009 and 2010, LeBron James did for Miami in 2012 and 2013, and Kevin Durant did it for Golden State in 2017 and 2018.
Jerry West was the award&rsquo;s first winner in 1969. It has been named for Russell since 2009.
THREE&rsquo;S WIN
As one might guess, it&rsquo;s difficult to make up a significant disparity in 3-pointers made.
Teams that were outscored by 15 or more points from 3-point range this season won only 20.8% of the time &mdash; going 94-348 in those contests.
IGUODALA&rsquo;S FAREWELL
Golden State&rsquo;s Andre Iguodala has said he is retiring when this season ends. He wanted to go back to the Warriors for a farewell, and the Warriors welcomed him back for many reasons &mdash; what he brings at this time of year among them.
No player in this year&rsquo;s playoffs has played, counting actual appearances only, in more postseason wins than Iguodala. He has appeared in 103 playoff wins, five more than Philadelphia&rsquo;s Danny Green, eight more than Brooklyn&rsquo;s Kevin Durant, 16 more than Miami&rsquo;s Udonis Haslem and 17 more than Warriors teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
THE REFEREES
Tom Washington is working the NBA playoffs for the 24th time and Scott Foster was selected as part of the postseason referee corps for the 22nd time. They&rsquo;re the senior members of a 36-person group that will work games in Round 1.
There are three playoff newcomers: Eric Dalen, Mitchell Ervin and Justin Van Duyne.
Foster has worked 201 playoff games, while Washington has worked 172. Other veterans in this year&rsquo;s playoffs include Tony Brothers and James Capers (163 games apiece), Marc Davis (161), Ed Malloy (121), Bill Kennedy (120), Zach Zarba (117) and John Goble (100).
The rest of the first-round officials are: Brent Barnaky, Curtis Blair, Nick Buchert, Kevin Cutler, JB DeRosa, Kane Fitzgerald, Tyler Ford, Brian Forte, Pat Fraher, Jacyn Goble, David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane, Eric Lewis, Mark Lindsay, Tre Maddox, Rodney Mott, Gediminas Petraitis, Michael Smith, Ben Taylor, Josh Tiven, Scott Twardoski, James Williams and Sean Wright.
The NBA also selected eight alternates &mdash; including Lauren Holtkamp, the only woman to make this season&rsquo;s list. If picked for a game, Holtkamp would join Violet Palmer as the only female referees to work a postseason contest.

The AP's Tim Reynolds ties a bow on the 2021-22 NBA regular season and prepares us for the playoffs.

Playoff time: 10 things to know about the NBA's postseason

Several years ago, I attended the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. In doing so, I became familiar with Purdue head coach Matt Painter's coaching style and offensive system, which is predicated on ball movement, perimeter players moving without the ball and feeding low-post scorers on the block.
Carsen Edwards &mdash; a strong and explosive, assertive, scoring 5-foot-11 guard &mdash; was their star. Edwards routinely ran off screens, endlessly hunting his shot in Painter's system while using ball screens as his secondary option. He had the full green light, which he took advantage of as he averaged 24.3 points per game. Ryan Cline was their shooting specialist, making several three-pointers per game and shooting an impressive 41.7% from deep. And lastly, they had giant 7-foot-3 Matt Haarms on the block. It was a terrific team that won a share of the Big Ten regular season championship and nearly made it to the Final Four.
However, despite Edwards' iconic performance in the Elite Eight, in which he scored 42 points while knocking down 10 three-pointers, the Boilermakers fell short to the eventual NCAA champion, Virginia. I appreciated Painter as a coach during that season and I've always looked forward to watching his teams play ever since.
Fast forward a few years to this current season when I recently attended the Big Ten Tournament and watched Painter's Boilermakers play several days in a row. It felt a bit like deja vu, as their team was very reminiscent of the 2018-19 Purdue squad. Sophomore guard Jaden Ivey is their star, and he also routinely runs off screens that lead to pick-and-roll actions in identical sets, just as Edwards did. They have Sasha Stefanovic, a freshman on the 2018-19 team and now a senior, playing Cline's shooter role. Trevion Williams, who was also a freshman on that last team, is now their primary low-post scoring threat. They also have 7-foot-4 Zach Edey in the Haarms role.
As usual, I enjoyed watching Purdue play in the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Penn State and Michigan State before falling to a good Iowa team in the championship game, securing a No. 3 seed in the Big Dance.
This year, the Big Ten Conference was loaded with talent, so I chose to attend the entire conference tournament rather than attend multiple tournaments like I usually do. And despite the abundance of talent in Indianapolis, one player stood out from the crowd, and that player was Ivey.
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Through 35 games this season, Ivey has averaged 17.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game. He was named First Team All-Big Ten Conference and Second Team All-American. He has established himself as a college star and a top NBA prospect, as he's widely considered a probable top-four pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Although Ivey and Edwards are playing a similar role for Purdue, their games are not the same. On the one hand, Edwards is an undersized scoring guard whose effectiveness is centered around his outside shooting &mdash; seemingly a perfect fit in Painter's offense. On the other hand, you have Ivey, an elite athlete who is a nightmare for opponents to stop one-on-one. Painter calls isolation and high pick-and-roll plays here and there for Ivey, breaking away from his typical offense to utilize Ivey's talents properly. Still, while I love Painter's offense, it's not built for a player like Ivey, nor is the college game in general, for that matter.
But you know what is built for a player like Ivey? The modern, guard-driven NBA with emphasized spacing so players like Ivey can create with the ball in their hands.
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Two great plays by Jaden Ivey, back to back. Once he gets downhill, it&rsquo;s over. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GTourney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GTourney</a> <a href="https://t.co/3gk5JKBCKm">pic.twitter.com/3gk5JKBCKm</a>
&mdash; Matt Babcock (@MattBabcock11) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattBabcock11/status/1502477366962135045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Sitting alongside me at the Big Ten Tournament were countless NBA scouts and executives, and I spoke to many of them.
"He has burst like [Ja] Morant, explosiveness like [Russell] Westbrook, and a playing style like D-Wade," said one scout. "He's a Ferrari."
"He will be a beast in the league," one general manager added.
He was compared to big stars, and bold statements were shared left and right. However, they are all valid, in my opinion. When the ball is in Ivey's hands, he is an overwhelming threat who is impossible to guard at times. He has a gear that not many players possess, providing him with elite talent and upside similar to those notable names above.
For the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft</a>, four players have separated themselves from the rest: Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero and Jaden Ivey in some order, with Iowa's Keegan Murray seemingly knocking on the door to that group as well. Although in recent days there have been a couple of articles published suggesting that Ivey could make a play for the No. 1 spot (which I'm happy to see), I find it interesting that Ivey seems to be ranked fourth in that group more often than not by the media.
I've been one of Ivey's biggest supporters this season, ranking him No. 2 on the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com 2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>. But I'll admit, he isn't perfect. He has some things to work on, like improving his decision-making, ball control and overall court awareness. He's shot the ball pretty well this season, knocking down 63-of-173 three-point attempts (36.4%), but he's certainly not a pure shooter.
But here's how I see it: there are always questions for young players transitioning to the pros, and Ivey is no exception. However, I believe that the questions surrounding Ivey are manageable. Subsequently, it leads me to visualize what type of player Ivey could become if he did indeed maximize his potential.
Could we be witnessing a star in the making? Perhaps.
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Purdue's Jaden Ivey is a special talent who is turning heads this season. Matt Babcock breaks down his ascent to stardom.

Is Purdue's Jaden Ivey a star in the making?

With the 2022 NCAA Tournament right around the corner, it's time for conference tournaments to begin so teams can begin punching their ticket to The Big Dance in March.
Mid-major tournaments have already gotten underway, on Wednesday, five Power Five tournaments will have begun theirs to join the club.
(Editor's note: Check out our breakdowns of the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-acc-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ACC</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-big-12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Big 12</a>, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-pac12-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pac-12</a> and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/top-2022-nba-draft-prospects-sec-tournament" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEC</a>.)
Since everyone will have their eyes on the best players in these conferences over the next few weeks, BasketballNews.com has highlighted each Power Five and its top 2022 NBA Draft prospects.
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Here are the names to look out for in the Big Ten.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jaden-ivey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jaden Ivey</a>
Guard | Purdue
Height: 6-4 Weight: 195 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Sophomore Draft Day Age: 20.4 Nationality: USA
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For the Boilermakers this season, Jaden Ivey is shooting career highs across the board and has propelled himself into top-three consideration. Ivey is a phenomenal athlete and a promising on-ball defender who has flashed great potential on the defensive end of the floor. His offense has taken a huge leap, as he's shown the ability to create space for himself, score on multiple levels and attack the rim at an elite level. Purdue is one of the best teams in America, and Ivey is a huge component of the team's success. He's one to keep an eye on near the top of the 2022 NBA Draft class.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/keegan-murray" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keegan Murray</a>
Forward | Iowa
Height: 6-8 Weight: 225 Wingspan: 6-11
Class: Sophomore Draft Day Age: 21.8 Nationality: USA
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At 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Keegan Murray has a high motor and does a lot of the &ldquo;little things'' that contribute to winning, and he is a terrific defender. Despite shooting an inefficient 29.6% from deep last season, Murray has shot and scored the ball at a much higher rate this season. In addition, his ability to attack closeouts and score from multiple levels has allowed him to carry a greater offensive load. Murray is a candidate for National Player of the Year and has played himself into top-10 consideration in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/johnny-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Johnny Davis</a>
Guard | Wisconsin
Height: 6-5 Weight: 194 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Sophomore Draft Day Age: 20.3 Nationality: USA
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​​At 6-foot-5, Johnny Davis carries positional size and has become one of the most reliable scorers in the country. He can take his defender to the rim, is comfortable operating in the mid-range and has shown consistency from deep. He isn&rsquo;t flashy, but is incredibly effective and decisive, which has resulted in a large jump in his free-throw rate. His combination of physicality and quick decision-making brings good versatility to his game. Davis has established himself as one of the best shooting guards in the country, and is a candidate for National Player of the Year. (Unfortunately, Davis was injured on a flagrant foul in Wisconsin's loss to Nebraska, but he <a href="https://wisconsin.rivals.com/news/wisconsin-s-johnny-davis-updates-his-status-following-ankle-injury?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly90LmNvLw&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGfnOvaHXMefZwK-Y1qixNRNWpcHZ58_iJZsW9xE-84bC3sW0LEE36tg26SbjL96eCm0KsX0lm9lVA0Wg2JKsB8aFO9nKAyIi0GHqnnPEOwxHkdSBjPGq9PFpcrVpqwN748XKy993U5BRQWbprUoYY04QXy4SDQ5_rCUw95XWaAg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">believes he'll be ready to play</a> in the conference tournament.)
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/max-christie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Max Christie</a>
Guard | Michigan State
Height: 6-6 Weight: 190 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.4 Nationality: USA
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A former five-star recruit, Max Christie came to Michigan State as one of the top-ranked freshmen in the country. At 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds, Christie possesses the ability to shoot and score the ball at a high level. It&rsquo;s also worth noting that he has some experience playing on the ball as a point guard. And although plays mostly off the ball for Michigan State, it is a good example of his versatility. Christie is a strong candidate to be a one-and-done prospect.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/ej-liddell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">E.J. Liddell</a>
Forward | Ohio State
Height: 6-7 Weight: 240 Wingspan: 7-0
Class: Junior Draft Day Age: 21.5 Nationality: USA
Although he is a bit undersized for the position, the Buckeyes often use E.J. Liddell as a 4/5 in their lineups. He is physical and versatile on both ends of the floor, scoring both inside and out. He appears more comfortable in the mid-range and paint, which works well for his college system, but raises questions in regards to his translatability to the NBA. Liddell continues to fill up the box score and play with great effort and toughness. He has certainly carved out a spot for himself in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/malaki-branham" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malaki Branham</a>
Guard | Ohio State
Height: 6-5 Weight: 180 Wingspan: 6-10
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.1 Nationality: USA
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Malaki Branham was ranked 35th in the 2021 RSCI recruiting class and, after a slow start, burst onto the scene in conference play. At 6-foot-5, he plays with patience, and is a smooth three-level scorer. He is comfortable operating in the pick-and-roll and mid-range, and has shown promise as a spot-up shooter. Branham is full of potential, and is hitting his stride as a scoring threat. He's certainly one to watch down the stretch.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/bryce-mcgowens" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bryce McGowens</a>
Guard | Nebraska
Height: 6-7 Weight: 179 Wingspan: 6-9
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.6 Nationality: USA
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​​Possessing positional size and length, Bryce McGowens has flashed space creation as a shooter with pull-up craft, ball-handling and the ability to elevate over defenders. Although he can be a bit streaky, the fluidity with his shooting mechanics are special. He is also a solid defender due to his length, athleticism and instinctual play. With his combination of great athleticism, shot-making and finishing craft at the rim, McGowens has been the go-to scorer for the Huskers this season.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/moussa-diabate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Moussa Diabat&eacute;</a>
Forward-Center | Michigan
Height: 6-11 Weight: 210 Wingspan: 7-3
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 20.4 Nationality: France
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Standing 6-foot-11, 210 pounds and possessing an impressive 7-3 wingspan &mdash; while also being capable of moving fluidly &mdash; Moussa Diabat&eacute;&rsquo;s physical tools jump off of the page. While he is still a work in progress on the offensive end, Diabat&eacute;&rsquo;s talent and versatility on the defensive end stand out. Since Diabat&eacute; has been able to <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/moussa-diabate-michigan-wolverines-on-the-rise-2022-nba-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">properly showcase his talent and make the necessary steps in his development</a> throughout the season, he is a strong candidate to be a one-and-done prospect.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/caleb-houstan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caleb Houstan</a>
Forward | Michigan
Height: 6-8 Weight: 205 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Freshman Draft Day Age: 19.5 Nationality: Canada
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Caleb Houstan, a five-star recruit for head coach Juwan Howard and the Michigan Wolverines, is a high-level outside shooter and a marksman who possesses positional size at 6-foot-8. Houstan's size, mechanics, shot-making are special, but there are questions about his versatility and consistency. He is one to monitor as the season wraps up, and is a viable floor-stretching option in the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/trevion-williams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trevion Williams</a>
Forward-Center | Purdue
Height: 6-10 Weight: 255 Wingspan: N/A
Class: Senior Draft Day Age: 21.8 Nationality: USA
Trevion Williams may be the best low-post scorer in the country. He has incredible footwork, craftiness at the rim and is always thinking a step ahead with the ball in his hand. He is also an impressive athlete at 255 pounds, as he's quick off the ground and runs the floor well. Williams is old school in the way he provides points, but he does the little things well. He has good vision out of the post, plays with a great motor and is the kind of player you want in the locker room. Williams has a great chance of earning a shot at the NBA level.&nbsp;
Others worth noting:
Kofi Cockburn | Illinois
Hunter Dickinson | Michigan
Zach Edey | Purdue
Ron Harper Jr. | Rutgers
Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana
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Matt Babcock highlights the top 2022 NBA Draft prospects in the Big Ten Tournament.

2022 NBA Draft: Top prospects in the Big Ten Tournament

Nearing the end of the NCAA regular season, Derek Murray takes a dive into the state of the Big Ten.

State of the Conference: Evaluating the Big Ten

West Lafayette, IN&nbsp; -&nbsp; In a game that came down to the final shot of regulation, No. 6 Purdue beat No. 16 Ohio State by a score of 81-78. Jaden Ivey led all players with 21 points, including the game winning triple with six seconds left on the clock. E.J. Liddell and Malaki Branham both scored 20 points for the Buckeyes.
The Boilermakers (18-3, 7-3 B1G) have cemented themselves as real contenders this season. Led by potential top-five pick Ivey, as well as a frontcourt of Zach Edey and Trevion Williams, they often have the best player on the floor at multiple positions. Ivey leads the team in points at 16.6 per game on 43.8% shooting from deep.
Ohio State (13-5, 6-3 B1G) have a key win against Duke, but haven&rsquo;t been able to close out the top competition with consistency &mdash; losing to Xavier, Florida, as well as twice to Wisconsin. They are led by junior Liddell, as he continues to make his case for the 2022 NBA draft. He is averaging 19.6 points and 7.8 rebounds, leading his team in both categories.&nbsp;
The first half started with the teams trading buckets and leads until the 11:20 mark, then Ivey and Edey started cooking. The Boilermakers would go on a 10-2 run late in the period and connect on 8 of their last 13 attempts from the field. Purdue senior Sasha Stefanovich led all players in scoring at the break with 11, as the home team took a 39-30 lead into the break.
Purdue started the second on a tear with eight unanswered points, extending the lead to 47-30. At 52-32 it looked out of hand, but Cedric Russell, Eugene Brown III and Liddell kept the fight going for Ohio State, cutting the deficit back to 63-54.
At 1:45, the Buckeyes cut the lead to 76-70 and had momentum. Ivey travelled on the ensuing possession and Liddell capitalized by capping a 7-0 run &mdash; making it 76-72 which forced a timeout.&nbsp;
Ivey would miss a three pointer the next trip down, but Mason Gillis came down with a huge offensive rebound. Two free throws followed. Liddell answered with another triple at 0:33 to make it 78-75. The visitors stole the inbounds pass, then Liddell connected once again to tie the game, 78-78.
Ivey would hit an incredible, off-balance triple to win the game with under a second remaining. A truly wild finish that saw Purdue win 81-78.
Edey posted 20 points and 3 rebounds. Williams ended with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Brown III and Russell both scored 9 points for the Buckeyes.
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UPCOMING
Ohio State hosts Iowa on Thursday
Purdue travels to Minnesota on Tuesday
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In a game that came down to the final shot of regulation, No. 6 Purdue beat No. 16 Ohio State by a score of 81-78.

Ivey hits walkoff, No. 6 Purdue survives No. 16 Ohio State 81-78

On April 7, 2003, the Syracuse Orange men's basketball team won the NCAA championship, defeating the Kansas Jayhawks 81-78 at the Superdome in New Orleans.&nbsp;
While Carmelo Anthony received the majority of the praise following that title, two key factors on that championship team were Hakim Warrick and Billy Edelin.&nbsp;
BasketballNews.com's Etan Thomas caught up with them to discuss the current Syracuse team, how they compare to their championship squad, playing for Jim Boeheim and more:&nbsp;
Hakim Warrick&nbsp;
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Etan Thomas: One of the most glaring differences between your championship team and a lot of the Syracuse teams post-2003 is the way Coach Boeheim utilized your bench. You all really went eight-or-nine deep.&nbsp;
Hakim Warrick: Coach did a really good job of using our bench. Guys like Billy Edelin, Josh Pace, Jeremy McNeil, we just had a really nice rotation and everyone knew their roles. And all of the guys I mentioned were good enough to be starters, we just had a deep team. We trusted each other and everyone was ready when their number was called. If 'Melo was struggling or I was struggling or G-Mac (Gerry McNamara) was struggling, guys would come in and do what we weren&rsquo;t doing well. Or we would simply utilize their attributes that differed from the starters. And again, Coach did a great job of strategizing and using us as a complete team.
Etan: But it seems like you&rsquo;re the only &mdash; or one of the only &mdash; groups he did that with, and you&rsquo;re the only group that won the championship. So &nbsp;after you all left, the philosophy switched to five iron men and people who would come in for a few spot minutes, but that&rsquo;s really it. I&rsquo;m watching the team now, and I&rsquo;m seeing the starters get tired, start slowing down, shooting tired three-pointers, making tired mistakes, and guys on the bench who could help are sitting on the bench. So what was different about y&rsquo;all that made him utilize the bench the way he did?&nbsp;
Hakim: That&rsquo;s a good question. I know we all trusted the guys coming off the bench, just as much as we trusted the starters. But you&rsquo;re right, there is definitely a different strategy he took with us. We wouldn&rsquo;t have won without our bench. We wouldn&rsquo;t have beaten Oklahoma State if Jeremy McNeil didn&rsquo;t take over that game. Josh was the glue guy all year. And Billy was the floor general when he came in. We wouldn&rsquo;t have won without them.
Etan: Here in the DMV, we all know what an incredible talent Benny Williams is and everyone is scratching their heads about why he's not playing and not part of the rotation, especially when athleticism is something that we lack. What advice would you give to Benny Williams?
Hakim: I would say: I&rsquo;ve definitely been there. My freshman year was rough. But he just has to keep working and always be ready when your number is called, and never lose confidence because lack of talent is definitely not the reason why you&rsquo;re not playing. I worked out with him prior to him going to Cuse. I am very well aware of what he can do. But just stay ready. Coach is going to have no choice but to play you eventually, just be ready.
Etan: This team has had some tough stretches. The game against Duke was ugly &mdash; there's no other way to say it. Do you see the team being able to come together, restructure and turn this thing around? What are some adjustments that need to be made?&nbsp;
Hakim: They&rsquo;ve been playing games pretty tough, other than the last game against Duke. Like you've said before, they live by the three and die by the three. This is probably one of the best all-around shooting teams that Syracuse has ever had, but it&rsquo;s also probably one of the [least] athletic teams as far as perimeter guys as well. And you&rsquo;re right, we need the athleticism off the bench. We do. But we gotta execute down the stretch; we&rsquo;ve seen that be an issue. We&rsquo;ve shown that we can play with anybody in the ACC, and I think with a few adjustments that we&rsquo;ve mentioned, we&rsquo;ll definitely be able to turn things around. And it&rsquo;s happened with Syracuse teams [before] when everyone thought we were out, and next thing you know, we go on a run in the tournament and make it to the Elite Eight or Final Four. It can happen.&nbsp;
Billy Edelin&nbsp;
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Etan Thomas: I didn&rsquo;t know that you trained Buddy Boeheim, Symir Torrence and Joseph Girard III. Tell me about that.
Billy Edelin: Since 2007, I&rsquo;ve been doing skill development &mdash; mostly working with guys from the DMV area. So when I got up here, I saw the tremendous talent in this area: Mika Adams-Woods (he&rsquo;s at Cincinnati), Buddy, Frankie, Paul Gacetti, and a few other guys.&nbsp;
Joe Girard was with the City Rocks and we beat them as freshmen, so I actually got to coach him one time with the City Rocks. We had Mika on point and him off the ball and he looked really good, so that&rsquo;s kind of what I always thought he was best at. I thought Symir was always good at facilitating, perimeter defense, quick to the ball, great lateral movement and being more of a natural point.&nbsp;
Etan: It&rsquo;s interesting because a lot of people around Syracuse have the same observation watching them this year. I think when Symir checks in the game, the entire flow is different on both ends of the court. And that&rsquo;s not a knock on Girard; I think his shooting is absolutely elite, but they have different attributes they bring to the table.&nbsp;
Billy: I was watching Chad Ford and another commentator a few days ago and they were saying that from an analytics standpoint, having three shooters on the floor would be better for us scoring wise. Then he said, "But the thing that makes Syracuse good is the same thing that makes them bad," and it&rsquo;s difficult to disagree with his assessment. Yes, we&rsquo;ll have more outside shooting than some teams and the numbers can look a certain way, but I&rsquo;m old school and my question is: what&rsquo;s the best way for us to win? And I think you have to find some type of balance and play to your strength regardless of what the &ldquo;analytics&rdquo; suggest.
Etan: Very well said. And I don&rsquo;t want to bring up old stuff, but <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ncaa-basketball-news-losing-kadary-richmond-tragedy-for-syracuse-university-orange-transfer-portal-jim-boeheim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I&rsquo;m still not happy that Kadary Richmond isn&rsquo;t with us</a> because I really felt he could&rsquo;ve helped us tremendously. I mean, he&rsquo;s a pass-first point guard who can break any press by himself and run the team. Look what he&rsquo;s doing with Seton Hall now! Imagine how we would look with him running the point and having all those shooters spotted up?
Billy: I was trying to avoid that topic, but yes, you&rsquo;re 100% correct. That&rsquo;s such a tough pill for me &mdash; and I think everyone in Syracuse &mdash; to swallow, seeing how well he is playing and thinking what could&rsquo;ve been and what should&rsquo;ve been.&nbsp;
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Etan: Ya'll were a special team in 2003, the only championship team for Syracuse. You were the general, you ran the show. Yes, you had G-Mac who was shooting all the threes and lighting it up, but in my opinion and in your teammates' opinion, it wouldn&rsquo;t have worked without you in particular because of the way you ran the show. Now, relating it to this current team, the reason I brought up Kadary and Symir is because they are Billy-Edelin-type point guards who can run the show.
Billy: Yeah, I know exactly what you&rsquo;re saying. I definitely give Coach Boeheim a lot of credit because I had to sit out a year and he reintegrated me back into the rotation, and [he had me] working with Coach Hop every day to get right. I remember one game in particular &mdash; I had 13 and 7 in limited minutes, and it was against Seton Hall ironically. And then I had like 18 points and 9 assists against West Virginia in, like, 18 or 19 minutes and Coach literally said after the game, "Billy Edelin has arrived." So what he was telling the guys and all of Syracuse was that he was going to give me a bigger role, and I give the team a lot of credit because they embraced that. No friction, no disgruntled people about minutes, it was all embraced by G-Mac and by everyone. I knew I could score, but I did what was best for the team and if that was setting up 'Melo, kicking it out to Kueth Duany for the fastbreak, getting Jeremy McNeil a few touches down low (which would translate to him playing better on the defensive end and blocking even more shots), that&rsquo;s what I would do. But to your point, yes, I thought that&rsquo;s definitely the role Kadary could&rsquo;ve played and the role Symir could play now. The exact same role.&nbsp;
Etan: Yeah, the point guard is the most important position on the floor.
Billy: Yeah, you&rsquo;re right. Can&rsquo;t disagree with that, and that&rsquo;s both ends of the floor, [with] Symir being a whole different dimension on the defensive end. And Kadary, we don&rsquo;t even have to talk about his defensive ability, it&rsquo;s off the charts. And he&rsquo;s taller and longer, so yes, that&rsquo;s definitely a big loss. But I still think we could turn it around. We have the pieces. I love how the big fella Jesse [Edwards] is playing in the middle. We can definitely turn this season around. Just gotta take it one game at a time, and I think Coach Boeheim will figure it out. He&rsquo;s a Hall-of-Fame coach for a reason.
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Former Syracuse stars Etan Thomas, Hakim Warrick and Billy Edelin break down this year's team and what adjustments need to be made.

Hakim Warrick, Billy Edelin, Etan Thomas discuss current Syracuse team

Bloomington, IN &ndash; The fourth-ranked Purdue Boilermakers (15-3, 4-3 Big Ten) rolled into Bloomington to take on the Hoosiers, a battle between two of college basketball&rsquo;s all-time winningest programs. Since 1950, the series had been tied 66-66 coming into tonight. That tie was broken on Thursday night, and you can give the advantage to upset-minded Indiana (14-4, 5-3 Big Ten), who was victorious by a final score of 68-65.
The first half was a rollercoaster, with the Hoosiers taking a 37-28 lead into the break. Purdue jumped out to a 16-8 lead and then Indiana went on a tear, closing out the half on a 29-12 run. Hoosiers junior Rob Phinisee led all players in scoring with 17 points while displaying big-time shot-making. He connected on 7 of 10 from the field, including 3 of 5 from deep. Xavier Johnson also started well for the Hoosiers by posting 8 points.
Purdue wasn&rsquo;t making things easy for itself early on. The Boilermakers committed 10 turnovers in the first period, which isn&rsquo;t how you like to start in a hostile, in-state road environment. Zach Edey was the bright spot at this juncture for the team, starting with 9 points, 5 rebounds, a steal and a block out of the gate.
Jaden Ivey, a potential top-10 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, got things going quickly in the second half. He scored 8 points in the first three minutes and had the Boilermakers within striking distance. Things then got chippy around the 14-minute mark, when Ivey took a nasty fall on a drive, and the intensity continued to pick up with stifling team defense both ways.&nbsp;
The game was tied 63-63 at the 1:30 mark when Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis beat Trevion Williams off the dribble to get to the free-throw line. He missed both attempts, giving the Boilermakers life. Purdue's Mason Gillis scored on a beautiful backdoor cut, and then Purdue created a tough shot on the other end and secured the defensive rebound.
Phinisee connected on a huge, off-movement three in the corner to put the Hoosiers up by one point with 16.9 seconds on the clock. After advancing the ball and calling a timeout with 12.5 seconds left, Purdue took a poor shot, resulting in a rebound and two clutch free-throws by Jackson-Davis. Ivey heaved a last second three-point attempt that hit every single possible part of the rim, but spun out, and Hoosiers held on for the victory.
Jackson-Davis came into the contest averaging 19.5 points per game, but played only 11 minutes and finished with 4 points. Much was due to his foul trouble, but Edey is a load and was highly impactful on both ends. Edey, the 7-foot-4 sophomore, finished with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Ivey led all scorers with 21 points. Phinisee ended with 20, and Johnson finished with 18 points and 4 rebounds.&nbsp;
UPCOMING
Purdue will host Northwestern on Sunday.
Indiana will host the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday.&nbsp;

In a closely-contested battle, Indiana held on at home to upset the fourth-ranked Boilermakers.

Hoosiers win nail-biter, defeat No. 4 Purdue

Off to one of their hottest starts in school history, including their <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/boiler-up-purdue-is-no-1-in-ap-top-25-for-the-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first No. 1 ranking</a> in the AP Top 25, the Purdue Boilermakers have been scintillating up to the halfway point of the NCAA season. Jaden Ivey's ascendance as a <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft/2022-big-board/players/jaden-ivey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">premier draft prospect</a> has headlined much of Purdue's success, and Zach Edey's dominant play has also turned heads routinely.
Purdue has the top-rated offense in the country &mdash; and one of the most dynamic in recent memory &mdash; in no small part due to the star duo. However, the play of senior big man Trevion Williams is seemingly lost in the sauce at times when discussing the Boilermakers.&nbsp;
Oft serving as a second-unit creator and change-of-pace option for the offense, Williams elevates the team from good to great with his versatility and impact. Three assists per game undersells the playmaking ability of Williams, who I would consider not just the best passer on his own team, but among the upper echelon of passers in Division I basketball.
(This is one of the most insane passes I've seen at any level of basketball this past year)
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The velocity that Williams is able to put on the ball is remarkable. Precise passing with a purpose matters! Trevion is excellent with delivery, often utilizing one-handed whip passes as he palms the ball, both shielding himself from having the ball knocked loose, and also keeping himself free to escape dribble (more on that later).
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One of the main knocks/drawbacks that's brought up with Trevion is where his playmaking comes from, primarily out of the post. While I do understand that concern to a degree, there's a tendency to really miss the forest through the trees when looking at where the playmaking is coming from and misdiagnosing its purpose. Yes, Trevion Williams operates out of the post quite often, but rarely is it for the purpose of pounding the ball and clogging the lane. It's quite the opposite!
Look at how he's able to manipulate the defense with ball fakes and his eyes. Again, he's not just a good passer, he's an extraordinary passer. A lot of good passers are ones who react to what the defense gives them; great passers can manufacture their own looks.
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Williams utilizes his frame and gravity as a scorer on the block to draw double teams with regularity and force the defense into rotation. Coupled with his incredibly quick decision-making and expert ball delivery, the defense is in motion at Williams' will. Five-out spacing is fantastic with the right personnel, but running 4-out, 1-in sets can generate equal and at times better spacing. Spacing and gravity is earned by the offense, not inherently given. How your offense is defended is dictated in a consistent game of tug of war between both sides, with the defense ever-determining and gauging what can be allowed or used as to better extrapolate positive results. Spacing a center who is a shaky shooter will not be rewarded!
Calling Trevion a shaky shooter would be incorrect; he is a non-shooter at this stage, having taken 22 threes in his career and only seven jumpers outside the paint this season according to InStat. He is a relatively poor, but not awful free-throw shooter as well (59% this season) &mdash; something he'll undoubtedly need to work on in the league. (He has improved each of the past three years.)
So while Trevion can't really shoot and doesn't shoot, I don't think that matters in the way that it may be painted. As noted above, quickness in his decision-making is huge, as he is an elite processor of the game. He sees things unfold quickly, constantly scans the floors and maneuvers himself incredibly well in space to shift the defense or find better angles.
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Williams has <a href="https://twitter.com/MSchindlerNBA/status/1472377510478368772" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an elite handle for his size</a> that allows him to toy with the margins, bending the defense almost because they allow him to, if that makes sense. By inherently acting like he doesn't have gravity, and having the ability to manipulate that, he does have gravity. In each of the sets in the clip above, you can see Trevion afforded space; a quick dribble into it, the defense adjusts, and Williams has a new set of angles along with great motion from his teammates to set up quality offense.&nbsp;
If the cuts aren't there or don't open up angles, Trevion has really superb finishing craft. Despite poor shooting touch at the line and from deep, he has a wide array of push shots and floaters that he utilizes to punish defenses with the space afforded to him inside the arc (he's shooting 50.9% on floaters and hook shots this season per InStat).&nbsp;
It's fair to question how he may fair at the rim against NBA length and opposition, as he's not a great leaper. He has struggled a bit with sizable/lengthy frontcourts when around the rim, but his physicality and ability to draw fouls (currently a higher free-throw rate than Jaden Ivey) have me fairly confident that he'll be able to buoy struggles that he may face on the interior along with his touch in the paint.
Defensively, Williams has impressed from a prospect evaluation standpoint. He's not a traditional primary rim protecting 5-man, but he has remarkably quick feet and slides well laterally for his size.
Williams is very effective showing at the level and recovering or playing centerfield. He has really active hands and can blow up plays routinely before the ball-handler penetrates the paint. He's restricted as a leaper off his backfoot, but can makes good plays with his length at and around the rim when crowding shooters or drivers and is a solid weakside shot-blocker. Williams has versatility as a defender in spite of limitations.
Our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock shared how Williams' weight loss has helped him move more fluidly:
"When I first saw Trevion Williams play at a USA Basketball Minicamp after his freshman season, he was 280 pounds and primarily a low-post scorer. As a result, I questioned whether his game would translate well to the modern NBA. Since then, he has lost 25 pounds, making him significantly more mobile, a crucial part of his development."
The recent spark in coverage versatility at the NBA level this year makes me extremely excited about the prospects of Trevion at the next level. Less of an adherence to former pro norms has opened the door for more inventive forms of production.
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While they are not one in the same, I view last year's version of <a href="https://premiumhoops.org/2021/02/03/thad-youngs-anti-gravity-role-fluidity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thaddeus Young</a> as a very clear comparison for Williams and his NBA potential. He likely doesn't have the ceiling of an upside star swing, but again: see the forest through the trees! An organization would have to be willing to adapt its bench lineups to playing around Trevion, but why is that a bad thing? Bench lineups in the NBA, especially when top-usage players sit, can lack structure and creation. I really think there's viability moving forward in buying into bench players (not to box them in, they can certainly be more, but to begin with; bench), especially ones with high feel and utility as playmakers.
The Boilermakers rarely run pick-and-roll, one of my few drawbacks with their team in regards to evaluating their prospects; however, that's part of the intrigue! We really haven't seen what Trevion could do as a short-roll passer. He excels as a dribble handoff partner and is a dynamic screener with excellent hip fluidity that allows him to flip screens and rescreen to really open up teammates he screens for, another sly marginal aspect of creation. Considering how much teams run pick-and-roll in the league, Trevion has definite impact there, and his court vision, scoring prowess on the interior and decision-making all lend credence to ability to create off the roll.
While teams looking to develop a youthful roster may find it more fundamental to tinker with bench lineups and find ways to develop on the fringe, Williams could perhaps offer another way to develop on the fringe for teams that aren't lottery-bound. He certainly is not the norm among draft prospects, but that's kind of the point. He exceeds in many areas to an extent that matters enough to adapt philosophy, or even rethink it.
Regardless of where he does or doesn't go in the 2022 NBA Draft, Trevion Williams is an incredibly exciting, enticing and fun player. Don't be too shocked if a smart team thinks outside the box and takes a shot on him, and he shows his mettle at the next level.
Williams is currently ranked 40th on the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com 2022 NBA Draft Board</a>.

Purdue big man Trevion Williams has dazzled on one of the best teams in the country this season.

Outside of the box: Purdue's Trevion Williams has an enticing nature

When Michigan had Hunter Dickinson, a center, earn All-American honors as a freshman last season, finding another young big to pair with him was likely not in the mind of Wolverine fans. However, head coach Juwan Howard has brought in the most talented players irrespective of position.
That is seemingly the case with a consensus five-star recruit from IMG Academy, Moussa Diabate, who has become one of the biggest risers in scouting circles and is consistently climbing up analysts' draft boards this season.
So if you had your hopes up that your favorite NBA team could snag the 6-foot-11 center in the second round, you might want to begin tempering those expectations. Diabate is a long, surprisingly skilled big man with a 7-3 wingspan who has been on the radar of NBA scouts dating back to his time in France.&nbsp;
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Of Malian and Guinean descent, Diabate was born in Paris, where he began his youth basketball career at 12. He quickly opted to come to the United States at 14, and he joined perhaps the most vaunted high school basketball program in the country, Montverde Academy. After one year at Montverde, Diabate spent time bouncing around prep schools before eventually landing in Bradenton, Florida with the prestigious IMG Academy.
The move to join the Ascenders came on the heels of a successful FIBA stint with France. As an underaged player at the 2019 European U18 championship tournament, Diabate averaged 13.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks over seven games against the best players from Europe in his age group en route to a fifth-place finish.
Diabate's move to Bradenton helped reload a squad fresh off a championship at GEICO Nationals. During his junior season, Diabate found plenty of room to operate to the tune of over 14 points and 7 rebounds per game. This was in spite of playing with prominent big men Mark Williams (Duke), Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Tennessee) and Zach Edey (Purdue). The Ascenders ran their way to a 19-7 record, and it looked like another GEICO national championship was on the horizon. That, however, would not come to fruition, as COVID-19 wiped out the season.&nbsp;
Headed into his senior season at IMG, Diabate penned his National Letter of Intent to head to Michigan, headlining the No.1 recruiting class in the country alongside fellow five-star recruit Caleb Houstan. Diabate chose the Wolverines over Kentucky, Arizona, Florida State and more. The Ascenders enjoyed another wildly successful season last year (21-3 overall) before falling to Sunrise Christian Academy (KS) in the semifinals of the GEICO Nationals. For his efforts, Diabate was named both a McDonald's All-American and Jordan Brand All-American, despite neither game being played due to COVID.
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Along with perhaps the most heralded Michigan recruiting class since the "Fab Five," Diabate arrived in Ann Arbor to an NCAA preseason top-10 team that returned Dickinson, an All-American. With such an accomplished team staple entrenched in Diabate's natural position, playing time was hard to come by early in the season.
In his first five games, Diabate only crossed the 20-minute threshold once. Over his last seven games, however, Diabate has averaged 24.0 minutes per game despite only logging 7 minutes against San Diego State before getting injured. Diabate has shown just what makes him so intriguing during those six healthy games.&nbsp;
I spoke with our Sr. NBA Draft Analyst, Matt Babcock, to get his thoughts on what the French big man could bring to the next level.
&ldquo;I watched Diabate last season when he was in high school at IMG Academy. I was most impressed by his physical profile, mobility and motor. This season, I&rsquo;ve watched a lot of film, and had the opportunity to see Diabate in person when Michigan played at North Carolina. I still like everything about him that I did before. However, I&rsquo;ve been pleasantly surprised, as he&rsquo;s shown me that he has more upside on the offensive end of the floor than I had initially thought. I think he has a chance to be a good NBA player.&rdquo;
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Rim-running, shot-blocking prowess and overall defensive versatility make Diabate a compelling prospect. I was able to see Diabate up close in Michigan's loss to the UCF Knights, and he flashed more skill than I had expected. He hit a three-pointer and a mid-range fadeaway in the post, and defensively, he switched onto guards often.
Watching Diabate during warmups was also very insightful, as I was able to get a better idea of who he is as a person. Diabate seems highly outgoing just by watching him do his post-up routine. Speaking with some folks around the team, there was nothing but positive reviews for Diabate.&nbsp;
It has been a meteoric rise up draft boards thus far for the 19-year-old from Paris. Diabate is certainly a prospect for the scouting community to watch. We look forward to continuing to track his progress here at BasketballNews.com.&nbsp;
Moussa Diabate is currently ranked No. 22 on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>.

Grant Aqui outlines Moussa Diabate's recent success with the Wolverines and his journey to this point.

2022 NBA Draft: Michigan's Moussa Diabate is on the rise

Purdue is No. 1 in The Associated Press men&rsquo;s college basketball poll for the first time.
The Boilermakers were a unanimous No. 1 in the poll released Monday to move up from No. 2 last week. Reigning national champion Baylor moved up to No. 2, with Duke, UCLA and Gonzaga rounding out the top five.
Purdue (8-0, 1-0 Big Ten) reached No. 2 in consecutive seasons under Gene Keady from 1986-88 and matched its previous high last week, receiving nine first-place votes from a 61-person media panel.
The Boilermakers routed Florida State last week and opened Big Ten play with a 77-70 win over Iowa on Friday, sliding into the top spot after previous No. 1 Duke lost to an unranked Ohio State squad that is now No. 21. Until this week, Purdue had the second-most appearances in the AP poll &mdash; 379 weeks &mdash; for a school that had never been ranked No. 1 (Maryland, 434 weeks).
&ldquo;They deserved to be No. 1,&rdquo; Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said after the loss to Purdue. &ldquo;They can hurt in so many ways. They have depth, experience and size. It&rsquo;s going to be a hard team to beat.&rdquo;
Purdue was knocked out in the first round of last season&rsquo;s NCAA Tournament, but returned its top eight scorers, including all-conference forward Trevion Williams. The Boilermakers can challenge teams in variety of ways, from sophomore guard Jayden Ivey attacking off the dribble to dropping the ball in the post to 7-foot-4 sophomore Zach Edey.
Purdue is winning by an average of 25.6 points per game, the closest being the seven-point win over Iowa.
&ldquo;You want to get in close games and win them,&rdquo; Purdue coach Matt Painter said. &ldquo;It really helps you through the season.&rdquo;
FALLING ZAGS
Gonzaga plays one of the nation&rsquo;s most difficult nonconference schedules every season and this year has been no different. The Zags (7-2) typically win the big early-season showdowns, but haven&rsquo;t been able to do it with as much frequency this year as they try to integrate several new players.
Gonzaga looked unstoppable in early wins over Texas and UCLA. The Zags weren&rsquo;t so dominating their last two games against AP Top 25 teams, losing to Duke in Las Vegas on Nov. 26 and No. 16 Alabama in Seattle on Saturday.
&ldquo;I just think we have to have more of a sense of urgency,&rdquo; Gonzaga big man Drew Timme said. &ldquo;We just got to fix it. But we&rsquo;ve got a lot of time to fix it. We&rsquo;ll be fine.&rdquo;
He&rsquo;s right. Most teams would love to &ldquo;drop&rdquo; to No. 5 in the AP Top 25.
RISING AND FALLING
Alabama (7-1) had the biggest jump in this week&rsquo;s poll, climbing seven spots after their win over Gonzaga. Southern California was next, moving up four spots to No. 16 following wins over Utah and Washington State last week.
BYU had the biggest drop, losing 12 spots to No. 24 after losing to Utah State in overtime and scraping past Missouri State 74-68. Florida lost six spots to No. 20 following a seven-point loss to Oklahoma.
HELLO AND GOODBYE
Ohio State moved back into the Top 25 after its win over Duke. The Buckeyes had dropped out of the Nov. 22 poll following a loss to Xavier.
No. 25 LSU is ranked for the first time in nearly two years after stretching its undefeated start to eight games with a win over Ohio last week.
Memphis dropped out of the poll from No. 18 after stretching its losing streak to three games with losses to Georgia and Ole Miss.
Michigan fell out from No. 24 after scoring 51 points in a 21-point loss to North Carolina. The Wolverines had been as high as No. 4 this season.
CONFERENCE WATCH
SEC: 7 (Nos. 9, 10, 12, 13, 18, 20, 25)
Big Ten: 5 (Nos. 1, 17, 19, 21, 22)
Big 12: 3 (Nos. 2, 7, 8)
Pac-12: 3 (Nos. 4, 11, 16)
Big East: 3 (Nos. 6, 15, 23)
WCC: 2 (Nos. 5, 24)
American Athletic: 1 (No. 14)
ACC: 1 (No. 3)

The Boilermakers were a unanimous No. 1 in the poll released Monday to move up from No. 2 last week.

Boiler up! Purdue is No. 1 in AP Top 25 for the first time

The rapid rise of Purdue sophomore Jaden Ivey was seemingly inevitable. 
Ivey is a great athlete and relentless defender who has flashed elite potential on that end of the floor, while also displaying the ability to create space for himself and score on multiple levels. Entering this season, he was a popular pick to break out with the Boilermakers and, five games in, he's doing just that.
As a freshman last season, Ivey made his presence felt quickly as a spark plug off the bench. Then, slowly but surely, he forced his way into the starting lineup. As a starter, Ivey averaged 14.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He recorded a season-high 26 points in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but 13th-seeded North Texas still managed to pull off the upset over Purdue. Ivey was inefficient as a freshman, shooting just 39% from the field and 25% from three-point range. Still, his two-way contributions earned him a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team.&nbsp;
Ivey carried this momentum into the offseason, where he joined USA Basketball for junior basketball's premier event: the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup. Ivey spent time as both a sixth man and starter for Team USA throughout the tournament, frequently logging minutes alongside LSU guard Adam Miller to form a hyper-athletic backcourt that relentlessly pressured the rim. 
In the highly anticipated gold-medal game against top international prospect Victor Wembanyama and the French national team, Ivey recorded 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals and a block in 23 crucial minutes. For his efforts, Ivey was named to the All-Tournament team alongside Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren (who was also named the tournament's MVP).
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Coming into the 2021-22 NCAA season, many viewed Ivey as a potential lottery pick. He debuted at No. 10 on <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a>. The 19-year-old has impressed BasketballNews.com's Senior NBA Draft Analyst Matt Babcock.
&ldquo;Jaden Ivey is a terrific athlete who plays with a great pace. He is hard to guard, as he is very assertive attacking the rim, especially in transition," Babcock said. "He also uses his athleticism to be a hawk on the ball defensively. He still has plenty of room for improvement with his outside shooting, but I am excited about him as a prospect nonetheless. We already have him ranked highly, but after his recent stellar play, I&rsquo;m leaning toward moving him up. He is a dynamic player with star potential.&rdquo;
To start this season, even more is being asked of Ivey and he has been up to the task thus far. Purdue is now 5-0 (including wins over No. 5 Villanova and No. 18 North Carolina), with an average margin of victory of 22.6 points. Ivey has been pivotal to the Boilermakers' success, averaging 15.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 threes on 46.6/31.8/77.3 shooting splits. In Purdue's 93-84 win over No. 18 UNC, Ivey had 22 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 threes and just 1 turnover.
Ivey has been putting pressure on the rim often, resulting in nearly 4.4 free-throw attempts per game (up from 3.2 last season). He also has six and-one conversions and he displayed tremendous body control on all of them.&nbsp;However, he remains a two-way threat, averaging 1.4 steals per game &mdash; many of which have been pick-sixes that resulted in high-flying, acrobatic dunks on the other end. And with 7-foot-4 Zach Edey and big-bodied Trevion Williams averaging a combined 3.7 blocks per game behind him, Ivey is empowered to be more aggressive as a ball hawk away from the ball, utilizing his 6-foot-9.5 wingspan. 
It is clear that Ivey is a burgeoning talent who has shown consistent growth over the past year. He is undoubtedly a high-priority prospect for our scouting staff to track closely as we inch closer to the 2022 NBA Draft.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out BasketballNews.com's 2022 NBA Draft Big Board, which features scouting breakdowns, video highlights, projected roles and more for all of the top prospects.</a>

Entering this season, Jaden Ivey was a popular pick to break out with the Purdue Boilermakers. Five games in, he's doing just that.

Purdue's Jaden Ivey looks like possible top-10 pick in 2022 NBA Draft

The Milwaukee Bucks earned the right to be called NBA champions.&nbsp;
Giannis Antetokounmpo could&rsquo;ve spurned the organization that drafted him for greener pastures as the national pundits were begging him to do last fall, but he instead stuck with it and signed a super-max contract before the 2020-21 season began. For the first time in what seems like a while, loyalty has been rewarded with gold.&nbsp;
"I just I couldn't leave. There was a job that had to be finished," Giannis said after the Bucks' title win. "The Bubble did not pay us justice. Give credit to the Miami Heat. They played great. But they did not pay us justice. Everybody was feeling homesick. We are a family-oriented team and we wanted to see our families.
"But coming back, I was like, 'This is my city. They trust me. They believe in me. They believe in us.' Even when we lost, the city was still -- went outside and [supported us]. You know, obviously, I wanted to get the job done. But that's my stubborn side. It's easy to go somewhere and go win a championship with somebody else. It's easy. I could go to a super-team and just do my part and win a championship.
"But this is the hard way to do it and this is the way to do it and we did it. F***ing did it. We did it, man."
Milwaukee&rsquo;s franchise face chose to work harder, honing in on his craft as he let Bucks general manager Jon Horst make the appropriate tweaks to the roster in the offseason prior to Giannis signing the dotted line. Horst boldly acquired Jrue Holiday as a part of a massive four-team deal that sent Eric Bledsoe and a boatload of future draft capital to the New Orleans Pelicans and George Hill to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as well as Milwaukee&rsquo;s No. 24 overall pick in 2020 (which became R.J. Hampton).&nbsp;
Horst nearly added Bogdan Bogdanovic to the mix as well via trade, except the NBA nixed that effort when it was learned that talks were being had prior to the moratorium period. Still, the Bucks were able to bring in Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes (and ironically, Finals opponent Torrey Craig) to bolster the bench bunch, and PJ Tucker and Jeff Teague joined the fray late in the season for a playoff run.&nbsp;
The point is: Milwaukee wasn&rsquo;t resting on its laurels with Giannis&rsquo; commitment hanging in the balance, and the front office&rsquo;s sense of urgency was felt in a major way. Looking back, both parties have to feel great about how the offseason was handled, especially with so many rumors linking Giannis to different teams and head coach Mike Budenholzer&rsquo;s job potentially being in jeopardy. Vibes surrounding the team, at least on the outside looking in, were pretty negative.
"What Jon Horst has done to put together a team, he's the greatest GM in the league," Budenholzer said. "I'm a little bit biased, but to be his partner, for him to go out and get Jrue Holiday, to have the guts to make that [trade], to recruit guys, to get P.J. Tucker midseason, Bobby Portis in the offseason. Stick with Khris [Middleton], Giannis and Brook [Lopez] and Pat [Connaughton] and these guys, and you go up and down the roster. Jon has done an amazing job.
"Ownership, Marc Lasry, Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan, Mike Fascitelli, they give us what we need. We keep pushing. We try to get better as coaches, players, and here we are [celebrating]. It's special."
Fast forward to now, with a Larry O&rsquo;Brien trophy to show for withstanding those bumps in the road, and those concerns have vanished. This is a group that weathered a number of storms in multiple ways, so it shouldn&rsquo;t come as a surprise that the Bucks&rsquo; identity in this 2020-21 postseason was built on resilience and mental toughness.&nbsp;
"As a whole, we used a lot of our failures as experience. We've been in a lot of situations our past years here," Middleton said. "At the beginning of the year, we had a new team, a lot of new rotation guys, different guys step into the starting lineup and we knew it was going to be challenging, but we all said it was going to be worth it to learn and find out how to adjust and figure out what we needed to do in-game to win. We knew it wasn't always going to be pretty, we knew we were going to have to win different styles of ballgames, but that's the type of team you want to be, to throw different guys out there, different lineups out there, because you can't win the same way at this level."
"It took time. You could see it," Tucker added. "Everything kind of got -- Coach has to play it the right way. It's got to flow. And mind you, we didn't have Donte [DiVincenzo]. We're missing a big piece. Donte would have been huge for this series, especially a big series. But all that mattered. Even throughout the process, me, I got hurt early and being out. It was a lot of obstacles throughout the season. So it wasn't just like, Oh, we can win it. It's like, Oh, we got a really good team, we got a strong team, we got a chance. But I think honestly, after the Brooklyn series, it was like, All right, we here now. Ain't no need -- we here, we got to go for it. This is it, fellas; this is it. So everybody bought in.&nbsp;
Aside from a payback thrashing of the Miami Heat in the first round, Milwaukee&rsquo;s back was against the wall in every series the team played in. There were 0-2 deficits and inconsistencies in performances. Donte DiVincenzo was lost three games into the playoffs. There was even a nearly-devastating knee injury to Giannis in the Eastern Conference Finals when the outcome was far from determined. Though there were so many instances when the Bucks could&rsquo;ve thrown in the towel, they refused to.
"We were down 0-2 against Brooklyn and came together as a group within our film session and talked it out. We all wanted to be on the same page and realized how we needed to play and what we needed to do. It was the same thing in this series," Middleton said. "We never got down, we're still playing, we still have a chance. That's the way we felt, no matter if we were down in the game or the series, it didn't matter. We knew each time we took the court we had a chance to win. And we have everybody in the locker room and organization that believes and that is never going to give up until it's completely over. That's who you want to play with, guys who are going to fight to the end."
"It's incredible. It's a testament to the team," Lopez said. "I'm a team guy. I've always been a team guy. And so you know, like I was saying earlier, it's something that all our guys deserve, and to see them persevere, we went 0-2 against Brooklyn, 0-1 against Atlanta and 0-2 to open the series against the Suns, and to see our guys fight back and make adjustments and keep that belief in one another, that's special and not something you get with everything team. I've seen that through my 13 years in the league that this team is absolutely one of a kind and I am just fortunate and pleased to be part of that."
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
Giannis persevered through his knee setback, ensuring he did everything in his power to ready himself for the Finals after the Game 4 injury occured in Atlanta nine days beforehand. The Finals opener definitely showed that the Greek Freak wasn&rsquo;t 100%; it didn&rsquo;t stop him from progressing with each night, and Giannis imposed his will in every game from there on out.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s almost like the injury slowed things down for him mentally, and he was able to process the game more naturally as a result. He was at his best when off the ball and used as a screener in the halfcourt, and when coming full speed like a locomotive in transition. Giannis understood when the time was right to use his size on the block and didn&rsquo;t force the issue quite as much as he did in previous series. His decisiveness was arguably the best we&rsquo;ve seen since he&rsquo;s been in the league, quickly swinging the ball without bogged-down possessions and spraying it around to his teammates on drives to the rim. And if he ever received the ball in the vicinity of the rim, it was curtains for anybody that tried to stop him.
That&rsquo;s just the offense. As a help defender, Giannis wasn&rsquo;t outdone by a single soul. He didn&rsquo;t shy away from crunch time, making his biggest impacts when the lights shone the brightest. Instinctually, he was superb, racking up deflections and starting Milwaukee&rsquo;s fastbreaks on the regular. He bodied up Deandre Ayton inside, and challenged Devin Booker and Chris Paul on switches when needed. That goes without mentioning how he erased a plethora of shots at their apex and hustled back on transition defense with every possession the Suns had numbers. All-around, he was just magnificent, and it was a 120% effort from somebody who wasn't 100%.
"I think he embraces us being great defensively. Giannis does, the whole team," Budenholzer said. "When we get stops and get out and run and get Giannis in space, get our team in space, I think he's special. He was able to put his stamp on the game in the third quarter and flip the score. And then some big plays in the fourth quarter -- big plays, big blocks. It's hard to keep finding words for Giannis."
Giannis' journey throughout the playoffs culminated with an iconic showing in the Game 6 series finale, a 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block signature performance to send Milwaukee to the promised land and earn himself the Finals MVP award. The Greek Freak joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only other player in NBA history to record three 40-point, 10-rebound games in a Finals series.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Giannis EXPLODES for 33 of his 50 points in the 2nd half of Game 6, fueling the <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bucks</a> Taco Bell Comeback en route to their first NBA Championship in 50 years! 50 PTS 14 REB 5 BLK 17-19 FTM <a href="https://t.co/qDbk0nHWeb">pic.twitter.com/qDbk0nHWeb</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417721768287080448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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"I don't know how many words you need to use beyond 50 points in a close out game in an NBA Finals. Pretty much sums it all up," Lopez said. "It's so indicative of who Giannis is as a player, as a person. He had to -- he has that mindset always to just take care of business and he's been our leader throughout my time. To have him as a focal point of everything we do and the way he goes about it, it's just contagious with the whole team, and he's so impressive night-in and night-out.&nbsp;
"This is stuff you don't want to take for granted. But that's Giannis. That's what he does, and it's just, I mean, completely aTwe-inspiring. His performance tonight, this whole series, this whole year, there's no words for that. You've just got to look at the numbers."
Khris Middleton had some mind-bogglingly off nights, as did Holiday, but there was never a question of what kind of effort they&rsquo;d bring on the defensive side of the ball. And the thing is, they&rsquo;d always bounce back in some way, shape or fashion. (Care to discuss the shots down the stretch in Game 7 in Brooklyn? Or the last two games of the East Finals without Giannis?)
For Middleton, he showed up when it counted most with the team in desperation mode. He was an excellent facilitator and pull-up magician, unafraid to take shots with a high degree of difficulty. There was an inherent clutch factor about his handy work as well, always seeming to come up huge in money time. As a lead handler and savant in the pick-and-roll, when Middleton turned the corner, it forced the opposition to make a swift choice to contest or stick with the roller -- oftentimes a lose-lose situation.
Yes, Holiday had head-scratching issues with finishing his layups, but he had plenty of gems as a pull-up three-baller and on-point dime man. There were just night-and-day occasions; you could tell the games he was &ldquo;on&rdquo; and the ones where he was way off. In spite of that, however, Holiday entirely flipped the momentum of the Finals with his defense on Chris Paul.&nbsp;
CP3 was a man possessed in Game 1 and Game 2, having his way with Milwaukee&rsquo;s bigs out on the perimeter and then adjusting to the extra attention that followed by involving his teammates. It didn&rsquo;t last long. Holiday started to pick up Paul from 94 feet starting in Game 2, and from that point on, everything changed. The former started to notice fatigue settling in, as he himself was exhausted. Holiday had Paul out of sorts, with the 36-year-old struggling with shot selection and offensive rhythm. Had it not been for that increased intensity, who knows where these Finals could&rsquo;ve gone?
"I think when it comes down to it, man, I guess I don't really even care what people think about my game. I think it's about the team. We have a great team," Holiday said. "How they put it together, we have two superstars who carried us this whole playoff series and the whole playoffs. We got great role players. We got the energy. We got Bobby. We got shooters. It's a great puzzle. I think every piece in that puzzle has contributed so much -- from Jordan Nwora to Giannis Antetokounmpo. So, it's been a heck of a journey."
We&rsquo;d be remiss to not mention the top to bottom contributions this team had on this run. Tucker injected the Bucks with grit and hustle, never backing down from a challenge no matter who it was. Pat Connaughton sunk a ton of critical threes, chased down 50-50 balls and rebounded his heart out. Bobby Portis fed off the Fiserv Forum&rsquo;s energy and channeled it into incredible, momentum-shifting production on the offensive glass and from long distance (and stepped up again in a huge way in Game 6). Brook Lopez had his role change with different matchups, but utilized his perimeter shooting and rim protection when the squad needed it; let&rsquo;s not forget the turn-the-clock-back post performance he had in Game 5 of the East Finals, either. Bryn Forbes played the role of a human torch in the Miami series. Just about everybody who was in the rotation, at some point of the postseason, contributed to this Finals victory.
"That's just the character of the team that we have. You know, it's the group of guys that make up the Milwaukee Bucks and not just the players but the coaches, the management, the ownership," Connaughton said. "At the end of the day, the guys that have been here for three years, we've had a taste of it, of what it looks like in the regular season, Brook and I's first year where he got a look at what it was like to get to the Eastern Conference Finals and take a lead, but some of the adversity from a four or five [game] losing [streak] we had in regular season to losing some games, the character of the team never wavered. We came together stronger and had each other's backs more and that's what makes up a championship-caliber roster and team and that's what wins you a championship.
"That is what made us better is just the character of the guys, the characters of guys like Brook, the characters of guys like P.J. and Bobby and guys that they don't really care what it looks like on the stats sheet. They just want to make winning plays. They want to be out playing and putting ourselves in the best position to win."
With a microscope on him, the oft-criticized Budenholzer showed a willingness to adapt and experiment throughout the season at the expense of a record. In the playoffs, he rode his best players and played them heavy minutes. Albeit sometimes at the last minute or in do-or-die time, there were adjustments made -- rotationally and schematically. For that, despite outcries to the contrary, Coach Bud deserves his own share of credit as well, in addition to his entire staff that's been by his side from day one.
There were countless amount of questions asked of the Bucks during the Finals about 2019, the furthest the franchise got in the postseason when it reached the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Raptors. They were the ones who were up 2-0 and in the driver&rsquo;s seat before losing the eventual title-winners.&nbsp;
Giannis learned from that experience. Middleton learned from that experience. Budenholzer did, too, which is why those were the three with the strongest embrace when the buzzer sounded on Tuesday night.
"It's special for me to get the opportunity to coach those two guys," Budenholzer said. "The leadership they have shown since day one, from having breakfast together, you can see their desire to be great and their desire to push this organization to where we are tonight. To embrace those guys, and I love them. I love the players, I love the roster, I love the team. I'm incredibly fortunate to be where I am and just to be a small part of what's happening."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
"There is nobody in this world I'd rather do this journey with than that guy." - Giannis on Khris Middleton<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAFinals</a> presented by YouTube TV <a href="https://t.co/5cMBAZlX4p">pic.twitter.com/5cMBAZlX4p</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1417730585678733317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2021</a></blockquote>

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"I love Khris to death, man. I love him to death, man. It's crazy," Giannis said. "He doesn't realize how much he pushes me to be great. He pushes me to be great. I had people push me to be great and be persistent and just be dominant and just keep coming and keep working hard. He's one of those guys. You know, there was nobody in this world that I would rather do this journey with than that guy. He's been here since the beginning. He's been since the day since we were fighting for some minutes. He was yelling to me when I was 18. He was yelling to me to pass the ball and everything. We were fighting on the court when we were kids, and now we're on this stage doing it together.
"We have to enjoy this moment. We have to share this moment. Maybe we might not have another moment like this. Who knows, we can't predict the future. But we have to live in the moment, enjoy this moment. I hope Khris enjoys it with his family. And he played amazing throughout the whole playoffs, man. He led us when I was down. He gave me a chance to come back. But once we're done enjoying this, we got to get back to work. We got to do it again. That's how me and Khris operate."
"We formed a bond, a brotherhood since that first year we've been together. We struggled. We struggled together. But we both saw in each other there was no give-up," Middleton said. "It was all motivation to be better and not be embarrassed. Year after year we challenged each other to be better. Challenged each other to be better leaders, better teammates... It was all worth it for sure. Us challenging each other to be better, me being stubborn in some ways. But the thing I like, he challenged us all. I think we challenged him in certain ways to help us, but for the main part, he challenged us every day to be leaders, to fight through adversity, to change our games a little bit. It's all worth it."
In 2021, the Bucks reversed their role, and because of that, they are the last team standing.
NBA champions.

Spencer Davies looks back on the Bucks' NBA title run and the hardships the team went through from top to bottom to get there.

Battle-tested Bucks find redemption from past with NBA championship gold

Matt Babcock concludes his series by detailing the post-2001 years in Milwaukee and his father's role in finding talent deep in drafts.

Growing up a Buck: From Ray Allen to Giannis, my dad remains in Milwaukee

There&rsquo;s no question that the likes of Gonzaga, Baylor and several Big Ten teams have dominated the college basketball season, but those aren&rsquo;t the only teams that are capable of making some noise in March. We&rsquo;ve all seen teams emerge from the shadows and make an unexpected run to the Final Four, taking down favorites along the way. Let&rsquo;s take a look at three March Madness sleepers that are worth watching closely.
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Kansas Jayhawks
It&rsquo;s a little odd to consider Kansas a sleeper, but the Jayhawks have had such an up-and-down season that a lot of people have probably forgotten about them. However, Bill Self&rsquo;s team has gotten its act together down the stretch, winning seven of eight heading into the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks even scored a win over a rusty Baylor team, which shows that they&rsquo;re capable of beating anybody. Plus, the strong finish to the season has likely improved their seed and will give them a slightly easier path to get deep into the Big Dance.
While forward David McCormack had to miss the Big 12 Tournament due to COVID protocol, as long as he&rsquo;s back by the start of the NCAA Tournament, Kansas will be fine. McCormack and freshman forward Jalen Wilson have been the catalysts for Kansas down the stretch, giving the Jayhawks more consistency and frontcourt scoring. Kansas can score inside and defend the post, which is a quality that not every team can claim to have. The question is consistency at the guard position, although Ochai Agbaji leads the team with 14.2 points per game and can be reliable in the clutch.
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Oregon Ducks
It&rsquo;s easy to overlook Pac-12 teams, especially this year, but Oregon might be the exception. The Ducks have caught fire down the stretch, winning 10 of their last 11 games before the Pac-12 Tournament, capturing the league&rsquo;s regular-season title. Even if Oregon hasn&rsquo;t been challenged during conference play as much as some other teams, the Ducks have a lot of nice pieces and should enter the NCAA Tournament with a lot of confidence and momentum.
The Ducks feature two outstanding seniors in Chris Duarte, who was Pac-12 Player of the Year, and forward Eugene Omoruyi, who was also a First-Team All-Pac-12 performer. Duarte and Omoruyi average 16.7 points per game each, and either one is capable of carrying the team when needed. Oregon also has three other players averaging double figures, including point guard Will Richardson, who played his best basketball late in the season and averaged over 15 points per game over his final three games. If Richardson can keep playing like that, the Ducks will have the type of guard play that can win in March.
The Ducks have played well in March recently, reaching the Elite Eight in 2016, the Final Four in 2017 and the Sweet Sixteen in 2019, so take a look at <a href="https://betql.co/ncaab/public-betting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the public consensus picks</a> to see if the public is backing them for a deep 2021 run.&nbsp;
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Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers have been understandably lost in the shuffle within the Big Ten this season. Of course, that means they&rsquo;ve been battle-tested and won&rsquo;t be intimidated by any team they meet in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue managed to go 13-6 in the Big Ten this year, and won five in a row heading into the Big Ten Tournament, so the Boilermakers started to figure things out down the stretch.
The Boilermakers also have one of the most overlooked players in the Big Ten in Trevion Williams, a big man who was overshadowed by Kofi Cockburn and Luka Garza all year. Williams has averaged 15.6 points and 9 rebounds per game this year and is a far better passer than most big men. Zach Edey, a 7-foot-4 freshman, also gives Purdue incredible size in the frontcourt that most teams will struggle to match. If the guard trio of Jaden Ivey, Sasha Stefanovic and Eric Hunter can find some consistency, the Boilermakers could be something special once they stop playing the heavyweights from the Big Ten.
If you are looking to bet a sleeper for March Madness check out BetQL, where you can find <a href="https://betql.co/ncaab/sharp-picks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top expert picks</a> for every game and every bet type for the Big Dance.

Gonzaga, Baylor and Big Ten powerhouses aren't the only teams capable of making noise in the NCAA Tournament.

March Madness sleepers to keep an eye on

James Posey talks to T.J. Ford about his upbringing, the 2003 NBA Draft, getting traded, how a tough season Indiana strengthened their bond and more.