Tonight’s feature conference is the Coastal Athletic, where William & Mary continues to string together wins and remain at the top of the standings. Their unique style is fun to watch, and apparently difficult to defend. Charleston, UNC Wilmington, and Towson are right on their heels, though, and we take a look at what should be an exciting upcoming week.
From there, we run through the other 21 UTR leagues and discuss how dominant Bryant has been in the America East, but how Maine is only a game behind. Army is a great story in the Patriot League and has a chance to go into a tie for 1st place if they can win at American this Saturday. UC Irvine and UC San Diego continue to look strong out in the Big West, but the rest of the league is very competitive and it’s hard for them to just run the table. Conference USA seemingly has eight teams that could win the league and we dive into that. Drake continues to win, but Bradley suffered a huge loss tonight in the Missouri Valley. Drake and Grand Canyon are also continuing to bulk up their records. We discuss all that, and more! And, as we do every week, we close with this week’s UTR Top Ten.
And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
If you want to win an NCAA title then you usually need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 2 championship teams from 1979-2020 did not have such a player (2002 Maryland/2014 UConn), and while UConn won a title in 2023 without 1 they added McDonald’s All-American Stephon Castle before winning a 2nd title in 2024. The rosters for this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game were announced last Monday after selecting the 24 best players in the nation from a list of several hundred nominees. If you do not think these guys can make an immediate impact in the fall, just ask Coach Jon Scheyer how he likes having 2024 honoree Cooper Flagg at Duke! Unlike most years when 1 school stands out as the big winner with the most All-Americans, there are 2 different programs tied for the lead with 3 each (Duke/UConn) and 4 players who have not yet committed to a college. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with AJ Dybantsa about being named a McDonald’s All-American and celebrating a big birthday.
You turn 18 today: what are your plans for the big day? I am getting on a plane.
As a high school freshman you were named Massachusetts Boys’ Basketball Gatorade POY after averaging 19.1 PPG/9.6 RPG/2.5 BPG: how were you able to come in and dominate at such a young age? I have been playing against older guys since I was in 3rd grade so it was nothing new to me.
Last April you scored a game-high 21 PTS for the World Team in a loss to Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit: which of the other players impressed you the most (VJ Edgecombe/Cooper Flagg/Dylan Harper/other)? There were so many guys who stood out on my World team (VJ/Nolan Traore/Khaman Maluach/Flory Bidunga). Team USA had some great players as well (Cooper/Dylan/Ace Bailey): just look at what they have been doing in college this year.
You played for Team USA at the 2023 FIBA U16 Americas Championship/2024 FIBA U17 World Cup: what did it mean to you to represent your country, and what did it mean to you to win a pair of gold medals? It is a dream come true to win any gold medal, and it was fun to travel around the world and face other countries.
You are rated as the #1 player in the Class of 2025: why did you decide to reclassify from the Class of 2026? 2025 was my original class, and after my body developed I felt ready to classify back up.
You received offers from several great schools including Alabama/Kansas/UNC but committed to BYU last month as the highest-ranked recruit in program history: what was the biggest factor in your decision? They have an All-NBA staff from the head coach to the trainer to the dietitian.
Earlier this week you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It was a blessing/dream and felt so good to see my name on that list.
You are 6’9” with a wingspan over 7’: what position do you play now, and which position will you feel most comfortable at in college? Right now I play multiple positions, usually the wing, and in college I would feel comfortable at the 1 or 2 or 3.
You traveled to Paris last week for the NBA’s Global Games: what was it like to get an up-close look at Victor Wembanyama? That was my 1st time seeing Victor in person: he is amazing. With a rumored NIL deal of $5-7 million you will become 1 of the richest teenagers in America this fall: I know it is not polite to ask about money…but what are you going to do with all those dollars? Invest!
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-Kentucky, who only had one true road win coming into yesterday, got another massive one yesterday as they knocked off Tennessee in Knoxville 78-73. Kentucky has a fantastic profile, but this is probably their most impressive single win of the year, and certainly the biggest statement of the year. The Vols have now suddenly lost two straight, albeit both games were to really strong teams.
-Kansas trailed for a good portion of the game against UCF and never really got control of it until the final seconds, but they did escape with a 91-87 win. UCF has now lost close games to both Houston and at Kansas. Either one of those wins (much less both of them) would have changed the entire complexion of UCF’s season and their tournament resume. If they can keep playing like that they should pick up the wins they need between now and the end to land safely inside the bubble, but as of now they still have work to do.
-Louisville ran away from Wake Forest for another impressive showing. The final score was 72-59, but for much of the game Louisville had an even more commanding lead than that.
-VCU and Dayton, the two teams from the Atlantic 10 who we were saying needed to win out in order to have any sort of a chance, both lost yesterday. VCU fell to Saint Louis and Dayton was blown off the court by Saint Bonaventure.
-Arizona State escaped with a tough fought, and much needed, road win at Colorado 70-68. That should at least help stabilize their resume for now.
-Baylor, who could have really used the road win at BYU yesterday, fell in overtime 93-89.
-North Carolina is right on the bubble, and a road win at Pitt would have helped them out a ton. Unfortunately, they did not get a road win at Pitt. The Panthers got control of the game in the final minute and picked up a 73-65 win, which helps stabilize their own profile.
-San Diego State got a big scare from San Jose State, but escaped 71-68 and just avoided what would have been a very damaging loss.
-Gonzaga beating Oregon State at home doesn’t move the needle that much, but the Zags absolutely blew them out of the gym in what was perhaps one of their most impressive on-court performances of the year so far. The final score was 98-60.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-SAMFORD AT FURMAN (SoCon). This game won’t impact the bracket, but Samford is having another fantastic year and this is a big road test for them against a Furman team that’s looked good in a lot of games, but also failed to win several games that they probably should have.
-AUBURN AT LSU (SEC). It’s another road test for Auburn, but they’ve passed virtually ever test they’ve taken this year and should roll in this one as well.
-HOUSTON AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12). Houston just picked up their first really big protected seed level win at Kansas this past weekend, and have a chance to pick up what would probably be their second biggest win of the season if they can win at WVU tonight. It will be a battle, but Houston is as strong as anyone in the country and this is a road game they can win. As for WVU, a win for them would really boost their resume even though they’re at home.
-WISCONSIN AT MARYLAND (Big Ten). I think both these teams are good, but also have room to improve. I’ve been critical of Wisky on the shows and in the write-ups lately, but if they can go on the road and win this one, which I think would be their biggest win of the year so far, then I’ll start to come around to them more. Maryland had two big road wins this week at Illinois and Indiana, which really strengthened their resume, and can strengthen it again with a win tonight.
-TCU AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12). TCU is 15-4 overall, having a really strong year, and can get to a very impressive 7-2 in Big 12 play if they win this one tonight.
-NORTHERN IOWA AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). This is a rivalry game between a Drake team that I still think has a path to landing inside the bubble (albeit a narrow one), and a Northern Iowa team that hasn’t always played up to their potential, but is also potentially very dangerous when they do. This should be a fun one!
-NORTH TEXAS AT WICHITA STATE (American). We say this every game, but if North Texas can run the table, which they are good enough to do, the committee should give them a serious look.
-DEPAUL AT CONNECTICUT (Big East). This should be some low hanging fruit for a UConn team that needs a win. They’ve lost three out of five and they have a really tough stretch of games coming up after this.
-UIC AT BRADLEY (Missouri Valley). Bradley needs to win out to get a serious look from the committee, and they’ve got a UIC team that’s red hot right now and that they do not want to overlook.
-XAVIER AT CREIGHTON (Big East). This is a hugely important game for a Xavier team that is suddenly playing a lot better than they had for most of the season, and can perhaps play their way inside the bubble if they keep it up. A win today against a Creighton team that is also playing really well right now would go a very long way. Both teams are trending up and both have something to gain from this one.
-ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC). This is going to be a fun one!! Alabama is on pace to earn a #1 seed, and Mississippi State appears to be on pace to earn a protected seed, especially if they can get a win tonight.
-TEXAS AT OLE MISS (SEC). Texas got a big win over the weekend, but on paper this would be a lot bigger considering it’s a true road game against a probable protected seed. It would also get Texas to 4-4 in the SEC, which puts them well on pace for going safely into the field.
-SAINT MARY’S AT SANTA CLARA (West Coast). I really like this Saint Mary’s team and they are about to begin a rough stretch in their schedule. If they can get this one on the road and continue to pick up some wins against the better teams in the conference after this we may be thinking about them as a protected seed.
-UNLV AT UTAH STATE (Mountain West). UNLV beat Utah State just two weeks ago, but has lost two games since then and beating them on the road is a much tougher ordeal. Utah State should land in the top half of the bracket, and is a very good team that has a chance to win out.
If you want to win an NCAA title then you usually need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 2 championship teams from 1979-2020 did not have such a player (2002 Maryland/2014 UConn), and while UConn won a title in 2023 without 1 they added McDonald’s All-American Stephon Castle before winning a 2nd title in 2024. The rosters for this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game were announced yesterday after selecting the 24 best players in the nation from a list of several hundred nominees. If you do not think these guys can make an immediate impact in the fall, just ask Coach Jon Scheyer how he likes having 2024 honoree Cooper Flagg at Duke! Unlike most years when 1 school stands out as the big winner with the most All-Americans, there are 2 different programs tied for the lead with 3 each (Duke/UConn) and 4 players who have not yet committed to a college. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Tounde Yessoufou about being named a McDonald’s All-American and the shocking thing he did in his high school debut.
You were born/raised in Benin: how big is basketball in your native country? It is not that big. Soccer is the biggest sport, which was my main sport growing up.
You moved to the US for high school and had a dazzling freshman debut with 20 PTS: what was the reaction after you ended the game in the 3rd quarter with a dunk that broke the backboard (www.instagram.com/newschannel312/p/CW9Ogf5jlT2)?! I was super-shocked.
Last year in the SoCal Open quarterfinals you scored 26 PTS including a game-winning buzzer-beater in a 1-PT win over Sierra Canyon (www.instagram.com/ballislife/reel/C36zXNWLvtZ): where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? I would put it in the top-2…but hopefully we will win a state title this year and that will become my #1!
You received offers from several great schools including ASU/Kentucky/USC but signed with Baylor last October: what was the biggest factor in your decision? It was where I wanted to go because I can focus and be locked in on my dreams. Coach Scott Drew has been there for 22 years so I feel that I can trust him, and it felt like home once I stepped onto campus.
Coach Drew’s team is currently 13-6 with 12 games left in the regular season: how far do you think the Bears will go this March? I want them to go as far as possible and win it all. He has some good plays set up for the whole team.
Baylor has a couple of senior starters in Jeremy Roach/Jayden Nunn, and FR VJ Edgecombe is projected to be 1-and-done: do you think there will be a lot of pressure for you to produce as a freshman? I do not take it as pressure: it will just be an honor to share the court with all my future teammates (such as Robert Wright III). My goal is to win as many championships as I can.
Yesterday you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It means that my hard work has been acknowledged by people. I am the 1st kid from Benin to become a McDonald’s All-American and I also proudly represent my school and community of Santa Maria.
1 of your fellow McDonald’s All-Americans is Koa Peat, who has not yet committed to a school but has Baylor on his short list: how hard are you trying to get him to join you in Waco this fall? Right after I committed to Baylor I texted him and told him that he should come join me. He is a talented player so we would be unbeatable in the Big 12.
You are listed at 6’5”: what position do you play now, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? I will play anywhere my coach puts me. I am mostly a combo guard but can play on the wing and just go out and hoop.
You are currently the 4th-best scorer in California high school history and are about 100 PTS behind all-time leader DeMarcus Nelson with a handful of games left in your regular season: I know that your priority is winning state and sectional titles…but what would it mean to you to break the record, and do you think that you will do it? It would be an honor to break that record because it has been around for more than 20 years. I think I will do it, and it would mean a lot…but a state championship means more than anything else for me. Records are meant to be broken but championships are forever. I am super-happy to help put my school/city on the map.
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-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-Iowa State appeared to have Arizona beat last night in a game that was close throughout, but Arizona forced overtime after hitting a beyond-half-court shot at the buzzer, and then pulled away in OT for a 86-75 win. It’s a big time win for Arizona who was a little sluggish OOC, but is definitely firing on all cylinders now.
-Duke cut it close and had to come from behind, but managed to beat NC State and actually pull ahead down the stretch 74-64.
-UCLA is continuing to roll as they picked up another nice road win, this time over rival USC 82-76. Whatever was a wrong a few weeks ago seems to have definitely been fixed.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-SAINT JOHN’S AT GEORGETOWN. The Johnnies are 17-3 on the season and have another winnable road game tonight against a Georgetown team that’s much improved, but not improved to the point of being a team that Saint John’s can’t beat. The Hoyas are actually in a bit of a tailspin having lost five of their last six games.
-KENTUCKY AT TENNESSEE (SEC). Both teams are high in the rankings and should be getting protected seeds, but both are also looking to bounce back from losses. Kentucky has lost two straight and could really use this win seeing as how they only have one true road win on the season. Tennessee lost a defensive battle at Auburn, which was their second loss in three games, but they are still having a solid season and are within reach of a 1 seed.
-WAKE FOREST AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). Wake is on the fringe of a bubble and a road win like this against a red hot Louisville team could make the difference of whether or not they make it into the field. They are coming off a loss at home to Duke, but they had won six in a row prior to that and had been playin really well.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT GEORGIA (SEC). Georgia has lost four straight and this is almost a must win for them. It’s actually one of their easier remaining games and if they drop this one they could be in real trouble.
-MINNESOTA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Minnesota has been playing much better, but they still have a long way to go. A win at Michigan State would be big, and actually put the NCAA Tournament within reach, but it won’t be easy. Michgian State’s winning streak dates back to the Maui Invitational before Thanksgiving and they’ve been as impressive as anyone in the country.
-UCF AT KANSAS (Big 12). Kansas has lost two out of their last four, including a double overtime thriller against Houston that they really could have won, but they are still in good shape. UCF also recently lost a close game to Houston and is hovering around the bubble. A road win like this would be massive and shoot them way up the seedlist, but it’s also sort of like shooting at the moon. Winning at Kansas is not easy.
-VCU AT SAINT LOUIS (Atlantic 10). No one in the Atlantic 10 is inside the bubble right now, but VCU appears to be the best team and could perhaps reach the bubble if they blow through the rest of their schedule.
-DAYTON AT SAINT BONAVENTURE (Atlantic 10). Dayton hit a skid a few weeks ago, but appears to have come out of it. They pretty much need to win out in order to get inside the bubble, but they may be good enough to do it, and 2ith the games they won OOC they should be positioned for a bid. This is pretty much a must-win road game for them. In fact it’s must-win games the rest of the way for them.
-MARQUETTE AT BUTLER (Big East). Marquette is on fire and is the top team in the Big East. This should be a winnable road game for them.
-OKLAHOMA AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). TAMU is coming off a loss to Texas where they had a lead for the entire game, but lost at the end and is looking to bounce back. Oklahoma strugged at the start of conference, play, but has won their last two and this would be a really big one if they’re able to pull this one off.
-BAYLOR AT BYU (Big 12). This is a big road game for Baylor, who is inside the bubble but definitely has room to boost up their resume. BYU is not inside the bubble, but they are tough to beat at home and a win in this game would look good for Baylor.
-ARIZONA STATE AT COLORADO (Big 12). Arizona State is right on the bubble, so every game seems to have a pivotal feel to it. This one won’t be easy, but a conference road win would be a solid addition to their resume.
-NORTH CAROLINA AT PITTSBURGH (ACC). This is a very bubblicious type of game between two teams who both need wins between now and the end of the season. It’s possible that both will end up in The Dance, but it’s also possible that both will fall outside the bubble and miss it.
-OREGON STATE AT GONZAGA (West Coast). Oregon State won the first meeting between these two and the Zags are looking to bounce back. Oregon State is having a decent year, and a win like this could REALLY give their resume some pop and get the attention of the committee.
Toledo (11-8, 5-2) at Ohio (11-8, 5-2) – 7:00 PM ET (ESPN+)
Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day takes us to the banks of the Hocking River as Toledo visits the Ohio Bobcats. OU finally snapped a 2-game losing streak over the weekend with a 61-59 win against a fading Kent State team. The surprising loss at Eastern Michigan may have cost the Bobcats a shot at the regular season crown in the MAC, but will still be a serious contender for the upcoming conference tournament in Cleveland. AJ Clayton averages 15.5 points a game for OU.
Toledo got off to a 3-0 start in the MAC with wins against all the Michigan schools, but are now in a lose-win-lose-win rut in their last four games. However, the Rockets did at least get an 84-71 win against I-75 rival Bowling Green over the weekend. Sonny Wilson and Isaiah Adams teamed up for 18 points apiece in the win over the Falcons.
