Higher Post: Choose Your Blue!
...and it's a big week for Hannahs!
Congregation, please stand up….
…because today is a Bracketology Holiday!
Yes, folks, it’s National Duke Sucks Day!
Ok, I’m sorry. Just trying to be silly. In all seriousness, it’s Duke/UNC, part 1. The consummate good vs. evil battle; who is on each side is up to you.
The best rivalry in college basketball! And, it tips off today at 6:30p on ESPN.
Sure, there are other powerful rivalries, but Duke/UNC ranks on top of college hoops like the Lakers/Celtics in the NBA, Red Sox/Yankees in MLB, Auburn/Alabama and Michigan/Ohio State in football. This is truly one of my favorite times of the season.
That said, Rivalry Week used to have more gusto in the past as many of these rivalries were broken up over conference realignment. Conference rivalries, such as: Kansas/Mizzou, Syracuse/Georgetown, Pittsburgh/West Virginia, and Oklahoma/Oklahoma State have all been dissolved as schools move into different conferences in search of gridiron gold.
Some rivalries, like Notre Dame/UConn in WBB have stayed as a non-conference game, which is refreshing, since its been a long time since they were both in the Big East.
As fans, we yearn for the days when old conference foes with matchup totals in triple figures would come together for fans to fire venom at each other through rude chants and handwritten signs from the student section.
For now, we still have Duke/UNC. This year’s matchup might not have the firepower of a usual Duke/UNC battle. The Blue Devils are #2 in the nation, lead by sensational freshman phenom Cooper Flagg. UNC, on the other hand, is a young team made up of guards trying to find their identity. With little paint presence for the Tar Heels this season, I do expect Cooper to dominate inside.
However, the joy of a heavy hated rivalry is that even when a team is down, they bring their best. I have seen many Duke/UNC games where they are mismatched and both these teams scrap and fight for every point and possessions only to have the favorited team go down, surprising everyone.
Specially, February 2, 1995, #2 UNC entered Cameron Indoor Stadium to take on a Duke team, who was having a terrible season. Coach K was out for the season recovering from emergency back surgery, Duke was under .500 on the season and losers of 7 of their last 8. However, the Blue Devils took the Tar Heels to double overtime on a buzzer beater by (now Pitt head coach) Jeff Capel.
Thousands of future lawyers, covered with blue body paint on the outside, while full of Zima on the inside, all erupting in pandemonium as their team was not rolling over to the cross-triangle enemy. The Tar Heels pulled off the win, but not without a fight to rival most games in March. And, it is this tying shot to force double overtime that is the moment we all remember, not who actually won.
It was one of the greatest games I ever watched and cemented me as a Tar Heel fan, because:
In the greatest rivalry, you should always take a side (unless your school is also an in-conference rival)
I’m a state school kid, so snooty private schools be damned!
You just can’t get your eyes off the argyle!
So, no one expects the Tar Heels to win this one, but in conference play, we have seen crazier things! And, that’s why we play the games. #GoDefense!
Week Reset
This season’s SEC is so hot, it’s hard to not talk about them. With 13 projected schools in the bracket and 10 teams ranked in the Top-25, you can’t avoid it.
Vander-bilt for this: Vanderbilt, long the doormat of the SEC, currently have both Men’s (#24) and Women’s (#23) ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since 2011.
And this is why: Vanderbilt’s freshman phenom, Mikayla Blakes breaks the NCAA freshman game scoring record after dropping 53 points against Florida on Thursday.
Speaking of Hated Rivals: Joe Lunardi’s latest bracket has #1 Auburn and #4 Alabama as the top two projected seeds. Imagine that as the title game?!? So much for being football schools.
Keep it 100 (plus): #13 Oklahoma: 100 - #7 LSU: 107: Tuesday night’s game between these WBB giants is the first in SEC history to have both teams score 100+ points in regulation.
UNC’s got The Bill: UNC football coach Bill Belichick (still weird to say) had his staff send out messages to all UNC’s frats that he will be catering them with pizza ahead of the UNC/Duke game tonight.
We Got Next: Games to watch this week! (all times EST)
…and here we go again for Rivalry Week!
CoB Saturday Services!
#5 Florida at #8 Tennessee (Saturday, 12p, ESPN) The Revenge Game. Remember when Tennessee was #1?
Providence at #15 St. John’s (Saturday, 12p, CBSSN) The Pitourney is BACK!
#20 Mizzou at #14 Mississippi State (Saturday, 1p, SEC) Just another day in the SEC Top 25!
Arizona at Arizona State (Saturday, 1p, CBS)
#1 Auburn at #23 Ole Miss (Saturday, 2p, ESPN)
#24 Vanderbilt at Oklahoma (Saturday, 3:30p, SEC) Even Vandy is ranked!
#11 Kansas at Baylor (Saturday, 4p, ESPN) Always a brutal rivalry
Richmond at VCU (Saturday, 4p, CBSSN) Statues will fall
#22 Texas Tech at #6 Houston (Saturday, 6p, ESPN2) A new conference rivalry, but I don’t even remember which conference anymore.
North Carolina at #2 Duke (Saturday, 6:30p, ESPN) Cooper Flagg has entered the Rivalry!
#25 UConn at #9 Marquette (Saturday, 8p, FOX) Make all your Shotz!
Arkansas at #12 Kentucky (Saturday, 9p, ESPN) The Return of Cal
Gonzaga at Saint Mary’s (Saturday 11p, ESPN) Enjoy this before the Zags move to the PAC2
WCoB Sunday Services!
#3 Notre Dame at Louisville (Sunday, Noon, ESPN2) This is the in-conference rival for both programs. You know the Cardinals have that SLAM cover posted in the locker room for motivation.
#4 USC at Iowa (Sunday, 1:30p. FOX) Will Hannah Stuelke complete the Juju/Hannah sweep?
#20 Georgia Tech at Miami (Sunday 2p, ACCnet) Haley Cavinder is on fire who GT is trying to stay on top.
Rhode Island at Richmond (Sunday, 2p, ESPN+) Richmond is top the A10 and URI is always scrappy.
Minnesota at #1 UCLA (Sunday, 3p, BTN) The Bruins can run the table in the new B1G but the Gophers smell an update here.
#15 North Carolina at Stanford (Sunday, 3p, CW) The top two women’s soccer programs in the country are now in conference … wait, this is not soccer?
Ole Miss at #23 Vanderbilt (Sunday, 3p, SEC) Right now all eyes should be on Vandy freshman Mikayla Blakes.
#12 Kentucky at #13 Oklahoma (Sunday, 3p, SEC) Kenny Brooks has put together a fun team in Lexington.
Keeping up with the Hannahs
Two of my favorite players are not only incredibly fun to watch…but are both named Hannah! I dedicate this section to them. We try and keep up with them during a pivotal season!
Hannah Stuelke (Junior / Forward / Iowa):
Hannah has returned! But also, Hannah is BACK! After missing two games due suffering a concussion during the game against Nebraska, Hannah Stuelke made her triumphant return to the Hawkeye lineup this Tuesday, as Iowa welcomed the 7-11 (0-7) Northwestern Wildcats to Carver-Hawkeye.
Northwestern 80 - Iowa 85:
This was the Hannah Stuelke we missed these past few weeks. From the tip, Hannah took over the game, going low to own the paint. She was aggressive, using her wheels in transition and making ‘easy’ buckets. I say easy, but that is only because she makes it look that way. That is ‘Hannah doing Hannah things’.
She scored a season high 26pts off 10/17 field goals attempts while going 100% from the free throw line. As mentioned previously, Hannah’s weakness was free throws. She is always so good at getting to the line, but not strong in converting. She only hit 46% of her FTs in her freshman year so that’s been a focus for improvement. After Tuesday’s 6-6 night, she is now just under 70% on the season, which is a huge swing.
Over the past couple of outings, Coach Jensen has been using Hannah down low a lot more often where she looks so much more comfortable. Instead of moving her fully to the 4, she is more of a 4.5. She can stick closer to the paint on defense to use her speed to run out to the perimeter, but also run down low to catch and crash the hoop the other way.
Most importantly, she looked like she was having fun. She did not look like someone who had any rust or who was coming off a concussion, which is great news for her and her teammates since it does not get easy this week with Juju Watkins coming to town on Sunday.
Up Next (all times EST):
Sunday 2/2 - #4 USC at Iowa (1:30p, FOX) - Caitlin Clark Retirement Ceremony
Thursday 2/6 - Iowa at Minnesota (8p, BTN)
Hannah Hidalgo (Sophomore / Guard / Notre Dame):
This was a big week for Hannah Hidalgo as it was announced that she and teammate Olivia Miles are the cover story for the next issue of SLAM magazine. The story is fantastic; talking about how bot Miles and Hidalgo watched each other as younger players. Since they are both from New Jersey, they played in the same circuits.
Most importantly, this put Hannah right up front and center. One reason I wanted to write this segment was because she was in the shadows of other classmates (like Juju Watkins, Audi Crooks, Madison Booker, etc) and other stars like Paige Bueckers. All great players in their own right. I didn’t know Hannah until I saw Notre Dame play Louisville last season.
I was following Cardinal shooting guard Sydney Taylor, one of my favorite players during her time in Amherst playing for the Minutewomen. Within a few mins of that game, Hannah caught my eye as the type of player I love for all the energy she brings. A scrappy point guard who plays hard on both ends of the floor. I was sold at that point.
As I watched her skills grow through the year, I was amazed about how little coverage she was getting in the media - even this year after beating Paige and Juju head-to-head.
She is the clear front runner for National Player of the Year. A prediction that is echoed by ESPN‘s major women’s experts (Kendra Andrews, Charlie Creme, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel) despite their headlines all calling out Watkins and Buekers as leading the charge.
My point is, by making the cover of SLAM, the premier basketball magazine, the true hoops world is saying, ‘we see you Hannah’. And, as someone who gets great joy watching her game, that is all I wanted. Congratulations Hannah and Olivia. You deserve all the accolades you receive.
#3 Notre Dame - Virginia Tech 61:
This was a fun one because of all the connections. First, both coaches are Notre Dame alums, having played for Muffet McGraw.
But, even further, Notre Dame forward Liza Karlen is a transfer from Marquette, where she played for then Marquette coach (now Virginia Tech head coach) Megan Duffy. That is a lot of familiarity.
Virginia Tech is a scrappy program looking to start over (but not quite rebuild) after head coach Kenny Brooks left for Kentucky, taking standout Georgia Amoore and 6’5” center Clara Strack with him. Strack was to be the replacement for Liz Kitley, who the Hokies lost to graduation.
The Hokies were prepared and came out strong to a fast start, holding Hannah Hidalgo to just 9 points in the first half. But, it was the best of halves, it was the worst of halves, as foul trouble and turnovers (20) cost the Hokies and allowed the Irish to do what they do. In the end, Hannah Hidalgo got a season high 30pts with 5 assists with (only) 1 steal.
Now, onto the conference rivalry that is Louisville. Jayda Curry is waiting. You are no longer under the radar. You are the big gold blip.
Up Next (all times EST):
Sunday 2/2 - #3 Notre Dame at Louisville (Noon, ESPN2)
Thursday 2/6 - Stanford at #3 Notre Dame (8:30p, ESPN)
Five Touches: Passing around the hoops world
Everything with Net: The ACC and ESPN announce long-term renewed contract commitments. This is expected to even out some of the football money and convince Florida State and Clemson to drop their lawsuits.
FOREVER 22: Sunday is a good day to wear #22 as both Caitlin Clark (Iowa) and A’ja Wilson (South Carolina) will have their jersey retired.
Free Agent Season, for Broadcasters: With new NBA contacts in place across a variety of networks, broadcasting teams are falling into place with Amazon hiring Cassidy Hubbarth as their Prime sideline reporting; and NBC hiring Reggie Miller for their game team.
This is scary, Terry! Federal prosecutors are investigating unusual betting patterns surrounding the 2023 play of then-Hornets guard Terry Rozier
A Class Act: Former Kentucky coach (and long time John Calipari rival) Rick Pitino posted a video on X urging the Wildcat fans to give Coach Cal a warm welcome tonight on his return to Lexington.
Final Seconds
Ok, folks! Enjoy the weekend hoops! There is a lot of good hoops on so make sure you watch some!
Remember to do these three things, please Like, Share and Subscribe. Also, feel free to join the conversation - just keep it upbeat!
Always live One Shining Moment at a time. Never be boring.