Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Stock Report, Jan. 12


Last weekend was arguably the most jam-packed couple of days of basketball so far this season. Several ranked teams lost, while others attempted to make a statement with an impressive or surprising win. Surprisingly, only a couple of months remain until Selection Sunday and eyes are already turning towards March. Who’s on the way up and who’s fading right now?

Rising

North Carolina: It hasn’t been against the best competition, but the Tar Heels are playing like the team everyone thought they could be.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies might be turning their season around. After their 12-point win over Florida State, they have now won six in a row.

Villanova: I’ve said many times this season that I’m not sold on the Wildcats, but after nine straight wins, it’s tough to ignore them.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers were struggling mightily, but they came out of nowhere to beat Georgetown on the road Saturday.

Nebraska: Coming into the season, Doc Sadler was on one of the hottest seats in the country; the Cornhuskers have won 11 in a row.

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys needed to make a statement this past weekend – and they succeeded, beating Kansas State by 14.

Penn State: The Nittany Lions aren’t in the NCAA hunt, but it’s worth mentioning that they beat ranked teams in back-to-back games for the first time since 1954.

USC: The Trojans are staking their claim as the second-best team in the Pac-10, beating Washington State and UCLA back-to-back.

Florida: You might not be completely sold on the Gators, but they have won five in a row, including an overtime road win at Tennessee.

Georgia: The Bulldogs had one of the biggest statement wins of the weekend, defeating a hot Kentucky team. Now they need road wins.

BYU: Behind Jimmer Fredette’s Player of the Year performances, the Cougars have won seven in a row, including last week’s drubbing of UNLV.

Missouri State: The Bulldogs are the new favorite in the Missouri Valley, after their road win at Wichita State on Sunday night.

Falling

Miami (Fl.): Although both games were on the road, losing to Duke and Clemson to start the ACC season wasn’t the best beginning for the ‘Canes.

Georgetown: A home game against reeling West Virginia should have solved the Hoyas’ problems – not so much. Georgetown lost.

Providence: The Friars are 0-4 to start the Big East season after going 11-2 in the non-league portion. Two more road games await.

Kansas State: The Wildcats have not defeated a remotely good team in over a month. The latest was a loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.

Illinois: The Fighting Illini were rolling along – until they ran into a fairly cold-shooting Penn State team. That’s the second bad loss this year.

Minnesota: The Golden Gophers have lost three of their last four, and now star forward Trevor Mbakwe is broiled in off-court situations again.

UCLA: The Bruins had won six in a row and looked like potential Pac-10 contender, but they have now lost two straight games.

Tennessee: Tuesday’s overtime loss to Florida was the sixth loss in nine games for the Volunteers. They need to right the ship in a hurry.

New Mexico: The Lobos were considered an NCAA contender before the season, but Saturday’s loss at Wyoming might be the last straw.

UCF: Although it was only their first loss of the season, the Knights’ loss to a really bad Houston team could magnify some of their problems.

Dayton: The Flyers were back in the bubble discussion after six straight wins, but a bad loss at Massachusetts over the weekend raises questions.

Cleveland State: The Vikings’ 15-1 hot start is now a fading memory after a blowout road loss to Butler and another defeat at Valparaiso.

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