USATSI
Gather ’round, boys and girls. It’s Sunday, which means it’s time to recap the week that was in college basketball by handing out our weekly report card. We’ll be grading some of the best and worst team performances in the last seven days throughout the sport.
I’m an optimist at heart, so let’s start with the good. Kentucky yo-yoed its way back from an “F” grade last week to earn a rare “A+” from me this week, not only snapping its two-game skid but doing so with consecutive wins over Mississippi State and No. 10 Tennessee to revive its NCAA Tournament hopes. UK’s resume is lacking, but the two wins on the week and the regular-season sweep over the Vols at least bolsters its bubble prospects. Maybe, just maybe, the tourney will feature the Big Blue Nation after all.
Speaking of blue bloods with blue color schemes, No. 5 Kansas also drew high marks from yours truly with one of six “A” or better grades on the report card this week. KU handled business on the road against red-hot Oklahoma State early in the week before showing its grit Saturday by digging out of a 17-point deficit at home versus No. 9 Baylor to win by 16. The Jayhawks extended their win streak to four games and maintained co-leader status in the Big 12 race with Texas.
There was plenty of bad throughout the sport, too, so this week’s grades reflect as much of that as it does the good. The bad was less prominent but no less noticeable with Clemson, North Carolina and Ohio State leading the way at the bottom of this week’s grades for all the wrong reasons.
Let’s dive into the report card for this week. As always, keep in mind the cycle runs Monday-Sunday.
