Welcome back for my second installment of Risers and Fallers, a bi-weekly check-in that recognizes some teams on the ascent and scrutinizes some teams in trouble. This week, I'll cover my favorite Big Ten team, a once-regarded contender falling helplessly into the abyss, the decline of a top conference, and more.
And since I haven't done one of these in a month (so much for "bi-weekly"), I'll be comparing my rankings from Week 3 to my current rankings. RISERS: Rutgers: Week 3 ranking: 23; Current ranking: 9 Most expected Rutgers to be a fringe Top-25 team who won with physical, grinding defense. But their offensive improvement has made them an absolute delight to watch this year. Compare the numbers of the last two seasons: The Scarlet Knights have progressed across the board, but most notably in effective field goal percentage and three-point shooting. You can attribute the bulk of that growth to forward Ron Harper Jr. The junior finds himself in the midst of a career year as Rutgers' centerpiece. He can facilitate for his teammates both at the top of the key and out of the high post, can attack some off the bounce, and currently ranks second in the Big Ten in made three-pointers (28 for 58 on the season). His play has also buoyed Rutgers into a top-50 effective field goal percentage in transition (per hoop-math.com). The play below perfectly encapsulates Harper’s skill in snatching a board and starting the break:
Not bad for a dude deemed the early favorite for “Fat Guy of the Year.” Oregon: Week 3 ranking: 37; Current ranking: 16 I have no idea how Oregon is playing this well without their starting point guard--when the Ducks announced Will Richardson’s thumb injury on the day of their first game, I considered the news a death sentence. They lost that first contest, but they haven’t dropped one since. On defense, Oregon flaunts an abundance of length on the perimeter, and those same pieces have made huge strides on offense from a season ago. Both LJ Figueroa and Chris Duarte have progressed in their ability to get to the rim, with the latter putting up sterling numbers--16.7 points, 4.8 boards, and 2.2 assists with 52.5, 43.9, and 90.5 (!!!) shooting splits. But the player who most assuages the Richardson absence is big man Eugene Omoruyi. As the rare “point center” (as much as you can call a 6’6” guy a center), Omoruyi both anchors the paint and engineers the offense. And why not when you can make these types of passes?
VCU: Week 3 ranking: sub-50; Current ranking: 40 Saint Louis has usurped the A10 Darlings Crown from Dayton, but don’t be surprised to see VCU make a push for an at-large bid come March. The Rams excel at defense, where they use a trap-heavy defensive scheme to paralyze their foes. Once opposing ballhandlers get caught in the traps, they transform into dads on Christmas morning, treating the rock like it’s wrapping paper to be discarded. VCU wreaking havoc on defense is nothing new--but an emerging flamethrower by the name of Na’Shon “Bones” Hyland separates this squad from teams in the past. Hyland endeared himself to Draft Twitter as a freshman, and he has significantly upped his production in year two (currently averaging 17 points and 3 made three-pointers per game at a 38% clip). His evolution provides head coach Mike Rhoades a weapon he has yet to possess during his time in Richmond (the only other dynamic guard to play under Rhoades is Marcus Evans; but even in his best season (2019,) he posted a lower offensive rating and a lower scoring average than Hyland, despite a higher usage rate. Considering that team’s success, VCU fans gotta be feeling pretty good about this year. Take it away, Layne Staley!) FALLERS: Michigan State: Week 3 ranking: 8; Current ranking: 45 Okay, so this is probably the last week that Christmas references are somewhat relevant, and I know I already made one, but stick with me: I enjoy maybe three Christmas movies (I can be a bit of a Scrooge). My favorite is Christmas Vacation, but I’m always ready for it to be over during like the last 15 minutes. Something about the scene where the squirrel rampages through the Griswold house gives me terrible anxiety. But that scene--and the cringey, disorganized mess that defines it--compares adequately to Michigan State’s interior defense right now (see: Minnesota going 20-24 AT THE RIM vs. Sparty on December 28th). The ACC: Virginia still lacks a go-to scorer, Duke hasn’t played in weeks, UNC has struggled since Maui, both Florida State and Louisville are wildly inconsistent, and Clemson is the highest ranked ACC team in the AP Poll. Talent could eventually win out, which would favor the Devils, the ‘Noles, and yes, even the faltering Heels. But this is likely the second straight year the conference will fail to produce a true national title contender.
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AuthorRiley Davis Archives
June 2021
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Photo used under Creative Commons from MarsInOrbit