College basketball is unpredictable, as yet another wild night proved.
We shouldn't be surprised.
Three things from Tuesday
Another No. 1 (this time Louisville) falls, and the chaos continues
Texas Tech became the third unranked team to beat a No. 1 team with its 70-57 victory over Louisville. This is the third season in the Associated Press poll era in which three No. 1 teams lost to unranked squads before January, per ESPN Stats & Info. Tuesday's game marked the fourth time a No. 1 team in the AP poll lost a game this season. So, yeah, we're going to talk about parity and the limited star power in this year's college basketball landscape.
But we're witnessing rare movement at the top of the polls. Louisville did not look like the best team in America. The Cardinals committed 19 turnovers. Jordan Nwora was the only guy who could get a bucket in the second half. Louisville displayed a multitude of weaknesses, including a limited pool of players who could create shots off the dribble.
The bigger picture, however, is that the list of teams that seem like potential title contenders isn't shrinking. It's growing. Texas Tech dominated Louisville on a neutral site without NBA prospect Jahmi'us Ramsey, who is averaging 17.3 points per game, while ending a three-game losing streak.
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Brockington slams it down after Cowan's errant pass
Anthony Cowan Jr. throws the ball away, and Izaiah Brockington comes up with it and dunks it home for Penn State.
Rush the court, Penn State!
Penn State handed No. 4 Maryland its first loss of the season 76-68 in State College. Let's be clear: Penn State has been solid this season. The Nittany Lions closed as two-point favorites on Tuesday in Vegas, and they announced their presence in the Big Ten race with an impressive win over the Terps, who committed 20 turnovers. Mike Watkins led five double-digit scorers.
At the end of the 2016-17 season, Pat Chambers got a vote of confidence from athletic director Sandy Barbour. That didn't stop the questions about his future. It's no secret that Chambers might be coaching for his job this season as he tries to lead the program to its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2011. Tuesday's win doesn't guarantee anything, but it was a strong step for a coach and a program that hope to turn the corner this season.
The Big 12 title race could be fun
Kansas could secure the No. 1 spot in the polls next week, though the Jayhawks might not want that, considering the fluctuation. But they certainly have a case. Earlier this season, it seemed like Kansas might easily separate itself from a Big 12 that lacks the depth it has possessed in recent years.
However, Baylor's 53-52 win over Butler on Tuesday in Waco, Texas, gave the Bears the top résumé in the league. They have wins over Villanova, Arizona and Butler. Texas Tech's win over Louisville suggests that Chris Beard's team is beginning to build the chemistry that a team full of transfers and young players usually needs to jell.
Kansas is still the favorite in the Big 12. Baylor and perhaps a renewed Texas Tech, however, might make the race interesting. That seemed unlikely a few weeks ago.
When the former Kansas freshman decided to leave the Jayhawks, the program supported him and helped him gain immediate eligibility at Houston, a Sweet Sixteen team last season. He was a former five-star recruit, and when you're a five-star kid at a place such as Kansas, you encounter a lot of pressure.
But Grimes seems more comfortable at Houston, and he has scored 17, 21 and 24 points during his team's three-game winning streak. The Cougars will face UT-Arlington on Wednesday.
Can Illinois win a close game against Michigan?
Michigan's surprising start under Juwan Howard included wins over North Carolina and Gonzaga and a case for the top spot in last week's poll. The Wolverines just shook up the Big Ten race.
We know the league has a stacked collection of teams at the top, with Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Maryland and Purdue all potential title contenders. But the middle of the league is mysterious. Illinois encompasses the latter description as much as any team in the league. The Illini opened the season with an overtime win against Nicholls State. They lost to Maryland by one point on the road on Saturday.
They're the best offensive rebounding team in the country, and they've played some close games. But that isn't enough to get into the NCAA tournament. Will they suffer another close loss to a good Big Ten opponent on Wednesday in Champaign, or will they finally leave with a victory?
Which Wisconsin will show up?
The Badgers have been a difficult team to decipher this season. Wisconsin is still establishing roles in the wake of Ethan Happ's absence. Even in transition, the Badgers have enjoyed some solid moments. They crushed rival Marquette in November and held Markus Howard to a 6-for-21 clip from the field. They beat Indiana by 20 points in their Big Ten opener.
But a three-game losing streak (Richmond, New Mexico, NC State) preceded that victory. They failed to score more than a point per possession in those three losses. They'll face a Rutgers team that just tussled with Michigan State, and they'll be on the road. Maybe it's a chance to build some momentum ... or encounter another stumbling block for a squad still trying to find its way.
