Feast Week is one of the most significant weeks in college basketball, providing a test to the nation’s best in the season’s first month.
In this edition of Sam’s Section, I will go over who shined the brightest over Thanksgiving break.
Michigan
The Wolverines are arguably the best team in college basketball after a dominant performance at the Players Era Festival. Against three teams ranked in the top-50 on KenPom, Michigan went 3-0 with an average margin of victory of roughly 36.6 points. That included a 30-point win over Auburn and a 40-point win over Gonzaga.
The Wolverines showed barely any flaws during the three-game stretch in Las Vegas, ranking as one of the top teams in nearly every analytical category. Their offensive rating (132.8) ranked in the 99th percentile nationally, while the defense (83.6) was in the 100th percentile. That is absurd.
Purdue
Purdue is also one of the top teams in the country, putting on a show during the Baha Mar Championship. The Boilermakers kicked off the four-team multi-team event (MTE) with an 80-71 win over Memphis. However, they showed why they remain the No. 1 team in the AP Poll after an impressive 86-56 win over Texas Tech.
Purdue’s offense was tremendous, with a rating of 126.9 (94th percentile). Their defense looked more vulnerable, especially against Memphis, but the Boilermakers ranked in the 89th percentile in defensive rating (97.1). What is clear, however, is the ceiling of Purdue’s sharpshooting. The Boilermakers shot 43.2% from 3-point range, including 11 made in the win over Memphis.
USC
The Trojans took advantage of a down year in the Maui Invitational, defeating Boise State, Seton Hall and Arizona State en route to their first Maui title in program history. This resulted in USC entering the AP Poll for the first time since Nov. 20, 2023. The Trojans have looked impressive, ranked as the top free-throw shooting team in the country (23 made free throws per game, best in the country) and the third-best shot-blocking team (7.4 blocks per game).
Analytically, USC excelled on offense, shooting 51.6% in three games at the Lahaina Civic Center. That included a 44.8% mark from downtown, ranking in the 100th percentile nationally. The one question mark for the Trojans is their defense, which did not impress many in Maui outside of the shot-blocking capabilities. USC’s defensive rating was 111.6, ranking in the 41st percentile nationally. In the end, Chad Baker-Mazara led the way with 17.3 points per game, winning MVP honors.
Vanderbilt
The Commodores are off to a blazing start, with an 8-0 record, including winning the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship. In the MTE, there was no doubt that Vanderbilt’s AP ranking was no fluke. Despite a watered-down field from past years, Vandy was dominant offensively, with an offensive rating of 133.7 and averaging 97.9 points per contest. The best part about Vanderbilt’s offense? Averaging that many points while also averaging 20.1 assists per game.
The Commodores did not mess around, beating Western Kentucky, VCU and Saint Mary’s, with the latter being the most dominant performance. While that did not seem like much, it was enough for me not only to be impressed by the team but also by Duke Miles, who led the team in scoring in each of the three games and eclipsed the 20-point mark in each.
BYU
The Cougars have looked like a top-10 team all season long, despite a blemish on their record (thanks to UConn). Kennard Davis Jr. hit the ground running in the first game of the Magic Bracket of the Terry’s Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational, leading BYU in scoring:18 points in a 72-62 win over Miami (Fla.). The Cougars followed up the win with a title-clinching win over Dayton.
What was most impressive about BYU’s performance in the ESPN Events Invitational was the defense, with a rating ranking in the 84th percentile nationally. The Cougars averaged 9 steals and 5 blocks in the two games, but the most defining effort came on the defensive glass, grabbing 31.5 defensive boards per contest. BYU was not as strong on the offensive end, but the Cougars showed promise with a 3-point percentage of 46.3% and a true shooting percentage of 60.7%.