Friday night isn't usually the home for a seemingly random tripleheader all held at the same venue. Last night however, there were three games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles that featured six teams with a combined record of 44-8. All of these teams have legitimate prospects for being in the field of 68, yet aren't exactly household names. Taking advantage of the fact that I had a rare Friday night off, I watched all three games and here is how I would rank the teams based off of what happened Friday, and what the teams have done in the first month of the season.
1. TCU: The Horned Frogs are a serious threat to not only make their first NCAA Tournament of this century, they also could be a factor in the Big 12 race. There's a bunch to like here, but point guard play has to be at the top of the list. Jaylen Fisher and Alex Robinson both do a nice job getting everyone involved and getting into the paint. Kenrich Williams will become a household name by the end of the season with his do-it-all type numbers, and I'd be lying if the fact that Jamie Dixon's squad has someone named Vladimir Brodziansky blocking shots and hitting threes didn't make me a fan. I'm all on board for the "Cousin Vlad" experience all season.
2. Oklahoma: This is the part where I rant and rave about Trae Young and the insane numbers he's put up only eight games into his college career. This article over at CBS gives one a nice introduction to the young point guard that is becoming a superstar, so I'll just stick to data. He already has three games where he's gone for more than 30 points, and three games with more than 10 assists. The college Steph Curry comparisons might be a bit premature, but Young gives the Sooners an absolute weapon that can dish and also pull from 30 feet on any given possession. There's a gaggle of other shooters, and some leftover experience from the team two years ago that made a Final Four. Expect Oklahoma to be ranked soon, and expect some classic Big 12 games with Young battling with senior guards like Devonta Graham and Jevon Carter once the calendar flips to 2018.
3. Arizona State: Bobby Hurley has taken a team that hasn't been relevant since the James Harden days to an undefeated start in his third season at the helm. There's some questions about how the Sun Devils are going to defend teams with size, and some defensive questions in general. But three senior guards that can all get out in transition, distribute, and shoot with deep range shows why this is the sixth most efficient offense right now per KenPom. If freshman Romello White can give ASU a post presence, this is a sleeper in a wide-open (potentially crappy) Pac 12.
4. Nevada: I've been high on the Wolf Pack for a while now, but it takes more than ten games to fully get things right from a chemistry perspective with so many transfers playing pivotal roles. They looked kind of disjointed offensively both times I've seen them play, and right now the Martin twins are taking too many tough shots without spreading the ball around. They're still the favorite to win the Mountain West however, and they linger as a legitimate Sweet 16 threat if they get the right matchups come March.
5. St John's: No one is really talking about the Johnie's right now when discussing the Big East, but this is really solid team that will only get better when Marcus Lovett comes back. Shamorie Ponds is simply tasked with having to take way too many tough shots right now without Lovett to take some of the pressure off. Being in the middle in the Big East will be good enough to go dancing, and the Red Storm have the pieces to finish there, if not higher. They have good athletes and have been outstanding forcing turnovers and protecting the rim early on. This is another squad incorporating multiple transfers, so check back in about a month for some improvements.
6. USC: There are more questions than answers right now with the Trojans as they've surprisingly gotten off to a sluggish 4-3 start after dropping three games in a row. Expectations were high, but players with legitimate NBA aspirations are not playing like pros. USC is shooting only 45.6 percent on two-point shots in its first seven games, which doesn't add up when Bennie Boatwright and Chimezie Metu should be able to score in the post at will. Add in the fact that D'Anthony Melton hasn't played yet because of the NCAA investigation and you get a team with multiple questions right now.
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