The Weekly Fast Break: Check your excuses

We cannot escape the shadow of that chubby rodent in the world of college basketball, which means every team has 28 days to be hitting their stride. The time has come to check your excuses at the door, and we are growing weary of hearing them. No longer can a bad effort on the floor be blamed on a lack of execution or effort. A head coach standing at the post-game press conference after another loss to say the lack of preparation is on them is a hard pass. Deflecting poor results on player injuries is an excuse that will never hold up – every team in America is dealing with illness and injuries – your hardship is not unlike so many others.   

Our inspiration this season at The Weekly Fast Break comes from the great tennis legend Billie Jean King, who once said that “pressure is a privilege – it only comes to those that earn it.”  The 28 days of February are a snapshot into who can handle the pressure of the season. What teams can overcome a setback, both on and off the floor? Which players can dig themselves out of a slump and step up when their teammates need them the most? When will a coach stop accepting mediocrity and lean into accountability? 

Punxsutawney Phil may have spotted his plump shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter, but when February runs its course, it means we have reached March. It is the month we live for in college basketball, where regular-season titles are secured and conference tournaments commence. The battles for seeding rage in arenas across the country and automatic bid tickets are punched by the unexpected. Excuses do not play in March – so check them at the door now, or your candy box will be empty with promises of magical basketball madness.

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TIP-OFF

Huskies on the hunt: In many cases, if you are the reigning national champions and currently undefeated on the season, a new-look team may not necessarily be on the prowl as much as trying to survive. For No. 1 UConn, there are zero excuses in their way – the Huskies are hunting down wins and leaving rivals on the side of the interstate like roadkill. In BIG EAST games, UConn has a +46.3-scoring margin and is averaging over 90 points per game. On the season, where they have encountered a handful of tougher non-conference foes, they are at a +39.3-scoring margin. The closest game of the season was a 72-69 win over Michigan back in November.

The UConn and Tennessee rivalry goes back decades, and this year’s mid-season battle was met with a high level of anticipation. The Lady Vols took down UConn last year in Knoxville, and so the rematch in Hartford, Conn., on Feb. 1 was circled as must-see TV. The Huskies pounced on Kim Caldwell’s squad early, but Tennessee responded and was able to pull even at halftime. UConn bolted out of the locker room in the third quarter to outscore the Lady Vols 29-11, and with their foot on the gas for the second 20 minutes, UConn left Tennessee on the side of the road in a 96-66 victory. Who does this game tell us more about? First and foremost, it absolutely reiterates how good this version of UConn is this season. Tennessee showed some fight and toughness, but they made too many mistakes with too many empty possessions to stay with the Huskies. 

We always say that to be the best, you must beat the best – UConn is not sitting back and waiting for someone to pouch. They are standing tall, and if you are going to go to battle with the Huskies, you’d better come with a big bite and no excuses.

The Dean does it again: Bill Fennelly arrived in Ames, Iowa, over 30 years ago with the task of rebuilding the Iowa State women’s basketball program. He has worked for multiple athletic directors and university presidents, watched men’s basketball coaches file in and out of Hilton Coliseum, and supported five different head football coaches during his tenure, all the while building a winner with a rabid fan base. Now in season 31 at the helm of the Cyclones, Fennelly has reached another milestone that is emblematic of the program he has built.

On Jan. 28, Iowa State grabbed a much-needed road victory over then No. 21 Texas Tech, 84-70. The Cyclones never trailed in the game and led by as much as 21 at one point, powered by juniors Audi Crooks (33 points) and Jada Williams (15 points). It was Iowa State’s second win of the season over a Top 25 opponent. It was also the 297th Big 12 victory for Fennelly, who became the all-time winningest coach in the conference, surpassing Kim Mulkey, who tallied 296 at Baylor. On Jan. 31, when ISU took on UCF at home, the dean of the Big 12 coaches was honored with a video celebrating his milestone, filled with highlights and messages from his fellow coaches in the league and two from former foes – Mulkey and Sherri Coale, the former head coach at Oklahoma. Iowa State beat UCF 65-52 to get Fennelly win No. 298 in Big 12 play. We tip our cap to one of the best in the business and someone who has never hid behind an excuse in all his years as a head coach. 

Poll Watch:  Not even a high-profile, mid-season game could derail UConn as the Huskies stay unanimously at the top spot in this week’s AP Top 25 Poll. Geno Auriemma’s squad’s win over Tennessee keeps UConn undefeated and moves the Lady Vols down to No. 19 at 14-5 overall. No. 2 UCLA remains undefeated in Big Ten action after beating No. 10 Iowa 88-65 at home on Feb. 1 and dropping the Hawkeyes down two places. Louisville rises to No. 6, which is the Cardinals’ best ranking in four years – they are undefeated in ACC play at 11-0. Four is a popular number this week, as Mississippi is up four places to No. 13, Tennessee drops four to No. 19 and Princeton is down four as well to No. 23 after their Jan. 30 loss to Columbia. Georgia drops out of the Top 25 after their 68-53 setback to now No. 21 Alabama on Jan. 29. Iowa State is trending upwards and receiving votes again this week (4) while three mid-majors dot the voting category – Rhode Island (26), Fairfield (3) and Richmond (1).

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SHOT CLOCK VIOLATIONS

With all the monumental changes that have come to college athletics over the past several years, it has raised a very simple question – what is the role of the NCAA? The door to revenue sharing/directly paying players has been opened, there are windows for transferring, but tampering is out of control and determining the market value of NIL deals has been shipped off to a third-party group (College Sports Commission). We know the NCAA oversees competition and championships – but are they really doing even that? When questions of eligibility come about, they seem to have only excuses about a lack of federal legislation.

There are instances where both male and female players who have played professionally in Europe have been deemed eligible for college basketball. This season on the men’s side, there have been a handful of players who have joined rosters after competing in the G-League, the NBA’s official minor league. Players are drafted and/or sign free agency contracts with NBA squads and compete in the secondary league. Many sign what is known as a ‘two-way contract’, where they are paid one salary for their time in both leagues. This is where the gray area has colored the entire paper.

The NCAA stated that a player who had signed a two-way contract would not be eligible to compete in college basketball. Thierry Darlan was cleared by the NCAA to play for Santa Clara after two seasons in the G-League as a pro, along with James Nanji at Baylor, a 2023 NBA draft pick who had not signed a two-way contract. The latest former pro to return to the college ranks is center Charles Bediako. Bediako was ruled ineligible to play at Alabama by the NCAA because he had signed three two-way contracts, but a court injunction has allowed him to play for the Crimson Tide. 

If a male player can go from the pros to playing college basketball, why is it that a female college basketball player who commits to play in a league in her home country at the conclusion of the season is suspended? Tess Heal, a senior guard for Kansas State, will have sat out three games for the Wildcats when she returns to the court on Feb. 4. She committed to the Keilor Thunder for the 2026 NBL1 South season but will not compete until her college career is complete. Heal, a native of Australia, transferred to K-State after two seasons at Santa Clara and one at Stanford. She has been a key contributor for the Wildcats this season, leading them in scoring in Big 12 play. 

Per the release from K-State, the final decision from the NCAA was a 10% withholding from competition based on the total number of games scheduled (31 games). “We’re glad this issue has been resolved. We will look forward to having Tess back for the game Wednesday,” said Wildcat head coach Jeff Mittie.

While the NCAA did rule Bediako ineligible and a favorable Alabama judge thought otherwise, we are still dealing with a nonsensical situation. Others who have played in the G-League and are deemed pros get to play. Why then is the female athlete the one punished when no money has changed hands and she has yet to compete for the organization? The NCAA is hiding behind the fear of lawsuits pertaining to everything in college sports. Hypocrisy seems like the ultimate excuse – we need the NCAA to do and be better.

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STAR POWER

The temperatures have been cold in Bozeman, Mont., but the action in the arena has been triple digits – triple double hot, just how we like it here at The Weekly Fast Break. Montana State sophomore Talyee Chirrick posted her second triple-double of the season and the third in her career on Jan. 31 when the Bobcats destroyed Portland State, 91-43. The 5’11 guard had 31 points, 12 rebounds and 11 steals in the game to become the fourth player on record in NCAA women’s basketball history to record a triple double with rebounds and steals, and the first to do so in less than 28 minutes on the floor. Chirrick’s 31 was a career-high in points, and she tied the school record in steals, which she held. She was named Big Sky Player of the Week for the fifth time this season.

Statement wins need statement performances and that’s what it was for Texas Tech and senior guard Snudda Collins. The 6’1 transfer was named Big 12 Player of the Week after the Lady Raiders took down then No. 12 TCU at home on Feb. 1, 62-60. Snudda, a native of Brookhaven, MS, had her second career-best scoring performance in her last three games, dropping 28 points on the Horned Frogs. She added five rebounds in the win while shooting 45% from the floor and going 3-for-6 from behind the arc. Earlier in the week, Snudda had 16 points in the loss to Iowa State on Feb. 28. Collins has not started a single game this season, doing all her damage off the bench for Texas Tech, which is now 8-3 in Big 12 play. This is the first time that Tech has totaled at least eight wins in conference action since the 2012-13 season. 

Another statement win was powered by a top performance from USC freshman Jazzy Davidson on her way to Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. The 6’1 guard from Clackamas, OR had 21 points, eight assists and four boards in the upset win over then No. 8 Iowa on Jan. 29 (81-69). She then added 16 points and nine rebounds in the decisive win for the Trojans over Rutgers on Feb. 1, 71-39. This is the fourth freshman of the week award for the heralded Davidson this season, who landed at USC as the No. 1 player in the class of 2025 (per ESPN.com).

With big conference matchups going down last week, there were too many great performances to choose from in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), so we get Co-Players of the Week. Charleston guard Taylor Babbot powered the Cougars to a 77-69 win over Elon on Jan. 30. The 5’9 junior, who was tapped as CAA Preseason Player of the Year, had a game-high 25 points, eight rebounds and career-high six steals in 40 minutes of action. Babbot went 11-for-12 from the free throw line, securing the win for Charleston down the stretch, who now sits atop the league standings at 9-0 and 17-3 overall.

Amaris Baker was named as the other half of the CAA Co-Player of the Week after powering Drexel to two key wins last week. The 5’8 guard had a game-high 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting to earn the Dragons a 56-53 victory over Monmouth on Jan. 30. The Philadelphia, Pa., native then dropped 21 against Northeastern in Drexel’s 65-56 win on Feb. 1, which was Baker’s 11th time this season crossing the 20-point margin, and her into16th all-time for scorers in program history.

FULL COURT PRESS

The pressure is building as the season wears on, both for teams and fans. Players and coaches are in the grind of conference schedules, bouncing from one side of the country to the other, all while keeping track of scouting reports and hotel assignments. Fans are becoming stressed and agitated as their teams are battling for a conference title or just cannot seem to put together 40 minutes for must-have wins. There are more days behind us than in front of us for this season – thank you, February – so do not let the excuses creep into your cozy viewing room at home (check your local listings for game times and broadcast availability):

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Feb. 4

Boise State at Nevada

Toledo at Akron

No. 22 Maryland at No. 12 Michigan State

R/V Nebraska at No. 8 Michigan

Lafayette at Navy

San Diego State at Grand Canyon

South Dakota State at St. Thomas (MN)

Feb. 5

Green Bay at Robert Morris

Syracuse at Boston College

Clemson at No. 25 UNC

No. 19 Tennessee at R/V Georgia

No. 17 Duke at No. 6 Louisville

Belmont at Drake

ETSU at Wofford

Missouri at Arkansas

No. 5 LSU at No. 4 Texas

R/V USC at Northwestern

Oregon State at Gonzaga

Feb. 6

Penn at No. 23 Princeton

UNC Wilmington at Charleston

Feb. 7

Troy at Ball State

Middle Tennessee at FL International

Arkansas State at Eastern Michigan

Rice at Memphis

South Dakota at Oral Roberts

Wyoming at Colorado State

BYU at K-State

Arizona State at No. 15 Baylor

R/V Iowa State at Utah

Feb. 8

R/V Minnesota at Rutgers

R/V USC at R/V Illinois

No. 5 LSU at Auburn

No. 2 UCLA at No. 8 Michigan

No. 19 Tennessee at No. 3 South Carolina

No. 24 Washington at Wisconsin

No. 21 Alabama at Texas A&M

Feb. 9

No. 16 Kentucky at No. 4 Texas

No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 7 Vanderbilt

Feb. 10

Kansas at No. 18 Texas Tech

Miami (OH) at Western Michigan

R/V Oklahoma State at K-State

North Texas at Rice

R/V Iowa State at BYU

Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois

*All statistics cited in this column are sourced from university and conference-provided statistics