Predictions for the Final Weeks of the College Basketball Season

The 2017-2018 College Basketball season has been, by far, one of the most unpredictable in recent history. Not only have ranked teams been losing at an historic pace, but we have also seen most of the Blue Blood programs struggle mightily at times. Kentucky is unranked, UNC lost three straight games earlier this year, Duke has looked like one of the worst defensive teams in country, and Kansas has been inconsistent at best. Despite all of this, I will try my best to predict how some key storylines will play out to end the regular season!

1. Trae Young will not win either Player of the Year or Big 12 Player of the Year 

I am not going to lie, this prediction is a bit bold. Recently, there has been a lot of talk about whether or not it is even possible for Trae Young to lose his grasp on Player of the Year, given the fact that he was nothing short of dominant for the first half of the season. Yes, Young is still leading the NCAA in both points per game (28.3) and assists per game (9.2), but both he and Oklahoma have been in a free fall as of late. Oklahoma is just 2-9 in their last 11 games, losing 6 straight, the most recent of which was a 30 point drumming at the hands of Kansas. Young is averaging 25.8 ppg, 8.1 apg, and 6 turnovers per game on just 39% shooting from the field over this time. I think Jalen Brunson of Villanova wins National Player of the Year, and either Devonte’ Graham of Kansas or Texas Tech’s Keenan Evans takes home BIg 12 Player of the Year.

2. Texas Tech will win the Big 12

Speaking of the Big 12, I believe Texas Tech comes back from the dead and wins at least a share of the BIg 12 title. Just a few days ago, the Red Raiders were in sole possession of first place in the conference until their stud guard, Keenan Evans, went down with an injury against Baylor. Tech went on to lose that game and just dropped their second straight to Oklahoma State. They currently sit one game behind Kansas, but have the Jayhawks scheduled to come into Lubbock on Saturday night. As long as Evans is close to full strength for that epic matchup, I think Texas Tech will earn the season sweep and reclaim first place in the Big 12.

3. Duke finally reaches its potential

We all know that the Blue Devils were the heavy preseason favorites to win the National Championship, but after looking like one of worst defensive teams in the country for the majority of the season, that narrative quickly changed. It seems as though as soon Duke’s expectations started to lower, they started playing their best basketball of the year. Don’t look now, but the most talented team in the nation may be peaking at the perfect time as Grayson Allen has led the Blue Devils to four-straight wins without the help of freshman phenom, Marvin Bagley III. During this impressive 4-game win streak, Duke is allowing just 58.5 points per game and their average margin of victory is 17 points. It looks as though Coach K has finally coached up this young squad and what this team could do with everyone engaged defensively, Bagley healthy, and Allen playing confidently is just downright scary.

4. Bruce Pearl will win Coach of the Year

Just last season, the Auburn Tigers finished with an 18-14 record, going just 7-11 in the SEC, so the expectations for this year were already fairly low. Matters got even worse when, right before the start of the season, the FBI released their findings from their probing investigation, rocking the college basketball world. Auburn was one of the few teams hit with harsh penalties. They fired an assistant coach, placed two others on administrative leave, and suspended their two best players from the previous season indefinitely. Not only that, but there was serious talk about whether or not Pearl would be able to keep his job after such events transpired. Well, he kept his job alright, and he has done it better than anyone else in the country this season. Right now, his Tigers (24-4) are ranked 12th in the nation and own a very commanding 2-game lead in the SEC, with a 4-game lead over teams like Kentucky, Florida, and Alabama. I fully expect this Auburn team to win the SEC and finish the year ranked in the top-12. If that happens, Pearl should get the Coach of the Year nod over the likes of Tony Bennett, Tom Izzo, and Chris Beard.

5. Syracuse will once again miss the tournament by the slimmest of margins

Ok, this prediction is in here for several reasons: 1. I am a Syracuse fan, 2. They are one of the most watched and talked about teams in college basketball, and 3. I think it is just amazing how, recently, this team is seemingly right on the bubble every year! Right now, the Orange are 18-10 overall and 7-8 in the ACC. Their best wins this season are road victories over Louisville and an undermanned Miami team. Not exactly what you would call a stellar resume. However, not all hope is lost, as they still have a couple chances at getting that marquee win over #5 Duke, or #15 Clemson. In order for Cuse to make the tournament, I believe they will have to win at least one of those games, beat Boston College, and MAYBE win an ACC tournament game, depending on how other bubble teams perform. Call me pessimistic if you want, but I do not see Jimmy B, Tyus Battle, and the rest of this Syracuse squad making the tournament this time around.

Written by Ryan Scimone