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Every weekday, a panel of our college hoops experts discusses the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
1. What's the biggest challenge for Cincinnati this season without Mick Cronin on the sideline?
Andy Katz: He's been a major presence with the team without being at practices and games. The Bearcats simply need to continue to find ways to score. Defense hasn't been an issue so far. This team is still very much in play for an American title.
Myron Medcalf: What Andy said. The Bearcats have failed to register 60 points seven times this season. The American is open. Proof? Tulsa is 4-0 after defeating UConn on Tuesday. The Bearcats could finish on top if they find some offense. That seems to be a greater concern than Cronin's situation since he's still involved.
Eamonn Brennan: It's an unusual and somewhat unfortunate situation, and maybe the Bearcats would be slightly better with Cronin on the sideline each and every game, but his hands-on approach to this time off makes it difficult to tease out how it has affected Cincinnati. I'd concur with my colleagues: A bigger issue is figuring out how to score.
2. There were high hopes for Nebraska at the beginning of the season. Why haven't things worked out ... so far?
Katz: Look back at the Huskers. They lost in the Big Ten tournament's first game and then got crushed in the NCAA tournament. The season ended with a thud. And not much has changed. This was a team that needed to be scrappy and play with an edge. Somehow they have to get that back.
Medcalf: Last year, the Cornhuskers tried to hide their offensive flaws (112th in adjusted offensive efficiency) behind a top-25 defense. Now that pedestrian offense is even worse (260th in AOE). Nebraska is averaging .96 points per possession. Tim Miles' top-10 defense isn't enough to make up for the fact that he only has two scorers in Terran Petteway and Shavon Shields.
Brennan: Nebraska can't score in general, yes, but there's something else going on here. Tai Webster is a good place to start. Webster was Tim Miles' most high-profile recruit when he arrived on campus two years ago, a well-respected international guard with high-level competitions logged for the New Zealand men's national team. After a disappointing freshman campaign, the 6-foot-4 sophomore guard has shot 16 percent from 3 and turned it over on 28 percent of his possessions; Miles can't afford to play him. But it's not just Webster: Petteway hasn't been as efficient this season and Walter Pitchford's per-possession stats are down across the board. Nebraska will beat some teams with its defense, but it won't go far unless it straightens things out on the other end of the floor.
3. Greater chance to suffer a second consecutive upset loss -- Wisconsin (vs. Nebraska ) or Arizona (vs. Colorado)?
Katz: Arizona. Colorado is simply a better team than Nebraska. I wouldn't pick against either, but in this scenario, I would lean toward the Wildcats based on opponents.
Medcalf: Arizona. The Wildcats certainly have the pieces to win the Pac-12 title and stage a memorable run in March. But they're also vulnerable in tight games because they're shooting just 66.9 percent (227th in the country) from the free throw line. They missed nine of 27 free throws in Sunday's loss at Oregon State. They could have similar issues in a close contest against Colorado.
Brennan: I'd usually go with Arizona for the reasons Myron detailed: Whatever the competition, they have a way of finding themselves in tight games. But I'll actually take Wisconsin. For all its offensive problems, Nebraska does defend at a very high rate, and if you can match the Badgers' methodical style, you can end up in a 55-possession game with a tight margin of error. Throw in Traevon Jackson's injury and you never know.
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