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Every weekday, a panel of our college hoops experts discuss the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
1. Is Duke's rough stretch now behind the Blue Devils?
Andy Katz: Sort of. Duke has its mojo back and likely will hold it for the rest of the season. But that doesn't mean the Blue Devils can't be beaten at Notre Dame, at Virginia or at North Carolina. Losing a road conference game -- or even one or two at home -- won't eliminate the Blue Devils from title contention. Their loss to Miami was a wake-up call. The Blue Devils didn't compete as hard and didn't defend. That wasn't the case against Louisville.
C.L. Brown: Not at all. Duke still has to close out the month with three straight road games, including at Notre Dame and its highly anticipated meeting at Virginia. The Blue Devils did get a much-needed confidence boost by winning at Louisville.
Myron Medcalf: I think the whole ACC is a rough stretch. Two matchups against UNC; Notre Dame twice in 10 days; traveling to Virginia. Then there is that dangerous game at St. John's. The Blue Devils won't exhale until mid-February. Maybe.
2. Was this weekend just a sign of how tough life is in the Big 12?
Katz: The league is as balanced as any in recent memory, and it may be the hardest Kansas has had to work to win it outright. Don't be surprised if Kansas and Iowa State tie for the title. Miles Simon suggested that scenario was possible on our show Saturday night. And upon further reflection, I agree with him.
Brown: I'd be surprised if the eventual regular-season champ doesn't have at least four losses. There's no clear-cut team that is better than the rest. From No. 1 to No. 8, there's not a lot of separation.
Medcalf: Yep. The league has eight possible tourney teams, and it doesn't have one Goliath. So there will be a lot of carnage moving forward. In the end, I think it will benefit the league overall.
3. Which team has the most to gain this week?
Katz: Stanford. The Cardinal host Arizona. They are coming off a nonconference win over UConn at home. Beat the Wildcats and the Cardinal are in serious play for the league title.
Brown: Kansas State already has a league road win at Oklahoma. If the Wildcats can emerge with a win at Iowa State and hold serve at home against Oklahoma State, they'd establish themselves as serious contenders for the regular-season crown.
Medcalf: Texas has the most to gain. That win against West Virginia was big. But the Longhorns were supposed to be the team to beat in the Big 12. They have a chance to prove that they're the truth when they host Kansas in Austin on Saturday.
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