CBB weekend takeaways: Houston gets the job done, Wake Forest proves what was already known

Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars have developed a habit for those types of victories. Per usual, this is a group that grinds it out and gets the job done.

Given that Houston remains No. 1 at KenPom and Bart Torvik, that formula clearly works.

Wake Forest is an NCAA Tournament team

Oh, and the Pope is Catholic and the sky is blue.

Much of the discussion surrounding Wake Forest’s 83-79 win over No. 8 Duke has centered on Kyle Filipowski injuring his knee in the midst of Demon Deacon fans storming the court at the LJVM Coliseum. Rightfully so, given that conferences — and frankly, the NCAA — need to have an honest conversation about whether court-storming should be allowed if the safety of players, coaches and officials cannot be ensured.

But the unfortunate incident involving Filipowski should not take away from what was an outstanding performance from Wake Forest.

The Demon Deacons, led by Hunter Sallis (29 points, 5-of-6 from three) shot 60.4% from the field and committed just six turnovers. Duke did not play poorly by any stretch, as the Blue Devils shot over 53% from the floor and hit 11 triples themselves. 

But Wake Forest earned this win. Plus, as Duke head coach Jon Scheyer referenced postgame, even if his team hit a late three to win — which it could have on its penultimate offensive possession if not for a turnover on a pass from guard Tyrese Proctor to Filipowski — the Demon Deacons’ status as a tournament-caliber club would not differ if you actually have watched them play.

The win still does wonders for their résumé, though, and their metrics (18th at KenPom and 23rd at Bart Torvik) are the icing on the cake.

Alabama’s defense will be its demise

Credit to Kentucky. The No. 17 Wildcats were sensational in their 117-95 win over No. 13 Alabama, shooting 63.1% from the field and hitting 13 treys. It was just another example of how electrifying this team can be when it's firing on all cylinders. 

But did Alabama even practice on the defensive end leading up to this one? The Crimson Tide were helpless in defending the likes of Justin Edwards (career-high 28 points) and Antonio Reeves (24 points). Alabama shot over 56% from the floor and lost by 22 — and it wasn’t even that close!

This inability to get stops is nothing new for the Crimson Tide, and it spells major trouble. Ranked 97th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom, Alabama — despite still being in first place in the SEC — isn’t a national title contender. In fact, that porous defense could lead to an early exit from the dance.