CBB weekend winners, losers: An unexpected unbeaten emerges

It’s the first time Hofstra has defeated the Orange, and the loss is a major hit to Syracuse’s postseason resume. Head coach Adrian Autry’s seat just warmed considerably as well.

Winner: Arizona Wildcats

If there was any doubt whether Arizona deserved the No. 1 ranking, it disappeared after this weekend. In what was a de facto home game for No. 12 Alabama in Birmingham, the Wildcats overcame a halftime deficit and nearly hung 100 points on their way to a 96-75 thrashing.

Guard Brayden Burries led the way in scoring with 28 points, shooting 58% from the field, and Arizona proved it has multiple weapons on offense. If one player is struggling, there’s two more ready to pick up the slack.

The result adds to the Wildcats’ flurry of ranked wins as they are likely to remain No. 1 for weeks to come.

Winner: North Carolina A&T forward Lewis Walker

North Carolina A&T trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half against Maryland Eastern Shore on Friday night. However, the Aggies stormed back to knot the game at 79 with a few seconds remaining.

After a turnover by the Hawks, forward Lewis Walker drilled a game-winning 3-pointer that evoked all the feelings of March.

Loser: Memphis Tigers

Memphis has enjoyed much success under head coach Penny Hardaway, and the Tigers were picked by the conference’s coaches to win the American. But they’re off to a disappointing 4-5 start and have struggled on the defensive end.

To make matters worse, Memphis has back-to-back contests against No. 15 Vanderbilt and Mississippi State coming up. If the Tigers don’t right the ship and snag at least one notable non-conference victory, their chances of earning a fourth NCAA Tournament bid in five years will fade.

Winner/Loser?: Charles Barkley and Dick Vitale

It was awesome to see two basketball legends share the broadcast during Kentucky’s home game against Indiana, with several humorous and wholesome moments.

However, to the displeasure of Hoosier and Wildcat fans, the commentary often drifted away from the game at hand, giving the broadcast more of a podcast-like feel. While it was an event to remember, it’ll likely be a one-time occurrence.