Statement Saturday: What notable CBB results say about NCAA Tournament contenders

Several teams made statements on Saturday, some good, some bad.

Here is what some of the year's top men's college basketball contenders told us this weekend.

Auburn (23-2, 11-1 in SEC): We're the future 2025 NCAA Tournament champions

Auburn has overcome its toughest challenges this season, including Saturday's first conference game in SEC history between the top two teams in the Associated Press Top 25.

No. 1 Auburn defeated No. 2 Alabama, 94-85, holding the Tide to their worst three-point percentage this season (19.2 percent). Leading Player of the Year contender Johni Broome was one of six Tigers to score in double-digits.

It's hard to spot weaknesses in Auburn's game. A month out from Selection Sunday, the Tigers should feel extremely confident. With the NCAA Tournament fast approaching, no team looks more dangerous.

Tennessee (21-5, 8-5 in SEC): Don't forget about us

Tennessee's second-half rally against Vanderbilt showed why the Vols shouldn't be overlooked in the loaded SEC. With their defense, they're never out of a game.

Tennessee is No. 1 in KenPom's defensive efficiency rankings, and it showed during the second half. The Vols held Vanderbilt to 35.7 percent on its field goal attempts after halftime in their 81-76 win after the Commodores shot 54.8 percent in the first half.

Tennessee's offense has sometimes disappeared this season, making the Vols more volatile than others. But Tennessee has the defense to lead it to a second SEC Tournament title in four seasons.

Duke Blue Devils (22-3, 14-1 in ACC): We can outscore anyone

No. 2 Duke scored 106 points in its 106-70 win over Stanford, its most in an ACC game since 2017. The Blue Devils are a national title contender because they're a complete team, but their shooting makes them special.

Per KenPom, Duke is No. 1 among ACC teams in three-point field goal percentage (39.3 percent) in conference games. The Blue Devils were 14-of-29 against the Cardinal, with junior guard Tyrese Proctor leading the way with five makes. The Blue Devils run an efficient offense that has become a well-oiled machine against ACC competition. Next Saturday, they'll have a chance against Illinois (17-9, 9-7 in Big Ten) to show what kind of impact the fine-tuning has had on their abilities to win out of conference.

Houston Cougars (21-4, 13-1 in Big 12): We can stop anyone

Arizona entered Saturday 24th in the country in scoring (82.3 points per game). But the Houston buzzsaw held the Wildcats far below their season average in a 62-58 road comeback win.

Arizona shot 37 percent from the field, its second-worst shooting performance this season. Houston's suffocating defense has been the backbone of the team's recent brilliance under head coach Kelvin Sampson. That's still the case this year. And by shutting down one of the country's top offenses, the Cougars should have even more confidence that no one can consistently score on them.

Wisconsin Badgers (20-5, 10-4 in Big Ten): We have Final Four potential

No. 16 Wisconsin was cast aside after a three-game losing streak in early December, but it has since won 12 of its last 14 games, including 94-84 at No. 7 Purdue on Saturday.

There's a lot to like about the Badgers. They have several capable three-point shooters, take smart shots, are sound defensively, and don't beat themselves with miscues. Wisconsin ranks 18th in the country in turnover rate (14.3 percent). The Badgers have the pieces in place for an extended tourney run.

Ole Miss Rebels (19-7, 8-5 in SEC): We aren't there yet

Ole Miss is well on its path to its first NCAA Tournament bid in six years, but an 81-71 drubbing in the hardwood Egg Bowl doesn't inspire much confidence that the Rebels will do much once dancing.

The Bulldogs led by as many as 19, 69-50, while limiting Ole Miss to 38.3 percent shooting. Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard has turned the program around quickly, but Saturday's thrashing is a reminder of how much farther he must go.

UConn (17-8, 9-5 in Big East): Winning three consecutive national titles is hard

UConn suffered one of the worst losses of the Dan Hurley era on Saturday, falling 69-68 in overtime at Seton Hall.

The Huskies entered the season with aspirations of winning a third consecutive NCAA Tournament, but as the regular season winds down, they are trending in the wrong direction. ESPN men's NCAA Tournament bracketologist Joe Lunardi projected UConn as an 8-seed in his most recent update, putting it on track to potentially play a 1-seed in the Round of 32.

UConn's title defense might end far sooner than expected.