CBB weekend winners, losers: Duke victorious in possible Final Four preview

If HC Bill Self can’t figure things out quickly, it’ll be another March filled with disappointment.

Winner: Virginia Cavaliers

No. 14 Virginia has quietly become a legitimate contender in the ACC after topping Miami 86-83. The Cavaliers have a 24-3 record, their best since 2018-19’s national title run.

Six players scored in double figures, and Virginia shot a blistering 58% from the field. This prolific offense is something Cavaliers fans haven’t seen in recent years. HC Ryan Odom ought to be a coach of the year candidate as Virginia aims to return to its historic success in March.

Loser: Houston Cougars

This week, it was No. 2 Houston’s turn to lose back-to-back games, albeit those came against No. 6 Iowa State and No. 4 Arizona.

The defense has been efficient, as per usual with Kelvin Sampson’s teams, but the offense has failed to make shots down the stretch. Against the Wildcats, the Cougars went on a nearly eight-minute scoring drought in the second half, allowing Arizona to take control.

Houston has experience on the roster, but its talented freshmen are taking time to adjust to the late-season pressure.

Winner: Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee knocked off No. 19 Vanderbilt 69-65 on Saturday and has now won eight of its last nine games.

This is largely thanks to the breakout of forward Nate Ament, who has averaged 23 points a game during that span. The Volunteers forced 10 turnovers and continued to dominate the offensive glass, all while silencing a rowdy crowd that heckled former Commodore Jaylen Carey.

Tennessee appears to be clicking at the right time as it inches closer to the No. 4 seed line.

Loser: USC Trojans

USC has been battling the bubble over the past month, but Saturday’s result may have been the final nail in the coffin. After leading Oregon 70-64, the Trojans failed to score in the final minute, allowing the Ducks to rally for a 71-70 victory.

Guard Chad Baker-Mazara and forward Ezra Ausar led USC in scoring but fouled out in the waning minutes. It’s the third loss in a row for USC, which now needs to make a run in the Big Ten tournament to earn an at-large bid.