Welcome to Glass Slipper! The Dodgers may never lose again. Happy Thanksgiving; please enjoy the show.

- Jacob Rhee

Here are my 10 biggest takeaways through three weeks of the men’s college basketball season.

1. One-man show.

Eric Dixon is back for his 79th season at Villanova, and it appears he’s not messing around this time. 25-7-2 on 54-54-91 splits? Sheesh.

The Wildcats have nosedived into mediocrity since Jay Wright’s departure, and they’re not sniffing the tournament this year. Let’s just feed Dixon each night, and see how gaudy the numbers can get. Maybe if he paces the nation in scoring, it’ll attract a couple of five-stars to visit campus or something.

2. I love Gonzaga so much.

We’re less than a month in, and I’m almost ready to guarantee that the Bulldogs will be one of the last eight teams standing. I don’t even care that they took a bad loss yesterday. I’ve already been convinced that this is a special, special crew.

All of the NBA-only folks had bewildered expressions when Andrew Nembhard broke out during the Pacers’ 2024 playoff run. Don’t make the same mistake with his little brother. Ryan is the best distributor in America; if I had one offensive possession to win a national title, he’s the guy I want as my point guard.

3. The John Tonje explosion.

Full disclosure, I barely knew this human being existed until Wisconsin’s opener. Can you really blame me? Tonje - a zero-star recruit - had his best collegiate season in 2022-23, when he was the second-leading scorer on a 15-18 Colorado State squad. Fast-forward to now, and he’s the clear superstar for the undefeated Badgers.

This is Johnny Davis, but with a reliable outside shot.

4. All alone.

Quick, name an elite football school that’s also good at men’s basketball. Now name an elite men’s basketball school that’s also good at football. Both questions have one answer. Alabama. Let’s give some credit to that athletic department.

First-team All-American Mark Sears somehow went scoreless against No. 25 Illinois a week ago, and the Tide still won by 13. If these dudes start looking competent from beyond the arc, there’s no ceiling.

5. Is Arizona okay?

Tommy Lloyd is 91-22 since taking over the program, and he’s never been worse than a No. 2 seed in the tournament. It’s hard to doubt a coach with that kind of track record, but I just don’t see the Wildcats accomplishing anything meaningful this season. The ever-overrated Caleb Love totally vanished against Arizona’s only two real opponents, and there are moments where Jaden Bradley is the only guy who seems interested. This group is not getting to the Sweet Sixteen.

6. The Big Ten is gross.

The best squad I’ve seen so far is Purdue, and that roster is simply not big enough. It’s about to be 25 years without this conference winning a national championship.

7. Cooper Flagg’s comparison.

Look, it’s so early to be talking about his NBA projection. I think he’s going to end up being a smaller Kevin Garnett, though. A versatile stopper on defense with a competitive mean streak, who is probably best suited as a No. 2 offensive option on a title contender. I saw some Jayson Tatum flashes in his high school tape, but Flagg is just too clunky and awkward with the ball in his hands to fit that mold.

He’ll need to land on a team with a star creator. Charlotte, perhaps?

8. The buck stops here.

A UConn three-peat isn’t happening. Not enough plus defenders, not enough trustworthy guards, and not enough depth. I smell an early exit.

9. A long time coming.

Cincinnati hasn’t participated in March Madness since Mick Cronin bolted for Westwood in 2019. This is the year that the streak ends, Bearcats fans. Wes Miller’s fiery style matches the city incredibly well, and I love that he still holds his players accountable against the cupcakes. The program is in great hands.

10. A Koby Brea update.

68% from three, on 5.7 attempts per game.

When he hits seven of them in the Round of 32 and single-handedly spoils your clever little upset pick, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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