• Jimmer Fredette only scored 33 points this season instead of 49, but it was still more than enough for BYU to clobber Arizona for a second straight season. Said Fredette after an 87-65 win over the Wildcats elevated BYU's record to 10-0: "I don't know if it's anything against Arizona, but I was able to have another good night."
• Is there a team in the nation better at handling adversity than Tennessee? Even with their coach embroiled in a scandal that figures to drag on until after the season, the Vols are making those who picked them fourth in the SEC East look silly. They shredded third-ranked Pittsburgh's defense like few teams have done before, rolling to an 83-76 victory in Pittsburgh.
• St. John's has a bright future ahead because of Steve Lavin's recruiting prowess, but the notion that the senior-laden Johnnies could contend for an NCAA bid this season appears a little far-fetched. A Fordham team that has won a combined five games the past two seasons upset St. John's 84-81 on Saturday night only a few days after St. Bonaventure had pulled off the same feat.
• It says a lot about how far Michigan State has to go as a team that Tom Izzo had nothing but glowing praise for the Spartans after they eked out a one-point win against Summit League favorite Oakland on Saturday. Good news: Kalin Lucas had 25 points, Michigan State committed just eight turnovers and the Spartans won the rebounding battle by two. Bad news: All this and still just a one-point win? Yikes.
• For a team that endured a nightmarish offseason, Providence has done a terrific job of holding it together in non-conference play. An 82-70 win over struggling Alabama on Saturday lifted the Friars to 10-2 on the season, though their schedule will certainly become a lot more difficult once Big East play begins.
• The annual Marquette-Wisconsin rivalry game was a battle between the Golden Eagles' quickness and the Badgers' size and strength. Marquette trailed the whole game yet had a chance to tie it on its final possession, but Wisconsin survived with a 69-64 victory behind 21 from guard Jordan Taylor and 12 from Keaton Nankivil.
• Considering how poorly Dayton had been playing recently, Saturday's 74-71 loss at Colonial Athletic Association favorite Old Dominion probably should be considered a sign of progress. A 44-33 rebounding deficit and a late cold spell did in the Flyers, who have lost three of four with the only victory a tense nail-biter over lightly regarded Central Connecticut State.
• About the only thing more amazing than Monmouth missing its first 16 shots and failing to score a point for the opening 12 minutes of its matchup with Hartford on Saturday is that the Hawks came back to win. Trailing by as many as 17 in the first half, Monmouth stormed back to eke out a 78-74 double OT victory over a Hartford team that had blown a 20-point second-half lead against Sacred Heart in its previous game.
• Washington's 63-62 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday was a summary of the issues that have plagued the Huskies the past two seasons: They don't rebound well, they often lack energy on the road and they struggle to generate half-court offense. Despite all those problems, Isaiah Thomas still had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his potential go-ahead jumper was blocked.
• Gonzaga is far too successful a program to garner much joy from moral victories, but credit the Zags for a much better road performance on Saturday in an 83-79 loss to Notre Dame. Gonzaga lost for the fourth time to a top 25 opponent even though Elias Harris had 19 points in just 24 minutes, the Zags shot over 50 percent and they committed just nine turnovers.
Victoria Beckham Missy Peregrym Sarah Gellman Eliza Dushku Bonnie Jill Laflin
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