The offseason Rigamarole begins, bids are won and time between troubling hours on the college basketball calendar where the Sunday selection is within a week. It was fully on display in the last 24 hours, when programs like High Point and Omaha (Pray For the Trashcans) were the first in school history to punch tickets for NCAA tournaments. Ah, NC State did x Kevin Keat less than a year after leading them in the magical run to the 2024 Final Four Team.
What a glorious, merciless sport.
CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter and Cameron Salerno begin with the shocking moves of Wolfpack and dive into a variety of sports topics to buy or sell.
1. Buy and sell: NC has made the right decision to fire Kevin Keats now
Salerno: Sale. Keatts should have been fired last season. But that was before NC State unfolded its stretch and reached the Final Four for the first time since 1983. This decision could be justified based on his work, but the timing is poor. Change was inevitable in NC, but it’s still surprising that it just happened.
Trotter: Buy. From the human side, it feels awful to see Keatts being forced to “enter the transfer portal” a year after he led NC State to the Final Four. But from a basketball perspective, this isn’t even close to the question I have in my mind. Last year was an unprecedented heater, and it may never be replicated again. These nine victories were special and extremely unsustainable. The bubble of multi-year roster construction was a reality and felt very sustainable. Keatts can quite accuse him of all the lack he doesn’t want, but the portal ratings for NC State last spring were not sufficient, and if he saw NC State this year, it didn’t have any nightly identity similarities. There are many instances where a good coach loses over and over until he stops marching. The opposite must also be true. One insane big dance run should not hide the same flaws that continued to pop up every year. We will not blame NC State Brass for missing the ACC tournament and deeming it enough for a year after missing fan support by the day. Additionally, it has been upgraded to the first line.
2. Buy and sell: Alabama can win national titles
Salerno: Buy. Alabama certainly has flaws, but if you’re talking about pure talent and the ability to win six consecutive games against a quality opponent, Crimson Tide checks both boxes. Alabama stopped stretching last season, but won four consecutive games to reach the first Final 4 in program history. I still believe in the depth Alabama has. A key element of last four runs last year was Unsung Heroes, who stepped up in big moments. For the pound, Alabama has one of the best crimes in the country. The lack of physicality from the defense and front court are two question marks heading into the tournament. Alabama was a preseason choice to win the title. I’m stuck to the crimson tide until the wheels fall, but it can happen sooner than it slows down.
Trotter: For sale. The best version of Alabama includes the average Magguin Grant Nelson. His 25-point eight rebound shows against Auburn were extremely frustrating. This is because it has not been shown much throughout SEC play. Overall, Alabama’s big blowjobs are preventing it from putting it in the top tier of title candidates such as Auburn, Duke, and Florida. It feels like there’s still a lot of Nate Oats and his staff looking for the best frontcoat pairings between games. The defense is good when Cliff Omoruyi is on the floor and slips while he is sitting. However, when Omoriyui is on the bench, the attack usually improves. That’s frustrating because I feel that there have been times when Alabama hasn’t been able to get the best five players on the floor. Of course, Alabama is combat-tested for anyone, so you can win the title, but I won’t bet on it. Too many other teams with fewer defects at the top of the national food chain.
3. Buy or sell: North Carolina enters meeting title week to lose/become the most
Salerno: Buy. North Carolina has had a tough draw in the ACC tournament. Because by getting the No. 5 seed, you won’t have the chance to win a Quad 1 victory unless you beat Duke in the semi-finals of Charlotte. Tar Heels have to win two games just to get there. UNC was able to solidify their bids for the NCAA Tournament in a matchup against another Quad 1 opponent (Clemson or Louisville) in the ACC title game. But that’s a lot of “Whatifs”.
Last week I said UNC’s game with Duke is the “must-have” game of NCAA Tournament’s hopes, but I still support it. North Carolina will need to pull NC State to enter the tournament. It’s tragic to miss the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. UNC coach Hubert Davis will be back next season, but if his team misses the big dance this month, his seat will be Red Hot, heading for the 2025-26 campaign.
Trotter: For sale. Saturday felt like North Carolina’s last Gasp Super Bowl, and Duke still found a way to survive with a double-digit victory. After that emotional roller coaster, we don’t know what UNC will return from MAT in the ACC tournament. I’m more focused on teams like Baylor (more on them later), Indiana, Arkansas, and Mountain West Tournament, which should be ferocious. I think Xavier will earn the most profits during Conference Tournament Week. If he wins the right to dance, Xavier has a recipe that makes serious noise. Not only will you create tournaments, you will actually move forward. Since February 1st, no Big East team has a net rating as high as Xavier.
4. Buy or sell: St. John’s will be the final team in the Big East Standing of the NCAA Tournament
Salerno: Sale. This could be a cold take. I don’t love what Rick Pitino does at St. John’s, so is that okay? Red Storm is one of the best stories in college basketball. They took on the coach identity. St. Johns plays hard, rebounds like crazy and gives great defense. I’m still skeptical of how far this team can get into the tournament. Three-point shooting is a concern, and the lack of victory over the Quad 1 competition is also something you’ve been thinking twice. My thoughts: St. John’s doesn’t make it from the first weekend.
Trotter: Buy. I certainly love what Xavier is cooking these days, but St. John’s Defense is still the best unit in the Big East Club. Better than Clayton’s great attack. It’s better than Marquette’s pressure defense. It’s better than UConn’s beautiful attack system. I think Johnny has what he needs to move forward in March, as he constantly wins the shot volume game.
5. Buy or sell: Duke should be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament
Salerno: Sale. But… there’s a debate about that. Auburn’s overall resume is better than Duke’s, and the Blue Devils are profiting from the head. Still, I struggle to believe that the committee would make Duke the number one overall seed because Auburn played against that level of competition. After winning Alabama last month, I thought Auburn had locked the seed all over the seed. Even after last weekend’s defeat to the Crimson Tide, I still have Auburn firmly in first place. Now, if Duke wins the ACC Tournament and Auburn has an early exit in the conference tournament, there may be debates about who should be the number one seed this weekend. For now, Auburn nods.
Trotter: For sale. Auburn’s resume metrics are incredible. The eight Quad 1A victory is ridiculous, sitting number one in the nation with a victory over the bubble. The predictive metrics are leaning towards the Duke, which is fine, but Auburn is a worthwhile top seed overall. The rematch in San Antonio will be burned.
6. Buy or sell: Baylor creates an NCAA tournament
Salerno: Buy. Baylor has an urgency this week in Big 12 tournament. The Bears are riding the bubble as one of the “last four,” and with early exits at the conference tournament, Scott Drew’s team will be sweating next weekend. Baylor will face the winners of Oklahoma vs Kansas in the second round of the Big 12 tournament. The bear could win that matchup and beat Texas Tech to feel comfortable. Still, unless there are many bid thefts within the next week, a first round victory will likely be sufficient.
Trotter: Buy. We’ll see how bidder pursuits meet, but Drake in the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game was a big team for Babrish teams like Baylor. After all, I prefer Baylor’s resumes more than Ohio or Arkansas. Baylor will sweat at the selection on Sunday, but I think Scott Drew’s club will eventually enter the field relatively safely if he avoids losing in the Big 12 tournament opener.
Details: Track automatic bids as Drake, High Point, and Lipscom
