CJ Moore

Men’s college basketball Top 25: While Duke holds steady at No. 1, Florida surges into top 5 This week's rankings include a number of teams — including Michigan and Florida — playing lineups with a ton of height.

This week’s Top 25 includes Duke’s defensive evolution, Aday Mara taking off, Arizona’s winning formula, UConn being clutch, Florida’s rebound gravity, why I was wrong about Michigan State, how Texas Tech is winning w/o Toppin and Saint Mary’s statistically weird win: www.nytimes.com/athletic/707...

Yes. They miss the diversity in their offense Roberts gave them. They have to rely on their guards making shots and Kingston getting to the rim.

Darryn Peterson has a normal one, fueling Kansas' win over No. 5 Houston

Darryn Peterson provided a moment last night that shows he cares about his team, the opposite of what’s been spewed lately.

My column on Peterson and narratives. Free to read: www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

The Athletic's men's hoops Top 25: Duke deserves No. 1, and Jon Scheyer deserves credit

The Top 25 is read to read this week. Starts with Duke and some praise for Jon Scheyer. Thoughts on Michigan, Arizona, UConn, Purdue, Florida, Virginia, Texas Tech and JT Toppin, and finishes with KU and Darryn Peterson: www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Purdue hasn’t lived up to preseason No. 1, but do not write off the Boilermakers yet (Gift Article) In a 93-64 win over Indiana, Purdue showed it can still accomplish some special things when its big three is clicking.

Matt Painter got real nerdy and detailed when I asked him about Indiana’s post defense plan. Here’s why (a free read for all): www.nytimes.com/athletic/706...

Sticking to my formula. What they’ve done is incredibly impressive and it’s an awesome story. It’d go against how I rank teams to include them. But I’d love to see them win multiple games in the tourney. Not rooting against them.

Men’s college basketball Top 25: Michigan is new No. 1, just in time for epic matchup with Duke Michigan and Duke could be a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup and Final Four preview this Saturday in Washington, D.C.

In this week’s Top 25, the sublime passing of Aday Mara, the formula to beat Arizona, Iowa State’s historic ability to force TOs, Illini P&R, Purdue shooting more 3s, Texas Tech’s historic P&R, a blind PG test and how Wisconsin beats T10 teams: www.nytimes.com/athletic/704...

How Michigan's Aday Mara found his happy place and became one of college hoops' top shot blockers

Really enjoyed visiting with Michigan’s Aday Mara. Awesome young man, who has found his happy place with Michigan. This link is free for everyone, including non-subscribers. www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

How No. 9 Kansas handed No. 1 Arizona its first loss even without star Darryn Peterson The Jayhawks are 40-0 at home in ESPN's Big Monday games under Hall of Fame coach Bill Self, who exulted in the win.

Haven’t seen Bill Self that excited about a home win since maybe 2012 against Mizzou. There were many reasons, but at top of the list, I think he’s falling in love with this team: www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Darryn Peterson not playing tonight. He has flu-like symptoms. He went out with the team for warmups, but can’t go, according to a KU official.

Men’s college basketball Top 25: Are Arizona and Michigan in a tier of their own? Arizona and Michigan could be on a collision course for one of the most epic national title games ever.

In this week’s Top 25, what makes Arizona’s defense so good, Houston’s shot differential, Jeremy Fears using Gortats, Florida’s defensive bigs and key lineup changes for UNC and St. John’s: www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Torn Achilles, no problem: How Portland and its injured coach notched one of the year's major upsets

Why was Portland coach Shantay Legans hopping around on one foot during the biggest win of his career? He got tired of watching turnovers and decided to punch a gap. www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...

Today feels like one of the legacy NBA teams just closing shop midseason. “The Knicks had a good run but they’re done.” Their players all suddenly free agents.

Hope everyone from the Post sports section is able to find new employers who value their work. A ton of talent just hit the market.

College basketball teams are playing bigger than ever — and winning doing it

College basketball players are taller than ever. Small ball was the rage. Now we’re entering a big ball era, where teams like Michigan and Florida are winning playing three bigs together.

Story on the benefits of going big: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

The Athletic's men's hoops Top 25: Why Kansas is the hardest team in the sport to rank

This week’s Top 25 starts with the difficulty of judging Kansas and Darryn Peterson. Blurbs on Arizona, Michigan, Duke, Illinois, Gonzaga, KU, Florida and Saint Louis: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Darryn Peterson leaves no doubt in duel with AJ Dybantsa — for a half

My column on another day that brought optimism and then confusion in Lawrence: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Men’s college basketball contender tiers: Title favorites, wild cards and mid-majors to watch There’s more talent in college basketball this season than maybe any time this century. It should make for a fun March and April.

The six teams I think are most likely to win the national title, plus other teams I wouldn’t be shocked to see win it, wildcards and mid-majors who could win a game: www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

They’ve already beat Illinois and Michigan State. Even if they were to lose all three of those games, it wouldn’t be fair to call them a pretender.

On it. Good catch. My 8 year old self is ashamed. Big Eight made me fall in love with college hoops.

Nebraska has never won an NCAA Tournament game. So how are the Huskers — now 20-0 — doing this? Nearly everything has gone right for a Nebraska program whose fans grew accustomed to everything going wrong.

A friend called on my way to Lincoln last week. “Are you going to find out how in the heck this (Nebraska) team is any good?”

The answers for a team destined to make history: www.nytimes.com/athletic/700...

Men’s college basketball Top 25: A historically great freshman class is only getting better From Arizona to BYU to Illinois and many more, the Top 25 is full of teams led by star freshmen.

More Keaton Wagler goodness in this week’s Top 25. How the Illini set up Wagler to go for 46, plus notes on other top freshman performances this weekend, the value of Michigan’s depth and SLU on its way toward statistical history: www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

555 - CJ Moore Talks Keaton Wagler, the NBA Draft & Illini Tourney Expectations - YouTube Edition - IlliniGuys.com Mike Cagley talks to the Athletic's CJ Moore about his personal connection to Keaton Wagler, the NBA Draft & the Illini team expectations come tourney time.

Mike talks to the Athletic's CJ Moore about his connection to Keaton Wagler, the NBA Draft & the Illini team expectations come tourney time.
@theathletic.com @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social @mikecagley.bsky.social
#Illini #Illinois #collegebasketball
illiniguys.com/555-cj-moore...

He was the 261st-ranked player in his class. Now he could be an NBA lottery pick

Keaton Wagler went to my old high school and I thought he was gonna be special. But this fast? A possible one-and-done lottery pick? Not even he dreamed it. But his story is one other players should learn from. www.nytimes.com/athletic/699...

Men’s college basketball Top 25: Why Nebraska, Virginia, Florida are flying up the rankings Plus: St. John's and Wisconsin return to our Top 25.

Nebraska, Kansas, Florida and Virginia move up and I wrote about all four in this week’s T25, plus UConn’s 3-point defense, Duke’s passing bigs, Texas Tech slowing Dybantsa, North Carolina’s defensive struggles and St. John’s and Wisconsin’s hot offenses: www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...

Thanks Seth!

College hoops’ point-shaving plot begs the question: Why even allow bets on low-major games? Most of the games prosecutors allege were fixed were at the low- and mid-major levels, where players aren't making much money.

My column on college basketball’s betting scandal and who needs to take action: www.nytimes.com/athletic/697...

Was Michigan’s loss just a blip? Mid-major teams to eye for March? College basketball mailbag Why Saint Louis and Saint Mary's are among the mid-majors who could spring a win or two in the NCAA Tournament.

Mailbag with @brendanmarks.bsky.social. Thoughts on Michigan’s first loss, a mid-major top five, the strength of the Big 12, UNC’s front court, how Iowa can get Bennett Stirtz going in big games and best transfers from outside of D1:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

In crushing No. 2 Iowa State, Kansas finally begins to look like team Bill Self envisioned

KU looked like KU again on Tuesday night. My column on what had gone wrong, what went right and why the Jayhawks have hope again: www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Men’s college basketball Top 25: Unbeaten Vanderbilt, Nebraska are bona fide top-10 teams It's also time to consider mid-majors — and Utah State and Saint Louis join our ranking this week.

This week’s Top 25 with Saint Louis, Clemson and Utah State making their debuts and both Vandy and Nebraska moving up:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...

Men’s college basketball Top 25: Michigan’s dominance is breaking Vegas Plus: How Purdue's Braden Smith makes passing magic and why SMU and Villanova are the newest teams in our ranking.

Michigan breaking algorithms and debuting at No. 1 in a new stat, plus nuggets on Purdue, BYU, Nebraska, Alabama, SMU and Villanova in this week’s Top 25: www.nytimes.com/athletic/694...