Higher Post: An Ode To The Infoulable!
...and I hope you are full of cupcakes!
Congregation, please stand up….
…because with a new year, comes a new season: Conference Play!!
First off, HAPPY (EVERYONE ELSE’S) NEW YEAR!!
As the Church of Bracketology officially celebrates our New Years on the first Monday in November (you know, when the games actually start) it’s not our official holiday. However, any chance we have for new beginnings is always a reason to celebrate.
In the olden days of conferences with names that described their actual size, January was the start of conference play; when official records would practically reset to “zero-zero” as this was when it really mattered. The non-conference schedule was a good testing ground, but in conference play, even the worst teams know how to knock you off ruining dreams of Dancing through the confetti!
These days, with the big bloated Uberconferences, we enter the new year with some conference games under our belt already. With those early tests, the start of January gives us a peak into how ‘infoulable’ teams really are.
With that, we start a new segment here on the CoB newsletters: The Infoulable!
This is our look at the remaining teams who have yet to commit the ultimate sin...of losing. As conference play heats up, let’s track who’s still standing. Right off the tip, we see that Vanderbilt and Iowa State are killing it on both the men’s and women’s games with a collective 27-0 apiece! They are the last two to represent both sides for their schools.
Introducing: The Infoulable!
Here is a look at who is still standing as of January 2:
MBB:
#1 Arizona Wildcats (13-0 overall, 0-0 Big XII): Tommy Lloyd’s squad going into the new season with #1 ranking, #2 NET ranking, and wins over then #3 Florida, #15 UCLA, #3 UConn, #20 Auburn, #12 Alabama, and San Diego State - who is never a pushover. 7 of these wins a Quad 4, but none of the unranked teams scared them.
#2 Michigan Wolverines (13-0 overall, 3-0 B1G): Currently, ranked #1 in NET, KenPom and BPI, the Wolverines have sliced through 8 total Quad 1 & 2 opponents with a scoring margin of over 30 (including a 40pt blowout of Gonzaga!) That is insane. Numbers say that they won’t have a real test until visiting Lansing on 1/30. The eye test agrees.
#3 Iowa State Cyclones (13-0 overall, 1-0 Big XII): The Cyclones are picking up where they left off last season. Not as tested as their conference mates from the desert, but blowing out a #1 team (Purdue) by 23pts on the road is a major confidence booster.
#11 Vanderbilt Commodores (13-0 overall, 0-0 SEC): If you told me that the SEC would be the topped ranked conference in the NET, I would believe you. If you told me it would be led by undefeated Commodore team, I would go off on how amazing Mikayla Blakes is. Then, you would reminded me that we are talking men’s Commodores here! Vandy has 4 Quad 1 wins over Wake Forest, SMU, Saint Mary’s and UCF, which is the weakest Q1 slate of the teams listed here. They will be challenged as SEC play starts today.
#13 Nebraska Cornhuskers (14-0 overall, 3-0 B1G): Nebraska is Huskin’ through the conference with B1G wins over Wisconsin, #13 Illinois, and #9 Michigan State (which produced a court storming!) This is Fred Hoiberg’s best harvest yet, but the dog days of conference play has brought blight to his record over past years. Maybe that will change this season.
NR…but getting votes - Miami of Ohio! (14-0 overall, 2-0 MAC!): The Little Miami That Could is steaming through opponents. Unfortunately, their schedule is ranked as one of the lowest in all of D1 with zero Quad 1 games and only 2 Quad 2s. The rest are either Quad 4 or Non-D1 where they are 12-0. They will get their first real MACtion today against conference NET leader Akron.
WBB:
#1 UConn Huskies (14-0 overall, 5-0 Big East): The Huskies are racing through an early Big East schedule with 5 wins already. Add to that, convincing wins (if not, absolute blowouts) over then #22 Louisville, Ohio State, #16 USC, #11 Iowa, and #6 Michigan, who gave them the only scare after the Wolverines came back from a 17 pt deficit midway through the 3rd. They don’t really face much heavy competition in conference but will have the usual games against rivals Notre Dame and Tennessee coming up. If only they had a date with…
#2 Texas Longhorns (16-0 overall, 1-0 SEC): Would a UConn/Texas game be the ultimate final this season? The Horns stampeded through their loaded non-con schedule that included a sweep of both Carolinas, as well as, then #24 Richmond, #3 UCLA, #13 Baylor and James Madison (don’t sleep on the Duchesses). This is Madison Booker’s year to shine and she is acing my eye test.
#8 TCU Horned Frogs (14-0 overall, 2-0 Big XII): Given the state of the WNBA (and NIL, really), it was not shocking that Olivia Miles passed on the draft to stay in school for her redshirt season, despite being projected as the #2 pick. What was shocking was Liv’s jump in the portal to end up at TCU. However, she can now remind the world what she can do without sharing the spotlight with Hannah Hidalgo. I miss these two together, but wow. TCU has won all 14 games by double-digits with Miles accruing 4 triple-doubles in her last 5 games. The Horns early season win at NC State made us look and we can’t stop watching.
#10 Iowa State Cyclones (14-0 overall, 2-0 Big XII): Cyclones’ center Audi Crooks is stealing the hearts of the faithful hoops congregation, but not stealing victories. She is earning every single one. The 6’3” junior leads the nation in scoring. She averages just under 30ppg (29.4) which is a full 4pts greater than Hannah Hidalgo, who is second, and happens to do it in less than 27mins per game. That is a 1.1 point per minute average. WAT?!? But, the Cyclones are not a one trick pony. Along side Crooks is junior forward Addy Brown, who is averaging just under a double-double of her own (13.9 ppg / 9.2 rpg).
#12 Vanderbilt Commodores (14-0 overall, 1-0 SEC): Live from Nashville, it’s the Mikayla Blakes show! The sophomore guard is shooting just under 50% for the season, averaging 24.7 ppg in 31mins of play. She just keeps getting better and better. However, like their siblings on the men’s side, they haven’t been tested much with the strongest opponents being ACC teams California and Virginia. Major midterm tomorrow as they welcome #5 LSU Tigers. Things could get a little Mulkey.
#21 Texas Tech Lady Raiders (15-0 overall, 2-0 Big XII): The Lady Raiders are on the rise behind the power of their 3-headed guard monster of seniors Snudda Collins, Bailey Maupin and junior Jaylnn Bristow. All 3 are averaging just over 14ppg in less than 30mins on court. If one is down, there are two more. That is a nightmare for opposing defenses to cover. Not a lot of challenges on the schedule so far, but a pre-Christmas win at #15 Baylor gives confidence down the stretch. January, they face the bottom half of the conference, but wait for end of the month when #10 Iowa State and #8 TCU come to Lubbock.
NR - Arizona State Sun Devils (15-0 overall, 2-0 Big XII): Lastly, the team last in the rankings, but first in the standings, the Sun Devils from Arizona State. So, how could a team who is undefeated halfway through the season not be ranked? Easy, their schedule is not one to write home about. Current NET ranking of 41, zero Quad 1 opportunities and 70 in Quad 4. The quality wins are just not there. But, to be fair, they are winning all those games. That builds confidence going into Big XII play, but this is a tough league. They are 2-0 against middle of the pack, Colorado and Utah. They go to BYU today, which is not easy, and then to TCU next week. Let’s see where they come out and reassess.
“That’s usually when the ground falls out from underneath your feet.”
Indiana Jones - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
We Got Next: Games to watch this weekend! (all times EST)
There is still a bunch of bowl games happening so we are getting a weird slate of games this Saturday, but some solid match ups in the SEC. On the women’s side, there is a usual slate of gems.
MBB:
Saturday - Noon: Kentucky / #14 Alabama (ESPN) UK is back but needs this.
Saturday - 1p: Auburn / #23 Georgia (SEC) Mike White has the ‘dogs barking
Saturday - 3p: #19 Tennessee / #18 Arkansas (ESPN2) Cal vs. Barnes.
Saturday - 6p: UCLA / #25 Iowa (Peacock) Look out, here comes Iowa?
Sunday - Noon: Creighton / Seton Hall A solid BE challenge
WBB:
Saturday - 2p: #25 Princeton / UPenn (ESPN+) Two top teams in the Ivy battle
Saturday - 8p: #17 USC / #4 UCLA (Peacock) No notes necessary
Sunday - Noon: Illinois / #24 Michigan State (BTN) Illinois is top the B1G…for now
Sunday - 3p: #15 Ole’ Miss / #2 Texas (ESPN2) Cotie vs. Madison. #nufsed
Sunday - 3p: #22 Baylor / #10 Iowa State (ESPN) Baylor looks to rebalance.
Sunday - 5p: #5 LSU / #12 Vanderbilt (ESPN) I love me some spilt Mulk.
Keeping up with the Hannahs 2, Electric Hannahloo
When we last left our heroes, we were heading into Feast Week. A lot has happened since then. Let’s keep up.
Hannah Stuelke (Senior / Forward / Iowa):
The emergence of sophomore Ava Heiden down low has really freed up Hannah to move more into the 4. This has given Jan Jensen more options with her rotation. As a result, all of her major stats are up from last year. I will argue that this team is stronger than last season as the addition of Chit-Chat Wright at the point has given this team strong balance between the front and back courts as Wright, Heiden and Stuelke share a high majority of scoring so far.
They were not enough to hold back Audi Crooks, Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd, but to be far, no one else has either. Those losses against Iowa State and UConn are the only blemishes on this Hawkeye squad so far.
In each case, these Hawkeyes have bounced back strong (34pt win over Lindenwood, 23pt win over Penn State, respectively). At this time last season, Iowa (12-2, 2-0) started a 5 game losing streak to start B1G play at 2-6. Most of those losses were close and avoidable, including a home loss to Nebraska in OT. On New Years, a stronger and ranked Nebraska squad entered Carver-Hawkeye to repeat but Hannah and her sisters persisted and defended their nest. Upcoming is a stretch of middle table teams to help, but nothing is easy in this new B1G.
What has been fun this season is more aggression, leadership, and just overall energy from Hannah Stuelke, who still needs work on diversifying her skillset to stick to a WNBA roster. Given the state of the W right now (lockout or strike?) she might just get that best chance to take one more grad year to keep working on those skills. If she does, she should think about transferring just to take advantage of a different style of coaching for diversity sake. I can’t imagine she would not be welcome in most top programs (with amazing NIL opps too. See: Olivia Miles)
Up Next (all times EST):
Monday 1/5 - #14 Iowa at N’western (8:30p, BTN)
Sunday 1/11 - #14 Iowa at Indiana (5p, BTN)
Thursday 1/15 - Oregon at #14 Iowa (9p, FS1)
Sunday 1/18 - #24 Michigan State at #14 Iowa (8p, BTN)
Hannah Hidalgo (Junior / Guard / Notre Dame):
Meanwhile, in South Bend, the Irish continue to roll behind Hannah Hidalgo. She is clearly the gold in the pot. Hannah is second in the country in scoring (25.5) trailing only Audi Crooks. But, while Crooks steals the points, Hannah steals the ball 6.1 times a game, which is almost a full 2 steals above THEE Ohio State’s Kennedy Cambridge.
After the USC game, Notre Dame has gone 6-2 with blowout 5 of those wins, including 72pt cursing of Bellarmine. The two losses were close ones at #13 Ole’ Miss and Georgia Tech, both of which the Irish were leading but could not close out.
Hannah, meanwhile in this time, has scored over 30 twice (vs. Bellermine / Pitt) with double-doubles and one triple-double. She also passed her coach Niele Ivey on the Notre Dame all-time steals list. Next in her sights is Skylar Diggins (381) and is only 23 behind.
While Cassandre Prosper has build presence inside, and Vanessa de Jesus has exploded from 3, this is still very much Hannah’s team. The Michigan loss was an ‘embarrassment’ according to Hannah, but this Michigan team is legit. The loss to Ole’ Miss is regrettable, but respectable. The lost to Georgia Tech was avoidable. This Irish team is not the same talent level as last season, but Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron, Liatu King and Maddie Westbeld brought leadership that is hard to replace. This team is still very very good and finding their way. We will see what they are made of as they enter the belly of the ACC beast with games against Duke (who they embarrassed last season) followed by #16 UNC, #13 Louisville and #1 UConn, all of whom the Irish beat last season. They will be ready for revenge. I’m looking forward to seeing Hannah be their pest.
Up Next (all times EST):
Sunday 1/4 - #18 Notre Dame at Duke (Noon, ACCNet)
Thursday 1/8 - Boston College at #18 Notre Dame (6p, ACCextra)
Sunday 1/11 - #16 North Carolina at #18 Notre Dame (1p, ESPN)
Thursday 1/15 - #13 Louisville at #18 Notre Dame (6p, ACCNet)
Monday 1/19 - #18 Notre Dame at #1 UConn (5p, FOX)
Five Touches: Passing around the sports world
Nebraska Court Storming has mixed reviews - and not what you think: Friday night, #13 Nebraska beat #9 Michigan State at home and the fans did the old fashioned court storm! The funny thing happened afterwards. In their respective pressers, Nebraska forward Rienk Mast and guard Jamarques Lawrence asked the fans not to rush the court. While, Mich St. coach Tom Izzo said to go ahead and enjoy the win.
What exactly are we doing here, part 1? Arkansas coach John Calipari rails on the NCAA for their changes for eligibility and transfer rules after Baylor signs a player from the G-league. He doesn’t just rip on the issue, he proposes solutions, but no one (not even Ellen, his wife) is listening. Is he wrong?
What exactly are we doing here, part 2? Meanwhile, St. John’s coach (and John Calipari nemesis -and- benefactor) Rick Pitino have called out the NCAA the opposite way, saying this game ‘no longer exists’ and we should call it what it really is - professional basketball.
Rick Pitino@RealPitinoEverything I'm reading from college coaches is great stuff, but what's not being said, is that it’s no longer college basketball. It's professional basketball with budgets that rival the Euroleague. So pros have trade deadlines. The G league is way below college basketball on a8:42 PM · Dec 30, 2025 · 878K Views448 Replies · 1.29K Reposts · 11K LikesSo, is this what we are doing here??? In response to the above, NCAA head Charlie Baker releases statement to clarify that players who have signed NBA contracts are not eligible to play in college. But what about if you were drafted?? Did I miss this?
Ok, lets end on a good knot: Congrats to National Treasures Sam Kerr (Australia) and Kristi Mewis (Massachusetts) have officially tied that knot!! Congrats you two!!
Final Seconds
There is a lot of chaos in the NCAA for eligibility and transfer rules right now. I will unpack a bunch in the next few weeks. For now, just go and enjoy the games as we have them because at the end of this is a bunch of kids just trying to win some games. And we love that! Enjoy them!
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Always live One Shining Moment at a time. Never be boring.