NCAA Notables: Weekend Tournaments

Battle 4 Atlantis
Big winner: Duke. By beating Minnesota, VCU, and Louisville in three consecutive days, the Blue Devils have added three excellent nonconference wins to a ledger that already includes Kentucky. Improved play from point guard Quinn Cook and near-perfect free throw shooting helped the Devils hold on to late leads. While you can't include Duke among the most talented teams in the country, they've already assembled the resumé of a top seed and have to be considered ACC favorites. Oh, and they have a decent coach, I guess.
Don't forget about: Well, everyone else in this strong field. But for a team that went 1-2 in Atlantis, VCU was particularly impressive. They didn't have trouble beating a nationally-ranked Memphis team and hung with Duke and Missouri until the final minute, all thanks to their trademark pressure defense. VCU is easily the best 3-3 team in the country. Another thing to keep track of, this one from Louisville: Gorgui Dieng's broken wrist. His timetable for a return is unknown, a big blow to the Cardinals.

NIT Season Tip-Off
Big winner: Michigan. The fourth-ranked Wolverines have justified their lofty national ranking. Wins over IUPUI and Cleveland State didn't mean much, but beating Pittsburgh and Kansas State for the NIT title was impressive. The Trey Burke/Tim Hardaway backcourt has been unstoppable early. Michigan has clearly stepped up its game from last year.
Don't forget about: Pittsburgh. Last year was a fluke; the Panthers are going to be a solid Big East team yet again. They gave Michigan everything they could handle in the NIT semifinals, crushed Delaware 85-59 in their consolation game, and are off to a 5-1 start. Unfortunately, with a weak nonconference schedule, beating Michigan was the only way Pitt could've garnered some attention. The Panthers are going to have to do serious damage during Big East play to return to the NCAA Tournament.

Global Sports Classic
Big winner: Cincinnati. One of the country's top scoring offenses beat Iowa State and Oregon in Las Vegas to win this tournament. The Bearcats don't have a signature nonconference win, but they're 6-0 and still have chances against Alabama, Xavier, and New Mexico. They're quietly one of the three best teams in the Big East.
Don't forget about: Oregon. The Ducks pulled off the tournament's notable upset by beating nationally-ranked UNLV on their home court, 83-79, before losing a close affair with Cincinnati. That's a big deal for the Pac-12's credibility. And the Ducks aren't the only ones from the conference who have improved upon last year. Teams like Arizona, UCLA, Colorado, and Stanford are all vying for an NCAA Tournament berth. Perhaps there's hope for the West Coast after all.

Continental Tire Classic
Big winner: Creighton. Good defense is supposed to beat good offense. Apparently that doesn't apply to Creighton. The high-scoring mid-major dropped 84 points on stingy Wisconsin in the semifinals and easily beat Arizona State to win the whole thing. Tourney MVP Doug McDermott continues to score at an impossible rate, and he's surrounded by a solid supporting cast. Creighton actually looks even better than last year.
Don't forget about: Wisconsin. They lost. It happens. They're still a lock to play in March.

Old Spice Classic
Big winner: Gonzaga. It's often tough to get an accurate read on the Zags because of their dominant home field advantage. So it's a great sign to see them win a preseason tournament on a neutral floor across the country, in Orlando. Led by versatile forward Elias Harris, they ran through Clemson, Oklahoma, and Davidson without much trouble. Still on the nonconference docket: Illinois, Kansas State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State. Love seeing Gonzaga challenge itself.
Don't forget about: Davidson. That team remains the class of the Southern Conference and a perpetual threat to win a game or two in March. It's just disappointing to see them miss a chance for a big-time win against Gonzaga, as that was their last chance for a signature nonconference win until a matchup with Duke in February.