By ESPN.com | ESPN.com
Every weekday, some of our college hoops experts discuss the biggest issues, trends and themes in and around college basketball.
1. Ohio State has dropped two straight games. What's the problem?
Andy Katz: I wouldn't fret over it yet. The schedule, though, is brutal with games upcoming against Purdue and Wisconsin. The Buckeyes still have the talent to make it to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.
Myron Medcalf: Pre-shenanigans Marc Loving had been a reliable scorer for the Buckeyes, a respectable Robin to D'Angelo Russell's Batman. He has returned from suspension, but he's still not "back." He has played just 22 minutes and gone 1-for-5 from the field in Ohio State's past two games. Prior to his three-game suspension, he'd accrued double digits in three of four games.
Eamonn Brennan: I think Myron's on to something, but it's worth noting that Russell hasn't played great in the past two games, either. That may well be a function of losing the threat of Loving on the wing, but it also may be just a couple of down games after a startling stretch (including that 23-11-11 triple-double against Rutgers). At this point in the season, it's safe to say the Buckeyes will go as far as Russell can take them. If he doesn't play great, their prospects diminish in a flash.
2. Who's more likely to trip up before Saturday's showdown: Arizona (at Colorado) or Utah (hosting Arizona State)?
Katz: Utah, but I would say it won't happen. The Utes are jacked for this weekend. I wouldn't project any lapse prior to Saturday.
Medcalf: Utah, because it knows how much Saturday's game means in the Pac-12 race. Plus, the Utes will seek redemption for that first loss. They could get caught up in the hype.
Brennan: Arizona. Arizona State is playing better basketball, but few teams in the country this season have been as good on their home floor as Utah. (The Utes' mostly so-so performance on the road is a minor concern for a different Daily Word.) Arizona has to deal with elevation on the road; Utah gets to prime the pump for Saturday's showdown against the Wildcats in the cozy confines of Huntsman Center.
3. Gonzaga has the highest ranking, but are the Bulldogs the best team west of the Big Ten?
Katz: It's hard to say. Arizona did beat Gonzaga, but the Wildcats have a few bad road losses against middling Pac-12 schools. I would lean toward Arizona right now based on its defense, but the Zags have more scoring options. I would love to see a rematch in the West Regional final.
Medcalf: It'd be easy to anoint Arizona as the king of the West of the Mississippi Division in college basketball with its win over the Bulldogs, but Gonzaga has been nearly flawless with the exception of a rocky 10 minutes or so in Tucson earlier in the season. The Zags aren't just the best team in the West, they're one of the top two or three teams in the country right now. And they're playing their best defense in the Mark Few era, too.
Brennan: I'm inclined to argue Gonzaga's case, not only because the Zags have won every game they've played except for a road overtime loss at Arizona (or because they really are incredibly good), but also because they're already getting the annual "But what if they played in a REAL conference!" drivel thrown their way. (Ugh. Worst argument ever?)
So I mean no insult at all when I say it's Arizona. The Wildcats have dropped a couple of Pac-12 road games, sure, but they're also playing bonkers defense in league play, holding teams to fewer second chances than any in the country, and backing it up with more reliable, sustainable offense (read: free throws) than a season ago. They're the real deal.
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