Is this the year Virginia finally breaks through and reaches the Final Four? The Cavaliers are certainly playing like a favorite, cruising to a 10-0 start in the ACC which includes wins over Duke, Clemson and North Carolina. The suffocating defense implemented by coach Tony Bennett – which has placed the Cavs first in the nation in points allowed -- has seen the program vault from rags to riches in recent years. Yet a Final Four berth has eluded Virginia's grasp despite high rankings heading into the Big Dance. Perhaps having a sharpshooter like leading scorer Kyle Guy will change the narrative this season; Guy is hitting 41.5 percent of his shots from downtown en route to an average of 15.5 points per game. If the Cavs can continue to prove effective on the offensive end to complement their stifling defense, a deep run not seen since the days of Ralph Sampson could be in store for Virginia.

We've reached the heart of conference play as we navigate this week's edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

Kevin Knox (F)
One week since calling out the inconsistent Wildcats, Kentucky appears to have found its stride. UK has reeled off three-straight victories, including an ultra-impressive road win at West Virginia on Saturday. Knox poured in a career-high 34 points to spearhead the victory, hitting five three-pointers in the process. During the current three-game winning streak for Kentucky, Knox is averaging 23.7 points and seven rebounds. Three of the next four games for the Wildcats are on the road, including a visit to first-place Auburn. This could be a crucial stretch for the young Wildcats, and go a long ways towards determining just how good they can be this season.

Justin James (G)
The reigning Mountain West Player of the Week may be one of the better players you've never heard of. James has seen steady improvement during his three years with the Cowboys, averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest. James is tall and long, with the capability to affect the game in a variety of ways. He has six double-doubles this season, including two in the last three games. Despite some shooting struggles overall, James has caught fire of late. The junior is averaging over 30 points during the past three contests, hitting over 52 percent of his shots from the floor. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Cowboys won all three of those tilts, including a win over then-ranked Nevada. Paired with senior forward Hayden Dalton, James and the Cowboys will not be an easy out in the Mountain West Conference if this inspired play continues.

Grant Golden (F)
Golden has provided a feel-good story for college basketball this season. The redshirt freshman collapsed on the court last season during a game. He spent two days in the hospital and underwent a procedure which addresses issues with the rhythm of the heart. Healthy now, Golden has not only returned to the court without complication, but has shined. The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 15.9 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for Richmond. He has been even better of late, averaging almost 21 points over the last five contests. A capable disher as well, Golden's return has been a huge bright spot in what has otherwise been a difficult season on the court for the 8-13 Spiders.

Killian Tillie (F)
Tillie has stepped his game up during the current three-game winning streak for the 'Zags. The sophomore from France is averaging 18.3 points and 7.3 boards over that span. Tillie is shooting an impressive 60.5 percent from the floor during that time period, and the 6-10 forward is not exclusively an interior player. In fact, Tillie takes over two treys per game for the Bulldogs. Overall, Tillie is second on the squad in rebounding and third in scoring for a deep Gonzaga unit. A crucial tilt with Saint Mary's looms on Feb. 10, with Tillie possibly having to square up against Jock Landale, the likely frontrunner for WCC Player of the Year.

Carsen Edwards (G)
The leading scorer for the Boilermakers, Edwards is one of the chief reasons for Purdue's monstrous start to the season. At 22-2, the Boilermakers are ranked third in the nation. The Boilermakers are riding an 18-game winning streak, and have yet to lose in the Big Ten. Edwards has seen a jump in his statistics from a year ago, averaging six more points per game as a sophomore. He has been much more efficient from floor, and is hitting over 40 percent of his shots from three-point land. His assists have also risen, as Purdue is not only one of the highest scoring teams in the country, but also one of the most willing and capable in terms of passing. However, Edwards has had a few down games in a row, averaging just 13.3 points, 1.7 rebounds and two assists over the last three tilts. Nevertheless, the Boilermakers are deep and well-rounded, so the lack of usual production from Edwards has not hurt them in the win-loss column. Still, one has to wonder whether the rigors of being the leading scorer on an undefeated squad in conference play is starting to take its toll on Edwards.

Theo Pinson (F)
Pinson left Tuesday's loss to Clemson after playing just two minutes, suffering a left shoulder strain. Pinson may be able to play this weekend versus Pittsburgh, but coach Roy Williams could exercise caution and sit Pinson to make sure he is fully recovered. Pinson is something of a Renaissance man for the Tar Heels, playing multiple positions and impacting the stat sheet in a bevy of areas. He had two double-doubles in the three games prior to the injury, while also tallying at least five assists in 11 games this season. He's also had multiple games with three blocked shots, and a three-steal output as well. In sum, Pinson is a vital, necessary cog for a reeling UNC squad that has dropped three consecutive contests for the first time since the 2013-2014 campaign.

Matt Farrell (G)
Farrell just cannot seem to shake an ankle injury. An MRI recently revealed a bone bruise. He has already missed two-straight games, and was sidelined for three additional contests in early January with the same injury. As readers of the Barometer are well aware, the Irish have been racked by injuries this season. As of right now, two of their three leading scorers are on the shelf. The season continues to spiral out of control for the Irish, who have lost six games in a row. Sophomore T.J. Gibbs has been one of the few bright spots, averaging 18.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists over the last eight games. Farrell could return as soon as this weekend, but his true status remains a mystery.

Malachi Flynn (G)
Flynn has hit a bit of a wall of late, posting 11 or fewer points in three of the last four contests. Though the sophomore did dish out 11 assists in the Cougs' most recent outing, a loss to Arizona, the lack of overall talent on this squad has made it difficult for Flynn to break loose. Washington State is just 1-8 in Pac-12 conference play, and has lost by an average of nearly 20 points over the last three contests. As a result, the 6-1 sophomore has taken to the three-point shot with much more frequency this season, and he is struggling from beyond the arc. Flynn takes nearly eight treys per game, but is hitting just 34 percent from long distance. Flynn is averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game as a sophomore, but his numbers are not quite as good in conference tilts.

Bruce Brown (G)
The 'Canes suffered a blow to their chances at contending for the ACC crown when Brown went down with a foot injury. Surgery will likely sideline Brown for the remainder of the regular season. The all-purpose guard was averaging 11.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and four assists per contest prior to getting hurt. Miami should be able to make the big dance even without their floor general, but suddenly the Hurricanes are rather thin in terms of their rotation. Expect a combination of future lottery pick Lonnie Walker, diminutive freshman Chris Lykes, and veteran JaQuan Newton to attempt to fill the void left in Brown's absence. Lykes received the starting nod in the first game without Brown, collecting 13 points, three rebounds and five assists in a 69-57 win over lowly Pitt. Meanwhile, Walker led the team in scoring with 16 points.

James Demery (F)
Demery was held out of Temple's last game with an ankle ailment, and the Hawks fell to the Owls by a score of 60-59. Though the injury is not considered serious, the Hawks find themselves in the midst of a three-game slide, and Demery was not exactly lighting it up prior to the injury. Demery shot just 10-of-27 in the two prior losses, failing to reach 15 points in either contest. By contrast, the 6-6 senior is averaging 17.6 points per game on the season as a whole, shooting 46.6 percent from the field overall. The Hawks will need a healthy and productive Demery in order to stay afloat in the Atlantic-10.

Trey Kell (G)
Kell hurt his ankle Saturday in a loss to UNLV, and left the court in crutches. This is the latest in a string of injuries and ailments for Kell, who has sprained his ankle twice this season to go along with a thigh bruise as well as a bout of pneumonia. The previously sturdy Kell has seen his points and rebounds dip from a season ago, as he has continuously battled to stay nagging issues as a senior. It remains to be seen how long Kell will be sidelined this time around. In his place, junior guard Jeremy Hemsley scored a season-high 19 points in the loss to the Rebels.

J.D. Paige (G)
Paige suffered a broken hand and will miss the next 3-4 weeks for the Rams. Paige had been the catalyst for the CSU offense, particularly since the ankle injury to leading scorer Prentiss Nixon. The Rams are now missing their two leading scorers and creators on offense. CSU has dropped every game since Nixon went down with the injury. Raquan Mitchell will be asked to step up in the backcourt, though keep an eye on 6-11 Nico Carvacho. Not only has Carvacho pulled down double-digit boards in eight-straight games, but he is actually second on the team in assists, averaging two dimes per tilt. The ball may be in his hands a whole lot while both Paige and Nixon are sidelined, even despite Carvacho's raw offensive game.