College Hoops Barometer: Longhorn Leader

We'll tackle some of the biggest stories on and off the hardwood in this edition of the College Hoops Barometer.

1. Lonzo Ball's father says Lonzo Ball is better than Steph Curry.

Yeah, I have a response. Umm … what? Apparently Ball's father is notorious for bombastic, outrageous statements such as this. Is Ball one of the best players in college basketball right now? Yes. Will he be a lottery pick in this June's NBA Draft? Absolutely. Can you possibly compare him to a two-time MVP with back-to-back NBA Finals appearances a ring to boot? Definitely not. Ball is a superstar-caliber player with off-the-charts athleticism and court vision. He can most definitely be a superstar at the next level, assuming he can find ways to get off his quirky delivery on his jump shots. Who knows, one day he could be better than Steph. But right now? You can't make that comparison. It's unfair to your son, as it places even more pressure on him to perform. It's unfair to Steph Curry, who is still among the best players in the NBA even during a "down" year by his standards. Confidence is one thing, but let's wait until he gets in the NBA at the very least before this kind of anointment.

2. NC State fired head coach Mark Gottfried but is letting him finish the season.

This doesn't make any sense to me, and Kentucky head honcho John Calipari went to town on the Wildcats for this decision in a recent presser. Perhaps the Wolfpack think this is a "respectful" move to let a coach like Gottfried finish out the season. But in reality, it stalls the transition of your program. And what happens if Gottfried lights a fire under his players and they somehow win the ACC Tournament? Unlikely, but stranger things have happened. What happens then? Is Gottfried un-fired? This type of purgatory-type situation is the least ideal way to handle the firing of a coach and the transition to the future. If you're going to cut the cord, then just cut the cord. Don't leave the coach, the players and the program in limbo unnecessarily.

3. Is it better for Gonzaga to head into the NCAA Tournament with one loss, or remain undefeated?

This is one of my favorite questions, year after year, sport after sport. The goal is to try and win every game you play, right? Firstly, no squad should ever purposely lose a game, particularly at this level. Does being undefeated create more pressure? Not in my mind. It's a myth. And in any event, true performers would relish it. The Derek Jeter's and Tom Brady's of the world. Do you think players and coaches need to be any more motivated because they have not lost? Do you think if Gonzaga was 27-1 instead of 28-0, that they'd be relieved? Absolutely not. The goal is to win, whether you have zero losses or 10 losses, heading into the NCAA Tournament. On the flip side, losing in the big dance hurts whether you have zero losses or 10 losses before that point. The 'Zags already have motivation enough; the school's first Final Four. Remaining undefeated is just icing on the cake. In the immortal words of former NFL head coach Herm Edwards: "You play to win the game. You don't play to just play it." This story, year after year, sport after sport, is something the media takes and inevitably spirals out of control. In-house, I can assure you that Gonzaga head coach Mark Few has his squad cool, calm and focused. The goal is to win the title, whether you're 1-0 or 28-0.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Let's look at some players helping or hurting their cause.

UPGRADE

Jordan Murphy, F, Minnesota - Murphy tallied five double-doubles in the first 23 games of the season for the Gophers. He had a dismal two points and four rebounds at Illinois on February 4th. However, a flip has switched for Murphy, who is riding a four-game double-double streak. Not surprisingly, Minnesota has won all four of those contests. The sophomore is averaging 18 points and 15 rebounds per tilt over that span, essentially putting the Gophers on his back and placing Minnesota firmly back in the NCAA Tournament conversation. The Golden Gophers face Maryland and Wisconsin, two of the top three teams in the conference, over the final four games of the regular season. The Golden Gophers are hoping Murphy's stretch of inspired play continues to carry them.

Lauri Markkanen, F, Arizona - A possible lottery pick this June should he decide to turn pro, Markkanen has really upped his game of late. The freshman seven-footer has collected back-to-back double-doubles for the Wildcats. Markkanen had 19 points and 11 boards at Washington State on February 16th, then followed that performance with a 26-point, 13-rebound manhandling of Washington. By contrast, Markkanen managed just 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in the four previous games. Starting center Dusan Ristic is scheduled to return for Arizona's next game, which could cut into Markkanen's rebounds a bit. Nevertheless, the freshman appears to have hit his stride, and perhaps at just the right time for the highly ranked Wildcats.

Niem Stevenson, G/F, Texas Tech - A junior college transfer, it took Stevenson a while to get his feet wet with the Red Raiders. Known mostly for his scoring prowess, Stevenson hit double figures in just five of his first 20 games this season. He has caught fire of late, though, putting up double-digit points in seven of the last eight games for Tech. Perhaps even more impressively, some of his biggest performances came against stiff competition. Stevenson notched 22 points and 10 rebounds in a narrow 80-79 loss to Kansas. Subsequently, Stevenson tallied 21 points, six rebounds and five assists in the following game against Baylor. Over the last four games, Stevenson is averaging 19.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.5 dimes. With most of its core set to return next season, the Red Raiders and Stevenson could be worth watching in the Big 12.

Kamari Murphy, F, Miami - The 'Canes have almost certainly played themselves into the NCAA Tournament with their recent play, which includes a current three-game winning streak. The most impressive win during that stretch came Monday night in a defensive struggle versus Virginia. Miami outlasted the feisty Cavaliers by a score of 54-48 in overtime. Clearly, offense was at a premium in this contest. Still, Murphy collected his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. In fact, over the current three-game winning streak, Murphy is averaging a near double-double with 11.3 points and 9.3 bounds per tilt. Currently at 9-6 in the ACC with wins over North Carolina and Virginia, Murphy and the rest of the Hurricanes have to be feeling pretty good already about their chances to make the final field on Selection Sunday.

CHECK STATUS

Jarrett Allen, F/C, Texas - The Longhorns are in rebuilding mode, but Allen is certainly a nice piece for head coach Shaka Smart to build around. Fresh off his earth-shattering dunk against West Virginia, Allen has our attention. The freshman has 10 double-doubles in the year, averaging 13.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest. He is shooting a blistering 57.6 percent from the floor. Allen could stand to gain a few pounds, and would likely be best served by staying in school for at least one more season to work on his offensive game. However, with the NBA calling, Allen could instead decide to take his enormous potential to the next level.

Isaac Haas, C, Purdue - Haas gets overshadowed by double-double dynamo Caleb Swanigan, but he has been playing a more central role for the Boilermakers as a junior. Haas is playing nearly six more minutes per game than his previous two campaigns. Not surprisingly, he's averaging career bests of 13.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per tilt. Haas has been particularly effective of late. Over the last two games, the 7-foot-2 center is averaging 21 points and eight rebounds. The Boilermakers have won eight of their last nine games, and Haas has scored in double figures in six of those nine outings. He's a load down low and gives the Boilermakers a formidable frontcourt alongside the aforementioned Swanigan, as long as he stays out of foul trouble.

JaCorey Williams, F, Middle Tennessee State - The Blue Raiders are currently 14-1 in Conference USA, but would still likely have to win the conference outright in order to make the big dance. Should MTSU be included in the final field, it would likely be due to the heroics of Williams, a transfer who was dismissed from Arkansas amid charges of forgery back in 2015. Williams has done the most with his second chance after sitting out last season, averaging 17.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per tilt, placing him in the top 10 in both categories in Conference USA. With Giddy Potts by his side, the Blue Raiders are looking to make back-to-back tournament appearances for the first time in program history.

Kendall Pollard, F, Dayton - The Flyers have zoomed to the top of the Atlantic 10 conference with six-straight victories. During that span, Pollard is averaging 17 points per game, shooting a scorching 62 percent from the field. The senior has been getting to the charity stripe with great frequency, averaging over six attempts per game from the foul line. An improved stroke has also helped to boost his scoring. The Flyers have made the big dance in every season during Pollard's tenure at Dayton, and he was a freshman on the 2014 squad that went to the Sweet 16. Pollard is looking to carry the Flyers to one more Cinderella run before his collegiate career comes to a close. The Flyers won't take anyone by surprise this time around, though.

DOWNGRADE

Eron Harris, G, Michigan State - The Spartans are clinging to an NCAA Tournament berth despite a season rife with injury and inconsistency. Michigan State will have yet another hurdle to surmount due to the serious knee injury suffered by Harris. The senior guard and third-leading scorer for MSU fell awkwardly on his right leg during a drive to the hoop in Saturday's matchup with Purdue. He was taken from the court on a stretcher in a scary scene, and will require season-ending surgery on his knee. It appears that now the fate of the Michigan State season largely rests on the shoulders of freshman Miles Bridges. Michigan State hasn't missed the big dance since 1997, a string of 19 consecutive tournament appearances. This is the third-longest streak behind Kansas and Duke.

John Egbunu, C, Florida - Egbunu also suffered a torn ACL, ending his season prematurely. The junior does have one year left of eligibility, but he may not be able to take the court until 2018 at the earliest. The Gators will miss Egbunu's presence on the interior, as he was the tem leader in rebounding and blocks. In his stead, the Gators will turn to sophomore Kevarrius Hayes to fill the void. Hayes registered nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in Florida's last game, a 57-52 victory at Mississippi State.

Michal Cekovsky, C, Maryland - Ankle issues hobbled Cekovksy throughout the season, including recently missing six games in late December/early January due to the ailment. Upon his return, the 7-foot-1 junior from Slovakia did not seem to be himself. He barely played 10 minutes per game, averaging a mere 4.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. By contrast, prior to the issue, Cekovsky averaged 10 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest over a nine-game span. It has now been determined that Cekovsky has a fractured left ankle, and is ruled out for the rest of the year. Maryland is very thin up front; expect coach Mark Turgeon to rely more and more on three and four guard sets, with Ivan Bender and Damonte Dodd taking most of the minutes in the frontcourt.

Yante Maten, F, Georgia - The Curse of the Barometer continues to rear its ugly head. Just two weeks after being featured in this very column, Maten has gone down with a significant knee sprain, and will be sidelined for at least the remainder of the regular season for the Bulldogs. Maten led the squad in scoring and was second in rebounding. In fact, he was third in the entire SEC in scoring at 18.7 points per tilt. The only hope for a tourney bid for the Bulldogs would likely be to run the table in the SEC Tournament, though it remains to be seen if Maten would be healthy enough to play in a role in such a run. J.J. Frazier had 36 points in Georgia's last game, while sophomore Derek Ogbeide pulled down 11 rebounds in the 82-77 loss to Kentucky. Georgia will need more inspired efforts like this without the services of Maten down the stretch.