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cjmoorehoops.bsky.social
National college basketball writer at The Athletic.
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I talked to Kelvin Sampson last night about how joining the Big 12 kept him at Houston, what back-to-back league titles means to him and the decision that helped make this possible: www.nytimes.com/athletic/615...

In this week’s Top 25, notes on Duke’s historic 3-game surge, Kelvin Sampson’s brilliance, Michigan State dunks, Rick Pitino wins another league, Maryland’s balance, Clemson’s shooting, BYU P&R execution and Saint Mary’s winning best version of WCC: www.nytimes.com/athletic/615...

Louisville has been the perfect spot for Chucky Hepburn, who has connected with Pat Kelsey. In this story, Hepburn also shares his mental health journey and the losses that motivate him: www.nytimes.com/athletic/613...

NEW @theathletic.bsky.social: This week's national mailbag, with responses from @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social and myself (and Bluesky-less Lindsay Schnell): www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...

Only two teams have ever gone winless in a high-major league and made NCAA tourney the next season. Neither had a winning record in league play. Mizzou’s turnaround could be best we’ve ever seen. How it happened: www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...

In this week’s Top 25, notes on Auburn, Duke, Florida, Houston, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State and Kansas. Plus why I dropped Memphis: www.nytimes.com/athletic/614...

Another great read from @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social on Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz, a mysterious health scare, and the slow acceptance that "You are OK": www.nytimes.com/athletic/612...

For the first time, Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz opens up about the year he almost quit coaching and how it forever changed his perspective: www.nytimes.com/athletic/612...

Why I still have Auburn No. 1, plus nuggets on Florida, Tennessee, Texas A&M, St. John’s, Arizona, Wisconsin, UCLA, Kentucky and Creighton in this week’s Top 25: www.nytimes.com/athletic/612...

My column on a strange night at Allen Fieldhouse that saw KU students chant for Flory Bidunga, making it clear they disagreed with Bill Self’s decision to start KJ Adams: www.nytimes.com/athletic/611...

In this week’s Top 25, some historical perspective on Auburn’s start, plus what makes Duke’s defense so good, Alabama’s unstoppable play, Purdue’s Braden Smith’s, Texas Tech’s upset, Michigan State’s SOS, Missouri’s Caleb Grill, Arizona’s fix and why I ranked UCLA: www.nytimes.com/athletic/610...

A thoroughly reported and wonderfully told story from CJ about Mark Pope, who might understand as well as anyone doing anything what the nature of his job is.

Join @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social and Mark Pope in the Rupp Arena bleachers. What a freakin view. www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

I went to Lexington to get a feel for Kentucky’s love affair with Mark Pope and why he was the perfect man for the job: www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Always read BQ. Another amazing story.

In this week’s Top 25, Texas Tech is back, Auburn’s defensive discipline, Cooper Flagg history, Iowa State’s magic #, Houston’s crazy win, Michigan State is an outlier, KU’s offense trending ⬆️, St. John’s defensive dominance and Louisville’s 3-happy: www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Still cannot believe what I witnessed at Allen Fieldhouse tonight. Kansas ALWAYS wins those games. My column on a magical night for the Houston Cougars: www.nytimes.com/athletic/608...

In today’s Top 25, Smart game plans from West Virginia & Mississippi State, what makes Tahaad Pettiford & Mark Sears special, Houston’s wacky finish, Michigan State’s game-winning adjustment + suspect officiating, Mizzou’s turnaround & Louisville screens: www.nytimes.com/athletic/607...

How did Alabama give Kentucky its first loss at Rupp under Mark Pope? By hunting seals: www.nytimes.com/athletic/607...

How did Alabama give Kentucky its first loss at Rupp under Mark Pope? By hunting seals: www.nytimes.com/athletic/607...

It’s not always about spending the most money in the portal. It’s about landing the right guys for your program. Iowa State’s win on Wednesday was a great example of what that looks like: www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...

It’s not always about spending the most money in the portal. It’s about landing the right guys for your program. Iowa State’s win on Wednesday was a great example of what that looks like: www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...

In this week's Top 25, I watched every Iowa State BLOB this season to see if they'd run the game-winner before, broke down Cooper Flagg's 42, Florida's defense and found a new record for a Bill Self team. Plus several other nuggets: www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

How Jaxson Robinson helped Kentucky win with his shooting and his unselfish: www.nytimes.com/athletic/605...

Could not love this more. Could not love Jim Crutchfield more. “In a sport full of copycats, it’s hard to find anything that looks completely different.” @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social is in his bag here … www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

This article is kicking off 2025 to a good start. Amazing read about peak unconventional coaching. Thank you @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social. #ncaabb

In the last four seasons, Nova Southeastern is 112-4. The Sharks went undefeated and won the title in 2023. In a sport full of copycats, it’s hard to find anything that looks completely different. That is, until Jim Crutchfield. ✍️ @cjmoorehoops.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

Erik Spoelstra and Joe Mazzulla have hung out with him to try to understand his formula. He rarely watches basketball on TV and wouldn’t be great at basketball jeopardy. But Nova Southern’s Jim Crutchfield wins like no one else in college basketball: www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

Good story on Auburn’s 30-year old offensive coordinator Mike Burgomaster from @brendanmarks.bsky.social. The Tigers are on pace for a historically efficient season. www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

Using history as a guide, it’s looking like there are five national title contenders. A look at who those are plus a ton of nuggets from the best games this weekend in this week’s Top 25: www.nytimes.com/athletic/604...

I went behind the scenes a few weeks ago with Drake to see how Ben McCollum and his four former Northwest Missouri State players are crushing it at D1 level: www.nytimes.com/athletic/602...

www.nytimes.com/athletic/603... How West Virginia upset No. 7 Kansas to make history in both teams’ Big 12 opener

KU’s tags have been so bad in ball screen defense I wonder if Self just goes zone

In this week’s Top 25, I feature Auburn (still No. 1), Duke, Marquette, UConn, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, Maryland, Illinois, Cincinnati: www.nytimes.com/athletic/601...

I took a look at why scoring is up and efficiency is on pace for a record high in college basketball: www.nytimes.com/athletic/599...

In this week's Top 25, the SEC is off to a dominant start and a stat that shows just how awesome Auburn has been so far. Tigers remain No. 1 in my poll: www.nytimes.com/athletic/599...

The impact of NIL and the House settlement has college basketball coaches rethinking scheduling and MTEs. The Players Era Festival is also looking like a disruptor in the space. A look at the future of scheduling: www.nytimes.com/athletic/598...

In this week’s Top 25: •The play Auburn is scoring on 90% of the time •Tennessee nails the little details •Iowa State’s defensive stopper •Mark Pope clipboard excellence •Challenge of guarding Marquette •Michigan 4-5 ball screens •Houston’s defense is back www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...

Mark Pope is known for his offense, but he’s winning big games with his in-game adjustments on defense. On the move he made to beat Gonzaga: www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...

Creighton’s extreme game plan that beat Kansas: www.nytimes.com/athletic/597...