The Emery Board: Week 3

College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March. BYU's senior guard Jackson Emery, has made the bold prediction that his team, a Cougar squad that finished with a 27-4 record last season, will in fact go undefeated this season.

We have decided that, in honor of Emery's swagger, we will keep a watch on the BYU Cougar's schedule, to see if they can walk-the-walk. We will also keep tabs on any other undefeated teams who try to make a run at the perfect season.

Week 3:

The BYU players must not be big fans of The Emery Board, because it seems like just about every one of their games comes down to the wire. The Cougars participated in the South Padre Invitational last week, and both of their games had the fate of the Emery Board on the brink of destruction.

Their first match-up in the Spring break hot-spot was against South Florida, a team not expected to do a whole lot this season. But the Bulls hung close, and even got up as many as nine early in the second half. The Cougars fought back, and with time expiring in the second overtime, Noah Hartsock hit a buzzer-beater to keep Jackson Emery's undefeated season alive.



Jimmer Fredette once again led all scorers with 32 points was 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. Emery tallied 20 points including five 3-pointers.

In the championship game against St. Mary's, Fredette did his best Noah Hartsock impersonation, nailing a go-ahead 3-pointer with ten seconds left to seal the victory over the Gaels, 74-73. For the sixth consecutive game, Fredette led all scorers, this time with 24 points.



Emery added 15 points and five steals. Starting next season, these two teams will face-off twice a year, since BYU will be joining the West Coast Conference.

So after six games, BYU is ranked 21st in the AP Top-25 poll and the streak is still alive.

For now, Emery is still looking like Machiavelli. W will see how long it lasts.

Next Game: 12/1 at Creighton

Next Potential Loss: 12/1 at Creighton or 12/11 vs. Arizona

Other Undefeated Teams
I'd like to point out that "next potential loss" means the opponent on the schedule closest in date to now with the most realistic chance of defeating the unbeaten team. There may be games in between "next game" and "next potential loss" and while it is quite possible a loss would occur during this time, I wouldn't bet on it. Or maybe I would....

UPDATE (11/30): We've lost two members from the ranks of the unbeaten. Minnesota got beat at home by Virginia in the opening game of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The Gophers were up big at the half, but poor team defense and some hot shooting by the Cavaliers turned the tide in the second half, as the Gophers lost by eight. The Kangaroos of UM-Kansas City got their first W of the season, thanks to an overmatched Wichita State team.

Keep checking in on the Emery Board as the week continues.


#1 Duke: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Michigan State
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 vs. Michigan State

#2 Ohio State: 5-0
Next Game: 11/30 at Florida State
Next Potential Loss: 11/30 at Florida State

#3 Pittsburgh: 7-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Duquesne
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. Tennessee

#4 Kansas: 6-0
Next Game: 12/2 vs. UCLA
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 at Memphis

#7 Connecticut: 5-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. New Hampshire
Next Potential Loss: 12/27 vs. Pittsburgh

#8 Syracuse: 6-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Cornell
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 vs. Michigan State

#9 Missouri: 5-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Georgetown
Next Potential Loss: 11/30 vs. Georgetown

#11 Baylor: 5-0
Next Game: 12/2 vs. Arizona State
Next Potential Loss: 12/2 vs. Arizona State

#13 Tennessee: 5-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Middle Tennessee
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 at Pittsburgh

#14 Memphis: 5-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Arkansas State
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 at Kansas

#16 Georgetown: 6-0
Next Game: 11/30 at Missouri
Next Potential Loss: 11/30 at Missouri

#17 San Diego State: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. St. Mary's
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 vs. St. Mary's

#24 UNLV: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 at Illinois State
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 at Louisville

#25 Notre Dame: 7-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Indiana State
Next Potential Loss: 12/8 at Kentucky

Boise State: 6-0
Next Game: 12/5 vs. Long Beach State
Next Potential Loss: 12/8 at UNLV

Central Florida: 5-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Florida
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 vs. Florida

Cincinnati: 5-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Wright State
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 vs. Wright State

Cleveland State: 8-0
Next Game: 12/29 at UW-Green Bay
Next Potential Loss: 12/4 at UW- Milwaukee

Hawaii: 5-0
Next Game: 12/1 at Cal-Poly
Next Potential Loss: 12/4 at BYU

Indiana: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 at Boston College
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 at Boston College

Iowa State: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 at Northern Iowa
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 at Northern Iowa

Louisville: 4-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Florida International
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. UNLV

Loyola (IL): 7-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Butler
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 vs. Butler

Massachusetts: 6-0
Next Game: 12/1 at Quinnipiac
Next Potential Loss: 12/1 at Quinnipiac

Mississippi State: 4-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Florida Atlantic
Next Potential Loss: 12/13 vs. Nichols State

Northwestern: 4-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Georgia Tech
Next Potential Loss: 11/30 vs. Georgia Tech

South Dakota State: 4-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Nevada
Next Potential Loss: 12/4 vs. North Dakota State

Southern Mississippi: 4-0
Next Game: 12/1 vs. Alcorn State
Next Potential Loss: 12/4 at Ole Miss

Washington State: 4-0
Next Game: 11/30 vs. Sacramento State
Next Potential Loss: 12/3 vs. Kansas State