Rise and shine

* Illinois' win at Gonzaga will go down as one of the most impressive of the season, not just non-conference.

* One month into the season and there are already candidacies being formed for national player of the year. It's still so early, but the players who stand out the most have been Doug McDermott (Creighton), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Erick Green (Virginia Tech), Brandon Paul (Illinois), Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse), Otto Porter (Georgetown), Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati), Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State) and Cody Zeller or Victor Oladipo from Indiana, but I'm not sure which Hoosier I'd pick now if I had to choose just one. What I love about this race is that it will be wide open. And as you can see, one player can change the way a team is performing and the overall perception of that squad's postseason chances.

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