The Most Underachieving College Basketball Teams so Far in 2015-16

It can't all be up, up and away during the college basketball season.

There are favored players, favored teams, high expectations for coaches, too—and sometimes they don't live up to the Superman billing.

We're not here to write off these 10 groups—or insist that they're done. But it's a month into the 2015-16 campaign, and there's work to be done in some places in getting on the right track.

After all, we couldn't have been wrong (right?). It must be on these teams to get to work, get on the upswing for the sake of proving us correct.

We'll take a look at some star freshmen who aren't giving us what was expected of them.

There are experienced teams that haven't done their part, compared to preseason projections. (Though, of note, we skipped injury-riddled Wichita State until further notice.)

And in some cases the historical expectations aren't being met.

There's Kryptonite all around, in a manner of speaking.

Here are some teams stuck in their phone booths in ways we just didn't expect.

Kentucky Wildcats

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What we expected: A dominant big-man freshman anchoring another Final Four attack

What we're getting: Skal Labissiere is struggling to find his way

You know it's tough when columnists, such as Lachlan McLean of WLKY.com in Kentucky, are wondering, "The game is soft, but is the person?"

We examine recruiting stars and NBA draft boards and think we'll have a pretty good feel for the college basketball season. In no place have we been more wrong than Kentucky, which just isn't getting that much from freshman center Skal Labissiere.

He's coming off a game in which he had more fouls (five) than he had in combined points and rebounds (um, zero). And that was at home against Arizona State.

The Wildcats won the game handily to improve to 9-1. So it's not so much a team-wide disappointment. But it should be taken as a compliment of sorts that the team is playing well despite its big man not finding his way quite like the rest of the group. Labissiere looks like a project at this point, along the lines of Cliff Alexander at Kansas last year, who could use more than one year on campus.

We'll continue to keep an eye on how he handles pressure, from both inside and outside Lexington.

McLean goes on to make a very interesting point in his column:

"

But if you look at his numbers for the entire season, (Labissiere) actually compares somewhat favorably to the Wildcat big men who preceded him. Here are the per-game stats during their first 10 games as college players for the four most recent hotshot centers at Kentucky:

Anthony Davis: 11.8 points, 10.0 rebounds
Nerlens Noel: 10.7 points, 9.0 rebounds
Karl-Anthony Towns: 9.1 points, 6.7 rebounds
Skal Labissiere: 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds

"

"This is all a great thing that he's got to work through and it's the first time in his life," UK coach John Calipari said after the Arizona State game. "You have to understand. He came from Haiti. He played basketball for a year-and-a-half and then he played church league for two years. He's never been through any of this. This is all new to him."

What's scary is how, late in that Arizona State game, the Wildcats ran some plays specifically for Labissiere and he declined to shoot. They can't afford in the long term to have him stubborn, too.

Gonzaga Bulldogs

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What we expected: A slew of talented forwards leading another Final Four chase

What we're getting: Back-to-back home losses

Just like other struggling teams, there are alibis for Gonzaga, which started the season as a top-10 consideration. First, remember this is a team that lost a couple of four-year guards (Gary Bell Jr. and Kevin Pangos). Anyone who knows college basketball knows how valuable guard play is.

The Zags are hurting inside, too. Przemek Karnowski didn't even attend last Saturday's home game against UCLA because his back continues to bother him. 

Scary worse, however, is that it was the third loss for GU and Mark Few can't seem to clear the late-minute hurdles with this particular team. It doesn't matter how loaded they are inside with the likes of Kyle Wiltjer, Domantas Sabonis and others.

“There we were with a chance with a couple minutes to go,” Few said after the defeat, as his team collapsed after a rocking start. “They made plays and we didn’t. That’s a little bit of a theme that’s happened to us in our three losses.”

Jim Meehan of the Spokane Spokesman-Review also pointed out that, minus the experienced center Karnowski, the Zags were outscored in the paint 36-32 and gave up 11 offensive rebounds, which were converted into 12 points.

Wiltjer is holding up his end of the bargain, ranked No. 7 in KenPom's Player of the Year nominations. But it's been slow growth, especially in three-point shooting—only 33 percent. Few's programs are normally solid taking care of the ball, but the Bulldogs already have 25 more turnovers than opponents.

Yes, GU needs Karnowski back more than we thought. But there's room for improvement in plenty of other places, too.

It's even showing at the usually impenetrable McCarthey Athletic Center, with losses on two straight Saturdays from Arizona and UCLA.

Cal Bears

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What we expected: Some serious sizzle

What we're getting: Still waiting for more steak, so to speak

We'll just flat-out say it: We wanted more out of Cal, an exciting coach and a couple of highly-touted freshmen.

The Golden Bears are 8-2, but those losses are uninspiring—to wayward shooting San Diego State and Richmond.

Last weekend's close win against Saint Mary's brought some excitement to Berkeley. But it also may be most remembered for a clumsy foul from senior Tyrone Wallace, who was called for one near midcourt in the closing seconds when the Bears were clinging to a lead.

But you may not have even heard much about that game, because the Bears are surprisingly off the radar—not even receiving votes in a season when there's a lot of shakeup in the two major polls, one of which is missing mainstays Wichita State, Syracuse and Gonzaga.

No one necessarily expected Cal to be humming along perfectly—its two most talented players are freshmen, after all. But we figured on more than ho-hum.

The Dec. 22 matchup with Virginia will be a chance to bring back some of the attention that was bestowed upon this team in the preseason.

Indiana Hoosiers

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What we expected: A difference-making freshman post player

What we're getting: No defense to be found

If we only look at defensive rating from one year to the next, then Indiana is actually twice as good at this point compared to the 2014-15 season.

The Hoosiers check in at 106th, compared to No. 214 a year ago.

But it continues to be a scary team, one that can seemingly score at will but also not stop anyone. It is as if Tom Crean's team plays by NBA All-Star Game rules.

B/R's C.J. Moore lit into IU after the Duke game, the latest example of a program that can't (or doesn't seem to want to) stop anyone:

"This is what year eight of the Tom Crean experience has turned into. One big joke," Moore wrote. "Check Twitter during an IU basketball game and you'll find the angry epilogue of the Crean era."

We knew Crean was on the hot seat. But a program that returned Yogi Ferrell and James Blackmon Jr. just seemed to be a little defense away from job security and an NCAA tournament bid.

But the Hoosiers made Wake Forest and UNLV out to be better than they are then gave up about 1.5 points per possession at Duke, including a career high to a struggling Brandon Ingram. That's the most efficient the Blue Devils have been in a game in the last 15 years, according to Ken Pomeroy's data. Moore also noted it was the highest mark the Hoosiers have ever allowed in the Crean era.

Freshman Thomas Bryant was hardly a factor, though he does play hard and showed emotion (frustration) at the team's soggy defense that night. He was supposed to be the difference-maker as an interior presence at both ends of the floor. The puzzle isn't solved yet in Bloomington.

The game against Notre Dame on Dec. 19 could be a huge swing for Indiana's at large-bid hopes come March. But for now, we're leaning on IU not meeting the expectations of an improved defense making the offense look that much better.

Syracuse Orange

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What we expected: Rolling along, after returning from the Bahamas

What we're getting: A team that may not make the NCAA tournament

Syracuse is already staring at an NIT bid. We know this because Syracuse.com's Mike Waters tells us history says so.

In losing three non-conference games, the Syracuse Orange put themselves in this position for the fifth time in the last quarter-century. In previous situations, it has never made the NCAA tournament.

It was obvious the 'Cuse would have problems, which right now stem from missing coach Jim Boeheim. Mike Hopkins has been put in a tough spot, replacing a legend.

But it sure seemed like his replacement work would be more than enough to get the Orange past St. John's on Sunday. But it wasn't. The Red Storm, featuring nine new players, attacked the fabled zone defense with ease and kept Syracuse slip-sliding away.

Who saw this coming after the Battle 4 Atlantis? Syracuse steamrolled Charlotte, UConn and Texas A&M.

But we know this about the program whether it's being coached by Boeheim or Hopkins: If it's not hitting three-pointers, it's not winning.

In Syracuse's six wins this season, the Orange have made 42 percent of their threes. But the three losses have meant an accuracy rate of 24 percent (19-of-77).

What has been more surprising is how out-of-rhythm Syracuse has looked in getting those shots. Poise did not come back in suitcases from the islands.

San Diego State Aztecs

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What we expected: A typical front-running in the Mountain West

What we're getting: Yikes, 13 points at half against San Diego?

If any program could use a break to regroup, it's San Diego State.

The Aztecs lost a lot of experience from last year and have been barely keeping their chin above water for awhile. Then came the dogged appearance at Petco Park (the downtown San Diego baseball stadium). A Mountain West front-runner found ways to lose to a West Coast Conference also-ran on Dec. 6.

SDSU trailed 31-13 at halftime.

The San Diego Union-Tribune's Mark Zeigler points out the Aztecs will start to get some breaks to actually practice and rest, both valuable commodities for a team with nine scholarship players available.

Scarier still is SDSU doesn't seem to have the same tenacity as past seasons. We know this is typically a team that doesn't shoot so straight. But it's been great at chasing missed shots down.

Not so much right now, only winning the offensive rebounding margin for the season by six (118-112) and losing on the defensive glass by about 5.5 a game.

Ohio State Buckeyes

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What we expected: A Thad Matta team to at least be presentable

What we're getting: NIT, if it's lucky

Teams lose star players and they go down in caliber a notch the next year. It happens. And we didn't have Final Four aspirations for Ohio State.

But expecting more from freshman JaQuan Lyle and for the Buckeyes to approach 20 wins—which Thad Matta has done all 15 years as a head coach—shouldn't be too much to ask.

Guard play hasn't been up to Matta's historical standard at barely top 90 nationally so far leading the offensive efficiency.

A run of losses includes Texas Arlington and Louisiana Tech.

Wisconsin Badgers

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What we expected: At least being the best team in the state of Wisconsin

What we're getting: Close games going against UW at Kohl Center

No one figured on a major Wisconsin surge this year. Not after all it lost following last season.

But a 6-5 mark has been soured by home losses. Milwaukee defeated the Badgers for the first time in 22 years recently, and Marquette just punctured another hole in the Badgers' balloon with a two-point win last weekend.

It was the third game at Kohl Center this season that Bo Ryan's team has lost by a three-pointer or less.

Experienced players Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig continue to be spotty with consistency.

Wisconsin has shot worse than 40 percent in nearly half (five) of its games. Young Marquette was the savvier team down the stretch, including veteran forward Luke Fischer finding some free space for a put-back basket that was the game-winner.

What's worrisome is Hayes can't find his shot. He's at about 39 percent this year, compared to 54 percent a year ago. It certainly helped last year being the third option behind Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker.

Monmouth Hawks

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What we expected: A small-conference upstart earns at-large NCAA bid

What we're getting: Looks like it could be a one-bid MAAC again

This one's a little in jest. Monmouth has been mostly amazing in the non-conference portion of the schedule.

It won at UCLA to start the season—that win looks better of late, as the Bruins just won at Gonzaga—and also ousted Notre Dame and USC.

The New Jersey school has put itself on the map with a wide array of sideline celebrations.

We just hate to see them fade a little. It started MAAC play with a 10-point loss at Canisius, and much more of a drop would mean the MAAC doesn't have a chance at two bids.

That would have been a major coup for the league, especially as the conference tournament is on Siena's home court.

"We didn't play our best basketball," coach King Rice said after the upset defeat.

Canisius hit 12 three-pointers in the opening half, which helped produce a 16-point margin.

But the disappointment comes if Monmouth gets too high on all the press it received for its fun-loving, winning ways.

There's a second half of the season to play. To lose to a team ranked in the 160s to start league play has us wondering if all the early success will pay off.

LSU Tigers

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What we expected: Ben Simmons gets a chance to make some NCAA tournament noise

What we're getting: Will NIT viewership go up?

The majority of college basketball fans wanted it to work out—top talent goes to somewhat obscure (read: football school) locale and sparks a love of the sport the campus hasn't seen in about a quarter-century.

But Ben Simmons isn't exactly bringing back the Shaquille O'Neal days.

LSU has lost four of its last five games. Simmons has played otherworldly at times, but it's not adding up to W's. And that could mean a dull March for him, and the college game as a whole.

Yahoo's Jeff Eisenberg points out the Tigers have had all this heartburn despite not even playing a team in the KenPom top 50.

Simmons is averaging nearly 20 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. But he needs to be even more of an alpha dog and get the offense to go through him.

LSU is particularly bad at respecting the three-point line, whether it's shooting it or defending it.