Week 7 Heat Check Report: Christmas Edition

Week 7 college basketball Heat Check Report heading into holidays: Seattle U, Bradley, Nevada, Stephen F. Austin heat up while Santa Clara cools.

It is hard to believe we are already entering week eight of the college basketball season as we head into Christmas, but we are starting to moving beyond “heating up” and entering “on fire” status going into the holidays. The MAC continued to be thrilling this week, the Missouri Valley Conference is ramping up and we’ve seen some incredible games, Purdue Fort Wayne took down Notre Dame, Elon nearly took down Virginia Tech, Seattle U took down Washington, and so much more.

While there have been a lot of conversations around the College Football Playoffs and the fairness of letting both James Madison and Tulane in, we know we’ll be having the same conversations in a few months. However, now that we are roughly two weeks into the season, I feel like I can fully say that the non-power conferences should perform better in March Madness than last season. The ACC is weak overall, the SEC is down, and while the Big Ten and Big 12 look very solid, there should be an opportunity for some upsets come the tournament.

With that being said, lets highlight some teams this week that are hot so you know who to keep an eye on as we enter the new year in this week’s Heat Check Report!

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Heat Check

Seattle U

Photo: Seattle U Athletics

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 110th

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 110th

We wrote about Seattle U in a previous Heat Check Report a few weeks ago, but it’s time to give you another update because the Redhawks have not slowed down one bit. This week, they took down UC Davis 79-78 on the road, then Washington 70-66 as they moved to 10-2 on the season.

Looking back at the rest of the season, they’ve taken down Stanford and Washington for two top-100 wins while their two losses were by three points or less to Cal Poly and UC Santa Barbara.

They currently sit at 110th in KenPom with a 174th offensive adjusted efficiency and 61st defensive adjusted efficiency. Let’s look at the rest of their metrics:

Offensively:

• 34th in effective field goal percentage

• 46th in three-point percentage

• 54th in two-point percentage

• 28th in opponent blocking percentage

Defensively:

• 67th in opponent effective field goal percentage

• 14th in opponent turnover percentage

• 85th in opponent three-point percentage

• 85th in opponent two-point percentage

• 18th in blocking percentage

• 55th in steal percentage

This team has the right makeup as they are stout on the defensive end and efficient on offense for a perfect combination.

The three-headed monster in Brayden Maldonado, Will Heimbrodt, and JunSeok Yeo is proving to be a problem as they are averaging 42.4 points combined. Maldonado features a 129.8 offensive rating which is in the top 160 in the country, while JunSeok Yeo’s 59.7% effective field goal percentage is in the top 220. Here are their total stat lines:

• Brayden Maldonado:

  • 16 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, two steals

  • 51.7% shooting overall, 43.9% from three-point

• Will Heimbrodt

  • 14.2 points, four rebounds, two assists, 1.2 steals, 2.8 blocks

  • 51.8% shooting overall, 36% from three-point

• JunSeok Yeo

  • 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists

  • 50.5% shooting overall, 36.2% from three-point

Another thing they do very well is both facilitating ball movement and disrupting their opponents with their on-ball defense. Despite averaging just 4.1 points, Maleek Arington is posting 5 assists and 2.1 steals on average. His 28.1 assist rate is 148th in the country, while his 4.2% steal percentage is in the top 70.

This team is going to be sneaky in the WCC in their first season in the conference! This week, they’ll take on UT San Antonio on the road and they’ll take on their first WCC matchup against San Francisco at home.

Stephen F. Austin

Photo: Stephen F. Austin Athletics

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 143rd

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 139th

The Lumberjacks are quietly off to a 9-2 start this season while in the midst of a five-game winning stream. This week, they took down Texas A&M Corpus Christi 69-60 and Dallas 103-55. Stephen F. Austin’s only two losses came to Freson State on the road 80-78 and UT Arlington on the road as well 66-61.

Looking at their team metrics, here’s where they stack up:

• 172nd in offensive adjusted efficiency

• 115th in effective field goal percentage

• 43rd in turnover percentage

• 38th in three-point shooting percentage

• 76th in opponent steal percentage

• 51st in non-steal turnover percentage

• 117th in defensive adjusted efficiency

• 16th in opponent effective field goal percentage

• 24th in opponent three-point percentage

• 29th in opponent two-point percentage

• 54th in block percentage

The Lumberjacks are running a fascinating game plan underneath head coach Matt Braeuer. They are holding opponents to limited opportunities for knock down shots from outside as their are fourth in opponents three-point attempts vs total field goal attempts. They then smother the interior thanks to Jerald Colonel who is averaging a ridiculous four blocks per game with a 15.7% blocking percentage which is 5th in the nation.

Keon Thompson has been unreal thus far this season. He is averaging 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting 48.6% overall and 34.5% from three-point. He features a 30.8% possession usage which is 41st in the country, and when he is on the court he is taking 28.2% of the shots for SF Austin. He’s taken a huge step forward in facilitating offense as he has a 29.6% assist rate which is 103rd overall compared to just a 15.4% turnover rate.

Narit Chotikavanic has emerged as one of the most efficient offensive players in the country and you’ve probably never heard of him. He is averaging 12.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 46.9% overall and 48.7% from three-point. He spent his freshman season last year at the Division II program West Texas A&M. He’s had no problem transitioning to the Division I ranks. His 131.9 offensive rating is in the top 120 in the nation, while his 67.3% effective field goal percentage is 29th and his 67% true shooting percentage is 57th. He’s also stout with his on-ball defense as he features a 3.8% steal percentage which is 134th in the country.

The Lumberjacks will have the week off before they’ll play four games within a week starting on December 29th against East Texas A&M.

Bradley

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 126th

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 117th

The Bradley Braves started off on a rollercoaster to start the year at 3-4 with losses to St. Bonaventure, UT Martin, San Francisco , and UC San Diego. However, they’ve responded with a six-game winning streak including wins over Liberty, Washington State, and two MVC wins against Indiana State and Southern Illinois this week.

The Braves are relying heavily on their defense to propel them on this steak as they rank 82nd in defensive adjusted efficiency compared to just 166th in offense:

• 12th in opponent turnover percentage

• 118th in opponent two-point shooting percentage

• 69th in opponent free throw percentage

• 95th in opponent blocking percentage

• 22nd in opponent steal percentage, and 28th in opponent non-steal turnover percentage

Their offense is primarily driven through Jaquan Johnson who is averaging 18.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.6 steals per game while shooting 48.3% overall and 39.6% from three point. He features a 124.4 offensive rating, a 29.2% usage percentage which is 70th overall, a 54% effective field goal percentage which is 464th, and a 61.1% true shooting percentage which is 270th. Then on playmaking he has a 26.1% assist rate compared to a 10.2% turnover rate, and his 6.8% steal percentage is 2nd in the country. Essentially, Jaquan Johnson does it all for the Bradley Braves. This week was no different as he finished with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals against SIU and 20 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, and 3 steals against Indiana State in triple-overtime.

The Braves will have the week off before they’ll play Evansville at home and then a tough Belmont squad on the road in Nashville on January 1st.

Nevada

Photo: Nevada Athletics

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 89th

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 86th

The Nevada Wolf Pack started off a little wobbly this season as they were 4-3 with losses to Santa Clara, UC Davis, and Washington. However, they’ve regained their composure and popped off a five-game winning steak with three top-100 KenPom wins. This week, they played just once, but dominated Boise State 81-66 as the Wolf Pack jumped into the top-90 of KenPom. Throughout the entire stretch, they’ve beaten San Francisco 81-65, UC San Diego 76-70, Washington State 78-64, Duquesne 78-75, and Boise State.

Their offensive metrics are wild to look at:

• 69th in offensive adjusted efficiency

• 5th in turnover percentage

• 11th in free throw attempts vs field goal attempts

• 46th in three-point shooting percentage

• 24th in steal percentage

• 27th in non-steal turnover percentage

• 354th in three-point attempts vs field goal attempts

• 314th in two-point shooting percentage

Alright, let’s break this down for a second. They rarely take three-pointers as they sit in the bottom 20 teams in the country at a little under 18 per game. However, they are one of the most effective three-point shooting teams in the country. Then, on the interior they are one of the worst shooting teams in the nation. It’s kind of mindboggling how this is actually working. However, they are getting to the free throw line at high rates. They are averaging nearly 28 attempts from the line a game, and they are taking advantage as they are shooting nearly 75% as a team.

Leading the charge is Tayshawn Comer and Corey Camper Jr. Comer is averaging 16.1 points, 2.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.3 steals while shooting 43.9% overall and 37.5% from three-point. Camper Jr. is averaging 15.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.2% overall and 37.2% from three-point. Then they have Elijah Price who is a menace on the glass that is averaging 11.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.6 blocks. His 10% offensive rebounding percentage is 273rd in the country, while is 19.8% defensive rebounding percentage is 220th, and his 6.7% blocking percentage is 116th.

Nevada won’t play this week, but they’ll take on Colorado State and Fresno State the week of New Year’s as they look to keep the momentum going and potentially jump to a 3-0 start in the Mountain West.

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Cooling Down

Santa Clara

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 64th

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 81st

After starting off 8-1 on the season with a legitimate conversation around a potential at-large bid for Santa Clara, the Broncos have gone stone cold in December. They are 1-4 with a 98-91 loss to New Mexico, 82-79 loss to Arizona State, and a painful 80-78 loss to Loyola Chicago. They did take down North Texas this week as well 63-60.

In terms of the quality of losses, they could’ve survived the New Mexico and Arizona State losses as their only over loss this season was Saint Louis by just one point. However, the Loyola Chicago loss is going to make it very difficult to have any type of at-large bid conversation come March. The Ramblers have been one of the most surprising teams this season in terms of disappointment. On Saturday, the Broncos shot 40% overall and 32% from three-point, but they could not stop Kayde Dotson. Dotson dropped 26 points with 4 rebounds on 5-12 shooting from three-point for the Ramblers. Then outside of Elijah Mahi who had 21 points and Christian Hammond who had 25 points, no one finished in double-digits for the Broncos.

They’ve fallen 30 spots in KenPom since the start of the month when they were 51st and it’s evident their three-point shooting is a large reason why. In December, they are just 38/132 from three-point (28.8%) over their 1-3 stretch.

This week they’ll play just once as they take on Oregon State on the road on Sunday, December 28th. If they want to start to right they ship, this is a must win game for the Broncos.

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One to Watch

Lipscomb

Photo: Lipscomb Athletics

• 12/15/25 KenPom: 137th

• 12/22/25 KenPom: 133rd

It has been a wild year for the Lipscomb Bisons in the new era with Kevin Carrol at the helm. They started off 1-4 while getting annihilated by Vanderbilt, then Mercer 92-77, UNC Asheville 69-64, and Belmont 75-68. Since that, they are 6-1. Their one loss was to Duke 97-73, but don’t let the final score skew your opinion. The Bisons genuinely competed for the first 30 minutes of the game and even held a lead mid-way through the second half before Duke decided to become Duke over the final ten minutes.

Their strength of schedule so far is ranked 95th in the country, and coming out of that 7-5 overall and ranked in the top-140 of KenPom is impressive. In fact, they are projected to win all but one game against Cincinnati on December 29th.

They don’t do one thing outstandingly well, however, they do enough to make them dangerous. They rank 169th in offensive adjusted efficiency and 115th in defensive. 40.4% of their points are coming from beyond the arc (17th in the country) where they rank 129th in three-point shooting percentage. On the flip side, they rank 315th in the country in two-point distribution as just 43.4% comes from inside the arc where they are shooting 51.5% as a team.

Grant Asman has been phenomenal as he is averaging 14.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, two assists, and 1.3 blocks while shooting 53.8% overall and 42.6% from three-point. His 63.2% effective field goal percentage is 84th in the nation, while his 65.2% true shooting percentage is 96th. He also has a 22% defensive rebounding percentage which is 119th, and a 4.8% blocking percentage which is 229th. Don’t forget that he is also a lights out shooter from deep as he is 270th in the country.

As mentioned, they’ll take on Cincinnati next on Monday, December 29th, then they enter Atlantic Sun play against Jacksonville on January 1st.