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「これが俺のやりたい事であってくれ…」アニメ「映像研」の原作者が抱いていた不安と祈り - フジテレビュー!!

「これが俺のやりたい事であってくれ…」アニメ「映像研」の原作者が抱いていた不安と祈り - フジテレビュー!!

09.32

2020年1月から放送がスタートし、現在FODでも配信中のアニメ『映像研には手を出すな!』。

「アニメは“設定が命”」と信じる浅草みどり(CV.伊藤沙莉)、金儲けが大好きなプロデューサー気質の金森さやか(CV.田村睦心)、カリスマ読者モデルでありながら実はアニメーター志望の水崎ツバメ(CV. 松岡美里)という女子高生3人組がアニメ制作に青春をかける物語だ。

アニメ「映像研には手を出すな!」

同作の監督・シリーズ構成を手掛けるのは、「四畳半神話体系」「夜明け告げるルーのうた」などの映画で知られる湯浅政明監督。湯浅監督が率いるサイエンスSARUが制作を担う。

「このマンガがすごい!」など、さまざまなコミックアワードで入選を果たし注目を集め、今夏には齋藤飛鳥主演で実写映画化も決定している。

そんな超話題作を漫画として世に生み出したのが、現在26歳の大童澄瞳(おおわら・すみと)だ。

デビュー作がいきなりのヒット作となったわけだが、フジテレビュー!!では、漫画からアニメ化された作品への思い、こだわったポイント、絵を描くことへの思い、悩み、葛藤などについても明かしてくれた。

< 大童澄瞳インタビュー >

インタビューは原作コミックスの発売元の小学館で行われた

まず、アニメ放送開始後の反応を尋ねると、「周囲に友人知人が少ないもので、限定されるのですが…」と前置きした上で「自分の周りでも『すごい好評だよ』という話が、すごく集まってくる。友人知人の数が少なくても、その先にいる人まで見ているんだなと。そこがやっぱり(影響力の)規模の大きさを実感するところですかね」と謙虚に語る。

今でも「一番やりたいことはアニメーション」と語る大童。現在放送中のアニメをどう見ているのか。インタビューは、第2話の放送が終了したタイミングで行われた。

本当に一視聴者として楽しんでいる

――原作者として「映像研」のアニメを見る時に一番注目しているのはどこですか?

大童:原作にない新しい表現についてはすごく注目していますね。あとは細かいネタの部分。最近、結構流行っているんですけど、文字情報などがアニメーションの中で、パッと一瞬で流れてくるみたいな、そういう表現が結構あったりするんですけど、録画をして一時停止をして、コマ送りをして初めて読めるみたいな。

そういう細かいところに何が描いてあるか、みたいなのを楽しみにしていますね。そういう点で、本当に一視聴者として楽しんでるところです。あとは、「動き」「アニメーション」「動画」の部分ですね。

――3話までで、一番グッときた動きは?

大童:3話で、部室内で金森がインパクトドライバーか何かを使って、机を組み立てているシーンがあるんですけど、そこに「緊急事態だ」っていう知らせが来て、面倒くさそうに金森が立ち上がるシーン。そこがすごく良かったですね。

 第1話のコインランドリーに向かう道中で、原作だとちょっと有名になっている川沿いを皆で歩いている俯瞰のシーン。

そこで階段を降りて裏路地みたいなところずっと歩いて行くんですけど、すごい引きのショットなんですけど、水崎が階段の手すりに手を置いたり、かなり細かい演技が入っていて、そこのディティールがすごい良かったですね。その後に続くカットもすごく良かった。

第1話で、コインランドリーに行く浅草、水崎、金森

3人の歩き方がバラバラでそれぞれ特徴が出ていてっていうのは Twitter でも指摘されていたんですけど、すごく良かったです。あとは…と語り始めるときりがないんですけど(笑)。

――先生自身は、アニメーションの細かい芝居に注目されているようですが、例えば、3話の宇宙船に乗って金森がドアを突き破るシーン。ああいう派手なシーンにはグッとこないんですか?

大童:いや、それもありますね。やっぱりそのダイナミックな動きを演出するっていうのは本当にそれはそれで。その何か一定の構造を持ったもの、特にそのメカとか形の硬いものが近づいてくるとか、離れていく動きは、ブースターの間隔とか、円の向きとか、各所の比率をコントロールしながら一枚一枚描いていかなきゃいけない。

第3話では金森、浅草、水崎の3人が部室の修繕をしながら、宇宙飛行士の船外活動の妄想を始める

Flashのソフトを使ったり(※)すると、コントロール(の仕方)が、また変わってきたりするとは思うんですけど、そういうところがやっぱり動画としても注目に値するなというのと。

(※「映像研には手を出すな!」のアニメーション制作を担う、サイエンスSARUでは、アニメーション制作に、Flash(現:Adobe Animate)を導入している)

動画ばっかり見てるわけではなくて、動画の描き方としては比較的簡単だけどダイナミックなシーンとしてはものすごく有効だ、みたいな描き方が、いろんなところであるわけですね。そういうのは本当に総合芸術と言うか、映像作品として、どこに重きを置いているかが見えるので。

「2001年宇宙の旅」の船外活動のポッドみたいなものに(金森が)乗って、ドーン!と行くところで、カットを入れて、金森が(現実の部室の)壁を突き破って出てくる。その勢いのまま梯子をかける、みたいな。その緩急とか、そういうスピード感が徐々に増していく演出みたいな部分は、「ここで入れるのはすごい!いいな」と思ったりしますね。

第3話で、金森が部室の壁を突き破るシーン

だから本当にいろんな見方ができる。アニメーション、動きの点でも見るし、映像表現のどういうカット割りなのかとかというところでも見るし、という感じですね。

――アニメ化する際にリクエストされた点はありますか?

大童:ほぼ譲れない事っていうのが大前提としてはなくて。僕がどんな意見を言っても、基本的には全部、現場の判断で最終的には作って頂ければと、思っているんですけど。

その中で唯一譲れないと思ったのが、うさぎのデザインです。浅草が持っているうさぎのぬいぐるみのデザインについてはこればかりは申し訳ないが、なんとか自分の満足のいく形にしてほしいと、本当に単純な構造なんですけど、目と口のバッテンの口の比率が、本当に描く方には難しくてですね。

第1話で幼い頃の浅草が家で一人、うさぎのぬいぐるみを抱きながらアニメを見ているシーン

僕は、実際にあの元になったうさぎと毎日寝ているんですけど…。それをずっと何年も、10年以上ですかね、持ってる身としては、その比率とか、その可愛さがどこに存在するのかっていうのは熟知しているのですが、それを知らない方に改めてデザインしていただくとなると、やはり、それは難しいことだなと。これは本当に(こだわって)ご迷惑をおかけしたかなと(笑)。

――それだけこだわった部分ということですね

大童:愛着がほかのものと若干桁外れのところがあったと思います。

――(アニメの)エンディングにも参加されていたようですが、どのように参加されていたのでしょうか?

大童:エンディングに関しては、背景の素材としては、原作漫画の絵が使われていたりするんですけど、基本的には(背景の)モーションはノータッチで、手前で歩いている3人、走ってる3人と、あと戦車とか宇宙船とかそういった細々した手前で動いているものは全部僕が作画をしたっていう感じですね。

――描いてみていかがでしたか?

大童:本当にすごい楽しかったですね。そういうプロも働いてる現場で描かせてもらう、環境もすごく良かった。自分がどこまで突き詰めてやればいいのか、あと、もちろん納期があるので、間に合わせるためにどう配分したらいいのか、どの辺のクオリティーでケリをつけるか、みたいなところを考えてやることが、ちょっと新しい経験ではありましたね。

絵を描くことが、本当に自分にとっての好きなことなのか不安だった

大童は以前、こんなツイートをしていた。

「これが俺のやりたい事であってくれ。これが俺のやりたい事になってくれ。」と祈るような気持ちで、本当に絵を描いたりすることが好きなのか、このまま絵を描いたりしていて将来何かになるのか、そんな気持ちを持っていた時期もあったが、それは別のお話。

大童澄瞳のツイッターより

「アニメを作る」という、やりたいことに突き進む、映像研の3人とは対照的なように見える。「絵を描く」ということに対して、悩んでいた大童の過去の心境とは、どんなものだったのか。

――このツイートは、どういう時のお話だったのでしょうか?

大童:自分が打ち込めるものを、模索している時期っていうのは、もしかしたら、誰しもあるかもしれないですけど。少なくとも僕には、そういう時期があって。自分の取り柄を何とかして見つけたい、という時期があったんですね。

なんとなく大学に行って、なんとなく「あー、そうかそろそろ就職でもしなきゃな」と思って、 「そういえば自分の好きなことってなんだろう」って思う人もいれば、僕の場合は、それをかなり早い段階から悩んでいて。

僕は自分の得意・不得意の落差がすごく激しいので、自分が不得意なことでは、とてもじゃないけど心が参ってしまうけれども、「じゃあ、自分にとって楽なことで生きていくことが果たしてできるだろうか」と思うことがあって。そういう疑問と並行して、僕は絵を描き続けてきたわけですね。

自分の中ではかなりの時間、絵という技術を向上させてきたんです。中学から高校に至るその何年か。5、6年とかだと思うんですけど。それぐらいの時間ずっとやってきて、それでも、自分にその絵を描く才能が果たしてあるのかどうか。とか、そういう客観的な情報っていうのがわからないんですね。

もし、ひょっとして、今の自分が身につけた、この絵を描く技術が、なんら箸にも棒にもかからないものであった時、自分の積み上げてきた、この人生は急激に方向転換しなきゃいけなくなる。

だから、何とかして自分が打ち込んできた、この絵を描くという作業が、本当に自分にとって好きなことであるか、もしくは、本当に自分がのめり込んで、かつ、ご飯に困らないような生活に繋がってくれるかどうか。

不安になるけど、もはやここまで来てしまったら、「自分は絵を描く人間なんだ」みたいなものを、信じなきゃどうしようもない。そういう気持ちが当時あった。

――水崎が、文化祭で作品を上映した後に両親と話すシーンで、「『私が生きる』ってことは、こういう物をひたすら作るってことなんだ」みたいな確信めいたセリフを言いますよね。大童先生自身はまだ、その(中高生の)段階で、確信はなかったということですか?

「映像研には手を出すな!」第2集で水崎が両親と話をするシーン
©︎2020 大童澄瞳・小学館/「映像研」製作委員会

大童:僕はなかったですね。そういう発言をしたかもしれないとは思うんですけど、それはある種、虚勢と言うか「自分はこれで生きていくから」っていう風に断言してはいるけれど、心の片隅ではちょっと不安っていう。本当にそれが通用するかどうかわからないと、どこかでずっと思っていて、ちょっと不安な状態でやっている。

でも、水崎たちがすごく恵まれているのは、自分たちでアニメーションを作った瞬間に「あ、これは自分が本当に好きなことをやれたんだ」と、確信できたところがやっぱり彼女たちのすごいところかなっていう風に思いますね 。

少なくとも僕にとってはアニメーションがそれだったんですよ。自分が(絵を)描くこととはまた別に、動きとか、動画が本当に好きなんだ、っていう確信は専門学校に行くあたりでは、もう完全にありました。

――ご自身で自主制作でアニメを作られている中で、漫画を描き始められましたが、本来、漫画は大童先生のやりたいこととは少し違うのではないですか?そこの折り合いを大童先生の中でどうつけたのでしょうか?

大童:またアニメーションとは別の好きなものとして、お話を作ることがあって。漫画だったら空想する、ストーリーを作るということの魅力は、達成できるんですね。

アニメーションで僕が最も好きな要素っていうのが「動き」なんですね。人間が踊るとか、転がるとか、もちろん爆発とか、飛行機が飛んでいくところとかもそうですし、なんでもその動きっていうのが、もう強烈な魅力を感じていて、シナリオに関係なくすごいアニメーションを見ただけで、僕はわりと泣くんですね。ボロボロになるまで泣くんですけど、それぐらい好きなんだなっていうのがあるんですけど。

それとは別に、お話作りっていう好きなものがあって、自分がやってきた絵を描く行為と、お話作りをセットにした時に、アニメーションじゃなくても漫画という手段があるよっていう、そういう感じですね。

――今は漫画を描くことについてはどう捉えていますか?

大童:僕はそこまで絵を描くのが好きじゃないっていう風に言ってるんですが。描く人にもパターンがあると思うんですけど、(絵を描く)作業自体が好きな人と、出来上がったものに満足する人。僕は出来上がったものに満足するタイプで、そういう良い絵の連続が自分の表現としてできるのが、かなり大きいかなと思っています。良い絵を描いて、そこに物語をプラスすることができるので、そこがすごく魅力かなと。

その良い絵というのはアニメーションで言うところの、レイアウトにも通じるものがある。映像の中でレイアウトは、僕はすごく重視するべきだなと思って描いてきました。そういう点では、自分のアニメーションで描いていた映像の言葉を使って、漫画を描くっていうことができているかなと。そこは満足できるポイントだなと思います。

――今、もし「漫画だけじゃなくて、他にも何でもできるよ」と言われた時に、何が一番やりたいと思いますか?

大童:やっぱりアニメーションはやりたいですね。一番やりたいかな。あとは、何でもやりたいですね。実写もやりたいし、映像表現なのかな。また絵画とかもチャレンジしたいですね。いわゆるファインアートとか、そういうのも面白みがある。

一枚絵としての表現やポスターもそうですけど、そういうものも、もっとチャレンジしていきたいなって思いますね。

――3人の中でも金森はかなり現実志向ですが、(自由奔放な浅草的な側面と、金森的な側面の両方を併せ持つ)大童先生ご自身の中では、自分のやりたいことと現実で葛藤みたいなものがあったりするのでしょうか?

大童:あまり葛藤はないですね。浅草と金森、僕の中ではその2つの要素を持っているわけですけど、人格は1つなので、金森的な視点と浅草的な視点っていうのが互いに相互理解が、物凄いできてるので、あまり葛藤っていうのがない。

――どういうふうに相互理解をしていますか?

大童:自分のやりたいことがあるということは認めていて、それとは別の視点で、「こいつ(自分)の自由にやらせた状態で金儲けに繋げていくには、どうしたらいいか」というのが僕の内面にある。浅草のような「自由に何でもやってみたい」っていうのを、極限まで尊重するプロデューサーが僕の中にいるので、棲み分けができているっていう感じですね。

――映像研に出てくる3人が「これは本当に自分のやりたいことなのか?」と悩むタイミングは出てきたりはしないんですか?

大童:どうですかね。もしかしたら出てくるかもしれないですね。僕の思想としては、何でもありだと思っていて、「人生はどこで、どのように変わっていってもいい」と思っているので、本当に主人公たちも、そういう意味で、自由に描ければと思ってますね。

大童澄瞳
東洋美術学校絵画科卒業後、独学でアニメーションを学ぶ。その後、コミティア111にてオリジナル漫画を出品、スピリッツ編集員に声を掛けられ、2016年9月号『月刊!スピリッツ』(小学館)から連載をスタートした『映像研には手を出すな!』でデビュー。

アニメ「映像研には手を出すな!」
過去のエピソードは毎週日曜26時から最新話をFODにて独占配信
https://fod.fujitv.co.jp/s/genre/anime/ser5a86/

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「これが俺のやりたい事であってくれ…」アニメ「映像研」の原作者が抱いていた不安と祈り - フジテレビュー!!
"それが好き" - Google ニュース
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小澤征悦 恋愛観を赤裸々に語る「誤解して好きになって理解して別れる」、過去に結婚を考えた相手も…(スポニチアネックス) - Yahoo!ニュース

小澤征悦 恋愛観を赤裸々に語る「誤解して好きになって理解して別れる」、過去に結婚を考えた相手も…(スポニチアネックス) - Yahoo!ニュース

09.32

 俳優の小澤征悦(45)が1月31日放送のフジテレビ「ダウンタウンなう」(金曜後9・55)に出演し、自身の恋愛観や結婚願望について語った。

【写真】「ダウンタウンなう」に出演し、松本人志から突っ込まれる小澤征悦

 世界的指揮者、小澤征爾さん(84)を父に持つ小澤は「こんなにお坊ちゃまで、イケメンで、なぜ結婚できないのか」と番組内で紹介された。「それ(結婚)はしたいなと思っていますし、30代半ばくらいから結婚願望はあります」と小澤。実際、過去に結婚を考えた相手もいたという。

 小澤の恋愛事情について、後輩俳優・和田正人(40)から“タレコミ”が。「近寄りがたい高嶺の花感を出す」「品格や育ちの良さが出ている女性を好む傾向にあります。ハッキリ言ってブランド好きです」と暴露された小澤は、苦笑しきりだ。

 交際する相手については、熟慮して決めると説明し、「人間っていうのはね、中身が大事。お互い知り合っていく中で、ああ、この人の中身が好きだな。この人の明るい感じが好きだなとか。そういうのに僕は惹かれるので」。自身の信じていることとして、「誤解して好きになって理解して別れる」との言葉を紹介した。この発言に、MCを務めるダウンタウン・松本人志(56)が「今までの別れもそうだったんですか?」と切り込むと、「そうですね」と返答した。

 たっぷりと、恋愛についてのトークを展開した小澤。最後に共演の坂上忍(52)から「今付き合っている人はいないんですか?」との直球質問がぶつけられると、うろたえた様子を見せ、「それはいない、いないっていうか…。こんな場で言えないですね、さすがに」。共演者の笑いを誘っていた。

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小澤征悦 恋愛観を赤裸々に語る「誤解して好きになって理解して別れる」、過去に結婚を考えた相手も…(スポニチアネックス) - Yahoo!ニュース
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俳優ソン・スンホン-ヘリ(元Girl's Day)、新ドラマ「夕飯一緒にしましょうか? 」出演検討も確定NO(WoW!Korea) - Yahoo!ニュース

俳優ソン・スンホン-ヘリ(元Girl's Day)、新ドラマ「夕飯一緒にしましょうか? 」出演検討も確定NO(WoW!Korea) - Yahoo!ニュース

19.02

韓国新ドラマ「夕飯一緒にしましょうか? 」(原題)の出演者ラインナップに注目が集まる中、俳優ソン・スンホンは「前向きに検討中」との立場を明かした。一方、ヘリ(元Girl's Day)は「出演は決まっていない。他の作品を検討している」と回答した。

ソン・スンホンのプロフィールと写真

 30日、ソン・スンホンとヘリの所属事務所はそれぞれ、韓国メディアの取材に電話で応じ、このように明かした。

 来る5月に放送予定のMBC新ドラマ「夕飯一緒にしましょうか? 」は、別れの傷から愛の感情を失った男女が、夕飯を共にしながら感情を回復させていくストーリー。同名のウェブトゥーンを原作とし、「ブラック」や「プレーヤー」などを手掛けたコ・ジェヒョンプロデューサーが演出を担う。

 ソン・スンホン側は「出演を前向きに検討している」とし、ヘリ側は「他の作品を検討中」とそれぞれの立場を明かした。

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俳優ソン・スンホン-ヘリ(元Girl's Day)、新ドラマ「夕飯一緒にしましょうか? 」出演検討も確定NO(WoW!Korea) - Yahoo!ニュース
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LONDON (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London on the cusp of Britain’s departure from the European Union for talks focused on a post-Brexit free trade deal and the U.K.’s decision to allow the Chinese tech company Huawei to play a role in the country’s high-speed wireless network.

As President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial nears a close in Washington, Pompeo was to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday to re-register American concerns about Huawei and the possibility that its entry into the market could affect U.S.-Britain intelligence cooperation. Pompeo and Johnson are also expected to discuss Iran, Trump’s Middle East peace plan, Libya and Venezuela.

U.S. officials said they believed the British decision on Huawei wouldn’t greatly affect negotiations on a trade deal, but could hurt other aspects of the relationship upon which Britain is counting after its divorce from the EU that takes effect on Friday.

“We were urging them to make a decision that was different than the one that they made, and now we’ll have a conversation about how to proceed,” Pompeo told reporters traveling with him on the trip to Europe and Central Asia that will also take him to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

“Our view of Huawei has been that putting it in your system creates real risk,” Pompeo said. “This is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party with a legal requirement to hand over information to the Chinese Communist Party.”



“We’ll evaluate what the United Kingdom did,” he said. “It’s a little unclear precisely what they’re going to permit and not permit, so we need to take a little bit of time to evaluate that. But our view is that we should have Western systems with Western rules, and American information only should pass through trusted networks, and we’ll make sure we do that.”

The U.S. has been lobbying European allies to ban Huawei over concerns it could be compelled to help with electronic eavesdropping after Beijing enacted a 2017 national intelligence law. U.S. officials also worry that 5G networks would rely heavily on software, leaving them open to vulnerabilities, and have repeatedly warned they would have to reconsider intelligence sharing with allies that use Huawei. The company has denied the allegations.

On Tuesday, Britain decided to let Huawei have a limited role supplying new high-speed network equipment to wireless carriers, ignoring Washington’s warnings that it would sever intelligence sharing if the company wasn’t banned.

Britain’s decision was the first by a major U.S. ally in Europe, and follows intense lobbying from the Trump administration as the U.S. vies with China for technological dominance.

“There’s big, broad national security issues,” Pompeo said. “Our militaries operate together. There are enormous trade issues. There’s big commercial issues. And there are obviously issues that relate to telecoms and their security.”

Trump has pledged that the U.S. and Britain will negotiate a major free-trade deal as soon as Brexit is complete and officials have already begun discussions on the plan.

Britain will leave the EU on Friday after 47 years of membership, becoming the first country to leave the bloc.

The London stop is the first on a five-nation tour of Europe and Central Asia that Pompeo is making.

The centerpiece of the trip will be a two-day stop in Ukraine that begins later Thursday when Pompeo will become the most senior U.S. official to visit Kyiv and meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy since the impeachment process began last year.

Ukraine is at the center of the impeachment charges against Trump who is accused of obstructing Congress and abuse of office for withholding critical military aid to the country in exchange for an investigation into alleged corruption by the son of former Vice President Joe Biden, a political rival. Those allegations got a boost earlier this week when a manuscript of former national security adviser John Bolton’s upcoming book was revealed to echo the claim.

The Senate is expected to vote on hearing impeachment witnesses, including possibly Bolton, on Friday. Bolton maintains that Trump was in fact withholding the aid in exchange for a public pledge of a probe into Biden as witnesses testified before the House impeachment inquiry.

Ukraine has been delicate subject for Pompeo, who over the weekend lashed out at a National Public Radio reporter for asking questions about why he has not publicly defended the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who was removed from her post early after unsubstantiated allegations were made against her by Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph Giuliani.

Pompeo has twice postponed earlier planned trips to Ukraine, most recently in early January when developments with Iran forced him to cancel. In Kyiv, Pompeo said he plans to discuss the issue of corruption but demurred when asked if he would specifically raise the Bidens or the energy company Burisma for which Hunter Biden worked.

“I don’t want to talk about particular individuals. It’s not worth it,” he said. “It’s a long list in Ukraine of corrupt individuals and a long history there. And President Zelenskiy has told us he’s committed to it. The actions he’s taken so far demonstrate that, and I look forward to having a conversation about that with him as well.”

___

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and British politics at: https://ift.tt/2QQDXv6

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UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab shakes hands with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, in London, Wednesday Jan. 29, 2020. Pompeo is in the UK for high level trade talks ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union on upcoming Friday. (Peter Summers/Pool via AP)
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab shakes hands with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, in London, Wednesday Jan. 29, 2020. Pompeo is in the UK for high level trade talks ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union on upcoming Friday. (Peter Summers/Pool via AP)

LONDON – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in London on the cusp of Britain's departure from the European Union for talks focused on a post-Brexit free trade deal and the U.K.'s decision to allow the Chinese tech company Huawei to play a role in the country's high-speed wireless network.

As President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial nears a close in Washington, Pompeo was to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday to re-register American concerns about Huawei and the possibility that its entry into the market could affect U.S.-Britain intelligence cooperation.

U.S. officials said they believed the British decision wouldn't greatly affect negotiations on a trade deal, but could hurt other aspects of the relationship upon which Britain is counting after its divorce from the EU that takes effect on Friday.

“We were urging them to make a decision that was different than the one that they made, and now we’ll have a conversation about how to proceed,” Pompeo told reporters traveling with him on the trip to Europe and Central Asia that will also take him to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

“Our view of Huawei has been that putting it in your system creates real risk," Pompeo said. "This is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party with a legal requirement to hand over information to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“We’ll evaluate what the United Kingdom did," he said. “It’s a little unclear precisely what they’re going to permit and not permit, so we need to take a little bit of time to evaluate that. But our view is that we should have Western systems with Western rules, and American information only should pass through trusted networks, and we’ll make sure we do that.”

The U.S. has been lobbying European allies to ban Huawei over concerns it could be compelled to help with electronic eavesdropping after Beijing enacted a 2017 national intelligence law. U.S. officials also worry that 5G networks would rely heavily on software, leaving them open to vulnerabilities, and have repeatedly warned they would have to reconsider intelligence sharing with allies that use Huawei. The company has denied the allegations.

On Tuesday, Britain decided to let Huawei have a limited role supplying new high-speed network equipment to wireless carriers, ignoring Washington's warnings that it would sever intelligence sharing if the company wasn't banned.

Britain's decision was the first by a major U.S. ally in Europe, and follows intense lobbying from the Trump administration as the U.S. vies with China for technological dominance.

“There’s big, broad national security issues,” Pompeo said. “Our militaries operate together. There are enormous trade issues. There’s big commercial issues. And there are obviously issues that relate to telecoms and their security.”

Trump has pledged that the U.S. and Britain will negotiate a major free-trade deal as soon as Brexit is complete and officials have already begun discussions on the plan.

Britain will leave the EU on Friday after 47 years of membership, becoming the first country to leave the bloc.

___

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and British politics at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit


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2020-01-30 08:58:00Z
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UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab shakes hands with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, right, in London, Wednesday Jan. 29, 2020. Pompeo is in the UK for high level trade talks ahead of Britain's exit from the European Union on upcoming Friday. (Peter Summers/Pool via AP)
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As President Donald Trump's Senate impeachment trial nears a close in Washington, Pompeo was to meet British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday to re-register American concerns about Huawei and the possibility that its entry into the market could affect U.S.-Britain intelligence cooperation.

U.S. officials said they believed the British decision wouldn't greatly affect negotiations on a trade deal, but could hurt other aspects of the relationship upon which Britain is counting after its divorce from the EU that takes effect on Friday.

“We were urging them to make a decision that was different than the one that they made, and now we’ll have a conversation about how to proceed,” Pompeo told reporters traveling with him on the trip to Europe and Central Asia that will also take him to Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

“Our view of Huawei has been that putting it in your system creates real risk," Pompeo said. "This is an extension of the Chinese Communist Party with a legal requirement to hand over information to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“We’ll evaluate what the United Kingdom did," he said. “It’s a little unclear precisely what they’re going to permit and not permit, so we need to take a little bit of time to evaluate that. But our view is that we should have Western systems with Western rules, and American information only should pass through trusted networks, and we’ll make sure we do that.”

The U.S. has been lobbying European allies to ban Huawei over concerns it could be compelled to help with electronic eavesdropping after Beijing enacted a 2017 national intelligence law. U.S. officials also worry that 5G networks would rely heavily on software, leaving them open to vulnerabilities, and have repeatedly warned they would have to reconsider intelligence sharing with allies that use Huawei. The company has denied the allegations.

On Tuesday, Britain decided to let Huawei have a limited role supplying new high-speed network equipment to wireless carriers, ignoring Washington's warnings that it would sever intelligence sharing if the company wasn't banned.

Britain's decision was the first by a major U.S. ally in Europe, and follows intense lobbying from the Trump administration as the U.S. vies with China for technological dominance.

“There’s big, broad national security issues,” Pompeo said. “Our militaries operate together. There are enormous trade issues. There’s big commercial issues. And there are obviously issues that relate to telecoms and their security.”

Trump has pledged that the U.S. and Britain will negotiate a major free-trade deal as soon as Brexit is complete and officials have already begun discussions on the plan.

Britain will leave the EU on Friday after 47 years of membership, becoming the first country to leave the bloc.

___

Follow AP’s full coverage of Brexit and British politics at: https://www.apnews.com/Brexit


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Chicago Bears linebacker Danny Trevathan, one of the team's most important defensive leaders, was limited to just nine games in 2019 after suffering a gruesome left elbow injury in Week 10 against the Detroit Lions. It was a tough break for Trevathan, who's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

Trevathan finished the 2019 regular season with 70 tackles and one sack and had the Bears' sixth-highest run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus.

Teams searching for a physical and instinctive linebacker will rank Trevathan high on their wish list, but his history of injuries will create hesitation in paying top dollar for his services. He's managed just two 16-game seasons in his eight-year career.

Fortunately for Trevathan, his injury wasn't the type that should limit his effectiveness in 2020. He took to Twitter on Tuesday to announce he's back to full health and ready to resume football activities, and presumably, to cash-in on the open market.

This is great news for the Bears and GM Ryan Pace, who in an ideal world would love to have Trevathan lined up next to Roquan Smith in their Super Bowl quest. But with fellow linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski also due to become a free agent, Pace has to decide whether Trevathan is a better investment than Kwiatkoski, who proved he's capable of high-end starter's production when he was given opportunities to play in 2019.

Kwiatkoski played 512 snaps last season (compared to Trevathan's 559) and finished with just two fewer tackles and a higher PFF season grade. He was an effective pass-rusher, too, finishing the year with three sacks.

Regardless of which direction the Bears go in free agency, Trevathan's return to full health is good news. Chicago can't go wrong with who they choose to line up as their starting linebacker in 2020.

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2020-01-29 02:44:48Z
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Who are the biggest overachievers, underachievers in top leagues? - ESPN

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At this point, college basketball's chaos, for better or worse, has led to a series of surprises in each league. Sure, more than six weeks still remain until Selection Sunday. And we all know a lot can change between now and then.

But some of the results thus far? Few predicted the following surprises in each league.

Jump to:
ACC » | American » | A-10 » | Big 12 » | Big Ten »
Big East » | Mountain West » | Pac-12 » | SEC »

ACC

Overachieving: Syracuse. Picked to finish eighth in the league's preseason poll in a rebuilding year, Jim Boeheim's squad (which gets the slight edge here over an also-surprising Virginia Tech team) has started with a 6-3 record in conference play after winning five consecutive games. Yes, the ACC ain't the typical ACC this season. But the Orange climbed into the 60s of the NCAA's NET rankings and could crack the NCAA tournament bubble at this pace. Elijah Hughes and Buddy Boeheim have combined to average more than 37 points per game, while collectively connecting on nearly 40% of their 3-point attempts.

Underachieving: North Carolina. This is an easy answer. North Carolina fans continue to tout the arrival of four McDonald's All American players in 2020-21 because -- even after a promising road win at NC State on Monday -- this season could be a wash. After securing a top-10 ranking in the preseason's Associated Press Top-25 poll, UNC entered Monday's game at NC State with a 9-10 record overall and a 2-6 record in league play. Roy Williams could miss the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010. To suggest Cole Anthony's injury alone created this funk for UNC is wrong. The Tar Heels were 6-3 with the projected lottery pick and had made just 28.2% of their 3-pointers when he was on the floor.

American

Overachieving: Tulsa. Frank Haith's program started the week tied atop the American standings with Houston, both with 6-1 records in league play. Tulsa followed last week's 40-point win over Memphis with a 79-75 road win over UConn on Sunday. This year, Haith's squad added seven newcomers, which is probably why it was picked to finish 10th in the American. But junior guard Brandon Rachal (14.8 points per game) leads the best defensive team in the league (23.4% clip from beyond the arc for opponents). From 10th in the league to the NCAA tournament? It's possible.

Underachieving: Memphis. After last week's 40-point loss to a Tulsa team that had previously lost to Arkansas State, Colorado State and UT Arlington -- all sub-100 teams in the NET rankings -- by 24 points combined, the wheels fell off Penny Hardaway's bandwagon. The Tigers, who have lost four of their past six, could miss the NCAA tournament after entering the season as the co-favorite in the American with Houston. Yeah, James Wiseman's departure after playing in three games before his subsequent suspension hurt the program. But they're one of the league's worst offensive teams, committing turnovers on nearly one-quarter of their possessions and making just 64% of their free throws. This is bad. And it might get worse.

Atlantic 10

Overachieving: Dayton. Obi Toppin, a potential front-runner for the Wooden Award, and the Flyers -- a great name for a 1950s doo-wop group -- were picked to finish third in the league in the preseason poll. In Joe Lunardi's most recent bracketology, Dayton is listed as a No. 2 seed. The Flyers could become the first Atlantic 10 team to finish with an unblemished record in conference play since George Washington in the 2005-06 season. Remember, Dayton received just one vote in the AP's preseason Top-25 poll.

Underachieving: Davidson. Picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll, Davidson is off to a 4-3 start in conference play and a 10-9 record overall. The Wildcats have already suffered double-digit losses to Charlotte, Wake Forest and Temple. They needed overtime to beat St. Joseph's. Losing Luke Frampton, who took a personal leave of absence in November, hurt Bob McKillop's program. Frampton averaged 10.8 points per game last season. But the Wildcats are also ranked ninth in defensive efficiency in the American, per KenPom.com. That has to change.

Big 12

Overachieving: West Virginia. Uh-oh. The nasty, suffocating, West Virginia defense has returned. Bob Huggins' crew has now forced turnovers on nearly 25% of its Big 12 opponents' possessions. But this is more than the league's top defensive team. The Mountaineers are also its top offensive rebounding team and they lead the league with a 52.7% clip inside the arc. With Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe on the court, West Virginia's opponents have registered a 41.3% clip inside the arc. Picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll, West Virginia, at 4-2, could compete for the Big 12 championship and a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament.

Underachieving: Texas. The Longhorns were projected to finish fourth in the preseason poll after Matt Coleman III, Jericho Sims and a healthy Andrew Jones all returned for Shaka Smart's squad. But they're just 3-6 since Dec. 14. The challenge? The team's offensive woes continue. Per Synergy Sports data, Texas is ranked 206th overall in half-court offense, connecting on just 42.4% of its shots in those situations. In Saturday's 69-67 home loss to LSU, its third consecutive loss, the Longhorns committed turnovers once every five possessions. That's why they're 2-4 in the Big 12 with the NCAA tournament looking like a pipe dream.

Big Ten

Overachieving: Illinois. With Kofi Cockburn on the floor, Illinois is one of the best teams in the country. In those situations, Illinois has connected on 53.4% of its attempts inside the arc and held opponents to just 87 points per 100 possessions. Per the Chicago Tribune, a preseason Big Ten media poll projected Brad Underwood's squad to finish seventh. Instead, the program entered the week tied with Michigan State for first place (both 7-2) and chasing a top-eight seed in the NCAA tournament. Saturday's thrilling road win over Michigan was its sixth in a row and third Big Ten road win.

Underachieving: Ohio State. In the same media poll, Chris Holtmann's team was picked to finish third. Ohio State, ranked 18th in the AP's preseason poll, justified that buzz with an 11-1 start anchored by wins over Kentucky, Villanova and Penn State. Since then? The Buckeyes are 2-6. They've lost by 10 or more in five of their six Big Ten losses, including twice against Minnesota. They're shooting 37% from the 3-point line, the top mark in the league, and surrendering a 37% clip from the 3-point line, 13th in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes haven't fallen off the NCAA tournament radar, but they have to find a way to stop the free fall.

Big East

Overachieving: Butler. The Big East preseason poll pegged Butler to finish eighth in the 10-team conference. Prior to a three-game skid that ended with an overtime win against Marquette on Saturday, Butler had been pursuing a top seed in the NCAA tournament. In a strong league, Seton Hall and Villanova are on top. But Kamar Baldwin (16.2 PPG) & Co. already own wins over a series of top-30ish teams. The Bulldogs might not capture the crown, but that wouldn't be a disappointment. They were picked to finish at the bottom of the league. Now they're a player in this competitive conference.

Underachieving: Xavier. The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the preseason poll. But the lack of efficiency on offense has already doomed a team that doesn't have a player (minimum 20 attempts) that has made more than 35% of his shots from beyond the arc. They've already tumbled to a 2-5 mark in the Big East. Wake Forest is the worst loss on their resume, but the Musketeers are just not competing the way many had anticipated they would prior to the start of the season. Xavier is struggling in multiple areas. The Musketeers have made less than 68% of their free throws this season. Standout Naji Marshall has committed turnovers on 22% of his possessions in league play too.

Mountain West

Overachieving: UNLV. The Runnin' Rebels had the look of a program that would finish at the bottom of the Mountain West standings after they were picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. In his first year on the job, however, coach T.J. Otzelberger has compiled a 7-3 record (6-3 in the Mountain West) since Dec. 18. Bryce Hamilton has scored 90 points over the past three games and has made 38% of his shots from beyond the arc in league play. Once the Mountain West tournament arrives, UNLV could be a serious contender.

Underachieving: New Mexico. Paul Weir's program has been plagued by off-court drama. Carlton Bragg Jr., a transfer from Kansas, was kicked off the team this month after a DWI, which followed a report of a sexual misconduct accusation that had led to a suspension. JaQuan Lyle missed the team's loss at Nevada on Saturday with a knee injury. JJ Caldwell is also suspended for an undisclosed violation. Vance Jackson is nursing a knee injury. The Lobos, who are 5-4 in Mountain West play, can't do anything about the injuries. But they've unraveled with off-court trouble and having lost four of their past seven games.

Pac-12

Overachieving: Stanford. The Cardinal entered the season projected to finish 10th in the Pac-12 standings. But Stanford, which boasts the league's best defense, is 4-2 after six games. Saturday's road loss to Cal wasn't a good sign for the program, but it has certainly overachieved thus far. The Cardinal were picked to end the year at the bottom of an average conference. Instead, they're an early contender for the Pac-12 championship and are pursuing a comfortable seed on Selection Sunday. Tyrell Terry, who ranks atop the conference with a 50% clip from beyond the arc in conference play, will lead the way.

Underachieving: Washington. When Mike Hopkins signed Isaiah Stewart (18.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG) and Jaden McDaniels (12.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG), it appeared he would have the talent to win a Pac-12 championship and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies were picked to finish third behind Oregon and Colorado in the preseason poll. At 2-6 in the Pac-12, however, Washington could miss the NCAA tournament. The Huskies are just 2-7 since a Dec. 23 victory over Hawai'i. The problem? Based on offensive efficiency, only Cal is worse in the Pac-12. Still, they're playing with a top-three defense, so at least they're balanced. The talent is there. The execution is not.

SEC

Overachieving: Alabama. Nate Oats and Alabama are on a four-game winning streak. They lost to Florida in double overtime earlier this month but showed heart in a tough game. He has relied on Kira Lewis Jr., a sophomore averaging 16.8 points per game and connecting on 82.4% of his free throw attempts. The league's preseason poll predicted a top-six finish for the Crimson Tide, but they're ranked second in defensive efficiency in the SEC and could be a threat to any team, especially at home. Their opponents have made just 30.4% of their attempts from beyond the arc. They have the same conference record (4-2) as Auburn and Florida.

Underachieving: Georgia. Anthony Edwards could be the No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA draft after averaging 18.6 points per game at the collegiate level thus far. But his exploits have not translated to big wins for Tom Crean's crew, which is 1-5 in the SEC, perhaps the weakest SEC in the past four or five years. The silver lining might be that its current resume includes two losses to Kentucky and another to Auburn. Will an easier stretch in February change the fortunes of Georgia's program? Maybe. But the Bulldogs have made just 27.5% of their 3-pointers in league play. On Saturday, they lost to Ole Miss by 10. At home. That doesn't seem to project success going forward. Sure, they were picked to finish ninth, but at this rate, they could finish at the bottom of the league.

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Who are the biggest overachievers, underachievers in top leagues? - ESPN

Who are the biggest overachievers, underachievers in top leagues? - ESPN

20.42
Who are the biggest overachievers, underachievers in top leagues? - ESPN

At this point, college basketball's chaos, for better or worse, has led to a series of surprises in each league. Sure, more than six weeks still remain until Selection Sunday. And we all know a lot can change between now and then.

But some of the results thus far? Few predicted the following surprises in each league.

Jump to:
ACC » | American » | A-10 » | Big 12 » | Big Ten »
Big East » | Mountain West » | Pac-12 » | SEC »

ACC

Overachieving: Syracuse. Picked to finish eighth in the league's preseason poll in a rebuilding year, Jim Boeheim's squad (which gets the slight edge here over an also-surprising Virginia Tech team) has started with a 6-3 record in conference play after winning five consecutive games. Yes, the ACC ain't the typical ACC this season. But the Orange climbed into the 60s of the NCAA's NET rankings and could crack the NCAA tournament bubble at this pace. Elijah Hughes and Buddy Boeheim have combined to average more than 37 points per game, while collectively connecting on nearly 40% of their 3-point attempts.

Underachieving: North Carolina. This is an easy answer. North Carolina fans continue to tout the arrival of four McDonald's All American players in 2020-21 because -- even after a promising road win at NC State on Monday -- this season could be a wash. After securing a top-10 ranking in the preseason's Associated Press Top-25 poll, UNC entered Monday's game at NC State with a 9-10 record overall and a 2-6 record in league play. Roy Williams could miss the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010. To suggest Cole Anthony's injury alone created this funk for UNC is wrong. The Tar Heels were 6-3 with the projected lottery pick and had made just 28.2% of their 3-pointers when he was on the floor.

American

Overachieving: Tulsa. Frank Haith's program started the week tied atop the American standings with Houston, both with 6-1 records in league play. Tulsa followed last week's 40-point win over Memphis with a 79-75 road win over UConn on Sunday. This year, Haith's squad added seven newcomers, which is probably why it was picked to finish 10th in the American. But junior guard Brandon Rachal (14.8 points per game) leads the best defensive team in the league (23.4% clip from beyond the arc for opponents). From 10th in the league to the NCAA tournament? It's possible.

Underachieving: Memphis. After last week's 40-point loss to a Tulsa team that had previously lost to Arkansas State, Colorado State and UT Arlington -- all sub-100 teams in the NET rankings -- by 24 points combined, the wheels fell off Penny Hardaway's bandwagon. The Tigers, who have lost four of their past six, could miss the NCAA tournament after entering the season as the co-favorite in the American with Houston. Yeah, James Wiseman's departure after playing in three games before his subsequent suspension hurt the program. But they're one of the league's worst offensive teams, committing turnovers on nearly one-quarter of their possessions and making just 64% of their free throws. This is bad. And it might get worse.

Atlantic 10

Overachieving: Dayton. Obi Toppin, a potential front-runner for the Wooden Award, and the Flyers -- a great name for a 1950s doo-wop group -- were picked to finish third in the league in the preseason poll. In Joe Lunardi's most recent bracketology, Dayton is listed as a No. 2 seed. The Flyers could become the first Atlantic 10 team to finish with an unblemished record in conference play since George Washington in the 2005-06 season. Remember, Dayton received just one vote in the AP's preseason Top-25 poll.

Underachieving: Davidson. Picked to finish second in the league's preseason poll, Davidson is off to a 4-3 start in conference play and a 10-9 record overall. The Wildcats have already suffered double-digit losses to Charlotte, Wake Forest and Temple. They needed overtime to beat St. Joseph's. Losing Luke Frampton, who took a personal leave of absence in November, hurt Bob McKillop's program. Frampton averaged 10.8 points per game last season. But the Wildcats are also ranked ninth in defensive efficiency in the American, per KenPom.com. That has to change.

Big 12

Overachieving: West Virginia. Uh-oh. The nasty, suffocating, West Virginia defense has returned. Bob Huggins' crew has now forced turnovers on nearly 25% of its Big 12 opponents' possessions. But this is more than the league's top defensive team. The Mountaineers are also its top offensive rebounding team and they lead the league with a 52.7% clip inside the arc. With Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe on the court, West Virginia's opponents have registered a 41.3% clip inside the arc. Picked to finish fifth in the league's preseason poll, West Virginia, at 4-2, could compete for the Big 12 championship and a favorable seed in the NCAA tournament.

Underachieving: Texas. The Longhorns were projected to finish fourth in the preseason poll after Matt Coleman III, Jericho Sims and a healthy Andrew Jones all returned for Shaka Smart's squad. But they're just 3-6 since Dec. 14. The challenge? The team's offensive woes continue. Per Synergy Sports data, Texas is ranked 206th overall in half-court offense, connecting on just 42.4% of its shots in those situations. In Saturday's 69-67 home loss to LSU, its third consecutive loss, the Longhorns committed turnovers once every five possessions. That's why they're 2-4 in the Big 12 with the NCAA tournament looking like a pipe dream.

Big Ten

Overachieving: Illinois. With Kofi Cockburn on the floor, Illinois is one of the best teams in the country. In those situations, Illinois has connected on 53.4% of its attempts inside the arc and held opponents to just 87 points per 100 possessions. Per the Chicago Tribune, a preseason Big Ten media poll projected Brad Underwood's squad to finish seventh. Instead, the program entered the week tied with Michigan State for first place (both 7-2) and chasing a top-eight seed in the NCAA tournament. Saturday's thrilling road win over Michigan was its sixth in a row and third Big Ten road win.

Underachieving: Ohio State. In the same media poll, Chris Holtmann's team was picked to finish third. Ohio State, ranked 18th in the AP's preseason poll, justified that buzz with an 11-1 start anchored by wins over Kentucky, Villanova and Penn State. Since then? The Buckeyes are 2-6. They've lost by 10 or more in five of their six Big Ten losses, including twice against Minnesota. They're shooting 37% from the 3-point line, the top mark in the league, and surrendering a 37% clip from the 3-point line, 13th in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes haven't fallen off the NCAA tournament radar, but they have to find a way to stop the free fall.

Big East

Overachieving: Butler. The Big East preseason poll pegged Butler to finish eighth in the 10-team conference. Prior to a three-game skid that ended with an overtime win against Marquette on Saturday, Butler had been pursuing a top seed in the NCAA tournament. In a strong league, Seton Hall and Villanova are on top. But Kamar Baldwin (16.2 PPG) & Co. already own wins over a series of top-30ish teams. The Bulldogs might not capture the crown, but that wouldn't be a disappointment. They were picked to finish at the bottom of the league. Now they're a player in this competitive conference.

Underachieving: Xavier. The Musketeers were picked to finish third in the preseason poll. But the lack of efficiency on offense has already doomed a team that doesn't have a player (minimum 20 attempts) that has made more than 35% of his shots from beyond the arc. They've already tumbled to a 2-5 mark in the Big East. Wake Forest is the worst loss on their resume, but the Musketeers are just not competing the way many had anticipated they would prior to the start of the season. Xavier is struggling in multiple areas. The Musketeers have made less than 68% of their free throws this season. Standout Naji Marshall has committed turnovers on 22% of his possessions in league play too.

Mountain West

Overachieving: UNLV. The Runnin' Rebels had the look of a program that would finish at the bottom of the Mountain West standings after they were picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll. In his first year on the job, however, coach T.J. Otzelberger has compiled a 7-3 record (6-3 in the Mountain West) since Dec. 18. Bryce Hamilton has scored 90 points over the past three games and has made 38% of his shots from beyond the arc in league play. Once the Mountain West tournament arrives, UNLV could be a serious contender.

Underachieving: New Mexico. Paul Weir's program has been plagued by off-court drama. Carlton Bragg Jr., a transfer from Kansas, was kicked off the team this month after a DWI, which followed a report of a sexual misconduct accusation that had led to a suspension. JaQuan Lyle missed the team's loss at Nevada on Saturday with a knee injury. JJ Caldwell is also suspended for an undisclosed violation. Vance Jackson is nursing a knee injury. The Lobos, who are 5-4 in Mountain West play, can't do anything about the injuries. But they've unraveled with off-court trouble and having lost four of their past seven games.

Pac-12

Overachieving: Stanford. The Cardinal entered the season projected to finish 10th in the Pac-12 standings. But Stanford, which boasts the league's best defense, is 4-2 after six games. Saturday's road loss to Cal wasn't a good sign for the program, but it has certainly overachieved thus far. The Cardinal were picked to end the year at the bottom of an average conference. Instead, they're an early contender for the Pac-12 championship and are pursuing a comfortable seed on Selection Sunday. Tyrell Terry, who ranks atop the conference with a 50% clip from beyond the arc in conference play, will lead the way.

Underachieving: Washington. When Mike Hopkins signed Isaiah Stewart (18.2 PPG, 8.9 RPG) and Jaden McDaniels (12.6 PPG, 6.1 RPG), it appeared he would have the talent to win a Pac-12 championship and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies were picked to finish third behind Oregon and Colorado in the preseason poll. At 2-6 in the Pac-12, however, Washington could miss the NCAA tournament. The Huskies are just 2-7 since a Dec. 23 victory over Hawai'i. The problem? Based on offensive efficiency, only Cal is worse in the Pac-12. Still, they're playing with a top-three defense, so at least they're balanced. The talent is there. The execution is not.

SEC

Overachieving: Alabama. Nate Oats and Alabama are on a four-game winning streak. They lost to Florida in double overtime earlier this month but showed heart in a tough game. He has relied on Kira Lewis Jr., a sophomore averaging 16.8 points per game and connecting on 82.4% of his free throw attempts. The league's preseason poll predicted a top-six finish for the Crimson Tide, but they're ranked second in defensive efficiency in the SEC and could be a threat to any team, especially at home. Their opponents have made just 30.4% of their attempts from beyond the arc. They have the same conference record (4-2) as Auburn and Florida.

Underachieving: Georgia. Anthony Edwards could be the No. 1 pick in this summer's NBA draft after averaging 18.6 points per game at the collegiate level thus far. But his exploits have not translated to big wins for Tom Crean's crew, which is 1-5 in the SEC, perhaps the weakest SEC in the past four or five years. The silver lining might be that its current resume includes two losses to Kentucky and another to Auburn. Will an easier stretch in February change the fortunes of Georgia's program? Maybe. But the Bulldogs have made just 27.5% of their 3-pointers in league play. On Saturday, they lost to Ole Miss by 10. At home. That doesn't seem to project success going forward. Sure, they were picked to finish ninth, but at this rate, they could finish at the bottom of the league.

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