News and Notes: Leaping through the midweek

It's the middle of the week and you're stuck in an office while the best weather of the fall goes by. In order to cheer you up, we've followed the actual news today with some of the greatest exhibitions of leaping put on by college basketball players this year. To cheer you up more, remember you aren't a St. John's fan.

St. John's opens Chris Mullin era with 90-58 exhibition loss to Division II St. Thomas Aquinas
St. John's loses to Division II school by 32 points in exhibition - CBSSports.com

CHRIS MULLIN!! just watched his team get completely obliterated by St. Thomas Aquinas last night. No, STA is not a DII power. St. John's may have discovered the magic elixir in bringing in coaches with literally no coaching experience, but the start of that experiment cannot be called a success.

Predicting the 2016 NCAA tournament field of 68
This is Dick Vitale, so take it with a grain or 50 of salt, but he sees Xavier and three other Big East teams making the tournament.

CBS Sports 2015-16 ranking of every college basketball team, from 1-351 - CBSSports.com
This one isn't new, but it did come out before some of our previews. Based on what you've read, do you really see Butler or UC as being measurably better than the Musketeers? What about Dayton without Dyshawn Pierre? Do you think Xavier and Valpo are basically the same? CBS does, and that's another example of human rankings are mostly worthless.

2015 College Basketball Preview: Maryland edges North Carolina in Power Rankings
Like these, for instance, that have Maryland first and Butler inexplicably ranked. There are plenty of Xavier opponents in this particular top 25, though, and that can only bode well.

UConn Huskies graduation rate at 20 percent, improving
You read that correctly, a 20% graduation rate for UConn is actually a marked improvement.

Back in the days long before Banners on the Parkway (or, you know, texting) certain members of the Banners staff could dunk a basketball. It required a run up and the perfect atmospheric conditions, but it could happen. I mention that because it seemed like an accomplishment back then. With that in mind, check some of this out.

WATCH: Texas basketball freshman guard has unbelievable vertical leap - CBSSports.com
That would be a guy jumping higher than the standard vertical leap bar can measure. In case you are wondering, that means his hand is above the backboard.

WATCH: Wichita State recruit flies high and literally kisses the rim - CBSSports.com
The last leap was impressive, this one is a 6'3" quite literally putting his lips on the rim. While this may seem like an orthodontists dream, the whole thing is actually very controlled and very nearly mind blowing.

WATCH: The 20 best dunkers in college basketball for 2015-16 - CBSSports.com
I have no idea how this list came to be compiled, but Jalen isn't on it. Whether he should be or not I have no idea, but his spinning hammer job against Arizona remains one of the most impressive in game dunks I've ever seen.