NEWS AND NOTES
-We just recorded our latest Hoops HD Report where we look back at all of the action from this past weeks. It was one of the busiest and most important weeks of the college basketball season, which is something most fans don’t realize. You need to watch it or listen to it if you haven’t all ready. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST HOOPS HD REPORT
-Jon Teitel has another outstanding interview with Kansas State’s Rolando Blackman – CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Old Dominion and William & Mary – CLICK HERE
-LSU is TERRIBLE!! They are a complete tire fire!! WOW are they bad!!! They lost rather decisively (and that’s actually an understatement) to College of Charleston, who we believe to be one of the worst teams in the Colonial. That is all.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-MARYLAND AT NORTH CAROLINA (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). I miss this old ACC rivalry. It’s a little strange to see them meeting in an OOC game. Both teams are deservedly ranked in the top ten, and UNC is now back at full strength. This is one of the tougher road games Maryland will play all season, and if they want a #1 seed this is the kind of statement win that can help them get it.
-UT ARLINGTON AT TEXAS (***Spotlight Game***). Okay, this is a buy game and Texas doesn’t even have a winning record, so this may not even turn out to be a noteworthy game, much less a spotlight game, come March. But, as of now, UTA has just one loss and has managed wins at Ohio State and Memphis. Texas, while they have a losing record, is improving. That means this game has somewhat of a pivotal feel to it, and if UTA pulls the upset, we need to start to look at them seriously as being a legit team.
-MICHIGAN AT NC STATE (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Both of these teams have potential, but are not off to the best of starts and could really use this game.
-NORTHWESTERN AT VIRGINIA TECH (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). This wouldn’t be a big win for Northwestern as much as it would be a defining loss. When you lose at a place like Virginia Tech, it defines you as a non-tournament team.
-VILLANOVA AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Big Five). Every Big Five game is a rivalry game, but this one is perhaps the most bitter. Not much was expected out of Saint Joe’s this year, but they’re off to a better than expected 4-1 start and a signature win like this will definitely get people’s attention.
-VIRGINIA AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Ohio State has dropped two surprising games at home, and really hasn’t looked good at any point this season. This is the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and they will be challenged. They will be challenged quite a bit.
-NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT IOWA STATE. This is technically a buy game, but North Dakota State likely being one of the better teams in the Summit League makes it intriguing enough to highlight. Taking on a top ten team is probably a little over their heads, but it’s a good opportunity for them.
-PURDUE AT PITTSBURGH (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Both teams come in unbeaten, and Pitt did look good in the first half against Gonzaga before the game was cancelled, but other than that they’ve been untested. We should learn something about both these teams tonight.
-RICHMOND AT FLORIDA. I like both these teams, but both still have work to do. I think this is a resume builder for whoever wins it, and that’s something that both these teams could use.
-OLD DOMINION AT WILLIAM & MARY. This is a very important game. It’s an old rivalry, and both teams need to be coming in with a huge sense of urgency. It’s also Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day, as it should be. CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT IT
-DAVIDSON AT CHARLOTTE. Charlotte has been awful this year, and Davidson is unbeaten against awful teams. If Davidson wins this game, then nothing will change. They will still be unbeaten against awful teams. But, it is a road game against a rival, so I guess it’ll be a bit more challenging.
-UTAH STATE AT MISSOURI STATE. I don’t think Utah State will be on the tournament radar in the end, but right now they have just one loss at Duke.
-LIPBSCOMB AT BELMONT. This is a rivalry game that Belmont simply cannot afford to lose.
-EASTERN KENTUCKY AT WESTERN KENTUCKY. This is a rivalry game, and if EKU can win it, they are out to a noticeable 7-1 start.
-MIAMI FL AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). If Nebraska wants to hold out any hope of being relevant this year, they need to be able to win at home in games like this. Miami is coming off a rather surprising loss to Northeastern, but they’re still a really good team and this is the kind of road game that they’re capable of winning.
-LOUISIANA TECH AT MEMPHIS. LA Tech is unbeaten, and the more they keep winning, the more seriously we will take them. They’ve looked like one of the better teams in CUSA so far.
-ORAL ROBERTS AT NEW MEXICO. I don’t know if either team will be on the tournament radar at the end of the year, but as of now they each only have one loss.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT LONG BEACH STATE. After a rough start, San Diego State just picked up a win against Cal, and that’s the kind of win that can turn a season around. They still have work to do, and picking up their first true road win of the season against a pretty decent Long Beach State team who doesn’t get many showcase home games will be a good start. The Beach should really be up for this one.
BUY GAMES
-Loyola MD @ Kansas
-Mississippi Valley State @ Duquesne. Duquesne can improve to 6-1.
-Oakland @ Georgia
-UMES @ Georgetown
-Central Arkansas @ UALR. Yes, we are highlighting UALR games now!
-Alabama State @ Evansville
-Seattle @ California
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Dec 1st
NEWS AND NOTES
-We just recorded our latest Hoops HD Report where we look back at all of the action from this past weeks. It was one of the busiest and most important weeks of the college basketball season, which is something most fans don’t realize. You need to watch it or listen to it if you haven’t all ready. CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST HOOPS HD REPORT
-Jon Teitel has another outstanding interview with Kansas State’s Rolando Blackman – CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Old Dominion and William & Mary – CLICK HERE
-LSU is TERRIBLE!! They are a complete tire fire!! WOW are they bad!!! They lost rather decisively (and that’s actually an understatement) to College of Charleston, who we believe to be one of the worst teams in the Colonial. That is all.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-MARYLAND AT NORTH CAROLINA (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). I miss this old ACC rivalry. It’s a little strange to see them meeting in an OOC game. Both teams are deservedly ranked in the top ten, and UNC is now back at full strength. This is one of the tougher road games Maryland will play all season, and if they want a #1 seed this is the kind of statement win that can help them get it.
-UT ARLINGTON AT TEXAS (***Spotlight Game***). Okay, this is a buy game and Texas doesn’t even have a winning record, so this may not even turn out to be a noteworthy game, much less a spotlight game, come March. But, as of now, UTA has just one loss and has managed wins at Ohio State and Memphis. Texas, while they have a losing record, is improving. That means this game has somewhat of a pivotal feel to it, and if UTA pulls the upset, we need to start to look at them seriously as being a legit team.
-MICHIGAN AT NC STATE (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Both of these teams have potential, but are not off to the best of starts and could really use this game.
-NORTHWESTERN AT VIRGINIA TECH (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). This wouldn’t be a big win for Northwestern as much as it would be a defining loss. When you lose at a place like Virginia Tech, it defines you as a non-tournament team.
-VILLANOVA AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Big Five). Every Big Five game is a rivalry game, but this one is perhaps the most bitter. Not much was expected out of Saint Joe’s this year, but they’re off to a better than expected 4-1 start and a signature win like this will definitely get people’s attention.
-VIRGINIA AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Ohio State has dropped two surprising games at home, and really hasn’t looked good at any point this season. This is the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, and they will be challenged. They will be challenged quite a bit.
-NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT IOWA STATE. This is technically a buy game, but North Dakota State likely being one of the better teams in the Summit League makes it intriguing enough to highlight. Taking on a top ten team is probably a little over their heads, but it’s a good opportunity for them.
-PURDUE AT PITTSBURGH (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). Both teams come in unbeaten, and Pitt did look good in the first half against Gonzaga before the game was cancelled, but other than that they’ve been untested. We should learn something about both these teams tonight.
-RICHMOND AT FLORIDA. I like both these teams, but both still have work to do. I think this is a resume builder for whoever wins it, and that’s something that both these teams could use.
-OLD DOMINION AT WILLIAM & MARY. This is a very important game. It’s an old rivalry, and both teams need to be coming in with a huge sense of urgency. It’s also Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day, as it should be. CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT IT
-DAVIDSON AT CHARLOTTE. Charlotte has been awful this year, and Davidson is unbeaten against awful teams. If Davidson wins this game, then nothing will change. They will still be unbeaten against awful teams. But, it is a road game against a rival, so I guess it’ll be a bit more challenging.
-UTAH STATE AT MISSOURI STATE. I don’t think Utah State will be on the tournament radar in the end, but right now they have just one loss at Duke.
-LIPBSCOMB AT BELMONT. This is a rivalry game that Belmont simply cannot afford to lose.
-EASTERN KENTUCKY AT WESTERN KENTUCKY. This is a rivalry game, and if EKU can win it, they are out to a noticeable 7-1 start.
-MIAMI FL AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten/ACC Challenge). If Nebraska wants to hold out any hope of being relevant this year, they need to be able to win at home in games like this. Miami is coming off a rather surprising loss to Northeastern, but they’re still a really good team and this is the kind of road game that they’re capable of winning.
-LOUISIANA TECH AT MEMPHIS. LA Tech is unbeaten, and the more they keep winning, the more seriously we will take them. They’ve looked like one of the better teams in CUSA so far.
-ORAL ROBERTS AT NEW MEXICO. I don’t know if either team will be on the tournament radar at the end of the year, but as of now they each only have one loss.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT LONG BEACH STATE. After a rough start, San Diego State just picked up a win against Cal, and that’s the kind of win that can turn a season around. They still have work to do, and picking up their first true road win of the season against a pretty decent Long Beach State team who doesn’t get many showcase home games will be a good start. The Beach should really be up for this one.
BUY GAMES
-Loyola MD @ Kansas
-Mississippi Valley State @ Duquesne. Duquesne can improve to 6-1.
-Oakland @ Georgia
-UMES @ Georgetown
-Central Arkansas @ UALR. Yes, we are highlighting UALR games now!
-Alabama State @ Evansville
-Seattle @ California