NEWS AND NOTES
-We’ve got all kinds of important links for you! Make sure you read all of them!!
-For the latest in John Stalica’s Throwback Thursday feature, which focuses on the 1992 NCAA Tournament this week – CLICK HERE. The 1992 Tournament was a huge deal as it featured one of the greatest games ever played between Kentucky and Duke, as well as one of the most popular teams in college sports history (not just basketball, but all college sports) with Michigan’s Fab Five.
-For our latest Under the Radar Video Podcast – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between Hofstra and College of Charleston – CLICK HERE
-We will be recording our first Bracket Rundown Podcast of the season tonight, where we will collectively build a seed list. If you read this site, you know that there are a lot of things that we don’t agree on, so it should be a lively debate.
-As far as last night’s games go, we had a lot of excitement, but nothing too crazy happened. After seeing Texas Tech fall way behind at Iowa State and then claw their way back into the game, I’m starting to believe in them. It just really sucks that Chad was the first one to argue that he thought they were good because I just don’t like it when Chad is right about things.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-UTRGV AT GRAND CANYON (WAC). To say that the Lopes are the best team in the WAC, at this point, is kind of like saying out of the months of January, May, June, and August, January is the coldest. No one else has looked even remotely good in this league, and it really is a shame that the Lopes aren’t eligible. But, keep believing!! Keep the movement going!! #LopesWaiver
-WILLIAM & MARY AT DREXEL (Colonial). At this point, saying that it’s a longshot for William & Mary to land inside the bubble is being kind. They’d have to absolutely run away from the league from this point on.
-CINCINNATI AT SMU (American). SMU is still unbeaten, and Cincinnati is still in decent shape, but this is one of their last chances to boost themselves back up to being in terrific shape. This is their toughest remaining test. It’s a road game against an unbeaten team that they won’t see again in the conference tournament due to SMU being ineligible. They do face each other again in the regular season finale, however – could SMU be unbeaten at that point in time?
-NOTRE DAME AT BOSTON COLLEGE (ACC). Notre Dame needs to pick up the winnable conference road games.
-MICHIGAN AT PURDUE (Big Ten). People still aren’t as excited about Michigan as they were at the beginning of the year, but the Wolverines are 12-3. If they’re able to pull off this win tonight it would completely change the complexion of their profile and their season.
-LOUISVILLE AT NC STATE (ACC). Louisville had a big win this past Sunday when they beat Wake Forest, which is the first team they’ve beaten that appears to be anywhere close to the NCAA Tournament. Tonight they’re going after their first true road win of the season, which adds something else to their profile that they need to have.
-SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT IUPUI (Summit league). If South Dakota State can win out then they’ll be considered for an at-large. Anything short of that and they’ll probably need the automatic bid.
-UT ARLINGTON AT APPALACHIAN STATE (Sun Belt). We are currently projecting UT Arlington as being right on the bubble. If they can blow through the conference they can should be in shape to get an at-large bid if they need it.
-LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE AT LITTLE ROCK (Sun Belt). Like UT Arlington, we are projecting Little Rock to be just inside the bubble. If they avoid losses to teams that are outside the tournament picture, which is pretty much the entire conference, they should be inside the bubble come March.
-ALABAMA AT OLE MISS (SEC). Both teams have shown signs of being good this year, and Alabama has been somewhat surprising, but both still have a ton of work to do. Like we say, when a team looks like they’re near the bubble, every game has a pivotal feel to it, and that’s where both these teams appear to be.
-ILLINOIS AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Michigan State is still in strong contention for a #1 seed and even if they’re shorthanded should take care of Illinois at home. Valentine is expected to return this weekend, but will not play tonight.
-ARIZONA AT UCLA (Pac Twelve). UCLA has lost just one home game, but their profile has taken a huge hit with how poor they’ve played away from home. Beating Arizona would certainly help, but they need to win some games on the road if they really want to feel safe. Having said that, they are a strong team at home and if Arizona pulls off the win they’ll get quite a bit of credit for it.
-OLD DOMINION AT LOUISIANA TECH (Conference USA). If LA Tech can run the table or come close to doing so, which they’re good enough to do, they should be inside the bubble come March. Old Dominion has been disappointing out of conference and still hasn’t won a true road game yet.
-SAINT MARY’S AT LMU (West Coast). When a team beats non tournament teams at home, that doesn’t indicate that they’re a tournament team themselves no matter how many times they do it. That’s how I feel about SMC. We’re watching them, but I won’t actually be taking them seriously until they pass a true road test. LMU is unbeaten at home, so if they get this one I may sit up and take a little bit of notice.
-ARIZONA STATE AT USC (Pac Twelve). Both teams are good, but both teams still have work to do. It’s one of those games that has a somewhat pivotal feel for both teams.
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Thursday, Jan 7th
NEWS AND NOTES
-We’ve got all kinds of important links for you! Make sure you read all of them!!
-For the latest in John Stalica’s Throwback Thursday feature, which focuses on the 1992 NCAA Tournament this week – CLICK HERE. The 1992 Tournament was a huge deal as it featured one of the greatest games ever played between Kentucky and Duke, as well as one of the most popular teams in college sports history (not just basketball, but all college sports) with Michigan’s Fab Five.
-For our latest Under the Radar Video Podcast – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between Hofstra and College of Charleston – CLICK HERE
-We will be recording our first Bracket Rundown Podcast of the season tonight, where we will collectively build a seed list. If you read this site, you know that there are a lot of things that we don’t agree on, so it should be a lively debate.
-As far as last night’s games go, we had a lot of excitement, but nothing too crazy happened. After seeing Texas Tech fall way behind at Iowa State and then claw their way back into the game, I’m starting to believe in them. It just really sucks that Chad was the first one to argue that he thought they were good because I just don’t like it when Chad is right about things.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-UTRGV AT GRAND CANYON (WAC). To say that the Lopes are the best team in the WAC, at this point, is kind of like saying out of the months of January, May, June, and August, January is the coldest. No one else has looked even remotely good in this league, and it really is a shame that the Lopes aren’t eligible. But, keep believing!! Keep the movement going!! #LopesWaiver
-WILLIAM & MARY AT DREXEL (Colonial). At this point, saying that it’s a longshot for William & Mary to land inside the bubble is being kind. They’d have to absolutely run away from the league from this point on.
-CINCINNATI AT SMU (American). SMU is still unbeaten, and Cincinnati is still in decent shape, but this is one of their last chances to boost themselves back up to being in terrific shape. This is their toughest remaining test. It’s a road game against an unbeaten team that they won’t see again in the conference tournament due to SMU being ineligible. They do face each other again in the regular season finale, however – could SMU be unbeaten at that point in time?
-NOTRE DAME AT BOSTON COLLEGE (ACC). Notre Dame needs to pick up the winnable conference road games.
-MICHIGAN AT PURDUE (Big Ten). People still aren’t as excited about Michigan as they were at the beginning of the year, but the Wolverines are 12-3. If they’re able to pull off this win tonight it would completely change the complexion of their profile and their season.
-LOUISVILLE AT NC STATE (ACC). Louisville had a big win this past Sunday when they beat Wake Forest, which is the first team they’ve beaten that appears to be anywhere close to the NCAA Tournament. Tonight they’re going after their first true road win of the season, which adds something else to their profile that they need to have.
-SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT IUPUI (Summit league). If South Dakota State can win out then they’ll be considered for an at-large. Anything short of that and they’ll probably need the automatic bid.
-UT ARLINGTON AT APPALACHIAN STATE (Sun Belt). We are currently projecting UT Arlington as being right on the bubble. If they can blow through the conference they can should be in shape to get an at-large bid if they need it.
-LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE AT LITTLE ROCK (Sun Belt). Like UT Arlington, we are projecting Little Rock to be just inside the bubble. If they avoid losses to teams that are outside the tournament picture, which is pretty much the entire conference, they should be inside the bubble come March.
-ALABAMA AT OLE MISS (SEC). Both teams have shown signs of being good this year, and Alabama has been somewhat surprising, but both still have a ton of work to do. Like we say, when a team looks like they’re near the bubble, every game has a pivotal feel to it, and that’s where both these teams appear to be.
-ILLINOIS AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Michigan State is still in strong contention for a #1 seed and even if they’re shorthanded should take care of Illinois at home. Valentine is expected to return this weekend, but will not play tonight.
-ARIZONA AT UCLA (Pac Twelve). UCLA has lost just one home game, but their profile has taken a huge hit with how poor they’ve played away from home. Beating Arizona would certainly help, but they need to win some games on the road if they really want to feel safe. Having said that, they are a strong team at home and if Arizona pulls off the win they’ll get quite a bit of credit for it.
-OLD DOMINION AT LOUISIANA TECH (Conference USA). If LA Tech can run the table or come close to doing so, which they’re good enough to do, they should be inside the bubble come March. Old Dominion has been disappointing out of conference and still hasn’t won a true road game yet.
-SAINT MARY’S AT LMU (West Coast). When a team beats non tournament teams at home, that doesn’t indicate that they’re a tournament team themselves no matter how many times they do it. That’s how I feel about SMC. We’re watching them, but I won’t actually be taking them seriously until they pass a true road test. LMU is unbeaten at home, so if they get this one I may sit up and take a little bit of notice.
-ARIZONA STATE AT USC (Pac Twelve). Both teams are good, but both teams still have work to do. It’s one of those games that has a somewhat pivotal feel for both teams.