News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Saturday, March 3rd

CLICK HERE for our latest Championship Week Video Notebook

CLICK HERE for the final UTR Game of the Day of the season

-Rhode Island lost their second straight game as they fell at Davidson last night.  They should still be in relatively safe shape, but they’re not helping their seeding any.

-Oklahoma got a much needed win at home against Iowa State.  Despite a really weak finish to the season the Sooners are relatively safe.

-XAVIER AT DEPAUL (Big East).  A win for Xavier clinches an outright Big East title and sustains their status as a #1 seed.  As long as they avoid losses to non-tournament teams the rest of the way I think they’ll get it.

-WEST VIRGINIA AT TEXAS (Big 12).  West Virginia has gotten a little hot lately and their resume has once again started to improve.  Texas is going in the opposite direction.  They’re squarely on the bubble and could really use this win today.

-KENTUCKY AT FLORIDA (SEC).  Both teams are solidly in and are just playing for seeding.  That being said, both have room to improve their seed with a strong finish.

-VIRGINIA TECH AT MIAMI FL (ACC).  Both teams have really been playing well lately, are virtual locks for the tournament, and are playing for seeding both today and throughout the ACC Tournament.

-SAINT JOHN’S AT PROVIDENCE (Big East).  Providence is very close to the bubble and really can’t afford to lose to a non-tournament team at home.

-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT LSU (SEC).  If either of these teams has any hopes for landing in the field, they need to win today and go on a run in the SEC Tournament. That said, Mississippi State might have a better chance with a win than LSU would if the Tigers end up winning this one.

-CLEMSON AT SYRACUSE (ACC).  Clemson is on the verge of a protected seed and could lock it up with a win today.  Syracuse is squarely on the bubble and could use a big quality win.

-BOSTON COLLEGE AT FLORIDA STATE (ACC).  Florida State is in good shape and just needs to hold serve.  BC has improved a lot this season and can actually improve to 8-10 in ACC play with a win, but still isn’t up to being a tournament caliber team just yet.

-ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M (SEC).  Both teams are sliding, but Bama’s slide seems to be a little more drastic.  They’ve also been poor on the road and could really use this win to stabilize their resume.  TAMU is a little more safe, but could also use another stabilizing win of their own.

-BAYLOR AT KANSAS STATE (Big 12).  Kansas State will probably virtually lock themselves in if they’re able to win.  Baylor is very close to our bubble and a win today will make them feel a lot safer.

-STANFORD AT ARIZONA STATE (Pac Twelve).  Arizona State has been shaky all throughout conference play, but should have enough on their resume to keep them safely inside the bubble if they’re able to win this one.

-CREIGHTON AT MARQUETTE (Big East).  Creighton is trying to complete a strong finish to the season and should easily end up on the top half of the bracket if they can win this one on the road.  Marquette is another one of those teams that is squarely on the bubble and could use a quality win.

-SOUTH CAROLINA AT AUBURN (SEC).  Auburn has suddenly lost three of their last four, but they have a winnable game today that can help them bounce back, and they’ll clinch at least a share of first place if they’re able to pull it off.  They’re also set up nicely for a protected seed and should get it so long as they avoid losses to non-tournament teams.

-NOTRE DAME AT VIRGINIA (ACC).  Virginia won in dramatic fashion the other night in at Louisville and can probably lock themselves into a #1 seed if with a win today regardless of what happens in the conference tournament.

-KANSAS AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big 12).  Kansas can finish first in the Big Twelve.  Again.  They are also on the trajectory to end up as a #1 seed if they can pick up the win today and win at least one in the Big 12 Tourney.

-TCU AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12).  Texas Tech has battled injuries and has lost four straight, but is still in good shape and should be very dangerous again once they get healthy.  I think TCU is locked into the Tournament no matter what happens the rest of the way and is now just playing for seeding.

-WASHINGTON AT OREGON (Pac Twelve).  Washington is outside the bubble and needs a win today and a nice showing in the Pac Twelve Tournament if they want to play their way inside of it.  This is a rivalry with a little heat, so a road win won’t be easy.

-GEORGETOWN AT VILLANOVA (Big East).  Nova still has an outside shot of tying for first place, but even if they don’t they probably still end up on the #1 line just as long as they hold serve today and in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament.

-GEORGIA AT TENNESSEE (SEC).  Tennessee can clinch at least a share of first place in the SEC, and probably a protected seed as well, if they can win this one at home.

-LOUISVILLE AT NC STATE (ACC). NC State is slipping and really needs this win.  They may be sweating things out if they don’t get it.  Louisville has slipped even more and really needs this win even more.  They missed a golden opportunity at a high caliber win earlier in the week and could really use a quality road win like this to strengthen their chances.

-ARKANSAS AT MISSOURI (SEC).  Mizzou is squarely on our bubble and could use a win today, as well as a win or two in the conference tournament, to help secure them a spot in the field.  Arkansas has been playing better lately, but still has room to improve.

-CALIFORNIA AT ARIZONA (Pac Twelve).  Arizona is now back at full strength, coaches, players and all, and appears to be good enough to win out through the conference tournament.  If they do that then they will likely end up as a protected seed.

-MARSHALL AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE (Conference USA).  Middle Tennessee is currently inside our bubble, and they will most likely stay there if they can win this game and avoid a loss in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament.

-COLORADO AT UTAH (Pac Twelve).  It would take a tremendous effort, but Utah may be able to land inside the field if they play their way into the conference championship game.

-WYOMING AT BOISE STATE (Mountain West).  Boise State will almost assuredly need the automatic bid to make the field, but I suppose there is a slim sliver of hope if they win out to the conference championship game.

-BUTLER AT SETON HALL (Big East).  Butler is slipping closer and closer to the bubble and could be in a little bit of trouble if they lose this one and lose their first conference tournament game, but in all likelihood they are still safe.  Seton Hall is just playing for seeding from here on out.

-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT SAINT LOUIS (Atlantic Ten).  The Bonnies are on our bubble, and I think they have a decent shot at making the field, but they need to avoid losses to sub-tournament teams, which basically means avoiding losses to anyone other than Rhode Island.

-DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC).  They are eight miles apart!  They’ve never met in the NCAA Tournament!  And they both have an outside shot at a #1 seed, but they’d probably need to win out through the conference tournament.

-NEVADA AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West).  We haven’t quite locked Nevada into the Tournament on our Survival Board, but they are a virtual lock and should be an actual lock for the actual tournament if they’re able to win this one.

-USC AT UCLA (Pac Twelve).  It’s a rivalry game between two bubble teams.  Both need this win, and perhaps even a little bit more, in order to make the field.

This entry was posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes. Bookmark the permalink.