NEWS AND NOTES
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between Bucknell and American – CLICK HERE
-We will be recording our Under the Radar Video Podcast tonight, so it should be posted late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Be on the lookout for that.
-Providence wins at Villanova. Providence beats a full strength Arizona team on a neutral floor. Providence wins at Butler. Providence LOSES at….DePaul?? There are head scratchers. There is Cluessing. And then there is I guess the next level, which is what Providence did last night. It by no means changes the course of their season nor negates all the good things they’ve done, but it is a setback, and it is really bizarre.
-Kentucky followed up their very impressive showing in an overtime loss at Kansas, with a very impressive start to the game at Tennessee. They then failed to hold on, and Tennessee ended up getting a feel good win at home, and Kentucky adds yet another road loss to a non tournament team to their profile.
-West Virginia picked up a monster road win at Iowa State, which is a nice way to rebound after getting blitzed at Florida over the weekend.
-Indiana picked up a big road win at Michigan, which included a nine minute stretch at the end of the first half where Michigan scored just one point. The Hoosiers really needed that one.
-Butler picked up a much needed win at home against Georgetown and quite frankly looked as good in that game as they have in any game since conference play began.
-Clemson needed a road win at Wake Forest, and got it. It’s not that it was a big win in and of itself, but it’s just Clemson’s second one of the season, and it’s important that they demonstrate they can beat non tournament teams on the road.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-SAINT JOHN’S AT XAVIER (Big East). Xavier is still in the hunt for a first place finish in the Big East, as well as a #1 seed in the NCAAs. They have one of their more winnable remaining games of the season tonight.
-ARKANSAS AT FLORIDA (SEC). Florida is coming off a much needed signature win against West Virginia, and needs to hold serve (which they’ve done all year) against an Arkansas team that has struggled on the road this year.
-NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI FL (ACC). Both teams have good profiles, and although Miami has slipped recently they still have a good shot at ending up as a protected seed if they’re able to finish strong.
-DAVIDSON AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). GW has a lot of work to do. Davidson has so much work to do that anything short of winning out likely won’t be enough.
-VCU AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). I really like how VCU has been playing, and expect that they’ll pick up another road win and remain unbeaten in A10 play.
-PENN STATE AT IOWA (Big Ten). I like Iowa’s chances to end up on the #1 line, and don’t expect them to be challenged tonight.
-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Atlantic Ten). Once upon a time this rivalry had a little heat to it, so it’s always somewhat fun when they get together. Saint Joe’s is having a great season and shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up this win at home against a Saint Bona program that’s improving, but isn’t quite there yet.
-BOSTON COLLEGE AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Virginia is coming off what is perhaps their biggest win and best played game of the year. They come home tonight for one of their more winnable conference games.
-CREIGHTON AT VILLANOVA (Big East). Like Xavier, Nova is right in the race for a first place finish and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they need to hold serve in games like this. Creighton is way outside looking in, but they can still get onto, or even inside of the bubble if they can rack up some major wins such as this. Now, that’s much easier said than done, but the opportunities are there.
-MARYLAND AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Maryland’s profile is good, but if they want to get as high as the #2 or #1 line they can’t afford to lose games like this, even if it is a road game.
-MARQUETTE AT SETON HALL (Big East). Marquette has a ton of work to do, and you have to question whether or not they’re strong enough to finish it off, but the opportunities are there. I like this Seton Hall team, and actually think they’re being somewhat undervalued. Now, having said that, it is very important that they hold serve in this game and get it done in order to remain strongly in the picture.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT TEXAS TECH (Big Twelve). I for one don’t think Texas Tech even belongs in the discussion right now, much less in the field, but some are still projecting them in the field. They absolutely must win tonight. I think we can agree on that.
-KANSAS STATE AT KANSAS (Big Twelve). This is a rivalry. There is some heat there. But, it’s a fairly lopsided rivalry. Kansas is always better, and even when K State does occasionally win, they almost never do so at Kansas. Kansas is solidly in the protected seed range. K State is nowhere near the field.
-SOUTHENR ILLINOIS AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). Wichita has been blowing through conference play and I don’t expect that to change tonight.
-ARIZONA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac Twelve). Arizona is still shorthanded due to injuries, and is just 4-4 in their last eight games. The last thing the need right now is a damaging road loss.
-ARIZONA STATE AT WASHINGTON (Pac Twelve). Washington remains squarely on our bubble, and like any bubble team every game has a pivotal feel to it.
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Feb 3rd
NEWS AND NOTES
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between Bucknell and American – CLICK HERE
-We will be recording our Under the Radar Video Podcast tonight, so it should be posted late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Be on the lookout for that.
-Providence wins at Villanova. Providence beats a full strength Arizona team on a neutral floor. Providence wins at Butler. Providence LOSES at….DePaul?? There are head scratchers. There is Cluessing. And then there is I guess the next level, which is what Providence did last night. It by no means changes the course of their season nor negates all the good things they’ve done, but it is a setback, and it is really bizarre.
-Kentucky followed up their very impressive showing in an overtime loss at Kansas, with a very impressive start to the game at Tennessee. They then failed to hold on, and Tennessee ended up getting a feel good win at home, and Kentucky adds yet another road loss to a non tournament team to their profile.
-West Virginia picked up a monster road win at Iowa State, which is a nice way to rebound after getting blitzed at Florida over the weekend.
-Indiana picked up a big road win at Michigan, which included a nine minute stretch at the end of the first half where Michigan scored just one point. The Hoosiers really needed that one.
-Butler picked up a much needed win at home against Georgetown and quite frankly looked as good in that game as they have in any game since conference play began.
-Clemson needed a road win at Wake Forest, and got it. It’s not that it was a big win in and of itself, but it’s just Clemson’s second one of the season, and it’s important that they demonstrate they can beat non tournament teams on the road.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-SAINT JOHN’S AT XAVIER (Big East). Xavier is still in the hunt for a first place finish in the Big East, as well as a #1 seed in the NCAAs. They have one of their more winnable remaining games of the season tonight.
-ARKANSAS AT FLORIDA (SEC). Florida is coming off a much needed signature win against West Virginia, and needs to hold serve (which they’ve done all year) against an Arkansas team that has struggled on the road this year.
-NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI FL (ACC). Both teams have good profiles, and although Miami has slipped recently they still have a good shot at ending up as a protected seed if they’re able to finish strong.
-DAVIDSON AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). GW has a lot of work to do. Davidson has so much work to do that anything short of winning out likely won’t be enough.
-VCU AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). I really like how VCU has been playing, and expect that they’ll pick up another road win and remain unbeaten in A10 play.
-PENN STATE AT IOWA (Big Ten). I like Iowa’s chances to end up on the #1 line, and don’t expect them to be challenged tonight.
-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Atlantic Ten). Once upon a time this rivalry had a little heat to it, so it’s always somewhat fun when they get together. Saint Joe’s is having a great season and shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up this win at home against a Saint Bona program that’s improving, but isn’t quite there yet.
-BOSTON COLLEGE AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Virginia is coming off what is perhaps their biggest win and best played game of the year. They come home tonight for one of their more winnable conference games.
-CREIGHTON AT VILLANOVA (Big East). Like Xavier, Nova is right in the race for a first place finish and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they need to hold serve in games like this. Creighton is way outside looking in, but they can still get onto, or even inside of the bubble if they can rack up some major wins such as this. Now, that’s much easier said than done, but the opportunities are there.
-MARYLAND AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Maryland’s profile is good, but if they want to get as high as the #2 or #1 line they can’t afford to lose games like this, even if it is a road game.
-MARQUETTE AT SETON HALL (Big East). Marquette has a ton of work to do, and you have to question whether or not they’re strong enough to finish it off, but the opportunities are there. I like this Seton Hall team, and actually think they’re being somewhat undervalued. Now, having said that, it is very important that they hold serve in this game and get it done in order to remain strongly in the picture.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT TEXAS TECH (Big Twelve). I for one don’t think Texas Tech even belongs in the discussion right now, much less in the field, but some are still projecting them in the field. They absolutely must win tonight. I think we can agree on that.
-KANSAS STATE AT KANSAS (Big Twelve). This is a rivalry. There is some heat there. But, it’s a fairly lopsided rivalry. Kansas is always better, and even when K State does occasionally win, they almost never do so at Kansas. Kansas is solidly in the protected seed range. K State is nowhere near the field.
-SOUTHENR ILLINOIS AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). Wichita has been blowing through conference play and I don’t expect that to change tonight.
-ARIZONA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac Twelve). Arizona is still shorthanded due to injuries, and is just 4-4 in their last eight games. The last thing the need right now is a damaging road loss.
-ARIZONA STATE AT WASHINGTON (Pac Twelve). Washington remains squarely on our bubble, and like any bubble team every game has a pivotal feel to it.