NEWS AND NOTES
-For our latest Hoops HD Report, where we run through and analyze all the major conferences – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-Virginia’s frustrations continue. They’ve now lost six of eight, and although most of those aren’t even the least bit damaging, losing at home to a team that’s outside of the top 25 just isn’t something that a solid protected seed typically does. On the flip side, it was a great win for Miami FL who continues to play better and better and who’s NCAA Tournament resume keeps getting stronger and stronger.
-UT Arlington picked up a win at Georgia Southern. It was their 10th true road win of the year. Some of those road wins include Texas (who while bad is still 10-5 at home, and the win occurred at a time when Texas still had their best player on the team), Saint Mary’s (who’s only other home loss was to Gonzaga), Georgia State (who’s 8-3 at home), and Georgia Southern (who is 8-2 at home). That’s impressive. Those teams aren’t tournament teams, but beating a top fifty team at home who has a losing record on the road really isn’t any harder to do than winning at Georgia Southern, or Georgia State, or certainly Saint Mary’s. They also have a top 40 RPI and are in first place. Outright first place teams with top forty RPIs generally get in no matter what. Hmmm. Another team to keep an eye on. I just hope that the committee is.
-Iowa State picked up another nice road win at Texas Tech. Texas Tech is still within reach of the NCAA Tournament, but after last night’s loss they’re really going to have to stretch in order to reach it. Nothing against the Red Raiders, and I feel that Chris Beard has done a fantastic job in his first season, but given the choice I like UT Arlington better.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-PURDUE AT PENN STATE (Big Ten). Purdue is looking more and more like the best team in the Big Ten, and this is a good chance for them to add another road win to an already impressive profile. If they hold serve they could end up as a protected seed.
-RHODE ISLAND AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). Rhody pretty much needs to win out and hope for the best, but they’re at-large chances aren’t entirely dead yet. Just mostly dead.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT FLORIDA (SEC). South Carolina is still in relatively good shape, but they have hit ai bit of a tailspin. Winning at Florida would certainly pull them out of it, but that’s much easier said than done. The Gators’s profile indicates that they are on the fringe of a protected seed, but they need to prove they can win without Egbunu, so it’s a big game for them as well.
-CLEMSON AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). Clemson keeps playing well against good teams and coming up just short. Their NCAA Tournament hopes aren’t entirely extinguished, but every game for the rest of the season will have a pivotal feel. If they can win on the road against a Virginia Tech team that appears to be squarely in the field it will certainly help things.
-OKLAHOMA AT BAYLOR (Big Twelve). Baylor is coming off a loss to Kansas that is more frustrating and heartbreaking than it is damaging. They don’t want to overlook this Sooners team, but this is a good chance for them to rebound with a winnable game.
-MONMOUTH AT FAIRFIELD (Metro Atlantic). I realize that no one is talking about Monmouth as if they were a bubble team, but as weak as the bubble is maybe we should be looking at some of the top teams from the UTR leagues. They’re 23-5 with a top 50 RPI, ten true road wins (and could make it 11 tonight), and have not lost since January 2nd. They’re still under consideration on our SURVIVAL BOARD. They may not be selected, but it’d be nuts to not at least look at them.
-GEORGE MASON AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten). Dayton is inside the bubble and will likely stay there so long as they hold serve in games like this. George Mason is one of the more improved teams in the conference, and although they’re not a tournament caliber team you can’t help but be impressed with what they’ve done and feel that their program is once again heading in the right direction.
-NORTHWESTERN AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Northwestern lost the first meeting between these two in what was kind of a surprising result. In fact outside of their big win at Wisconsin they have been struggling recently, but they’re still relatively safe for a bid. Winning this game and adding another road win to their resume would certainly help, not to mention give them the bragging rights.
-NC STATE AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). Georgia Tech is squarely on the bubble so every game for them has a pivotal feel. They certainly don’t want to lose at home to a non-tournament team.
-EVANSVILLE AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). Wichita State doesn’t have much in the way of quality wins, but they’re in the rankings and their power ratings are strong. If they win out through the regular season I can’t imagine them missing the NCAA Tournament.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Marquette can’t exactly skate to the NCAA Tournament, but as long as they hold serve they should be fine. That obviously means beating the Johnnies at home.
-KENTUCKY AT MISSOURI (SEC). No comment.
-INDIANA AT IOWA (Big Ten). Indiana is in awful shape right now, but if they can string together a strong finish, which is much easier said than done but still possible, they still have a chance of making the field. They’ve been awful on the road. A win tonight would at least give them another road win.
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Tuesday, Feb 21st
NEWS AND NOTES
-For our latest Hoops HD Report, where we run through and analyze all the major conferences – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-Virginia’s frustrations continue. They’ve now lost six of eight, and although most of those aren’t even the least bit damaging, losing at home to a team that’s outside of the top 25 just isn’t something that a solid protected seed typically does. On the flip side, it was a great win for Miami FL who continues to play better and better and who’s NCAA Tournament resume keeps getting stronger and stronger.
-UT Arlington picked up a win at Georgia Southern. It was their 10th true road win of the year. Some of those road wins include Texas (who while bad is still 10-5 at home, and the win occurred at a time when Texas still had their best player on the team), Saint Mary’s (who’s only other home loss was to Gonzaga), Georgia State (who’s 8-3 at home), and Georgia Southern (who is 8-2 at home). That’s impressive. Those teams aren’t tournament teams, but beating a top fifty team at home who has a losing record on the road really isn’t any harder to do than winning at Georgia Southern, or Georgia State, or certainly Saint Mary’s. They also have a top 40 RPI and are in first place. Outright first place teams with top forty RPIs generally get in no matter what. Hmmm. Another team to keep an eye on. I just hope that the committee is.
-Iowa State picked up another nice road win at Texas Tech. Texas Tech is still within reach of the NCAA Tournament, but after last night’s loss they’re really going to have to stretch in order to reach it. Nothing against the Red Raiders, and I feel that Chris Beard has done a fantastic job in his first season, but given the choice I like UT Arlington better.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-PURDUE AT PENN STATE (Big Ten). Purdue is looking more and more like the best team in the Big Ten, and this is a good chance for them to add another road win to an already impressive profile. If they hold serve they could end up as a protected seed.
-RHODE ISLAND AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). Rhody pretty much needs to win out and hope for the best, but they’re at-large chances aren’t entirely dead yet. Just mostly dead.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT FLORIDA (SEC). South Carolina is still in relatively good shape, but they have hit ai bit of a tailspin. Winning at Florida would certainly pull them out of it, but that’s much easier said than done. The Gators’s profile indicates that they are on the fringe of a protected seed, but they need to prove they can win without Egbunu, so it’s a big game for them as well.
-CLEMSON AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). Clemson keeps playing well against good teams and coming up just short. Their NCAA Tournament hopes aren’t entirely extinguished, but every game for the rest of the season will have a pivotal feel. If they can win on the road against a Virginia Tech team that appears to be squarely in the field it will certainly help things.
-OKLAHOMA AT BAYLOR (Big Twelve). Baylor is coming off a loss to Kansas that is more frustrating and heartbreaking than it is damaging. They don’t want to overlook this Sooners team, but this is a good chance for them to rebound with a winnable game.
-MONMOUTH AT FAIRFIELD (Metro Atlantic). I realize that no one is talking about Monmouth as if they were a bubble team, but as weak as the bubble is maybe we should be looking at some of the top teams from the UTR leagues. They’re 23-5 with a top 50 RPI, ten true road wins (and could make it 11 tonight), and have not lost since January 2nd. They’re still under consideration on our SURVIVAL BOARD. They may not be selected, but it’d be nuts to not at least look at them.
-GEORGE MASON AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten). Dayton is inside the bubble and will likely stay there so long as they hold serve in games like this. George Mason is one of the more improved teams in the conference, and although they’re not a tournament caliber team you can’t help but be impressed with what they’ve done and feel that their program is once again heading in the right direction.
-NORTHWESTERN AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Northwestern lost the first meeting between these two in what was kind of a surprising result. In fact outside of their big win at Wisconsin they have been struggling recently, but they’re still relatively safe for a bid. Winning this game and adding another road win to their resume would certainly help, not to mention give them the bragging rights.
-NC STATE AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). Georgia Tech is squarely on the bubble so every game for them has a pivotal feel. They certainly don’t want to lose at home to a non-tournament team.
-EVANSVILLE AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). Wichita State doesn’t have much in the way of quality wins, but they’re in the rankings and their power ratings are strong. If they win out through the regular season I can’t imagine them missing the NCAA Tournament.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Marquette can’t exactly skate to the NCAA Tournament, but as long as they hold serve they should be fine. That obviously means beating the Johnnies at home.
-KENTUCKY AT MISSOURI (SEC). No comment.
-INDIANA AT IOWA (Big Ten). Indiana is in awful shape right now, but if they can string together a strong finish, which is much easier said than done but still possible, they still have a chance of making the field. They’ve been awful on the road. A win tonight would at least give them another road win.