It is the last Saturday of the regular season, and in addition to our normal busy Saturday Rundown we have a lot of conference tournament action as well, which is highlighted in hour Hoops HD Video Notebook.
NEWS AND NOTES
-For Day 5 of our Hoops HD Video Notebook, where we recap all of yesterday’s conference tournament action, as well as preview all of today’s – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-Wisconsin fell at home to Iowa on Thursday night, and has now lost five out of six. They’re in no danger whatsoever of missing the tournament, but their potential seed has certainly dropped. Iowa, on the other hand, is another team that’s creeping up toward the bubble and may be able to play their way in with a strong showing in their conference tournament.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-KENTUCKY AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). Kentucky is trying to end the regular season by picking up a road win, holding serve, and all but locking themselves in to a protected seed.
-ILLINOIS AT RUTGERS (Big Ten). This is a big game for the Illini because a win adds another true road win to their resume and gets them to a respectable 9-9 in Big Ten play, and even has them knocking on the door of the bubble. A loss is a bad loss and a huge setback.
-INDIANA AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten). I highlight this game only to say that we are not highlighting this game.
-PITTSBURGH AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Virginia has won two straight and can end the season on a big upswing. A solid showing in the ACC Tournament should get them a a protected seed.
-VILLANOVA AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). If Nova picks up this game I think they cement themselves on the #1 line. If they win this and their quarterfinal game it’s all but a sure thing.
-PROVIDENCE AT SAINT JOHN’S (Big East). Providence is on the bubble, which means every game has a pivotal feel to it. This would give them a road win and a very respectable 10-8 conference record. If they win this and their next game they’re probably dancing. Even if they just win one of the two their chances are strong.
-TEXAS TECH AT KANSAS STATE (Big Twelve). K State is right on the bubble and needs to be able to beat a team that’s outside of the bubble at home.
-GEORGIA AT ARKANSAS (SEC). Some say Georgia is on the bubble, and I suppose they have a path to the NCAA Tournament, but they’d need to pick this game up and pick up several other impressive wins in the SEC Tournament. Arkansas is a virtual lock and is now playing for seeding.
-FLORIDA AT VANDERBILT (SEC). Vandy is squarely on the bubble, but if they can win this game and then pick up another win against a tournament caliber team in the SEC Tournament I think their chances of making it are very good. Florida can add another good road win to an already very good profile and perhaps lock themselves into a protected seed.
-MICHIGAN STATE AT MARYLAND (Big Ten). Both teams appear to be in the field, but both have room to improve their seed, especially Michigan State who currently appears to be inside the bubble, but not necessarily on the top half of the bracket. A win in this game actually pulls them even with the Terps in the conference standings.
-NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). It’s always fun when these two get together. Both are easily in the top half of the bracket, and despite coming off the loss Louisville is probably locked into a protected seed. The Irish are certainly within reach of one if they can win this game and pick up another big win or two in the ACC Tourney.
-CALIFORNIA AT COLORADO (Pac Twelve). Cal needed to win at Utah the other night. Cal did not win at Utah the other night. In fact, Cal was blasted out of the gym. The committee will look at them, but they need to win this one and then probably knock off one of the three Pac Twelve heavyweights in the conference tourney in order to get a serious look.
-GEORGE MASON AT VCU (Atlantic Ten). VCU is safe if they hold serve, which means winning this game and avoiding losses to weak teams in the conference tournament. If they fail to do that they’ll really be sweating.
-XAVIER AT DEPAUL (Big East). Xavier has lost six straight games. The last game they were able to win was against DePaul. They absolutely need to win this game, and probably their next game in the conference tourney (also against DePaul) in order to feel reasonably safe.
-SETON HALL AT BUTLER (Big East). Butler is very close to locking themselves into a protected seed. Seton Hall appears to be reasonably safe for a bid, but if they somehow pull off the upset in this one they’ll be more than just reasonably safe.
-CREIGHTON AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Creighton is a virtual lock for the top half of the bracket, but probably need at least one more win to absolutely assure it. Marquette is reasonably safe as well, and will be a lot safer if they’re able to win this one.
-TCU AT OKLAHOMA (Big Twelve). The chances of TCU getting in are very slim. They’d need to win this one, and then probably win two conference tournament games in order to get a serious look.
-BAYLOR AT TEXAS (Big Twelve). It’s a rivalry game that Baylor should be able to pick up. They’ve pretty much locked themselves in to a protected seed and are in pretty good shape to continue to build their profile in the conference tournament.
-MIAMI FL AT FLORIDA STATE (ACC). Florida State is on the doorstep of a protected seed. Miami FL is looking like they’ll land on the top half of the bracket, especially if they’re able to pull off a win in this one. Doing so actually pulls them even with the Noles in the ACC standings.
-GEORGIA TECH AT SYRACUSE (ACC). It’s my opinion that neither of these teams should make the field as they stand now, but it is the opinion of those that matter that Syracuse has a very good chance. This is a very pivotal game for both teams.
-STANFORD AT UTAH (Pac Twelve). A win for Utah gets them to 11-7, and if they can pick up a big win in the conference tournament they may be able to reach the bubble.
-ARIZONA AT ARIZONA STATE (Pac Twelve). This is a rivalry game, but it’s also a huge mismatch. Arizona has a good chance of ending up as high as the #2 line with a strong showing in the Pac Twelve Tournament. They just need to hold serve and cement their bragging rights today.
-MEMPHIS AT SMU (American). SMU should land on the top half of the bracket if they hold serve the rest of the way. That means beating an improved, but not quite tournament caliber, Memphis team.
-LMU AT BYU (West Coast). BYU has an outside shot, but they’ll need to win out to the conference championship game and beat Saint Mary’s along the way, and it’s possible that won’t even be enough.
-WAKE FOREST AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). Wake Forest is squarely on the bubble after picking up a big win against Louisville early in the week. A true road win against a Virginia Tech team that’s almost assured to make the field could make the difference as to whether or not Wake makes it.
-OREGON AT OREGON STATE (Pac Twelve). A huge mismatch of a rivalry!! Oregon is looking like a solid protected seed, and Oregon State is looking for just their sixth win of the year.
-KANSAS AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big Twelve). Kansas will likely end up on the #1 line, and if they win this game, which won’t be easy, I think they will have locked it up regardless of what happens in the conference tournament. Oklahoma State is coming off a loss, but they’ve played outstanding basketball in the second half of Big Twelve play, and their fans should be absolutely jacked for this one. This one will be fun!!
-DAVIDSON AT RHODE ISLAND (Atlantic Ten). Rhody is right on the bubble, and every game has a pivotal feel to it. Any loss to a team that’s not solidly in the tournament, which is basically everyone they’ll face who isn’t Dayton, could knock them out.
-FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE (Conference USA). If Middle Tennessee wins this, I think they belong in whether they win the conference tournament or not. They’ve beaten virtually everyone in the league and dominated it. Why should they have to do that again in order to impress the committee?? Just my opinion, but if they’re inside the bubble now, then they were dominant enough to where they should stay inside the bubble if they win today.
-WASHINGTON AT USC (Pac Twelve). USC is falling backward toward the bubble and desperately needs to hold serve in this one.
-DAYTON AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). I think Dayton is a lock. They can continue to build their already impressive resume by adding yet another road win against a team with a winning record to it. GW is 12-3 at home, so if Dayton wins it the committee should give them credit even though GW is not inside the bubble.
-DUKE AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC). Nothing much needs to be said. It’s a rivalry game between two teams who appear to be protected seeds, and who are looking at adding another impressive win to their resume. oh yeah, there’s the whole bragging rights thing too. And, UNC is competing for a #1 seed, so there is that as well.
-UT ARLINGTON AT LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE (Sun Belt). If UT Arlington wins this, the committee should take them. Period. It would be their 12th true road win, and it would be yet another win against a team that’s played well at home. Now, the committee probably won’t take them if they win this, but lose in the conference tournament, but they should because even though they don’t have a lot of wins against the top fifty, they do have a number of wins in games that were not easy to win.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT OLE MISS (SEC). South Carolina has had a great season and is a virtual lock for the tournament. This is a chance to add another road win to their resume and sweeten it up a little more.
-WASHINGTON STATE AT UCLA (Pac Twelve). UCLA has pretty much locked up a protected seed, and could even end up as high as the #1 line if they avoid a bad loss in this game, and then win the Pac Twelve Tournament.
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