NEWS AND NOTES
-For the latest HOOPS HD REPORT – CLICK HERE
-For John Stalica’s most recent Bracket Projections – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-The Diamond Head Classic actually gave us quite a bit of excitement. New Mexico State picked up a really nice win against Miami FL, and then led USC for most of the game in the championship game, but USC fought back and New Mexico State came up just short. USC picked up three decent wins away from home, which is something they needed, but they didn’t get to add a high caliber win against a team like Miami to their resume. Despite losing in the finals, New Mexico State has shown they are a very solid team, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them inside the bubble come Selection Sunday if they blow through WAC play.
Middle Tennessee ended up going 1-2 in the event, and although neither loss was bad, I get the sense that they really needed at least one good win out of this. They played well in both losses, but at the end of the day the only win they got out of it was a neutral floor win against a very mediocre Princeton team.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-BUTLER AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). This is probably Georgetown’s biggest test of the year. The feasting on cupcakes is over. Considering how weak their OOC was they’ll probably need to finish at least four games over .500 in league play to be seriously considered by the committee. For Butler, it’s a chance to pick up a notable road win.
-EASTERN MICHIGAN AT SYRACUSE. Syracuse has played a lot of buy games this year, but most of them have been against solid UTR teams, and they have another solid EMU team coming it today at 8-3 on the year with two true road wins already.
-VILLANOVA AT DEPAUL (Big East). Nova has won every game they’ve played so far and they are definitely road tested. Don’t be surprised if they roll in this one despite being the road team.
-XAVIER AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Xavier is 12-1 on the road and is coming off a very impressive showing against a very good Northern Iowa team. This will be another test, but it’s a test that they’re certainly up for. Xavier is looking like a solid protected seed who could end up as high as the #1 line if they keep playing like they have been.
-UCF AT SMU (American). Both teams look good, but both teams have resumes that need work, so even though this is the conference opener it still has a pivotal feel to it for both teams.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT WYOMING (Mountain West). San Diego State has been a bit schizophrenic, but all and all they look like a tournament team. A road win against a pretty good Wyoming team would certainly help their cause.
-COLORADO STATE AT BOISE STATE (Mountain West). I really like this Boise State team and don’t think they’ll have too much trouble in their conference opener tonight.
-NEVADA AT FRESNO STATE (Mountain west). Nevada looks like a team that will get into the NCAAs on the first Ballot, and Fresno looks like a team that could land inside the bubble if everything falls right. A win tonight at home in their conference opener would go a long way toward making the pieces fall right.
BUY GAMES
-Limestone (nondiv1) @ South Carolina
-FGCU @ Rhode Island
-Cal State Bakersfield @ Arkansas