NEWS AND NOTES
-For the latest Hoops HD Report Video Podcast, where we recap a busy week of exempt tournaments – CLICK HERE
-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day, which is a really good one between East Tennessee State and Georgia Southern – CLICK HERE
TEXAS SOUTHERN BEATS OREGON
-I’ll begin with something that I didn’t think I’d be talking about 12 hours ago, and it is so surprising that I’ve given it it’s own sub-headline. This is the second road buy game that Texas Southern has won against a P5 team. They’ve won more road games against P5 teams than most P5 teams. And those are the only two games that they have won. Granted none of the other losses were all that bad. All were on the road, and Gonzaga, Iowa State, and San Diego State are hardly easy road games to win, but to win at Baylor and at Oregon really is amazing for any team. Baylor is 32-8 at home over the last two years, and that’s against Big Twelve competition, which is pretty good. But to win at Oregon is a RIDONCULOUS win!! Oregon has won 52 of their last 55 home games, and if you go back even further they are 114-13 at home going back to the 2011-2012 season. They lose at home almost as infrequently as Kansas does, and for them to lose a home buy game to Texas Southern is nothing short of astounding. It’s not as big as a #16 beating a #1 seed in the sense that the game is not as important, but in terms of how unexpected a win like this was, it’s more surprising than a #16 beating a one. Now, perhaps Oregon is not one of the 20 best teams in the country, so by the end of the year it may not seem so outrageous, but for now it is utterly stupefying.
-And you know, I don’t even remember what else happened yesterday. Anything?? Wofford won big at South Carolina and Nebraska picked up a huge road win at Clemson, and normally those things would get some chatter, but….TEXAS SOUTHERN WON AT OREGON!!! HOLY CRAP!!!
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-VIRGINIA TECH AT PENN STATE (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). We had high expectations for Penn State this year, but so far they haven’t really delivered. This is their chance to take on a heavyweight at home. VA Tech, on the other hand, has met and exceeded expectations so far and has the chance to add another nice (probably) road win to their resume.
-CHARLOTTE AT DAVIDSON. This rivalry doesn’t resonate with the national consciousness, but it is a rivalry. This year it happens to be a very lopsided rivalry. Davidson is trying to improve to 4-1 whereas Charlotte has a lot of work to do.
-ILLINOIS AT NOTRE DAME (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). Both teams need to win, and truth be told both teams need to do a lot more than that.
-MICHIGAN STATE AT LOUISVILLE (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). Louisville is coming off two tough back to back losses in the Preseason NIT, one of which was particularly frustrating where they had a lead for most of the game, but lost in overtime. They’re at home against a really good Michigan State team, and the fans should really be behind them, so it could be a really good atmosphere.
-NEVADA AT LOYOLA CHICAGO (MWC/MVC Challenge). This is a rematch from last year’s Sweet Sixteen, and is probably the biggest showcase game Loyola has hosted….maybe ever. The Ramblers have struggled at times, whereas Nevada has looked dominant all year long and well deserving of their top ten ranking.
-NORTH TEXAS AT OKLAHOMA. Unless you follow us closely, you probably don’t realize that North Texas is undefeated, and they haven’t just been playing home buy games either. This is probably their toughest test of the year so far, but they’ve won all their games so far. Oklahoma hasn’t always looked great, but they’ve also looked to be improving. Their only loss was to Wisconsin, and they’re coming a win against a Dayton team that appears to be decent. This match-up won’t get all that many people all that excited, but it is one of the more intriguing games of the night.
-SAVANNAH STATE AT VANDERBILT. The Team of the People!!! Playing a road buy game!! Generating revenue!! They’ve done well since transitioning up, considering how rough it was during the transitional period!! They should stay on this trajectory!! SAVE THE TIGERS!!!
-TEMPLE AT MISSOURI. Mizzou has been hugely disappointing this year. They need some sort of decent win, any sort of decent win, to get their motor started and get things turned around.
-NC STATE AT WISCONSIN (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). NC State is unbeaten, but is also untested for the most part. Wisky has a nice win at Xavier and has looked pretty strong this year. They appear to have rebounded after their hiatus from the NCAA Tournament a year ago.
-PITTSBURGH AT IOWA (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). Both of these teams have exceeded expectations so far, and both are trying to pick up another big early season win.
-SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT COLORADO STATE. It’s not easy to win at Colorado State, but if Southern Illinois is going to be as good as we think they can be (which they absolutely have not shown us yet), then they need to be able to win games like this.
-INDIANA AT DUKE (ACC/Big Ten Challenge). Indiana is much better than they were a year ago, but this one could get rough. Duke is a #1 seed caliber team. And they’re at home. And they’re coming off a loss.
BUY GAMES (and other games worth mentioning, but not highlighting)
-UMES @ Saint John’s
-Stony Brook @ Norfolk State – Stony Brook can improve to 4-1 and pick up their 3rd road win
-Pine Bluff @ Cincinnati
-Western Carolina @ Wake Forest
-Kennesaw State @ Georgia
-North Florida @ Florida
-UMass Lowell @ UConn
-Cedarville (nondiv1) @ Wright State
-Northern Kentucky @ Morehead State – NKU can improve to 6-0
-Charleston Southern @ Marquette
-South Dakota @ Baylor
-Eastern Washington @ Washington
-Lamar @ SMU
-Fairleigh Dickinson @ Providence