NEWS AND NOTES
-So, normally at this time of year we start closely tracking who it is that can lock up first place finishes, which means being able to have home court advantages in conference tournaments, or byes through several rounds of their tourneys, or whatever. We also start tracking who it is that’s being removed from the SURVIVAL BOARD due to not being able to make their conference tournaments. Due to COVID protocol and everything being in so much flux, we won’t be moving teams off of the Survival Board or declaring them outright first place finishers until we see the conference tournament bracket. With so many teams being shut down, there is just too much that can change.
-We do have one conference tournament bracket!! Check out our CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT INFO PAGE BY CLICKING HERE to follow all of the updates as we head down the stretch.
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern – CLICK HERE
-Minnesota had been looking like a top 15 team at home this year, but that wasn’t the case yesterday. Illinois blew them out of the gym with a 94-63 win. Illinois may not have looked like a #1 seed all season long, but they kinda look like one now. They are playing as well as Michigan and Ohio State and it wouldn’t shock me at all to see them beat one (or even both) of those teams in the Big Ten Tournament and jump up to the #1 line.
-Virginia had two chances in the final minute to beat Duke, but came up empty both times. Duke is still a mile from the NCAA Tournament, but they at least played like a tournament caliber team yesterday.
-Alabama had to sweat, but held on to beat Vanderbilt. At home. By 4.
-West Virginia came from 19 down to get the win at Texas and pick up another huge win for their resume. Texas kind of came apart early in the second half and West Virginia just swung the momentum their way.
-Kansas picked up another big win as they knocked off Texas Tech for the second time. The Jayhawks went through a period where they just looked sucktacular. That is no longer the case. They’ve now won five straight and beaten Oklahoma State and Texas Tech in that stretch.
-USC suffered what was just their fourth loss of the year as they fell at home to Arizona 81-72. While it is a bit of a setback, and it may hurt their chances of getting a protected seed, the Trojans are still in really good shape overall.
-Tennessee had been slumping a little bit, and they really ramped up that slumping yesterday! Kentucky blew them off the court for a 70-55 win, despite a terrible shooting performance in the second half. Kentucky probably can’t get in without the auto-bid, but they are starting to show signs of life.
-Indiana couldn’t hold off Michigan State at home. It’s not a backbreaking loss for the Hoosiers, but it was a winnable game that they could have really used and at just 12-10 on the year they may be getting understandably anxious.
-Louisville lost by 45 to North Carolina yesterday in what was one of the more impressive showings for the Tarheels of the year, and one of the most gawd-awful showings for Louisville for the year.
-Oregon and Colorado both had to sweat out weaker opponents, but both held on to wins that they really needed.
-VCU followed up their big win against Richmond with a damaging loss to George Mason. They are one of several bubble teams who needed to hold serve yesterday, but didn’t.
-Stanford fell in a triple overtime thriller at Washington State in a game that they had multiple chances to win and kind of needed to win. They are one of several bubble teams who needed to hold serve yesterday, but didn’t.
-Seton Hall had what appeared to be a very winnable road game at Georgetown yesterday, but they failed to get it done. They are one of several bubble teams who needed to hold serve yesterday, but didn’t.
-Ole Miss had really been on a roll, and they were hosting rival Mississippi State last night in a game that looked like would be an easy win. They failed to get it done and lost 66-56. They are one of several bubble teams who needed to hold serve yesterday, but didn’t.
-Saint John’s had been on a roll! They had won eight of their last nine and picked up several big wins in that stretch! They went from being left for dead to playing their way onto the bubble! Yesterday they had what appeared to be an easy game at home against DePaul! But…THEY LOST!! They are one of several bubble teams who needed to hold serve yesterday, but didn’t.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-MICHIGAN AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten). This is a big rivalry game between two top four teams that could both end up on the #1 line. It’s not a game that either team really “needs” since they are both pretty much locks to make the NCAA Tournament, but it is a huge showcase game and a big litmus test, and the winner will be very much on track to get a #1 seed.
-CINCINNATI AT HOUSTON (American). Cincinnati has had a disappointing season overall, but they have won their last four games, and played Wichita State very close before that, so they could make some noise in the AAC between now and the end. If they pull the upset today against a Houston team that’s looking to bounce back from their loss to Wichita State, they’ll make more than just a little noise.
-MARYLAND AT RUTGERS (Big Ten). This is a resume building opportunity for two teams who could really benefit from padding their resumes a little bit. Maryland is looking for their fourth straight win, and Rutgers is looking for a stabilizing win after losing two of their last three.
-EVANSVILLE AT DRAKE (Missouri Valley). Drake will likely make the field so long as they win all their remaining regular season games, which they are certainly good enough to do.
-PENN STATE AT IOWA (Big Ten). Iowa has won three straight and is coming off a blowout win at Wisconsin, which was perhaps their most impressive performance of the year. They can keep that momentum going with a win today.
-WISCONSIN AT NORTHWESTERN (Big Ten). Wisconsin is in relatively good shape for a bid, but they have lost three of their last four and don’t have anything overly impressive on their resume that would indicate they deserve a protected seed, so holding serve today is important.
-BUTLER AT XAVIER (Big East). Xavier is sliding down the seedlist and really needs to avoid a loss to a Butler team that’s nowhere close to making the field.