-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day, which has first place implications in the Atlantic Sun – CLICK HERE
-Last night was a very chalky night. Richmond fell behind at Saint Louis and fought back to get the lead, but couldn’t get over the top. This game may totally sink them. In all likelihood the Spiders will now need the automatic bid to get in.
-While nothing that happened last night was all that cataclysmic, it was an unusually exciting night when it came to the games on the court! There were 12 UTR games that were decided by 5pts or less, so my remote was really getting a workout!
-MICHIGAN AT INDIANA (Big Ten). Michigan has won on the road at a probable #1 seed, and blown out another top ten team. That’s a hell of a week! They are looking like a solid #1 seed so long as they can continue to hold serve. Indiana needs some wins just to play their way onto the right side of the bubble.
-TEXAS AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12). It’s a rivalry game between two probable protected seeds! Like a lot of the Big 12 this year, it should be fun to watch.
-TENNESSEE AT AUBURN (SEC). Tennessee is in a bit of a tailspin and while their resume is still solid, they seem to have lost a step or two on the court. This would be a nice road win and would perhaps help them get things turned back around.
-SYRACUSE AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). We have Georgia Tech outside the bubble, but not that far outside. If they can put together a strong finish and string together some wins down the stretch they could end up making the field.
-ILLINOIS AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). Illinois had been rolling, but did suffer a bit of a surprising loss to Michigan State earlier in the week. Still, they are a solid protected seed and could even still end up on the #1 line if they win out and win the Big Ten Tournament, which isn’t entirely outside the realm of possibility. Wisky looks to be solidly in the field and can climb the seedlist a little bit if they’re able to pull this one off.
-LSU AT ARKANSAS (SEC). A couple of weeks ago we were questioning whether or not Arkansas belonged in the field. Now they are on the cusp of earning a protected seed if they keep playing at the level they have been. This would be another decent win against an LSU team that looks to be in the field right now, but still has some room to move up.
-VCU AT DAVIDSON (Atlantic Ten). VCU is squarely on the bubble and will have a sense of urgency the rest of the season. This isn’t the easiest road win to pick up, but it’s one that they really need.
-MIAMI FL AT CLEMSON (ACC). Clemson has a really solid profile and will easily land in the top half of the bracket if they can keep holding serve.
-MARQUETTE AT UCONN (Big East). UConn is squarely on the bubble, so every game will feel like a stakes game the rest of the way. Marquette has been one of the most schizophrenic teams of the season. They have a lot of big wins,, including a really impressive win at North Carolina earlier this week, but not enough stability overall to indicate they belong in the field. So, UConn does not want to overlook them.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT OKLAHOMA (Big 12). BEDLAM!!!!! It’s a great rivalry between two solid tournament teams. Oklahoma is playing really well right now and appears to be a solid protected seed, whereas the Pokes could play their way into a protected seed with a strong finish and wins in games like this one.
-OLE MISS AT VANDERBILT (SEC). Ole Miss has strung together some big wins, but they still have a lot of work to do if they want to make the field. They need to hold serve in games like this one.
-KANSAS STATE AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12). Most Big 12 games are landmines, but this one should be winnable for a WVU team that continues to build up an impressive profile and could end up as high as the #2 line.
-FLORIDA STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC). Florida State is playing like they can win the ACC. Again. North Carolina is squarely on the bubble and a win in a game like this could be the difference maker of whether or not they make the field.
-BOISE STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West). Both teams appear to be heading for the Big Dance. San Diego State held on to win in overtime the other night, and can almost cement themselves into the field with a win today. The same is true for Boise State, who could improve their resume and climb the seedlist if they’re able to pull off a win.
-WAKE FOREST AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). This should be a winnable game for a Virginia Tech team that’s ranked in the teens and headed toward a really good seed in the NCAA Tournament.
-AIR FORCE AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West) (Front Range). Colorado State doesn’t have a whole lot of meat and vegetables left on their schedule, which I think can kind of hurt them because when a team is on the bubble they need non-cupcake wins in order to stay there, but they are still in relatively good shape and can end up making the field so long as they hold serve. I think. A loss to Air Force may sink them. But, WE AT HOOPS HD LOVE THE FRONT RANGE!!!
-FLORIDA AT KENTUCKY (SEC). Kentucky has shown some signs of life, but chances are they’ll need to win the SEC Tournament to make the NCAAs. Florida has also been playing a little better, and this would be another nice win for the Gators given that it’s a road game and given Kentucky’s recently improved play.
-CREIGHTON AT XAVIER (Big East). Creighton looks to be solidly in the top half of the bracket, and depending on how strong they finish they could begin to flirt with a protected seed. Xavier is squarely on the bubble and needs a big win in a game like this to get on the right side of it.
-ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC). Alabama is coming off a loss to Arkansas, but they are still having a great season and appear to be a virtual lock for a protected seed so long as they hold serve the rest of the way.
-SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT LOYOLA CHICAGO (Missouri Valley). If Loyola Chicago can wi out through the regular season I think they’ll make the field even if they lose their first conference tournament game.
-LOUISVILLE AT DUKE (ACC). Louisville is being projected into most fields, including ours, but I think their resume is flimsy at best. This would arguably be their best win of the season up to this point. Even though Duke is only right on the bubble themselves (and could really use this win for that reason) it would be a true road win against a team that’s playing well right now.
-MINNESOTA AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Minnesota has not won a true road game all year, and this is about as low as the fruit could possibly hang. They’re coming off a rather damaging loss from earlier in the week, and if they lose this one they probably have almost no shot of getting in without the auto-bid.
-DRAKE AT BRADLEY (Missouri Valley). I think Drake will be safe for a bid so long as they continue to hold serve and avoid a bad loss early in the MVC Tourney.
-OREGON STATE AT STANFORD (Pac 12). Stanford appears to be squarely on the bubble and can’t afford to drop a game to a team that’s nowhere near the bubble like the one they’re playing tonight.
-BAYLOR AT KANSAS (Big 12). Baylor has been tested big time this season, but tonight they will be tested again. Kansas went through a period where they kind of sagged, but lately they’ve been playing like a solid protected seed, and they will be really up for this one. It’s more of a litmus test than it is a stakes game because even if Baylor loses they’ll still probably end up as a #1 seed, and even if Kansas loses they’ll still have a good shot at being a protected seed, but it should be fun!
-USC AT UTAH (Pac 12). USC has gone into a bit of a tailspin, and did not look good at all the other night against Colorado. They aren’t in any real danger of missing the field, but they could use a bounce back win to keep them from sliding down the seedlist.
-LMU AT GONZAGA (West Coast). It seems like that even when Gonzaga doesn’t play well, they still win easily. They are on pace to finish the season ranked #1 and will easily end up on the #1 seed line.
-SAINT MARY’S AT BYU (West Coast). BYU is a virtual lock for the NCAA Tournament and is just playing for seeding the rest of the way.
-UCLA AT COLORADO (Pac 12). Colorado looked really impressive the other night against USC. They’ve been hot and cold this season, but right now they seem to be hot. UCLA has won four straight and is now the first place team in the conference (for whatever that’s worth). This would be a major road win for them and would really help out their seed if they’re able to pull it off.
-OREGON AT CALIFORNIA (Pac 12). Oregon is hovering around the bubble and needs to hold serve in games like this one. A loss would be far more damaging than a win would be helpful.