NEWS AND NOTES:
-It took Villanova until halftime against Syracuse to wake up, but they dominated the second half and got the 67-53 win in the second game of the Jimmy V Classic
-In the first game of the Jimmy V Classic, neither team really woke up at any point. It was an absolute slowdown rock fight between Tennessee and Texas Tech. The Red Raiders got the 57-52 win in overtime, and the fact that it was kind of a sloppy game actually doesn’t matter at all. This was a HUGE neutral floor win for Texas Tech. Prior to this their only wins had been in home buy games against teams that weren’t even good by UTR standards.
-Furman and Winthrop seesawed back and forth, and it actually came down to the final couple of possessions before the game was decided, but Winthrop got the win. It’s not easy to win at Winthrop. But…it’s not easy to land inside the bubble either. To do it, you have to win games that aren’t easy to win. So, this will set Furman back. I don’t want to have to say that Hoops HD Host Chad Sherwood was right about how I was overvaluing Furman, so…I won’t!!
-James Madison got an exciting win against Virginia. It was a rare showcase home game for JMU, they led for most of the game, and they got a feel-good win. The problem is that JMU’s only way into the NCAA Tournament will be with an at-large bid, and although they’re good, and although they have a home win against Virginia…Virginia is shaping up to be the kind of team that struggles to win road games. They’ve actually yet to do it and are just 6-4 overall this season. Not to rain on JMU’s parade because I actually am pulling for them, but this will probably be a win that they don’t end up getting a lot of credit for if UVA doesn’t turn their season around.
-Belmont picked up another really nice win as they took down Saint Louis on the road 64-59. What is noteworthy about this game is just how flat Belmont came out. They fell behind by 12 early, but then woke up, made some adjustments, and came back to win against a good team, on the road, that they were trailing. SLU has been hit with injuries, but they’re still having a good year and this is a game that Belmont should get some credit for winning.
-Butler won at Oklahoma in overtime 66-62 in a result that really surprised me. Butler really hadn’t looked all that good this season, and didn’t look all that good in the first half of this game. They fought back on the road against a pretty good Oklahoma team and got the win. Perhaps this will end up being a momentum builder for Butler.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-UCONN AT WEST VIRGINIA. UConn looks to be the better team so far, but this is a tough road game against a WVU team that’s also very good and that’s currently unbeaten at home. It’s a resume building opportunity for both of them.
-INDIANA AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). Indiana has a bit of a bloated record, but they haven’t played in a game like this. This would be a HUGE statement win for the Hoosiers, but it’s much easier said than done. Wisky has already racked up some notable wins, and won’t be easy to beat on their floor.
-BUFFALO AT WESTERN KENTUCKY. These are two good UTR teams that have missed some early opportunities, but could still end up having really big years in their conference, which potentially makes this game a chance for a notable win for both teams.
-UTAH AT TCU. Both teams have bloated records, but both could really use some notable wins to go along with the wins they’ve bought at the pastry cart so far.
-DAYTON AT SMU. This Dayton team is really on a roll. It’s a night and day difference from how they looked in their first three games. SMU is a team that could potentially finish near the bubble, and who is unbeaten at home, so while this wouldn’t be a protected-seed caliber win, it would still be a very nice win for the Flyers. For that matter, this wouldn’t be a bad win at all for SMU either.
-MICHIGAN STATE AT MINNESOTA (Big Ten). One of these teams is unbeaten, and it isn’t the Spartans. Granted, Michigan State is much more tested, but Minney did win at Mississippi State their last time out, and if they can win tonight it would be a big time statement even though they are at home.
-UTAH STATE AT BYU (Beehive). Just last week BYU lost on the road to Utah Valley in a tense atmosphere. They’ll be in another very tense atmosphere tonight, only it will be with them instead of agains them. This isn’t as venomous as the Utah rivalry, but it still highly intense, and Utah State is a good team that’s looking for a signature win to indicate they belong solidly inside the bubble. Winning at BYU would certainly check that box.
-AIR FORCE AT MONTANA. Air Force has not played the toughest of schedules, but they are 7-1 and can pick up their second true road win tonight. Montana is unbeaten at home, and is typically tough to beat at home, so this won’t be a cakewalk by any means.
-MARQUETTE AT KANSAS STATE. Marquette has a couple of nice wins against Illinois and West Virginia and can add another one to their resume tonight. K State is also looking to give their resume a bit of a boost, so it’s a good opportunity for both teams.
-UTAH VALLEY AT SOUTHERN UTAH (Beehive). Another Beehive game!! WE AT HOOPS HD LOVE THE BEEHIVE!!!!
-CORNELL AT VIRGINIA TECH. This is clearly a buy game, and Cornell really hasn’t been tested yet, but they come into this game with just one loss and with three true road wins. So…this is a chance for them to make a statement. It’s easier said than done, but the chance is there.
-DRAKE AT OMAHA. Drake is a good team, but they’ve also used up quite a few strikes and basically needs to put together a long string of wins.
-WYOMING AT ARIZONA. I’m lookin forward to this one. Wyoming is unbeaten and while some of their wins have been decent, this is by far their biggest test of the season. A loss really won’t hurt them because Arizona is a likely protected seed, and losing a road game to a protected seed is by no means a setback. But, it’s a chance for us to see what the Cowboys can do against a really solid team in a really tough environment.
-WEBER STATE AT WASHINGTON STATE. Another great game that probably isn’t going to get as much attention as it should. Weber State is unbeaten, and Wazzu is a respectable 6-2. Their last loss was at home to a very good USC team, who they played well against and had a chance to beat. So…we’ve got an under the radar team that’s unbeaten and who could make a run at the bubble, and a dark horse team that could make quite a bit of noise in the Pac 12.
-FRESNO STATE AT SAN FRANCISCO. Another good game between two teams with very good records, and that have been a little tested up to this point. This is a bit of a bigger test for them tonight.
BUY GAMES (and others that might as well be):
-Ball State @ Xavier
-North Florida @ Florida – Gators looking to bounce back from the loss to Texas Southern
-Wagner @ Penn State – this may actually be a winnable game for Wagner
-Loyola MD @ Saint Bonaventure
-Lipscomb @ Miami FL – could turn out to be competitive
-Eastern Washington @ Colorado
-Towson @ Ohio State
-Cal State Fullerton @ San Diego State