NEWS AND NOTES:
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-We all thought Iowa State had been playing really well lately, but I don’t think any of us were expecting them to win at Kansas yesterday. They were right in there for the entire game and had a chance to win or force overtime on the final possession of the game, but came up just short in a 62-60 loss. Winning at Kansas is about as difficult a game to win as any team can play. Beating a Final Four caliber team on their home floor is harder than beating a Final Four caliber team in the Final Four. At least the Final Four is a neutral site. So, while Iowa State did come up short, I think I’m even more impressed with that team and the level they’re currently playing with than I was before yesterday.
-Kentucky had barely done enough to indicate that they belonged in the NIT, but they went on the road to Tennessee and picked up a very impressive, very important, and much needed 63-56 win. Beating a protected seed on the road can make the difference as to whether or not a team safely makes the field or gets left out. Kentucky still has work to do, but yesterday was HUGE, and they’ll probably be in our next NCAA Tournament projection.
-Arizona was blown off the floor at Oregon 87-68. Oregon had been a bit of a disappointment so far this season, but they still had a very talented team, and when they actually get up for a game they can be very tough to beat. The Ducks are just 10-8 on the season, but they’re 6-2 in their last eight games, and they have opportunities at big wins between now and the end, so a run at the bubble is not an impossibility for them.
-Texas looked sluggish against Texas Tech, and Texas Tech, who had been struggling, appeared to be playing the game of their season, but the Longhorns got control late and ended up escaping with a 72-70 win. This should keep Texas in the top ten, and as for Texas Tech they are still looking for their first Big 12 win.
-Kansas State had been red hot and had picked up some monster road wins, but couldn’t quite pull off what would have been a third true road win against a ranked team. TCU held serve and took care of business in an 82-68 win.
-Arkansas is in a bit of a tailspin. They lost 97-84 at Vanderbilt yesterday, which is never good, and have dropped four of their last five, which is also never good. Their next game is on the road at Missouri, so things aren’t about to get any easier for them.
-Miami FL and NC State was an overtime thriller with NC State holding on 83-81. I still think Miami can end up as a protected seed, and being able to get this one on the road against an NC State team that keeps getting better and better would have helped, but it wasn’t a huge setback. NC State is now 14-4 on the season and has won six of their last seven. They are arguably the best team in the state of North Carolina right now.
-Indiana, who has looked underwhelming pretty much all season long, was not underwhelming at all yesterday. They blew a pretty good Wisconsin team off the floor 63-45 and picked up a win they really needed.
-Providence, who has improved quite a bit as the season has gone along, couldn’t get it done on the road at Creighton yesterday. The Blue Jays really needed a big win, and even though this one came at home, it still helps out a team that was hovering around the bubble.
-Missouri will make us think they’re good, and then after doing so will come out, look terrible, and lose a game that a good team has no business losing. They fell at Florida yesterday 73-64.
-New Mexico picked up what is hands down their best win of the season, and what will perhaps be their season defining win, as they knocked off San Diego State 76-67 in incredibly impressive fashion. I had been critical of New Mexico all season long and thought their bloated record was more due to a weak schedule than anything else, but when a team knocks off a legit top 25 caliber team on the road, they absolutely prove themselves, and that’s what the Lobos did yesterday.
-Duke’s only road win this season was a 1pt win at Boston College in a game they were lucky to win. They went on the road to Clemson yesterday, and lost again. Clemson is playing well and is now 7-0 in the ACC. Having said that, a win at home against a team that can’t win on the road in and of itself isn’t the kind of win that skyrockets you up the seedlist. So, if there isn’t a whole lot of upward movement for Clemson after beating Duke, that’s why. I still like this Tigers team, though, and think they will be in the NCAA Tournament and will be in a position to do some damage once they’re there.
-UCF, who I had been super high on all season long, could not get it done at Tulane yesterday and fell 77-69. It’s hard to argue that they belong inside the bubble when they lose games to teams that are nowhere near it.
-Florida Atlantic picked up a huge win against North Texas. The Owls are now 16-1 on the year and have some pretty nice wins on that resume, including two against a very good North Texas team. The game was exciting, and North Texas actually held a lead throughout most of it, but FAU pulled it out in the end. They are having a fantastic season and are one of the most intriguing stories in college basketball this year.
-Utah Valley, a team from the WAC that I thought could make a run at the bubble, fell at home to Seattle U yesterday 85-80. Seattle is a good team, but not on the level of being so good that an NCAA Tournament caliber team shouldn’t be able to routinely beat them at home.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-SAINT JOHN’S AT UCONN (Big East). The Johnnies showed some signs of life in non-conference play, but are just 2-5 in the Big East. UConn has lost three of their last four, but they’ve still got a very strong profile and all three of those losses were tough road losses, so they should be able to bounce back at home today.
-MARQUETTE AT XAVIER (Big East). Both teams are in the rankings, and Xavier is looking more and more like a team that could end up as a protected seed. They’ve won ten straight and are unbeaten in conference play. Marquette is also red hot. They’ve won eight of their last nine, have picked up several big wins in that stretch, and continue to climb the rankings and the seedlist. So, this one should be a fun one today.
-NORTHWESTERN AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten). Northwestern is hovering around our bubble and could use a road win like this to help strengthen their resume. Michigan is outside our bubble and needs to string together some wins just to be able to get close enough to it to reach it.
-OHIO STATE AT RUTGERS (Big Ten). We’ve got both teams inside our bubble, but both have room to strengthen their resumes and move further inside it. Both have shown signs of being able to play at a very high level, but both have also lost some winnable games which is why they’re inside the bubble right now, but not near a protected seed.
-MEMPHIS AT TEMPLE (American). Memphis has played really well at times this season, but they really need to finish strong between now and the end if they want to be in the field. Losing a winnable road game to a team that’s nowhere near the NCAA Tournament isn’t going to help them.
-MARYLAND AT IOWA (Big Ten). Iowa appears to have rebounded from a really bad slump they were in a few weeks ago, but they still have some work to do in order to be safely in the field. Maryland has a solid profile, but has just one win away from home and is just 3-5 in their last eight games, so a win today would help them get things turned back around.