NEWS AND NOTES:
-For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
-Nebraska won the Diamond Head Classic, and picked up three decent wins in the process knocking off Murray State, Hawaii on their home court, and an Oregon State team that looks like they may be a bubble team themselves. The Huskers have a home buy game against Oregon State coming up, and then they host UCLA, in what should be a huge showcase home game for them.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-OLE MISS AT MEMPHIS. There have been times this season where Memphis did not play up to their ceiling, but they’ve played a tough schedule and won enough big games to where I’m convinced they are a very good team. Ole Miss is good as well, and this should be a fun one. It’s a resume building opportunity for both teams (albeit one of many).
-NEW MEXICO AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West). This is a conference road game for a New Mexico team that needs some conference road wins. They only played one true road game OOC and lost at Saint John’s, so they need some road wins to strengthen their resume, and while this is one that won’t be easy, it is one that you would expect an NCAA Tournament caliber team to be able to get.
-UCLA VS GONZAGA (Game in Inglewood CA). Both teams are in the rankings, both have multiple big wins, and both have a ton of potential. It wouldn’t shock me at all if they both ended up as protected seeds come March.
-UTAH STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West). These appear to be the two best teams in the Mountain West. I feel both teams are good enough to land in the top half of the bracket, and this is one of the bigger opportunities remaining for each team in terms of how good this win would be for each team’s resume.
BUY GAMES (and other games of note):
-Coppin State @ Georgetown
-UMES @ Maryland
-Eastern Kentucky @ Louisville
-Eastern Michigan @ Davidson
-Abilene Christian @ Texas A&M
-Nevada @ Wyoming (Mountain West) – Nevada needs to start stringing together wins if they want to reach the bubble.
-Fairfield @ Columbia – Columbia can improve to 11-1 with a win
-Boise State @ San Jose State (Montain West) – this should be a winnable conference road game for the Broncos
-Delaware @ Saint John’s
-Grand Canyon vs San Diego (Game in Inglewood CA) – if the Lopes are going to make a run at the bubble they basically need to win out
-Occidental (nonD1) @ UC San Diego
-Pacifc @ Saint Mary’s (West Coast) – It’s a conference game that may as well be a buy game
-Washigton State @ Portland (West Coast) – I really like this Wazzu team and think they’ll be inside the bubble and in the top half of the standings at the end of the year
-LMU @ San Francisco (West Coast) – The Dons need to string together some wins if they’re going to end up making the field
