NEWS AND NOTES:
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-Iowa State appeared to have Arizona beat last night in a game that was close throughout, but Arizona forced overtime after hitting a beyond-half-court shot at the buzzer, and then pulled away in OT for a 86-75 win. It’s a big time win for Arizona who was a little sluggish OOC, but is definitely firing on all cylinders now.
-Duke cut it close and had to come from behind, but managed to beat NC State and actually pull ahead down the stretch 74-64.
-UCLA is continuing to roll as they picked up another nice road win, this time over rival USC 82-76. Whatever was a wrong a few weeks ago seems to have definitely been fixed.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-SAINT JOHN’S AT GEORGETOWN. The Johnnies are 17-3 on the season and have another winnable road game tonight against a Georgetown team that’s much improved, but not improved to the point of being a team that Saint John’s can’t beat. The Hoyas are actually in a bit of a tailspin having lost five of their last six games.
-KENTUCKY AT TENNESSEE (SEC). Both teams are high in the rankings and should be getting protected seeds, but both are also looking to bounce back from losses. Kentucky has lost two straight and could really use this win seeing as how they only have one true road win on the season. Tennessee lost a defensive battle at Auburn, which was their second loss in three games, but they are still having a solid season and are within reach of a 1 seed.
-WAKE FOREST AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). Wake is on the fringe of a bubble and a road win like this against a red hot Louisville team could make the difference of whether or not they make it into the field. They are coming off a loss at home to Duke, but they had won six in a row prior to that and had been playin really well.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT GEORGIA (SEC). Georgia has lost four straight and this is almost a must win for them. It’s actually one of their easier remaining games and if they drop this one they could be in real trouble.
-MINNESOTA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Minnesota has been playing much better, but they still have a long way to go. A win at Michigan State would be big, and actually put the NCAA Tournament within reach, but it won’t be easy. Michgian State’s winning streak dates back to the Maui Invitational before Thanksgiving and they’ve been as impressive as anyone in the country.
-UCF AT KANSAS (Big 12). Kansas has lost two out of their last four, including a double overtime thriller against Houston that they really could have won, but they are still in good shape. UCF also recently lost a close game to Houston and is hovering around the bubble. A road win like this would be massive and shoot them way up the seedlist, but it’s also sort of like shooting at the moon. Winning at Kansas is not easy.
-VCU AT SAINT LOUIS (Atlantic 10). No one in the Atlantic 10 is inside the bubble right now, but VCU appears to be the best team and could perhaps reach the bubble if they blow through the rest of their schedule.
-DAYTON AT SAINT BONAVENTURE (Atlantic 10). Dayton hit a skid a few weeks ago, but appears to have come out of it. They pretty much need to win out in order to get inside the bubble, but they may be good enough to do it, and 2ith the games they won OOC they should be positioned for a bid. This is pretty much a must-win road game for them. In fact it’s must-win games the rest of the way for them.
-MARQUETTE AT BUTLER (Big East). Marquette is on fire and is the top team in the Big East. This should be a winnable road game for them.
-OKLAHOMA AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). TAMU is coming off a loss to Texas where they had a lead for the entire game, but lost at the end and is looking to bounce back. Oklahoma strugged at the start of conference, play, but has won their last two and this would be a really big one if they’re able to pull this one off.
-BAYLOR AT BYU (Big 12). This is a big road game for Baylor, who is inside the bubble but definitely has room to boost up their resume. BYU is not inside the bubble, but they are tough to beat at home and a win in this game would look good for Baylor.
-ARIZONA STATE AT COLORADO (Big 12). Arizona State is right on the bubble, so every game seems to have a pivotal feel to it. This one won’t be easy, but a conference road win would be a solid addition to their resume.
-NORTH CAROLINA AT PITTSBURGH (ACC). This is a very bubblicious type of game between two teams who both need wins between now and the end of the season. It’s possible that both will end up in The Dance, but it’s also possible that both will fall outside the bubble and miss it.
-OREGON STATE AT GONZAGA (West Coast). Oregon State won the first meeting between these two and the Zags are looking to bounce back. Oregon State is having a decent year, and a win like this could REALLY give their resume some pop and get the attention of the committee.