To watch our latest HOOPS HD REPORT Video Podcast – CLICK HERE
HIGHLIGTHED GAMES:
-INDIANA AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten). Indiana fans are happier than most fanbases ever get to be this morning, but it’s for a different sport. As far as their basketball team, they are outside the bubble and need a win like this to slingshot them put the seedlist. It’s much easier said than done, though. Michigan is as tough as anyone in the country.
-UCF AT IOWA STATE (Big 12). This is a tough stretch for UCF as they follow up their game against Kansas with a road game against Iowa State. Iowa State is a bit of wounded animal after two straight losses and should be super-focused on getting things turned around at home tonight.
-LSU AT FLORIDA (SEC). LSU is squarely on our bubble and Florida is suddenly one of the hottest teams in the nation and perhaps playing better than anyone else in the SEC.
-MIAMI OH AT KENT STATE (MAC). Miami has finally cracked the rankings and remains unbeaten on the year. This might be the toughest game they’ve played all season. I think Akron is the best team that Miami has played, but they didn’t play Akron in a true road game. This will be a real test for the Red Hawks tonight.
-SETON HALL AT SAINT JOHN’S (Big East). Seton Hall has lost two straight and while a home loss to UConn is not a setback, losing at home to Butler was. They have another very tough road test tonight against a Saint John’s team that is playing better than they have at any point of the season and beginning to climb the seedlist.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT TCU (Big 12). TCU is in a tailspin and it’s getting pretty desperate. They need a win to pull themselves out of it. Oklahoma State has a solid overall record, but is just 2-3 in conference and a road win like this would be stabilizing for them as well.
-TEXAS TECH AT BAYLOR (Big 12). It’s a road test for a Texas Tech team that’s starting to play better and better as the season goes on. It’s also an opportunity for Baylor to strengthen their resume with a big win. Both teams could really use this one tonight.
-VANDERBILT AT ARKANSAS (SEC). Vandy has lost two straight and faces another really tough test tonight against an Arkansas team that’s far from perfect, but that’s very tough to beat on the raod.
-GEORGIA AT MISSOURI (SEC). Georgia sits solidly in the top 25, but this will be a very tough road test tonight against a Missouri team that’s starting to play better (despite a recent loss to LSU over the weekend) and that’s a perfect 11-0 at home.
-AUBURN AT OLE MISS (SEC). This is a super bubblicious game between two teams that really need it. Auburn needs to build up their profile and one of the ways they need to do that is to win games on the road. Auburn’s next true road win will be their first. Ole Miss has had a rough year, but they have won their last three, two of which were on the road, and this can be another big step toward getting things turned around if they can win tonight.
-PURDUE AT UCLA (Big Ten). Purdue is still good enough to land on the #1 line come March and needs to hold serve in games like this in order to do it. UCLA can still land inside the bubble, but they need some big wins in order to do it. A win tonight would be huge for the Bruins.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Minnesota @ Ohio State (Big Ten) – Ohio State is outside the bubble and needs to hold serve in this one
-Akron @ Buffalo (MAC) – these are two of the better teams in the MAC and Buffalo will look to bounce back from a tough OT loss at Miami OH
-NC State @ Clemson (ACC) – right now Clemson is looking like they may be good enough to play their way up to a protected seed and NC State is looking like they may be headed to the NIT
-Saint Louis @ Duquesne (Atlantic 10) – SLU has cracked the rankings and needs to keep holding serve in games like this
-Florida State @ Miami FL (ACC) – Miami is having a great season and should be able to hold serve against their rivals in this one
-Oklahoma @ South Carolina (SEC) – this should be a winnable road game for the Sooners
-Rutgers @ Iowa (Big Ten) – Iowa needs to hold serve. They have a string of winnable games until the latter part of the season and they pretty much need to hold serve in all of them
-UT Martin @ SEMO (Ohio Valley) – UT Martin looks to hold their spot at the top of the standings
-Michigan State @ Oregon (Big Ten) – this should be a winnable conference road game for the Spartans and improve them to 3-1 overall in true road games
-SMU @ Wake Forest (ACC) – this is a road test and a chance to pick up a solid road win for an SMU team that’s good but that could also stand to build themselves up a little more.
-Kansas @ Colorado (Big 12) – it’s never easy to win on the road, but this is one that a team as strong as Kansas should be able to win
