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-FLORIDA ATLANTIC AT UTSA (Conference USA). UTSA is eliminated with a loss tonight.
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NEWS AND NOTES:
-Michigan led by as much as 20 in the 1st half over Purdue and while Purdue was able to make the final score decently respectable at 91-80, Michigan absolutely dominated this game on the road and at no point did it ever seem like they would not easily win it.
-Nebraska lost a tight one on the road at Iowa 57-52, which is their fourth loss in their last six games. All four of those losses came against very good teams in games that were close, but they need to start stringing together wins again in order to sustain a protected seed. For Iowa, it was one of their biggest wins of the year even though it came at home.
-Texas Tech followed up their massive win at Arizona over the weekend with a head-scratching 72-67 loss at Arizona State last night. Well…I guess you can say they split the Arizona road trip, which is what most of us were expecting them to do!
-NC State absolutely flattened North Carolina 82-58 and perhaps exercised some recent frustrations in that game. Blowing out a rival at home will make you forget a lot of recent frustrations. It’s another big win for the Wolfpack and one they needed to help keep their resume strong.
-Saint Louis, who came into the game with just one loss, fell at Rhode Island 81-76 in one of the biggest upsets of the night. Saint Louis is still in solid shape and will almost assuredly land in the top half of the bracket, but is not likely to end up as a protected seed.
-SMU got a big win that they really needed at home against Louisville 95-85. Louisville continues to play like a C- level team on the road. Good enough, but not great.
-Ohio State, who had lost a close one to Virginia over the weekend, beat a really good Wisconsin team rather handily last night 86-69. This is one the Buckeyes really needed. They are now playing like a team that can make the NCAA Tournament and they certainly have the opportunities they need ahead of them.
-Villanova got a scare from Xavier, but escaped 92-89 in overtime. Xavier had a chance to either win or force a second OT on their last possession, but came up empty and turned it over.
-UCF knocked off TCU 82-71 in a game that was highly pivotal for both teams. UCF had been in a bit of a skid, so this was a big bounce back win for them.
-Miami FL keeps winning. They got a scare from a Virginia Tech team that’s right on the bubble and who really could have used the win themselves last night, but escaped 67-66. Miami has now won six of their last seven and beaten North Carolina, NC State, and VA Tech in their last three games.
-Georgia, who had been in a complete tailspin, got a massive win at Kentucky last night that they really needed. Kentucky made a run late in the game, which they seemingly always do, but this time they could not pull out the win. UGA picked up one they really needed 86-78.
-San Diego State fell at home to Grand Canyon 73-63, and I’m now thinking that one of the games San Diego State needs to win to make the NCAA Tournament is that last Mountain West Tournament game.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-ARKANSAS AT ALABAMA (SEC). Both teams are ranked in the 20s, are easily in the top half of the bracket, and perhaps still have a path to a protected seed depending on how things play out. This would be a huge road win for Arkansas if they can pull it off. It would also be a good win for the Tide.
-BYU AT ARIZONA (Big 12). Arizona has lost two straight, but the games were at Kansas and to Texas Tech, so both were really tough games to win. They should be able to win this one tonight. BYU just isn’t the same since being hit with injuries and appears to be in a bit of a tailspin.
-VANDERBILT AT MISSOURI (SEC). Vandy has been projected as a protected seed by us for pretty much the entire season. Missouri is right on the bubble and while they had been playing well, they did not look good in their last game and really need to win this one tonight to help them stay positioned to make the field.
-ILLINOIS AT USC (Big Ten). Illinois has been playing really well, but this is a tough road game against a USC team that really needs this win to help secure a spot in the field. Illinois is a solid protected seed and USC is hovering around the bubble. A win for Illinois helps them continue to climb the seedlist and a win for USC helps give them some much needed stability.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Creighton @ Connecticut (Big East) – UConn doesn’t always play up to their ceiling against lower level teams, but they still almost always play well enough to win and should win tonight
-Clemson @ Wake Forest (ACC) – Clemson has lost two straight and will be tested on the road again tonight, but this is one that they should be able to win
–Ole Miss @ Texas A&M (SEC) – this is game that TAMU really needs to win. They’ve lost four straight and their schedule gets harder after tonight. They have to be able to win at home against a team that’s nowhere near the bubble
-Oklahoma @ Tennessee (SEC) – Oklahoma has struggled this year and Tennessee should be able to pick this one up at home
-DePaul @ Seton Hall (Big East) – Seton Hall simply cannot afford to lose this game
-Utah @ West Virginia (Big 12) – West Virginia has a path to land inside the bubble if they can finish the season strong. They need to hold serve in games like this one
-Kansas @ Oklahoma State (Big 12) – this isn’t the easiest game to win seeing as how it’s on the road, but it’s one that Kansas should still be able to win
-Virginia @ Georgia Tech (ACC) – Virginia is a likely protected seed and should be able to get another road win tonight
-Saint John’s @ Marquette (Big East) – The Johnnies are really playing well now and should roll through this one tonight even though it’s a road game.
-Saint Mary’s @ Seattle U (West Coast) – this may be a bit of a test for SMC, but it’s one they need to pass. The top of their resume is not that strong so they need to keep holding serve
-Auburn @ Mississippi State (SEC) – Auburn is inside the bubble, but after four straight losses they are going in the complete wrong direction. They need to win this game tonight or they may slip outside the bubble
-Boise State @ Utah State (Mountain West) – Utah State will land safely inside the bubble and likely be in the top half of the bracket if they can win out, which they are certainly good enough to do
-Gonzaga @ San Francisco (West Coast) – San Francisco has had a disappointing season, but they are talented and this may prove to be a bit of a tough road test for the Zags. Having said that, it’s still one the Zags should win
UTR WATCH:
-East Tennessee State @ Furman (SoCon) – East Tennessee State has a two game lead in the SoCon standings, but will likely be tested on the road tonight
-Troy @ UL Monroe (Sun Belt) – Troy has lost their lead in the Sun Belt, but should be able to easily get this one on the road tonight
-North Dakota State @ South Dakota State (Summit League) – North Dakota State has a two game lead in the Summit standings and while this will likely be a tough road game it is certainly one they can win
