NEWS AND NOTES:
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-A big congrats to New Haven, who picked up their first ever win as a D1 program! They knocked off UMass Lowell on the road 73-67. UMass Lowell has had some good teams in the past. They do not appear to be good at all this year.
-Western Kentucky got a solid road win against rival Eastern Kentucky 87-79 in a game that was close all throughout. EKU likely won’t lose too many home games, so it’s a game WKU will deserve some credit for winning if the season plays out like we think it will.
-LSU pounded New Orleans 93-58. I guess I was a little too quick to discuss how UNO may be a top level UTR team this year.
-Santa Clara went on the road to Xavier and blasted them into the sun 87-68. The game was not as close as the score indicated. Santa Clara lead by 30 with just a couple minutes to play. I think Santa Clara may be pretty good, and I think Xavier is…well…not.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-WAKE FOREST VS MICHIGAN (Detroit, MI). This is the first real test for both teams. Michigan is way up in the rankings and should be heavily favored, especially since it’s in front of a favorable crowd.
-FLORIDA STATE AT FLORIDA. The Gators are looking for their first notable win of the year, and they should be heavily favored at home against their rivals. Florida State is unbeaten, but this is their first real test.
-DAVIDSON AT CHARLOTTE. It’s the best trophy game in all of sports!!! The Hornets Nest Trophy!!! Both teams come into this one 2-0 and this would be a good early season win in a rivalry game.
-DAYTON AT CINCINNATI. This is a fun regional matchup between two teams that have underperformed in recent years, but appear to be good enough to make a run at the NCAA Tournament this year. Both teams come in 2-0 and this would be the first notable win for whoever pulls it off.
-KENTUCKY AT LOUISVILLE. It’s a huge rivalry game that, for the first time in a long time, it has national importance. Both teams are highly ranked with high expectations this year, and both can end up as protected seeds, so it’s an important game both on and off paper. It does feel a little strange that the game is being played this early even though it’s an OOC game, but…whatever.
-TEXAS TECH AT ILLINOIS. My preseason pick to win it all will get their first big test of the season, and it is truly a big test. Both teams are ranked in the top 15, both have high expectations for this season, and tonight both have the chance to pick up an early resume-building win.
-MEMPHIS AT OLE MISS. This is a really fun regional match-up between two teams that have a really good shot at making the NCAA Tournament. This will be a good early season win on the profile for whoever pulls it off. Memphis already has a win against San Francisco, but this is their first road test.
-CREIGHTON AT GONZAGA. Both teams are in the rankings, so it’s a good early season match-up. This is going to be a huge test for Creighton. Gonzaga has already shown that they can play a a high level with their decisive win against Oklahoma. For Creighton this is their first real test.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Duke @ Army – it’s a notable road game, and between the tip off and the first media timeout it should be an incredible atmosphere!
-La Salle @ Temple (Big Five) – Neither team has lost yet, and a chance to beat a Big Five rival will generate some momentum
-William & Mary @ Richmond – both teams are 2-0, and we think (well, at least I do) that both can be dark horses in their conferences. This is an old CAA rivalry, so it should be fun
-Bucknell @ Princeton – Bucknell can improve to 3-0 and pick up their second true road win
-Yale @ Quinnipiac – Yale should be able to pick up their second road win of the season
-Tulane @ Louisiana – the Green Wave are 2-0 and will likely be tested tonight at the Cajun Dome
-Stephen F Austin @ Rice – it’s the first road game for SFA. They are a Southland team that is worth keeping an eye on
-Buffalo @ DePaul – I don’t think either team is all that good, but both are coming in 2-0
–Arkansas State @ Missouri State – both are solid UTR teams and Missouri State can get to 3-0
-Murray State @ SMU – this is a sneaky good game. It is a buy game, and SMU should win, but Murray State is definitely good enough to win it if SMU overlooks them
-LMU @ UTEP – neither team has a loss yet, and LMU is a team to keep an eye on. This is their first road game
-Ohio U @ Saint Mary’s – I like this Ohio team, but I think they’re overmatched in that they’re on the road against a very good SMC team.
-UC Santa Barbara @ Sacramento State – both teams unbeaten
BUY GAMES:
-Appalachian State @ Ohio State
-Navy @ Penn State – Penn State can get to 3-0
-Radford @ North Carolina – both teams 2-0
-Alcorn State @ Maryland
-Catawba (nonD1) @ George Mason
-Sacred Heart @ Villanova
-Jacksonville @ High Point
-Chicago State @ Butler
-Morehead State @ Clemson
-Penn @ Providence
-Eastern Illinois @ Notre Dame
-Central Arkansas @ Arkansas
-Wofford @ Auburn
-TAMUCC @ Kansas
-UMES @ Nebraska
-Queens @ Duquesne
-Ball State @ Wisconsin – both teams 2-0
-Austin Peay @ Wyoming – both teams 2-0
-Northern Arizona @ Arizona
-Delaware @ BYU
-UC Riverside @ New Mexico – both teams 2-0
-UTRGV @ Boise State
