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NEWS AND NOTES:
-Nebraska is still unbeaten and is now (deservedly) ranked in the top ten. They got a battle from Ohio State last night, but held them off 72-69.
-Michigan State did not get a battle from USC. They really didn’t even get a pillow fight. They absolutely blew out the Trojans 80-51. This was the second game in a row where USC was completely blown out of the state of Michigan.
-McNeese had to come from behind to beat Stephen F Austin at home, but they escaped with a 66-64 win. SFA is a good team, but if McNeese is a top 40 caliber team they shouldn’t have had to sweat that much at home against them.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-TEXAS TECH AT HOUSTON (Big 12) (***Spotlight Game***). Both teams have had good seasons so far, but you also get the sense that both have improved as the season has gone on and that the games they lost prior to now they’d likely win if they were to replay them now. Texas Tech knocked off Duke in NYC while Houston’s only loss was a close one to Tennessee back over Thanksgiving. This one should be a fun one tonight. Both are capable of making the Final Four.
-DUKE AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). Louisville has been kind of meh on the road this year, but they’ve been fantastic at home. Duke comes in with just one loss on the entire season, but this would still be one of their biggest overall wins if they can pull it off. Both teams are in the rankings, Louisville is competing for a protected seed and Duke is competing for a 1-seed.
-GEORGIA AT FLORIDA (SEC). Both teams could use this win for different reasons. Georgia has only played one true road game so adding a conference road win to their profile will make it look a lot better. Florida is just 9-5, but all of their losses have been close games and most have been against really good teams, so they need a win just to get things kickstarted and to try and build up some momentum.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT BUTLER (Big East). Both these teams have work to do and both should have a sense of urgency coming into this one. The Johnnies are just 9-5 and if they don’t start stringing wins together soon they won’t make the field at all. Butler has been solid and still has a chance of making The Dance, but they have more work to do and a win today would help.
-UCF AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big 12). UCF just picked up the huge win against Kansas, but they need to get their feet back on the ground because they’re going on the road to Oklahoma State who is 12-2 overall, a perfect 10-0 at home, and who could really use this win themselves. There is something at stake for each team in this one
-TCU @ KANSAS (Big 12). Kansas is looking to bounce back from a tough road loss at UCF and get themselves right again. TCU is a good team that’s looking for a signature win. While TCU is good, and while they appear to be getting better, I don’t know if they’re quite good enough to pull this one off, but we shall see.
-NEW MEXICO AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West). I’m highlighting this only because New Mexico is right on the bubble and they need to win games that are hard to win in order to land inside of it. This game, being on the road against a pretty good team, qualifies as a hard game to win.
-UCLA AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). Both teams should have a huge sense of urgency coming into this one because both have a ton of work to do and both could really use this one tonight.
-TEXAS A&M AT AUBURN (SEC). Auburn has a lot of work to do and they’re coming off a really tough multi-overtime loss to rival Georgia. I do think the Tigers are getting better, but they need to start winning. Texas A&M has a bloated record, but they don’t have any wins that are nearly as good as this one would be, so they also have a lot to play for.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Michigan @ Penn State (Big Ten) – Michigan has just been bulldozing everyone and I expect for that to continue tonight
-Western Michigan @ Miami OH (MAC) – Miami should be able to hold serve at home and remain unbeaten on the year
-South Carolina @ LSU (SEC) – LSU is having a big year and should hold serve at home
-Iowa @ Minnesota (Big Ten) – Iowa is an impressive 12-2 and is climbing the rankings. They don’t have much on their resume yet because the schedule is backloaded, but they should be able to add a conference road win to it tonight
-George Washington @ Dayton (Atlantic 10) – neither team is inside our bubble, or for that matter even on our board, but these were two of our favorites in the preseason to win the A10 and both still have a path (albeit a very steep one) to get there if they can blow through the league
-Texas @ Tennessee (SEC) – Texas has struggled this year and needs a win like this in order to get things turned back around. Having said that, games like this are incredibly difficult to win. Tennessee is having a solid year and should hold serve at home
-NC State @ Boston College (ACC) – it’s a road game, but it’s one that NC State should easily win. They need to hold serve in this one
-Utah State @ Air Force (Mountain West) – Utah State can get to 13-1 on the year with a win
-San Diego State @ Nevada (Mountain West) – if either team is going to make a run at the bubble then they need to start stringing together wins
