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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-VIRGINIA AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). Both teams are solidly in the rankings and both should easily finish in the top half of the bracket. Both have a shot at making a run at a protected seed, but for that to happen they’d need to finish strong and a win today would certainly help. Virginia in particular is an impressive 14-2 and looking for their 3rd true road win.
-TEXAS A&M AT TENNESSEE (SEC). TAMU is off to a 3-0 start in conference play, is 13-3 overall, and appears to be getting better as the season goes on. They don’t have a win as good as this one would be if they’re somehow able to beat the Vols on the road. Tennessee has lost two of their last three, but is a perfect 9-0 at home.
-WISCONSIN AT MINNESOTA (Big Ten). It’s a conference rivalry game between two teams that are starting to play a lot better. Wisky is coming off one of the biggest singular wins that any team has managed this season, and Minney is coming off an overtime loss to USC, but they had won five straight before that. Both teams still have a lot of work to do and both could really use this one tonight.
-MIAMI FL AT NOTRE DAME (ACC). Miami has won nine in a row, but none of the wins came in games that were really all that tough. Notre Dame has lost two straight, but can still be tough to beat at home. And…I’m not going to make any jokes about how this game impacts the CFP Playoffs because it would just be too easy.
-CONNECTICUT AT SETON HALL (Big East). Seton Hall is having a fantastic season and has cracked the top 25. They’re at home tonight for what is a major showcase game against a UConn team that is ranked 3rd and within reach of a 1-seed. The crowd should be absolutely bonkers for this one, and Seton Hall is richly deserving of their ranking, but UConn is still good enough to win this one on the road.
-INDIANA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten). Indiana has been playing better and is perhaps within reach of the bubble, but it will take a win like this in order for them to reach it and get inside of it. Michigan State is a solid protected seed and should be able to hold serve in this one.
-IOWA STATE AT KANSAS (Big 12). Iowa State will be challenged on the road. Winning at Kansas is never easy. Having said that, Iowa State is unbeaten, has won some tough road games already and is in the hunt for a #1 seed which means this is certainly the kind of game they can win. Kansas is looking to bounce back from a loss to West Virginia in their last game, but they’ll be facing a huge challenge despite being at home.
-ALABAMA AT MISSISSIPPI STATE (SEC). Alabama is coming off a somewhat surprising loss at home to Texas and looking to bounce back. Mississippi State had won five straight, but was blown out at Kentucky in their last game and is looking to bounce back from that. Both teams really need this, but they’re in very different places. Alabama needs it to stay within range of a protected seed and Mississippi State needs it to get closer to the bubble.
-FLORIDA AT OKLAHOMA (SEC). Florida has won six of their last seven and starting to look a lot better. This is a big road game for them against an Oklahoma team that’s a perfect 8-0 at home and looking to snap a two game losing streak. Florida is still looking for their first true road win, so they need this on their profile.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Villanova @ Providence (Big East) – It can be difficult to win at Providence, and the last couple of games for Nova have been struggles, but this is one they should win
-Marquette @ Saint John’s (Big East) – Marquette has lost 7 of their last 8 and is an absolute dumpster fire. The Johnnies are starting to play better and should hold serve at home
-Kent State @ Buffalo (MAC) – these are two of the better teams in the MAC
-Boston College @ Clemson (ACC) – if there is such a thing as a conference buy game, this is it
-George Mason @ Loyola Chicago (Atlantic 10) -Mason is 16-1 on the year and shouldn’t have too much trouble getting to 17-1
-Dayton @ Duquesne (Atlantic 10) -Dayton’s overall season has been a little disappointing, but it hasn’t been a complete bust and they’re a perfect 3-0 in A10 play
-Central Michigan @ Miami OH (MAC) – Miami is continuing to climb the polls and can improve to 18-0 on the season
-Valparaiso @ Belmont (Missouri Valley) – Belmont is coming off a huge come from behind win and can keep the bubble within arms length so long as they can keep winning
-West Virginia @ Houston (Big 12) – West Virginia is coming off a huge win against Kansas, but they are on the road today against a team that’s even better. WVU has been playing better, but Houston should hold serve at home
-Oregon @ Nebraska (Big Ten) – Nebraska is unbeaen and will likely remain that way
-Baylor @ Oklahoma State (Big 12) – Oklahoma State is a respectable 13-3, but their schedule has not been the best so far and they still have a lot of work to do. They need to hold serve in this one
-Grand Canyon @ New Mexico (Mountain West) -most of us at Hoops HD feel that New Mexico is inside the bubble right now. They need to hold serve in this one in order to stay there
-Florida State @ Syracuse (ACC) – Syracuse has a lot of work to do and can’t afford to lose this one at home
-Maryland @ USC (Big Ten) – USC has struggled some lately, but should be able to hold serve in this one
-Saint Mary’s @ San Francisco (West Coast) – SMC has been on a roll lately, but while San Francisco has struggled they still have a lot of talent and Saint Mary’s may be challenged tonight.
