Hoops HD

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-MARQUETTE AT CONNECTICUT (Big East) (***Spotlight Game***). Both teams are ranked in the top 4 and both are in the hunt for a #1 seed. Marquette will probably move up to our #1 line if they’re able to pull off this win, which would probably be the single best win of the year that any team manages given how good UConn is at home. Even if UConn loses they’re probably still up on the 1-line, and if Marquette loses it probably doesn’t knock them down the seedlist at all. It’s much more of a showcase than a stakes game, but it will still be fun!

-TEXAS TECH AT IOWA STATE (Big 12). Both teams appear to be moving up the seedlist, and Iowa State is looking more and more like a solid protected seed. They should be able to hold serve in this one at home, but it’s also a chance for Texas Tech to pick up a monster road win.

-TEXAS A&M AT ALABAMA (SEC). TAMU looks to be solidly in the field for now, but a road win like this could boost their resume through the roof. Alabama is looking more and more like they will end up as a protected seed and should be able to win this one at home.

-WAKE FOREST AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Wake is outside our bubble, but a road win like this would be a huge step in the right direction for them. Virginia is looking to bounce back after having their winning streak snapped by Pitt earlier this week. I still like how the Hoos are playing and still think they could end up solidly in the top half of the bracket by the end of the year.

-TCU AT KANSAS STATE (Big 12). K State is outside the bubble, but could end up reaching it if they finish the season strong. TCU is in good shape, but can be in even better shape if they’re able to pick up this road win. K State may not be inside the bubble, but they’re still tough to beat on their floor.

-CREIGHTON AT BUTLER (Big East). I really like what this Butler team has done and think they belong inside the bubble. While their quad records are solid, their metrics are somewhat lacking for whatever reason, so every game has a bit of a pivotal feel to it for the Bulldogs, and that certainly includes this one. Creighton is in the hunt for a protected seed, and this would be a really solid road win for them. In short, while it’s not a must-win for either team, there is quite a bit at stake for both of them

-TEXAS AT HOUSTON (Big 12). I couldn’t wait for the first meeting between these two, and I cannot wait for this one either!! I am begging both schools to keep this series going after this year! As for this season’s second edition of it, Houston is looking like a #1 seed caliber team and they’ve already won on the road at Texas. While the Cougars are looking to hold serve, it would be a huge resume boost for the Longhorns if they’re able to pull off the upset.

-VMI AT THE CITADEL (SoCon). This game means nothing on paper and it’s not a game that impacts the tournament board at all. It is simply one of our favorite rivalries and match-ups in all of college basketball!! We will always highlight it!!

-WISCONSIN AT IOWA (Big Ten). Wisconsin has been in a bit of a tailspin, but did snap a four game losing streak their last time out and does have another winnable road game today. If they win this, I think they’ll be back on track.

-KANSAS AT OKLAHOMA (Big 12). Kansas has not played well in true road games all season long, and I’ve been beating them up for quite a while. Here is a chance for them to change my opinion. Oklahoma is in the top 25, and they’re inside the bubble, and they’re tough to beat on their floor. If Kansas can win this, then I think it strengthens their resume by quite a bit.

-UTAH STATE AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West). In a Mountain West that’s pretty strong this year, these look like two of the stronger teams that are in it! It should be a fun one. Both teams have a really good chance at landing in the top half of the seedlist, and both have the chance to add another really nice win to their resumes today, especially with Utah State seeing as how they’re the road team.

-KENTUCKY AT AUBURN (SEC). Auburn is proving to be one of the toughest places in the country to win. They’re 13-0 at home, and they’ve not just won two straight games against top 15 teams at home, but they’ve blown both those teams out. Today, they get another ranked team at home, and Kentucky may be in real trouble here.

-INDIANA STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (Missouri Valley). After cracking the rankings for the first time in over four decadesIndiana State is coming off a very damaging loss to Illinois State earlier this week. It is very important that they bounce back from that and get this win on the road. They should still be on the bubble if they win out until the MVC Tournament, but any more slip ups could cost them a spot in the field.

-NC STATE AT CLEMSON (ACC). I really like how Clemson is playing right now, and actually think they’re playing well enough to earn a protected seed if they can keep doing what they’re doing between now and the end. NC State is just 2-5 in their last seven games and is a team Clemson should beat at home.

-MICHIGAN STATE AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten). Michigan State is just 2-5 in true road games, and while Michigan isn’t really any good at all, just getting any sort of a win on the road will strengthen the Spartan’s profile. It’s also a rivalry game, so there’s the bragging rights at stake as well.

-YALE AT PRINCETON (Ivy League). These are two of the best teams in the Ivy, and while it isn’t likely that they both end up inside the bubble, both are very capable of pulling off an upset win in the Round of 64 if they’re able to get there. This one should be fun. It actually means a lot to the Ivy League standings and will have a big impact on the tournament’s seedings.

-COLORADO AT USC (Pac 12). The one thing Colorado really needs is road wins, and this is perhaps one of their most winnable remaining road games. If they can’t get this one, they are in real danger of missing the field entirely. Even if they do get this one I think they still have some work to do.

-NEVADA AT UNLV (Mountain West). This is a big rivalry game, and it’s actually important for the Nevada Wolfpack. I think they are inside the bubble, but whether you agree with that or not you have to realize they still have a lot of work to do. UNLV hasn’t looked great for the entire season, but they’ve looked good at times, and they come into this with five straight wins and a chance to finish strong in a really good conference and make a case that maybe they deserve a look from the committee.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:

–Penn State @ Nebraska (Big Ten) – what Nebraska needs more than anything is road wins, but they also need to hold serve in games like this one

–Florida @ Georgia (SEC) – a bit of a road test for a Gators team that looks to be solidly in the field. They’ll be tested today, but they should be able to get this one and add another nice road win to their resume

–Fordham @ Dayton (Atlantic 10) – Dayton should be able to hold serve in this one and remain solidly in the top half of the bracket

–Virginia Tech @ North Carolina (ACC) – UNC has been a little underwhelming lately. They’ve lost two of their last three and had to sweat out the game they did win. This should be a chance for them to hold serve at home and pick a win that isn’t necessarily easy, but that should be routine

–Duke @ Florida State (ACC) – Duke is looking like a solid protected seed, and while this may not be the easiest road game to win, it’s one they should win

–BYU at Oklahoma State (Big 12) – BYU has just two road wins. I think they need to show they can beat non-tournament teams on the road

–Arkansas @ Mississippi State (SEC) – Mississippi State appears to be right on the bubble (although I personally don’t think they should be). Nevertheless, they need to hold serve at home

–Samford @ Mercer (SoCon) – Samford is looking to make it 24 out of their last 25

-LSU @ South Carolina (SEC) – Despite getting thumped in their last game, I still think South Carolina is having a fantastic season and should be able to hold serve in this one and bounce back

-Miami FL @ Boston College (ACC) – this should be a winnable road game for the Canes. They’ve got a lot of work to do just to reach the bubble

-Cincinnati @ UCF (Big 12) – both teams are outside the bubble and both have a lot of work to do in order to reach the field

–McNeese @ Nicholls (Southland) – I don’t think McNeese can get in without the auto-bid, but at 22-3 overall they’ll at least get a look if they win out

–Louisiana @ Appalachian State (Sun Belt) – in all likelihood App State will need the auto-bid to get in, but if they win out until the SBC Tournament they will end up with a pretty strong profile. They also don’t want to overlook the Ragin’ Cajuns today, though

–Illinois @ Maryland (Big Ten) – Illinois has a really solid resume, and it can get even stronger if they can add another true road win to it today

–Syracuse @ Georgia Tech (ACC) – Syracuse is coming off a big win against North Carolina, but they still have a ton of work to do if they want to reach the NCAA Tournament

–Vanderbilt @ Tennessee (SEC) – This is a sort-of rivalry, and a complete mismatch. The Vols should roll at home and keep their standing as a solid protected seed

–Baylor @ West Virginia (Big 12) – Baylor should hold serve in this one despite it being a road game

-Stanford @ Washington State (Pac 12) – Wazzu keeps winning games and keeps moving up the seedlist. If they continue to hold serve, they’ll go into the NCAA Tournament field on the first ballot

–Georgia Southern @ James Madison (Sun Belt) – If JMU wins out, but doesn’t win the conference tournament, they’ll be squarely on the bubble and should get a hell of a look from the committee

–Louisville @ Pittsburgh (ACC) – Pitt has really come to life lately. They’re 6-1 in their last seven games, they’ve won 6 true road games this season, and their last two wins have been at NC State and at Virginia. They should hold serve in this one

–Fresno State @ Boise State (Mountain West) – Boise is solidly inside the bubble and will remain there so long as they keep holding serve

–DePaul @ Providence (Big East) – Providence is right on the bubble, and every game they play seems to have a pivotal feel to it. Having said that, this particular game should also have a buy-game feel to it

–CA Baptist @ Grand Canyon (WAC) – GCU is just inside our bubble, and I believe they will remain there so long as they win out, which they are definitely good enough to do

–Missouri @ Ole Miss (SEC) – Ole Miss appears to be squarely on the bubble and needs to hold serve in games like this, which are home games against bad teams

–Pacific @ Gonzaga (West Coast) – The Zags should end up inside the bubble if they win out through the regular season. A loss in a game like this could completely sink them

–Arizona State @ Arizona (Pac 12) – This is a rivalry game, but it’s also a mismatch. Arizona is within reach of a 1-seed, and Arizona State is perhaps nowhere near the NIT

–Oregon @ Oregon State (Pac 12) – Oregon’s chances of reaching the bubble will go from slim to virtually non-existent if they slip up and lose this one on the road

For the latest HOOPS HD BRACKET RUNDOWN Video Podcast, where we build a seedlist on the air – CLICK HERE

For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE

-Purdue got a bit of a challenge from Minnesota on their own home court with Minnesota leading at the half and part of the way into the second half, but the Boilers got control and held on for an 84-76 win.

-Northwestern went into Rutgers last night desperately needing a road win to help strengthen their resume, which is pretty good overall, but still flimsy because of the lack of road wins. They held a lead for a lot of the game, but they didn’t hold it at the end. Rutgers picked up a 63-60 win. Rutgers has now won four in a row, and while they’re still a ways from the bubble, they are a team that we’re kinda starting to keep our eyes on.

-Memphis lost to another team that’s nowhere near the bubble. Again. This time to North Texas, who is tough to beat when they’re at home, but not a tournament caliber team. I’m beginning to wonder if Memphis should even be on the board at this point.

-Colorado continues to go on the road and not win. Last night they fell 64-60 to a UCLA team that’s nowhere near the field, but who has been playing really well lately and who could conceivably make quite a bit of noise in the Pac 12 Tournament.

-Utah also continues to go on the road and not win. Last night they fell 68-64 at USC, who is…well…bad. Utah is still showing up in a lot bracket projections, including our own, but I personally just don’t see why they should even be in the field at all. Having said that, I also realize that I am an individual, and that the Hoops HD consensus is usually more right than I am as an individual. But….SERIOUSLY!!! Why do people think Utah is good?? I take back what I said!! I AM smarter than everyone else!!!

-VILLANOVA AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). Nova is outside the bubble, but they can still reach the field because of the good wins that they have on their resume. They just need to string together a lot of wins between now and the end and they can’t afford to drop this one.

-NEW MEXICO AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West). Both teams are very safely inside the bubble for now, but both have the opportunity to boost their resumes and climb the seedlist. The MWC has been crazy fun and crazy good this year, and this is yet another big matchup.

-It’s also another big night in the Ivy League Cornell facing Harvard, Princeton facing Brown, and Yale going to Penn. Princeton, Yale, and Cornell are locked in a close three way race.

NEWS AND NOTES:

For the latest UNDER THE RADAR Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

For John Stalica’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE

-South Carolina at Auburn looked to be the game of the night. And…well…one of the teams played absolutely fantastic!! Auburn absolutely blew South Carolina into the sun 101-61. It’s not surprising Auburn won. They were at home and expected to win. It is surprising that they absolutely atom-bombed a South Carolina team that had been looking as good as anyone in the SEC prior to last night.

-Michigan State picked up an 80-72 road win at Penn State, which may not seem like that big of a deal on the surface, but it was just the second true road win for the Spartans and one they really needed.

-Xavier, for the second game in a row, fell behind big early and just wasn’t able to catch up. Seton Hall picked up an impressive 88-70 win at home, which really helps their resume out. Xavier, on the other hand, is falling further and further outside the bubble.

-I had been praising Richmond for the past several weeks and was saying the committee should be paying attention to them. So, of course, they lost at home to UMass 69-59 last night, which may all but end any hopes they have of getting an at-large. This is one of the reasons I never bet on basketball.

-Utah State had a solid second half at Wyoming to pick up an 84-76 win, which adds another conference road win to an already impressive resume.

-Samford ran over a fairly decent Western Carolina team last night 88-62. They’re not just beating everyone in the SoCon, they’ve suddenly started to beat some pretty good teams within that league rather badly. If they win out, they belong in. Period. Regardless of what happens in the SoCon Tournament.

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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-NORTHWESTERN AT RUTGERS (Big Ten). The one thing that could help Northwestern out right now more than anything else is road wins. They are solidly in our field, but a few more road wins will make their profile so much stronger. Rutgers isn’t good, but they are tough to beat at home, and they’re coming off a blowout win against Wisconsin

-TEMPLE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC (American). FAU is clearly the better team. This is a virtual buy game and they should hold serve at home. The problem is that a lot of games that should be easy for FAU end up being struggles.

-SMU AT TULANE (American). SMU may still have a path to the bubble, but they basically need to win out. They can’t afford to drop this one on the road.

-MEMPHIS AT NORTH TEXAS (American). This is not an easy road test for Memphis. They have fallen outside the bubble and need road wins like this to help them get back on the right side of it. In fact, every remaining game has a pivotal feel to it for the Tigers.

-MINNESOTA AT PURDUE (Big Ten). Every time I get on Minnesota’s bandwagon, they lose a game they should win. Every time I give up on them, they start stringing together wins. A win at Purdue is not very likely. Purdue looks to be on their way to a #1 seed. But, if they were to somehow do it, they’d most likely end up in our next bracket.

-COLORADO AT UCLA (Pac 12). This is simply a game that Colorado has to win. They are outside the bubble and they need wins away from home. UCLA is nowhere near the bubble, but they’ve been playing really well. They’re 7-1 in their last eight games and appear to be good enough to keep that streak going. It took them a little too long to start playing at this level, but they are there! They can beat most of the teams in this conference! And the auto-bid doesn’t seem like a complete impossibility. Although Arizona being there does make it seem like kind of a rather remote possibility…but not a complete impossiblity!

-GONZAGA AT LMU (West Coast). This is Gonzaga’s first game after their big win against Kentucky, and they need to win out.

-UTAH TECH AT GRAND CANYON (WAC). The Lopes should land inside the bubble if they win out, which they are definitely good enough to do. They should roll tonight.

-CALIFORNIA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac 12). Wazzu is looking more and more like a team that’s going to make the NCAA Tournament. Tonight’s game is a home game against a team that’s nowhere near the NCAA Tournament, so they need to hold serve.

-PEPPERDINE AT SAINT MARY’S (West Coast). Saint Mary’s continues to look like the best team in the WCC and they should cruise to a tournament bid so long as they can hold serve in games like this.

-UTAH AT USC (Pac 12). Utah is one of those teams that is straddling the bubble, and that could really use some road wins on their resume to strengthen their case. Tonight’s game against USC and this weekend’s game against UCLA are huge games for this Utes team.