The Hoops HD Report – Feb 13th

Posted on February 13, 2023 by David Griggs

We begin tonight by spending a few minutes on the situation at New Mexico State.  They have cancelled all their remaining games and continuing to internally investigate some allegations of a serious nature within the program.

After that, we move on to look back on what was a crazy busy week in college basketball.  We begin in the SEC where Tennessee had to losses at the buzzer to Vanderbilt and Missouri, and discuss how that win for Mizzou completely changes the complexion of their resume.  We also talk about how Alabama is now the overall #1 team and how they’ve go ta big game coming up at Tennessee this week.  The Big 12 continues to look historically strong, but some of the teams like TCU and Iowa State are starting to slip a little bit.  Other teams, particularly Oklahoma State, are starting to look better and better.  In the Big Ten Purdue lost on the road to Northwestern, but still appears to be set up for a #1 seed if they can win out, Arizona had a surprising loss to Stanford in the Big 12, Saint Mary’s fell to LMU in the West Coast but is still in control of first place, and several teams from the Mountain West are hovering around the bubble.  We discuss all that, and more!!

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Hoops HD Staff Member Bracket Projections (From the Puppet) – Feb 13th

Posted on February 13, 2023 by David Griggs

THIS BRACKET REFLECTS GAMES PLAYED THROUGH FEBRUARY 12TH

I want to make sure everyone knows what they are looking at.  This IS NOT an attempt to guess what the actual Selection Committee is going to do.  I am not trying to win the Bracket Matrix.  This is simply what I personally feel the NCAA Tournament should look like if the season ended today, and what the field would look like if I were a committee of one.

If you want to see a bracket that tries to guess what the actual selection committee would do, then this bracket and article are not for you.  For that, you should check out JON TEITEL’S BRACKET BY CLICKING HERE.  He is as good of a Selection Committee Guessing Expert as anyone else on the planet.

My comments are below, and the rest of the staff’s comments are below that.  If they disagree with anything I have done, then THEY ARE WRONG!!!!

OTHERS CONSIDERED: USC, Arizona State, Boise State, Oregon, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida, Virginia Tech, Utah, North Texas, Wake Forest

COMMENTS FROM DAVID (the creator of the bracket):

As far as how I go about doing this, or what it is that I look for when assessing the teams, I’m really just asking myself one question.  How hard was it for each team to win the games that they’ve won and post the record that they have??  That’s really it.  I use all of the metrics and data and everything that is available to the real committee to help me answer that question, but at the end of the day that’s really all I’m really looking at when selecting and seeding the teams.

-Alabama is my overall #1 seed, and while that may not be the unanimous #1 at Hoops HD, that is probably at least the consensus #1 right now.

-I know most people will probably have Houston on their #1 lines, and truth be told I think the real committee would give them one at this point as well.  A strong case can be made for them, but I just think that both Texas, and now Baylor, have multiple wins that are more impressive than Houston’s best win.  Texas does have a loss to Illinois and Baylor has one to TCU, but both of those teams are solidly in the field, and those are the only two losses they have to teams that aren’t protected seeds.  Houston has a loss at home to Temple in addition to not topping out quite as high.

-A lot of people also have Arizona on their #1 line.  The top of their resume is pretty good, but it’s not as good as the four teams that I’ve put up there.  They also have two losses to teams with losing records, whereas Texas’s and Baylor’s losses, as noted above, are to far better teams.

-I love how Oklahoma State is playing, and while they do have some garbage on their resume, they’ve also put together an impressive stretch of wins in a very tough conference, and are actually in a logjam in the conference standings where nearly all of the other teams they’re jammed up with are protected seeds.

-I also like Pitt a lot.  I don’t know what there is not to like with wins against Virginia, and on the road against NC State and North Carolina, both of whom are really strong teams at home.  They do have one loss that sort of has you holding your nose, but to me considering all of the other things they’ve done, a loss to Florida State may be a disqualifier for a protected seed, but certainly not for being in on the first ballot and seeded in the top half of the bracket.

-Getting back to the central question I am always asking myself of how hard it was for teams to win the games that they’ve won and post the record that they have, when you look at North Carolina (who I didn’t select), Maryland (who I did select but seeded way lower than where most people would have them), and Auburn, I believe the answer to that question is…not very.

Nothing North Carolina has done was exceptionally hard to do.  They’ve beaten some decent teams, but they did so at home, and beating a team at home that is good overall, but that isn’t good on the road, does not qualify as “hard.”

Same with Maryland, who does have a couple of wins that I like, but also believe has had chance after chance after chance after chance and only managed a couple.  They’re also not a good road team, which is sort of a must for me.

COMMENTS FROM JOHN

– I am prepared to agree that Alabama has now earned the #1 overall seed after getting a win against Auburn on the road in a tough environment. However, I’m not quite ready to pull the trigger on Texas getting a #1 seed. They’re close but I do think Kansas should be on the 1-line. Baylor I would have #6 overall behind Kansas and Texas.

– I also give the Puppet credit for bringing Northwestern up to the #6 line; they have continued to pile up wins home and away. Rutgers is a home-court hero, and while they do have 2 quality wins away from the JMA (Purdue and Northwestern), that is it. If that trend continues, they may slide down to the 7-9 lines, but they are still a solid first-ballot team.

– While other bubble teams are wetting the bed, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State are making the biggest cases for themselves right about now. MSU had a very front-loaded SEC schedule with 4 games against Alabama and Tennessee. They’ve made up ground fast and now have added wins against TCU and at Arkansas to their resume. Personally, I would have had Mississippi State as the 7 and Oklahoma State as the 9, but I don’t have a huge beef with where they’re at.

– As much as I like the Big East, I need to hear the case for Seton Hall. They have 3 solid wins at Rutgers, against Memphis on a neutral court and at home against UConn. That gets negated when they have 3 iffy losses on their profile and only one more real chance at a win against a tournament team when they play Xavier at home in a couple of weeks. They really, really needed a win at home against Creighton to make their case.

– Clemson is another team where I suspect the Puppet just spun the roulette wheel and chose them instead of the “Others Considered” teams. I would have held my nose and chose Boise State, but the Tigers have gone in completely the wrong direction with losses in their last 3 games.

COMMENTS FROM CHAD

– I don’t like agreeing with John, but I like agreeing with the Puppet even less, so what John said about the #1 and 2 lines is, in my opinion, 100% correct.  I would have the same 6 teams in the same order as him to start my bracket, with Houston and Kansas on the 1 line and Texas and Baylor atop the 2 line.

– I also agree with John about the inclusion of Seton Hall.  I just don’t get it, and to have them a line above the First Four is ridiculous.  This team is 14-11 against D1 competition, and does not play in the Big 12 where that might get you in.  They have one true road win against a tournament team (at Rutgers) and have as many wins against tournament teams (Uconn, Rutgers, Memphis) as they have losses against teams not in this field (Oklahoma, Villanova, Siena).  That is just not good enough.

– I can actually live with Clemson being in, only because the bottom of the bracket is awful right now.  They would be my second team out right now, in fact — however, my first team out would be North Carolina. I agree about leaving Boise State out, but would have had USC and Oregon in my field (though both going to Dayton).

– I don’t often pick fights about the bottom of the bracket, but I will take anyone on David’s 13 line over Kent State, a team on the 12.  Kent State does not have a single win against the top two tiers, and 12 seeds have to be able to beat someone who is at least good enough to qualify for the CBI.

– All in all, this actually was a fairly solid bracket from the Puppet, and I had to work a bit to find things to take issue with (other than his awful Seton Hall 10-seed pick).  I guess that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

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Happy Anniversary! HoopsHD interviews Wisconsin legend Michael Finley

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Jon Teitel

Michael Finley is 1 of those guys who succeeded at every level of basketball. As a senior at Proviso East High School he won the 1991 IHSA Class AA boys basketball tournament. At Wisconsin he was a 2-time 1st-team All-Big 10 pick and set the school’s all-time scoring record. In the NBA he was named to the All-Rookie 1st-Team, made back-to-back All-Star appearances, and won a title in 2007. He currently works for Dallas as assistant general manager/vice president of basketball operations. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with him about being a great scorer and winning an NBA title. Today marks the 23rd anniversary of Michael’s 1st NBA All-Star appearance on February 13, 2000, so we take this time to remember his remarkable accomplishments.

In 1995 you completed your Wisconsin career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2147 PTS: what is the secret to being a great scorer, and how did you feel when Alando Tucker passed you in 2007? There is no secret: it is just a matter of hard work/determination. Being part of a team/culture that believes in you also helps. Alando is a good player who had a good career…but it took him a few more games to do it!

That summer you were drafted 21st overall by Phoenix (3 spots behind Theo Ratliff): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It was a dream come true. Growing up on the playgrounds of Maywood, IL, everyone wants to make the NBA. It was a celebration of all my hard work and great for both me/my family.

You played all 82 games as a rookie, scored 15 PPG, and were named to the 1996 All-Rookie 1st-Team: how were you able to make such a smooth transition from college to the pros? I was prepared both on and off the court by staying 4 years in college. My college coaches (Stu Jackson/Stan Van Gundy) had NBA experience, which gave me a step up on some other guys. My NBA coaches (Paul Westphal/Cotton Fitzsimmons) believed in me and gave me a chance to produce.

You were traded to Dallas in 1996: how long did it take for you to figure out that your new teammates Steve Nash/Dirk Nowitzki would turn into Hall of Famers? At the time I did not see Hall of Famers: just a pair of guys who could become the best players from their respective countries and perennial All-Stars. I am so proud of both of them: I just wish that we could have played together longer in Dallas.

You were named an All-Star in 2000/2001: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It was a great accolade: I was not voted in by the fans but to have the coaches select me made me feel even better.

On January 23, 2001, you tied an NBA record with 8 STL in a half in a 16-PT loss to Philly: what is the key to being a great defender? Playing against bad offensive guys! I was just in the right place at the right time in an unusual game. You need the intent to defend the best players in the game and hopefully your good nights will outweigh your bad nights.

Take me through the magical 2007 NBA playoffs with San Antonio:
In Game 5 of the Western Conference 1st round against Denver you scored 26 PTS and set a team record by making 8-9 3PM in a series-clinching win: was it just 1 of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Every shot I took that night I thought was going in. My teammates gave me great looks at the basket: you wish you could have that every single night.

In the closing minute of Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals, your former teammate Nash was shoved into the press table by Robert Horry, Amare Stoudemire/Boris Diaw left the Suns’ bench, and they were subsequently suspended for Game 5 (which you won by 3 PTS): how big a deal was it at the time, and do you think that incident changed the outcome of the series? I still feel that we had the better team and would have beaten them anyway. It was an unusual situation for me because Steve was 1 of my best friends in the league: most of my career was spent protecting him but that night I was going against him.

In the NBA Finals you swept Cleveland to win the title: what did it mean to you to finally win a title? To receive the trophy and celebrate with my guys in the locker room was surreal and something that I will always cherish.

You played 15 years, led the league in games played during 5 different seasons, and your 37,996 minutes remains in the top-60 all-time: how were you able to stay healthy and stick around for such a long time? Just taking care of your body and maintaining your work ethic on and off the court. Eat right, get the proper rest, and take pride in being a professional athlete at all times. To compete at the highest level comes with a great deal of responsibility.

After retiring in 2010 you became a producer for many films (including Lee Daniels’ The Butler and American Made): how did you get into the movie industry, and what is your next project? I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and wanted to be sure that I was ready for the next step. I talked to someone in the industry and wanted to become part of it. It has been a great experience and hopefully I can continue to do it. We have a documentary that debuted on Fox called “They Fight”, the 1st time that they featured a documentary. It is about African-American kids in Philly and their life inside/outside the ring.

You are currently the VP of Basketball Operations for the Mavericks: how do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future? It has been great to work for Mark Cuban/Donnie Nelson while learning as much as I can from a front office perspective. As a player you think that you know everything but I continue to try to put the Mavericks on the map and work as hard as I can.

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Under The Radar Game of the Day (and the Hoops HD Daily Rundown) – Monday, February 13th

Posted on February 13, 2023 by John Stalica

Maryland-Eastern Shore (14-9, 6-2) at Howard (15-10, 7-1) – 7:30 PM ET

Tonight’s UTR Game of the Day heads to The Burr in Washington, DC where the Howard Bison host the Hawks of Maryland-Eastern Shore in a matchup of two of the top teams in the MEAC. UMES had a 7-game winning streak snapped on Saturday; they lost a game at home against Norfolk State 76-73. Kevon Voyles leads the Hawks with 12.1 points a game and 1.8 steals a game.

Thanks to a tougher-than-expected 86-85 win at Delaware State on Saturday, Howard is now on a 7-game winning streak and is now in sole possession of first place in the MEAC. The last loss on the schedule was an 82-73 loss at Maryland-Eastern Shore in the first meeting between both teams. Elijah Hawkins is averaging 13.1 points a game and 5.9 assists a game for the Bison.

 

HOOPS HD DAILY RUNDOWN (From the Puppet): 

-After trailing Purdue for most of the game, but keeping it within reach, Northwestern got control in the last couple of minutes and actually pulled off a huge 64-58 upset win in front of an absolutely bonkers crowd!  It was a really fun game to watch, and it’s exciting to see Northwestern, a team that has only been to one NCAA Tournament in its entire history, seemingly to be solidly inside the bubble and perhaps even in the top half of the bracket.

-Everything else was pretty chalky.

-MIAMI FL AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC).  Miami FL is well placed in the top half of the bracket and still has an outside shot at a protected seed (although that will take quite a bit more work).  They’ll be challenged tonight by a UNC team that I’ve been underwhelmed by overall, but who has been very solid at home.  Still, this would be one of the better wins for the Tarheels on the season if they’re able to pick this one up, and it’s a game I think they kind of need.

-NORTHEASTERN AT CHARLESTON (Colonial).  CofC is probably done because if they do lose in the conference tournament then it would be yet another loss to a team that’s nowhere near the bubble, but if they win out the committee will give them a serious look and perhaps even still select them.

-TEXAS AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12).  Texas appears to be a solid protected seed and even has a shot at a #1 seed if they can finish strong.  That would mean taking care of business on the road in this one in what should be a winnable game, but also very hostile game.

-WEST VIRGINIA AT BAYLOR (Big 12).  Baylor is another team that I think is within reach of the #1 line, but needs to continue to win at the clip they have been in order to reach it.  West Virginia is simply trying to get into the NCAA Tournament, and a win today would go a long way, but that’s far easier said than done.

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Bracketology 2023: March Madness Predictions (Version 7.0)

Posted on February 12, 2023 by Jon Teitel

For today’s HOOPS HD DAILY RUNDOWN, where we recap all of the weekend’s action and preview today’s games – CLICK HERE

We are only 4 weeks away from Selection Sunday as we continue to make our NCAA tourney predictions. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel correctly picked 67 of the 68 teams that made the 2022 tourney and each of his 67 of were within 1 spot of their actual seed, including 49 right on the money. He will spend the upcoming weeks predicting which 68 teams will hear their names called on March 12th. See below for his list of who would make the cut if they picked the field today and if you agree or disagree then feel free to tweet us. To see how he stacks up with other websites (ranked 12th out of 148 entries over the past 5 years), check out: www.bracketmatrix.com

SEED: TEAM (CONFERENCE)
1: Purdue (Big 10)
1: Alabama (SEC)
1: Houston (AAC)
1: Kansas (Big 12)

2: Texas (Big 12)
2: Arizona (Pac-12)
2: UCLA (Pac-12)
2: Baylor (Big 12)

3: Tennessee (SEC)
3: Virginia (ACC)
3: Xavier (Big East)
3: Kansas State (Big 12)

4: Marquette (Big East)
4: Gonzaga (WCC)
4: Iowa State (Big 12)
4: Connecticut (Big East)

5: Indiana (Big 10)
5: TCU (Big 12)
5: St. Mary’s (WCC)
5: Miami (ACC)

6: Illinois (Big 10)
6: San Diego State (MWC)
6: Rutgers (Big 10)
6: Creighton (Big East)

7: Duke (ACC)
7: Iowa (Big 10)
7: Maryland (Big 10)
7: Auburn (SEC)

8: Providence (Big East)
8: NC State (ACC)
8: Michigan State (Big 10)
8: Missouri (SEC)

9: Arkansas (SEC)
9: West Virginia (Big 12)
9: Florida Atlantic (C-USA)
9: Northwestern (Big 10)

10: Pittsburgh (ACC)
10: Nevada (MWC)
10: New Mexico (MWC)
10: Boise State (MWC)

11: Oklahoma State (Big 12)
11: North Carolina (ACC)
11: USC (Pac-12)
11: Memphis (AAC)
11: Clemson (ACC)
11: Mississippi State (SEC)

12: Charleston (CAA)
12: Oral Roberts (Summit)
12: VCU (A-10)
12: Southern Miss (Sun Belt)

13: Liberty (Atlantic Sun)
13: Kent State (MAC)
13: Drake (MVC)
13: Utah Valley (WAC)

14: UCSB (Big West)
14: Samford (SoCon)
14: Rider (MAAC)
14: Princeton (Ivy)

15: Colgate (Patriot)
15: Eastern Washington (Big Sky)
15: Youngstown State (Horizon)
15: Vermont (America East)

16: UNC-Asheville (Big South)
16: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland)
16: Morehead State (OVC)
16: Fairleigh Dickinson (NEC)
16: Howard (MEAC)
16: Alcorn State (SWAC)

1ST 4 OUT
Kentucky (SEC)
Texas A&M (SEC)
Wisconsin (Big 10)
Texas Tech (Big 12)

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Hoops HD Daily Rundown – Sunday, Feb 12th

Posted on February 12, 2023 by David Griggs

NEWS AND NOTES:

-We will start with a SURVIVAL BOARD update.  Columbia has been mathematically eliminated from qualifying for the Ivy League Tournament after their loss to Yale, and has been the first team to be eliminated.  We now have 349 teams remaining!!

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

Saturday was another insanely busy and eventful day…

-Alabama picked up yet another road win as they held off Auburn 77-69.  By #1 seed standards it’s a win that’s pretty much par for the course, but it was against a heated rival, and a rival that really needed the win for their own resume purposes, and a rival who had played exceptionally well at home this year, so for Bama to come out of there with a win (after actually being behind for most of the game) I think at the very least meets the expectations of a #1 seed.

-Arizona, another team that is being floated around for a #1 seed, did not look like it yesterday.  They fell on the road to Stanford 88-79.  This is NOT par for the course for a #1 seed.  It’s their second loss to a team with a losing record this season.  I don’t have the encyclopedia level of knowledge when it comes to NCAA Basketball trivia that our colleague John Stalica has, but I can feel very safe in saying that losing two games to teams with losing records and ending up with a #1 seed is not a common thing.  Has it even ever happened before?

-Tennessee has had a 2pt lead and been on the freethrow line with less than ten seconds to go in their last two games.  THEY’VE LOST BOTH THOSE GAMES!!  Missouri hit a near half court shot after a missed Tennessee freethrow to escape with a much needed 86-85 win.  Mizzou had nothing anywhere close to this caliber of win before yesterday, so this does a ton to improve their standings.  As for Tennessee, they’ve suffered two very swift and very hard kicks to the stomach, and a #1 seed is probably out the window.  But…they’re actually okay.  They’ll be a protected seed, and while this is a huge ego bruising experience at this point in time, it’s February 12th, not March 12th.  They’ll safely make it into the field, and this is not indicative of what they’ll be like a month from now.  They’re just as dangerous today as they were a week ago.

-I’ve been hard on Duke this year for not winning on the road.  Well, while they didn’t get the win at Virginia yesterday, they probably should have.  A foul at the end of regulation was not called, but should have been.  Time had expired, but the ball was released and still in flight, and by rule the game isn’t over until the ball hits the rim or backboard.  It was as if the referees didn’t know the rule.  Even the ACC League Office has stated the referees got the call wrong.  Virginia got the win in overtime, and Duke missed out on what would have been a season defining and resume defining win.

-UCLA got a 70-63 road win at Oregon, and it’s a game that they should probably get more credit for than what most will probably give them.  Oregon is outside the bubble, but they’ve been playing well lately, especially at home, and for the Bruins to come out of there with a win is pretty impressive.

-Oklahoma State keeps stringing together big wins, and they got another one yesterday at Iowa State 64-56.  Iowa State has now lost four out of five, but we still feel they are within reach of a protected seed, and Oklahoma State should (and will) get a TON of credit for this.  They’re now 7-5 in Big 12 play, and the conference is an absolute meat grinder.  They’ve also won seven of their last eight.  Their start to the season was a little slow, but they’re playing like a top 25 caliber team right now, and I expect their resume to keep getting better and better.  They’re at home against Kansas on Tuesday and that is gonna be a show!!

-Kansas State, who for a while I was touting as a #1 seed…is a team that I am no longer touting as a #1 seed.  They lost at Texas Tech yesterday 71-63.  I know Texas Tech isn’t exactly the worst team out there, and I know that every team has bad games, but when you’re talking about a #1 seed I feel K State has exceeded (and surpassed) the ‘bad day limit’ that 1-seeds are allowed.  They’re still a good team with some great wins, and should still be a solid protected seed, but probably not a #1 seed.  But as for Baylor…

-The Baylor Bears have now won nine of their last ten, and are doing it against Big 12 teams.  That is as good as anyone in the country right now, and with a road win at TCU you almost have to start asking whether or not they should be in the discussion for a #2 seed, or perhaps even a #1 seed.  Their only loss during that stretch was a very close game at Texas.   They go on the road to face Kansas and Kansas State in the next couple of weeks.  If they win both of those then we could be discussing them for the #1 line.

-Indiana, who had been playing very well, held on to beat Michigan 62-61, but barely!  Still, at the end of the day, it was another road win for the Hoosiers and their resume continues to look very strong.

-Providence could not get it done against Saint John’s yesterday and fell 73-68.  It’s not the easiest game to win, but it’s the kind of game you would expect a solid first ballot team to be able to win more times than not.

-Creighton continues to roll as they knocked off a pretty good UConn team (that had been starting to play better again) 56-53.  The Bluejays have now won eight straight and are playing as well as anyone else in the Big East right now.

-Rutgers vs Illinois was a hard fought game, but the Illini finally got control of it in the last few minutes and held on for a 69-60 win.  I think both teams are solidly in the field, and Illinois is continuing to climb the seedlist.

-Kentucky, who I was starting to believe in again, has now given me another reason to question whether or not they belong in the field at all.  They fell at Georgia 75-68.  I know it’s hard to win on the road…BUT THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT!!!  In order to make the NCAA Tournament and be inside the bubble, teams must win games that are hard to win!  Kentucky, with the exception of their win at Tennessee (which IS a legit huge win) has not.  They routinely come up short.  And yesterday they did so again.

-Clemson could have really used a nice road win at North Carolina yesterday, and came up about 20pts short.  North Carolina is not a team that I’m big on at all, but they have been very strong at home this year, and our Selection Committee guessing expert Jon Teitel seems to think the committee values them…and he’s probably right.  I personally don’t agree, but I always disagree with something that the committee does, and this year it will probably be North Carolina.  Clemson, on the other hand, is now hanging on to the bubble by their fingernails and needs a strong finish just to make the field at all.

-Wisconsin…OUCH!!  They had a nice win earlier in the week against Penn State on the road, and one would think that they were finally getting things turned around.  Well, they’re once again facing the complete wrong way.  They are NOT turned around!  They lost to a bad Nebraska team 73-63 in overtime, and that might sink them all the way outside the bubble.

-USC….OUCH!!!  A team that was stringing together wins, and building their resume, and climbing the seedlist, totally shot themselves in the foot yesterday with a 61-58 loss to a really bad Oregon State team.

-Arkansas, who finally won a big road game, followed that up with a home loss to Mississsippi State, which was a game they really should have won.  It’s actually the fifth straight win for Mississippi State, and it looks like they’re heading in the right direction after being in a complete nose dive just a few weeks ago.

-Seton Hall, who had been on a streak where they appeared to be playing really well, could not get the win at Villanova yesterday and fell 58-54.  Nova has been playing better, but for a team that’s hovering around the bubble like Seton Hall was it was a game that the Pirates really needed to win.

-Florida, who I thought was playing their way inside the bubble, is now a team that I no longer think is playing their way inside the bubble.  They lost at home to Vanderbilt 88-80 yesterday.  Vandy has had themselves one hell of a week!  But they are still so far from the bubble that they need high powered binoculars to see it.

A few quic Under the Radar notes…

-Keep an eye on the Drake Bulldogs.  They were a team that back in October many of us (myself included) expected to see in the top 25 at some point this season.  That’s not going to happen because it simply took them too long to get rolling and they lost a lot of games they shouldn’t have, but for the last couple of weeks they’ve been playing like the caliber of team we thought they would be, and they absolutely blasted a pretty good Southern Illinois team yesterday 82-59.

-Oral Roberts has now clinched at least a share of first place in the Summit League with their 82-73 win against Western Illinois yesterday.  One more win and they win it outright.

 

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-TEMPLE AT MEMPHIS (American).  It simply took Temple far too long to get their motor started this season, and even after they started playing at a higher level they’ve still dropped some winnable games, but they are definitely good enough to beat Memphis on the road if Memphis overlooks them.  Memphis is squarely on the bubble.  Memphis BETTER NOT overlook them.

-IOWA AT MINNESOTA (Big Ten).  Iowa has been through steep peaks and valleys this year, but all and all they appear to be very safely inside the bubble, and will remain there so long as they avoid bad losses the rest of the way.  A loss today would absolutely be a bad loss.

-MICHIGAN STATE AT OHIO STATE (Big Ten).  Michigan State is pretty solid and should end up in the top half of the bracket with a strong finish.  It’s never easy to win on the road, but Ohio State has now lost ten of their last eleven and this is a game that the Spartans should win handily.

-PURDUE AT NORTHWESTERN (Big Ten).  This is the kind of game that’s always fun.  A #1 seed caliber team on the road against a solid NCAA Tournament team that’s looking to become even more solid and who’s fans should be jacked way up for this one!

Posted in Daily Rundown, News and Notes | 1 Comment