Hoops HD

NEWS AND NOTES:

-For our latest UNDER THE RADAR Video Podcast – CLICK HERE

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

EDIT:  I think the combination of a staff worker, player, or just some regular fan that’s at a basketball game that just brazenly orders DoorDash, and then a delivery guy that is such an airhead that he is genuinely oblivious to the fact that he’s disrupting a the game is both hilarious and kind of cool.  However, I think staging this stunt just so they can go viral on TikTok is actually kind of pathetic.  This went from being my favorite thing that happened yesterday (and perhaps all season long) to me thinking everyone involved is stupid in a far less personable way than it originally appeared.  So, I’ve deleted the link

-Alabama trialed Mississippi State at home for most of the game, but held on to win 66-63 in the end.  It would have been a huge win for Mississippi State had they pulled it off and perhaps gotten them back within reach of the bubble, but as it stands now they’ve lost eight of their last nine.

-Xavier picked up a really nice road win at UConn last night 82-79.  It may be the biggest win of the year for Xavier so far considering that it was on the road.  UConn is in a tailspin having lost six of their last eight after starting off the season 14-0, but as our friend John Stalica observed Xavier is a big reason as to why they’ve lost six of their last eight.

-Texas A&M picked up a HUGE 79-63 win at Auburn that in my opinion flips the switch from them being outside the bubble to being inside of it.  TAMU is the only team that has won at Auburn (my favorite stat), and while they were very sluggish prior to Christmas they’ve won all but one of their games since then (the loss at Kentucky), and are starting to build a profile that looks like a tournament caliber profile.

-Pittsburgh and Wake Forest squared off in a bubblicious match-up that had a pivotal feel to it for both teams, and Pitt held on to win at home in a close one 81-79.

-Wisconsin has not just stubbed their toes, but has slipped on the ice and broken their ankle.  After looking really good for a stretch, they’ve now lost five of their last six, and last night they were just completely blown out 73-55 at Maryland.  That cannot be confidence inspiring.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC (Conference USA).  FAU is in the rankings and inside the bubble and should go into the NCAA Tournament on the first ballot so long as they keep holding serve.

-SMU AT MEMPHIS (American).  Memphis is squarely on the bubble and it is crucial that they do not slip up in games like this, which are home games against teams that are nowhere near the bubble.

-IOWA AT MICHIGAN STATE (Big Ten).  Both teams are in our field right now, but both still have some work to do in order to become more stable.  This game is a good opportunity for both teams to build up their resumes by picking up another notable win.

-SEATTLE U AT SAM HOUSTON (WAC).  It’s not likely that either team will reach the bubble, but both could be dangerous in the Round of 64 if one of them happens to win the automatic bid.  Sam Houston racked up wins against Oklahoma and Utah out of conference and while they’ve dropped some games in league play they are still capable of playing at a high level.  Seattle U is trying to hang on to first place in the standings and will be tested in a big way tonight.

-PURDUE AT MICHIGAN (Big Ten).  I keep thinking it’s time to write Michigan off, but whenever I do they win a notable game.  This would be VERY notable considering Purdue is the #1 overall team and on pace to get a #1 seed.

-UCLA AT USC (Pac 12).  Lots going on in this one.  It’s a rivalry game, UCLA is on pace to get a protected seed and depending on how things play out may still have an outside shot at a #1 seed, and USC is trying to get back into the field.  USC’s profile needs some work, but on the court the team appears to be getting better and they almost upset UCLA at Pauley Pavilion the first time they played.

-UTAH VALLEY AT SOUTHERN UTAH (WAC) (Bee Hive).  Utah Valley is having an outstanding year and are in the hunt to win the WAC and perhaps get a serious look from the committee if they can win out.

-ARIZONA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac 12).  At first glance Arizona should win this one easily, but it’s not a slam dunk.  Wazzu actually won the first meeting between these two at Arizona and has proven to be very tough to beat.

-ARIZONA STATE AT WASHINGTON (Pac 12).  Arizona State is squarely on the bubble, so every game they play seems to have a pivotal feel to it.

-UTAH AT OREGON STATE (Pac 12).  Utah is outside of our bubble, but they are definitely close enough to it to reach it and they need to take advantage of what appears to be a winnable road game tonight.

NEWS AND NOTES:

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

-Iowa State knocked off Kansas State 80-76 in last night’s edition of ‘Big 12 Protected Seeds.’  K State hit a field goal drought in the second half and Iowa State appeared to be in control, but K State fought back, but just couldn’t come all the way back.

-Kent State, who was unbeaten in the MAC and who we figured could get inside the bubble if they ran the table or came close to it, suffered a HUGE setback last night when they lost at Northern Illinois 86-76.  It’s tough to win on the road in the MAC, but Northern Illinois is not the toughest place in the MAC to win at, so this was a bit of a disappointing loss.  I don’t know if it completely eliminates them, but even for someone like me who has been championing Kent State all year long, I’ve got to admit  that it at least MOSTLY eliminates them, and that one of the games Kent State needs to win is that last MAC Conference Tournament game if they want to make the field.

-North Carolina picked up a road win at Syracuse 72-68 and while the game was close the Tarheels held the lead for most of it.  This is a bigger deal than what most may realize because up until last night North Carolina’s only road win was at Louisville, and I’m not sure that even counts as a road win this year.

-Other than that, it was a mostly chalky night last night with no surprises or cataclysmic results.

HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:

-XAVIER AT UCONN (Big East).  Both teams are still in the hunt for a protected seed.  UConn just recently ended a stretch where they had lost five out of six, and the start of that skid was a loss at Xavier back on New Years Eve, so it’s a chance for the Huskies to add to their resume, climb the seedlist, and climb the rankings.  As for Xavier, this would probably be their best win of the season to date if they’re able to pull it off.

-HOUSTON AT UCF (American).  I would have thought this would be Houston’s toughest remaining game, and it still might be, but UCF has gone into the tank a little bit with two straight losses to teams that are nowhere near the field.  In fact the only way UCF can probably play their way back inside the bubble is if they can get this win today.  Houston is coming off a somewhat surprising loss and probably won’t be caught sleepwalking, though.

-GEORGIA AT TENNESSEE (SEC).  Georgia has been playing a lot better, but if they want to get all the way inside the bubble they’ll need to win a game like this.  Tennessee is still within reach of a #1 seed, especially with opportunities against Texas, Auburn, and Alabama still on their schedule, but they’ll need to hold serve today.

-WAKE FOREST AT PITTSBURGH (ACC).  This is a hugely important bubblicious type of game where both teams have played well, but both still have some work to do if they want to land safely inside the bubble.  A win tonight would certainly help.

-WISCONSIN AT MARYLAND (Big Ten).  Wisconsin has dropped two straight games, but we still believe to be very safely inside the bubble even though they are currently going in the wrong direction.  Maryland is coming off a game where they nearly won at Purdue, which would have been huge, but as it is they still need to do some work if they want to land safely inside the bubble and a win today at home would certainly help.

-TEXAS A&M AT AUBURN (SEC).  TAMU is 5-1 in SEC play after a rather unspectacular start to the season.  The thing is they haven’t exactly faced the top teams in the conference, and while they played well at a loss at Kentucky their last time out, they didn’t get the win.  If they want to get the committee’s attention, they need to win a game like this.

-UTAH STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West).  A lot of people like Utah State, but we at Hoops HD have pretty much had them outside the bubble for the entire season.  In order for that to change they need to win a game like this one.  San Diego State is solidly in our field and will remain there if they keep holding serve in what is turning out to be a rather competitive Mountain West Conference.

OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:

-West Virginia @ Texas Tech (Big 12) – This isn’t an easy game for WVU to win, but it’s probably less hard than most of the games remaining on their schedule, so they need to find a way to do it if they want any shot at all of making the field
-Northwestern @ Nebraska (Big Ten) – this is a winnable road game for a Northwestern team that’s been playing really well
-South Carolina @ Florida (SEC) – the Gators have been playing better and some believe they still have a chance to make a run at the bubble.  They can’t afford to drop this one tonight
-George Mason @ VCU (Atlantic Ten) – if anyone from the A10 has any shot at all at landing inside the bubble it’s VCU, and they basically need to win out to do it
-Butler @ Providence (Big East) – Providence is solidly in the top half of our bracket right now
-Mississippi State @ Alabama (SEC) – Bama is solidly on the #1 line and will stay there so long as they hold serve and don’t drop any losses at home to teams that are outside the bubble
-Saint John’s @ Creighton (Big East) – Creighton is on the bubble and I would advise them not to lose this one
-Indiana @ Minnesota (Big Ten) – this is a very winnable road game for an Indiana team that is suddenly playing very well