It’s the season finale for Under the Radar! Our Championship Week Video Notebooks will be starting up on Sunday. Tonight’s feature conference is the WAC, where we look at the tremendous run Utah Valley is on and how Grand Canyon is just a game behind them.
From there we run through the other 21 UTR leagues and discuss all the teams that have either clinched 1st place or in a position to do it in the upcoming week. Drake had a scare tonight, but they still look to be in position to end up inside the bubble if they can win their last regular season game. UC San Diego has a huge game coming up against Cal State Northridge who is red hot in the Big West, and UC Irvine is still in position. Liberty is coming on strong in Conference USA and there is a lot of other parity in that league. Yale is dominating the Ivy League, Akron is running away with the MAC, and Chattanooga has gotten hot in the SoCon. We discuss all that, and more! And, as we do every week, we close with this week’s UTR Top Ten.
And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
-Buffalo was removed yesterday leaving only 346 teams with a chance to win the national title. Miami could be eliminated tonight if Syracuse wins at home against NC State, giving the Hurricanes no path to qualify for the ACC Tournament.
NEWS AND NOTES:
-Florida trailed at Georgia by as much as 26, but came all the way back and got the lead in the final couple of minutes. After mounting that kind of comeback it just felt like they were going finish them off and get the win, but Georgia was able to battle, get the lead back, and escape with an 88-83 win. For Florida it is a setback in terms of them getting a #1 seed, and for Georgia it’s a huge win for a team that was right on the bubble. Georgia still needs road wins, though.
-Iowa State fell on the road to Oklahoma State 74-68, which will give them another knock down the seedlist. They’re still almost certainly a protected seed, but it is a bit of a setback.
-Baylor REALLY needed to get the road win last night at Cincinnati, but came up short 69-67. They are now just 16-12 on the year and nothing on their resume really stands out or blows you away all that much. They are likely squarely on the bubble.
-VCU’s profile may have some issues, but on the court they really have been looking like an NCAA Tournament caliber team. After beating George Mason handily over the weekend, they went on the road and absolutely dominated Richmond 78-60. At no point did it feel like this game was close.
-Gonzaga probably played one of their best games of the season last night as they won handily at Santa Clara 95-76. It’s not so much that it was a resume booster (which it really wasn’t that much of one), but the idea that they actually went out and faced a team that had been playing well on that team’s home court and blew them out of the gym. The Zags really needed that.
-San Diego State got a big win at home against New Mexico 73-65. Both teams are inside the bubble, but San Diego State probably needed this one in order to feel a little safer.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-MICHIGAN STATE AT MARYLAND (Big Ten). Michigan State is coming off what is probably their best win of the year and looking to follow that up with another really strong road win. The Spartans are also in a tie for 1st place and this can get them one step closer to winning the Big Ten Title. Maryland is red hot right now having won eight of their last nine and is very tough to beat at home. They are trying to play their way up to a protected seed and a win today gets them closer to that.
-GEORGETOWN AT UCONN (Big East). UConn has perhaps underperformed given what their expectations were this year, but they are still very safely in the field and will remain that way so long as they continue to hold serve.
-OLE MISS AT AUBURN (SEC). Auburn continues to be the top team in the country and while they should get somewhat of a test against an Ole Miss team that’s easily in the top half of the bracket, it’s a game that pretty much everyone is expecting them to win.
-VANDERBILT AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). Vanderbilt is inside the bubble, but they have not been good away from home. Something they can do to plug that hole in their resume would be to pull off this win today, but it won’t be easy. TAMU appears to be on their way to a protected seed and is not easy to beat on their floor.
-NOTRE DAME AT CLEMSON (ACC). Clemson is in great shape and will remain that way so long as they continue to hold serve. In fact they are just one game behind Duke in the ACC standings.
-FORDHAM AT GEORGE MASON (Atlantic 10). George Mason probably won’t get inside the bubble, but they are still tied for 1st in the A10 and should get a very strong look if they win out.
-RICE AT MEMPHIS (American). Memphis should cruise in this one and cruise to a spot in the top half of the bracket.
-DRAKE AT EVANSVILLE (Missouri Valley). Drake is inside the bubble and should stay there so long as they win their last two regular season games.
-PENN STATE AT INDIANA (Big Ten). Indiana has somehow played their way onto the bubble and they actually appear to have a path to the NCAA Tournament. They need to finish strong, and they need to hold serve in games like this, but they do appear to have some momentum built up.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT BUTLER (Big East). This is potentially a tricky road test for the Johnnies, but they’ve shown all year that they can win, and win away from home. They look to be the strongest team in the Big East and could clinch at least a share of 1st place with a win tonight.
-KENTUCKY AT OKLAHOMA (SEC). This is a massively important game. Kentucky could use another win or two away from home to really shore up their resume, and Oklahoma needs to string together some wins down the stretch just to land on the right side of the bubble.
-UTAH AT ARIZONA (Big 12). Despite getting hosed on a really bad call at the end of their last game, Arizona is still in really solid shape. They have a path to a protected seed and should be able to bounce back tonight against a Utah team that’s nowhere near the field.
-VIRGINIA AT WAKE FOREST (ACC). Wake basically can’t afford to lose any games to teams that are nowhere near the field. They are squarely on the bubble and need to hold serve in this one.
-DEPAUL AT CREIGHTON (Big East). Creighton is cruising toward the NCAA Tournament and still has a chance to build up their profile. They need to hold serve and win this one at home tonight.
-TEXAS AT ARKANSAS (SEC). This game is super-bubblicious and very critical for both teams. Texas has lost four out of their last five and a case could be made that they don’t belong in the field at all. Having said that, a road win in a game like this would do a lot to fix their issues. Arkansas is also squarely on the bubble and really needs this win themselves.
-BYU AT ARIZONA STATE (Big 12). BYU is suddenly red hot, especially after their win at Arizona, and can add another road win to their resume tonight which would make it look even stronger.
-UTAH STATE AT BOISE STATE (Mountain West). This is a really tough road test for Utah State, and it’s one the committee would likely give them a fair amount of credit for if their able to win it. Boise State is inching closer and closer to the bubble and a win tonight would be another step closer to them somehow sneaking into the field.
-OHIO STATE AT USC (Big Ten). Ohio State’s profile is extremely scattershot, but they still have a path to making the field. They basically need to win out to do it, though. A loss tonight would be damaging.
-SMU AT CALIFORNIA (ACC). I don’t think SMU will end up making the field, but I do feel they will end up being on the board.
-SAN FRANCISCO AT OREGON STATE (West Coast). San Francisco’s case for being selected is rather weak, but they do at least have a case and depending on how they finish and who they end up facing in the conference tournament…who knows?
UTR WATCH:
-USC Upstate @ High Point (Big South) – High Point can clinch 1st place outright with a win. A UNC Asheville loss at home to Presby (which isn’t likely) would also give it to them
-Navy @ American (Patriot League) – American clinches at least a share of 1st place if they win this one
-Queens @ North Alabama (Atlantic Sun) – North Alabama is deadlocked with Lipscomb in the conference standings, and this is the last night of the season
-Central Arkansas @ Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun) – Lipscomb can finish in at least a tie for 1st place with a win. They split the regular season with North Alabama, so it’s possible that it will come down to tiebreakers
If you want to win an NCAA title then you usually need a good coach, a great resume…and a McDonald’s All-American. Only 2 championship teams from 1979-2020 did not have such a player (2002 Maryland/2014 UConn), and while UConn won a title in 2023 without 1 they added McDonald’s All-American Stephon Castle before winning a 2nd title in 2024. The rosters for this year’s McDonald’s All-American Game were announced last month after selecting the 24 best players in the nation from a list of several hundred nominees. If you do not think these guys can make an immediate impact in the fall, just ask Coach Jon Scheyer how he likes having 2024 honoree Cooper Flagg at Duke! Unlike most years when 1 school stands out as the big winner with the most All-Americans, there are 2 different programs tied for the lead with 3 each (Duke/UConn) and 3 players who have not yet committed to a college. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Eric Reibe about being named a McDonald’s All-American and whether he is “a Dan Hurley guy”.
You were born/raised in Germany: how big is basketball in your native land? Basketball is the 2nd biggest sport behind soccer, and has definitely grown bigger over the years.
How well do you know any of the other German players who are having good college basketball careers in America (Michael Rataj at Oregon State/Christoph Tilly at Santa Clara/etc.)? I know Michael pretty well because we were teammates in Germany for 1 year. Christian Anderson (who is at Texas Tech) and I have played together on the German national team for several years. Additionally, the father of Christoph Tilly’s college teammate Jake Ensminger was my coach in Germany for a couple of years.
You received offers from several great schools including Indiana/Kansas/Oregon but signed with UConn last October: what was the biggest factor in your decision? There were several factors but a big part was the UConn culture. I built a great relationship with the entire coaching staff and Coach Hurley does a great job of preparing his guys. When I went up there for my visit and met the players, I decided that I wanted to be part of that group.
Your high school coach Bruce Kelley said that you think of yourself as “a Dan Hurley guy”: do you agree, and what does that mean? I do agree with that. I am relentless and spend a lot of time in the gym working out hard every day. I am a perfectionist so even if I have a really good game I am very critical of myself.
Coach Hurley’s team is currently 18-9: how far do you think they will go in March? I think they will have a great run in March. They have had some adversity this season but I think that will only end up helping them next month.
Samson Johnson will graduate in a few months, but Tarris Reed Jr. is expected to return: have you ever played alongside a teammate who is 6’10”/260 pounds? I have played with a big guy like that before in Germany.
Last month you were named a McDonald’s All-American: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It means a lot to me. I have only been in America for 2 years so to go from “unranked European kid” to All-American shows that all my hard work has paid off. It is a great feeling…but I just have to keep getting better.
You are part of a great recruiting class that includes Jacob Furphy as well as 2 of your fellow McDonald’s All-Americans (Darius Adams/Braylon Mullins): how well do you know your future teammates? Braylon and I have a good relationship and have played at camps together. I know Darius from several different camps, and last April I was at a tournament in Germany where I played against Jacob.
You are left-handed: how much of an advantage is that on the court (if any)? I think it gives me some more versatility. I write with my right hand so I am ambidextrous and can use both hands on the court.
You are listed at 7’: what position do you play now, and what position will you feel most comfortable at in college? It depends on the matchup I have. I will play more on the perimeter if I am being defended by a big guy, but if I am facing a smaller guy then I will try to play down in the post.
Posted inNews and Notes|TaggedEric Reibe, UConn|Comments Off on Dan gets his Man: HoopsHD interviews McDonald’s All-American Eric Reibe
-For the HOOPS HD SURVIVAL BOARD, which outlines who is a lock, who still has work to do, and who needs to win the auto-bid – CLICK HERE
NOTE: We have one possible regular season elimination today as a Buffalo loss (at Central Michigan) combined with a Western Michigan win (home vs Ohio) will eliminate the Bulls from qualifying for the MAC Tournament.
-Houston was able to avenge their only conference loss last night and remain unbeaten in true road games as they knocked off Texas Tech 69-61. I believe Texas Tech was without two regular starters. In the first match-up they were without a key player and their head coach for most of the game. Perhaps if the two meet in a rubber match in the Big 12 Tournament they’ll finally be at full strength for a whole game.
-Michigan survived a rock fight against Nebraska, but got a really nice 49-46 road win against a Nebraska team that’s trying to hold onto the bubble for dear life.
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-DUKE AT MIAMI FL (ACC). Even though this is a road game it still won’t amount to much more than a buy game level win for Duke.
-FLORIDA AT GEORGIA (SEC). It’s a rivalry game and Georgia has been tough to beat at home this year. It’s one they could sure use because they are right on the bubble. Florida is in the hunt for a #1 seed and Georgia is trying to cling to the bubble for dear life.
-PROVIDENCE AT MARQUETTE (Big East). Marquette is coming off a somewhat poor showing at Villanova and is looking to bounce back at home against Providence. This should be a hold-serve type of game for them.
-BAYLOR AT CINCINNATI (Big 12). This is an important game for Baylor. They have not been good on the road this year, and while Cincinnati is not inside the bubble, this win would still make Baylor’s resume look a lot better since they’ll be beating a team on the road that at least has a pulse.
-VCU AT RICHMOND (Atlantic 10). It’s a rivalry game and it’s one that VCU should win, but at the same time is not exactly the easiest task in the world to accomplish. As critical as I’ve been of the VCU Rams, largely due to their weak OOC schedule, I’m starting to agree with everyone that says they have a path to landing inside the bubble. Having said that, they need to run the table to do it and avoid an early loss in the A10 Tournament.
-IOWA STATE AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big 12). Iowa State is a solid protected seed and should be able to hold serve on the road tonight.
-TENNESSEE AT LSU (SEC). Tennessee is one of six teams that is fighting it out for a 1-seed, and they should be able to go on the road and beat an LSU team that tonight that’s nowhere near the field. This game is some rare low hanging fruit in the SEC.
-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT ALABAMA (SEC). Alabama just ended a two game skid with an impressive win over Kentucky and is still very much within reach of a #1 seed. Mississippi State has a great profile as well and could end up as a protected seed. A win tonight would go a long way toward helping them get that, but it’s easier said than done. They are also looking to bounce back from a loss to Oklahoma.
-WASHINGTON AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). The Badgers shouldn’t have too much trouble at home tonight against a Washington Team that’s in a battle just to make the Big Ten Tournament.
-SOUTH CAROLINA AT MISSOURI (SEC). This is a rare and somewhat easy conference game for Mizzou. They have been amazingly good at home and should hold serve tonight.
-LOUISVILLE AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). This should be another conference road win for the Cardinals and they are very easily positioned to land in the top half of the bracket so long as they continue to hold serve for the rest of the year.
-TCU AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big 12). West Virginia still seems to be straddling the bubble. They need to show they can still win at a high level after sustaining some of the key injuries that they’ve had. A loss at home to a team that’s outside the field would not be good.
-COLORADO STATE AT AIR FORCE (Mountain West, Front Range). We at Hoops HD LOVE the Front Range!!
-IOWA AT ILLINOIS (Big Ten). Illinois is a complete mess right now and is coming off an absolute blowout against Duke over the weekend. They need a “get right game” and while beating Iowa at home won’t move the needle as far as their paper goes, it should at least help them get some of their confidence back.
-NEW MEXICO AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West). Both teams appear to be inside the bubble and both have a path to landing in the top half of the bracket. This is a good resume-building opportunity for both of them, and it should be a fun game. It usually is when these two get together!
-GONZAGA AT SANTA CLARA (West Coast). Gonzaga is coming off a home loss to rival Saint Mary’s, and while they still look like a tournament team they have had a disappointing season. This also will not be an easy road game to win. Santa Clara has looked like a tournament caliber team throughout the year, and while they don’t have the overall resume to get them there, they are certainly capable of winning this one at home tonight.
UTR WATCH:
-Akron @ Ball State (MAC) – Akron has a two game lead with just four games to go. They’re also looking to bounce back from their first conference loss of the year
-James Madison @ UL Monroe (Sun Belt) – amidst all the carnage in the SBC, James Madison is now sitting alone in 1st place and can clinch at least a share of the conference title with a win tonight
Chad is joined by a full panel tonight, and we begin once again in the SEC. Auburn’s resume is so impressive that they may be a win or two away from having a #1 seed locked up. Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee are also right there, and Texas A&M is also high in the rankings. Arkansas, Texas, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and Georgia are all hovering around the bubble and have big games coming up. Houston has been dominant in the Big 12 and could also play their way all the way up to the #1 line if they win out. In the Big Ten, Michigan State had a huge week, and Indiana is starting to play their way into the picture. Saint John’s is cruising through the Big East, Saint Mary’s has clinched the West Coast and Gonzaga continues to digress, and the Mountain West has three teams who appear to be inside the bubble. We discuss all that, and more!
And, for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…
-MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE @ PRARIE VIEW (SWAC). Mississippi Valley State will be eliminated with a loss.
-ATLANTIC SUN – If Central Arkansas wins at North Alabama or West Georgia loses at home to Queens, Central Arkansas will get the last spot in the ASun Tournament
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NEWS AND NOTES:
-Indiana, who hasn’t looked good for much of the year, is suddenly starting to look good, and their profile is starting to look stronger, and it suddenly looks like they actually have a path to making the NCAA Tournament. They handled Purdue yesterday 73-58 after totally dominating the second half.
-Xavier continued their recent trend of a somewhat slow start, a fantastic 20 minutes in between, and an awful final 10 minutes where they managed to hang on for dear life in a win over Seton Hall. The Musketeers nearly blew a 21-point lead completely and avoided what would have been a fatal wound to their bubble chances. They now have a week to rest before an extremely pivotal home matchup with Creighton.
-UCLA held off Ohio State 69-61, and Ohio State continues to put together one of the most scattershot profiles that you’ll ever see. There are definitely reasons to select them, but there are a lot of reasons to leave them out as well.
-Drake needed overtime, which came after a foul on a last second shot, but they picked up a big road win against rivals Northern Iowa 64-58. If they the Bulldogs can win out until the conference tournament I think the committee should (and will) take them whether they win it or not. (Note from Stalica – I would strongly advise not losing their Arch Madness opener, but I otherwise concur with Griggs.)
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-NORTH CAROLINA AT FLORIDA STATE (ACC). North Carolina is so far away from the bubble that their only hope is to probably win out and beat Duke in the process, and even then they may still have some work to do in the ACC Tournament.
-MICHIGAN AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Michigan is looking like a solid protected seed and Nebraska is squarely on the bubble. This is another chance for the Huskers to add a notable win to their resume and help get them closer to the NCAA Tournament. Michigan is trying to earn a protected seed and bounce from a loss to rival Michigan State.
-HOUSTON AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12). Houston is unbeaten in true road games and still has a chance at ending up as a #1 seed. This is probably the toughest remaining game they will play until the NCAA Tournament, and it would be a huge win for the top of their resume. As for Texas Tech, they won the first meeting between these two, and completing the sweep would be a big deal.
-KANSAS AT COLORADO (Big 12). Kansas has been so poor on the road that any road win would help make their resume look a little better.
