SPOTLIGHT GAME:
-THE CITADEL AT VMI (SoCon). They are the two worst teams in the SoCon, and they are arguably two of the worst teams in all of D1, but this is still a great rivalry! It’s one of my favorites!! Therefore, we will ALWAYS spotlight the Silver Shako Trophy!!!
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HIGHLIGHTED GAMES:
-VIRGINIA AT SMU (ACC). I think UVA is getting pretty close to protected seed range and a solid road win like this would help get them even closer. SMU has a decent profile and would likely be safely inside the bubble if the tournament started today, but they really could use a win like this as well.
-KENTUCKY AT TENNESSEE (SEC). Both teams need to do better. Tennessee still doesn’t have a solid road win (and can’t do anything about that today) and Kentucky just needs to start picking up solid wins to strengthen their profile. Kentucky did get a big come from behind win at LSU earlier this week. If they can get another one today it will be a huge step forward.
-ALABAMA AT OKLAHOMA (SEC). Oklahoma has lost three straight and really needs a win. Alabama is still within reach of a protected seed, but to get it these are the types of road games they should be expected to win. In short, both teams could really use this win.
-BUFFALO AT MIAMI OH (MAC). Buffalo is having a much better than expected season, but they’ve also dropped their last two games and are really going to be challenged on the road today. Miami OH is still unbeaten and they are winning more and more convincingly against better teams as the season plays out. A win today will likely put them into the top 25 next week.
-VANDERBILT AT FLORIDA (SEC). Vandy is coming off their first loss of the year and they will be facing a perhaps bigger challenge today against a Florida team that’s won seven of eight, and who is really playing well, and who is at home, and who will really be gunning for another win against a ranked team. Had it not been for a missed shot at the buzzer against Missouri, Florida would be one of the hottest teams in the country right now. They’re on a stretch where they are beating good teams and doing so rather comfortably.
-IOWA AT INDIANA (Big Ten). I feel that both teams are outside the bubble, but that both are also good enough to play their way inside the bubble. But in order to get there, these are the kinds of games they need to be able to win.
-MIAMI FL AT CLEMSON (ACC). Miami is a very impressive 15-2 on the season and hasn’t lost since their Thanksgiving Day game against BYU (a game they didn’t lose by much). This is a tough test, though. They’re on the road against a really good Clemson team. If they can win it, it would give their resume a huge boost and in my opinion should move them into the Top 25.
-MISSOURI AT LSU (SEC). This feels like yet another game where both teams are outside the bubble, but both are good enough to play their way inside of it, but they need to start stringing together wins and they could really use this win today.
-ARIZONA AT UCF (Big 12). This will be a tough road test, but Arizona has won tough road games before. They are the top ranked team and are certainly capable of winning at UCF. As for UCF, if they were to pull the upset it would give their resume another nice boost and move them further up the seedlist.
-ARKANSAS AT GEORGIA (SEC). Both teams are in the rankings, but both could stand to put some more meat on their resumes and a win today would certainly help. Georgia lost earlier in the week to Ole Miss and will be looking to bounce back. Arkansas is having a solid year, but has just one true road win so far and could really use a road win of this caliber.
-PURDUE AT USC (Big Ten). Purdue is in the hunt for a #1 seed, so every game is a big game in terms of landing on the 1 line. USC is on the bubble and could use a win like this to strengthen their profile.
-DUKE AT STANFORD (ACC). This is potentially a great game. I love how Stanford has been playing and the crowd should be jacked way up for this one. Stanford has shown that they are good enough to be in the NCAA Tournament and a win today over Duke would DEFINITELY show that. But, even though they’re at home, this will still be a very tough game to win. Duke is good. They appear to be 1-seed caliber good. And the are certainly good enough to win tough games on the road.
-TEXAS A&M AT TEXAS (SEC). It’s a rivalry game between two teams that are suddenly playing really well. After looking very NIT-ish for most of the season, Texas flipped a switch last week and has knocked off both Alabama and Vanderbilt. They’re at home with a ton of momentum built up to face their rivals who have a very solid record, but who also need some more big wins on their profile.
-SAINT MARY’S AT SANTA CLARA (West Coast) – Saint Mary’s is solidly inside the bubble and should be able to move up the seedlist with a win today. Santa Clara is good and won’t be easy to beat at home, but they’re still outside the bubble and will need some wins against Saint Mary’s and Gonzaga in order to put themselves position to make the field.
-BYU AT TEXAS TECH (Big 12). I think both teams are solid protected seeds, neither is easy to beat, and both seem to be getting better as the year goes on. This is as much of a litmus test for both teams as it is for a chance to really build up their resumes.
-NEW MEXICO AT SAN DIEGO STATE (Mountain West). Both these teams are playing really well. New Mexico State is 13-3 overall and having a solid season, whereas San Diego State got off to a sluggish start but has really picked it up lately. This one should be a battle, and it’s a game that both teams need to help build up their profiles. The fact that they have limited chances to get quality wins between now and the end adds even more importance to this one.
-SAINT JOHN’S AT VILLANOVA (Big East). The Johnnies are starting to play better and will really be tested on the road against a Villanova team that’s had a good season and who should be way up for this one. It’s an opportunity for each team to get a quality win.
OTHER NOTABLE GAMES:
-Connecticut @ Georgetown (Big East) – UConn is in contention for a #1 seed and should be able to hold serve on the road in this one
-Minnesota @ Illinois (Big Ten) – Minney is starting to play better, but Illinois should be able to handle them at home
-Butler @ Seton Hall (Big East) – Seton Hall is having a really solid year and has played their way into the rankings. They should be able to hold serve at home in this one
-Notre Dame @ Virginia Tech (ACC) – VA Tech is right on the bubble and can’t afford to lose a home game to a team that’s nowhere near it
-Georgia Tech @ NC State (ACC) – NC State is outside our bubble and can’t afford to lose a home game to a team that’s nowhere near it
-Elon @ Hofstra (CAA) – Hofstra needs to bounce back from their road loss at Stony Brook
-UCLA @ Ohio State (Big Ten) – both teams have a lot of work to do just to get inside the bubble, but both are within reach of it. Having said that, both could really use this one today
-Iowa State @ Cincinnati (Big 12) – it’s never easy to win on the road, but this is one Iowa State should be able to win. They’re looking to bounce back from their loss to Kansas, which was their first of the year
-TCU @ Utah (Big 12) – TCU is in a bit of a tailspin and better not lose this one
-Rutgers @ Wisconsin (Big Ten) – Wisky has come to life in recent weeks and should be able to keep that streak going with a winnable conference home game today
-Winthrop @ UNC Asheville (Big South) – Winthrop is trying to stay ahead of High Point in the Big South standings
-Syracuse @ Boston College (ACC) – Syracuse has just one true road win so far and if they don’t get this one then chances are they won’t get another one
-Cornell @ Yale (Ivy League) – Yale must hold serve at home
-Utah State @ Grand Canyon (Mountain West) – this will be a tough road test for Utah State, but if they really are one of the 25 best teams they should be good enough to win tough road tests
-UTEP @ Liberty (Conference USA) – Liberty should be able to hold serve at home and remain unbeaten in conference play
-North Carolina @ California (ACC) – UNC is coming off a hard fought loss to Stanford and is looking to bounce back. This will be a test, but it’s definitely a game they should be able to win. Since the Tarheels have just one true road win so far it would help make their resume look a little better
-Indiana State @ Murray State (Missouri Valley) – Murray State is red hot and could potentially end up on the bubble if they can win out
-Richmond @ Saint Louis (Atlantic 10) – Richmond can be a tough team to beat, but it’s still one that SLU should be able to win at home
-Arkansas State @ Troy (Sun Belt) – these are two of the better teams in the Sun Belt, and every SBC game has that added pressure with the conference tournament format. Both are potentially dangerous opponents in the Round of 64
-Lindenwood @ UT Martin (Ohio Valley) – a win for UT Martin keeps them in 1st place in the OVC and improves them to a very respectable 15-4 on the season
-UC Irvine @ UC Davis (Big West) – it’s a tough road test for the Eaters, and one they need to win if they want to keep pace with Hawaii
-McNeese @ UTRGV (Southland) – if McNeese can blow through the Southland they should end up on the bubble
-Michigan State @ Washington (Big Ten) – this will be a bit of a road test for the Spartans, but it’s one they should be able to pass
-Belmont @ Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley) – I know Belmont has two conference losses, but each were by just a single point and I still think if they win out they can land inside the bubble. A win today gets them to 17-3 overall
-USC Upstate @ High Point (Big South) – High Point should be able to boucne back from their blowout loss to Winthrop and hold serve in this one and improve to 17-4 on the year
-Austin Peay @ Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun) – these are the two best teams in the ASun and this game has major 1st place implications
-Louisville @ Pittsburgh (ACC) – Louisville has lost three of their last four and has struggled on the road. Having said that, this should be a winnable conference road game
-Hawaii @ UC Santa Barbara (Big West) – This will be another road test for Hawaii, but they looked pretty strong in the last one
-Gonzaga @ Seattle U (West Coast) – Seattle gave Gonzaga a battle when the two faced earlier in the season, but came up short in overtime. The fans should be really jacked up for this one, but the Zags will have their share of fans there as well
-Kansas State @ Oklahoma State (Big 12) – The Pokes should be able to hold serve at home in this one
