NEWS AND NOTES
-CLICK HERE for our CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK: DAY 5
-For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day between Abilene Christian and Stephen F Austin – CLICK HERE
-Yesterday was just a crazy, nutty, and awesome day! We had four of the craziest quarterfinal games you will ever see in the Horizon League, which you can hear all about by CLICKING HERE and going to our CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK. We also had two games that had huge #1 seed implications, and a slew of other games that involved bubble teams.
-Baylor bounced back from their loss at Kansas with what was perhaps their most impressive win of the year, and one of biggest single wins of the year that anyone has managed on paper. They went into West Virginia and got it done in overtime. They were behind for a lot of the game, but it was close all throughout. Both teams made big plays down the stretch, but is who pulled it out. It was just the latest in a long string of incredible games in the Big 12.
-I say Baylor picked up ONE of the most impressive single game wins on paper. Well, a few hours later Illinois topped them with a blowout win at Michigan. It was stupefying! Michigan had just one loss on the season, and was coming off a couple of hugely impressive wins. Illinois just totally dump-trucked them. The final score was 76-53, but at times the margin was even more than that.
-Wisconsin really battled at Purdue and came close to picking up what would have probably been their most impressive win of the season, but the Boilers held on 73-69. Purdue is starting to make a case that they deserve a protected seed.
-Boise State had what seemed to be the equivalent of a buy game last night as they hosted Fresno State at home, but they ended up losing. This is not good! I don’t think it knocks them out of the fight, but it certainly knocks them down onto the canvas. They need a strong finish to stay inside the bubble.
-Xavier appeared to be squarely on the bubble and needed a road win at Georgetown, but trailed the whole game. They actually made a comeback late after falling behind big, but couldn’t get over the hump. This is a damaging loss for a team that couldn’t afford to be damaged.
-Michigan State beat Indiana in a fugly game, but an ugly win (and even a fugly win) is better than a pretty loss. Michigan State looks to be on the right side of the bubble. For now.
-Georgia Tech needed overtime, but got a big win against Duke. We had GA Tech just in and Duke just out, so this should nudge the Jackets a little further inside the bubble. They are by no means a lock, but a strong finish should get them there!
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-CLEMSON AT SYRACUSE (ACC). Clemson’s profile is solid and they appear to be on cruise control for the top half of the bracket, but I think they can improve their resume simply by adding road wins to it, and they have a winnable road game today. Syracuse looks to be within reach of the bubble, but still definitively outside of it. They need a strong finish to the season and some big wins in the ACC Tournament in order to feel safe.
-WICHITA STATE AT TULANE (American). I think Wichita State has a solid path to the field and will get there so long as they hold serve the rest of the day, which means not losing games like this one.
-UCONN AT SETON HALL (Big East). This is a bubblicious game with UConn appearing to be just inside the bubble and Seton Hall appearing to be just out. This is hugely important for both teams. Both really need this win.
-MISSOURI AT FLORIDA (SEC). Both teams are very safely inside the bubble and both are likely to land in the top half of the bracket. This game is simply a resume building opportunity for both of them.
-PROVIDENCE AT SAINT JOHN’S (Big East). Saint John’s appears to be hovering around the outside the bubble. They have a path to making the field, but need a really strong finish to the season.
-MINNESOTA AT PENN STATE (Big Ten). If Minnesota has any hopes at all of making the tournament, they need wins away from home, which means winning today and winning some games in the Big Ten Tourney.
-NEW MEXICO AT COLORADO STATE (Mountain West). Colorado State can make the field if they finish strong. It also goes without saying that they need to avoid losses to non-tournament teams.
-CREIGHTON AT VILLANOVA (Big East). Nova looks to have a protected seed pretty much locked up, but they have been slipping a bit. Creighton has had a solid year and can actually play their way into a protected seed if they’re able to pick up a few wins in games like this.
-BOSTON COLLEGE AT FLORIDA STATE (ACC). Florida State is coming off a somewhat surprising loss, but they’re still in great shape and still in a position to lock up a protected seed and win the conference.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT UNLV (Mountain West). San Diego State has really been playing well lately and should skate into the NCAA Tournament so long as they hold serve the rest of the way. They could even end up in on the first ballot and/or in the top half of the bracket.
-STANFORD AT USC (Pac 12). USC is still in good shape, but their resume has taken on some damage in the last week or so and they could use a win to get things turned back around. Stanford is on life support and needs a big win in a game like this just to help push them inside the bubble.
