CLICK HERE for our CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK VIDEO NOTEBOOK: DAY 3
For Chad Sherwood’s UTR Game of the Day – CLICK HERE
NEWS AND NOTES
-Iowa picked up another huge win as they beat Ohio State rather handily on the road. I have gone from liking Iowa, to thinking they were overrated, to emphatically arguing that they were overrated, to liking them, to REALLY liking them! This is a team that will almost undoubtedly be a protected seed and could end up as high as the #2 line. As for Ohio State, they have lost three straight, but somehow still seem to be within grasp of the #1 line if they get things turned back around. That’s how good of a season they were having before they dumped three straight games.
-Villanova went into Butler, and basically played like Butler has been playing all season long. They seemingly trailed from tip to buzzer and lost 73-61. That won’t wreck their resume entirely, but it is going to leave a bit of a dent.
-Memphis continues to string together wins. The problem is that their schedule is made up of mostly NIT-ish teams, so they haven’t been able to really build a strong resume, but they are playing well right now and the committee will probably take a close look at them.
-Both Maryland and Michigan State came into yesterday’s game on hot streaks, and it was Maryland who clearly appeared to be hotter. It was a very impressive showing by the Terps in a 73-55 win. Not only is Maryland looking like a solid tournament team, they are looking like a potentially dangerous one.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT WESTERN KENTUCKY (Conference USA). WKU still has a path to an at-large, but it is a narrow one and it involves basically winning out until the conference final.
-DAYTON AT SAINT BONAVENTURE (Atlantic Ten). The Bonnies are a hard team to evaluate (at least for me they are) due to playing a smaller schedule, but I still think the committee will take them if they continue to win at the clip they have been. Dayton has been hot and cold this year, so the Bonnies don’t want to overlook them.
-MIAMI FL AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Virginia is on a path to earn a protected seed if they finish strong. Of course a slip up in a game like this would set them back.
-SAINT JOSEPH’S AT RICHMOND (Atlantic Ten). If Richmond has any hope at all of making the field they basically need to win out, and even that might not be enough.
-RUTGERS AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Rutgers is safely inside the bubble and will remain there so long as they hold serve. That means not blowing it in games like this one tonight.
-NORTH CAROLINA AT SYRACUSE (ACC). North Carolina has been playing a lot better and appears to be heading toward the NCAA Tournament, but they need to keep stringing together wins in order to safely get there.
-OKLAHOMA AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big 12). BEDLAM!!!!! The first meeting between these two was an overtime thriller, so I can’t wait for this one!! Both teams are fighting for protected seeds and it’s a huge rivalry game, so this one will be fun.
-ARIZONA AT OREGON (Pac 12). Oregon is on the bubble and needs to win in order to stay on the right side of it. It’s pretty much as simple as that.
Under the Radar Game of the Day – Sunday, February 28
For Jon Teitel’s latest Bracket Projections – CLICK HERE
For today’s News, Notes, and Highlighted Games – CLICK HERE
Coppin State at Delaware State, 5:00 PM Eastern
With only one week of regular season games left before the Under the Radar Game of the Day calls it a season, today is the perfect day to focus on the bottom of Division I instead of the top. Here at HoopsHD, we give out an annual trophy called the “Centenary Award“, named in honor of the Centenary (La.) basketball team’s final season in D1 back in 2011, when they were, unfortunately, the worst D1 team in the nation, yet our Mock Committee refused to remove them from consideration for the NCAA Tournament (though we did not vote them in at least!). We crown the worst team each season as our Centenary Award winner and place that team Under Consideration for a bid, even if they are otherwise ineligible for one.
Mississippi Valley State and Idaho spent much of this season looking like our potential battle for the title, but the Delta Devil won a road game at Alabama State and Idaho picked up a victory on Friday against Montana State. South Carolina State then briefly moved into the lead, only to defeat Florida A&M yesterday and move right back out of it. That leaves only one team in the nation without a win against D1 competition — the Delaware State Hornets. DSU hosts Coppin State (whom they lost to last night 81-68) this evening in what is their last scheduled game of the season. The Hornets will not be in this year’s MEAC Tournament because of an APR postseason ban. This means that, with a loss today, Delaware Sate will most likely lock up the 2021 Centenary Award, while a win will create a major debate among the HoopsHD Staff as we try to figure out a winner before Selection Sunday.
Delaware State (2-14 overall, 0-9 vs MEAC) had their only wins so far this season against non-D1 Lancaster Bible and St Mary’s (MD). The Lancaster Bible game was only a one point win. Myles Carter has been the team’s leading scorer at 14.9 points per game. Coppin State enters today’s game at 8-12 overall and 7-4 in MEAC pay, tied for the North Division lead in the loss column. The Eagles are led by Anthony Tarke who is averaging 15.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. A win today would give Coppin State a share of the North Division title and at the same time crown Delaware State a different kind of champion!