Below is a rundown of all of today’s action.
NEWS AND NOTES
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between UNC Asheville and Winthrop – CLICK HERE
-Monmouth lost to yet another non-tournament team last night when they fell at home to Iona. There was a heated exchange after the first game when these two were shaking hands afterwards, so the atmosphere was really hostile toward Iona, but the Gaels still sprinted out to a big first half lead and Monmouth just couldn’t recover. If they had one last strike, this was definitely it. The committee will look at them and may still take them, but they can’t lose another one before the conference tournament.
-Harvard, Cornell and Brown were the latest 3 teams taken off the Survival Board – click here to see the 332* teams still alive for the NCAA Championship!
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-FLORIDA AT SOUTH CAROLINA (SEC). Both look like tournament teams, but both definitely have room for improvement and a win today would certainly help with that. Florida has a lot of decent wins, but few that are as good as this one would be, and South Carolina is in a bit of a tailspin with two straight losses, including a loss to Missouri.
-DUKE AT LOUISVILLE (ACC). Duke has picked up two huge wins in their last two games, and is suddenly looking like a protected seed. If they get this one today it will strengthen them even more.
-XAVIER AT GEORGETOWN (Big East). Georgetown won the first meeting between these two, but Xavier has played two of their best games of the season this past week. X can still get a #1 seed, but they can’t lose another game to a non-tournament team, even if it is a road game.
-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT DAYTON (Atlantic Ten). Dayton is coming off a road loss to Saint Joe’s, which was their first in a while, but it wasn’t that damaging. Saint Bona is still outside the bubble, and the loss to La Salle earlier this week really didn’t help them. This is the kind of game they need to win if they want to land on the right side of it.
-MIAMI FL AT NORTH CAROLINA (ACC). Both of these teams appear to be protected seeds, and both are looking to add another big win to their profile. Both are also 10-3 in league play, and can still finish in first place.
-BAYLOR AT TEXAS (Big Twelve). There is some heat in this game as it is a bit of a rivalry. Texas won the first one, which is one of their better overall wins of the season, and has been playing really well lately. When they’ve lost, they’ve lost to highly ranked teams on the road. Baylor is safely in the field, and needs wins like this if they want to play their way up to a protected seed.
-PITTSBURGH AT SYRACUSE (ACC). Pitt is trending in the wrong direction. This would be a huge win for them because not only is it a quality conference road win, but it’s a win that pulls them out of a tailspin they’re in. They beat Wake earlier in the week, but barely, and prior to that they’d lost four out of five.
-SAINT JOSEPH’S AT DAVIDSON (Atlantic Ten). Saint Joe’s has a good profile, but the more road wins they can get the better it will be.
-MISSISSIPPI STATE AT ALABAMA (SEC). Bama has been playing great these past couple of weeks, and should make the field so long as they hold serve, which means avoiding home losses to non tournament teams.
-BUTLER AT VILLANOVA (Big East). I think Butler will be okay so long as they avoid bad losses the rest of the way. Of course, this won’t be a bad loss, and if they win it then they’ll be a lot more than just okay. Nova is still gunning for the #1 line.
-FLORIDA STATE AT VIRGINIA TECH (ACC). Florida State is in a really bad tailspin right now will crash into a mountain if they don’t pull themselves out of it soon. This is a road game against a non tournament team, and FSU needs to win it.
-CLEMSON AT NC STATE (ACC). It will take a huge sprint to the finish, but can still play their way into the field. But, if they can’t win games like this then forget it.
-OKLAHOMA AT WEST VIRGINIA (Big Twelve). Just another match up between two Big Twelve teams that are ranked in the top ten and are likely protected seeds. That being said, Oklahoma has lost three out of four, and there is suddenly a sense of urgency to this game. If they win, it is a huge road win that indicates they belong solidly on the #1 line. If they lose, even though it’s a tough game, then it means they’ve lost four out of five and people will question them.
-CONNECTICUT AT CINCINNATI (American). Cincinnati is right on the bubble. They’re coming off yet another loss that came down to the final buzzer, and they cannot afford to lose this one. UConn is in the field, but a win today would certainly make them feel a lot safer. This is big for both teams.
-SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT EVANSVILLE (Missouri Valley). This probably isn’t a game that should be highlighted, but I suppose there is a small sliver of hope for one of these teams if they win out all the way to the conference championship game. I do think these are the two next best teams in the league behind Wichita State.
-UNC GREENSBORO AT CHATTANOOGA (SoCon). If Chattanooga wins out I THINK they’ll be okay, but I cannot guarantee it. If they lose prior to the conference tournament, then one of their wins better be the championship game if they want to make the NCAAs.
-LSU AT TENNESSEE (SEC). LSU is outside the bubble and needs a strong finish. What they don’t need is losses to non-tournament teams, even if those losses come on the road.
-KANSAS AT KANSAS STATE (Big Twelve). I’m starting to like Kansas as the overall #1 seed. Now, having said that, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some trouble today. K State is nowhere near the tournament, but they are tough to beat at home, and they are looking for a season defining win that would serve as this year’s high water mark. They’ll be up for this one. If the Wildcats do win and storm the court, hopefully they run toward the center of the court and not charge at the Kansas players like they did a year ago.
-UNC WILMINGTON AT CHARLESTON (Colonial). Wilmington lost earlier in the week. I think they’ll at least get a look if they win out, but it’s not guaranteed. Had they not lost at William & Mary and been able to win out then I think they would have made it regardless of what happened in the conference tournament.
-KENTUCKY AT TEXAS A&M (SEC). Kentucky’s play has improved drastically, and they can still end up as a protected seed if they’re able to finish strong, which means picking up notable road wins in games like this. TAMU got a much needed win earlier this week to help pull them out of a tailspin. A win today would further assist with that recovery and give them a jolt of momentum both on and off paper.
-LITTLE ROCK AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN (Sun Belt). If Little Rock wins out they’ll be right in the discussion if they end up needing an at-large. If they do not then they’ll need to win the automatic bid.
-OHIO STATE AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). It will take a Herculean finish, but Ohio State could still land inside the bubble if they’re able to finish strong and pile up big wins. They also need to avoid losses to non-tournament teams.
-YALE AT PENN (Ivy). Yale is tied for first place in the standings, and that is their only way in. They lost their first conference game of the season to Princeton last night.
-TCU AT IOWA STATE (Big Twelve). There aren’t many easy Big Twelve wins, but this is certainly one of them. They Cyclones should roll.
-NOTRE DAME AT GEORGIA TECH (ACC). Notre Dame’s profile keeps improving, and they should be able to add another road win to it today. Having said that, Georgia Tech isn’t anywhere near the tournament, but they’re not the easiest team to beat on the road either.
-STANFORD AT WASHINGTON (Pac Twelve). Washington is right on the bubble, and the last thing they need right now is a home loss to a non-tournament team.
-PURDUE AT INDIANA (Big Ten). This is a rivalry game between two teams that are solidly in the field. On paper, it’s a notable win for whoever pulls it off, and since both have room to move up it will help, but off paper, they get the satisfaction and the momentum boost that comes from beating a rival.
-CHICAGO STATE AT GRAND CANYON (WAC). The Team of the People!!! They should have no trouble winning this, and improving to an amazing 24-4 as a transitional team. This has been the best ever season for a transitional team, and I don’t think it’s even close.
-TEXAS TECH AT OKLAHOMA STATE (Big Twelve). Texas Tech has looked fantastic these past two weeks, and can add yet another road win to their profile today, which would help solidify it even more.
-SAINT MARY’S AT GONZAGA (West Coast). Gonzaga is right on the bubble. I don’t think Saint Mary’s is anywhere close to the bubble, but a lot of people still like them. If they win today then I can see looking at them a little more closely. It’s also a rivalry game, so this one is very important both on and off paper as both are desperate for some sort of notable win.
-OREGON STATE AT OREGON (Pac Twelve). We have Oregon as a solid protected seed even though they had a rough week last week. Oregon State won the first meeting between the two, but winning on the road is a much taller order. The Beavers are right on the bubble, and this is the kind of win that makes the difference of whether or not they make the field. And it’s a rivalry game. I think it’s fair to say this is a high stakes game.
-COLORADO AT UCLA (Pac Twelve). Colorado has a lot of decent things on their profile, but they could certainly use another road win.
-HAWAII AT UC IRVINE (Big West). Hawaii won the first game in a blowout, but on the road it should be a different story. If Hawaii wins out, then they’ll get a strong look from the selection committee, and this is the kind of win that would look really good given how strong UC Irvine has been at home.
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Sunday, Feb 21st
NEWS AND NOTES
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between UAB and Middle Tennessee – CLICK HERE
-Texas A&M beat Kentucky in overtime in a rather bizarre manner. Kentucky came up with a big defensive stop toward the end of the game with a one point lead, where Kentucky’s Isaac Humphries was immediately fouled after coming up with the ball after the stop. The problem was that Humphries was so excited that he slammed the ball down on the ground in celebration. The referees assessed a technical foul, which was his fifth foul, AND which awarded TAMU two freethrows, AND which fouled him out so someone else had to shoot the freethrows for Kentucky. TAMU made both technical freethrows. Kentucky made one of two so the game was tied and TAMU had the ball. They scored at the buzzer after Kentucky appeared to have come up with another defensive stop, but the loose ball landed right under TAMU’s basket for a layup. On paper, the loss will help TAMU, but won’t hurt Kentucky too much.
-Oklahoma picked up another road win against a top ten team with a somewhat decisive 76-62 win at West Virginia. The game actually had a pivotal feel to it because if Oklahoma wins then it is a great win that demonstrates they are definitely a #1 seed, a loss would have been their fourth loss in their last five games.
-North Carolina blasted Miami FL yesterday. North Carolina winning wasn’t too shocking. North Carolina leading by over 30 in the second half was somewhat shocking.
-Dayton lost their second straight game when they fell at home to Saint Bonaventure. The Bonnies took a massive step back earlier in the week when they went to La Salle and lost, but they followed up an awful loss with a fantastic win yesterday. I think they’re on the bubble, but also think they’d be inside it had they just not lost to La Salle. It’s not always not winning big games that keeps teams out. It’s also not winning the small ones.
-Baylor got a huge road win at Texas in a game that they pretty much dominated. I had been big on Texas, so I think this is clearly Baylor’s most impressive win of the year.
-Pittsburgh got a much needed road win against a solid Syracuse team, which helps pull them out of a tailspin that they were in.
-Alabama suffered a surprising setback with a home loss to a Mississippi State team that doesn’t appear to be anywhere close to making any sort of postseason tournament. I wouldn’t say that Bama shot themselves in the face, but they probably did shoot themselves in the foot.
-Florida State has shot themselves in the face. They lost yet another game to a non tournament team when they fell to Virginia Tech.
-Chattanooga shot themselves in both the foot and the face yesterday. They didn’t just lose at home to UNC Greensboro, who isn’t any good even by SoCon standards. They were absolutely run off of their own home floor. I still think this Chattanooga team is potentially dangerous, but they’ll have to win the SoCon Tournament to make the NCAAs.
-LSU shot themselves in the foot. Again. They fell on the road to a Tennessee team that’s played well at home, but is still nowhere near the NCAA Tournament. LSU really wasn’t even competitive, as Tennessee won comfortably.
-Cincinnati got a much needed win over UConn yesterday. They’re squarely on the bubble, so every game has a pivotal feel to it.
-Saint Mary’s got a much needed road win at Gonzaga yesterday. I haven’t been that big on Saint Mary’s at any point this season, and I’m really still not, but now they at least have something on their profile that can be argued as a legitimate reason for consideration. They had less trouble winning at Gonzaga than they did winning at Pacific or at Portland.
-Hawaii got a big road win at UC Irvine to improve to 22-3 on the season. I know Irvine is not a tournament caliber team, but they are at least decent and Hawaii does deserve some credit for winning there. If the Bows win out, I think they’ll be in the discussion.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-SETON HALL AT SAINT JOHN’S (Big East). Seton Hall should be in the field so long as they hold serve between now and the end, and that means avoiding losses to non tournament teams. The Johnnies are definitely in that category.
-LA SALLE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). GW is outside of our bubble and a home loss to a weak team would be crushing.
-MICHIGAN AT MARYLAND (Big Ten). Maryland is coming off a damaging loss to Minnesota, but they will still likely end up as a protected seed. Michigan appears to be solidly in the field for now, and a win today would really boost their profile and their seed.
-TULSA AT UCF (American). Tulsa’s margin for error is razor thin, but they still have a chance to play their way into the picture.
-MONMOUTH AT SAINT PETER’S (MAAC). Monmouth is probably right on the bubble, and it’s actually a tough case for the committee because they have a lot of really good wins, but also have some really bad losses. Nevertheless, they need to win out through the regular season.
-DETROIT AT VALPARAISO (Horizon League). Valpo will likely get a serious look if they win out, but even with that they’ll probably still need to win the conference tournament.
-SAN DIEGO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE (Mountain West). San Diego State should be on the bubble if they win out until the conference tournament. Anything short of that likely won’t be enough, and there’s no guarantee they get in without the automatic bid even if they do win out.
-WICHITA STATE AT INDIANA STATE (Missouri Valley). I think Wichita is close to the bubble, but I still think they’ll be okay for a bid if they win out and avoid an early loss in the MVC Tourney.
-UTAH AT USC (Pac Twelve). Both teams are likely in the field on the initial ballot, and both are looking to add another notable win to their profiles.
-TEMPLE AT HOUSTON (American). Temple is right on the bubble, and although Houston is nowhere near it, this is still the kind of a road win that would look good for Temple.
-ILLINOIS AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). Wiscy has played their way inside the bubble, and they should remain there so long as they hold serve, which means avoiding home losses to non tournament teams.
-CALIFORNIA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac Twelve). Cal picked up a much needed road win against Washington earlier in the week. Road wins are the one thing that Cal is really lacking, so this win would really help them out even though Wazzu is terrible. At the very least, Cal needs to demonstrate that they can at least beat bad teams on the road.