NEWS AND NOTES
-To watch/listen to our latest Under the Radar Video Podcast – CLICK HERE
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day, which is likely the biggest regular season game of the year in the WAC between New Mexico State and Grand Canyon – CLICK HERE
-Xavier and Maryland both look like protected seeds (at least most of the time). They both took on non-tournament teams yesterday, and both escaped. Kansas, Iowa, and Virginia are likely protected seeds who had no problems against the non tournament teams that they faced.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-TEXAS A&M AT VANDERBILT (SEC). TAMU is coming off a big win against Iowa State, and appears to be cruising toward a protected seed. They should be able to pick up another road win tonight against a Vandy team that’s underachieved up to this point.
-UNC WILMINGTON AT HOFSTRA (Colonial). If Hofstra can run away from the league, they may land inside the bubble regardless of what happens in the conference tournament, but they’ll have to come close to winning out in order to do it. UNCW has had a good season as well, so this could be a challenge for the Pride.
-OHIO STATE AT WISCONSIN (Big Ten). Both teams are way outside looking in, but Wisconsin has played better these past two weeks then they have all season, and they’ll be able to play their way into the discussion if they keep it up.
-WILLIAM & MARY AT NORTHEASTERN (Colonial). Northeastern has been somewhat of a disappointment this season, but they’re still capable of playing well. William & Mary, like Hofstra, has a chance to land inside the bubble if they end up running away from the league. Of course, that means picking up wins in games like this.
-WOFFORD AT CHATTANOOGA (SoCon). Chattanooga will likely land inside the bubble if they win out until the conference tournament, but anything short of that and they’ll probably need the automatic bid.
-SOUTH FLORIDA AT CINCINNATI (American). Cincinnati should win this without too much trouble. In fact, they’ll be in tons of trouble if they don’t.
-TROY AT LITTLE ROCK (Sun Belt). Little Rock has just two losses, and has some pretty impressive wins on their profile, yet no one in the media is even talking about them. I think they’re inside the bubble right now, and will be safe for an NCAA Tournament bid so long as they hold serve for the rest of the regular season.
-SAINT MARY’S AT BYU (West Coast). This is Saint Mary’s first really tough road test of the year, and I think it’s a game they need to win in order to feel completely safe. They’ve got a bloated record, but they did it against a weak schedule where they’ve played very few road games, and the ones they have played weren’t all that tough.
-CONNECTICUT AT MEMPHIS (American). UConn is inside the bubble for now, but they’re a long way from being able to coast. A road win in a game like this would help them out.
-COLORADO AT OREGON (Pac Twelve). Colorado has had a good season and should safely make the field. If they can pick up a road win in a game like this it would really help their seed. Oregon looks like the best team in the conference right now, and I expect that they’ll end up as a protected seed.
-GRAND CANYON AT NEW MEXICO STATE (WAC). The Team of the People is looking to pick up one of their biggest ever wins since transitioning up to div1!! These are the two top teams in the conference, and the winner will be in the driver’s seat to finish first!! #LopesWaiver
-GONZAGA AT LMU (West Coast). Right now I think Gonzaga is on the outside looking in. Their margin for error is incredibly small right now, and a loss in a game like this could really kill them.
-UCLA AT USC (Pac Telve). USC won the first meeting, and has looked like the better team overall this season. USC is contending for a protected seed. UCLA is simply trying to make the field. A win in this game would really help both teams’ causes. Oh yeah, it’s also a big rivalry game.
-UTAH AT OREGON STATE (Pac Twelve). Oregon State has tapered off somewhat and needs to turn it around quickly if they want to make the NCAAs. Whether they do or don’t, it’s still been a good year for the Beavers and for the first time in decades their program seems to be going in the right direction. Utah is in contention for a protected seed and road game like this are the kind that they need to win in order to end up there.
News, Notes, and Highlighted Games: Wednesday, Feb 3rd
NEWS AND NOTES
-For Chad Sherwood’s Under the Radar Game of the Day between Bucknell and American – CLICK HERE
-We will be recording our Under the Radar Video Podcast tonight, so it should be posted late tonight or early tomorrow morning. Be on the lookout for that.
-Providence wins at Villanova. Providence beats a full strength Arizona team on a neutral floor. Providence wins at Butler. Providence LOSES at….DePaul?? There are head scratchers. There is Cluessing. And then there is I guess the next level, which is what Providence did last night. It by no means changes the course of their season nor negates all the good things they’ve done, but it is a setback, and it is really bizarre.
-Kentucky followed up their very impressive showing in an overtime loss at Kansas, with a very impressive start to the game at Tennessee. They then failed to hold on, and Tennessee ended up getting a feel good win at home, and Kentucky adds yet another road loss to a non tournament team to their profile.
-West Virginia picked up a monster road win at Iowa State, which is a nice way to rebound after getting blitzed at Florida over the weekend.
-Indiana picked up a big road win at Michigan, which included a nine minute stretch at the end of the first half where Michigan scored just one point. The Hoosiers really needed that one.
-Butler picked up a much needed win at home against Georgetown and quite frankly looked as good in that game as they have in any game since conference play began.
-Clemson needed a road win at Wake Forest, and got it. It’s not that it was a big win in and of itself, but it’s just Clemson’s second one of the season, and it’s important that they demonstrate they can beat non tournament teams on the road.
HIGHLIGHTED GAMES
-SAINT JOHN’S AT XAVIER (Big East). Xavier is still in the hunt for a first place finish in the Big East, as well as a #1 seed in the NCAAs. They have one of their more winnable remaining games of the season tonight.
-ARKANSAS AT FLORIDA (SEC). Florida is coming off a much needed signature win against West Virginia, and needs to hold serve (which they’ve done all year) against an Arkansas team that has struggled on the road this year.
-NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI FL (ACC). Both teams have good profiles, and although Miami has slipped recently they still have a good shot at ending up as a protected seed if they’re able to finish strong.
-DAVIDSON AT GEORGE WASHINGTON (Atlantic Ten). GW has a lot of work to do. Davidson has so much work to do that anything short of winning out likely won’t be enough.
-VCU AT LA SALLE (Atlantic Ten). I really like how VCU has been playing, and expect that they’ll pick up another road win and remain unbeaten in A10 play.
-PENN STATE AT IOWA (Big Ten). I like Iowa’s chances to end up on the #1 line, and don’t expect them to be challenged tonight.
-SAINT BONAVENTURE AT SAINT JOSEPH’S (Atlantic Ten). Once upon a time this rivalry had a little heat to it, so it’s always somewhat fun when they get together. Saint Joe’s is having a great season and shouldn’t have too much trouble picking up this win at home against a Saint Bona program that’s improving, but isn’t quite there yet.
-BOSTON COLLEGE AT VIRGINIA (ACC). Virginia is coming off what is perhaps their biggest win and best played game of the year. They come home tonight for one of their more winnable conference games.
-CREIGHTON AT VILLANOVA (Big East). Like Xavier, Nova is right in the race for a first place finish and a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they need to hold serve in games like this. Creighton is way outside looking in, but they can still get onto, or even inside of the bubble if they can rack up some major wins such as this. Now, that’s much easier said than done, but the opportunities are there.
-MARYLAND AT NEBRASKA (Big Ten). Maryland’s profile is good, but if they want to get as high as the #2 or #1 line they can’t afford to lose games like this, even if it is a road game.
-MARQUETTE AT SETON HALL (Big East). Marquette has a ton of work to do, and you have to question whether or not they’re strong enough to finish it off, but the opportunities are there. I like this Seton Hall team, and actually think they’re being somewhat undervalued. Now, having said that, it is very important that they hold serve in this game and get it done in order to remain strongly in the picture.
-OKLAHOMA STATE AT TEXAS TECH (Big Twelve). I for one don’t think Texas Tech even belongs in the discussion right now, much less in the field, but some are still projecting them in the field. They absolutely must win tonight. I think we can agree on that.
-KANSAS STATE AT KANSAS (Big Twelve). This is a rivalry. There is some heat there. But, it’s a fairly lopsided rivalry. Kansas is always better, and even when K State does occasionally win, they almost never do so at Kansas. Kansas is solidly in the protected seed range. K State is nowhere near the field.
-SOUTHENR ILLINOIS AT WICHITA STATE (Missouri Valley). Wichita has been blowing through conference play and I don’t expect that to change tonight.
-ARIZONA AT WASHINGTON STATE (Pac Twelve). Arizona is still shorthanded due to injuries, and is just 4-4 in their last eight games. The last thing the need right now is a damaging road loss.
-ARIZONA STATE AT WASHINGTON (Pac Twelve). Washington remains squarely on our bubble, and like any bubble team every game has a pivotal feel to it.