What to Watch for in the Coming Week
Baylor @ Texas:Baylor needs to get back to its winning ways, but they face a tough road game against Texas. The Longhorns are a bubble team who would love the win this one, while Baylor is trying to climb its way back to a #2 seed.
Connecticut @ Villanova: The Huskies are in panic mode. They have lost seven of their past nine and are nearing bubble status. They face a pesky Wildcat team who is good at home. Connecticut cannot afford to have a loss to Villanova on their resume.
Kentucky @ Mississippi St.: The wheels are beginning to come off for Mississippi St., who has lost three in a row to Georgia, LSU, and Auburn. This team has talent, but they don’t have consistency. A win over the top ranked Wildcats would do wonders for them.
Illinois @ Ohio St.: The Illini have hit rock bottom. Losers of eight of their last nine, they now hold a 5-9 Big Ten record. They have the chance to reconcile everything with a road win over Ohio St., but these Buckeyes are angry coming off a loss and tough to play at home.
Georgetown @ Seton Hall: This is the last chance for the Pirates to pick up the big win they desperately need. They are good at home, so the Hoyas could be in trouble, but a loss for Seton Hall may mean they’d have to make some noise in the Big East tournament to get to March.
North Carolina @ N. C. St.: The Wolfpack ends their three game stretch against the top teams in the ACC. After blowing it against Duke and getting pounded by Florida St., they are in great need of winning this game against the Tar Heels.
New Mexico @ Colorado St.: New Mexico is on a roll, and they look to keep their streak alive against the tough Rams. Colorado St.’s computer numbers are being questioned by everyone, so a win here would really help their tournament chances.
West Virginia @ Notre Dame: Notre Dame’s eight-game win streak meets up with the Mountaineers again. The Irish are trying to take their seeding to new heights while West Virginia simply wants to stop the bleeding. Losers of five of their past seven, they’re better than this.
Duke @ Florida St.: The Blue Devils go for revenge and also to take the ACC lead from the Seminoles. It’s hard to imagine a team beating Duke twice in a season but with Florida St. at home, anything’s possible.
Murray St. @ Tennessee St.: The Racers get a rematch against the team that ended their perfect season. You can be sure that Isaiah Canaan and company will come out firing and look to even the score against their Ohio Valley Conference rival.
Alabama @ Arkansas: Both of these teams are in trouble. Alabama has lost its two best players to suspensions while Arkansas has lost four of its last five games. Alabama is on the right side of the bubble and Arkansas is not, but the two teams could switch places if the Razorbacks pull off a victory.
Syracuse @ Connecticut: Connecticut actually played the Orange close at the Carrier Dome before Syracuse pulled away. Will it be different on the Huskies’ home court? That remains to be seen. But they need a win here.
Missouri @ Kansas: The highly anticipated rematch between two of the top teams in the nation takes place in the Allen Fieldhouse, where Kansas is almost unbeatable. The winner of this will probably win the Big 12 title. This is a revenge game for the Jayhawks and a statement game for the Tigers.
Purdue @ Michigan: Another team that’s incredibly tough to beat at home, Michigan, gets an interesting test against the Boilermakers. Purdue’s resume would benefit greatly from beating the Wolverines, and maybe even lock up a spot in the big dance.
Iowa St. @ Kansas St.: These two teams, who are the best in the second tier of the Big 12, go head to head. Iowa St.’s win over Kansas and Kansas St.’s road win over Baylor will probably make them tournament bound, but these two division rivals will be all about seeding.
Belmont @ Mercer: If anyone hasn’t been watching the Atlantic Sun Conference, it’s time to take notice. Belmont and Mercer have been neck and neck all season. The winner of the conference will be a dangerous out in the NCAA tournament while the loser will likely be NIT bound. It’s Bears vs. Bruins; who will win?
George Mason @ VCU: Both of these teams are trying to keep up with Drexel in the CAA. Neither of these teams has a top 50 RPI win, so the conference tournament may be their only way into the dance.
Temple @ St. Joseph’s: St. Joe’s has quietly had a nice season with wins over Creighton and Drexel, but have also lost to Charlotte and Pennsylvania. They get another chance for a big win against the Owls. A win for the Hawks puts them squarely in the A-10 title picture, and makes it as crowded as ever.
Indiana @ Minnesota: The Hoosiers have struggled away from home this year. Minnesota has had plenty of chances for big wins but has not really converted on them. However, the Golden Gophers hold a victory over the Hoosiers earlier this season, so they may know how to beat Indiana.
Comments are closed.