Games to Watch - Week of Dec. 29th

Mon., Dec. 29th

Georgetown @ UConn - So... rumor is the Hoyas are 9-1 and 9th in the polls. My two cents... outside of winning against a sloppy, overrated Memphis team, this Hoyas team has done little to justify that ranking. Not saying they're not any good... they share the ball well, they're a very good team defensively, and they're definitely playing better than I or anyone thought they would this early... but I think reality hits today.

Temple @ Villanova - We still know next to nothing about this Villanova team, because they really haven't been tested. We know they're not on Texas' level, but that's a top 10 team and we already sort of knew that. Cunningham's a stud, that's for sure, but Scotty Reynolds needs to play more like he did against St. Joe's and not like he did against the Longhorns. This team still has a lot of room to go either way. Meanwhile, ESPN was talking about the Atlantic 10 potentially getting 4 teams in... I don't see it. I could see three, but that's if Rhode Island establishes themselves as a clear #3 in the conference, which, if last year is any indication, is probably not going to happen. I'm going with Xavier, Dayton, and maybe someone else, but that's it.

Portland State @ Baylor - Don't laugh. With the Gonzaga win, the Vikings go from "good looking, gaudy record mid-major school" to "legitimate upset possibility". Beware, Baylor.

Cincinnati @ Memphis - Here's the perfect spot for the Bearcats to pick up a good out of conference win.

Davidson @ Charleston - If anyone's taking down Curry in the Southern this year, it's probably the Charleston Cougars. They're 10-1, with wins over South Carolina, TCU, and Winthrop. I know, not an impressive resume, but I didn't say this team was going to win or anything. Just that they'd probably give the Wildcats as good a game as anyone in the Southern this year.

Tues, Dec. 30th

UMass @ Houston - I don't know about you, but I have a feeling we could be seeing this matchup again in March... in the NIT.

Seton Hall @ Syracuse - The Big East is starting to get tighter at the bottom. Villanova's surviving at the moment, and West Virginia got a big win on Saturday over Ohio State to put them on the right side of the bubble for now. Still, that pack at the bottom - Nova, WVU, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, and even Providence - is still very much in the air at this moment, and likely the two or three teams that make runs in the Big East will grab tournament bids. Will the Pirates be one of those teams?

UAB @ Butler - Well, the Blazers had their shot to make a non-conference statement... again. And they fell flat on their face... again. Outside of a win @ Arizona (which is looking better) they don't have much, and that includes losses to Cincinnati and Boston College that could be absolutely critical come bubble time. Opportunity knocks for the Blazers again... will they respond this time?

Illinois @ Purdue - Time for my Boilers to put their money where their mouth is. The Big Ten's been way up this non-conference season, and Purdue, as one of the "expected" teams, has to be ready for the inevitable charge these teams are going to make. Illinois played us tight every time we saw them last year, and this year they're for real. My thoughts... if we can play the way we're capable of... good, stout defense, create turnovers, move the ball and get good shots on the offensive end... we should win this game. We showed exactly what we're capable of vs. Davidson and we can do that again, starting Tuesday.

Clemson @ South Carolina - NCAA spots are for the taking in the SEC. Nobody outside of Tennessee has really established themselves from the pack. The SEC East is probably the hardest of the two divisions but I can't really look at this schedule and say "At Florida? Well, chalk that one up in the loss column". There is definitely the possibility of 10-11 wins in the SEC for a majority of these teams, and the Gamecocks count as one of them.

Oklahoma @ Arkansas - What I said above, but substitute "Gamecocks" for "Razorbacks". And they play in the easier division.

San Diego @ Mississippi State - What I said above... again.

Wed, Dec. 31st

Michigan State @ Minnesota - Now the other Big Ten favorite gets their first major test of the season... on the road at a very capable Minnesota team. I think this Spartans team has turned the corner and is ready to compete for the Big Ten title, but this is certainly a game that can set them back to square one.

Wisconsin @ Michigan - Yes, legitimate middle of the road Big Ten battles that actually mean something! Welcome back, Big Ten conference, to the legit b-ball conferences of the land.

St. John's @ Providence - Important game for bubble considerations.

UNLV @ Louisville - You know those times where a team that was expected to do well early falls on their face a few times, then gets a very winnable game against a team at home and they pummel them?

OR

You know those times where a team who appears to be a NC contender early in the year falls on their face a few times, then you realize they're not actually that good and they start losing games against teams they really shouldn't be losing to?

Yea, which one is it?

Gonzaga @ Utah - Utah, make your at-large bid statement... starting NOW.

Wyoming @ Utah State - Fun late night b-ball out West.

Thurs, Jan 1st

Happy New Year!

Fairfield @ Siena - Good MAAC battle, for anyone who cares.

Villanova @ Marquette - Yes, this is what the Big East schedule looks like. Every frickin day. Fun, huh?

Stephen F. Austin @ Texas Tech - If you're looking at making the NCAA Tournament, this is one of those games that you really can't lose, but you could lose. You listening, Tech?

South Carolina @ Baylor - South Carolina will either be 9-3 after this week, or they'll be in my bracket. I can pretty much guarantee that.

Centenary @ Oral Roberts - who was the ESPN exec that felt this game should be televised on an ESPN station? Just curious.

Arizona @ Cal - Pac-10 hoops heat up this week. This game could be very important for Pac-10 seeding down the road.

Arizona State @ Stanford - Hah, Stanford! Your run of crappy teams ends here. Now, it's time to justify that undefeated record.

UCLA @ Oregon State - Here's hoping the Beavers get one this year in conference.

Sat, Jan 3rd

Pitt @ Georgetown - Only in the Big East would you get two top 3 teams in back-to-back games. Sorry, Hoyas. As for analysis, the same stuff I said for UConn v. G-Town would pretty much apply here as well. Pitt has not been significantly tested this year but does have wins over Texas Tech and Florida State. If they can get this one, they should be good until Jan. 17th when they visit Louisville.

Ohio State @ Minnesota - Looking on their schedule... I don't see any easy wins until late January. Although Penn State at home could be considered an easy win... man, the Big Ten really is a legit conference again. As for Ohio State, outside of a random game vs. Houston Baptist and two meetings with IU their conference schedule isn't a cake walk either.

Xavier @ Virginia - Hey, the Cavaliers won an ACC game! Sure, it was Georgia Tech... in OT... but still!

Lamar @ Memphis - No, this can't happen... wait, could it?

Tennessee @ Kansas - Seriously... take away "Kansas" and "2008 National Champs" from the equation, look at their resume, and tell me this is an at-large team. Lot closer than you think, isn't it? Maybe this game means more than seeding for the young Jayhawks.

ND @ St. John's - Seriously, I need to stop putting every semi-meaningful Big East game on here... it's going to consume this section.

Wake Forest @ BYU - Lost in the confusion of the conference season is this VERY good non-conference matchup. Do NOT count out BYU in this one. This team's for real.

Sun, Jan. 4th

Kentucky @ Louisville - The annual nobody-cares-anymore-that-Rick-Potino-used-to-coach-Kentucky-and-now-coaches-Louisville game.

Cincinnati @ Marquette - Ok, really Matt... I need to stop this.

Boston College @ UNC - There should be a new category the NCAA should consider for their tournament considerations. "Wins", "Losses", and "Good losses to North Carolina". It would really help in the decision making.

Virginia Tech @ Duke - Dick Vitale's head just exploded.

Arizona State @ Cal - The last of the two Arizona visits. This one will also be good for pecking order. Is there any reason you can't see Cal winning the Pac-10? I mean, I know this team's not great and all, but there's no clear favorite... tell you what. They beat Arizona and Arizona St. this week, we'll talk about it. Cool?

Drake @ SIU - Fun in the Missouri Valley.

Cal State Bakersfield @ Loyola Marymount - Seriously... LMU's beginning to enter NJIT territory (0-14 so far this season). You do NOT want to enter NJIT's domain. This team can out-lose anyone in the country. The Lions need to start winning some basketball games... like right now. Please. And tell Miss Valley St. to start winning too.