Games to Watch - Week of Feb 2nd

Hope everyone enjoyed the Super Bowl last night... or at least the commercials anyway. The commercials were a bit of a letdown overall (is it just me, or does it feel like everyone's trying too hard with their Super Bowl commercial? Just find something funny and shoot it) but luckily the game wasn't. I personally would've liked to see Warner and Fitzgerald win a title, but I have nothing against the Steelers, who are probably the best overall francBlogger: Chi Town Balla's College B-Ball Central - Create Posthise in the NFL now. And now to college basketball... there's plenty of important games to get to this week, including a HUGE showdown in the Big East on Monday,

Mon, Feb. 2nd

UConn @ Louisville - Remember when we were questioning whether or not Louisville would make the tournament? Yea, not so much anymore. Safe to say winner of this game is in line for a #1 seed? Lousville's problems seem lightyears away considering the progress they've made in Big East play this year, and the Huskies should already be in line for a #1 seed. The biggest question for me in this game is: how will Earl Clark play on a big stage? He's been huge for them during Big East play but didn't contribute much in most of their big non-conference matchups. Also, how will the guard play of Louisville hold up against UConn's quick, deep backcourt? Should be fun to watch.

Kansas @ Baylor - The Jayhawks' first real Big 12 test comes tonight in Lubbock. Some say Kansas is the 2nd best team in the conference now... although Texas has fallen as of late, I'm still not ready to say that yet. I think someone other than Aldrich and Collins needs to step up as a consistent 3rd option on the team. Either way, Kansas has the firepower to handle Baylor's plethora of guards, and Baylor has had struggles of their own lately.

Tues, Feb. 3rd

Purdue @ Ohio St. - Another big road test for the Boilers. We've been playing very well lately, and with Michigan St. falling again at home, the Big Ten door is wide open. The Buckeyes have traditionally given us trouble at their place, and this team has not backed down after the loss of Lighty. Should be another tight game in the Big Ten.

South Carolina @ Florida - How big does that last-second layup look now? The Gamecocks are actually making an SEC run, and with the win over Baylor in their pockets, not only are they in line for a tournament bid, but it's not too farfetched to suggest they're the best team in the SEC. Florida could really, really use this game, not just to stay in the SEC race but to keep their bid safe as well.

San Diego St. @ UNLV - Both teams need all the wins they can get in a crowded Mountain West. Winner sits atop the MWC with Utah.

Wed, Feb. 4th

WVU @ Syracuse - Both teams have hit a bit of a rough patch recently and could use a win. Syracuse, especially, to stop the bleeding and save their tournament seed (sort of).

Wake Forest @ Miami - What started as a minor scratch has turned into a bloody mess for the Hurricanes. Back to back losses to NC State and Maryland put this team at 3-5 in the ACC and basically require this team to win one of their next three to stop the bleeding. Problem? Next three are this game, @ Duke, and UNC. If they lose all 3, Miami will have to win out just to get back to .500 in conference. Is their non-conference strong enough to survive a below .500 in conference finish? With just a win @ Kentucky to back them up, the answer is: highly unlikely. This is what happens when you don't win games you're supposed to.

Utah @ TCU - Important road game for the Utes to keep pace with whoever wins the Tuesday night game.

Villanova @ Providence - The Friars are 6-3 in conference play and now have a marquee win (Syracuse) to back it up. Here's another good home opportunity for a Providence team that's doing everything they can to erase the memory of a very sub-par non-conference slate.

Tennessee @ Arkansas - Must win for the Razorbacks?

Minnesota @ Michigan St. - Well, it doesn't get any easier for the Spartans. After losing at home to Northwestern and Penn St., it's safe to say teams aren't afraid to go to East Lansing anymore. Better bring your A game, because the Boilers are breathing down your necks in conference.

Texas A&M @ Oklahoma - The Aggies could really, really use a win to stand out right now.

Duke @ Clemson - The Tigers used a furious 2nd half comeback to come up with a humongous road win at Virginia Tech and now get Duke at home. Luckily, the Tigers took care of business already so this is more icing on the cake for them than anything.

Missouri @ Texas - The Longhorns could use this win to stop the bleeding. Not saying this team is going to fall apart or anything, but a few losses can begin to pile upon one another very quickly in college basketball.

USC @ UCLA - Important game in the Pac-10 standings.

Thurs, Feb 5th

Penn St. @ Michigan - Out of nowhere, the Nittany Lions begin to make a run in conference and are only one game out of first place midway through conference play. Well, if they want to run with the big boys, gotta get it done every night, and this is the kind of game that a team competing for a Big Ten title has to win. Meanwhile, the losses are beginning to add up for the Wolverines, and if they don't get back on track soon, the two wins over UCLA and Duke at the beginning of the year will be wasted.

Illinois @ Wisconsin - I don't think I need to tell you how badly Wisconsin needs this win.

Washington @ Cal - Yep, the honeymoon's over for the Cal Bears. Time to start winning basketball games again.

Arizona St. @ Oregon - Okay, you don't have to make a big deal of this, Arizona St. We know you lost a couple of games you shouldn't have. Just put away the 0-9 team quietly and nobody gets hurt.

Gonzaga @ Portland - So I lied. Maybe you want to watch this WCC game too.

Fri, Feb. 6th

Marquette @ South Florida - So South Florida's actually given teams some good games in the Big East this year. This one should be a blowout, but still...

Sat, Feb. 7th

Cincinnati @ Georgetown - The Hoyas had better win this game. Or else we've got problems. As if we didn't have any already.

Syracuse @ Villanova - This has pretty much become commonplace in the Big East this year. A ranked matchup. It's like they don't even matter anymore... well, they do, but you get the idea.

Miami @ Duke - Game two of the three game stretch from hell for the U.

ND @ UCLA - You have a must win game on the road vs. a top 15 opponent? Sucks to be you, ND!

Michigan @ UConn - Another big time non-conference matchup for the Wolverines. Not coming at the greatest of times for them, but you gotta take them how you get them.

Florida St. @ Clemson - Important game for the Seminoles if they want to be taken seriously as a tournament contender.

Minnesota @ Ohio St. - After Patty Mills' injury, Ohio St. is no longer the most interesting bubble case due to injury. That, and Ohio St.'s probably playing well enough without Lighty that it won't matter.

Arizona St. @ Oregon St. - The fact that this is actually going to be a competitive game shows how far the Beavers' program has come in one year.

Memphis @ Gonzaga - A good non-conference matchup for two teams that could use some tournament competition late in their seasons. Because they're not going to get it from their conferences.

Sunday, Feb. 8th

Purdue @ Illinois - The end of our big road stretch, and probably the most important game. I really don't want to get swept by the Illini and have that waiting behind us in the Big Ten standings. The good thing is, we probably should have won the game at home, and that was without our best defender (Kramer). One defender won't make as big a difference against Illinois as it would against other teams, because they spread the ball so well, but I also think we're a much different team offensively from first Illinois game. I think we're up to the challenge.

BC @ Wake Forest - I keep going back and forth on this Boston College team. They beat UNC, but lost to Harvard, but now they're 5-3 in ACC play, but it's been mostly against ACC bottom-feeders, etc. I think they'll be right on the bubble by the end of the season. Of course, that is unless they win this game.

Washington @ Stanford - Another bubble team barely hanging on and in desperate need of a win. Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that I'm not refering to Washington?