- Joined
- Jan 6, 2015
- Messages
- 7,417
- Reaction Score
- 61,003
Noon:
St. John’s @ #7 Creighton - FS1: A total contrast of styles…it’ll be fun to see St. John’s 40 minutes of hell against Creighton’s precise offense, but Creighton should dominate.
Wake Forest @ #21 Duke - ACC Network: I’m curious to see how former ETSU head coach Steve Forbes develops Wake from the ACC basement. Two straight years a SoCon coach has gotten hired in the ACC.
Alabama @ Auburn - ESPN2: If the Tide win this game, they should be in the top-25 on Monday. Jahvon Quinerly has fit in quite nicely with Nate Oats’ uptempo offense.
1 PM:
#4 Texas @ #14 West Virginia - ESPN: Two excellent defenses going at it. If Texas can show that they can produce enough offense against Huggins’ tough D, no reason why they shouldn’t be a Final Four candidate. With Tshweibe gone, West Virginia is fielding a better shooting team around Derek Culver so we’ll see how Huggins adjusts to that.
2 PM:
Seton Hall @ DePaul - FS1: Both teams got smacked in the mouth in their last games, so redemption is sought from both squads. DePaul has the size to counter Seton Hall’s.
#9 Tennessee @ Texas A&M - ESPN2: In a weaker SEC, Tennessee is starting to differentiate themselves in its own class. Their top-7 is so balanced (all averaging between 19-27 mpg) and their super freshman duo of Keon Johnson and Jared Springer are able to develop on their own time. Some local flavor in the game with Sacred Heart transfer EJ Anosike and Quinnipiac transfer Kevin Marfo providing some front court depth for their respective teams (12.4 mpg & 14.7 mpg respectively). Plus, PSA’s Hassan Diarra has had a solid freshman season sharing PG duties with Andre Gordon.
Rhode Island @ VCU - CBSSN: Rhode Island has had a nice stretch beating St. Bonaventure and playing a close game against Richmond. VCU is 9-2 and has had some nice wins (Utah State, Memphis), but between their cancelations their recent schedule is pretty weak (Western Carolina, James Madison, St. Joe’s., George Mason) so this is arguably VCU’s toughest game since November.
Mercer @ UNC-Greensboro - ESPN+: I’ve found the SoCon really good this year with seven solid teams in the conference. Mercer is much better than expected and UNC-G is the 2nd best team in the conference behind Furman.
3 PM:
#2 Baylor @ TCU - ESPN: The last “warm up” game for Baylor before they start a gauntlet playing West Virginia, Texas Tech and Kansas in three straight games. Outside of the Illinois game, Baylor’s schedule has been pretty basic.
4 PM:
#1 UConn @ Butler - CBSSN: I wouldn’t overlook Butler’s 3-5 record: Butler is 2-1 with Aaron Thompson in the lineup…with Thompson back, Jordan plays a lot of three small guard lineups against Providence. In Thompson’s absence, freshman Chuck Harris has really stepped it up, averaging 14.2p, 3.4a and 2.6 3s per game at a 48% rate. I expect to see a lot of Gaffney/Cole/Bouk three-guard lineups to help defend Butler's 6'3-and-under trio of Thompson/Harris/Bolden (30, 32, 36 minutes in their last game vs Georgetown). Jair Bolden is a stout 6'3 215, so this is a game where Brendan Adams can be very valuable shadowing Bolden on the perimeter (6.8 3pa).
#18 Texas Tech @ Iowa State - ESPN2: Iowa State is 2-6, but played both Baylor and Texas very tough. Sophomore Tre Williams’ return in those two games have helped ignite the team’s defense.d
LaSalle @ UMass - NBCSN: I’ve really enjoyed checking out the physical style Ashley Howard has brought to LaSalle. UMass beat LaSalle by 19 at the first game.
5 PM:
Kentucky @ Florida - ESPN: Two teams who have sorely disappointed this year.
Little Rock @ Louisiana - ESPN+: Two of the better Sun Belt teams square off. To me, the Sun Belt is the most underrated conference in the NCAA.
7 PM:
USC @ Arizona State - Pac12 Network: After loses to San Diego State, UTEP and narrowly beating Grand Canyon, Hurley needs this win.
Louisiana Tech @ Western Kentucky - CBSSN: The top half of the CUSA is very competitive this year and both teams are amongst the best in the conference.
Santa Clara @ Saint Mary’s - CBSSN: The WCC is improving each year and Santa Clara is the squad that has shown the most growth this season. In typical WCC fashion: Santa Clara has one of the bigger starting lineups in the nation with a 6’5, 6’6, 6’7, 6’9 and 6’10 group. Good matchup for Saint Mary’s, who again vies for the 2nd best team in the WCC.
8 PM
Georgetown @ Syracuse - ESPN: An easy “pick” to highlight. Cuse’s zone will be a tough matchup for a Hoya’s team that has trouble creating offense. Cuse’s Quincy Guerrier (16.1 ppg this year vs 6.9 ppg last year) has replaced Elijah Hughes admirably while Illinois transfer Alan Griffin has been an excellent fit.
9 PM:
UCLA @ Arizona - ESPN: Two top-40 teams within the 2nd tier of the PAC-12 battle it out.
Nevada @ San Diego State - CBSSN: These two teams played a close game on Thursday. San Diego State isn’t the same post-Malachi Flynn, but they’re still a very good team that’s played a very good schedule so far (no team lower than 126 KenPom). The do-everything forward Matt Mitchell leads their squad while Year 2 of the Steve Alford era has gone better than expected. Per usual, Nevada is embracing their transfers, led by Wichita State transfer Grant Sherfield (17.6p, 5.3a) and Brown transfer Desmond Cambridge (15.4p). 21-22 should be an even better year with Addison Patterson and Will Baker, two (dare I say) former top-50 prospects with three years of eligibility left.
Enjoy!
St. John’s @ #7 Creighton - FS1: A total contrast of styles…it’ll be fun to see St. John’s 40 minutes of hell against Creighton’s precise offense, but Creighton should dominate.
Wake Forest @ #21 Duke - ACC Network: I’m curious to see how former ETSU head coach Steve Forbes develops Wake from the ACC basement. Two straight years a SoCon coach has gotten hired in the ACC.
Alabama @ Auburn - ESPN2: If the Tide win this game, they should be in the top-25 on Monday. Jahvon Quinerly has fit in quite nicely with Nate Oats’ uptempo offense.
1 PM:
#4 Texas @ #14 West Virginia - ESPN: Two excellent defenses going at it. If Texas can show that they can produce enough offense against Huggins’ tough D, no reason why they shouldn’t be a Final Four candidate. With Tshweibe gone, West Virginia is fielding a better shooting team around Derek Culver so we’ll see how Huggins adjusts to that.
2 PM:
Seton Hall @ DePaul - FS1: Both teams got smacked in the mouth in their last games, so redemption is sought from both squads. DePaul has the size to counter Seton Hall’s.
#9 Tennessee @ Texas A&M - ESPN2: In a weaker SEC, Tennessee is starting to differentiate themselves in its own class. Their top-7 is so balanced (all averaging between 19-27 mpg) and their super freshman duo of Keon Johnson and Jared Springer are able to develop on their own time. Some local flavor in the game with Sacred Heart transfer EJ Anosike and Quinnipiac transfer Kevin Marfo providing some front court depth for their respective teams (12.4 mpg & 14.7 mpg respectively). Plus, PSA’s Hassan Diarra has had a solid freshman season sharing PG duties with Andre Gordon.
Rhode Island @ VCU - CBSSN: Rhode Island has had a nice stretch beating St. Bonaventure and playing a close game against Richmond. VCU is 9-2 and has had some nice wins (Utah State, Memphis), but between their cancelations their recent schedule is pretty weak (Western Carolina, James Madison, St. Joe’s., George Mason) so this is arguably VCU’s toughest game since November.
Mercer @ UNC-Greensboro - ESPN+: I’ve found the SoCon really good this year with seven solid teams in the conference. Mercer is much better than expected and UNC-G is the 2nd best team in the conference behind Furman.
3 PM:
#2 Baylor @ TCU - ESPN: The last “warm up” game for Baylor before they start a gauntlet playing West Virginia, Texas Tech and Kansas in three straight games. Outside of the Illinois game, Baylor’s schedule has been pretty basic.
4 PM:
#1 UConn @ Butler - CBSSN: I wouldn’t overlook Butler’s 3-5 record: Butler is 2-1 with Aaron Thompson in the lineup…with Thompson back, Jordan plays a lot of three small guard lineups against Providence. In Thompson’s absence, freshman Chuck Harris has really stepped it up, averaging 14.2p, 3.4a and 2.6 3s per game at a 48% rate. I expect to see a lot of Gaffney/Cole/Bouk three-guard lineups to help defend Butler's 6'3-and-under trio of Thompson/Harris/Bolden (30, 32, 36 minutes in their last game vs Georgetown). Jair Bolden is a stout 6'3 215, so this is a game where Brendan Adams can be very valuable shadowing Bolden on the perimeter (6.8 3pa).
#18 Texas Tech @ Iowa State - ESPN2: Iowa State is 2-6, but played both Baylor and Texas very tough. Sophomore Tre Williams’ return in those two games have helped ignite the team’s defense.d
LaSalle @ UMass - NBCSN: I’ve really enjoyed checking out the physical style Ashley Howard has brought to LaSalle. UMass beat LaSalle by 19 at the first game.
5 PM:
Kentucky @ Florida - ESPN: Two teams who have sorely disappointed this year.
Little Rock @ Louisiana - ESPN+: Two of the better Sun Belt teams square off. To me, the Sun Belt is the most underrated conference in the NCAA.
7 PM:
USC @ Arizona State - Pac12 Network: After loses to San Diego State, UTEP and narrowly beating Grand Canyon, Hurley needs this win.
Louisiana Tech @ Western Kentucky - CBSSN: The top half of the CUSA is very competitive this year and both teams are amongst the best in the conference.
Santa Clara @ Saint Mary’s - CBSSN: The WCC is improving each year and Santa Clara is the squad that has shown the most growth this season. In typical WCC fashion: Santa Clara has one of the bigger starting lineups in the nation with a 6’5, 6’6, 6’7, 6’9 and 6’10 group. Good matchup for Saint Mary’s, who again vies for the 2nd best team in the WCC.
8 PM
Georgetown @ Syracuse - ESPN: An easy “pick” to highlight. Cuse’s zone will be a tough matchup for a Hoya’s team that has trouble creating offense. Cuse’s Quincy Guerrier (16.1 ppg this year vs 6.9 ppg last year) has replaced Elijah Hughes admirably while Illinois transfer Alan Griffin has been an excellent fit.
9 PM:
UCLA @ Arizona - ESPN: Two top-40 teams within the 2nd tier of the PAC-12 battle it out.
Nevada @ San Diego State - CBSSN: These two teams played a close game on Thursday. San Diego State isn’t the same post-Malachi Flynn, but they’re still a very good team that’s played a very good schedule so far (no team lower than 126 KenPom). The do-everything forward Matt Mitchell leads their squad while Year 2 of the Steve Alford era has gone better than expected. Per usual, Nevada is embracing their transfers, led by Wichita State transfer Grant Sherfield (17.6p, 5.3a) and Brown transfer Desmond Cambridge (15.4p). 21-22 should be an even better year with Addison Patterson and Will Baker, two (dare I say) former top-50 prospects with three years of eligibility left.
Enjoy!
