The Double Bonus

In college basketball, the polls don’t really matter that much. So for argumentative purposes here’s what I think the newest AP Top 25 should look like when it’s released Monday afternoon.

1. Kansas (27-2, 12-1 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 1
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma, Lost to @ Oklahoma State
This Week: No. 6 Kansas State, @ Missouri
Not penalizing the Jayhawks for a conference road loss, their first of the season. Personally, I think you’ll have a hard time justifying putting anyone ahead of Kansas.

2. Kentucky ( 27-2, 12-2 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 2
Last Week: Defeated South Carolina, Lost to No. 19 Tennessee
This Week: @ Georgia, Florida
See above, only this was Kentucky’s second conference road loss.

3. Syracuse (27-2, 14-2 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 4
Last Week: Defeated @ Providence, No. 7 Villanova
This Week: St. John’s, @ Louisville
The Orange dismantled Villanova at home in front of a record crowd and pretty much clinched the Big East regular season title.

4. Duke (25-4, 12-2 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 5
Last Week: Defeated Tulsa, @ Virginia
This Week: @ Maryland, North Carolina
Very much looking forward to Duke being bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. This team is not going anywhere, despite what some others would rather have you believe.

5. Kansas State (24-4, 11-3 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 6
Last Week: Defeated @ Texas Tech, Missouri
This Week: @ No. 1 Kansas, Iowa State
Wildcats have quietly positioned themselves to steal a No. 1 seed if things break in their favor over the next two weeks.

6. Purdue (24-4, 12-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 3
Last Week: Defeated @ Minnesota,
This Week: Indiana, @ Penn State
Terrible that the Boilermakers lost Robbie Hummel and I’m not really sure how much you should punish them for it.

7. Villanova (23-5, 12-4 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 7
Last Week: Defeated South Florida, Lost to No. 4 Syracuse
This Week: @ Cincinnati, No. 8 West Virginia
I’m sure many feel the Wildcats should be penalized for the thrashing Syracuse handed them Saturday. But can’t justify putting WVU ahead of Nova considering Nova  beat the Mountaineers a few weeks ago.

8. West Virginia (22-6, 11-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 8
Last Week: Lost to @ Connecticut, Defeated Cincinnati
This Week: No. 11 Georgetown, @ No. 7 Villanova
Mountaineers can leapfrog the Wildcats if they beat them in Philly next weekend.

9. Ohio State (23-7, 13-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 9
Last Week: Defeated @ Penn State, Michigan
This Week: Illinois
Evan Turner for Player of the Year. I don’t even think it’s much of a debate.

10. New Mexico (27-3, 13-2 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated @ Colorado State, @ No. BYU
This Week: TCU
That win in Provo against the Cougars was tough. Lobos are going to be a dangerous team in the tournament.

11. Michigan State (22-7, 12-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 14
Last Week: Defeated @ Indiana
This Week: Penn State, Michigan
Spartans are tied atop the Big Ten with Ohio State.

12. Pittsburgh (22-7, 11-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 12
Last Week: Lost @ Notre Dame, Defeated @ St. John’s
This Week: Providence, Rutgers
Panthers ran into the buzzstorm that is Notre Dame who are knocking off ranked teams – minus Luke Harangody – like it’s nothing special.

13. Vanderbilt (22-6, 11-3 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 16
Last Week: Defeated Georgia, @ Arkansas
This Week: @ Florida, South Carolina
Have I mentioned before how much I like Jermaine Beal’s game? Can be inconsistent, but when he’s on…

14. Georgetown (19-8, 9-7 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 11
Last Week: Defeated @ Louisville, Lost to Notre Dame
This Week: @ West Virginia, Cincinnati
Trying to figure out Georgetown is harder than quantum physics.

15. Tennessee (21-7, 9-5 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 19
Last Week: Lost to Florida, Defeated No. 2 Kentucky
This Week: Arkansas, @ Mississippi State
Just when I thought the Vols were a dead team…

16. Gonzaga (24-5, 12-2 WCC)
Pvs. AP: 18
Last Week: Defeated Santa Clara, San Francisco
This Week: CSU Bakersfield
All the Bulldogs are focused on is earning a spot in the first-second round pod in hometown Spokane.

17. Wisconsin (21-7, 11-5 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 17
Last Week: Defeated Northwestern, Indiana
This Week: Iowa, @ Illinois
Unassuming Badgers will enter the tournament just as that.

18. Texas A&M (20-8, 9-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 22
Last Week: Lost to @ No. 24 Baylor, Defeated No. 21 Texas
This Week: Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma
Would not be shocked to see the Aggies slip into the Sweet 16.

19. Butler (26-4, 18-0 Horizon)
Pvs. AP: 15
Last Week: Defeated @ Valporaiso
This Week: Horizon League Tournament
Bulldogs’ regular season came to end Friday night. Now get ready for conference tournament. Bubble teams will keep a close eye on Horizon because Butler’s an at-large if they don’t win the tournament.

20. Temple (24-5, 12-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: 20
Last Week: Defeated Dayton, @ La Salle
This Week: @ Saint Louis, George Washington
Owls may have dealt a fatal blow to Dayton’s at-large chances with that victory in the middle of the week.

21. BYU (26-4, 11-3 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 13
Last Week: Defeated San Diego State, Lost to No. 10 New Mexico
This Week: @ Utah, @ TCU
Remember, the Cougars will be playing on the first day of the tournament. BYU does not compete on Sundays.

22. Xavier (21-7, 12-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated @ Saint Louis, No. 23 Richmond
This Week: @ Fordham, St. Bonaventure
Musketeers sit atop the A-10 with Temple after taking down Richmond in OT.

23. Baylor (22-6, 9-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 24
Last Week: Defeated @ No. 22 Texas A&M, @ Oklahoma
This Week: @ Texas Tech, No. 21 Texas
Bears in three-way tie for third place in the Big 12 with Missouri and A&M.

24. Louisville (19-10, 10-6 Big East)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated No. 11 Georgetown, @ Connecticut
This Week: @ Marquette, No. 4 Syracuse
Cardinals have turned it on the last few weeks. Officially punched their ticket to the tournament with that win against Connecticut.

25. Texas (22-7, 8-6 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 21
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma State, Lost to No. 22 Texas A&M
This Week: Oklahoma, @ No. 24 Baylor
If my memory serves me correctly, this was a national title contender, right? Injuries have decimated Longhorns like no other.

Others Who Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Marquette, Notre Dame, UTEP

Nary a non-conference game on the schedule this weekend as the nation’s top leagues hit their stretch run. Two more weeks until conference tournaments kick off. Three weeks until Selection Sunday.

Saturday

No. 2 Kentucky at No. 19 Tennessee
KenPom: Kentucky -1
TV: CBS, Noon
Tennessee looks like its limping toward the finish line, having taken a few steps back in the national picture over the past few weeks. Meanwhile, Kentucky just keeps rolling over weaker opponents. Now chances are the Wildcats aren’t going to blow out the Vols in Knoxville like they did when the two met Feb. 13 in Rupp. Tennessee’s going to come to play because Kentucky always gets every team’s best shot. But it doesn’t help the Vols that their best player – center Wayne Chism – is banged up and the Vols might be very lucky to get 25 minutes out of the big man.

Cincinnati at No. 8 West Virginia
KenPom: West Virginia -13
TV: Local, 2 pm
If Cincy wants to assure itself of an NCAA Tournament berth then beating the Mountaineers in Morgantown is a must. If you go by Joe Lunardi’s latest bracket projections, the Bearcats are one of the first four teams out of the Tournament. Let’s hope the whole angle of Bob Huggins facing his old school goes by the wayside because it’s beyond played out. But surprisingly, or maybe not so surprising at all, Huggins is fourth among active coaches in career wins with 660 behind the likes of Coach K, Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun. WVU will be looking to snap a two-game skid.

No. 10 New Mexico at No. 13 BYU
KenPom: BYU -12
TV: Versus, 4 pm
First place in the conference is on the line when the Lobos visit Provo for a Mountain West showdown and the winner most likely will take the league’s regular season title. So this one means something. BYU is the MWC’s top offensive squad while New Mexico has arguably the conference best player in Darrington Hobson, a 6-foot-7 scorer. Although Cougars fans would easily argue that Jimmer Fredette should own that title considering he’s leading the conference in scoring and is second in assists. New Mexico ended BYU’s 15-game winning streak when the two met earlier this year so you’ve got the whole revenge angle working in this one.

No. 1 Kansas at Oklahoma State
KenPom: Kansas -9
TV: CBS, 4 pm
Will the Jayhawks lose a Big 12 game? Oklahoma State is not an easy place to play but this is Kansas’ “easiest” game left on the schedule. Another showdown with Kansas State at home looms in four days after the meeting with the Cowboys. Then a trip to Columbia for another blood battle with Missouri. So if Kansas is going to get caught napping it’s going to come against the Cowboys. K-State and Missouri might knock off Kansas, but losing to either of those two wouldn’t be a surprise. Oklahoma State would.

Missouri at No. 6 Kansas State
KenPom: Kansas State -5
TV: ESPNU, 8 pm
Speaking of the Tigers and Wildcats…Interesting matchup between these two and an even more important game for K-State. Some think the Wildcats possibly have a chance at earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but if they want to make that a reality losing to Missouri is not an option.

No. 7 Villanova at No. 4 Syracuse
KenPom: Syracuse -8
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
Biggest matchup of the year in the Big East. Conference leading Syracuse will have 34,00-plus fans rocking the Carrier Dome like it’s never been rocked before. The Orange can pretty much put a ribbon on the Big East regular season title with a win and lock in a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Touranment. Villanova, sitting a game behind the Orange, has its eyes on securing a No. 1 seed in the Tournament but it would most likely require a win here. Villanova’s offense is shifty and athletic enough to battle that Syracuse 2-3 zone. It’ll be strength against strength Saturday night and by far the most intriguing game of the weekend.

Others To Keep An Eye On: Notre Dame at No. 11 Georgetown, No. 12 Pittsburgh at St. John’s, No. 16 Vanderbilt at Arkansas, No. 24 Baylor at Oklahoma, No. 21 Texas at No. 22 Texas A&M

Sunday

No. 23 Richmond at Xavier
KenPom: Xavier -8
TV: ESPN2, 1 pm
Loser of this one drops a game behind the other two Atlantic 10 leaders (we’re assuming Temple takes care of LaSalle later Sunday) and most likely drops out of the race of the regular season title.

Louisville at Connecticut
KenPom: Connecticut -4
TV: CBS, 2 pm
Big game for both teams. Connecticut is tenuously in the field of 65 right now after some impressive wins over the last week, including two against Top 10 Big East teams. Louisville’s in as well, but both are No. 12 seeds which means they’re teetering on the verge of dropping out of the bracket. Louisville probably needs this game more for its resume considering it only has two wins over teams in the Top 50 of the RPI. But UConn needs more quality wins since it only has three victories over the RPI Top 50. Both teams come in having won three of their last four.

No. 14 Michigan State at No. 3 Purdue
KenPom: Purdue -9
TV: CBS, 4 pm
Huge game in the Big Ten. Boilermakers own a one-game lead over the Spartans in the conference standings but with no Robbie Hummel few are expecting Purdue to emerge with the regular season title when it’s all said and done. Can Purdue beat Michigan State without Hummel? Yes, they can. But the long term prognosis for the Boilermakers is not good without their second leading scorer not to mention their heart and soul. The sting of that injury is going to stay with Purdue for a long time. Don’t be surprised if there’s a bit of a hangover. But they will be buoyed by the home crowd in Mackey Arena. E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson are going to have to pick up some of the slack, mainly the 15.7  ppg Hummel was averaging. Side story to all of this will be Purdue’s NCAA Tournament seeding and how much of a hit it takes over the final weeks of the season and how heavily the selection committee weighs Hummel’s injury. Purdue had No. 1 seed potential. Not anymore.

Others To Keep An Eye On: Marquette at Seton Hall, No. 5 Duke at Virginia

A quick look at went on last night and what to look out for Friday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 2 Kentucky 82, South Carolina 61
The Wildcats dominated, as expected, exacting a little revenge for their one and only loss earlier this season in Columbia. Devan Downey, Mr. Gamecock scoring sensation and the SEC’s leading scorer. did finish with 26 points. But he did so on 9-of-25 shooting and the Gamecocks, who won the battle of the glass in last month’s upset, were badly out-rebounded this time around. DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Patterson led the way for Kentucky, chipping in 19 and 23, respectively, while John Wall went for 12. Next up for Kentucky is a showdown with Tennessee in Knoxville Saturday, a matchup featuring two teams heading in seemingly opposite directions as the regular season winds down.

No. 16 Vanderbilt 96, Georgia 94, OT
This was a lot closer than Vandy would have liked. In fact, the Commodores should consider themselves lucky to pull out this win since they were trailing by six points with under a minute to go in regulation. But Vandy escaped the upset at home, and an embarrassing season sweep by the Bulldogs, thanks to Jermaine Beal who went off for a career-high 28 points and some clutch free throw shooting as a team in overtime. Vandy hit all 12 of their 15-footers to eek out the narrow victory.

Links

If you didn’t know already, Robbie Hummel has been lost for the season with a torn ACL. Purdue now has no shot of making the Final Four. So much for that, Boilermakers fans. [Indianapolis Star]

Now the question is how will Hummel’s injury affect seeding? [SI.com]

Jarvis Varnado of Mississippi State is the all-time leader in blocked shots. [SBNation]

Josh Herwitt chimes in with five thoughts, including one I could not agree with more – Tennessee is done. [FoxSports.com]

Former colleague Anthony Oliva takes a look at Aubrey Coleman – he of the stepping on Chase Budinger fame – and how far he’s come since the incident last year. [NCAA.com]

Rites of spring: Duke’s collapse and a few other March traditions. [Basketball Prospectus]

Seth Davis with a very revealing piece about how he truly evaluates teams. Access is everything. [SI.com]

Rather brief, but definitely to the point, bubble banter from Beyond The Arc. [NBCsports.com]

The Weekend Primer will be out later today, taking a look at all of this weekend’s best matchups.

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Thursday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 3 Purdue 59, Minnesota 58
Purdue survived on the road, gutting out a tough, tough win against the Gophers in Williams Arena. But the biggest story out of this one is going to be the health of Robbie Hummel. The Boilermakers second leading scorer injured his knee and did not play in the second half, reduced to icing it and getting around on crutches. There’s no word on the injury yet – Hummel was prohibited from speaking about it after the game to the media – and the Boilermakers will hold their collective breath as they await test results. Without Hummel, Purdue has no shot at getting to the Final Four and could very easily watch Michigan State or Ohio State take over the top spot in the Big Ten standings. The Spartans get a chance this weekend to pull even with the Boilermakers when the two meet. A lot will be riding on Hummel’s MRI.

Notre Dame 68, No. 12 Pittsburgh 53
Pittsburgh forgot it had a game Wednesday. That’s about the only way to explain how the Panthers were so badly beaten in South Bend. That and the Irish hit 10 3-pointers and shot 50 percent from the field. A general lack of defense did not help matters, either as the Panthers had their five-game winning streak come to a crashing end. All the more impressive win for Notre Dame considering Luke Harangody did not play, but was honored before the game. His No. 44 will now hang from the rafters.

Links

Dayton did not help its at-large chances with a loss at No. 21 Temple. [Dayton Daily News]

No. 9 Ohio State almost let a 17-point lead go by the wayside against Penn State but Evan Turner bailed them out. [Columbus Dispatch]

Josh Herwitt gives us his latest installment of power rankings, featuring Kansas firmly at No. 1. [FoxSports.com]

Looks like Lance Stephenson might make the prudent decision and stick around for another year at Cincinnati. And the bubble Bearcats picked up a win over DePaul. [Cincy Enquirer]

Marquette – another Big East bubble team – avoided disaster in Queens last night when Jimmy Butler’s jumper at the buzzer sent the Eagles home with an OT win over St. John’s. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

He’s been nothing but a winner his whole career, but will Kansas’ Sherron Collins get the chance to break Shane Battier’s individual NCAA record? Beyond The Arc ponders. [NBCSports.com]

The Naismith Award, given out to the nation’s top player at the end of the season, has been whittled down to just 30 candidates. There are 25 with no shot at winning… [Naismith Award]

Some suggestions for Ole Miss as they search for a new mascot. [ESPN.com]

All that talk about Texas possibly moving to the Big Ten or Pac-10, don’t believe it. [Dallas Morning News]

Memphis with at-large dreams? Apparently the Tigers thought it was a possibility before last night’s loss. [Commercial Appeal]

Dana O’Neil takes a look at two retread coaches making the best of it in Conference USA. [ESPN.com]

Tonight’s Must See Game

South Carolina at No. 2 Kentucky
Line: Kentucky -13.5
KenPom: Kentucky -15
TV: ESPN2, 9 pm
Does Devan Downey have another 30-point performance in him? How about a 50-pointer? Because it’s probably going to take the game of a lifetime to knock off the Wildcats in Rupp Arena. And Downey pretty much gave us that when the Gamecocks handed Kentucky its one and only loss earlier this season. I don’t think this one is going to be pretty for SC.

Others To Keep An Eye On: Tulsa at No. 5 Duke, Georgia at No. 16 Vanderbilt, No. 17 Wisconsin at Indiana

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Wednesday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 4 Syracuse 99, Providence 85
The Orange improved to 8-0 on the road and did it in dominating fashion – in the second half, that is. Providence had a five point lead at halftime but Syracuse absolutely blitzed the Friars when they returned to the floor. Syracuse turned up the pressure, watched Providence turn it over time after time and sliced that poor excuse of a Providence defense for 52 second half points. Andy Rautins had himself quite a game, knocking down all five of his 3-pointers, as he finished with 28. With the win, Syracuse secured a double-bye in the Big East Tournament.

No. 11 Georgetown 70, Louisville 60
Just like Syracuse, Georgetown used a big second half to overcome a halftime deficit and end a two-game losing streak on the road. Austin Freeman led the way for the Hoyas, scoring an astounding 24 points in the second half – he finished with 29 – to lead the comeback. The Cardinals couldn’t buy a bucket to start the second half and did not do much to slow down the Hoyas who conversely seemed to knock down all their shots. Louisville, with its tenuous NCAA Tournament status, did not help themselves and only will feel the pressure ratchet up with road games against Marquette and Connecticut and Syracuse at home left on the schedule.

Florida 75, No. 19 Tennessee 62
Tennessee had won six straight in this series but Florida apparently had enough as the Gators picked up a huge win for their NCAA Tournament hopes in Gainesville. The Gators did with defense and by sending Tennessee center Wayne Chism to the bench. Chism was plagued by foul trouble all night long and finished with just seven points and one rebound. As Chism goes, so goes Tennessee. The Gators picked a perfect time to finally start hitting some threes. UConn AD Jeff Hathaway, who just happens to be a member of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, was in the building to watch the win. We’ll see how much of an impression the Gators made.

Links

Wishing you could watch a classic NCAA Tournament game whenever the moment should strike you? You’re now in luck [Vault.NCAA.com]

Good read by Andy Katz on coaches and officials, stemming from Monday’s incident with Bob Huggins. Interesting quote from Jim Calhoun as well. [ESPN.com]

And speaking of Calhoun, Gary Parrish looks at UConn’s turnaround since the coach’s return. [CBSSports.com]

We all know Villanova isn’t a great defensive team, but this had to be a little disconcerting for Wildcats fans. [Wall Street Journal]

Pat Forde hands out grades in his latest Forde Minutes. [ESPN.com]

College basketball is all about guard play. So Jeff Goodman decided to rank the best of them. [FoxSports.com]

No. 6 Kansas State picked up its first win in Lubbock since 1986. [Kansas City Star]

No. 10 New Mexico has now won 12 straight in the Mountain West, gets ready for BYU showdown. [AP]

Philadelphia head coach Herb Magee picked up historic win No. 903 last night. [AP]

Is Northern Iowa the worst ranked team of all time? Quite possibly after losing to 8-20 Evansville. [AP]

Tonight’s Must See Games

Dayton at No. 2o Temple
Line: Temple -3.5
KenPom: Temple -4
TV: Local, 6:30 pm
Dayton is still holding onto an at-large bid right now thanks to a strong resume. But they’ve got work to do to ensure they’ll be dancing and it all starts Wednesday in Philadelphia. Dayton has a strong RPI (42) and SOS (37) but could use one more win against one of the A-10′s best. And if they can’t get it done against the Owls, conference leading Richmond awaits next week. Temple needs a win to stay in step with the Spiders atop the league. Dayton comes into this one having lost 5-of-6 on the road.

No. 3 Purdue at Minnesota
Line: Purdue -2.5
KenPom: Purdue -1
TV: Local, 8:30 pm
Trap game for the Boilermakers? A showdown with Michigan State looms this weekend, and it probably will determine who wins the Big Ten. So would you be surprised if Purdue overlooked the Gophers?  The Barn is not an easy place to play and Minnesota has some confidence heading into this one. The Gophers aren’t really in Purdue’s class, but they can stick with them at home and possibly snap that Boilermaker nine-game Big Ten winning streak.

South Florida at No. 7 Villanova
Line: Villanova -13
KenPom: Villanova -13
TV: ESPN Full Court, 9 pm
South Florida’s NCAA Tournament hopes are about to have the plug pulled – if they’re not dead already – and this is a must win for them. Villanova, meanwhile, will try and do its best not to overlook the Bulls with Syracuse looming Saturday night and end a three-game losing streak.

No. 22 Texas A&M at No. 24 Baylor
Line: Baylor -6.5
KenPom: Baylor -6
TV: ESPNU, 9 pm
This will be just the second time these two have met as ranked teams. The Aggies come into this one having won three straight on the road while the Bears hope LaceDarius Dunn can break out of his recent shooting slump. A&M needs this game more than Baylor does so it can stay within striking distance of second place Kansas State.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 9 Ohio State at Penn State, Virginia Tech at Boston College, Marquette at St. John’s, No. Pittsburgh at Notre Dame, Oklahoma State at No. 21 Texas

Apologies for the limited number of posts the last few days. Major computer problems meant we were waiting on a new laptop (Hello, MacBook, goodbye PC – forever). Looking forward to settling back into the normal routine. So without further adieu here’s a quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Tuesday.

Last Night’s Action

Connecticut 73, No. 8 West Virginia 62
After looking like a dead team nine days ago, UConn picked up its second straight win against a Top 10 opponent. The Huskies out-rebounded, out-hustled and out-toughed the Mountaineers in Hartford as they inch closer and closer to securing an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. And if the Selection Committee was choosing the field of 65 today, UConn would probably just sneak in. But they have a long ways to go before they start to feel secure about their postseason plans. As for the game itself, the Mountaineers put themselves in a double-digit hole in the first half for what seemed like the 20th time this season only to battle back to pull within one late in the second half. But the Huskies executed and capitalized on second chance opportunities – not to mention a huge free throw discrepancy that got under the skin of WVU coach Bob Huggins – down the stretch. Kemba Walker had another big game, leading the way with 21 points for UConn.

No. 1 Kansas 81, Oklahoma 68
The Jayhawks pounded another conference opponent at home and clinched at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title marking for the sixth straight. That’s really all you need to know about this one.

Links

Monday’s AP Top 25 features a new No. 3 team from the Big Ten. [Digital Sports Daily]

And the latest brackets: Lunardi [ESPN.com] | Bracketology 101 [FoxSports.com]

Bob Huggins thinks college basketball should take after college football. [Dominion Post]

This weekend’s BracketBuster made-for-TV mid-major showcase left a lot to be desired. [Yahoo.com]

Nation’s winningest coach will call it quits after this season. [AP]

Texas’ disappointing season took yet another turn for the worse when the Longhorns lost PG Dogus Balbay for the rest of the year. [USA Today]

North Carolina’s the worst defending champ? [Beyond The Arc]

Tonight’s Must See Games

No. 5 Syracuse at Providence
Line: Syracuse -8
KenPom: Syracuse -11
TV: ESPNU, 7 pm
Syracuse has not looked like Top 5 material in close to three weeks and while they have a perfect road record in the Big East that record is not exactly indicative of how they’ve played away from the Carrier Dome. Providence has historically had a knack for springing upsets, especially at the Dunkin Donuts Center, and let’s not forget that the Orange could easily overlook the Friars with that home date against Villanova looming Saturday.

No. 11 Georgetown at Louisville
Line: Louisville -3
KenPom: Louisville -2
TV: ESPN2, 7 pm
Louisville needs a big win. With just two victories over RPI Top 50 teams, desperation is going to start to set in, if it hasn’t already. Which Hoya team will show up in this one? Your guess is as good as mine. Surprisingly, Louisville is a game ahead of the Hoyas in the Big East standings, although you’d never guess that looking at the rankings. Rick Pitino thinks his team needs at least 10 conference wins to get into the NCAA Tournament, and 11 to make it a sure thing. He’s got eight right now with four games to go.

No. 7 Kansas State at Texas Tech
Line: Kansas State -4
KenPom: Kansas State -7
TV: ESPN Full Court, 8 pm
Kansas State needs a win to remain in second place in the Big 12 with Missouri and Texas A&M are right on the Wildcats’ heels, one game behind in the standings. The Wildcats have never won in Lubbock since the Big 12′s inception but already took a game from the Red Raiders this season.

No. 20 Tennessee at Florida
Line: Florida -3
KenPom: Florida -1
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
Florida is another team desperate for any kind of notable win for its NCAA Tournament resume but it’s not going to be easy against a team that has owned them recently. Tennessee has won six in a row against the Gators and if Florida has any intentions of pulling off the upset they failed to do in Knoxville, they might want to crash the glass. The Vols badly out-rebounded the Gators in their Jan. 31 meeting that was a lot closer (61-60) than many predicted.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 10 New Mexico at Colorado State, No. 25 Northern Iowa at Evansville

We’re a month away from the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. The stretch run is here. And things start off with a BracketBuster game that could go a very long way toward determining the fates of plenty of bubble teams.

Saturday

Siena at No. 18 Butler
KenPom: Butler -8
TV: ESPN2, 11 am
The biggest of all the BracketBuster games, although this matchup lost a little bit of its luster when the Saints fell to Niagara on the road last week. Butler seems like a sure bet to lock up an NCAA Tournament at-large bid should they not win the Horizon League Tournament. But the same can’t be said for Siena. If the Saints want to leave themselves any wiggle room than they’re going to need to knock off the Bulldogs because at this point in the season it looks like it’s MAAC Tournament champs or bust.

Xavier at Charlotte
KenPom: Xavier -7
TV: CBS College Sports, 2 pm
As quickly as Charlotte was on top of the A-10 they have been relegated to the middle of the pack and another conference loss might end any chance they have at winning the conference’s regular season title. Xavier sits at 9-2 in the league, tied with Temple, and one game behind conference leading Richmond. Charlotte, meanwhile, find itself in third place these days having dropped two straight and no longer are considered a safe bet to make the field of 65. They need to keep winning, preferably against teams that would look great on their resume (i.e. Xavier) because there’s no way the league’s going to get close to the 5-to-6 teams like into the dance some were predicting a few weeks ago.

Illinois at No. 4 Purdue
KenPom: Purdue -12
TV: ESPN, 4 pm
Remember when the Boilermakers had that three-game losing streak in early January and had seemingly fallen out of contention in the Big Ten? Well, thanks to eight straight wins in league play Purdue finds itself tied with Big Ten leader Michigan State in the loss column. No one is playing better right now in the conference than the Boilermakers and it has many starting to talk about this team being Final Four material. I’m not buying that considering how small the Boilermakers are up front. But they do have one hallmark of a championship team: Defense. Ken Pomeroy has the Boilermakers fourth in his adjusted defensive efficiency ratings.

No. 2 Kentucky at No. 17 Vanderbilt
KenPom: Kentucky -1
TV: ESPN, 6pm
Vanderbilt would like to have that game in Rupp Arena back. You remember it. The one they lost by 13 because of the Cats’ dominance a few weeks ago. Well, with revenge on the mind, the Commodores will look to pull even in the SEC East standings with the Wildcats. John Wall and company head to Nashville for their second straight road game after an emotional win Tuesday at Mississippi State. Vanderbilt’s going to have to figure out how to stop DeMarcus Cousins inside because they didn’t come close to containing the big man last time out. And it would help if A.J. Ogilvy, Vandy’s center, stayed out of foul trouble and was a little more assertive on the offensive end after attempting just four shots in that Jan. 30 game.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 21 Temple at Saint Joseph’s, Seton Hall at No. 8 West Virginia, No. 20 Tennessee at South Carolina, No. 22 Baylor at Oklahoma State, No. 15 Texas at Texas Tech, No. 7 Kansas State at Oklahoma, No. 13 Gonzaga at Pepperdine

Sunday

No. 3 Villanova at No. 19 Pittsburgh
KenPom: Pittsburgh -3
TV: CBS, Noon
How will Villanova bounce back from that upset loss to Connecticut Monday night? It’s not going to be easy as the Wildcats continue their death march through their heavily backloaded Big East schedule. The Panthers come into this one with recent wins over West Virginia and Marquette, having seemingly put those struggles from a few weeks ago behind them. Villanova needs this one to keep pace with Syracuse in the Big East standings.

No. 9 Ohio State at No. 11 Michigan State
KenPom: Michigan State -1
TV: CBS, Noon
This game could have been for first place in the Big Ten but Ohio State had to go and ruin things by losing to Purdue Wednesday night. But it’s not like the Buckeyes aren’t still in the race. Sitting just a game behind the Spartans, and half a game behind Purdue, Ohio State is in the thick of one of the most hotly contested races the conference has seen in recent memory. It’ll be fun to watch Evan Turner, the soon to be Big Ten Player of the Year (in my opinion), battle it out with Kalin Lucas, last year’s Big Ten Player of the Year.

Virginia Tech at No. 6 Duke
KenPom: Duke -13
TV: FSN, 7:45 pm
Duke will easily be a double-digit favorite when the lines are posted for this one because they’ve been annihilating everyone at home this season. Closest game in Cameron Indoor Stadium so far? A nine-point win over St. John’s back in December. But Virginia Tech currently sits at No. 2 in the ACC standings, just a game back in the loss column. I sincerely hope all the talk about the Hokies being a bubble team is over and done with. If they’re not a tournament team it’ll be a disgrace. But if they really want to silence all the critics, beating Duke on the road would be a hell of a way to do it.

Others To Keep An Eye On: Northwestern at No. 14 Wisconsin

A quick look at what went on last night and what to look out for Wednesday.

Last Night’s Action

No. 2 Kentucky 81, Mississippi State 75, OT
John Wall nearly had a triple double and basically preserved a Wildcats win all by himself. Wall went for 18 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists as he led the SEC leading Wildcats from down seven with three minutes to go. Defensively the Cats were great down the stretch, not allowing a Bulldogs field goal over a four and a half minute stretch that spanned the end of regulation and the beginning of overtime.  And they got some big help down low from DeMarcus Cousins – he of the pregame cell phone taunts -  and Patrick Patterson who both went for 19 while Mississippi was without its best big man, Jarvis Varnado, for much of the second half because of foul trouble. The game wasn’t without plenty of controversy from a John Wall block in the final minute of OT that should have been goaltending to the Mississippi State fans’ behavior that including throwing things onto the floor as the game winded down. It was a highly emotional game that was important for a number of reasons. It was a rough, rough loss for Mississippi State that really needed a big win to prevent from falling further onto the bubble. And for Kentucky, the young Wildcats were tested on the road and answered with a gritty, gutty win.

No. 11 Michigan State 72, Indiana 58
The Spartans dispatched the Hoosiers to move into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten. That could all change tonight when Ohio State meets Purdue, but for the time being Michigan State can enjoy being back on top. Kalin Lucas and Draymond Green led the way for the Spartans, scoring a combined 27 points. I think it’s safe to say that Lucas is healthy now and as Michigan State hits the stretch run that’s really what’s most important.

Virginia Tech 87, No. 23 Wake Forest 83
Some seem to think that Tech is a bubble team, but there shouldn’t be any doubt after the Hokies knocked off Wake Forest in come-from-behind fashion Tuesday in Blacksburg. The Hokies erased an 11-point deficit in the second half and now sit in sole possession of second place in the ACC. Not sure how a second place ACC can not be in the NCAA Tournament.

Links

Northern Iowa secured the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title Tuesday night. [AP]

In a Big East bubble showdown, USF got by Cincinnati. [Tampa Tribune]

Pat Forde looks at some names in the world of college hoops that would be perfect for the Olympics. [ESPN.com]

Darington Hobson for Player of the Year? I’m sure some of you might be saying, “Who?” [FoxSports.com]

Tonight’s Must See Games

No. 4 Purdue at No. 9 Ohio State
Line: Ohio State -3
KenPom: Ohio State -3
TV: Local, 6:30 pm (how is this game not being nationally televised?)
Ohio State’s won its last nine conference games. Purdue its last seven. Winner of this one keeps pace with conference leader Michigan State. This is a rematch of that odd game the two played back on Jan. 12 when Robbie Hummel couldn’t miss a shot from three in the first half and staked the Boilermakers to a big lead. Only problem is they didn’t close things out as Evan Turner went for 32, leading the Buckeyes to a shocking comeback road win.

No. 6 Duke at Miami
Line: Duke -7.5
KenPom: Duke -10
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
On paper this shouldn’t be much of a game, especially the way Duke has been playing the last few weeks. But this being a road game in which Duke is only 3-4 this season, it warrants close attention. The Blue Devils enter this one with a one-game lead over Virginia Tech and control their own destiny in the ACC as they look to secure their first regular season conference title in four seasons.

No. 15 Texas at Missouri
Line: Missouri -1.5
KenPom: Missouri -2
TV: ESPN2, 9pm
Missouri doesn’t lose at home and Texas isn’t a very good road team so the Longhorns, despite improved play recently, are going to have their hands full. Missouri is one of the best defensive teams in the nation, leading the country in steals and turnovers forced per game. And on top of all of that, they’re only allowing opponents to shoot 29 percent from 3. And considering Texas is only shooting 35 percent from beyond the arc on the season, the Longhorns are going to have put up points the old fashioned way if they want to avoid another loss. Both teams need this game to keep pace with second place Kansas State in the Big 12 standings.

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 8 West Virginia at Providence, No. 21 Temple at St. Bonaventure, Nebraska at No. 7 Kansas State, Georgia at No. 22 Tennessee