The Double Bonus

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

Yesterday’s Action

No. 5 Pittsburgh 79, Maryland 70
I had a friend who made his way to the Garden last night to take in the first game of the 2K Sports Classic. I told him to watch out for the Panthers’ Brad Wanamaker. Turns out I should have told him to look out for Talib Zanna. The Pitt freshman had 14 and 12 as the Panthers held off the Terps while Wanamaker and Ashton Gibbs, Pitt’s go to scorers, did not have it going on Thursday. But the Panthers were able to rely on the big man to pick up the slack and comfortably pull this one out after Maryland’s big 14-2 run made it a one-point game at the 13:20 mark. Pitt badly out-rebounded the Terps – no surprise there – while the two teams clanked three after three. The two combined to go 5-of-24 from beyond the arc.

Texas 90, No. 13 Illinois 84, OT
I think a lot of people were expecting more out of Illinois’ last night but the Longhorns played a physical brand of basketball that the Illini just weren’t that comfortable with. Demetri McCarney, on the other hand, displayed his vast talents for plenty of NBA scouts as he went for 22 points, eight assists and five boards. The only problem was he didn’t get the kind of help he needed down the stretch and certainly not in overtime where Texas pretty much dominated.

Links

Hey, what do you know? Turns out North Carolina actually can score. [Raleigh News & Observer]

Minnesota had a pretty impressive win over a very good Western Kentucky team down in Puerto Rico. [Minnesota Star-Tribune]

Missouri had a little more trouble with Western Illinois than expected. For the first time since 1951 they won a game in which no one scored double digits. [AP]

John Gasaway names his Player of the Year a little on the early side, plus other Big East observations. [Basketball Prospectus]

Don’t sleep on the Mountain West this year, says Gary Parrish, it’s better than the Pac-10. [CBSSports.com]

Andy Katz with some news and notes from around the nation. [ESPN.com]

A thorough look at Duke‘s offense this season. Just how different is it from last year’s version? [Rush The Court]

The oft-injured Robbie Hummel might have an easier time coming back from surgery this time around. [Indy Star]

Apparently, adding three new teams to the NCAA Tournament isn’t necessarily going to make the selection process any easier. [AP]

Tonight’s Must See Games

Maryland vs. No. 13 Illinois
Line: N/A
TV: ESPN2, 5 pm
The 2K Classic will hold it’s consolation game this evening  at Madison Square Garden. It’s a quick turnaround for the Illini who will be on the floor just 17 hours after their overtime game with Texas ended well past midnight.

Texas vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh
Line: N/A
TV: ESPN2, 7 pm
Maybe this makes for a more interesting matchup than Pitt-Illinois because the Panthers are Longhorns appear ready to battle underneath the basket more so than the Illini would. And d0n’t expect the Panthers to struggle offensively like they did against Maryland. That’s not to say Texas won’t play defense rather Pitt is far too talented an offensive team to have a repeat performance of Thursday.

Only one Top 25 team hits the road as No. 11 Kentucky meets Portland while No. 20 Georgetown continues its march toward a Charleston Classic title by meeting Wofford. No. 7 Kansas hosts North Texas while Colgate visits No. 1 Duke.

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

Last Night’s Action

No. 4 Ohio State 93, No. 9 Florida 75
Um, Ohio State is going to be really, really good. That’s the only thing you can say after watching the Buckeyes destroy the Gators in Gainesville. David Lighty had 26 points while freshman sensation Jared Sulllinger had another double-double, scoring 26 points and grabbing 10 boards as the Buckeyes blitzed the defensively-challenged Gators in the second half, outscoring the home team by 21 over the final 20 minutes. Apparently all it took for the Buckeyes to look like world-beaters was a fiery halftime speech by Thad Matta.

No. 3 Kansas State 73, No. 22 Virginia Tech 57
It was a close game for 30 minutes before things got out of hand for the Hokies. Tech didn’t necessarily play a bad game if you’re judging by the final score. But they definitely didn’t play a good game.  Too many turnovers – Malcolm Delaney had 10 by himself – and an inability to matchup physically with Kansas State was Tech’s undoing. They also failed to take advantage of Jacob Pullen spending only a few minutes on the floor in the first half thanks to foul trouble and far too often settled for poor perimeter shots. I liked when Frank Martin had Will Spradling handling the point and Pullen back at the 2. That’s where Pullen thrived last year. Let’s see if Martin gives the two more time on the floor together.

No. 25 San Diego State 79, No. 11 Gonzaga 76
Teams just don’t go up to Spokane and win but that’s what the Aztecs did in impressive fashion Tuesday behind Billy White’s career-high 30 points. Gonzaga suffered just its fifth home loss since 2004 as the Bulldogs were out-rebounded badly, allowing 18 offensive boards which San Diego State turned into 24 second chance points. Steven Gray’s 35 for Gonzaga wasn’t enough as the Aztecs showed that the preseason hype surrounding them wasn’t all talk. Steve Fisher’s team can really play.

Links

Gordon Hayward, where have you gone? Butler looked awful against Louisville last night and Rick Bozich says this year’s squad isn’t the Butler of last year. [FoxSports.com]

Jared Sullinger for Player of the Year? [CBSSports.com]

Michigan State was out-rebounded by South Carolina, but still pulled out the win against the Gamecocks. [Free Press]

Speaking of Michigan State, Delvon Roe is starring on a different kind of stage. [USA Today]

Baylor, minus LaceDarius Dunn as he serves a suspension, got a little more than it bargained for with La Salle. [Philadelphia Daily News]

Some stats from ESPN’s 25 straight hours of basketball. [ESPN.com]

Charles Barkley opining on the NCAA Tournament? It’s happening this March. [AP]

Courtesy of Vegas Watch, check out these hype clouds. [Audacity of Hoops]

Tonight’s Can’t Miss Games

Take the night off after 25 straight hours of quality college basketball actions. As for the Top 25, No. 24 BYU, No. 19 Memphis and No. 14 Purdue all take on cupcakes tonight.

With the season officially kicking off Monday evening, it’s time to put some season predictions on the record. So here’s a quick look at the six major conferences and a few of the more high profile mid-majors, running down the projected champion, sleeper team, player and freshman of the year in each.

ACC
Champion: Duke
Don’t Sleep On: Virginia Tech
Player of the Year: Kyle Singler, Duke
Freshman of the Year: Harrison Barnes, North Carolina

Georgetown's Austin Freeman averaged 16.5 ppg last season. (AP)

Big East
Champion: Villanova
Don’t Sleep On: Syracuse
Player of the Year: Austin Freeman, Georgetown
Freshman of the Year: Fab Melo, Syracuse

Big Ten
Champion: Michigan State
Don’t Sleep On: Wisconsin
Player of the Year: Jon Leuer, Wisconsin
Freshman of the Year: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Big 12
Champion: Kansas State
Don’t Sleep On: Missouri
Player of the Year: Marcus Morris, Kansas
Freshman of the Year: Cory Joseph, Texas

Pac-10
Champion: Washington
Don’t Sleep On: Arizona
Player of the Year: Isiah Thomas, Washington
Freshman of the Year: Keala King, Arizona State

SEC
Champion: Florida
Don’t Sleep On: Georgia
Player of the Year: Trey Tompkins, Georgia
Freshman of the Year: Tobias Harris, Tennessee

Atlantic 10
Champion: Temple
Don’t Sleep On: Richmond
Player of the Year: Lavoy Allen, Temple
Freshman of the Year: Juwan Staten, Dayton

CAA
Champion: Old Dominion
Don’t Sleep On: VCU
Player of the Year: Denzel Bowles, James Madison
Freshman of the Year: It’s a needle in a haystack situation down there.

C-USA
Champion: Memphis
Don’t Sleep On: Southern Miss
Player of the Year: Gary Flower, Southern Miss
Freshman of the Year: Joe Jackson, Memphis

Mountain West
Champion: BYU
Don’t Sleep On: San Diego State
Player of the Year: Jimmer Fredette, BYU
Freshman of the Year: Kendall Williams, New Mexico

WCC
Champion: Gonzaga
Don’t Sleep On: Loyola Marymount
Player of the Year: Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary’s
Freshman of the Year: Sam Dower, Gonzaga

NCAA Tournament Seeds

1. Duke
1. Pittsburgh
1. Michigan State
1. Kansas State

2. Kansas
2. Villanova
2. Florida
2. Kentucky

3. Ohio State
3. Memphis
3. Syracuse
3. Wisconsin

4. North Carolina
4. Temple
4. Gonzaga
4. Baylor

Indeed. It’s about that time.

The 2010-11 college basketball season kicks off next week and instead of writing a 1,000 long winded previews on the 300-plus teams and endless number of conferences that just about everyone else out there has already written, I figured I’d look at things a little differently.

Based on the odds, of course.

So here’s a look at how the guys out in Vegas have handicapped the race to win the 2011 NCAA Tournament with a quick breakdown of each team’s chances.

Duke senior Kyle Singler avearged 17.7 points per game last year. (AP)

Duke
10-11 Odds: 4-1
Last Year: National Champs (35-5)
Key Returnees: Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith, The Plumlee Brothers
Why They Can Win It All: Well, aside from bringing back Singler and Smith, you may have heard about this freshman that Coach K is raving about. Does the name Kyrie Irving ring a bell? He’s a point guard? Nothing? If you don’t know him you will shortly. Cutting to the chase, the Blue Devils are just plan loaded.
Why They Won’t Win It All: A freshman point guard? Other than that you’re really are grabbing at straws to find a reason why the Blue Devils won’t repeat.

Kentucky
10-11 Odds: 8-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (35-3)
Key Returnees: Darius Miller, DeAndre Liggins
Why They Can Win It All: John Calipari lost a ton of talent from last year’s team. John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe were all one-and-done. But that hasn’t stopped Calipari from bringing in another awesome class of impact freshmen, led by Brandon Knight, Cal’s next big-impact freshman point guard, and Enes Kanter, a European big man who may have to sit some games before he’s allowed to suit up.
Why They Won’t Win It All: I said throughout last year that Kentucky’s inexperience would cost them in the NCAA Tournament and it did dearly against West Virginia. Same rule applies with this year’s team.

Michigan State
10-11 Odds: 9-1
Last Year: Final Four
Key Returnees: Kalin Lucas, Delvon Roe, Durrell Summers
Why They Can Win It All: A healthy Lucas is one of the most clutch players in the nation and this team returns a ton of experience having been to two straight Final Fours. Plus, this being a Tom Izzo team, you know they’re going to be one of the nation’s best defensive teams.
Why They Won’t Win It All: The loss of Raymar Logan will be significant along with the dismissal of Chris Allen. Health will be the biggest issue for the Spartans. Stay healthy and this team should make it to its third straight Final Four.

Kansas State
10-11 Odds: 10-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (29-8)
Key Returnees: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Jamar Samuels
Why They Can Win It All: A great core returns, led by Pullen, one of the top point guards in the country, and they have some big bodies who can score and rebound underneath. Head coach Frank Martin likes his class of sophomores and expects big contributions from them.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Pullen is transitioning back to the point guard spot after the Wildcats lost the services of Denis Clemente. Expectations have never been higher for K-State. While this is an experienced team, can they handle the increased pressure following last year’s run to a regional final?

Memphis
10-11 Odds: 13-1
Last Year: NIT (24-10)
Key Returnees: Will Coleman, Wesley Witherspoon
Why They Can Win It All: Ask the experts and many will tell you that Memphis – and not Kentucky or North Carolina or Duke – has the top freshman class in the nation. With the likes of Joe Jackson and Chris Crawford, there’s a lot to be excited about with the Tigers. The wing play should be overwhelming and controlling the boards, which was a big problem last year, should be significantly improved this year.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Inexperience at so many key positions and while the non-conference schedule is impressive with games against Kansas, Georgetown, Tennessee and Gonzaga, C-USA will once again be underwhelming meaning the Tigers will be relatively lightly tested by the time they get to March.

North Carolina
10-11 Odds: 13-1
Last Year: NIT (20-17)
Key Returnees: Ed Davis, Marcus Ginyard, Deon Thompson
Why They Can Win It All: The Tar Heels are bringing in the nation’s top freshman in Harrison Barnes who some have already tabbed as the player of the year. High praise, indeed, but Barnes is going to have a huge impact. So will freshman Reggie Bullock whose shooting range will give defenses big problems. The nightmare season of last year is behind them and all the Injuries and inexperience are in the rear view mirror.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Frontcourt depth will be an issue with the Heels. And just like Kentucky, relying on freshmen to deliver when the going gets tough can be a recipe for disaster.

Purdue
10-11 Odds: 15-1
Last Year: Sweet 16 (29-5)
Key Returnees: E’Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson
Why They Can Win It All: Moore and Johnson are a dynamic duo up front for the Boilermakers but let’s be serious about their odds…
Why They Won’t Win It All: No Robbie Hummel means no real shot at the Final Four. The Boilermakers heart and soul was on his way to making a comeback from season-ending knee surgery late last season but the forward re-injured the knee – in the first practice of the new season – and should miss the entire season. A crushing blow to a team that pretty much had it’s title hopes dashed on Day 1.

Texas
10-11 Odds: 15-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 1st Round (24-10)
Key Returnees: J’Covan Brown, Jordan Hamilton, Dogus Balbay
Why They Can Win It All: N/A
Why They Won’t Win It All: At 15-1, Vegas is being very, very generous with the Longhorns. Truth be told, this team really should be in the 25-1 range. They’re not that good. Rick Barnes is coming off his self-described worst coaching job of his career plus three of the team’s top four scorers from last season are gone.

Villanova's Corey Fisher avearged 13.3 points per game last season.

Villanova
10-11 Odds: 16-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (25-8)
Key Returnees: Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, Antonio Pena
Why They Can Win It All: The Wildcats appear to be the cream of the Big East crop with yet another ultra-talented backcourt led by Fisher and Stokes. Fisher will probably handle most of the point guard duties while Stokes will thrive on the wing. When the Wildcats are hitting their shots they’re going to be ridiculously tough to take down. Motivation should be high after last year’s very disappointing exit in the second round of the Tournament.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Defense was an issue with the Wildcats last year and it probably will be this year. As offensively talented as Villanova is – despite not having Scottie Reynolds – they’re decidedly lacking on the defensive end. Head coach Jay Wright will have to develop some defensive toughness with this team after it was sorely missing last year.

Pittsburgh
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (25-9)
Key Returnees: Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown
Why They Can Win It All: I wouldn’t say that Pitt overachieved last year, but let’s just say the kind of regular season the Panthers put together wasn’t expected. Pitt returns just about all of its scoring from last year and expect really big things from Wanamaker who moves over from the three spot to the two. Jamie Dixon is probably the most underrated coach in a BCS conference. If you don’t believe me, just check out his winning percentage in Big East play.
Why They Won’t Win It All: The Panthers always seem to underachieve. Despite Dixon’s regular season brilliance in his seven seasons at the helm, Pitt hasn’t gotten to the next level, i.e. the Final Four. And keep an eye on frontcourt play. The bodies down low aren’t gong to overwhelm the nation’s best and they showed last year that they can be maddeningly inconsistent.

Kansas
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (33-3)
Key Returnees: Tyshawn Taylor, Brady Morningstar, The Morris Twins
Why They Can Win It All: The Jayhawks have plenty of talent this year, so what’s new? Josh Selby is the freshman to look out for in the backcourt, although Selby still isn’t cleared to play yet. A lot will be expected of the Morris boys who will have to step up into the considerable leadership void. Truth be told, there are more reasons to say no than yes with this team.
Why They Won’t Win It All: As much talent as this team will feature they’ve lost a ton from last year’s loaded squad. No more Cole Aldrich or Sherron Collins. Forty-nine percent of its scoring from last year is gone and that’s a lot of overcome. Also there’s the track record. Why does Kansas perpetually underachieve?

Baylor
10-11 Odds: 18-1
Last Year: Elite Eight (28-8)
Key Returnees: LaceDarius Dunn, Anthony Jones, Quincy Acy
Why They Can Win It All: The Bears might have the best shooting guard in the country in Dunn. And the rest of the Bears are pretty good as well, including forwards Acy and Jones. Unfortunately, Dunn’s status with the team is still undetermined. With an early fall domestic abuse incident, Dunn is cleared to practice but suspended from competition indefinitely.
Why They Won’t Win It All: Three starters are gone from last year’s squad, including big man Ekpe Udoh and the valuable Tweety Carter. Point guard will be a question mark and how will the Bears deal with the added weight of big expectations? Baylor had a season for the ages under Scott Drew last season. Equaling that same success is going a tough, tough job. It’ll be impossible if Dunn misses significant time.

Other Notables With Long Odds: Butler (28-1), BYU (50-1), Connecticut (50-1), Florida (20-1), Florida State (60-1), Georgetown (22-1), Gonzaga (50-1), Illinois (22-1), Louisville (20-1), Missouri (48-1), Ohio State (25-1), Syracuse (28-1), Washington (55-1), West Virginia (55-1)

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 – the final one of the regular season.

1. Kansas (29-2, 15-1 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 2
Last Week: Defeated No. 5 Kansas State, @ Missouri
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Jayhawks return to their rightful place as the nation’s top team.

2. Kentucky (29-2, 14-2 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 3
Last Week: Defeated @ Georgia Florida
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Wildcats will be the No. 1 seed in the South Region when the brackets are released next Sunday.

3. Syracuse (28-3, 15-3 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 1
Last Week: Defeated St. John’s, Lost @ Louisville
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Short stay for the Orange atop the rankings. Still like them to get to Indy for the Final Four but they’re not the best team in America.

4. Duke (26-5, 15-3 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 4
Last Week: Lost to No. 22 Maryland, Defeated North Carolina
This Week: ACC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Duke earned a share of its 12th ACC regular season title after it handed the Tar Heels their worst loss in Durham in the storied rivalry’s history.

5. West Virginia (24-6, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated No. 19 Georgetown, @ No. 8 Villanova
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Mountaineers have picked up some impressive wins down the stretch. Still think their guard play is a little suspect, but I think they’re an Elite Eight team.

6. Kansas State (24-6, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 5
Last Week: Lost @ No. 2 Kansas, Defeated Iowa State
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Wildcats may have blown their chance at securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but expect them to make a big run in the dance. Some think they’re overrated. I’m not one of them.

7. Ohio State (24-7, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 6
Last Week: Defeated Illinois
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Nice to see that everyone pretty much has Evan Turner as their player of the year. No one has been more valuable to their team.

8. Villanova (24-6, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 8
Last Week: Defeated @ Cincinnati, Lost to No. 10 West Virginia
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Wildcats aren’t exactly generating a lot of buzz entering the postseason. But I guarantee no one wants to play them.

9. Michigan State (24-7, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 11
Last Week: Defeated Penn State, Michigan
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Spartans earned a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State and Purdue with a drubbing of the Wolverines Sunday. Still don’t like the way Michigan State is playing as they head into postseason play. But don’t count out Kalin Lucas and Tom Izzo.

10. New Mexico (28-3, 14-2 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 10
Last Week: Defeated TCU
This Week: MWC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
The Lobos as a No. 2 seed in the tournament? Looks like it’s going to happen.

11. Purdue (26-4, 14-4 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 7
Last Week: Defeated Indiana, @ Penn State
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No.2  seed)
Boilermakers did alright in their first full week without Robbie Hummel. But then again look who they played.

12. Vanderbilt (23-7, 13-4 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 13
Last Week: Defeated @ Florida, Lost to South Carolina
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
The drop off after the first seven or eight teams is pretty steep. No way a team of Vanderbilt’s caliber should be this high but it’s just one of those years…

13. Pittsburgh (24-7, 13-5 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 17
Last Week: Defeated Providence, Rutgers
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 2 seed)
If Jim Boeheim wasn’t having the kind of season he and the Orange are having, Jamie Dixon would be a lock to pick up Big East Coach of the Year honors.

14. Gonzaga (26-5, 13-2 WCC)
Pvs. AP: 18
Last Week: Defeated CSU-Bakersfield, Loyola Marymount
This Week: WCC Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Bulldogs look on their way to adding yet another WCC Tournament title to the mantle.

15. Tennessee (23-7, 11-5 SEC)
Pvs. AP: 16
Last Week: Defeated Arkansas, Lost @ Mississippi State
This Week: SEC Tournament (No. 5 seed)
Tough to figure out the Vols. One week they’re knocking off Kentucky the next week losing badly to a bubble team. They’re not going anywhere in the tournament.

16. Wisconsin (23-7, 13-5 Big Ten)
Pvs. AP: 15
Last Week: Defeated Iowa, @ Illinois
This Week: Big Ten Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Badgers will be very familiar with their first round opponent in the Big Ten tourney having just played them Sunday.

17. BYU (28-4, 13-3 MWC)
Pvs. AP: 14
Last Week: Defeated @ Utah, @ TCU
This Week: MWC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Cougars fans are a little worried about Jimmer Fredette after the PG has scored just 32 in his last three games, well off his average.

18. Butler (27-4, 18-0 Horizon)
Pvs. AP: 12
Last Week: Defeated Wisconsin-Milwaukee
This Week: Wright State (Horizon Tournament Championship Game)
Many eyes will be on Tuesday’s game. Horizon is a one-bid league so if the Bulldogs lose that means an an at-large invitation will be off the board.

19. Maryland (23-7, 13-3 ACC)
Pvs. AP: 22
Last Week: Defeated No. 4 Duke, @ Virginia
This Week: ACC Tournament (No. 2 seed)
Terps got a little revenge against the Blue Devils at home Wednesday and look forward to round No. 3 with their hated rivals in the conference championship game.

20. Baylor (24-6, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 21
Last Week: Defeated @ Texas Tech, Texas
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 3 seed)
Bears have quietly had a very good season. I guarantee you no one had Baylor pegged as the league’s third best team when the year started. In fact, the media picked them to finish 10th. Scott Drew’s doing quite a job in Waco.

21. Temple (26-5, 14-2 A-10)
Pvs. AP: 20
Last Week: Defeated @ Saint Louis, George Washington
This Week: A-10 Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Anyone else rooting for a Temple-Xavier showdown in the A-10 championship game?

22. UTEP (24-5, 14-1 C-USA)
Pvs. AP: 24
Last Week: Defeated @ Marshall, UAB
This Week: C-USA Tournament (No. 1 seed)
Miners wrapped up the C-USA regular season crown with two good wins, especially the one on the road against Marshall.

23. Georgetown (20-9, 10-8 Big East)
Pvs. AP: 19
Last Week: Lost @ No. 10 West Virginia, Defeated Cincinnati
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 8 seed)
Sad news about Austin Freeman but hopefully the diagnosis will help him feel better and in turn get the Hoyas playing better basketball. Team is capable of making a big tournament run.

24. Texas A&M (22-8, 11-5 Big 12)
Pvs. AP: 23
Last Week: Defeated Oklahoma State, @ Oklahoma
This Week: Big 12 Tournament (No. 4 seed)
Not expecting much out of the Aggies when the tournament rolls around but they’ll be a tough out.

25. Notre Dame (21-10, 10-8 Big East)
Pvs. AP: NR
Last Week: Defeated Connecticut, @ Marquette (OT)
This Week: Big East Tournament (No. 7 seed)
Don’t know how the Irish are doing it without Luke Harangody (who just returned from a five game absence) but they’re beating everyone right now and should be heading to the NCAA Tournament.

Others Who Just Missed The Cut (And In No Particular Order): Marquette, Mississippi State, Louisville, Xavier

It’s the last weekend of the regular season for the big conferences and Selection Sunday is just a week away. A few league titles are up for grabs and of course there will surely be plenty of bubble bursting action.

Saturday

No. 10 West Virginia at No. 9 Villanova
KenPom: Villanova -2
TV: CBS, 12 pm
Does Villanova has a shot at a No. 1 seed? Absolutely. And a season sweep of the Mountaineers would do wonders if the Wildcats are that hellbent on securing one of the NCAA Tournament’s top seeds. Nothing is really at stake in this one other than the Wildcats’ seeding. Both teams have double byes in next week’s Big East Tournament. Whoever wins the battle of the boards takes this one.

No. 22 Maryland at Virginia
KenPom: Maryland -7
TV: Raycom, 1:30 pm
Terps are coming off the big win against Duke and need a win over the Cavs to at least earn a share of the ACC title. No reason they shouldn’t get it against a Virginia team that hopes to make the NIT.

No. 2 Kansas at Missouri
KenPom: Kansas -2
TV: CBS, 2 pm
Kansas will look to cement its status as the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament before it heads into the Big 12 Tournament. But in order to do that they’re going to have to beat hated-rival Missouri and do so in Columbia, which is no easy task.

No. 1 Syracuse at Louisville
KenPom: Syracuse -4
TV: ESPN, 2 pm
Louisville has in all likelihood wrapped up an NCAA Tournament bid but if they want to improve their seeding knocking off the nation’s top team would be a big help. Freedom Hall will host its final regular season game that will be sure to feature plenty of flashbacks and reminiscing. The place has a ton of history and deserves to go out in style. Remember that Louisville kicked off its push toward the dance with a win in Syracuse, but the Orange are looking to go undefeated on the road. Yes, you read that correctly.

Notre Dame at Marquette
KenPom: Marquette -8
TV: ESPN Full Court, 2 pm
Two NCAA Tournament teams here and that’s saying something because a few weeks ago both of these teams were fighting for their bubble lives. But since they’ve reeled off big win after big win coming down the stretch both will be dancing in two weeks. Marquette has won nine of its last 10 while Notre Dame comes in on a three-game winning streak. Expect Notre Dame big man Luke Harangody to miss another game.

No. 18 Tennessee at Mississippi State
KenPom: Mississippi State -3
TV: ESPN, 6 pm
The Bulldogs are on the outside looking in of the NCAA Tournament. A win over the Vols would do wonders for their chances. Probably wouldn’t cement an at-large bid but no matter what bracketologists across the country are saying about Mississippi State, this is an absolute must-win for the Bulldogs.

North Carolina at No. 4 Duke
KenPom: Duke -18
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
You know the situation. If Maryland beats UVa., then the onus is on Duke to take care of its arch-rival to earn a share of the ACC title. I doubt the Blue Devils are going to have much trouble with the Tar Heels. Just a hunch.

Bubble Busting Specials: Connecticut at USF, Saint Louis at Dayton, UAB at No. 24 UTEP

Others To Keep An Eye On: George Washington at No. 20 Temple, No. 7 Purdue at Penn State, Texas at No. 21 Baylor, St. Bonaventure at Xavier, Iowa State at No. 5 Kansas State, No. 14 BYU at TCU, Cal at Stanford

Sunday

Florida at No. 3 Kentucky
KenPom: Kentucky -11
TV: CBS, 12 pm
Florida’s bubble could officially burst – baring a huge run in the SEC Tournament – if they can’t win at Rupp. And we all know the chances of that happening are slim to almost none. So the Gators are seriously looking at a third straight NIT if something miraculous doesn’t happen on the road. Wonder how serious John Calipari will take this game considering the Wildcats have already locked down the SEC regular season title?

No. 15 Wisconsin at Illinois
KenPom: Wisconsin -4
TV: ESPN, 2 pm
This is an absolute must for the Illini. For the most part, all the prognosticators have Illinois out of the tournament. Opportunity is knocking at the door. Will the Illini answer?

Michigan at No. 11 Michigan State
KenPom: Michigan State -8
TV: CBS, 4 pm
The Spartans must take down their in-state rival to earn a share of the Big Ten title with Ohio State. Michigan State just barely survived a close one with Penn State Thursday and the “struggles” at home continued. The Spartans are usually a very good home team but they narrowly avoided losing a third straight at the Breslin Center. Something seems to be off with the Spartans and I can’t quite put my finger on it. They need to turn it on ASAP.

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

Last Night’s Action

No. 13 Vanderbilt 64, Florida 60
Vandy kept alive its hopes of an SEC regular season title by earning its first victory in Gainesville in its last nine tries Tuesday. But on the other end of the spectrum, the Commodores handed Florida a crucial loss in their drive to the field of 65. Vandy gave itself the chance to steal the conference crown if Kentucky loses its final two games and while that’s not likely, Florida missing the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year is certainly possible. The Gators, unless they can knock off the Wildcats this weekend in Lexington, might be a little on the anxious side when Selection Sunday finally arrives in a week and a half.

No. 6 Ohio State 73, Illinois 57
The Buckeyes clinched at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament next week with a convincing win over the Illini in Columbus. In their regular season finale, the Buckeyes capped quite the turnaround after a 1-3 start in the league, winning 13 of their last 14 games. Illinois, on the other hand, has picked a bad time to start losing and the Illini are going to sweat out Selection Sunday. A matchup with Wisconsin this weekend to close out the regular season could be their last chance to improve a shaky resume.

No. 9 Villanova 77, Cincinnati 73
Put a fork in Cincinnati’s NCAA Tournament hopes because they’re done after the Bearcats couldn’t knock off the Wildcats at home. Scottie Reynolds scored all 17 of his points in the second half and helped stake Villanova to a 16 point lead before things got closer than head coach Jay Wright would have liked. Unless Cincinnati can rip off an improbable run in next week’s Big East Tournament the Bearcats are looking at the NIT.

Links

Syracuse cruised past St. John’s in its first game as No. 1. [Syracuse Post-Standard]

UTEP clinched the C-USA regular season title by beating Marshall on the road. [El Paso Times]

Minnesota needed a win over Michigan Tuesday and the Gophers played like a bunch of dogs against a dead Wolverines team. No NCAA Tournament for Minnesota. [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]

Pat Forde, in his latest Forde Minutes, highlights the nation’s best venues. [ESPN.com]

Purdue’s E’Twaun Moore and JaJaun Johnson are planning on coming back to Purdue next season. Good news for Boilermakers fans. [Indianapolis Star]

Vegas Watch ran an NCAA Tournament simulation and the favorite to win it all is…Duke. [Vegas Watch]

This probably means Craig Robinson won’t be the next head coach at DePaul. [The Sporting News]

Stewart Mandel tackles NCAA Tournament expansion which seems – unfortunately – more and more inevitable. There are not enough words in the English language to properly convey my disgust for the most hyper-sensitive, insanely needling, controlling and hypocritical organization in the U.S. But I just gave you five to start. [SI.com]

Tonight’s Must See Game

Connecticut at Notre Dame
Line: Notre Dame -2
KenPom: Notre Dame -2
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
Simply put, it’s a Big East bubble game. A must win for both teams, and probably more so for UConn after their home loss to Louisville Sunday. The Irish are one of the hottest teams in the conference, having ripped off recent wins over Pittsburgh and Georgetown, all without leading scorer Luke Harangody. The Irish big man will likely miss Wednesday’s game, his fifth straight, but that hasn’t stopped Notre Dame from making a late season surge toward the NCAA Tournament. If UConn wants to continue their push taking care of the ball will be paramount. Another 22 turnover performance will send them to the NIT.

No. 5 Kansas State at No. 2 Kansas
Line: Kansas -9.5
KenPom: Kansas -7
TV: ESPN Full Court, 8 pm
One of the biggest games of the season is not on national TV – which is unfathomable – so you better have access to ESPN Full Court or some other means of watching this game because this will have big implications on the national picture. Kansas State is playing for that final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and probably needs this win to secure that. Kansas is still considered to be the No. 1 overall seed by tournament prognosticators, but might that status change with a second straight loss? It’s a shame a national audience won’t see this one considering how good of a game these two gave us in their first meeting.

No. 4 Duke at Maryland
Line: Duke -1.5
KenPom: Duke -3
TV: ESPN, 9pm
Duke can wrap up the regular season ACC title or make the weekend much more interesting when they visit College Park. Maryland sits one game behind the Blue Devils in the conference standings with two games to go. So it’s all out there for the Terps. Win and tie the Blue Devils. Lose and settle for second. Also at stake? ACC Player of the Year consideration. It’s a two-man race between Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Maryland Greivis Vasquez. And many – including one ACC coach – believe it should be Vasquez

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 2 Kentucky at Georgia, TCU at No. 8 New Mexico, No. 14 BYU at Utah, No. 20 Temple at Saint Louis

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

No. 10 West Virginia 81, No. 19 Georgetown 68
Georgetown continued to limp toward the finish line as the Mountaineers routed the Hoyas in Morgantown. Georgetown was certainly hurt without the services of Austin Freeman, who sat out due to an illness, dropping its fourth game in five tries. West Virginia led by as many as 27 points in the second half, forced 20 Georgetown turnovers and knocked down 13 more free throws than the Hoyas. The final score doesn’t really indicate how badly the Hoyas were beaten. West Virginia, on senior night, clinched a coveted double bye in the Big East Tournament next week.

Links

Syracuse, predictably, catapulted up to No. 1 Monday afternoon. [Syracuse Post-Standard]

I wasn’t the only one who thought Kansas should have stayed at No. 1. Plenty of others agreed. [FoxSports.com, CBSSports.com & SBNation]

New bracket projections, two feature Connecticut in the field: Bracketology [ESPN.com] | Bracketology 101 [FoxSports.com] | Jerry Palm [CBSSports.com]

Seth Davis gets the lowdown on some of the nation’s best team, like Kansas, Kansas State and New Mexico. [SI.com]

Luke Harangody might be done for the year. But without their best player, Notre Dame has been playing its best basketball of the season. Go figure. [Chicago Tribune]

And the reasons why Rutgers to the Big Ten makes the most sense. [Chicago Tribune]

The MWC slapped New Mexico coach Steve Alford on his hand after things got a little heated in the post-game handshake line Saturday. [USA Today]

We know Kentuckians like their whiskey. The question is does John Calipari? [Louisville Courier-Journal]

Are officials overworked? Of course. [CollegeHoops.net]

Tonight’s Must See Games

St. John’s at No. 1 Syracuse
Line: Syracuse -14
KenPom: Syracuse -16
TV: ESPN Full Court, 7 pm
The Carrier Dome won’t be holding 36,000 like it did Saturday, but it’s going to be loud as the Syracuse faithful close another successful regular season. Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku will get a special send-off on senior night as Syracuse will play its first game as the nation’s No. 1 in 20 years, becoming just the sixth team in the history of the polls to ascend to the top spot after starting the year unranked. Other than that sidebar, there’s not much to this game. Syracuse has already wrapped up the top spot in the Big East Tournament.

No. 9 Villanova at Cincinnati
Line: Villanova -3.5
KenPom: Villanova -4
TV: ESPN Full Court, 7 pm
Cincinnati still has an outside shot at making the tournament but this game is a an absolute must for the Bearcats. Villanova is not the same team that was rolling through the Big East a few weeks ago and the Wildcats enter this one on a two-game road losing streak. The culprit? Getting badly out-rebounded – something the Wildcats can’t really overcome because of a lack of size – and not knocking down their free throws.

No. 13 Vanderbilt at Florida
Line: Florida -3
KenPom: Florida -2
TV: ESPN, 7 pm
Gators get another chance to add a big win to their NCAA Tournament resume and they better do it Tuesday night because a trip to Rupp Arena awaits this weekend when the regular season concludes. Projections have the Gators in the field of 65 but they don’t want to leave it to chance. Vanderbilt hasn’t won in Gainesville in nine years as they look to clinch a bye in next week’s SEC Tournament. The top two teams in the league’s two divisions get a breather on the tournament’s first day.

Illinois at No. 6 Ohio State
Line: Ohio State -9.5
KenPom: Ohio State -10
TV: ESPN, 9 pm
This is Ohio State’s final game of the regular season and if the Buckeyes want to earn a share of the Big Ten title they’ll need to take care of the Illini at home. Also at stake for the Buckeyes is the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament next week. Illinois, meanwhile, could be fighting for its at-large life. The Illini have not exactly impressed down the stretch having lost three of their last four.

Louisville at Marquette
Line: Marquette -1.5
KenPom: Marquette -5
TV: ESPNU, 9:30 pm
Two teams that were bubble material a few weeks ago seem securely in the tournament after recent surges. But a win for either certainly wouldn’t hurt. Can Marquette avoid its fourth straight overtime game?

Others To Keep An Eye On: No. 21 Baylor at Texas Tech, No. 24 UTEP at Marshall