Wednesday's Pregame Beat: Can UConn turn it around?

7:00 pm: UConn @ No. 14 Georgetown: What is going on with the Huskies this season? They cannot seem to figure out a way to utilize the talent that's on their roster. There are a number of theories as to what the specific issue is, but it doesn't help when you don't have an emotional leader on your roster and your point guards are incapable of running an offense. Things that won't help UConn: Georgetown has been effective playing a zone this season.
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Tuesday's Pregame Beat: Illinois and Seton Hall play must-win games

7:00 pm: No. 10 Michigan State @ Illinois: After winning their first 10 games of the season, the Illini have hit a rough patch. They've lost six of the last 11 games, including three in a row in league play to drop to 4-4. Illinois also has one of the toughest schedules down the stretch of the season. Of their last ten games, six of them come against ranked teams, four of which are on the road. That puts a tremendous amount importance on these home games.
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Monday's Pregame Beat: The Backyard Brawl gets added meaning

9:00 pm: No. 4 Missouri @ Texas: Missouri bounced back from a bad loss at Oklahoma State by knocking off Texas Tech over the weekend, but that doesn't mean that the result didn't resonate. Look, road losses are going to happen in the power conference, the issue is the way that teams responded to them. Texas is not a bad basketball team. They have a star in J'Covan Brown and enough perimeter talent that they will be able to matchup with the Tiger's four guard sets. Missouri is currently sitting in second place in the Big 12, tied with Baylor one game behind Kansas.
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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your College Hoops Weekend

Game of the weekend: Sat. 2:30 pm: No. 22 Texas A&M @ No. 13 Florida

This is the one and only game this weekend between ranked teams, and there is good reason to be excited about it as it presents an interesting battle of strengths. Texas A&M really struggled offensively without Khris Middleton in the lineup. Middleton is back in the lineup now, and while he is a guy capable of scoring off the dribble, he's not a big-time slasher or creator. He thrives as a mid-range scorer and saw his production drop-off last season when Big 12 play came around.

Florida, on the other hand, is a powerhouse offensively. Thanks to their terrific three-point shooting and the emergence of Patric Young in the paint. While they have their struggles on the defensive end of the floor, the Gators are the most efficient offensive team in the country.

Where Texas A&M's strength lies is in their defense. More specifically, in their perimeter defense. Its not because they are a great rebounding team or force a ton of turnovers, its because they simply do not allow you to get good looks from the field, particularly from three; only Virginia Tech and Alabama State force opponents into shooting a worse percentage from beyond the arc.

So what wins out? Texas A&M's defense or Florida's shooters?


Seven more games to keep an eye on

Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 7 Baylor @ BYU: The Bears are a frustrating team to watch. And its not because they are playing poorly; its because they haven't played anyone yet. Their schedule is 341st in the country to date. Baylor has enough talent to make the Final Four this season, but we thought the same thing about this team last year. The pieces never came together. BYU may not be the same team that they were with Jimmer and Jackson Emery, but they will undoubtedly be the best team that the Bears have faced to date. Let's see how they fair.

Sat. 2:30 pm: Temple @ Texas: Before the season started, Temple was thought to be the favorite to unseat Xavier from the top of the Atlantic 10. That sentiment may still be true, but with Michael Eric sidelined, the Owls are simply not the same team. They do have a ton of talent on their perimeter, however, and the same can be said for Texas. There may not be a lot of posting up in this game, but seeing these two perimeter attacks go back and forth will be worth the price of admission.

Sat. 4:00 pm: Memphis @ No. 4 Louisville: Two old rivals take the court as the Tigers and the Cardinals meet up in Louisville. The intrigue in this game lies solely in the Tigers. This Memphis team was thought by many to be a Final Four contender heading into the season, and that sentiment hasn't exactly changed as much as it has been put on hold. For all the talent on their roster, Memphis simply has not been able to perform up to expectations. The key may lie in their effort, or lack thereof, on a nightly basis. Louisville is a stout defensive team that should give the Tigers fits, but the Cardinals have had issues scoring the ball all season long.

Sat. 4:00 pm: Arizona @ Gonzaga: Coming into the year, the sentiment was that these were the best two teams on the west coast. And while that still may end up being true once the season ends, the flaws in both of these teams have been exposed early in the season. Arizona lacks interior depth and playmaking guards that can stay on the court (ahem, Josiah Turner). Gonzaga's issues lie in the inconsistency in their talented front court -- specifically Elias Harris -- and the inability of their back court to defend playmakers.

Sat. 5:00 pm: UNLV @ No. 19 Illinois: Illinois is a bit of a question mark at this point in the season. The Illini have made it through the first month of the season with an unblemished record, but they have yet to truly prove themselves. They have some unimpressive wins over uninspiring teams. UNLV, on the other hand, seemingly proved themselves with a win over North Carolina over Thanksgiving weekend, but since then the Rebels have struggled, getting taken to double overtime by UC-Santa Barbara and losing to both Wichita State and Wisconsin in a lackluster fashion. We should learn a lot about both teams in this game.

Sat. 8:00 pm: Villanova @ St. Joe's: When we talk about heated rivalries, Villanova and St. Joe's rarely gets mentioned. But The Holy War is widely considered the most intense rivalry in the Big 5. The game has lost some of its luster over the last two years due to the struggles of St. Joe's, but with the Hawks returning to relevancy and Villanova struggling, we're looking at what should be a heckuva battle. Believe it or not, St. Joe's may actually have a better perimeter attack than the Wildcats this year.

Sat. 10:00 pm: Kansas State @ No. 21 Alabama: If you like defense and gritty, gutty basketball, this game is perfect for you. We all know about the kind of team that the Wildcats field under Frank Martin -- physical, aggressive, defensive-minded, voracious rebounders. Alabama is similar. They can lock-down defensively as well as anyone in the country, but they struggle to score the ball. Those struggles won't get any easier against Frank Martin's team.


Who's getting upset?: Fri. 10:30 pm: Weber State @ Cal

Cal may actually be the best team in the Pac-12, which isn't exactly saying much, but with Jorge Gutierrez, Allen Crabbe and Harper Kamp on the roster, the Bears have enough talent to be an NCAA Tournament team. But don't sleep on Weber State. Damian Lillard is leading the country at 26.9 ppg, capable of putting up some impressive scoring displays -- he had 41 points in a win over San Jose State and went for 36 (including 21 straight in the second half) at St. Mary's. Throw in players like Scott Bamforth, Kyle Tresnak and Kyle Bullinger, and the Wildcats have enough to knock off the Bears.


Five more teams on upset watch

Fri. 10:30 pm: UC-Santa Barbara @ Washington: Once again, Washington has been an enigma this season. They have plenty of talent on their roster -- enough that they lost by a combined eight points to both Marquette and Duke in NYC -- but they've also lost to the likes of Nevada and St. Louis this year. UCSB, on the other hand, has one of the best players in the country that you've never heard of in Orlando Johnson. With James Nunnally also on the roster, the Gauchos are one of the best mid-major teams in the country.

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 16 Mississippi State @ Detroit: Mississippi State has a shot to be one of the better teams in the SEC this season, but Detroit actually matches up with them fairly well. Ray McCallum is a talented lead guard, and while he isn't the same player as Dee Bost, there is a reason that so many high-major programs were disappointed when he opted for the Titans. Eli Holman is a good enough big man that he should be able to hand with rnett Moultrie on the block. Throw is leading scorer Chase Simon and the location of this game -- Dickie V Court -- and the Bulldogs better show up ready to play.

Sat. 2:00 pm: Central Connecticut State @ Northwestern: Normally, it would be a concern if a team was getting just 4.6 ppg out of their fourth-leading scorer. Not with CCSU, however. The Blue Devils have three players averaging more than 19.3 ppg, which should be enough to give Northwestern issues. The Wildcats are 8-1 on the year, but that one loss was a dismantling at home at the hands of Baylor.

Sat. 4:30 pm: Ole Miss @ Southern Miss: The Rebels are an interesting team this season. They are 9-1 on the season and they've put together a couple of decent wins this season, but in their one true test they were beaten by 30 by Marquette. Southern Miss lost a lot to graduation last year, but they've bounced back nicely this season, putting together a couple of wins against decent opponents en route to a 7-2 record early in the year. More than anything, this game is a chance for us to see if either of these two teams are for real.

Sat. 5:30 pm: Indiana State @ No. 25 Vanderbilt: We all know about the issues that Vanderbilt has had early in the season. They have questionable decision-makers in their back court and they struggle to defend. The good news, however, is that Festus Ezeli is back in the lineup for the 'Dores. Ezeli will be a problem for Indiana State in the paint, but the Sycamores have more talent than you may think coming from a team that doesn't look like it will crack the top three in the MVC. At the very least, this game is worth tuning in for to see Jake Odum play.


Mid-major matchups of the weekend: Sun. 1:00 pm: Oral Roberts @ No. 9 Xavier

I know, I know. Its blasphemy saying that Xavier is a mid-major team. But I wanted to write about this game, and its the only place that fit. Oral Roberts is quality Summit League team led by a veteran front court, one good enough to give Gonzaga a fight in Spokane on Thursday night. Xavier will be heading into this game short-handed, as Tu Holloway, Mark Lyons and Dez Wells will all begin their suspensions stemming from the brawl last weekend.


Five more mid-major matchups to watch

Sat. 1:00 pm: Iona @ Vermont: Iona is one of the most entertaining teams in the country to watch, regardless of conference affiliation. With Scott Machado, Michael Glover and Momo Jones on their roster, it should be no surprise that this team has been able to pull-off a couple of impressive wins early in the season. But the Catamounts are a tough team to beat at home.

Sat. 5:00 pm: Old Dominion @ Central Florida: Old Dominion is clearly not the same team that they were last season, although that isn't exactly unexpected given the amount of talent that graduated from Blaine Taylor's roster. Central Florida, on the other hand, is fairly loaded and already has a win over UConn on their resume.

Sat. 6:30 pm: Boise State @ Denver: This will be one of the more interesting games to keep an eye on this weekend. Both Boise and Denver managed to put together some solid wins early in the season despite not having overwhelming expectations coming into the season. The Broncos match-up well with the Pioneers, who run a Princeton-style offense that loves to control the tempo.

Sat. 7:00 pm: Richmond @ Bucknell: Its never easy to replace players of the caliber of Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper, particularly if you are a program like Richmond. Coming off of a fairly solid beat down at the hands of Iona in their own building, the Spiders must head to Bucknell, the Patriot League favorite.

Sat. 8:00 pm: Oakland @ Valpo: Oakland's Reggie Hamilton is one of the single-most entertaining players in the country to watch, and this season his Grizzly team has managed to regroup despite losing Keith Benson to graduation. But Valpo looks like they will be a contender in the Horizon this season, coming into this game with a 7-3 record.


The rest of the top 25:

Sat. 6:30 pm: No. 1 Syracuse @ NC State: In their first game with the No. 1 ranking in the country, the Orange leave New York for a non-conference game for the first time three years. NC State is a bit of a sleeper in the ACC this year, but they'll need big games out of CJ Leslie, Lorenzo Brown and Scott Wood to handle the Orange.

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 2 Ohio State @ South Carolina: Bruce Ellington is finally back in the lineup for South Carolina. But Jared Sullinger has returned for the Buckeyes as well. I think the latter will be more important.

Sat. 8:00 pm: Chattanooga @ No. 3 Kentucky: After watching Terrence Jones sulk his way through a loss at Indiana, I am certainly not the only person that has stated concerns for what kind of player he is going to end up being. Its not so much that he had an off-night shooting the ball, its that he had an off-night effort-wise. That cannot happen. Let's see how he bounces back.

Sat. 6:00 pm: Appalachian State @ No. 6 UNC: Kendall Marshall is an exquisite passer, but I think that his ability to get Harrison Barnes open looks from the perimeter has helped fuel the theory that Barnes is nothing but a streaky jump-shooter.

Sun. 3:00 pm: William & Mary @ No. 8 Missouri: When you are going up against a team that has been absolutely lethal using a four-guard lineup, its not necessarily a good thing to be a team that puts a four-guard lineup on the floor.

Sun. 1:00 pm: Holy Cross @ No. 10 UConn: I can't be the only one waiting to see if Alex Oriakhi can break out of the season-long struggles he's had.

Sat. 4:00 pm: Northern Colorado @ No. 11 Marquette: Chris Otule's knee injury looks like it will keep him out of the lineup for a while. Will that affect the Eagles?

Sat. 6:00 pm: South Carolina State @ No. 14 Pitt: It will be really interesting to see if Khem Birch is on the court -- or even on the roster -- when this game is played.

Sat. 12:00 pm: American @ No. 17 Georgetown: Its impossible to overstate how much Henry Sims has improved this season. He's been one of the best big men in the Big East and a perfect fit for John Thompson III's offense.

Sat. 12:00 pm: Alabama A&M @ No. 18 Michigan: Michigan deserves much of the credit, along with Indiana, for being the reason that everyone is talking about how good the Big Ten is this season.

Sat. 7:00 pm: Bowling Green @ No. 23 Michigan State: The Spartans have made their way back into the top 25 this season. College hoops is better when Tom Izzo's team matters.

Sat. 8:05 pm: Houston Baptist @ No. 24 Creighton: How will the Bluejays bounce back from a loss to St. Joe's?


Other notable games:

Saturday:

- 12:00 pm: Florida Atlantic @ Miami FL
- 2:00 pm: Texas A&M-CC @ West Virginia
- 2:00 pm: Radford @ Cincinnati
- 2:00 pm: Butler @ Purdue
- 2:30 pm: Fordham @ St. John's
- 3:00 pm: UC-Davis @ UCLA
- 4:00 pm: Campbell @ Virgnia Tech
- 5:30 pm: Notre Dame @ No. 20 Indiana
- 8:00 pm: Arkansas State @ Murray State
- 8:00 pm: San Diego @ Stanford
- 8:00 pm: Alabama State @ St. Louis
- 8:00 pm: Houston @ Oklahoma
- 10:30 pm: New Mexico @ Oklahoma State

Sunday:

- 12:00 pm: Mercer @ Seton Hall
- 2:30 pm: Loyola MD @ St. Bonaventure
- 3:00 pm: South Dakota State @ Washington
- 3:00 pm: Loyola Marymount @ Florida State
- 5:30 pm: Virginia @ Oregon
- 10:00 pm: Portland State @ Oregon State
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Wednesday's Pregame Beat: Another slow night

Game of the night: 7:00 pm : Cincinnati @ Wright State

Ok, yes. I know. Even with Yancy Gates, Cheikh Mbodj and Ge'Lawn Guyn available to Mick Cronin, this isn't exactly the most exciting game. But with those three being suspended on the heels of a brawl the Bearcats had with Xavier on Saturday, a whole new level of intrigue is added to this game. Like, for example, how this group reacts to the fight. Or how they look without those three players on their roster.

Its no secret that something has to change for this Cincinnati team. Even before the fight, this group was playing well below their expectations. they lost at home to Presbyterian. They lost at Marshall. They were whooped by 23 at Xavier. Cincinnati was supposed to be a contender for the top four in the Big East. Yancy Gates was supposed to be one of the best big men in the Big East. Sean Kilpatrick was supposed to spark change in the Bearcats, not lay the kindling that sparked a brawl.

At this point, Mick Cronin undoubtedly wishes that he was playing xbox and he could just hit the reset button on this season. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Will this brawl be where the Bearcat's season turns-around or collapses?


Who's getting upset?: Tennessee

At this point, can we even call this an upset? Charleston beat the Vols last season. Tennessee is coming off of a home loss to an Austin Peay team that had never won in Knoxville and had just a single win on the season coming in. Charleston, on the other hand, is 7-1 on the season, has won at Clemson and beat a good UNC-Asheville team. The Cougars have done an admirable job replacing Andrew Goudelock. Trent Wiedeman and Adjehi Baru are big and talented up front, Andrew Lawrence has turned into a dynamic play maker and Antwaine Wiggins can flat out score the ball. Plus, Charleston is at home. Maybe we should say Tennessee has a shot at pulling the upset?


Mid-major matchup of the night: Long Island @ Norfolk State

This isn't the same kind of matchup as we had last night with Belmont and Middle Tennessee State. LIU and NSU aren't going to be in contention for an at-large bid come March. But what they do have are two of the best mid-major big men in the country. Norfolk State's Kyle O'Quinn has put up some impressive numbers in his career, but LIU's Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere are going to be difficult to matchup with.


The rest of the top 25:

7:30 pm: USC-Upstate @ No. 2 Ohio State: The only thing we will be looking for out of this game is whether or not Jared Sullinger actually plays.

8:00 pm: Bethune-Cookman @ No. 7 Baylor: Baylor has been terrific since they got Perry Jones back. That shouldn't change against a school like Bethune-Cookman.


Other notable games:

- 7:00 pm: Louisiana-Lafayette @ Ole Miss
- 7:30 pm: FIU @ Maryland
- 8:05 pm: Chicago State @ Wichita State
- 9:00 pm: DePaul @ Northern Illinois
- 9:05 pm: Denver @ Northern Colorado
- 10:00 pm: UTEP @ UNLV
- 10:00 pm; Eastern Washington @ UCLA
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Tuesday's Pregame Beat: Belmont and Middle Tennessee State highlight a slow night

Game of the night: 8:00 pm: No. 15 Wisconsin @ Milwaukee

The Badgers bounced back from a pair of losses to Marquette and North Carolina by beating both Green Bay and UNLV at home. They were impressive performances that were much needed after there were many questions raised about the legitimacy of this Wisconsin team. While Ben Brust and Jared Berggren have started to play a bit better, Jordan Taylor still isn't scoring the way that he did last season. Was he really just a fluke in 2010-2011? Milwaukee is a tough team. They got drubbed by Northern Iowa on the road, but that came one game after the Panthers smacked DePaul at DePaul.

Who's getting upset?: Villanova Wildcats

This is not the same Villanova team that we have come to expect out of Jay Wright's program. They are young, they are inconsistent and they don't have the kind of dominant guards that Villanova is known for producing. I like Maalik Wayns and Mouphtaou Yarou, but I think they are better served as role players than as feature stars. BU may have the most improved player in the country in Darryl Partin. The La Salle transfer has bumped his scoring from 14.3 ppg last season to 22.7 ppg this year. If he gets hot, BU has a chance.

Mid-major matchup of the night: 8:00 pm: Middle Tennessee State @ Belmont

We all know about how good Belmont is this season, but MTSU is pretty good in their own right. Sitting at 9-2 on the year, the Blue Raiders have wins at Loyola Marymount and UCLA as well as knocking off Akron. One of those losses came at UAB. The other? A double overtime loss at home to Belmont earlier this year. Will we get another classic tonight?

Other notable games:

- 9:00 pm: Florida Atlantic @ No. 16 Mississippi State
- 7:00 pm: Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ No. 18 Michigan
- 7:00 pm: Drexel @ Niagara
- 7:00 pm: NC A&T @ UCF
- 7:00 pm: Presbyterian @ South Carolina
- 8:00 pm: Nicholls State @ Texas
- 9:00 pm: Central Michigan @ Minnesota
- 10:00 pm: Illinois-Chicago @ Oregon State
- 10:00 pm: Jackson State @ St. Mary's
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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

Game of the weekend: Sat. 3:15 pm: No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 13 Kansas:

There isn't going to be a much more intriguing individual matchup this season than seeing Jared Sullinger go up against Thomas Robinson. Both are potential lottery picks, but they do it in such different ways. Sully is a space-eater and a positional expert, using his massive rear-end to carve out space and create angles to score on the block. He also has the footwork of a ballerina, which allows him to execute pretty post moves against quality competition. T-Rob, on the other hand, is a physical specimen whose ability centers on the fact that he can jumper higher and go through the players that he is guarding. He's a perfect example of what effort will get you if you have some god-given ability.

And that, more than anything, is why we should all be hoping that Jared Sullinger's back spasms have gone away by Saturday afternoon. Because seeing those two go head-to-head for 40 minutes would be a treat for all involved.

The other key matchup here is going to be Aaron Craft guarding Tyshawn Taylor. Taylor has some serious turnover issues this season (he had 11 against Duke in the Maui finals) but he has the ability to flat-out take over a game at times. He will be guarded by arguably the best on-ball defender in the country in Aaron Craft. If Craft is up to his pesky ways, than Taylor is going to have a very difficult time getting Kansas into their offensive sets.


Five more games you can't miss

Sat. 12:00 pm: Washington vs. No. 5 Duke: This is such an important game for Wahsington. That cannot be emphasized enough. With three losses already on the season and without another team ranked in the top 25 on their schedule this season, the Huskies need to earn that marquee win for their tournament resume. But I'm not sure this team is going to be capable of beating Duke. They certainly have the talent on their roster to do so, but as they have done for the last couple of years, Washington seems to be a different team every time they take the floor.

Sat. 12:30 pm: Cincinnati @ No. 8 Xavier: This may be the most interesting game of the day. These two teams genuinely dislike each other, and this game always seems to devolve into the kind of physical affair that results in a fight and a couple of ejections. The question I am looking to get answered here involves Cincy. In other words, what are you doing, fellas? The Bearcats have enough talent to be a top five team in the Big East, but they have looked, well, bad early in the year Big East contenders don't lose at home to Prebysterian.

Sat. 2:00 pm: UNLV @ No. 16 Wisconsin: So is UNLV for real? We all thought so after they knocked off UNC two weeks ago. But after getting worked by Wichita State on the road, the people voting on the top 25 were no longer convinced and dropped the Rebels out of the top 25. Wisconsin is in a similar boat. Are the Badgers really a top ten caliber team and a group that can compete for the Big Ten title? UNLV matches up well and has enough quality on-ball defenders that Jordan Taylor should be in for a long day, but the Kohl Center is one of the toughest places to win a basketball game.

Sat. 5:15 pm: No. 1 Kentucky @ Indiana: Contrary to what Dan Dakich has been telling people, if Indiana wins this game it will be a massive upset. But I think what he meant is that the Hoosiers have a very real chance of winning this game. They have some size and skill in their front court and some scorers on the perimeter. I love what I've seen out of Cody Zeller early in the season, but he is going to be overwhelmed by Kentucky's size and athleticism. As concerned as I am about Jordy Hulls going up against that Wildcat pressure, I'm equally worried about whether or not the Hoosiers will be able to get stops. Kentucky has a lot of weapons and IU isn't great defensively. The great equalizer here? The road. Kentucky hasn't experienced the kind of hostile environment they will face yet.

Sat. 9:00 pm: Michigan State @ No. 22 Gonzaga: There are so many questions still to be answered about both of these teams. Michigan State has been getting better play out of their perimeter attack, but its still unclear whether Brandon Wood, Keith Appling and Travis Trice are going to be able to produce the way the Spartans need them to if they want to become a top 25 team again. MSU's strength, however, is their front court strength, a skill that matches up well with a Gonzaga team that doesn't exactly have a front line training for the pro-wrestling circuit. Robert Sacre and Elias Harris aren't exactly known for their physicality, but Draymond Green certainly is. It will also be interesting to see if Gonzaga's back court is going to be able to defend MSU.


Who's getting upset?: Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 19 Michigan @ Oakland: The Grizzlies are no joke. They can claim Tennessee as one of their victims for the second straight season and have gotten some absolutely sensational play out of the dynamic Reggie Hamilton early in the season. As any Wolverine opponent will find out, the key when playing Michigan is being able to defend the offensive sets that John Beilein runs. They are so crisp and so well-coached and have this style so thoroughly ingrained that its a feat to knock them out of a rhythm.


Five more teams on upset alert

Sat. 5:00 pm: Villanova @ Temple: Frankly, I'm not sure exactly who would be the team getting upset here, but I wanted a space to write about this matchup. Both Villanova and Temple are struggling to find a rhythm this season. The Nova, that seems to stem from issues this team has with youth and a lack of playmakers. For the Owls, however, their biggest issue is the patella injury suffered by Michael Eric that cripples their interior presence Look for Mouph Yarou to have a big game.

Sat. 7:00 pm: Long Beach State @ No. 6 North Carolina: After their win over Pitt earlier this season, the 49ers are not going to be sneaking up on anybody for the rest of the year. That shouldn't necessarily matter, however, as LBSU has the kind of talent on their roster to pull off another upset somewhere along the way. The big men of Kansas has a field day against LBSU on Wednesday. Will the 49ers be able to guard inside on Saturday evening?

Sat. 7:00 pm: Penn @ UCLA: I know, I know, this isn't technically going to be considered an upset. UCLA is way down this season as they have had to fight just to get to the point they are in right now. Penn, however, has been claiming that they are good to make some nothing through out the season. But Quakers have Anthony James, one of the biggest scorers in the county right now.

Sun. 6:00 pm: Detroit @ No. 15 Alabama: Detroit looks like they are finally hitting their stride offensively. Coming off of a nice win over St. John's at home, the Crimson Tide went ahead and lost to Dayton on the road. Detroit's sophomore Ray McCallum is probably the most talented back court player that the Crimson Tide will take on this season, but the Titans also have Eli Holman back. He has 21 points and seven boards in his first action of the season.

Sun. 6:00 pm: Murray State @ No. 20 Memphis: Its tough to trust this Memphis team this season. They make poor decisions with the ball and have, in now way, looked like a team that is going to be considered among the nation's elite. The Racers are now 9-0 on the season, but the Tigers are by far the toughest team that they will face this year.


Mid-major matchup of the weekend: Fri. 8:00 pm: Richmond @ VCU: The battle of Richmond. The game may not get this kind of national attention that other city rivals get when they play, but there is some bad blood between the two schools. VCU is finally starting to play like the team that made the run to the Final Four last season. Brad Burgess has solved his early season shooting issues while guys like Troy Daniels and Darius Theus have thrived is more significant roles this year. Richmond is in a similar boat -- they lost a lot of talent from last year's team, but their back court of Cedric Lindsay and Kendall Anthony has been impressive in the early going.

The thing that is the most interesting about this game is that neither of these teams look like they will have a chance to be in consideration for an at-large bid come March. But that shouldn't change the fact that this is a rivalry game, and it will be played that way for 40 minutes.


Six more mid-major matchups to watch

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 17 Creighton @ St. Joseph's: The Bluejays are for real. If their come-from-behind win at San Diego State didn't confirm the hype they had coming into the season, than their win against a tough Nebraska team should have done the trick. St. Joe's is going to sneak up on a lot of people this season, however. They have a couple of studs in their back court in Langston Galloway and Carl Jones would could end up giving Creighton fits.

Sat. 2:00 pm: Akron @ Cleveland State: The win that the Zips have over Mississippi State continues to look better while Cleveland State's performance against Vanderbilt gets less impressive with each lackluster Commodore performance. But while the Vikings have continued to play well since their win over an SEC opponent, Akron has struggled. They've lost four games on the year and have yet to put together another performance quite as impressive as the game they played in Starkville.

Sat. 2:00 pm: Milwaukee @ Northern Iowa: Northern Iowa has been very impressive early on this season. Anthony James is blossoming into a star as the Panthers have rolled through their competition, including a 20 point win over Iowa their last time out. Milwaukee, however, is 8-1 on the season and just blew out DePaul at DePaul.

Sat. 8:05 pm: Utah State @ Wichita State: Utah State is battling injuries to their front line right now, and that could end up being their undoing against a Wichita State team that is playing very well right now. The Shockers have an excellent perimeter attack and enough of a presence in the paint to hang with the likes of Tulsa and UNLV. What happens when that group goes up against the Aggie's diminished front court.

Sat. 9:00 pm: Nevada @ Montana: Deonte Burton has finally started to play like we've expected him to over the past two seasons. He's scored 59 points the past two games as the Wolfpack have knocked off both Washington and Arizona State. But the Grizzlies can play. They may have four losses on the season already, but this is a team that is going to be in the mix for the Big Sky title by the end of the season.

Sun. 2:30 pm: Iona @ Marshall: Many people were expecting a big season out of the Gaels, but they have outlived most expectations. This is a team that can really get out and run the floor, and much of that is due to the terrific play they are getting out of one of the most underrated point guards in the country in Scott Machado. But Marshall has some talent in their own right. The Thundering Herd has an excellent back court in Deandre Kane and Damier Pitts and enough capable big men to give Iona fits inside.


The rest of the top 25

Friday

- 7:00 pm: Rider @ No. 12 Florida: Florida needs to learn to get the ball inside to Patric Young. Can it start this weekend?

Saturday:

- 7:00 pm: George Washington @ No. 3 Syracuse: I was expecting a lot out of George Washington this season, but they have struggled early in the season. Lasan Kromah doesn't look like the same player he was before he was injured.

- 4:00 pm: Fairleigh Dickinson @ No. 4 Louisville: As good as Louisville as been defensively this season, they've been just as bad offensively. They are going to have to find their rhythm before heading into Big East play.

- 5:00 pm: Navy @ No. 10 Missouri: Missouri has been shredding their opponents, but it all starts with a 5'8" point guard that can dominate a game without taking a shot. I doubt Navy is going to be able to slow him down.

- 9:00 pm: Green Bay @ No. 11 Marquette: Like Missouri, Marquette has been as impressive as any team in the country early in the season and is coming off of their two biggest wins back-to-back. Will they avoid a let down game?

- 2:30 pm: Oklahoma State @ No. 14 Pitt: LeBryan Nash has been inconsistent early in the season, but against Missouri State, he scored 19 points while coming off the bench. It will be interesting to see how he matches up with Pitt's bigger -- and significantly less mobile -- front line.

- 4:00 pm: Troy @ No. 18 Mississippi State: Arnett Moultrie has been playing some terrific basketball early this season. Renardo Sidney, on the other hand, is still the same Renardo Sidney, but with the way Moultrie has been playing, are folks noticing?

- 12:00 pm: Howard @ No. 21 Georgetown: Henry Sims has been playing some terrific basketball. As in, he may be the best big man in the Big East right now. Seriously.

- 4:00 pm: No. 24 Harvard @ Boston U: How will Harvard respond after losing to UConn? It will have to start with the Crimson slowing down Darryl Partin, who is averaging 23.9 ppg.

- LA-Monroe @ No. 25 Texas A&M: Khris Middleton will be back, but the Turners -- both Elston and Ray -- have been pretty good in him absence.

Sunday:

- 8:00 pm: Coppin State @ No. 22 Illinios: Illinois is coming off of an impressive win over St. Bonaventure. It wasn't impressive because they played well. Rather, it was impressive because they managed to be a pretty solid team despite playing fairly terribly. That's good sign ... if they start to play better.


Other notable games

Friday:

- 8:00 pm: Iowa @ Iowa State
- 9:00 pm: Old Dominion @ Fairfield

Saturday:

- 1:00 pm: St. Peter's @ Minnesota
- 1:00 pm: Austin Peay @ Tennessee
- 2:00 pm: BYU @ Utah
- 2:00 pm: Butler @ Ball State
- 2:00 pm: Kent State @ Western Carolina
- 2:00 pm: Arkansas @ Oklahoma
- 4:00 pm: Clemson @ Arizona
- 4:00 pm: Eastern Michigan @ Purdue
- 5:30 pm: Missouri State @ Arkansas-Little Rock
- 7:00 pm: New Mexico @ USC
- 7:00 pm: Miami FL @ West Virginia
- 7:30 pm: Dartmouth @ Notre Dame
- 8:00 pm: Bpise State @ LSU
- 8:00 pm: Wake Forest @ Seton Hall
- 10:00 pm: Ohio @ Portland

Sunday:

- 1:00 pm: UNC-Greensboro @ Florida State
- 2:00 pm: North Florida @ Kansas State
- 3:00 pm: North Carolina Central @ NC State
- 4:00 pm: Norfolk State @ Virginia Tech
- 4:00 pm: Santa Clara @ Washington State
- 5:00 pm: Jackson State @ Cal

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Thursday's Pregame Beat: Slow night highlighted by a great matchup

No. 24 Harvard @ No. 9 UConn: This matchup is all kinds of interesting. You have a UConn team that is stocked with potential pros going up against a Harvard team stocked with their future financial advisors. This difference this year, as you can tell by that little number next to Harvard's name, the Crimson are legit this year. The question is how legit. They already own a win over a top 25 team, but Florida State (who was 20th in the country when Harvard beat them) has since fallen off.

There are basically going to be two things that Harvard is going to have to focus on if they want to win this game: defensive rebounding and hitting their threes. Harvard has a front line that can matchup with a lot of high-major teams, but UConn has a front line with size and athleticism that ranks up there up Kentucky as the most impressive in the country. With guys like Alex Oriakhi, Andre Drummond and Tyler Olander, they get on the offensive glass as well as anyone. The other issue is that Harvard is going to have a size disadvantage at the wing positions as well, as the like of Deandre Daniels, Roscoe Smith and Jeremy Lamb will drawf their Crimson clad counterparts.

The make up for that, Harvard is going to have to start hitting their threes. They have a handful of players that can really stroke the ball -- Oliver McNally, Laurent Rivard, Christian Webster -- but have been struggling with their shot early in the year. Getting those guys into a rhythm early could counteract the points they are going to inevitably give up on second chances.

I'm also curious to see Brandyn Curry go up against UConn's point guards. Curry is underrated on a national scale, but he's a heady and tough player that deserves more attention. Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, however, are both dynamic playmakers that are going to give Curry the toughest challenge that he will likely face this season. Surprisingly enough, Harvard is only a 5.5 point underdog heading into this game, and that number has gone down since the line was set. A road game against one of the most talented teams in the country is never an easy game to win, but if Harvard can have a good showing even with a loss, they can quell some of the critics of having an Ivy League team ranked.

9:00 pm: West Virginia @ Kansas State: Bob Huggins returning to the Octagon of Doom to take on one of the only coaches in the country that is as intimidating as him? I'll take it. Both of these teams play similar styles -- they are expected to be the tougher, more physical team and attack the offensive glass. Above all else, both Huggins and Frank Martin demand hard work out of their players. This won't be the prettiest game you see all season, but if you like games that devolve into all-out dogfights, then you'll love this.

Other notable games:

- 7:00 pm: Boston College @ Providence
- 7:30 pm: Maine @ Notre Dame
- 8:00 pm: Oral Roberts @ Oklahoma
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Wednesday's Pregame Beat: No Josiah Turner again?

(Ed. Note: Since Megabus sucks, this Pregame Beat was shortened. Thanks for the horrendous experience on back-to-back days, Megabus. I certainly won't be back.)

Game of the night: 7:00 pm: Arizona @ No. 12 Florida

How long is Sean Miller going to put up with Josiah Turner? For the second time this season, Turner will be missing a game because he couldn't be bothered with showing up for a team a function. The talented freshman point guard sat out -- but wasn't suspended -- against Duquesne earlier this season for showing up late to a team meeting. And now, after missing a practice this week, Turner was left back in Tucson as the Wildcats head to Gainesville to take on Florida.

Without Turner, Arizona is going to have to count on Nick Johnson and Jordin Mayes to handle the point guard responsibilities. Both Johnson and Mayes are quality basketball players, but neither or them are natural point guards. That could be a problem as they go up against Florida tonight, a team with a terrific quartet of back court players. The good news for Florida is that Erik Murphy is expected to be back in the lineup. His size and ability to shoot from the perimeter is going to be tough for Arizona to handle, especially since they are going to have to deal with Patric Young, who is slowly but surely becoming a heavy-load on the block.

I think a cross-country trip while dealing with the distraction of Turner's suspension is going to be too much for this young Arizona group.


Who's getting upset?: No. 8 Xavier

The Musketeers head into Hinkle Fieldhouse tonight at 9:00 pm to take on the Butler Bulldogs. Butler has struggled quite a bit this season, as they are a young group that is still looking to find the consistency and late-game execution that made them such a good team the past couple of seasons. And while Xavier has won their last two games in impressive, come-from-behind fashion, they haven't exactly done it while playing great basketball. Butler's due, Ronald Nored locks up Tu Holloway who finally misses a shot in the clutch and Butler gets the win. For what its worth, every time these two programs get together, its an entertaining game. Remember this?


Mid-major matchup of the night: 8:00 pm: Ohio @ Oakland

Oakland owns a win at home over Tennessee. Ohio went into Marshall and knocked off the Thundering Herd. Oakland has Reggie Hamilton. Ohio has DJ Cooper. These are two teams that are going to compete for their league titles and will be a threat to anyone they face in the NCAA Tournament. It will be worth the watch.


Be sure to keep an eye on:

7:00 pm: No. 15 Alabama @ Dayton: I know Dayton has fallen off the map in their last two games, but the fact of the matter is that this is a team with some talent on their roster that plays in a loud arena and matches up fairly well with the Crimson Tide. Alabama likes to get physical defensively, but the Flyers aren't the kind of team that gets pushed around to easily.

9:00 pm: St. Bonaventure @ No. 22 Illinois: The Bonnies have struggled early in the season, but they do have an NBA prospect manning the center position in Andrew Nicholson. Illinois has their own NBA caliber center in Meyers Leonard. The Illini have been surprising early in the season, but if they don't show up ready to play, the Bonnies are good enough to pull off an upset.
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Tuesday's Pregame Beat: The Jimmy V, and a Memphis upset?

Game of the night: Jimmy V Classic - No. 10 Missouri vs. Villanova; No. 11 Marquette vs. Washington

I will be in attendance at Madison Square Garden as, once again, we get a pair of terrific matchups for the Jimmy V Classic. The opener pits Missouri, the program currently thriving using a four guard offense, and Villanova, whose head coach used a four guard system to build Villanova into the program it is today.

Missouri has been one of the most surprising teams in the country, as they have dominated their early season competition despite losing power forward Laurence Bowers to a torn acl in the preseason. They are playing with more confidence and togetherness than they have in a long time, and it shows, on both ends of the floor. The x-factor for this group is Kim English, who is averaging 16.9 ppg and shooting the ball at well over 50% from beyond the arc. His ability to spread the floor offensively and bang around in the paint defensively is what makes the Tigers so dangerous.

Villanova, in the other hand, has struggled figuring out their roles early in the year. One of their biggest issues is with Maalik Wayns, who hasn't quite developed into the player we all expected. He has to be able to protect the ball against Mizzou's defensive pressure if Nova wants to have a chance.

In the nightcap, a disappointing Washington team takes on Marquette. The Golden Eagles have been as good as anyone in the country early in the year and are coming off of an impressive win at Wisconsin. Marquette's strength has been their defense, as they have a number of big, physical perimeter players that can hawk the ball.

Washington has plenty of talent on their roster as well, but guys like Terrence Ross, Abdul Gaddy and CJ Wilcox haven't exactly lived up to expectations this season. They have now lost at St. Louis and at Nevada, and it won't be any easier trying to get those guys on track against defends like Vander Blue, Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder.

Of note: Junior Cadougan, Marquette's starting point guard that was suspended against Wisconsin, should be back in the lineup.

Who's getting upset?: 7:00 pm: No. 20 Memphis Tigers @ Miami

Since a season opening win against Belmont, the Tigers have done anything but inspire confidence. They struggled out in Maui, barely hanging on to beat Tennessee while losing to both Georgetown and Michigan. Miami has some talent on their roster, particularly in their back court, and could give Memphis issues with a three guard front. Don't forget, the Canes were a trendy pick to finish third in the ACC before Reggie Johnson was injured, and that was prior to Shane Larkin being in the mix.

Mid-major matchup of the night: 7:00 pm: Kent State @ James Madison

These are two teams that you are going to want to keep an eye on all season long. Kent State already proved that with a win at West Virginia to open the season. But JMU has some talent as well, as AJ Davis, Julius Wells and Humpty Hitchens have led this group to a 4-2 start. And the Dukes are only going to get better when Devon Moore returns from academic suspension.

Be sure to keep an eye on:

7:00 pm: Marshall @ No. 3 Syracuse: This game has the potential for an upset. Marshall is a good basketball team. They did lose to Ohio at home, but they also own a road win over Cincinnati. The Thundering Herd aren't exactly overloaded with shooters, but they have a couple of talented back court creators in Damier Pitts and Deandre Kane as well as a solid front line. They will have some trouble with the 2-3 zone, but they should be able to hang with Syracuse on the defensive end.

7:00 pm: George Mason @ Virginia: This matchup may end up being for the right to claim the top spot in the state. UVA is coming off of an impressive win over Michigan in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and is getting some great play out of Mike Scott. Scott will be going up Mason's talented forward Ryan Pearson, who has been terrific this season in his own right for the Patriots, who have played better of late after a slow start.

9:00 pm: Long Beach State @ No. 13 Kansas: LBSU is no longer a secret, but they are also no longer as highly regarded as they were after beating Pitt. As good as Casper Ware is, this team has not played the same since that win, and they will have their hands full tonight with Kansas, who has arguably the best front line they have faced this season in Jeff Withey and Thomas Robinson.

7:00 pm: Tulane @ Wofford: Tulane is still undefeated. How long does that last?

The rest of the top 25:

7:00 pm: Evansville @ No. 6 North Calfornia: The Purple Aces hung with UNC for a while in Indiana last season.

7:00 pm: VMI @ No. 14 Pitt: Pitt's defense better show up in this one, because VMI loves to run and jack up threes.

Other notable games:

- 7:00 pm: Bucknell @ Binghamton
- 7:00 pm: Robert Morris @ Duquense
- 8:00 pm: Prairie View @ Iowa State
- 8:00 pm: Appalachian State @Minnesota
- 8:00 pm: Tennessee State @ Belmont
- 8:00 pm: Iowa @ Northern Iowa
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Monday's Pregame Beat: Dickie V gets a court dedicated to him

There is not much on the docket for tonight. And by not much, I mean there's pretty much nothing. Personally, I'm going to take this opportunity to catch up on some games that I have recorded. But if you are dead set on watching live hoops, here we go:

7:00 pm: St. John's @ Detroit: This is the best matchup of the night, which should tell you what is in store for the rest of your hoops viewing this evening. Detroit has been a massive disappointment this season, as Ray McCallum hasn't been able to lead this group to the promised land. It hasn't helped that Eli Holman is still suspended and Nick Minerath has been injured. St. John's is young, but they are an athletic group that likes to press, which could cause some issues for Detorit's back court. This game may end up being worth the watch just to see McCallum and Nurideen Lindsay go back and forth.

What's more noteworthy from this game is that Detroit's home court is going to be renamed Dick Vitale Court. Hate his broadcasting style if you like, but you cannot quibble with the fact that there may not be a man with a bigger heart in all of college basketball. He's dedicated to what he believes in, he has raised millions for charities beyond just the cancer research we all know about and he's genuine, which is a quality you rarely find in people these days. \



Congrats Dick, you deserve it!

Other notable games

- 7:00 pm: Charleston Southern @ Florida State
- 7:00 pm: LIU @ Lafayette
- 7:00 pm: Brown @ Providence
- 9:00 pm: Idaho State @ Boise State
- 9:00 pm: Milwaukee @ DePaul
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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 5 North Carolina @ No. 1 Kentucky

It is still tough for me to grasp my head around the fact that this game will be happening tomorrow. I'm sure I am not alone when I say that this date and this time slot has been circled on my calendar for a long time. Some of the luster disappeared when North Carolina lost to UNLV on Saturday, but that certainly doesn't diminish my anticipation level. Simply put -- there is just so much about this game that is intriguing on so many different levels. Kentucky vs. Carolina. Half a dozen lottery picks. The two favorites to win the national title. The styles they play. The individual matchups. Its almost too much.

Instead of waxing poetic about this matchup for six or seven more paragraphs, I'm simply going to give you what I believe are the three keys to this game:


- Marquis Teague: Its no secret that Kendall Marshall is, at best, a crummy defender. And with Doron Lamb joining Teague in the back court, it means that Marshall will have no choice but to guard him; Lamb is a much more dangerous scorer than Teague, capable of going for 30 if he gets rolling. Like most freshman point guards, Teague has a tendency to get out of control at times. He was the sole reason that Kansas was able to hang with Kentucky for a half as he turned the ball over six times against the Jayhawks. If he does that against the Heels, I can promise you that the score won't be tied at the break. UNC is too good at capitalizing. Teague is going to have to be aggressive attacking the basket, but he cannot be overaggressive. It sounds simple, but the execution of that idea is more difficult that it sounds. Marshall won't be able to keep Teague out of the paint, but picking the right times to attack -- and making the right decisions when he beats his man -- will be the key. He needs to limit turnovers and forced shots.

- Front court matchups: One of the areas that UNC has struggled this season is against tough, physical front lines. Michigan State pounded them on the offensive glass. UNLV got their fair share as well. Kentucky? They have a duo in the front court that can attack the offensive glass as well as anyone in the country. The difference? Neither Terrence Jones nor Anthony Davis are known for being able to push people around. Anthony Davis is John Henson with perimeter skills. Terrence Jones has beefed up, but at times he plays like that added muscle was for the beach, not the court. Oddly enough, I'd say that UNC matches up better with Kentucky's front court than they do with the front court of most other elite teams. Jones will be the difference maker here. Is he going to decide to play like the guy that can be an impossible. Since its technically the front court, I think a lot of scouts will be looking to see how Miller/Lamb matchup with Harrison Barnes.

- Pace: Where both Wisconsin and UNLV had success against UNC by controlling the tempo of the game, Kentucky is not the type of team that likes to play slowly. They want to run just as badly as UNC does, and that could end up being a huge advantage for the Heels. With the ability of Marshall to pass ahead and how potent that makes the Heel's transition game, a faster pace may not be ideal Kentucky.


Five more games you cannot miss

Fri. 7:00 pm: No. 9 Florida @ No. 3 Syracuse: The back courts in this game are going to balance each other out. Both teams have a ton of firepower on the perimeter. That is indisputable. Where the game is going to be decided is in the front court. Syracuse is deep, talented and athletic. Florida, outside of Patric Young, not so much. And the Gators will be without their starting power forward Erik Murphy. Can Will Yeguete step up and continue his early season efforts off the bench on a bigger stage against a more talented team? And is there anyone on the Florida roster that is going to be able to matchup with Kris Joseph's size and perimeter ability?

Fri. 9:00 pm: No. 19 Vanderbilt @ No. 6 Louisville: Both Vanderbilt and Louisville have been struck hard by the injury bug this season, but the Cardinals, thanks to their depth, have handled it better. Vandy has already been knocked off twice this year, with both coming to teams with tough and physical back courts. Louisville has that as well, and will do everything they can to pressure the Commodores and make life hell for John Jenkins and Brad Tinsley. Peyton Siva will be borderline unguardable in this game, but the same can probably be said for Jeff Taylor

Sat. 3:00 pm: Purdue @ No. 11 Xavier: Purdue has been impressive this season, and its not just the return of Robbie Hummel to being an elite level player. Lewis Jackson is playing as well as he ever has. Ryne Smith is knocking down threes. Anthony Johnson, Terone Johnson and Kelsey Barlow are all producing on both ends. But Xavier, with all do respect to Alabama, is the best team that the Boilermakers have faced this season, and they'll be taking them on at the Cintas Center, which is not an easy place to play. We all know about Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, but the keep for Purdue will be handling Xavier's front line, which isn't immensely talented but it big and deep.

Sat. 4:30 pm: No. 16 Marquette @ No. 7 Wisconsin: There are some great games on the tube this weekend, but I'm looking forward to this matchup as much as any of them. The Badgers have ascended quickly in the rankings thanks to their staunch defense, and that spot in the top ten appears to have been validated by a three point loss at UNC in a game they struggled. Marquette, however, is still a bit of an unknown quantity. They have names we all know -- Jae Crowder, Darius Johnson-Odom, Vander Blue -- but it will be interesting to see just how those pieces are fitting together this season. Is Marquette really top 20 team?

Sun. 4:00 pm: No. 20 UNLV @ Wichita State: I think it will be safe to say that by Monday, UNLV will have been thoroughly tested in this young season. After knocking off then-No. 1 North Carolina in Vegas on Saturday night, the Rebels went to UC-Santa Barbara and hung on to win a double overtime barnburner. They follow that road trip up with another, this time to take on Wichita State, who is one of the best teams in the MVC and has a tremendous home court advantage. The question mark here -- which Shocker will get the unenviable task of trying to slow down the hottest player in the country in Mike Moser.


Who's getting upset? Sat. 3:15 pm: No. 18 Gonzaga @ Illinois


Five more teams on upset alert?

Sat. 5:15 pm: No. 17 Pitt @ Tennessee: Last year when this matchup took place, Pitt was also the favorite and Tennessee was the scrappy underdog that had surprised some people early in the season. The Vols won that game, and it was in Pittsburgh. This year, its the same story. Pitt has been disappointing early in the year, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, but they still have Ashton Gibbs, and there is a reason that his name showed up on all-american lists. Tennessee may not have the same amount of talent on the roster that they did last year, but they play hard and finally look like they are getting some coaching. Trae Golden and Jeronne Maymon, who will be matched up with Nasir Robinson, are good enough to carry the Vols at times. The x-factor may end up being whether or not Pitt's big front line finally decides to start playing like a Panther front line.

Sat. 9:00 pm: West Virginia @ No. 24 Mississippi State: The front court matchup here will be quite entertaining. Renardo Sidney and Arnett Moultrie, for all of the effort and conditioning issues that are present, are as big and as talented as anyone in the country. But West Virginia has their own pair of quality big men in Kevin Jones and Deniz Kilicli. The rebounding battle is going to be important, but it will be interesting to see how West Virginia's freshman point guard Jabarie Hinds will handle Mississippi State's Dee Bost.

Sat. 7:00 pm: Penn @ Villanova: Villanova is really making me look bad this season. I went all-in on the Wildcats in the preseason, touting how much I liked this team's make up and how much they reminded me of the 2009 Final Four team. And while that may be true in the media guide, on the court is a different story. The Wildcats look lost offensively and have gotten inconsistent performances out of the three guys they need to be stars -- Maalik Wayns, Mouphtaou Yarou and Dominic Cheek. Penn may play in the Ivy, but this group has some solid pieces, led by point guard Zac Rosen, who has been terrific this year.

Sun. 4:00 pm: No. 8 Baylor @ Nortwestern: In terms of styles, this may be the most interesting matchup of the weekend. Baylor is massive up front and obscenely athletic, with all the natural talent in the world but nary an effective point guard on their roster. Northwestern loves to play small ball and spread the floor, playing a crafty, Princeton-esque system and raining threes. That three-point line may end up being the difference, as the Wildcats have dangerous shooters at every spot on the floor while the Bears are one of the worst in the country at defending the three ball.

Sun. 5:00 pm: No. 23 Cal @ SDSU: This will be a good test for both teams. Cal got utterly embarrassed in their only test this season, while SDSU has lost twice two teams currently ranked in the top 25. The perimeter attack of both teams is strong, with Jorge Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe matching up with Chase Tapley, Xavier Thams, Jamaal Franklin and James Rahon. The key may end up being Harper Kamp, a big man for Cal that doesn't really have someone to matchup opposite him.


Mid-major matchup of the weekend: Sat. 10:00 pm: Boise State @ Indiana State

With Creighton and San Diego State having had their battle on Wednesday night, the game between the Broncos and the Sycamores becomes the most interesting of the weekend in the challenge between the Missouri Valley and the Mountain West. Why? Because both teams have had success early in the season, but neither of them has really proven anything. Indiana State is a bit undersized up front, but they have one of the most underrated point guards in the country in Jake Odum. The key to slowing down the Broncos will be preventing sharpshooting Aussie Anthony Drmic from getting any looks on the perimeter.


Five more mid-major matchups to watch

Sat. 2:00 pm: Valparaiso @ Butler: So will Butler end up being Butler again this season? They certainly have the talent to do so, but the Bulldogs still have a long way to go before they reach the level that they have been at the past two seasons. Valpo may be without Brandon Wood this year, but the Crusaders are 5-2 and have beaten Akron and Duquesne already this year.

Sat. 2:00 pm: Cleveland State @ Detroit: Detroit was thought to be the team that would be a favorite to win the Horizon in the preseason, but the Titans aren't much more than Ray McCallum this season, and he isn't good enough to carry this program. Cleveland State is a physical defense team that has some offensive pieces that were overshadowed by Norris Cole last year.

Sat. 2:30 pm: Colorado State @ Northern Iowa: The Panthers have been perhaps the most surprising team in the Valley this year, with their road loss to St. Mary's getting out weighed by road wins against Old Dominion and Iowa State. The Rams are coming off of a tough, overtime win against Colorado and have a star in Wes Elkmeier.

Sat. 4:00 pm: Bucknell @ La Salle: La Salle has been a bit of a surprise early on in the season, headlined by the play of their star point guard, Tyreek Duren. The Bison are the favorite to win the Patriot League this season, but they have missed on a couple of chances to build up their non-conference resume. La Salle may not qualify as a marquee win, but any win on the road will help come March.

Sat. 10:00 pm: Missouri State @ New Mexico: New Mexico has been one of the most disappointing team in the country. They don't know how to get the ball to Drew Gordon and Kendell Williams is not playing up to the level that was expected coming into the season. Hugh Greenwood could be the answer at the point (he has 16 assists and no turnovers the past four games), but its taking time to figure out how to play together. Missouri State has actually been better than expected, but they've done it with Kyle Weems struggling. What happens when he finally starts playing like the kid that was MVC player of the year last season.


The rest of the top 25:

Friday

- 7:00 pm: Northwestern State @ No. 13 Missouri: The Tigers have been one of the most surprising dominant teams early in the season, thanks to a talented perimeter attack and the kind of team unity that this group had been missing under Mike Anderson. This is a group that finally appears to be playing without the fear of making a mistake, and that is the only way to be successful as a basketball team.

Saturday

- 12:00 pm: UT-Pan American @ No. 2 Ohio State: Ohio State is coming off of their demolition of Duke. If they play like that against UT-Pan American, things could get very, very ugly.

- 3:15 pm: Arkansas @ No. 10 UConn: The Huskies have some major question marks. When will Alex Oriakhi show up? Is Andre Drummond ever going to become consistent? Will Shabazz Napier or Jeremy Lamb ever take the reins of this team? How good is Ryan Boatright? UConn has much more talent than Arkansas, but they also had much more talent than Central Florida.

- 5:15 pm: South Florida @ No. 14 Kansas: Thomas Robinson is certainly living up to the expectations he had coming into the season. In the five games that Kansas has played this season, he's notched a double-double in every single game. The problem? He's still getting by off of effort and god-given ability than skill level.

- 12:00 pm: Iowa State @ No. 15 Michigan: Iowa State is like a freight train without a conductor. This is a group with talented transfers up and down their roster, but without the point guard or the cohesiveness to really take advantage of that. And against a team like Michigan -- one that runs a complicated zone and a tricky offensive system -- that cohesiveness is important.

- 8:30 pm: Austin Peay @ No. 21 Memphis: The Tigers look like the exact same team as they were last season. Immensely talented but without a clue. Austin Peay has been dreadful this season, but this group has had a tendency to play down to the level of their opponent. If Tyshawn Edmundson gets hot and Memphis doesn't show up ready to play? Well, wouldn't that be embarrassing.

- 10:00 pm: No. 25 St. Louis @ Portland: So who are the Billikens? Are they the team that pounded Washington and rolled through the 76 Classic, or are they the team that got dropped by Loyola Marymount? Rick Majerus has taken this group on a fairly extensive west coast road trip, and Portland has some guys that can shoot. If you like threes, tune in to this game.

Sunday

- 5:05 pm: No. 22 Creighton @ Nebraska: The Bluejays are coming off of a very impressive, come-from-behind win over San Diego State in the Viejas Center. With a powerful offense the driving force of this team, its tough to imagine Nebraska, a team that could only manage 53 points against Wake Forest, being able to hang with them.


Top storylines

- Fri. 11:00 pm: Washington @ Nevada: There is going to be quite a bit of talent on the court when these two teams square off. The problem is that both programs, in recent years, have a tendency to play below their talent level. I can't be the only one curious to see how this plays out.

- Sat. 4:30 pm: Texas @ UCLA: The Longhorns are a different team than they have been in recent years, powered by a talented back court and the enigmatic J'Covan Brown. But UCLA's entire roster is enigmatic as Ben Howland continues to try and get control of this team. Its amazing to think that a matchup between these two programs features no ranked teams.

- Sat. 5:00 pm: Oregon @ BYU: The Ducks have already lost two members of their vaunted recruiting class to a transfer, including their most talented player in Jabari Brown. BYU will be their first real test since the defections. The Cougars aren't the same team that they were last year, but with Brandon Davies back in the mix, this is still a team that is going to be able to hang with the big boys. Is Oregon one of the big boys?

- Sat. 6:35 pm: Eastern Washington @ Washington State: Washington State has been struggling this season, highlighted by their loss to UC-Riverside. EWU has some talent, specifically Collin Chiverton and Cliff Colimon. They hung with Gonzaga and have an offense that is capable of putting up a lot of points. Wazzu better come to play.

- Sat. 7:00 pm: St. Bonaventure @ Buffalo: Buffalo is 5-1 and fresh off of a 29 point beat down of Dayton on the road. The Bonnies? They've had a tough start to the season, losing three of their first five as Andrew Nicholson has struggled to find the rhythm he had the last two years. It should be fun to watch super sophomore Javon McCrea go up against St. Bonnie's big front line.

- Sun. 2:00 pm: Dayton @ Murray State: Dayton is one of the biggest enigmas of the young season. They won the Old Spice Classic, then lost by 29 at home to Buffalo. Murray State, on the other hand, is sitting at 8-0 after winning the Great Alaska Shootout. Are the Racers for real?

- Sun. 2:30 pm: VCU @ George Washington: This is a matchup that I will be keeping a close eye on. VCU is a young team, but coming off of a trip to the Final Four, a lot was expected of this team. The Commodores lost to Georgia Tech and Seton Hall in fairly ugly fashion, but they threw a couple of haymakers at Alabama in a close loss. GW has some talent on their roster, but they head into this game with losses against the two good teams they have played this season.

- Sun. 4:00 pm: NC State @ Stanford: NC State is finally playing like the team that we expected last year when they landed a loaded recruiting class. CJ Leslie and Lorenzo Brown are well on their way to becoming stars in the ACC. But Stanford has been impressive early in the season, with quality back court play and a couple of big bodies inside. Can they handle NC State's athleticism?

- Sun. 5:30 pm: Kansas State @ Virginia Tech: This game could end up having major bubble implications come March. Virginia Tech was thought to be a sleeper in the ACC, but they just dropped a roadie to a Minnesota team that didn't have Trevor Mbakwe or Ralph Sampson. They need this win against a solid Kansas State team that has yet to really hit their stride.


Other notable tips

Friday

- 7:00 pm: Cincinnati @ Georgia
- 7:00 pm: Iona @ Canisius
- 8:00 pm: Mississippi Valley State @ Northwestern
- 9:00 pm: Auburn @ Seton Hall
- 10:00 pm: Columbia @ Loyola Marymount

Saturday

- 1:00 pm: NJIT @ Georgetown
- 1:00 pm: Old Dominion @ Northeastern
- 1:00 pm: Richmond @ Wake Forest
- 1:00 pm: Longwood @ Virginia
- 1:00 pm: UMass @ Miami
- 2:15 pm: USC @ Minnesota
- 4:00 pm: Drexel @ Delaware
- 4:00 pm: Arizona State @ Tulsa
- 4:00 pm: Central Michigan @ Temple
- 4:00 pm: James Madison @ Hofstra
- 5:15 pm: Mercer @ Belmont
- 6:30 pm: Northern Arizona @ Arizona
- 7:30 pm: George Mason @ Towson
- 8:00 pm: Stephen F. Austin @ Texas A&M
- 9:30 pm: Weber State @ San Jose State
- 10:00 pm: St. Mary's @ Cal Poly
- 10:05 pm: Utah State @ Pacific

Sunday

- 2:00 pm: Seattle @ Harvard
- 2:00 pm: Iona @ Niagara
- 2:00 pm: Akron @ Middle Tennessee State
- 2:00 pm: New Mexico State @ Southern Miss
- 3:30 pm: South Carolina @ Clemson
- 4:30 pm: Stetson @ Indiana
- 4:45 pm: Notre Dame @ Maryland
- 6:00 pm: Ole Miss @ Penn State
- 8:00 pm: St. Joseph's @ American
- 8:00 pm: Montana @ Oregon State
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Thursday's Pregame Beat: SEC/Big East and ... yuck

As was the case with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, we've already been through the previews for the SEC/Big East Challenge. Since there is no need to double post -- we at BIAH are not about wasting your precious time, no sir -- we'll be diving right into the rest of the night's action:

SEC/Big East Challenge:

- 7:00 pm: Providence @ South Carolina
- 7:30 pm: St. John's @ No. 1 Kentucky
- 9:00 pm: Ole Miss @ DePaul
- 9:30 pm: Georgetown @ No. 12 Alabama


Game of the night: 7:00 pm: Harvard @ Vermont

After Belmont and Long Beach State both came back down to earth, Harvard is the latest small school to capture the hearts of the nation. The Crimson went to the Battle 4 Atlantis and came back with wins over Florida State and Central Florida and the tournament title. Harvard is talented, experienced, balanced and, most importantly, legit. Vermont, however, will be a tough out. They have a couple of capable big men and a pair of talented back court players in Matt Glass and Four McGlynn. The guy to watch is going to be 6'6" Brian Voelkel. He may have the ugliest jumper in college basketball, but he averages 10.8 rpg and 6.3 apg.

Who's getting upset?: Kansas State

The Wildcats are playing George Washington at 8:00 pm tonight, and while I don't necessarily think that GW will win, they are the only decent team playing a decent high-major opponent. The Wildcats have some talent on their roster, but they are still trying to find their identity. GW has a chance to be better than you think. Tony Taylor is playing well, but he -- and Lasan Kromah and Aaron Taylor -- need to cut down on their turnovers.

Mid-major matchup of the night: 7:00 pm: South Dakota State @ IUPUI

If nothing else, this is worth the watch to see Alex Young and Nate Wolters play. They are two of the most talented mid-major players in the country.


Other notable games (yeah, its an ugly night for hoops):

- 7:00 pm: VMI @ Coastal Carolina
- 7:00 pm: Wagner @ Long Island
- 8:00 pm: Murray State @ Western Kentucky
- 8:05 pm: CS Fullerton @ Wichita State
- 8:15 pm: Kennesaw State @ Belmont
- 9:00 pm: San Francisco @ Montana
- 10:00 pm: Stanford @ Seattle
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Wednesday's Pregame Beat: ACC/Big Ten Challenge highlights a great night of hoops

We already previewed the games from the ACC/Big Ten Challenge back on Tuesday, so we're not going to dive back into it again today. I will give you my picks for the challenge's second day, however. For what its worth, I went 6-0 yesterday. No big deal:

Indiana @ NC State: Indiana. I've been impressed with how the Hoosiers have played early in the season. No one on the Wolfpack is strong enough to take advantage of Cody Zeller inside.
Penn State @ Boston College: No one. I think Penn State will outscore Boston College, but no one is a winner in this game.
Florida State @ Michigan State: Florida State. The Spartans should be able to matchup inside, but the Seminoles are the toughest defensive team in the country and Michigan State can't score.
Virginia Tech @ Minnesota: Virginia Tech. The Hokies are underrated and the Gophers are without Trevor Mbakwe.
Wake Forest @ Nebraska: Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are tough defensively and Bo Spencer has the ability to go off for 20+.
Wisconsin @ North Carolina: North Carolina. The Badgers matchup so well -- talented point guard, control tempo -- with UNC, but I think that the Heels will come out pissed after losing to UNLV.


Game of the night: No. 22 Creighton @ San Diego State

Creighton has started off the season on fire, scoring at least 95 points in three of their first five games. Doug McDermott is averaging 23.2 ppg, five more players are averaging between 7.2 ppg and 10.4 ppg and the Bluejays are shooting the heck out of the ball, knocking down a crisp 45.1% from beyond the arc while hitting 11 threes a game. And you're wondering why this team is 12th in the nation in offensive efficiency. The issue, however, is that the Bluejays haven't played anyone -- the wins over UAB and Iowa look less impressive by the day -- but they are still sitting all the way down at 161st in the country defensively.

And while San Diego State doesn't have the front court horses that they did last season, this is a team that has put together a couple of impressive performances this season. They knocked off Arizona on the road and have overtime wins over Long Beach State and UC-Santa Barbara. The Aztecs may not have a player that can match up with McDermott, but it will be interesting to see if Creighton is able to defend the talented perimeter attack that Steve Fisher employs this year -- Chase Tapley, Jamaal Franklin, James Rahon and Xavier Thames are all averaging double-figures.


Who's getting upset?: No. 20 UNLV

The Rebels are primed for an upset. They are coming off of a massive win over the No. 1 team in the country at home and have caught the eye of every college hoops fan and writer. Tonight, they play their first game of the year on the road against a better-than-you-think UC-Santa Barbara team at 10:00 pm. The Gauchos have quite possibly the best 1-2 punch in the country in Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally. Its the epitome of a letdown game.


Mid-major matchup of the night: 7:00 pm: Drexel @ St. Joe's:

I've been trying to tell people -- St. Joe's is better than you think. They are young, but they are talented. And they one of the most talented back courts in the country in Carl Jones and Langston Galloway. Drexel, on the other hand, is arguably the most physical team in the country with guys like Samme Givens. Bruiser Flint's team also has one of the most improved guards in the country in Franz Massenat. Throw in the added bonus of this being a matchup of Philly teams -- one that includes a Big 5 member and a non-Big 5 member -- and this could be some fun.


Be sure to keep an eye on:

- 7:00 pm: Ohio @ Marshall: Ohio has one of the most entertaining guards in the country to watch in DJ Cooper. You should recognize the name; he was the freshman that lit up Georgetown when the Bobcats upset the No. 3 seed Hoyas two years ago. But Marshall is legit. They have their own loaded back court of Damier Pitts and DeAndre Kane and are coming off of an overtime win at Cincinnati.

- 7:00 pm: Bucknell @ George Mason: The Bison are the Patriot League favorite and an experienced team coming off of a conference title. George Mason is the same. But the Patriots have had a rough start to the season, losing to both Florida Atlantic and Florida International. This will be a good test for GMU. Were their early season losses just struggles with a new coach, or are the Patriots issues bigger than that.

- 8:00 pm: Tulsa @ Oklahoma State: The Cowboys have the talent to be a sleeper in the Big 12, but they haven't played like it yet this season. They are coming off of an 0-2 trip to the Garden during the Preseason NIT and have yet to get LeBryan Nash to play up to his potential. Tulsa, on the other hand, has a real chance to win Conference USA if the Memphis struggles are legit. Jordan Clarkson is the name to know, but keep an eye on Kodi Maduka.

- 8:05 pm: Missouri State @ Oral Roberts: Missouri State has been impressive early in the season. How impressive? They are 4-0 despite Kyle Weems failing to play like the Kyle Weems we saw last season. Oral Roberts, on the other hand, is one of the best mid-major teams in the country. West Virginia learned that the hard way. Justin Greene against Weems should be fun.

- 9:00 pm: Denver @ Utah State: The Pioneers are 4-1 on the season, and while they lost by 21 at Cal, Denver also handled St. Mary's pretty easily at home. Utah State is a bit down this season, but the Spectrum is one of the most difficult places to play. Its unclear whether Brady Jardine will be in the lineup. He's a significant piece -- the Aggies lost to Texas A&M-CC without him but beat BYU with him in the lineup.


The rest of the top 25:

8:00 pm: Florida Atlantic @ No. 14 Kansas: FAU is not a pushover. They have a couple of talented guards and already own a win over George Mason. The Jayhawks need to be ready to play.

7:00 pm: No. 17 Pitt @ Duquesne: The Panthers have started to look like the Pitt team we've expected of late, but there are still major question marks about their defense. The Dukes will test that defense, specifically TJ McConnell.

11:15 pm: Notre Dame @ No. 18 Gonzaga: The Irish are playing without Tim Abromaitis, who tore his acl over the Thanksgiving holiday. That means that other guys on their roster -- Scott Martin, Eric Atkins -- are going to have to step up and become leaders for this group. That should mean that Gonzaga rolls over Notre Dame playing at home, but the Zags have yet to be tested this season. It will be fun to see how Mike Brey's team matches up Gonzaga's big front line.


Other notable games:

- 7:30 pm: South Florida @ VCU
- 7:30 pm: Richmond @ William & Mary
- 8:00 pm: UNI @ Iowa State
- 8:00 pm: Colorado @ Colorado State
- 8:00 pm: Alcorn State @ Texas A&M
- 8:30 pm: Grambling @ Washington State
- 9:00 pm: BYU @ Northern Arizona
- 9:00 pm: Idaho State @ New Mexico
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Tuesday's Pregame Beat: ACC/Big Ten Challenge predictions!!!

ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Seeing as we've already done a preview for the event, I'm not going rewrite everything that I wrote in this space. That'd just be wasting your time. But since I'm a space cadet and didn't remember to make my picks, I'll do that right here, right now, for you.

Tuesday, Nov. 29th:

Miami (FL) @ Purdue: Purdue. I just think the Boilermakers are going to be too tough in Mackey Arena,
Northwestern @ Georgia Tech: Northwestern. I don't think the Yellow Jackets have the defensive discipline to slow down Drew Crawford, John Shurna and company.
Illinois @ Maryland: Illinois. If Maryland had Pe'Shon Howard and Alex Len, I'd say they had a puncher's chance at home.
Michigan @ Virginia: Virginia. The key to beating Michigan is figuring out their offensive sets. I think Tony Bennett will be able to.
Clemson @ Iowa: Clemson. The Tigers haven't been playing well this year, but the Hawkeyes just aren't that good.
Duke @ Ohio State: Ohio State. In a close one. The Buckeyes are giving 7.5, however. Take the points.

Wednesday, Nov. 30th:

Indiana @ NC State: Indiana. I've been impressed with how the Hoosiers have played early in the season. No one on the Wolfpack is strong enough to take advantage of Cody Zeller inside.
Penn State @ Boston College: No one. I think Penn State will outscore Boston College, but no one is a winner in this game.
Florida State @ Michigan State: Florida State. The Spartans should be able to matchup inside, but the Seminoles are the toughest defensive team in the country and Michigan State can't score.
Virginia Tech @ Minnesota: Virginia Tech. The Hokies are underrated and the Gophers are without Trevor Mbakwe.
Wake Forest @ Nebraska: Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are tough defensively and Bo Spencer has the ability to go off for 20+.
Wisconsin @ North Carolina: North Carolina. The Badgers matchup so well -- talented point guard, control tempo -- with UNC, but I think that the Heels will come out pissed after losing to UNLV.

Scoreboard: Big Ten 7, ACC 5.


Game of the night: 9:00 pm: Arizona @ New Mexico State

The Wildcats have been one of the early season's most enigmatic teams. Well, maybe enigmatic isn't the right word. Overrated is probably better. Arizona is loaded with talent and potential. The problem is that all of their star power is in the form of underclassmen, specifically freshman guard Josiah Turner. As Sean Miller waits for his club to learn and develop and become the team that lives up to rankings of their recruiting classes, Arizona is susceptible. Ask Mississippi State, who picked off the Wildcats at Madison Square Garden 10 days ago. Or ask San Diego State, who went into the McKale Center and dropped Arizona over the holiday weekend.

And New Mexico State isn't a bad team. They are 5-1 on the season, which includes a win over New Mexico in The Pit, and they finally have Wendell McKines healthy and playing the all-league caliber player that he is. This will be a good test for Arizona. Can they beat a quality team on the road in a hostile environment?


Who's getting upset?: Texas

The Longhorns take on a young -- but talented -- North Texas team at 8:00 pm tonight in Austin, and UT better come ready to play. The Mean Green have a roster loaded with talented freshmen and high-major transfers. The problem? UNT has yet to figure out how to play together, and is still not at full strength. Roger Franklin, a transfer from Oklahoma State, and Alonzo Edwards, a transfer from Nebraska, are still trying to earn minutes while Tony Mitchell and Justin Patton are not yet eligible (it looks like Patton won't get eligible this year after all). The 1-3 start is not indicative of how good this team can be.


Mid-major matchup of the night: 10:00 pm: No. 25 St. Louis @ Loyola Marymount

St. Louis is an interesting team to watch. They are tough defensively, they control the pace of the game (keeping is slow) and they fire up a lot of threes without turning the ball over. Wisconsin-lite. Or diet Wisconsin. Either way, you get my point -- this is a team that thrives on the offensive and defensive execution of Rick Majerus' game-plan. LMU, on the other hand, is a team that is more free-flowing. They rely more on the natural talent of guys like Anthony Ireland and Ashley Hamilton. It should be fun.


The rest of the top 25:

7:00 pm: Eastern Michigan @ No. 3 Syracuse: As if there wasn't enough drama surrounding Jim Boeheim and Bernie Fine, this is the first time that Rob Murphy will be coming back to Upstate New York. The longtime Cuse assistant is now the head coach of EMU.

8:00 pm: Prairie View A&M @ No. 8 Baylor: Perry Jones. Welcome back.


Other notable games:

- 7:00 pm: Miami OH @ Cincinnati
- 7:00 pm: Holy Cross @ Providence
- 8:00 pm: LSU @ Houston
- 10:00 pm: UTEP @ Oregon

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Monday's Pregame Beat: Xavier vs. Vandy, Louisville on upset watch?

Game of the night: 7:00 pm: No. 11 Xavier @ No. 19 Vanderbilt

It may be late November, but there is a surprising amount of good hoops on tonight. It starts with the Musketeers and the Commodores tonight. Vanderbilt will be playing the host, but Xavier has been more impressive this season.

It is going to be interesting to see how Xavier matches up with Vanderbilt defensively. Dez Wells is the best athletes on the team and, generally speaking, will be the best defensive weapon on the perimeter. But he is going to have to matchup with Jeff Taylor because neither Mark Lyons or Tu Holloway have the size to battle with Taylor. That is going to put the pressure on Chris Mack's two best scorers on the defensive end as they take turns trying to slow down Vandy's John Jenkins. Kevin Stallings loves to run Jenkins off of screens and defending that takes away the legs of an opponent. Jared Cunningham had just nine points when he was tasked with chasing Jenkins around for 40 minutes.

For Vanderbilt, it will be interesting to see if-- not how -- they are able to slow down Xavier's back court. Tu Holloway is one of the best point guards in the country, but his scoring load has been diminished this season as Lyons has become a more dangerous and consistent scorer. Jenkins and Brand Tinsley are not known for their defensive prowess.


Who's getting upset?: No. 6 Louisville

I'm a big fan of the Cardinals, I really am. But I think that Long Beach State -- who they tip off against at 7:00 tonight -- is a very good matchup. For those that have trouble following these things -- like me -- Louisville will have Peyton Siva tonight, but they will be without Rakeem Buckles and Stephen Van Treese, who are both dealing with knee injuries. What intrigues me about LBSU is their ability to play in the full court, the talent they have on their perimeter and the number of threats they have from three point range. The 49ers matchup very well against Louisville's press and zone. Ask Pitt what happens when this team gets rolling.

Mid-major matchup of the night: 10:30 pm: Weber State @ St. Mary's

In an event titled the "Shamrock Office Solutions Classic" -- umm, ok -- we'll get a matchup of two of the best teams out west. If you like guard play, you'll want to tune in for this. Weber State is lead by Damian Lillard -- a dynamic, 6'2" scoring guard -- and his sharp-shooting counterpart Scott Bamforth. The Gaels back court is anchored by Matthew Dellavedova, Stephen Holt and Jorden Page. This will be a big game for St. Mary's, as they just lost to Denver on the road. That's not a good look for a team that will be fighting for an at-large berth come March.

For what its worth, this game is a return for the game that Weber State scheduled against St. Mary's late last season.


Be sure to keep an eye on:

- 7:00 pm: Akron @ West Virginia: Akron is a quality team out of the MAC. West Virginia already lost to a quality team out of the MAC in Kent State. The Zips have also already notched a quality, non-conference win by beating Mississippi State. If you are into the NBA, keep an eye on Akron center Zeke Marshall.

- 9:00 pm: Oakland @ Tennessee: This will be a good gauge for Tennessee. They competed out in Maui in their first two tests of the season, but they lost to both Duke and Memphis. Oakland is not quite as good as they were last season, but this is still a quality mid-major team.

- 11:00 pm: Pepperdine @ UCLA: Can UCLA finally get their first Division I win of the season?

The rest of the top 25:

7:00 pm: Stetson @ No. 9 Florida: We'll get another look at Florida without Erik Murphy. They'll need all the work they can get without him.

8:00 pm: Jacksonville @ No. 16 Marquette: Marquette looked terrific in their first four games of the season, but they struggled against Norfolk State. Which Marquette team shows up tonight?

8:00 pm: Jackson State @ No. 21 Memphis: After struggling through Maui, the Tigers need to make a statement.

10:30 pm: McNeese State @ No. 23 Cal: We are still waiting to see the real Cal Bears. Was it the team that lost by 39 to Missouri or the one that beat a good Denver team by 21?

Other notables games:

- 7:00 pm: IUPUI @ Georgetown
- 7:00 pm: Long Island @ Iona
- 10:00 pm: Pacific @ Stanford
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