Previewing your College Hoops Weekend

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 14 San Diego State @ No. 16 UNLV:

By now you should all know what happened the last time these two teams got together. Playing on a bum ankle, SDSU's Jamaal Franklin had 22 points and 10 boards, including a tough, driving layup with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock as the Aztecs knocked off league favorite UNLV in Viejas Arena. That was the win that catapulted the Aztecs into the national consciousness and, frankly, to their spot at the top of the MWC standings.

But if you know anything about college basketball, you know that the Rebels are itching to get their shot at redemption in the Thomas and Mack Center on Saturday. UNLV is a different team playing in their own arena, which is a scary proposition considering that the Rebels are already considered arguably the most dangerous team on the west coast. With the taste of a last-second defeat still lingering on their palate and possibly their last shot to keep themselves within reach of a Mountain West regular season title on the line, you better believe that Dave Rice's club is going to be ready to play.
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Previewing your college hoops weekend: The final year of The Border War?

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 8 Kansas @ No. 4 Missouri

Let's put this game in a vacuum. Let's pretend that Missouri hasn't turned into a top five team and that Kansas has struggled this season with their two-man attack. This game would still be must-see TV. Why? Because this could be the last time that these two teams meet in Mizzou Arena for a long time. The Border War is one of the most heated rivalries in the country, but with Missouri's decision to head to the SEC next season, what little friendliness existed between the two schools is all but gone. The environment at this game is guaranteed to be absolutely electric, a fact that is only going to be magnified by Gameday's appearance in Columbia.

But this game doesn't occur in a vacuum. The fact of the matter is that these are two of the best teams in the country, with both having legitimate Final Four aspirations. That is sure to make things even more intense.
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Previewing your college hoops weekend

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 1:30 pm: No. 16 Mississippi State @ No. 13 Florida

At the end of the day, the SEC is Kentucky and every body else. That's not an insult directed at the rest of the league, the Wildcats are just that good. The battle for second place is where the intrigue is going to come into play and, at times, there have been four teams that have looked like they deserved that title. Mississippi State are two of them.

This is an interesting game for a couple of reasons. On the one hand, Florida is at their best when they play inside-out, getting Patric Young touches and allowing him to create opportunities for his talented perimeter players by drawing attention from the defense. But Young is playing on a bad ankle, one that has forced him to come off of the bench, and Mississippi State has one of the best front lines in the country. Arnett Moultrie has a legitimate shot to win SEC player of the year and Wendell Lewis and Renardo Sidney are both capable of posting double-doubles.
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Weekend Preview: Baylor-Missouri headlines a weekend with some good hoops

This post is brought to you by the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield, MO.

Game of the Weekend: Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 5 Missouri @ No. 3 Baylor

To know how important this game is, all you need to do is look at the numbers next to the names of these two teams. How often do two top five teams lock horns, especially when the loser of that game drops to two games out of the conference race? Hint: not that often.

But there is more to this matchup than simply have two of the best teams in the country going head to head. The contrast of styles in this game is simply fascinating. There may not be a team in the country with more length and athleticism in the country than Baylor. 6'11" Perry Jones III lines up at the four while either 6'9" Quincy Miller or 6'10" Anthony Jones plays the three. Missouri, on the other hand, is one of the smallest teams in the country. It should be interesting to see how 6'6" two-guard Kim English can match up with PJ3 or 6'3" Marcus Demon handles Jones and/or Miller.
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Friday's Pregame Beat: Slow weekend highlighted by UK-UL

Game of the weekend: 12:00 pm: No. 4 Louisville @ No. 3 Kentucky

Hopefully Chane Behanan is more accurate in his prediction that this game will "go down as one of the best games in history" than he was about Louisville's undefeated season. The Battle of the Commonwealth is always going to be a passionate affair, but with both teams currently sitting in the top five of the country, on paper its easy to see why folks like Behanan are expecting this game to be an instant classic. The problem is that the games aren't played on paper, they are played on a basketball court. And on a basketball court, Louisville simply is not in the same league as Kentucky right now.

That's not meant as a shot at Louisville, either. I think the Cardinals are a quality basketball team. But they are borderline top ten quality, not Final Four favorite quality. The issue with the 'Ville this year is on the offensive end of the floor -- they ain't scoring. For all the ability that Peyton Siva has when it comes to using his dribble to beat his defender, he's yet to become the unstoppable playmaker that some hypothesized that he would turn into this year. As a result, Louisville's half court offense tends to stagnate, something that won't be helped by Kentucky's top-five defense and shot-blocking ability around the rim.
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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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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing you college hoops weekend

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

UPSET SPECIAL: Fri. 10:00 pm: Oregon @ No. 7 Vanderbilt

This sounds silly, right? I mean, Oregon is a team that is only a year removed from a mass exodus from the program stemming from the firing of Ernie Kent and the subsequent, embarrassing 37 day coaching search. But that search was more-than-successful, as Oregon stole Dana Altman away from Creighton. Altman led a team expected of next-to-nothing to seven league wins and the CBI title. And while Oregon lost three of their top four scorers from last season, this year's team will be better.

Why?

Because Dana Altman cleaned up on the recruiting trail. Not only did he land talented front court transfers in Olu Ashaolu, who averaged 14.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg from Louisiana Tech last season, but he also brought in the troubled big-man Tony Woods, who sat out last season after leaving Wake Forest. Throw in returners EJ Singler (the second leading scorer on the Ducks last season), Jeremy Jacobs and Tyrone Nared, and the Ducks have a really talented front line. Why is this significant? Because Vanderbilt will be without their star center Festus Ezeli, who was suspended for the first six games before spraining knee ligaments, which will keep him out until December.


Oregon is more than just a big front line, however. Jonathon Loyd was a dynamic playmaker in the limited minutes he saw at the point last season. Garrett Sim will once again start in the back court as well, but the x-factor will end up being freshman Jabari Brown. He comes in with quite a bit of hype, but hype doesn't always yield immediate results. Will he be the kind of big-time scoring threat in his first game that most expect him to be before his career is over in Eugene?

The Ducks are a major sleeper in the Pac-12, but there is legitimate reason for Vanderbilt being in the top ten. Even without Ezeli, this is a group with quite a bit of experience, some capable-to-good big men and a veteran perimeter attack that includes future first round picks John Jenkins and Jeff Taylor. But the Commodores better come out ready to play.


UPSET ALERT:

Fri. 7:00 pm: No. 1 North Carolina vs. Michigan State: We all know about how talented North Carolina is. You don't need me to tell you that in this space. But for the first time in recent memory, Michigan State heads into the season with almost no expectations. But I like this Spartan team. They have the makeup of the perennially over-achieving teams that Tom Izzo is known so well for. I'm expecting a big year out of Keith Appling, Izzo has had success with modified point guards (see Drew Neitzel), but I also think that Brandon Wood and Branden Dawson are the perfect, tough-minded kind of perimeter players that thrive under Izzo. Draymond Green is going to have to have a big game, and big men Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne are going to need to play up to their potential and not down to their history, but given the unusual conditions of this game -- on an aircraft carrier -- don't be surprised if a scrappy Michigan State team pulls off the shocker.

Fri. 9:00 pm: Belmont @ No. 6 Duke: Belmont is a very good basketball team. They won 30 games last year and return nine of the 11 players from that team's rotation. They have a couple of quality back court pieces, headlined by junior Ian Clark, and have two quality big men in Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders. In fact, I don't think its crazy to say that Belmont's posts are better than the three Plumlees. The Bruins run a pressing system that forces turnovers, and with Duke having two combo-guards in their back court -- neither Seth Curry nor Austin Rivers is a true point guard -- I can see Belmont giving Duke some issues defensively. Most importantly, the Bruins won't be scared. This is the same program that lost to Duke by one in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament.


Fri. 10:30 pm: Loyola Marymount @ No. 20 UCLA: Last year was a bit of a disaster for LMU as they finished 2-12 in the WCC, but that record doesn't reflect the amount of talent that is in this program. The Lions struggled keeping their players healthy last season and couldn't win a close game, going 2-7 in games that were decided by one possession or went to overtime. Even with star Drew Viney out following foot surgery, the Lions have enough size on their front line to matchup with a UCLA team that is headlined by a potentially-injured Reeves Nelson and an overweight Josh Smith. Point guard Anthony Ireland, who really came on strong late in his freshman season, may be the best point guard on the floor on Friday as well. If Nelson doesn't play, or plays at less than 100%, and Edgar Garibay and Godwin Okojoni can hold their own against the Bruin front line, the Lions, who are a sleeper in a very good WCC, should give the Bruins all they can handle.

Sun. 9:30 pm: George Washington @ No. 24 Cal: Let me say this before I go any further -- I am high on Cal. There is a reason that I picked them to finish second in the Pac-12 this season. That said, I'm also a big fan of George Washington. I know they have undergone a coaching change and I know that their 10-6 record and fourth place finish in the A-10 last season was partially the result of an easy league schedule, but this is still a team that returns their entire roster -- including all-conference point guard Tony Taylor -- and finally gets a healthy Lasan Kromah back.


BEST MATCHUPS:

Fri. 8:00 pm: Bucknell @ Minnesota: This should be one of the better matchups between a high-major and a low-major program this weekend. Bucknell is the consensus favorite to win the Patriot League after returning the majority of their roster from last season. Minnesota has some talent and will definitely have a major athleticism advantage over the Bison, but the Gophers don't have a true point guard on their roster; freshman Andre Hollins will be sliding over and playing the point this season. If anything, this game will be worth the watch if, for nothing else, to see Mike Muscala, the reigning Patriot League Player of the Year, go up against Trevor Mbakwe and Ralph Sampson.

Fri. 9:00 pm: Oral Roberts @ West Virginia: This will be a big game for Oral Roberts. The Golden Eagles bring back essentially their entire roster, headlined by star forward Dominique Morrison, and have a team that is good enough that they can feasibly make a push for an at-large bid if they make enough statements during a tough non-conference schedule. West Virginia is a potential tournament team, but they may be a long way from reaching that potential. Their roster is basically made up of Truck Bryant, Kevin Jones, Deniz Kilicli and a bunch of freshmen. The Mountaineers are coming off of a loss in an exhibition and reportedly got worked by Xavier in a closed-door scrimmage.


Fri. 9:05 pm: BYU @ Utah State: The rivalries between the Division I programs in Utah is intense, and this game is no different. Utah State fans have been camping out for days to get tickets to the game. Both programs appear to be down this season, but its worth noting that both Dave Rose and Stew Morrill are terrific at developing talent. While, on paper, it appears as if both schools lose a tremendous amount of talent from last season, I feel confident saying that the drop-off both teams experience won't be as dramatic as most expect. When it comes to rivalry games, record don't matter. This game is no different.


BEST STORYLINES:

Friday:

- 7:00 pm: Marist @ No. 2 Kentucky: This will be the first time we get to see Kentucky's talented freshmen -- and a new-and-improved Terrence Jones in a real game, although it won't necessarily come against "real" competition.

- 9:00 pm: Wright State @ No. 3 Ohio State: Just how good is the slimmed-down Jared Sullinger going to be? Tonight is our first glimpse.

- 7:00 pm: Columbia @ No. 4 UConn: With the amount of athleticism on the UConn roster, I feel confident saying that there are going to be some impressive highlights coming out of this game. Also, Andre Drummond anyone?

- 7:00 pm: Tennessee-Martin @ No. 8 Louisville: Just how good Louisville will end up being this season will likely be a direct result of two things: a) how healthy they are and b) just how good Peyton Siva ends up being.

- 7:00 pm: Jackson State @ No. 10 Florida: I can't be the only one curious as to how Billy Donovan is going to split minutes -- and shots -- between the four talented back court players he has on his roster.

- 7:00 pm: Albany @ No. 11 Pitt: Any time Ashton Gibbs is playing, I'm watching. Basketball purists should agree.

- 10:00 pm: Texas Southern @ No. 12 Baylor: Baylor's first game without Perry Jones and our first glimpse at who will operate the point guard spot for the Bears.

- 8:00 pm: Towson @ No. 13 Kansas: Towson may lose by fifty, and while most will be focused on just how good Thomas Robinson is, I'm more concerned with a first look at a team that claims Tyshawn Taylor as its leader.

- 7:00 pm: Morgan State @ No. 15 Xavier: Xavier will be playing this game without Tu Holloway. Could that mean the Musketeers are primed for an upset?

- 8:00 pm: North Florida @ No. 17 Alabama: The Crimson Tide heads into this season with quite a bit of hype. Will it be justified?

- 9:00 pm: Mt. St. Mary's @ No. 21 Marquette: The x-factor for Marquette this season may end up being Davante Gardner. Is the big fella in shape?

- 11:05 pm: Eastern Washington @ No. 23 Gonzaga: Which Elias Harris shows up this season? The potential lottery pick or the banged-up, out-of-shape player from last season.

- 10:30 pm: UC Irvine @ No. 24 Cal: Are the Bears really a team that can compete for the Pac-12 title? Or Mike Wilder's hair?

- 8:00 pm: SE Missouri State @ No. 25 Missouri: The biggest question in the Big 12: how good will Missouri be without Laurence Bowers?

- 7:00 pm: Jacksonville @ Florida State: We all know that Florida State is going to be a stalwart defensive team once again this season, but the question is, without Ian Miller, how is this team going to create points?

- 7:00 pm: Tennessee Tech @ Miami FL: The Hurricanes are playing very shorthanded thanks to injuries and suspensions. Tennessee Tech is good team, led by star Kevin Murphy and the most clutch player in college hoops in Zac Swansey.

- 7:30 pm: Rhode Island @ George Mason: If only this game could have been played in January, when Billy Baron and Andre Malone are eligible for URI and Andre Cornelius is back from his suspension for GMU.

- 8:00 pm: Texas A&M-CC @ Oklahoma State: LeBryan Nash. That is all.

- 9:00 pm: Loyola (IL) @ Illinois: I'm not necessarily in the minority when I say I think that Illinois could be better this year without the headaches that came along with Jereme Richmond and Demetri McCamey.

- 10:00 pm: Missouri State @ Nevada: A terrific mid-major matchup. Kyle Weems tries to lead a MSU team back to an MVC title with a new roster and coaching staff, while Nevada looks to live up to the talent on their roster.

Saturday:

- 4:00 pm: Fordham @ No. 5 Syracuse: This should be a blowout, but it will be interesting to see Fordham star Chris Gaston go up against the huge front line of Syracuse. Also: Fab Melo? You showin' up this year, bro?

- 4:30 pm: Presbyterian @ No. 6 Duke: Will Presbyterian have a shot with Duke playing two games in two d ... yeah, no.

- 1:00 pm: Kennesaw State @ No. 14 Wisconsin: Kennesaw State knocked off Georgia Tech last year. Can they pull off another upset?

- 3:00 pm: Butler @ Evansville: Evansville knocked off Butler in Hinkle last year. Can a new-look Butler team return the favor this year? Also: just how good are Butler's youngsters?

- 7:00 pm: Northern Iowa @ Old Dominion: Two very good mid-major programs square off in a battle of rebuilding years.

Sunday:

- 1:00 pm: No. 1 North Carolina @ UNC-Asheville: JP Primm and Matt Dickey gives Asheville a solid starting backcourt.

- 2:00 pm: Cleveland State @ No. 7 Vanderbilt: No more Norris Cole for Cleveland State.

- 4:00 pm: Lamar @ No. 8 Louisville: The Pat Knight era at Lamar gets their first true test.

- 6:00 pm: Rider @ No. 11 Pitt: Remember what I said about Ashton Gibbs?

- 7:00 pm: Jackson State @ No. 12 Baylor: Quincy Miller enters the collegiate ranks with quite a bit of hype, but he's also coming off of a torn ACL. Will he be healthy?

- 6:00 pm: Ball State @ No. 16 Arizona: This will be the third time we get to see Arizona play. They have yet to answer the question marks about the youth in their back court.

- 4:00 pm: Southern @ No. 19 Texas A&M: Will Billy Kennedy be on the bench?

- 7:00 pm: Alabama State @ No. 22 Cincinnati: Is Yancy Gates actually in shape? Will Sean Kilpatrick be a star? If both answers are year, the Bearcats have a shot at being very, very good.

- 7:00 pm: Boston U. @ Texas: Texas kicks off the Myck Kabongo era. Can this freshman point guard carry the Longhorn team?
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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

UPSET ALERT

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 21 Missouri @ Kansas State: This is it. This is the game where Kansas State, the preseason top five team that was, at one point, 4-6 in the Big 12, can officially punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

On paper, this doesn't look like the best matchup for the Wildcats. They don't have a ton of ball handlers, and Missouri thrives on forcing turnovers and scoring quickly. The place where K-State would, presumably, have the biggest advantage -- on the glass -- does not appear to be that great of an advantage anymore. The Wildcat front court has been disappointing, as Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels continue to underachieve and Wally Judge and Freddy Asprilla have left the program, while Missouri's bigs, namely Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe, are coming off of an impressive performance against Baylor's big front line.


But, as Luke Winn showed us in his Power Rankings on Thursday, both Missouri and Kansas State are much better teams at home. Throw in Jacob Pullen's return to his all-american form the past three games (he's averaging 30.5 ppg in K-State's recent three game winning streak) and the desperation of a team playing for the NCAA Tournament lives, and I think the Wildcats pull this one out.


UPSET SPECIAL

Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 10 Arizona @ UCLA: There's a large faction of those in the know that believe Arizona, based on the national polls, is one of the most overrated teams in the country. I can buy that, especially after seeing the Wildcats get beaten on Thursday by a very ho-hum USC team. The loss drops the Wildcats to just one game in front of the Bruins atop the Pac-10 standings. this will definitely be one of the most intriguing games on Saturday's slate.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 1 Duke @ Virginia Tech: The Hokies are playing for their NCAA Tournament lives on Saturday. Without a marquee win to their name or another chance to get one before the ACC Tournament begins, this may be Seth Greenberg's final chance at avoiding the wrong side of the bubble for the fourth straight season. It would be a shame if Malcolm Delaney never got to play in the NCAA Tournament. What will be interesting is to see how he plays knowing that may be on the line.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 17 Texas A&M @ Baylor: I've never been high on Texas A&M this season, and while Baylor looked like they were throwing in the towel against Missouri on Wednesday, the Bears are still one of the most talented teams -- on paper -- in the country. When LaceDarius Dunn and Perry Jones are both playing well, they are a team that can overcome subpar point guard play. The question is whether or not those two show up on a nightly bases.

Sun. 12:00 pm: No. 15 UConn @ Cincinnati: These are two teams headed in opposite directions. UConn started out the year as hot as anyone in the country, but as Kemba Walker dominates possession of the ball, the Huskies continue to lose in Big East play. Cincy had their season turned around by the benching of Yancy Gates. The past three games, he's been a different player, and the Bearcats have been a different team.


Sun. 12:00 pm: West Virginia @ Rutgers: Rutgers is a scrappy, physical team that has found themselves down the stretch of the season under new head coach Mike Rice. They just knocked off Villanova at home and took Syracuse to overtime in the Carrier Dome. West Virginia is not as talented as those two teams, but they can be as physical as Rutgers. With UConn and Louisville to close out the season next week, the 'Eers better not look past this game.

Sun. 12:00 pm: Xavier @ Dayton: Dayton has been the biggest disappoint in the Atlantic 10 this year. They are clearly missing the leadership they lost in the back court last season while Chris Wright still has not developed into the player everyone wants him to be. That said, the Flyers are talented and they are physical and they will be playing in front of their terrific home crowd. If the Flyers are to pull off this upset, they'll need to stop Tu Holloway, who was one rebound away from back-to-back triple doubles.

Sun. 1:00 pm: No. 8 Purdue @ Michigan State: The Spartans picked up a big road win against Minnesota on Wednesday, getting them yet another step closer to overcoming their horrific start the the season. This game, however, may be the most important game Sparty has played all season. With their other two remaining games, the Spartans should have no problem getting to 10 wins in the Big Ten, but 11-7 with an extra win over Purdue can help make the committee forget about losses to Iowa and Michigan.


BEST MATCHUPS

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 20 Syracuse @ No. 11 Georgetown: This game changed on Wednesday night. Chris Wright, the Georgetown point guard, fell awkwardly and broke a bone in his left hand. Wright is the Hoya's best penetrator and their best passer. They are a different team against a zone when he isn't on the court. Regardless, this is Syracuse-Georgetown. Its the rivalry that the Big East was built on, and always a must-watch game.

Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 7 BYU @ No. 4 SDSU: The rematch doesn't have the same amount of hype as the first meeting in Provo back in January, but that doesn't diminish the importance of this game. With both teams sitting with one loss in Mountain West play, this could easily turn into the conference's regular season title game. Jimmer has been struggling lately, but his reputation is that of a big game player. He also has posted better numbers on the road than at home, meaning you can expect a big game out of him. But the Aztecs have been getting rowdy home crowds thanks to their success this season, and with BYU coming to town you should expect no different. As it was the first time, the key to this game is going to be how BYU's front line handles SDSU's big men.


Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 25 St. John's @ No. 14 Villanova: St. John's is the new darling of the Big East, but they've done the majority of their heavy lifting at home. The Johnnies only have two road wins on the season, but both of those wins have come in recent weeks, at Marquette and at Cincy. Villanova, on the other hand, has been struggling of late, losing five of their last nine games to fall off of the pace for one of the Big East's top four seeds. If St. John's wins, they put themselves into the driver's seat for one of the double-byes, as their last two games come against Seton Hall and South Florida.

Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 13 Florida @ No. 22 Kentucky: Florida has continued to win games, earning an 11-2 mark in the SEC and a three game lead in the SEC East. One win in their last three games, and the Gators will clinch the top seed in the East. That said, Florida has a tough schedule down the stretch, as they also host Alabama and travel to Vanderbilt. Kentucky is one of the most talented teams in the country, but they only play like it when they are at home, where John Calipari's team is undefeated this season. If the Gators pull out this win, its time to start discussing them as a potential No. 2 seed.

Sun. 2:00 pm: No. 6 Pitt @ No. 16 Louisville: I like this matchup for Louisville. Pitt is susceptible to being pressed. As good as Brad Wanamaker, Ashton Gibbs, and Travon Woodall are, none of them are really known as terrific ball handlers. Forcing tempo and forcing turnovers are Louisville's bread and butter. It will be key for the Cardinal's big men Gorgui Dieng and Terrence Jennings to box out on the defensive end of the floor, but if Louisville's press is working and they are hitting their threes, they are a tough team to beat.


BEST STORYLINES

Saturday

• 12:00 pm: Boston College @ Virginia: The Eagles absolutely cannot afford another loss if they want to make a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
• 12:00 pm: James Madison @ VCU: The Rams lost on Wednesday, meaning they no longer have any wiggle room if they want to get themselves an at-large bid.
• Sat. 1:00 pm: Wichita State @ Missouri State: Saturday is the last day of the Missouri Valley's regular season, and the Shockers and the Bears are tied for first place. We'll get an outright conference champ out of this game.
  
• 1:05 pm: Milwaukee @ Youngstown State; 2:00 pm: Green Bay @ Cleveland State; 2:00 pm: Loyola @ Butler: Milwaukee, Cleveland State, and Butler are all tied for the Horizon League lead heading into the regular season's final weekend.
  
• 1:45 pm: No. 18 Vanderbilt @ LSU: LSU scored 84 points against Mississippi State. That's 22 points more than their previous high in SEC play.
• 2:00 pm: Miami FL @ Florida State: After losing to Maryland by 18 on Wednesday night, the Seminoles have a lot to prove to the committee if they aren't getting Chris Singleton back before the tournament.
• 2:00 pm: Delaware @ Hofstra: Charles Jenkins will play his final home game and get his jersey retired while he is still active.
  
• 2:00 pm: South Florida @ DePaul: The battle for the cellar of the Big East.
• 3:00 pm: Memphis @ UTEP: The Conference USA regular season title is up for grabs. Both the Tigers and the Miners are in contention for it.
  
• 4:00 pm: No. 2 Kansas @ Oklahoma: Will Tyshawn Taylor be back in uniform for the Jayhawks?
• 4:00 pm: No. 5 Texas @ Colorado: The Longhorns lost their last game on the road and may be playing this game without their first big man off the bench. Colorado has been a tough team at home, as well.
• 4:00 pm: Alabama @ Ole Miss: The Crimson Tide, after nearly losing to Auburn at home, are looking to hold on to their lead in the SEC and play their way into the NCAA Tournament.

• 4:00 pm: William & Mary @ Old Dominion: The Monarchs still have a shot at earning an at-large bid to the tournament.
  
• 4:30 pm: Michigan @ Minnesota: This would have been a huge bubble game early this week, but after losing to Wisconsin and Michigan State, respectively, both the Gophers and the Wolverines look like they are just about done.
• 4:30 pm: Coastal Carolina @ CSU: Can the Chanticleers win with this hanging over their head?
• 6:00 pm: Mississippi State @ Tennessee: Can we just call this game the scandal bowl? This is a win that Tennessee has to have.
  
• 7:00 pm: Seton Hall @ No. 9 Notre Dame: Ben Hansbrough has a real shot at playing his way into the Big East player of the year award.
• 7:00 pm: South Carolina @ Georgia: The Bulldogs cannot afford to lose this game if they want to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.
• 7:00 pm: Iowa @ Illinois: Like Georgia, the Illini cannot afford to lose this game.
• 8:05 pm: Montana @ Eastern Washington: A win for the Grizzlies would clinch a share of the Big Sky title and force Northern Colorado to win three straight down the stretch to tie.
• 8:05 pm: Illinois-Chicago @ Valpo: Thanks to an unfortunate loss on Thursday night, Valpo is now on the outside looking in of the top of the Horizon.
• 8:45 pm: Eastern Kentucky @ Murray State: The Racers will win the Ohio Valle if they can knock off EKU on Saturday.
  
• 9:00 pm: Idaho @ No. 23 Utah State: New Mexico State's loss on Wednesday night gave Utah State the WAC regular season title. So the Aggies are playing to keep their names on the right side of the bubble.
• 9:00 pm: Gonzaga @ San Diego; 11:00 pm: Portland @ St. Mary's: Thanks to Gonzaga's overtime win against St. Mary's on Thursday night, the Zags and the Gaels are now tied for first in the WCC. Will they share the title?
• 10:00 pm: Wyoming @ UNLV: The Runnin' Rebels all-but punched their ticket with Wednesday's win over New Mexico. That ticket could get voided if they lose to Wyoming.
  

Sunday

• 4:00 pm: Fairfield @ Iona: There may not be anything on the line, but this should be quite an entertaining game.
• 4:00 pm: Providence @ Marquette: The Marshon and Marquette? There is guaranteed to be some excitement in this one.
• 10:00 pm: Washington State @ Washington: The Huskies will be looking to get some revenge for a loss they took at Wazzu last month.
  

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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

UPSET ALERT

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 4 Pitt @ St. John's: The Big East is a heaping pile of similarity this season. Pitt has a two game lead on Notre Dame who as a two game cushion in second place. After that? There are eight -- yesm eight! -- teams with five or six losses, all fighting to try and earn the three and four seeds in the Big East Tournament.

One of those eight teams is St. John's, who are slowly creeping their way up seed lines in the mock brackets that are coming out. The biggest reason for the Johnnie's ascent to hoops relevancy has been their ability to defend their home court. Georgetown, Notre Dame, Duke, and UConn have all fallen at the Garden. On Saturday, the Panthers try their hand at winning in the basketball Mecca.


Now, Pitt isn't exactly a great matchup for St. John's. The Panthers are a terrific offensive rebounding team, and their ability to clean up their own misses with second chance points is why they are such an efficient offensive team. The Johnnies are tough and they are physical, but they haven't exactly proven to be a great team on the defensive glass. St. John's also doesn't matchup that well of the offensive end of the floor. Pitt is not a elite team defensively in terms of efficiency, but a big reason for that is that they don't gamble for a lot of steals. They don't force turnovers. Instead, they play tough, quarter court defense, force a tough shot, and get the rebound. Offensive execution is key against the Panthers, and St. John's is not exactly Notre Dame.

That said, the reason that I can legitimately see the Johnnies pulling another upset is their press. Steve Lavin has athletes at every position on the floor, and when they are active and aggressive that press can be lethal. Pitt is susceptible to being pressed. Neither Brad Wanamaker or Ashton Gibbs are great ball handlers, and Travon Woodall actually has the highest turnover percentage on the team.

If the press is effective, it negates both of Pitt's advantages -- offensive rebounding and a stalwart half court defense. Playing in front of a home crowd that is sure to be fired up, I fully expect the Johnnies to be flying all over the court.


UPSET SPECIAL

Sat. 1:00 pm: No. 7 Notre Dame @ West Virginia: I am not yet convinced that the Irish are a great road team. And I know that Notre Dame beat Pitt on the road. But Notre Dame happens to matchup incredibly well with the Panthers, and with their 'burn' offense, they continually give the Panthers trouble. West Virginia hasn't been great this season, but when Denis Kilicli and Casey Mitchell are both playing well and guys like Kevin Jones and John Flowers are getting to the offensive glass, this is a good basketball team.

Sat. 1:45 pm: No. 2 Texas @ Nebraska: Nebraska has been a pesky team this season. They slow the game down, they defend, and they get to the defensive glass. The Huskers have knocked off Texas A&M this season and given Kansas and Missouri all they could handle on the road. No one in the country is playing better than Texas right now -- especially on the defensive end of the floor -- but I think that the Huskers matchup fairly well with the Longhorns.

Sat. 4:00 pm: Boston College @ No. 19 North Carolina: Two years ago, BC went into Chapel Hill and handed a North Carolina team we all thought had a chance to go undefeated their first loss of the season. This year the situation is quite different, as the 2011 Tar Heels are a far cry from the 2009 team. But Boston College is rated as the seventh best offensive team in the country, headlined by the ACC's best guard that doesn't play for Duke in Reggie Jackson. They are also the 256th best defense, which means that North Carolina will probably be able to score at will. The Eagles are fighting for their tournament lives, however, and a win like this on the road would do wonders for their profile. Will they play enough defense to win?


Sat. 6:00 pm: Washington @ No. 13 Arizona: Both Washington and Arizona handled their business of Thursday night, meaning that the Huskies, who are two games behind the Wildcats in the Pac-10 standings, will be playing to keep themselves in the Pac-10 regular season race. Washington's struggles on the road are not a secret, but this team also has a lot of the same parts as last year's team, which really came together down the stretch of the season. If they can find that magic again, Washington will be right back in the mix for a Pac-10 title.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 17 Texas A&M @ Oklahoma State: I am not a fan of Texas A&M. Don't get me wrong, they are a solid basketball team, but they are not the 17th best team in the country. Oklahoma State is a team fighting for their tournament life, and they have also beaten everyone on their home court that is not a Longhorn.


BEST MATCHUPS

Fri. 9:00 pm: No. 12 UConn @ No. 16 Louisville: As we mentioned in the discussion of the St. John's-Pitt game, the second tier of the Big East is as muddled as a mojito. Both the Cardinals and the Huskies are right in the middle of that mess, and both have a very good shot at earning one of the top four seeds in the Big East tournament. Back in January, Peyton Siva torched UConn down the stretch as the Cardinals beat the Huskies in double overtime on the road. But Kemba Walker also struggled a bit in that game, especially down the stretch, when he became a relative non-factor. Expect another game just as exciting.


Sat. 2:00 pm: Georgia @ Tennessee: Georgia is on the tournament ropes right now. They are 6-5 in the SEC with a number of close losses, including one that came on a Brian Williams buzzer beater in Athens last month. With road trips to Florida and Alabama left, the Bulldogs are legitimately looking at a situation where they could end up at 8-8 in the SEC. Tennessee is in a similar boat. They've been unable to close out close games all season long, and it resulted in some ugly losses during the non-conference season. The Vols have less breathing room than Georgia as result. This may be the most important bubble matchup of the day.

Sat. 5:00 pm: Vermont @ Charleston: In one of the more intriguing games of the BracketBusters weekend, the Catamounts, who have already clinched the America East title, head down to South Carolina to take of the Cougars, who currently have a comfortable two game cushion in the SoCon. Andrew Goudelock and Evan Fjeld are going to get the publicity heading into this one, but keep an eye on statsheet stuffer Brian Voelkel. A poor man's Draymond Green, the 6'6" freshman is averaging 6.6 ppg and a team high 9.9 rpg and 4.8 apg.

Sat. 7:00 pm: UNLV @ Colorado State: Right now, the MWC looks like a league that is only going to get two bids to the NCAA Tournament barring an upset in the conference tourney. But if someone is going to steal an at-large bid, in all likelihood it will be the winner of this game. UNLV has been a bit of a disappointment this season, as they are a team with a number of talented players that have not been able to put the pieces together. Colorado State may actually be exceeding expectations right now. The Rams have an excellent front court duo in Travis Franklin and Andy Ogide, who will be a tough matchup for the Rebels.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 24 Utah State @ No. 23 St. Mary's: This is, by far, the most important game of BracketBusters weekend. Its also the only BracketBusters game that may actually have an effect on the NCAA Tournament field. Both the Aggies and the Gaels have impressive records, but neither of them have done it against quality competition. Utah State has only played two teams rated higher than 123rd in the RPI, losing to both Georgetown and BYU, while also losing to Idaho in a game that seriously damaged their at-large hopes. St. Mary's has beaten St. John's and Gonzaga, but their loss to San Diego on Wednesday night made this a must-win. This is an eliminator game -- the loser is going to have to win their conference tournament to get in.


Sat. 9:00 pm: Illinois @ Michigan State: I doubt that anyone would have believed you if you said in the preseason that the loser of this game would be in serious danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. Michigan State has looked better in their last two games, smoking Penn State at home before putting up a good fight in a loss at Ohio State. Illinois, on the other hand, has struggled through Big Ten play. Demetri McCamey looks like he is mailing in this season, and no one else on the team has been able to pick up the slack. Is it too early to call this an eliminator game as well?

Sun. 1:00 pm: No. 3 Ohio State @ No. 11 Purdue: Ohio State embarrassed Purdue in Columbus earlier this season, beating the Boilermakers by 23 points. But as we all know, home court is everything in college hoops, and Mackey Arena is as tough a place to play as you will find in the Big Ten. Purdue already avenged one loss this week, as they took care of business against Wisconsin on Tuesday. If they are to do the same against the Buckeyes, its going to fall on JaJuan Johnson's shoulders. Can he defend Jared Sullinger in the post? Can he take advantage of the mismatch he will have at the other end of the floor?


BEST STORYLINES

Friday

• 7:00 pm: VCU @ Wichita State: Both these teams have probably cost themselves a real shot at an at-large bid, but both the Rams and the Shockers are more than quality basketball teams, they are quality programs.
  

Saturday

• 11:00 am: Hofstra @ Wright State: Charles Jenkins isn't really a storyline, but he may be the best player in the country you've never watched. This game is on ESPN U. Change that.
  
• 12:00 pm: No. 14 Villanova @ DePaul: The Wildcats will once again be without Corey Stokes, who is battling a turf toe injury.
• 12:00 pm: Duquesne @ Dayton: The Flyers are talented enough to be a spoiler for Duquesne, who is second in the Atlantic 10 right now. But the Flyers are talented enough to win the league, and that hasn't worked out.
• 1:00 pm: Florida State @ Wake Forest: The Seminoles will be playing their first game without Chris Singleton. At least they get a chance to ease into it against Wake Forest.
  
• 1:00 pm: Virginia Tech @ Virginia: The Hokies have won 13 of their last 16 games and Malcolm Delaney has started playing like last year's Malcolm Delaney. If the Hokies don't choke (which isn't a guarantee) they should be dancing.
  
• 1:45 pm: No. 21 Missouri @ Iowa State: Iowa State has a star in Diante Garrett and Missouri struggles on the road, but it will take some luck and hot shooting for the Cyclones to pull off this upset.
  
• 2:00 pm: Colorado @ No. 1 Kansas: Kansas is coming off of an embarrassing, 84-68 loss to Kansas State where the red flags -- maturity, leadership -- of this team were exposed. It will be interesting to see how the Jayhawks bounce back.
• 2:00 pm: No. 6 San Diego State @ Air Force: The Falcons have already outperformed expectations coming into the season. A win against SDSU would be an exclamation point.
• 3:00 pm: Iona @ Liberty: Mike Glover vs. Eric Gordon's brother?
• 3:00 pm: Tulsa @ SMU: Who would have thought that in late February, these two teams would be one game out of the lead in Conference USA?
  
• 4:00 pm: No. 18 Vanderbilt @ Auburn: Vandy might be the hottest team in the SEC, and I don't think that the Tigers are going to be able to change that.
• 4:00 pm: Rutgers @ No. 20 Syracuse: The Scarlet Knights are one of the toughest teams in the Big East. Unfortunately, they are lacking in the talent department. I'm not sure they have enough perimeter shooting to pull off this upset.
• 4:00 pm: South Carolina @ No. 22 Kentucky: The Wildcats are as talented as any team in the country, and they play like it when they play at Rupp.

• 4:00 pm: Oklahoma @ Kansas State: The Wildcat's performance against Kansas on Monday was great, but they need to build on it going forward. It will be interesting to see what they can do against the Sooners.
• 4:30 pm: No. 8 BYU @ TCU: TCU is reeling and playing without Ronnie Moss. Can the Horned Frogs contain The Jimmer?
• 4:30 pm: Northwestern State @ McNeese State: First place in the Eastern division of the Southland Conference is on the line in this one.
• 5:00 pm: Missouri State @ Valpo: Missouri State is currently tied for first in the MVC while Valpo is a half game behind Cleveland State in the Horizon. Neither will be getting an at-large bid, but both are capable of winning a game in the tournament.
  
• 6:00 pm: UCF @ UAB: The Blazers are just a game behind Memphis in the C-USA standing, but they are without Cameron Moore the rest of the season. UCF snapped an eight game losing streak by winning two in a row. Can they stay hot?
• 6:30 pm: Bethune-Cookman @ Hampton: First place in the MEAC is on the line.
  
• 7:00 pm: No. 9 Georgetown @ South Florida: Last year, the Bulls went into the Verizon Center and knocked off the Hoyas. This year, there is no Dominique Jones.
• 7:00 pm: George Mason @ Northern Iowa: The Panther haven't been the same team since Lucas O'Rear got injured, but this game is worth the watch (ESPN2) simply because GMU is a legitimate contender to win a game in the tournament.
• 8:00 pm: Texas Tech @ Baylor: The Bears are still trying to work their way into the NCAA Tournament field despite the fact that freshman Perry Jones may have played his way into the first pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
• 9:00 pm: San Francisco @ Gonzaga: Thanks to St. Mary's loss at San Diego, this game has all kinds of importance to the WCC race, as it will be for sole possession of second place in the league.
  
• 9:00 pm: Seton Hall @ Marquette: The Golden Eagles have damn near played their way out of the NCAA Tournament. There is still time to turn it around, however.
• 11:00 pm: Montana @ Long Beach State: Its cliche to say this, but since both of these teams are currently leading their conference, this could be a chance to watch two tournament teams. What else would you be doing this late on a Saturday night?
  

Sunday

• 1:00 pm: Cleveland State @ Old Dominion: Old Dominion probably won't gain that much by beating Cleveland State, but a loss at home to the Horizon leaders would end any chance of getting an at-large bid. As far as the Vikings are concerned, they have Norris Cole, who is worth watching for his play as much as his hi-top fade.
  
• 2:00 pm: St. Joe's @ No. 25 Temple: The A-10 was more fun when this rivalry game actually mattered.
• 3:00 pm: St. Bonaventure @ Richmond: The Spiders have to win the A-10 tournament if they want to be dancing come Selection Sunday.
• 3:30 pm: Clemson @ Miami FL: I don't think that Clemson is going to be able to climb back into the bubble picture after losing to NC State on Thursday night.
  
• 5:30 pm: NC State @ Maryland: The Terps may have also played their way out of the NCAA Tournament picture.
  
• 6:00 pm: Penn State @ No. 10 Wisconsin: Penn State has a chance to play their way onto the bubble in the weak middle of the Big Ten, but doing so at Wisconsin is a tough task.
  

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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

UPSET SPECIAL

Sat. 4:00 pm: UNLV @ No. 9 BYU: You want to get a feel for how good Jimmer Fredette has been this season? His past two games, he's scored 32 points and 26 points against New Mexico and Wyoming, respectively, and people are talking about the fact that he has played poorly. Yes, he hasn't been the Jimmer that we witnessed against San Diego State or in the first meeting with UNLV, but scoring 58 points over the course of two games is hardly playing poorly.

The key to beating BYU isn't strictly shutting down Jimmer. Yes, when going against a player capable of scoring 40, keeping him in check is going to be one of the priorities of every game plan. But just as important will be keeping Jackson Emery and Brandon Davies in check. Emery is a lights out shooter and creates point with his ability to anticipate and jump a passing lane, but there isn't much else to his game. Davies is one of the must underrated big men in the country. He's got awkward looking post moves, but awkward-looking and ineffective are two completely different things.


In the first matchup, UNLV failed to do all of the above. Jimmer had 39 points, Emery had 22 and a number of big jumpers to keep put an end to the surges that UNLV made, and Brandon Davies went for 15 points and 10 boards, outplaying the Rebel's big men. In the end, it lead to an 89-77 win for the Cougars. And that game was in Vegas.

This one is in the Marriott Center, where BYU is notoriously difficult to beat. But the Rebels come in hot, having won their last three games. Tre'Von Willis is back from injury, Chace Stanback looks like he is rounding back into form, and Quintrell Thomas is playing the best basketball of his career. UNLV needs this win badly.


UPSET ALERT

Sat. 1:00 pm: No. 24 Illinois @ Northwestern: I think I've picked Northwestern to be an upset in every game against a team at the top of the Big Ten. I've been wrong every time. No sense in stopping now. I know that the Illini won the first matchup by 25 points, but I still like how the Wildcats matchup with them. Neither team really has a big, burly post presence and both teams have a number of talented perimeter players. This game will come down to who is hitting their jumpers. When Northwestern is hot, they have a chance against anybody.

Sat. 1:30 pm: South Carolina @ No. 24 Vanderbilt: The Gamecocks are a pesky team. There isn't a ton of talent on their roster, but freshman point guard Bruce Ellington and senior forward Sam Muldrow are both having solid seasons. Vanderbilt is a bit of a question mark as well. They have a nice ranking, but if you look at what they have actually accomplished this season, it really isn't all that impressive. And that includes their overtime loss to South Carolina earlier this year, a game in which Muldrow had a triple double (16 points, 14 boards, 10 blocks) and Ellington had 22 points and caught fire late in the game.


Sat. 2:00 pm: Baylor @ No. 16 Texas A&M: I am not all that impressed with Texas A&M. They can't score and they aren't great defensively. They are a team that benefited from an easy early schedule and a couple of close, home wins. I'm not impressed with Baylor, either. They don't have a point guard and their defense and rebounding is bad for a team with their size and athleticism. That said, the Bears really need this win if they are going to have any shot of making the NCAA Tournament. They have no wins of note and have just one road win, at Texas Tech. There is talent on that roster, however, and I think there is a chance the Bears can bounce back from their ugly loss to Oklahoma.

Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 2 Kansas @ Nebraska: The Cornhuskers, believe it or not, are quite competitive this season. They've won all three of their Big XII home games and they've been very competitive on the road, including a five point loss in the Phog in January. They do it with size, defense, and rebounding while controlling the pace. Against Kansas, they are going to have to control the Morrii. The Huskers did a solid job of it in their first meeting, holding the twins to a combined 23 points and 18 boards. The problem was that they shot 36.1% from the floor. If they get that same defensive effort and knock down a couple more shots, Nebraska could remain undefeated in the Big XII at home.


BEST MATCHUPS

Sat. 12:00 pm: West Virginia @ No. 12 Villanova: With everything that has gone on in the West Virginia program this season -- a disintegrating freshmen class, the suspensions of Casey Mitchell, Danny Jennings leaving the bench during a game -- would you be surprised if I were to tell you that the Mountaineers are tied for second in the Big East at 6-3? One of the three teams they are tied with is Villanova, which adds some importance to an already intriguing game. Villanova's got a loaded back court, but their question marks are on the front line, which is where the 'Eers excel.

Sat. 1:00 pm: St. John's @ UCLA: Obviously, this game is interesting because of Steve Lavin's return to LA, where he coached the Bruins for seven years. But this is more than just an interesting coaching storyline. Both the Johnnies and the Bruins have their sights set on an NCAA Tournament bid this season. There are two matchups that I will be intrigued to watch -- Reeves Nelson vs. Justin Brownlee and DJ Kennedy vs. Tyler Honeycutt.


Sat. 2:00 pm: Old Dominion @ George Mason: This will end up being one of the most important games in the CAA this season. Mason, after a slow start to conference play, as won eight straight games to move into a first place tie in the league and to plant themselves firmly on the bubble. ODU, on the other hand, sits a game behind Mason and VCU in the standings. But they do own a win over the Patriots.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 11 Kentucky @ No. 23 Florida: This is the time for the Wildcats to prove themselves. Kentucky has struggled away from home all season long, including going 0-3 in SEC play. Their issue has been execution and leadership, especially down the stretch in close games. Florida, on the other hand, is currently leading the SEC East by a game in the loss column. With a win, the Wildcats close that gap. And not only do they add to their resume, they build up their confidence. UK has as much talent as just about anyone in the country, but that talent goes to waste when you can't execute.

Sun. 1:00 pm: Michigan State @ No. 18 Wisconsin: Its awkward to still put Michigan State into a list regarding the best matchups, but until the Spartans are dead in the water -- and not just in the midst of drowning -- they deserve that much respect. The only reason that Michigan State isn't dead are the three, overtime wins they picked up in the past few weeks. One of those wins came against Wisconsin in East Lansing. I'm just saying.

Sun. 2:00 pm: No. 1 Ohio State @ No. 20 Minnesota: If Al Nolen wasn't injured, I would say that I really like this matchup for the Golden Gophers. They have the size and physicality to matchup with Sullinger inside. Trevor Mbakwe is a beast while Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson are both capable Big Ten big men. But I have trouble seeing Minnesota being able to score on a very good Ohio State defense without Nolen.


Sun. 2:00 pm: Florida State @ North Carolina: So here we have it folks. The battle for second place in the SEC. As you should be well aware of, the Seminoles are easily one of the best defensive teams in the country. They have size, they are strong and they are physical. UNC's defense isn't too poor, either, and with their offense starting to click, the Heels all of a sudden have a reminiscent look about them. UNC is tied for first in the ACC at 6-1, while FSU is a game back in the loss column.


BEST STORYLINES

Friday

• 7:00 pm: Harvard @ Princeton: Both the Crimson and the Tigers head into this game undefeated in league play.
  
• 9:00 pm: Iona @ Fairfield: The best team in the MAAC (Fairfield) takes on the MAAC's best player (Mike Glover).
  

Saturday

• 11:00 am: St. Louis @ Xavier: The Musketeers are coming off of their first loss in Atlantic 10 play ... at Charlotte?
  
• 12:00 pm: Providence @ No. 15 Georgetown: The Hoyas have bounced back nicely from their 1-4 start in Big East play. They should be able to keep their five game winning streak alive against Providence.
• 12:00 pm: VCU @ James Madison: Both of these teams are coming off of bad losses in conference play. The Rams lost to Northeastern, while the Dukes fell to William & Mary at home.
• 12:00 pm: Butler @ Cleveland State: This game would be a lot more intriguing if Butler wasn't, you know, bad this year.
• 1:00 pm: Wake Forest @ Maryland; Clemson @ Georgia Tech; Virginia Tech @ Boston College: I mean, someone has to emerge from the middle of the ACC, right? Anyone?
• 1:00 pm: Northern Iowa @ Drake: The Panthers are streaking right now, but it will be interesting to see what happens to this team without Lucas O'Rear.
• 1:00 pm: Richmond @ Fordham: The matchup between Justin Harper and Chris
  Gaston will be a fun one to watch, especially for NBA scouts.
  
• 2:00 pm: No. 17 Syracuse @ South Florida: The Orange bounced back from their four game losing streak with a nice win at UConn. Can they keep this new streak alive?
• 2:00 pm: Rhode Island @ Temple: Talk about a contrast of styles -- Temple plays fundamental, half court defense. URI presses and shoots a ton of threes.
  
• 3:05 pm: Indiana State @ Missouri State: Both the Bears and the Sycamores have been slumping a bit the past two weeks.
  
• 4:00 pm: No. 19 Washington @ Oregon: The Huskies lost at Oregon State on Thursday. Washington State was blown out at Oregon the same night. Please, someone from the state of Washington salvage that trip.
• 4:00 pm: Memphis @ Gonzaga: Two of the country's best non-BCS programs. Also two of the country's most disappointing teams this season.
  

• 4:00 pm: Furman @ Charleston: The Cougars thumped Wofford on Thursday night. Can they turn around and beat the third contender in the SoCon's south division?
• 4:30 pm: Quinnipiac @ Long Island: These two teams could very well be the best two teams in the NEC.
• 5:00 pm: Alabama @ Tennessee: The Vols have rebounded nicely from their midseason slump. Lets see how the handle the SEC leader. That's right, Alabama leads the SEC in February. Who saw that coming?
  
• 6:00 pm: Cincinnati @ No. 4 Pitt: The Bearcats matchup pretty well with Pitt personnel-wise. But in terms of talent, discipline, and execution, its no contest.
• 6:00 pm: NC State @ No. 5 Duke: NC State beat Duke a little more than a year ago. Duke's lost three ACC games since then. NC State has won only eight.
• No. 7 UConn @ Seton Hall: Kemba Walker is struggling right now. He hasn't shot well in the last five games, and during UConn's losing streak he is shooting 10-37 from the floor, 3-16 from three, and is averaging only 14.0 ppg.
• 7:30 pm: Colorado @ No. 15 Missouri: The Buffaloes beat Missouri in their first meeting. That one was in Colorado. Can Mizzou return the favor? The Tigers really could use the win.
  
• 8:00 pm: DePaul @ No. 13 Louisville: The Cardinals will be without Preston Knowles on Saturday. This team has been as beat-up as anyone this season.
• 8:00 pm: No. 22 Arizona @ Cal: Congratulations, Wildcats. You are now all alone in first place in the Pac-10.
  
• 9:00 pm: Texas Tech @ No. 2 Texas: The Red Raiders had won three in a row ... before getting obliterated by Kansas.
• 9:00 pm: Boise State @ No. 21 Utah State: What will Wild Bill be wearing on Saturday?
• 9:00 pm: Murray State @ Austin Peay; Morehead State @ Tennessee Tech; UT-Martin @ Tennessee State: All five of the OVC's contenders will be playing in the same time slot on Saturday. That's pretty cool.
  
• 10:30 pm: TCU @ No. 6 SDSU: The Aztecs get an MWC bottom-feeder at home? That's a must-win. Or a can't-lose.
  

Sunday

• 12:00 pm: Michigan @ Penn State: The battle of the spoilers or the battle of the not-so-good-at-football football schools.
  

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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

UPSET SPECIAL

Fri. 2:00 pm: Charleston @ Tennessee: To be honest, I'm not sure if this can even qualify as an upset special with the way that Tennessee has been playing of late. After knocking off then-No. 3 Pitt in Pittsburgh in early December, the Vols lost three straight games -- to Oakland, Charlotte, and USC -- before barely hanging on against Belmont and UT-Martin.

Believe it or not, Charleston may actually be the best team Tennessee has played since Pitt. Andrew Goudelock is a mid-major superstar, a scorer that is capable of going for 30 on any given night against any opponent. Jeremy Simmons is solid in the post. Antwaine Wiggins and Donavan Monroe are capable perimeter players. This is a group that has nearly knocked off Maryland, UNC, Clemson, and URI this season (all of those losses are by seven points or less) and also beat UNC last season. Outside of those four games, the Cougars are undefeated, with impressive wins over Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State, and Davidson.


There are a number of issues plaguing the Vols right now, but one of the problems they have had of late is that they have been allowing perimeter players to get into a rhythm. That wasn't true against Pitt or Villanova, when Melvin Goins and Scotty Hopson were terrific defensively. If Goudelock gets into a rhythm, anything can happen.


UPSET ALERT

Fri. 12:00 pm: Northwestern @ No. 11 Purdue: First things first -- this is all contingent on John Shurna being in the lineup for Northwestern. The Big Ten's leading scorer had to leave their last game against Mt. St. Mary's with an ankle injury, and he only made it back to practice on Wednesday. That said, with Shurna in the lineup, I think this is a pretty good matchup. JaJuan Johnson is an all-american, but he's not a bruiser like a Jared Sullinger is. That's good for a Northwestern frontline that is far from overpowering. Offensively, they move the ball really well, which is what you need to do against a team that plays the kind of man-to-man defense Purdue does. We finally get a chance to get a sense just how good Northwestern is. If their threes are falling, they have a shot at getting this win.

Sat. 3:30 pm: No. 15 Notre Dame @ No. 5 Syracuse: Is Notre Dame for real? It sure looked that way when they manhandled Georgetown on Wednesday night. I like the way the Irish matchup against the Syracuse zone. They have shooters, especially up front, and they have a lineup that is versatile enough to play really big or really small. They have two legitimate playmakers in the back court and some excellent shooters on the perimeter. They will have trouble with Rick Jackson inside, but who won't this season? A road game against a very good Syracuse team this early in Big East play will be a good guage for the Irish.


Sun. 3:00 pm: Tennessee State @ No. 22 Memphis: Tennessee State is pretty good this season. They are currently sitting in second in the OVC with a win over Morehead State. The team ahead of them, Austin Peay, took the Tigers to overtime. The win over Lipscomb aside, I'm not in a place where Ican trust this young Memphis team to comeout ready to play on a nightly basis.


BEST MATCHUPS

12:00 pm: No. 12 Kentucky @ No. 20 Louisville: Its hard for me to discern the difference between a game that is a must-watch for college hoops die-hards and a game that is a must-watch for the casual fan. That said, I'm certain of the fact that when these two teams that the court, your eyes need to be on the TV screen. I could delve into the reasons why, but its much easier to point you in the direction of Matt Jones who does a great job dissecting this rivalry.As far as this particular game is concerned, Louisville might be in some trouble. Raheem Buckles needed surgery on his finger and will be out, Jared Swopshire looks to be done for the season, and Mike Marra and Elisha Justice are both out as well. What was once a deep, versatile Louisville team is now one that will be playing their run and gun style with a seven man rotation. If the Kentucky freshmen can handle the Cardinal press, they should be fine. One thing to keep an eye on -- neither team is deep. With all the shenanigans of last season's matchup, a tight whistle and foul trouble could end up playing a major role.

Fri. 4:00 pm: No. 13 Minnesota @ No. 19 Michigan State: Watching the Golden Gophers play this season, I've been struck by how much they resemble a typical Michigan State team. They have a number of big, strong front court players that can attack the back boards, they have a couple of talented playmakers in their back court, and their wings are either insanely athletic or dead-eye shooters. The Gophers may be a touch overrated at No. 13 in the country, but this is a very good basketball team, especially with Al Nolen back in the fold. Michigan State has been disappointing this season, but they always seem to turn things around in the new year. Can it start a day early this season?


Fri. 4:00 pm: Washington @ UCLA: This game will be very important when it comes to the Pac-10 race. The way the UCLA played in the second half against a beter-than-expected Washington State team only reaffirmed my belief that the Bruins have a shot at making a run through the Pac-10 this season. If they are going to win the conference, however, protecting their home court is vital. You would be remiss to say anyone other than the Huskies are the favorite in the league, and they also happen to be very tough to beat at home. UCLA needs to win this game if they are going to win the league.

Fri. 4:00 pm: Florida @ Xavier: Three months from now when we are all holding our mock brackets with outlandish predictions of who made and who missed the cut for the NCAA Tournament, this is going to be a game we all talk about. Xavier's has had some serious issues with injuries this season, as they are down to just three back court players. Florida, on the other hand, has had issues with their back court play. Maybe Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton really aren't all that good as a back court tandem.

Sun. 6:00 pm: No. 24 Wisconsin @ No. 25 Illinois: There are a lot of really good early season matchups in the Big Ten this season. This is one of them. Its hard to imagine two teams with such similar roster makeups -- excellent point guard and quality, finesse big men -- playing such differing styles. Illinois is the more talented team, but Bo Ryan has seemingly gotten his players to buy into his system more than Bruce Weber has. You may not love Big Ten hoops, but this game will be a dandy.


BEST STORYLINES

Friday

• 6:00 pm: No. 2 Ohio State @ Indiana: Tom Crean has been so disappointed with his front court that he's threatened to start five guards. That could be a problem with Jared Sullinger coming to town.
• 6:00 pm: South Florida @ No. 4 UConn: UConn will have a chance to get their first Big East win and rebound from a shellacking at the hands of the Pitt Panthers.
  
• 6:00 pm: Washington State @ USC: You don't want to start conference play 0-2. It will be interesting to see which of these two teams is the real deal.
  
• 8:00 pm: Seton Hall @ Cincinnati: Believe it or not, but this is probably undefeated Cincinnati's toughest test of the season.
• 10:00 pm: Oklahoma State @ Gonzaga: The game itself is mediocre, but any reason I have to link this is a good one.

Saturday

• 11:00 am: West Virginia @ Marquette: Marquette always seems to be involved in a dogfight, while West Virginia is a team that is currently reeling without the leadership of Da'Sean Butler.
  
• 12:00 pm: San Diego @ NC State: One of these days, Tracy Smith has to return to the Wolfpack lineup, right?
• 2:00 pm: Valpo @ Butler; UIC @ Cleveland State: Butler looks like they are back on track this season with a win in the Diamond Head Classic, but Norris Cole and Cleveland State appear to be legit this season. Can CSU unseat Butler atop the Horizon?
• 2:00 pm: New Mexico @ Dayton: Both teams really, really need this win.
• 5:30 pm: Boston College @ South Carolina: Bruce Ellington vs. Reggie Jackson is worth two hours of your New Year's Da recovery.
• 7:00 pm: St. John's @ Providence: A couple of Big East sleepers square off.
• 10:00 pm: Arizona State @ Oregon: If ASU gets swept by the Oregon schools (they just lost by 22 to Oregon State) we might as well write them off.
  

Sunday

• 1:00 pm: Gonzaga @ Wake Forest: I bet the Zags didn't expect Wake Forest to be so bad when they signed on for this game.
• 3:00 pm: High Point @ Coastal Carolina: For Big South fans, this game could have a lot of meaning later in the season.
• 4:00 pm: Penn State @ Michigan: The teams may not be all that good, but Talor Battle and Darius Morris are fantasy studs this season.
• 4:30 pm: Charleston @ Morehead State: Andrew Goudelock and Kenny Faried. Yes, please.
• 5:00 pm: Davidson @ Vanderbilt: I wanted to call this game an Upset Alert. Couldn't bring myself to do it.
• 5:30 pm: LSU @ Virginia: Yuck.
• 6:00 pm: Charlotte @ Georgia Tech: Ditto.
  
• 7:45 pm: Miami FL @ No. 1 Duke: Hangover from Coach K's 880th win? Hangover from New Year's Eve? Nah...
• 10:00 pm: Arizona @ Oregon State: Most believe Arizona is the second best team in the Pac-10. Hopefully, they won't pull an Arizona State.
  

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