7:00 pm: Richmond @ No. 25 Temple: With Xavier's win at Duquesne on Sunday, the Musketeers took sole possession of first place in the Atlantic 10. That lead is just one game, however, and Richmond and Temple are two of the three teams chasing Xavier.
The Spiders and the Owls aren't just chasing Xavier, however. They are also chasing NCAA Tournament bids. Temple is probably in better position than Richmond right now, as their computer numbers are a bit friendlier. While Richmond has the best win of the two -- knocking off Purdue earlier this season -- they also have lost to Iona and Georgia Tech. Both teams need this win, but the Spiders have much less breathing room.
As far as on the court is concerned, it is going to be fun watching when Richmond has the ball. Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper are two of the most talented players in the conference, and while the Spiders run a fairly unique offense, Temple is as disciplined as any team in the country on the defensive end of the floor.
8:30 pm: Washington State @ No. 13 Arizona: I don't like the term trap game, but this seems like the classic case of a "trap game". On Saturday, Arizona hosts Washington in a game that could give the Wildcats firm control in the Pac-10 standings. Standing in their way tonight, however, are the Cougars, who are probably a better team than their record indicates. They have some size inside and a lot of scoring punch on the perimeter with Klay Thompson, Faisal Aden, and Reggie Moore. If Wazzu is hot tonight and the Wildcats are looking ahead to Saturday, the Wildcats could very easily lose this game.
7:00 pm: Minnesota @ Penn State: The Gophers are in the midst of a four game slide. This team looks nothing like the one that climbed all the way into the top ten early in the season. A loss tonight could seal their at-large fate.
7:00 pm: Clemson @ NC State: Clemson is another team currently on the bubble looking to play their way into the tournament. A loss to a struggling NC State team could be a back breaker.
8:00 pm: East Tennessee State @ Belmont: A win tonight for Belmont would guarantee them a share of the Atlantic Sun regular season title and clinch the top seed in the A-Sun tournament.
9:00 pm: Alabama @ LSU: If the Crimson Tide is serious about getting an at-large bid, they need to make a statement in games like this.
10:30 pm: UCLA @ Stanford: The Bruins are currently sitting a game out of first place in the Pac-10 standings. With conference leader Arizona playing the Washington schools this weekend, a sweep could very well move the Bruins into a tie for first place in the league.
Other Notable Games:
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thursday's Pregame Beat: An A-10 battle highlights a slow night |
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