Monday, February 23, 2009

Key Games this Week

Louisville at Georgetown (Monday): The Hoyas desperately need a win to keep their NCAA hopes alive, while Louisville is looking for a Big East title.

Kansas at Oklahoma (Monday):
A battle for first place in the Big 12. However, the Sooners will likely be without Blake Griffin; can they win without him?

Pittsburgh at Providence (Tuesday): The Panthers are looking like the overall No. 1 seed in the Tournament, while the Friars could use a marquee win on their resume.

Penn State at Ohio State (Tuesday):
Another bubble team that could really use a big win, Penn State has been solid on the road. OSU is struggling and needs to bounce back.

Northern Iowa at Illinois State (Tuesday): Although streaking Creighton is in first right now in the MVC, UNI is tied with the Bluejays and ISU is just one game out.

Florida State at Boston College (Tuesday):
Florida State likely clinched a bid with its two wins this past week, while Boston College would lock one up with a win.

Florida at LSU (Tuesday):
With the SEC East a muddled mess, LSU has taken advantage to become clearly the best team in the league. UF is on the bubble.

Texas A&M at Nebraska (Tuesday):
Two bubble teams in the Big 12. A&M had two wins last week to right the ship, while Nebraska badly needs wins.

BYU at San Diego State (Tuesday): After Utah, the race in the Mountain West is crowded. Both of these teams have chances at an at-large; the winner gets the inside track.

Kentucky at South Carolina (Wednesday):
An SEC bubble battle. Both teams are tied for the SEC East lead at 8-4, but neither is anything close to a lock for a bid.

Dayton at Rhode Island (Wednesday): Never thought I’d be mentioning Rhode Island this late in the season, but the Rams are just one game out of the A-10 lead. Dayton needs to bounce back after its road loss to Saint Louis.

Connecticut at Marquette (Wednesday): A battle amongst the four teams fighting for first in the Big East. Does Marquette have anyone to stop Hasheem Thabeet? Does UConn have the guards to match-up with Marquette?

Virginia Tech at Clemson (Wednesday): Virginia Tech is in dire need of a marquee win for its resume, while Clemson is fighting for a top-two seed.

Duke at Maryland (Wednesday):
Can Maryland complete the home sweep of UNC and Duke? A win by the Terps would likely lock up a bid for the Dance.

Kansas State at Missouri (Wednesday): Missouri is developing as a Final Four sleeper in March, while Kansas State could use a win for its bubble profile.

UNLV at Utah (Wednesday):
UNLV picked up a huge win over BYU on Saturday to stay in the field, while Utah is a lock for the Dance, barring a collapse.

West Virginia at Cincinnati (Thursday):
Another game involving a team firmly in the field, and a bubble team looking for a win. Cincy needs a marquee victory.

Minnesota at Illinois (Thursday):
Minnesota snapped out of its funk with a win over Northwestern, while Illinois bounced back from its dismal performance against Penn State with a win at Ohio State.

Memphis at UAB (Thursday):
One of the more intriguing games of the week. A win by UAB could put the Blazers into next week’s projected NCAA field.

Purdue at Michigan (Thursday): Purdue is one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten, while Michigan blew a chance on the road when it lost in OT at Iowa.

USC at California (Thursday): USC is falling out of the at-large picture quickly after its loss to Washington and the reported aftermath of it, while California is coming off of a loss to Oregon State.

Arizona State at Washington (Thursday): A potential battle for the Pac-10 title. ASU escaped with a win over Arizona, while Washington picked up a split against the LA schools.

Siena at Niagara (Friday): Siena has the MAAC title wrapped up already, but a loss to second-place Niagara would likely mean the Saints need to win the conference tourney. Niagara is an impressive 22-7 thus far.

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