They Don't Get Odell Beckham Jr's Timbs In The Summer

If you are alive, are a sports fan, have a Twitter account, listen to sports talk radio or watch it on television, then you’ve heard all about how Odell Beckham Jr. and some of his New York Giants teammates snuck off to Miami for a quick one-day vacation earlier this week.

If you’re smart, you understand that this is a meaningless story seemingly meant to irritate Giants’ fans into a link-clicking, sports-talking frenzy before Big Blue’s playoff visit to Green Bay this Sunday.

Mission accomplished. A trip to Miami on a day off has been a topic of discussion for two full days.

As asinine as that may be, the most frustrating part of the coverage to me has been the focus on what the rain-dodging players were and were not wearing.

As faux concerned as many media members are about players having the audacity to have fun on their day off, there seems to be genuine concern or bewilderment about the wardrobe choice of the people in the now infamous picture on the boat.

Black guys in jeans and Timberland boots on a sunny day in Miami seemed to shock the conscience of the mainstream white media. For a black guy like me, it was simply a routine fashion statement, nothing strange about it.

Yes, I’m from Brooklyn, New York, likely the birth place of the aforementioned fashion statement – of which I partook in my younger days – so, I am perhaps more familiar with the style than others. But, for god’s sake, have people not paid attention to hip-hop and its culture for the past thirty years?

That was a rhetorical question. I know they have. I’ve seen the numbers.

So, what’s so shocking or noteworthy, or even funny about black guys in Timbs and jeans on a boat?

It is surely no longer a shock to me when I see white guys in shorts and flip flops on a cold day in Chicago, or when I see “that fat guy” with no shirt on in freezing temperatures, that we are sure to see this weekend, cheering on the Packers.

Sometimes you just have to shake your head and say, hey, I may not get it, but do you! Express yourself!

The guys in that picture looked sharp to me. Jeans, boots, sneakers, skullcaps and all, they rocked it well.

Maybe some good will come out of this “coverage.” Maybe the next time white people see a picture of rich black guys in a warm climate wearing boots and hats it’ll be recognized as a style and not held up to ridicule.

I won’t hold my breath, but it’s a nice thought.

After all, we let collared shirts tucked into jeans live. So hey, let jeans and Timberlands with no shirt and a skullcap live, too.

Let us live.

Bubble Wrap - Thursday, March 5th

Ok, so we're ten days from Selection Sunday.

These games matter.

All games matter, of course, but these games really matter. Or, at least, they feel like they do.

Either way, this is the last chance for teams to prove they belong in the field of 68.

Last Night's Recap

Miami came away with a huge win at Pittsburgh. Pitt was the team closer to the field going into the game, but the Hurricanes' performance, without their leader, Angel Rodriguez, likely catapults the U ahead of the Panthers and in prime position for further upward movement come ACC Tournament play.

Tulsa had an opportunity to improve their shaky prospects and push Cincinnati close to the brink. But, the Golden Hurricane were again unable to get a much-needed quality win. While Tulsa's RPI remains respectable, there's a reason that is not the case with KenPom, Sagarin, or the BPI.

LSU suffered a very shaky 78-63 home loss to Tennessee, likely erasing all of the goodwill they acquired in their win versus Mississippi over the weekend. The Tigers are easily back in double-digit seed range and cannot afford another bad loss.

Oregon, UCLA, and Illinois all took care of business and avoided bad losses, while Purdue missed a chance to get a resume boosting win at Michigan State.

Tonight's Bubble Games

Temple at East Carolina, 7PM, Greenville, NC, ESPNU - The Owls are one of the tougher teams to evaluate, based on a slew of key absences during the early part of the season. Recently, they have just been plain inconsistent. They cannot afford to lose this game, or they will be on the outside looking in.

Connecticut vs. Memphis, 9PM, Storrs, CT, ESPN - Unbelievably, or believably, UConn is not yet completely out of the picture, though they are close. The Huskies basically have to win out, at least until the AAC Tourney final, in order to have an at-large chance.

Davidson vs. VCU, 9PM, Davidson, NC, ESPNU - This has been a remarkable season for the Wildcats, who are tied for first in the loss column in their first season in the Atlantic 10. They are also currently a tournament team - barely - and a win tonight would likely cement that.

Stanford at Arizona State, 11PM, Tempe, AZ, FS1 - The Cardinal's hopes for an at-large bid were severely damaged due to their home loss to Oregon on Sunday. A loss tonight would almost surely obliterate all hope.


Twitter: @Blacketologist

Eye on the Tourney: Tonight's Games That Matter

We are at that point in the season where a whole bunch of games matter each night, as far as the NCAA Tournament is concerned. However, their levels of significance vary greatly. There are bubble teams, fringe bubble teams and teams lucky or good enough to be playing strictly for seeding purposes.

Here are tonight's games that matter and why:


BUBBLE

Florida (12-13, 5-7) vs. Vanderbilt (13-11, 4-7) 7PM, Gainesville, FL, SECN
Believe it or not, the Gators still have a shot at dancing, thanks mostly to their 8th ranked SOS. They can't afford to lose this one.

Davidson (16-6, 8-4) at George Washington (17-8, 7-5) 7PM, Washington, DC
Davidson is hanging on by a thread, as well, while GW seems to have fallen off the cliff. Still, a must-win game for Davidson's hopes.

Miami (16-9, 6-6) vs. Virginia Tech (10-15, 2-10) 7PM, Coral Gables, FL, ESPN3
Miami can't afford anymore bad losses and a home loss to the Hokies would more than fit that description.

UCLA (16-10, 8-5) at Arizona State (13-12, 5-7) 9PM, Tempe, AZ, ESPN2
UCLA is still in my last four in so they need to continue winning, especially against subpar competition.

Colorado State (20-5, 8-5) at Fresno State (10-13, 7-5) 10PM, Fresno, CA, ESPN3
The Rams are in that 11 seed range, so a loss at Fresno would not be ideal.

Boise State (16-7, 8-4) at UNLV (13-11, 5-7) 11PM, Las Vegas, NV, CBSS
The Broncos are coming off a bad loss at Fresno, themselves, so a loss to the Rebels tonight could easily bump them out of the NCAA field, for now.

FRINGE BUBBLE

UMass (15-9, 9-3) at Rhode Island (16-6, 9-3) 7PM, Kingston, RI
Both these teams are fringe, RI more so, but the Minutemen can keep their slim hopes alive with a win.

Tulsa (17-6, 10-2) vs. ECU (9-14, 4-8) 7PM, Tulsa, OK, ESPNU
Tulsa's record looks way, way better than their resume and a loss to ECU might just kill off the last of their supporters.

Minnesota (15-10, 5-8) vs. Northwestern (11-14, 2-10) 9PM, Minneapolis, MN, BTN
The Gophers jumped back on life support with three straight wins before losing at Indiana. They can't afford to become Northwestern's second straight upset victim.

Oregon (17-8, 8-5) vs Colorado (12-12, 5-7) 11PM, Eugene, OR, ESPNU
While some believe the Ducks are in the field, I still think they have a decent amount of work to do. They can start by taking care of business tonight versus the struggling Buffs.

SEEDING

Xavier (16-10, 7-7) at Cincinnati (17-8, 8-5) 7PM, Cincinnati, OH, ESPN2
Currently, I have Xavier as an 8 seed and Cincinnati a 9, so obviously these two can improve their prospects slightly with a win.

Northern Iowa (24-2, 13-1) at Loyola Chicago (14-10, 6-8) 8PM, Chicago, IL, ESPN3
The Panthers are currently 6 seed-ish, they could go up if they keep winning, but could fall with a bad loss.

Arkansas (20-5, 9-3) vs. Missouri (6-18, 1-11) 9PM, Fayetteville, AR, SECN
The Razorbacks are currently in the 5/6 seed range, but could easily drop a seed line with a loss to the putrid Tigers.

Providence (18-8, 8-5) at DePaul (12-14, 6-7) 9PM, Rosemont, IL, CBSS
Providence, too, is in that 5/6 range, and though DePaul isn't all that bad, many would give the side-eye to the Friars if they lost this one.

PROTECTED SEEDS

Wisconsin (23-2, 11-1) at Penn State (15-11, 3-10) 7PM, University Park, PA, BTN
The way the Badgers have handled the rest of the Big Ten, we might not need to worry about this one, but a shocking loss would definitely jeopardize their 1 seed hopes.

Louisville (20-5, 8-4) at Syracuse (16-9, 7-5) 7PM, Syracuse, NY, ESPN
The Cardinals are a not-so-stable 3 seed at the moment. A loss at the Cuse could continue their mini downward trend, despite the team-imposed absence of Chris Jones.

North Carolina (18-7, 8-4) at Duke (22-3, 9-3) 9PM, Durham, NC, ESPN
As usual, this classic has top seed implications. The two can likely only help themselves, barring a blowout.

Iowa State (18-6, 8-4) at Oklahoma State (16-8, 7-6) 9PM, Stillwater, OK, ESPNU
The Cyclones are in the 3/4 seed range and can likely solidify a 3 by continuing to win games such as these. Ok State is currently looking like a 5 seed and can move slightly up with a win, but won't be hurt by a loss.


Twitter: @Blacketologist

New Bracketology - 2/6/15

As of games through Thursday, February 5th.

WARNING: The predicted field/seeding is highly likely to change from day to day or minute to minute.

*Automatic bids in italics

1 SEEDS: Kentucky; Duke; Virginia; Kansas.

2 SEEDS: Wisconsin; Arizona; Gonzaga; Villanova.

3 SEEDS: Iowa State; Louisville; Notre Dame; Oklahoma.

4 SEEDS: North Carolina; Utah; Butler; Baylor.

5 SEEDS: VCU; Providence; Maryland; Wichita State.

6 SEEDS: Georgetown; Northern Iowa; West Virginia; Oklahoma State.

7 SEEDS: Arkansas; Cincinnati; Indiana; San Diego State.

8 SEEDS: Ohio State; SMU; Georgia; Texas.

9 SEEDS: Xavier; Seton Hall; Michigan State; Dayton.

10 SEEDS: Mississippi; Iowa; Stanford; LSU.

11 SEEDS: Colorado State; Texas A&M; St. John's; Old Dominion.

12 SEEDS: UCLA vs. NC State; Miami vs. Tulsa; Buffalo; Wofford.

13 SEEDS: Iona; Yale; Green Bay; Eastern Washington.

14 SEEDS: Long Beach State; Murray State; S.F. Austin; Georgia State.

15 SEEDS: William & Mary; Stony Brook; North Carolina Central; High Point.

16 SEEDS: South Dakota State; Lafayette; Texas Southern vs. New Mexico State; St. Francis (PA) vs. Florida Gulf Coast. 


LAST FOUR BYES: LSU; Colorado State; Texas A&M; St. John's.

LAST FOUR IN: UCLA; Miami; Tulsa; NC State.

FIRST FOUR OUT: Florida; Davidson; BYU; Alabama.

NEXT FOUR OUT: Illinois; Purdue; Temple; George Washington.

NEW ARRIVALS: UCLA; Tulsa; High Point.

DROPPED OUT: Davidson; Florida; Radford. 

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN (Multiple bids): ACC (7); Big 12 (7); Big East (7); Big Ten (6); SEC (6); Pac 12 (4); AAC (3); Atlantic 10 (2); Missouri Valley (2); Mountain West (2)

Note: Automatic bids are determined at this point by the highest RPI in each league.

Eye On The Tourney: Last Night's Recap - Tonight's Game To Watch

Last Night's Recap:

Big Wins:

Notre Dame vs. Duke, 77-73 - Notre Dame had been having a spectacular season even prior to last night's victory, but they surely helped their cause significantly. The Irish now look like a solid 2/3 seed.

Seton Hall at Marquette, 80-70 - You might be saying to yourself: how is beating a rebuilding Marquette program a big win? Well, previously ranked Seton Hall had lost three straight and were starting to trend downward, as far as their NCAA Tournament prospects were concerned. The Pirates were able to stem the tide a bit last night and are still in the current tourney field.

Oklahoma vs Texas Tech, 81-36 - Here's another result that has little to do with the opponent. The Sooners had lost four of their last six and many had started to question their ability to contend for the Big 12 title and a high NCAA Tournament seed. A 45-point win and handing Tubby Smith his worst loss ever may have put OU back on track.

Stanford at Washington, 84-74 - The Cardinal got a big road win versus another Pac 12 team with tournament aspirations. Johnny Dawkins's team took a step toward solidifying a spot in the dance.

Bad Losses:

Miami vs. Georgia Tech, 70-50 - Just when it looked like Miami was heading in the right direction after a rough stretch in December, the Hurricanes seemingly reverted back to their inconsistent selves. Losing by 20 at home to the previously winless in the ACC Yellow Jackets, pushes Miami into double-digit seed territory.

NC State vs. Clemson, 68-57 - If NC State wasn't on the bubble going into last night, they surely are now. A home loss to struggling Clemson could come back to haunt the Wolfpack in March.

Indiana at Purdue, 83-67 - While the Hoosier loss at Purdue was far from shocking, it is their second straight road semi blowout loss. Indiana is still solidly in the field, but they will need a few more big wins to feel completely safe.

St. John's at Creighton, 77-74 - The Johnnies' place in the tournament was tenuous at best entering last night and losing to the 10-12 Bluejays - though tough at home - was far from a good look. The Red Storm have now lost six of their last eight and need an exceptional finish to the season in order to avoid disaster for Steve Lavin & co. 

Washington - The Huskies were the last team in the field in my latest projections. If their 10-point home loss to Stanford is indicative of how they will look without the services of Center, Robert Upshaw, they can likely kiss the tournament goodbye.

Tonight's Game To Watch:

#17 Maryland (18-3, 6-2) at Ohio State (16-5, 5-3) 7PM, Columbus, OH, ESPN

Both of these squads look to be tourney bound, with the Terps currently looking like a 4 seed, while the Buckeyes are in the 8/9 seed range. However, OSU would love to move up and they look capable lately, after recording their best win of the season over Indiana on Sunday. Maryland has been the undisputed second best team in the Big Ten so far and a win at Ohio State would further solidify that. Prediction: Ohio State 72, Maryland 68.

Other games of note...

Connecticut (11-7, 4-2) at Cincinnati (14-5, 5-2) 8PM, Cincinnati, OH, ESPN2

Other Top 25 games:

Portland (10-9, 3-6) at #3 Gonzaga (19-1, 9-0) 9PM, Spokane, WA, ROOT
#1 Kentucky (19-0, 6-0) at Missouri (6-12, 1-5) 9PM, Columbia, MO, ESPN
#12 Utah (15-3, 6-1) at UCLA (11-9, 3-4) 10PM, Los Angeles, CA, ESPN2

Vegas Pick (6-5): 

Utah -6 at UCLA

Today's Games To Watch - Saturday, Jan. 3rd

The ACC joins the conference play party today, as they are back in full effect. On New Year's Eve, there was much drama and surprise, but home teams prevailed for the most part. That trend should continue, with balance being exhibited in the major conferences thus far.

#7 Villanova (13-0) at Seton Hall (11-2) 12PM, Newark, NJ, FS1

Seton Hall got a big-time win versus St. John's on New Year's Eve without the services of Super Frosh, Isaiah Whitehead. They will be without Whitehead for at least another three conference games, so they have sent notice that they will be a tough out, regardless. Villanova is coming off  a solid home win versus Butler, where the outcome was never really in doubt. Nova will look to stay undefeated by slowing down the Pirate backcourt and keeping the frisky Hall off the boards. Prediction: Villanova 73, Seton Hall 65.

#25 Baylor (11-1) at #13 Oklahoma (9-3) 4PM, Norman, OK, ESPN2

The Bears only have one loss this season, but the Sooners will present them with their toughest test by far, to date. Oklahoma is already battle tested, with losses to Wisconsin and Washington and a win over Butler. Both squads are stingy defensively, so this game will come down to whose offense steps up and makes shots. Prediction: Oklahoma 67, Baylor 60.

Butler (10-4) at #18 St. John's (10-2) 4PM, Jamaica, NY, CBSS

The Johnnies are coming off a somewhat shaky loss at Seton Hall, only in the sense that the Red Storm came out flat and seemingly overconfident. They do not have the depth nor size to fail to bring it every night. Butler lost at Villanova and were pretty much dominated in the effort. This is a big spot for both teams since neither wants to fall to 0-2 in the Big East. Look for a war in Queens between two contrasting styles. Prediction: St. John's 63, Butler 61.

#22 West Virginia (12-1) at TCU (13-0) 4PM, Fort Worth, TX

The presumptive best conference in America presents a nice opening match-up between two upstarts eager to prove themselves. The Mountaineers and Bob Huggins have been there before. TCU, not so much. West Virginia has wins over UConn and NC State and they have blown out inferior competition. The undefeated Horned frogs are yes, undefeated, but their best win was at Ole Miss. Regardless, Trent Johnson has them playing stout defensively. Prediction: West Virginia 68, TCU 63. 

#3 Virginia (12-0) at Miami (10-3) 5:30PM, Coral Gables, FL, ESPN2

The Hurricanes started of with a perceived bang, but that seems so irrelevant and distant now. After losses to Green Bay and Eastern Kentucky, the Canes didn't look bad in a loss to Providence in Brooklyn. However, Virginia is a different beast. You need to be tough and disciplined to beat the Cavs, something Miami has yet to prove they are. Prediction: Virginia 69, Miami 62

Other games of note...

SMU (9-3) at Cincinnati (9-3) 11AM, Cincinnati, OH, ESPN2
Minnesota (10-3) at #15 Maryland (13-1) 12PM, College Park, MD, BTN
Pittsburgh (9-3) at NC State (10-4) 12PM, Raleigh, NC, ESPN3
#10 Texas (11-2) at Texas Tech (10-3) 2PM, Lubbock, TX, ESPNU
Connecticut (6-5) at Florida (7-5) 2PM, Gainesville, FL, CBS
Georgia Tech (9-3) at #14 Notre Dame (13-1) 2:30PM, South Bend, IN, ESPN3
Illinois (10-4) at #17 Ohio State (11-3) 3:30PM, Columbus, OH, ESPNU
Creighton (9-5) at Georgetown (8-4) 4:30PM, Washington, DC, FS1
South Carolina (7-3) vs. #9 Iowa State (10-1) 6PM, Brooklyn, NY, CBSS
#24 Colorado State (13-0) at New Mexico (9-4) 8PM, Albuquerque, NM, CBSS

Other Top 25 games...

Boston College (7-4) at #2 Duke (12-0) 4PM, Durham, NC, ESPN3
#12 North Carolina (10-3) at Clemson (8-4) 8:15PM, Clemson, SC, ESPN
#6 Gonzaga (12-1) at Portland (8-4) 9:30PM, Portland, OR, ESPN2

Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational

Brooklyn and the Barclays Center have quickly become a hotspot for college basketball.

This year, teams such as Duke, Virginia, Villanova, VCU, Michigan, Oregon, Stanford, UNLV and Temple have traveled to the borough of Brooklyn for key non-conference match-ups.

Monday night, the beat continued in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational, with a Big East/ACC match-up, preceded by a New York City bragging rights game.

The latter featured two teams from the Bronx that have struggled to varying degrees. Manhattan (4-7) from the MAAC took on Fordham (3-6) from the Atlantic 10.

Manhattan and coach Steve Masiello have struggled to get it going this season, after making the NCAA Tournament last season and putting a scare into Louisville in the first round. The Jaspers' three wins coming into Monday night's game were against three of college basketball's lesser outfits, whose combined record is 4-33. Luckily for Manhattan, Monday's game was versus another such opponent.

There were unusually high expectations for Fordham this season, after they secured one of their biggest freshman signings in many years, nabbing Eric Paschall from Dobbs Ferry, NY. They also expected a major contribution from sophomore, Jon Severe, after his stellar freshman season. However, Severe left the team indefinitely due to a family issue, and while Paschall has lived up to the hype, he has struggled a bit due to a lack of help around him.

Manhattan took full advantage Monday night. The Jaspers pressured Fordham for the entirety of the game and double-teamed Paschall in the half court to get it out of his hands. Paschall was held to 7 points on 2-8 shooting, as Manhattan coasted to a 71-57 victory. The Jaspers were paced by Emmy Andujar's 14 points and 9 rebounds.

In the nightcap, Miami and Providence, two teams with NCAA Tournament aspirations, bumped heads in a spirited contest.

Both teams have been up and down early in the season.

Providence started strong, winning their first six games, including a neutral court win over Notre Dame, but hit a major road block in Lexington, losing to #1 Kentucky. Though the Friars were actually competitive with the Wildcats for most of the game, the loss, as well as some nagging injuries, seemed to have a residual affect. Providence suffered back-to-back bad losses to Boston College and Brown. However, Ed Cooley's squad regrouped and had won three straight entering Monday's match-up with Miami.

Miami's season has been similar. They won their first eight games, including wins at Florida and over Illinois. But, in their next three games, they lost two inexplicable home games by double-digits to Green Bay (68-55) and Eastern Kentucky (72-44). So, Miami came into Brooklyn looking to right the ship.

Providence would have none of it.

The Friars, led by the playmaking of Kris Dunn, jumped out to an early 21-12 lead midway through the first half and maintained a 9-point lead until the 4:20 mark. But, Miami fought back, behind solid play from Angel Rodriguez, and tied the game on a Shelden McClellan bank shot at the halftime buzzer.

In the second half it was all Friars. They scored the first eight points of the half and never looked back. LeDontae Henton, Providence's leading scorer, took control. He scored on drives to the basket, drilled perimeter jump shots and took advantage of Miami's lax transition defense, scoring on numerous fast break opportunities.

Providence took their biggest lead of 72-55 at the 4:42 mark and went on to beat Miami 76-62.

The Friars had a balanced offensive attack with four players scoring in double figures, led by Henton's 25 points and Dunn's 15 points along with 13 assists.

Coach Cooley was pleased after the game.

"I thought our leaders were big-time tonight." He would not go so far as to concede Monday's game was their best performance so far this season, citing the sloppy way they ended the game.

Best game or not, it was a wonderful performance from the Friars that will likely pay dividends down the road in March when the Selection Committee starts looking at resumes. Not to mention, the confidence and momentum a game like this provides, heading into Big East Play.

For Miami, a season that started so brightly, now looks daunting as they head into ACC play having lost three of four.



This post originally appeared on College Hoops Daily, The College Basketball Blog.

Today's Games To Watch - Saturday, Dec. 20th

After a slow week, things pick up drastically today.

The few highlights of the week so far were Wichita State's huge comeback versus Alabama, Cincinnati winning a slugfest over San Diego State, Duke handling their business against UConn, and Miami losing to Eastern Kentucky by 28.

But, back to today...

#25 VCU (7-3) at Cincinnati (7-2) 12PM, Cincinnati, OH, ESPNU
The Rams are coming off an exhilarating double OT victory over Northern Iowa last week, which was really their best win of the year. Cinci has a similar story. They're coming off a bruising overtime victory over San Diego State. This will be a battle. VCU's efficient fast paced offense and havoc defense vs. Cincinnati's football team. Prediction: VCU 60, Cincinnati 56.

#14 Ohio State (9-1) vs. #17 North Carolina (7-3) 1PM, Chicago, IL, CBS
The winner of this game should probably be taken seriously. The loser will be a TBD. This will literally be the Buckeyes' second tough game, having lost to Louisville in their other one. UNC was severely humbled in Lexington last weekend, but has some decent wins on paper. Prediction: UNC 76, Ohio State 73.

Syracuse (6-3) at #9 Villanova (10-0) 1PM, Philadelphia, PA, FOX
The young, struggling Orange travel to Philly to face an old Big East Rival that is already clicking on all cylinders. It's not a good look for the Cuse right now, who are coming off a 2-point home victory over Louisiana Tech. Nova has rolled over mediocre teams like the current Syracuse squad so far this season, no need to stop now. Prediction: Nova 73, Syracuse 63. 

Indiana (8-2) vs. Butler (8-2) 2:30PM, Indianapolis, IN, FS1
This is a nice in-state rivalry game. Butler has been solid all year, in and out of that bottom of the top 25 all year. Indiana has been on the fringe of those heights with decent wins over SMU and Pittsburgh. The Bulldogs are coming off a disappointing loss at Tennessee last weekend. Prediction: Butler 74, Indiana 71.

UCLA (8-3) vs. #1 Kentucky (11-0) 3:30PM, Chicago, IL, CBS
This one is up here simply because if you get a chance to watch the best team in the country versus a team with talent, you probably should. Other than that, this shouldn't be much of a contest. The Bruins have lost to every other good team they've played by double-digits (Oklahoma, UNC, Gonzaga). And Kentucky is the best. Prediction: Kentucky 83, UCLA 65.

Iowa (8-3) vs. #23 Northern Iowa (9-1) 7:30PM, Des Moines, IA, BTN
The Panthers must be chomping at the bit. They are 9-1, in the Top 25 with a chance to kick their in-state big brother while they're kinda down. UNI hasn't played since their heartbreaking double OT loss at VCU, so they should be ready. The Hawkeyes, on the other hand, were dismantled at home by Iowa State eight days ago and haven't really looked good this year, save a road win at North Carolina. Prediction: UNI 72, Iowa 66.

#12 Oklahoma (7-2) vs. #18 Washington (9-0) 9PM, Las Vegas, NV, ESPNU
There's a good one at the MGM Grand tonight and it ain't gonna end in a decision. The Sooners have been very impressive so far this year, besides a loss at Creighton in their second game of the season. The undefeated Huskies will see how good they really are, as this will be their toughest test to date. Both teams have been strong defensively, but OU's offense is a bit more potent. Prediction: Oklahoma 68, Washington 63.

Other games of note...

Charlotte (6-4) at Georgetown (6-3) 12PM, Washington, DC
SMU (7-3) at Michigan (5-4) 12PM, Ann Arbor, MI, ESPN2
Massachusetts (6-4) at Providence (8-3) 1PM, Providence, RI, CBSS
Purdue (8-3) vs. #21 Notre Dame (10-1) 5:15PM, Indianapolis, IN, BTN
NC State (9-2) vs West Virginia (9-1) 9:30PM, New York, NY, ESPN2
Stanford (6-2) at BYU (6-3) 11PM, Provo, UT, ESPNU
#15 Utah (7-2) at UNLV (6-2) 11:30PM, Las Vegas, NV, ESPN2

Other Top 25 games...

#3 Louisville (9-0) at Western Kentucky (5-4) 12PM, Bowling Green, KY, FS1
Lafayette (6-2) at #10 Kansas (8-1) 3PM, Lawrence, KS, ESPN3
#13 Iowa State (8-1) vs. Drake (2-8) 5PM, Des Moines, IA
Texas Southern (1-8) at #16 Michigan State (8-3) 5PM, East Lansing, MI, ESPNU
Long Beach State (4-6) at #7 Texas (9-1) 8PM, Austin, TX, LHN
Ball State (2-5) at #19 San Diego State (7-3) 10PM, San Diego, CA
Cal Poly (3-4) at #8 Gonzaga (9-1) 10PM, Seattle, WA, ROOT

Tonight's Games To Watch

You can thank the Big Ten and ACC for much of this week's entertainment.

The Big Ten/ACC Challenge officially kicked off yesterday with the Big Ten making an early statement, as Rutgers won at Clemson and Nebraska won at Florida State.

The action continues tonight with a few more marquee match-ups, as well as a few games involving teams from other conferences.

Pittsburgh (3-2) at Indiana (5-1) 7PM, Bloomington, IN, ESPN2

This one is interesting. We all know the story at Indiana. Crean's under fire. The Hoosiers started strong with a win versus SMU. But, then they lost at home to Eastern Washington and SMU's star has since diminished. In other words, Indiana needs this win. Pitt started off shaky, but seemed to put it all together for the first time in their 70-47 win over Kansas State in Maui. Prediction: Pitt 72, Indiana 69.

Massachusetts (5-2) at LSU (4-2) 7PM, Baton Rouge, LA, SECN

Here's a slightly under the radar game between two likely future bubble inhabitants. So, both could really use this win. UMass is the more tested of the two, but is coming off a loss at Harvard. LSU has no reputable wins to date and has a bad loss to Clemson on its docket. Prediction: LSU 68, UMass 63.

#23 Syracuse (5-1) at #13 Michigan (4-1) 7:30PM, Ann Arbor, MI, ESPN

The Cuse is a work in progress with a young and relatively untested squad. Though the competition level left something to be desired, they seemed to make some strides in blowout wins over Loyola, MD and Holy Cross. Michigan looks like it's business as usual under John Beilein, based on their strong performance in Brooklyn last week. Prediction: Michigan 74, Syracuse 67.

#24 VCU (4-2) at Illinois State (3-2) 8PM, Normal, IL, ESPNFC

Another sneaky important game here. VCU needs a win, after getting smacked down by Villanova in Brooklyn and losing at ODU over the weekend. Illinois State, out of the Missouri Valley, has been solid. They hung with Seton Hall in a 4-point loss and beat the aforementioned ODU. Prediction: VCU 70, Ill St 66.

#21 Illinois (6-0) at #15 Miami (7-0) 9PM, Coral Gables, FL, ESPN2

Two undefeateds go at it in this one and it should be one of the night's best games. Miami has looked good with the addition of transfers Angel Rodriguez and Sheldon McClellan, but their best win, versus Florida, looked a lot better a couple weeks ago. Illinois hasn't had much in the way of competition either, but they were impressive in beating Baylor last week and possess lots of talent. Prediction: Miami 74, Illinois 71.

NC State (6-0) at Purdue (5-1) 9PM, West Lafayette, IN, ESPNU

This is a match-up between two teams who weren't supposed to do much this season, but have started out impressively. Purdue has ridden the backs of their twin towers, AJ Hammons and Isaac Haas. NC State has been paced by Alabama transfer, Trevor Lacey. Prediction: Purdue 68, NC St 64.

#14 Ohio State (5-0) at #3 Louisville (5-0) 9:30PM, Louisville, KY, ESPN

This is the game of the night in perception and probably reality. The Buckeyes have yet to play anyone of note, so it may take them awhile to adjust to tonight's competition. Louisville's biggest test thus far was opening night versus Lil' Richie (Richard Pitino) and Minnesota, although Cleveland State gave them all they could handle in route to Rick Pitino's 700th win. Prediction: Louisville 67, Ohio State 62.

Other games of note...

Minnesota (3-2) at Wake Forest (4-3) 7PM, Winston-Salem, NC, ESPNU
Stephen F. Austin (2-3) at Memphis (2-2) 7PM, Memphis, TN, ESPNNews
South Florida (4-1) at Alabama (4-1) 9PM, Tuscaloosa, AL, SECN
BYU (3-2) at Utah State (3-2) 9PM, Logan, UT, CBSS

Other Top 25 Games:

Lamar (1-4) at #22 Iowa State (3-1) 8PM, Ames, IA
Texas Arlington (3-3) at #6 Texas (6-0) 8PM, Austin, TX, LHN
Gardner-Webb (2-3) at #5 Arizona (6-0) 9PM, Tucson, AZ, P12N
SE Louisiana (1-5) at #7 Gonzaga (5-0) 9PM, Spokane, WA, ROOT

MARATHON WRAP UP

Yes, the college basketball season started Friday, but the official start was Monday night and the outset of the 29-hour marathon.

Yes, 29 hours.

It may be early, as in the beginning, but all these games count and will have serious bubble and seeding implications.

Yes, seriously.

So, let’s take a look at some of the notable games and their serious implications.

Miami (2-0) 69, Florida (1-1) 67

The Hurricanes, who I projected would be one of the “first four out,” (2014-15 Preseason Bracketology) definitely helped their case with a road win over a Gator team that figures to be a tournament team. Miami can use the win as a confidence builder as well, as they head into the gauntlet that is the ACC.

Winthrop (2-0) 77, Clemson (1-1) 74

We figured Clemson would struggle to even gain sight of the bubble, but a home loss to a Big South team puts the Tigers even further behind the 8-ball.

Gonzaga (2-0) 72, SMU (1-1) 56

The Zags are stacked and expected to be one of the better teams in the country. They got off to a good start with an impressive win over an SMU squad many expect to be in the big dance.

Colorado (2-0) 90, Auburn (1-1) 59

Colorado is one of those teams we don’t know what to expect from, but we think they could and should be pretty good. That prognosis looked on point early this morning when the Buffaloes throttled Bruce Pearle’s Auburn team. Pearle will just try to establish some credibility for his new program this year.

UMass (3-0) 77, Manhattan (0-2) 68

Massachusetts continued its strong start, holding on to beat a pesky Manhattan team in overtime. While still without a marquee win, the Minutemen avoided what would have been looked at as a bad loss.

Baylor (2-0) 69, South Carolina (1-1) 65

I had Baylor on the outside looking in in my tourney projections, but their play today may force me to reevaluate. The Bears looked solid in their road win vs. Frank Martin’s Gamecocks. It looks as if it may be a struggle for Martin to get South Kak back into the dance.

Wichita State (2-0) 71, Memphis (0-1) 56

We knew Wichita State was good and we knew Memphis was not. But the Shockers did what a good team is supposed to do to a not-so-good team: handle them easily. Wichita State, for the moment, solidified their rightful spot as a top 15 squad.

San Diego State (2-0) 53, Utah (1-1) 49

Two preseason top 25 teams met in this one. The Aztecs won an ugly game at home, but that’s what they do. Utah actually impressed in the loss, by keeping it close on the road against a good team and doing so with their best player, Delon Wright, shooting 2-13 from the field and scoring 7 points. Expect both of these teams to stay right in the thick of things.

VCU (2-0) 87, Toledo (1-1) 78

This may have seemed like a nothing game for VCU, but it was another solid win for the Rams. Toledo is a good team, expected to win the MAC, and they gave VCU all they could handle for about 36 minutes. VCU looks like a legit top 15 team.

Northeastern (2-0) 76, Florida State (1-1) 73

Just when I was about to put FSU in the upper-echelon of the ACC, they go and lose at home to a CAA team. Or maybe that CAA team just beat them. Northeastern is a favorite in their league and it may have helped the Seminoles’ preparation if their coach had actually heard of the CAA, which he claimed he hadn’t after the game. This game serves as a caution light for Florida State.

Duke (3-0) 81, Michigan State (1-1) 71

Duke looks really good, better than that 3 seed I predicted for them. The Spartans actually looked better in the loss than they did in their season opening win versus Navy. MSU looked solid and gritty and will only improve as the season progresses, barring injury, of course.

Saint Louis (2-0) 69, Indiana State (1-1) 56

This game could have been easily overlooked, but the retooled Bilikens were actually underdogs at the MVC’s Indiana State. Saint Louis showed that they may be better than the bottom tier Atlantic 10 team many projected them to be.

Kentucky (3-0) 72, Kansas (1-1) 40

Um, yes, you read that score correctly, and yes, Kentucky is good. But let’s remember, this is the same team that trailed Buffalo at the half on Sunday, so the undefeated talk seems a bit hyperbolic to me. I will say, Big Blue Nation does seem to be a lock for a 1 seed. Bill Self and Kansas shouldn’t cry too much over this one. They’re very young, will improve greatly and be formidable in the next few weeks.