Eye On The Tourney - Games To Watch/Pick of the Night - Tuesday

Last night, North Carolina and Iowa State took care of business, beating Syracuse and Texas respectively. The Tar Heels and Cyclones remained on pace for possible 2 or 3 seeds, while Syracuse is struggling to remain on the bubble and Texas is trending a bit downward from a coveted top 4 seed spot.

Tonight, there are a bunch of games with tournament and seeding implications. Let's take a look...


Xavier (13-7, 4-4) at #19 Georgetown (14-5, 6-2) 7PM, Washington, DC, FS1

The Hoyas come into this one on fire, having thrashed Villanova last week and survived a thriller at Marquette over the weekend. They have moved into the 5 seed range and the arrow's pointing upward. Xavier too would be in the current field, but their resume has been built almost exclusively at home. In order to secure a spot in the dance, the Musketeers will likely have to show they can win on the road. Prediction: Georgetown 72, Xavier 63.

#21 West Virginia (16-3, 4-2) at Kansas State (12-8, 5-2) 7PM, Manhattan, KS, ESPN2

The Mountaineers pulled off a Houdini act by somehow beating an improved TCU squad over the weekend. They are looking a lot like a 5 or 6 seed right now. Kansas State has rebounded from a shaky non conference showing to near the top of the Big 12 and more importantly, back into the NCAA Tournament discussion. Prediction: Kansas State 69, West Virginia 65.

George Washington (16-4, 6-1) at #13 VCU (16-3, 6-0) 7PM, Richmond, VA, CBSS

Big game tonight in the Atlantic 10, but an even bigger game tonight for GW, who are firmly on the bubble and can use a marquee win like this one would be. VCU, has been winning not so impressively lately, but winning nonetheless. The Rams are looking like a solid 4 seed at the moment. Prediction: VCU 73, GW 70.

Florida (10-9, 3-3) at Alabama (12-6, 3-3) 9PM, Tuscaloosa, AL, ESPN

In case you haven't heard, Billy Donovan and the Gators are squarely on the outside looking in when it comes to the tourney. They obviously could use this win and a few more. Bama's also likely on the wrong side of the bubble, but are a bit closer to their goal than Florida is. This should be an intense match-up between coaches who are also great friends. Prediction: Alabama 66, Florida 64.

Tennessee (12-6, 4-2) at Arkansas (15-4, 4-2) 9PM, Fayetteville, AR, ESPNU

The Vols are yet another SEC team with tenuous hopes of an NCAA Tournament berth. Don't count them out though, a couple of big wins like a win tonight would be, and they're right in the mix. Arkansas is looking good for an SEC team not named Kentucky. The Hogs are in the 7/8 seed range and are always tough at home, though Alabama took them to OT in Fayetteville last week. Prediction: Arkansas 71, Tennessee 68.

#23 Baylor (14-4, 3-3) at Oklahoma State (12-6, 3-4) 9PM, Stillwater, OK, ESPNN

This Big 12 match-up features two teams that you're very likely to see dancing in March. Baylor is the more secure of the two, having come up with big wins over Iowa State and Oklahoma in the last two weeks. Oklahoma State has been very tough at home and will need to keep that up in order to improve on their current 8/9 seed prospects. Prediction: Oklahoma State 74, Baylor 67.

#25 Colorado State (17-2, 5-2) at Boise State (12-6, 4-3) 11PM, Boise, ID, ESPNU

If you're going to be up late, you might want to check out this Mountain West match-up. Colorado State got a big win over San Diego State over the weekend that gave credence to their gaudy win-loss record. The Rams are likely in the current field, but barely, so a solid road win would help their cause greatly. Boise State isn't bad either, just a few good wins away from joining the discussion. Prediction: Boise State 66, Colorado State 63. 

Other games of note...

Vanderbilt (10-8, 1-5) at Georgia (13-5, 4-2) 7PM, Athens, GA, SECN
Nebraska (12-7, 4-3) at Michigan (11-8, 5-3) 7PM, Ann Arbor, MI, ESPN
Tulsa (14-4, 7-0) at Tulane (12-7, 4-4) 7PM, New Orleans, LA, ESPNN
Texas A&M (13-5, 4-2) at Auburn (9-9, 2-4) 9PM, Auburn, AL, SECN

Vegas Pick (6-4): 

Kansas State -1.5 vs. West Virginia

Eye on the Tournament - Today's Games To Watch

Oklahoma State (12-5) at Kansas State (11-8) 12PM, Manhattan, KS, ESPN2

The country's most balanced conference kicks off my games to watch. OSU would be in the tournament relatively easily if it started today, however, K State has some work to do, despite their strong Big 12 start. Prediction: Kansas State 69, Oklahoma State 63.

Texas A&M (12-5) at Tennessee (12-5) 1PM, Knoxville, TN, ESPN3

On to the SEC for this one. Both of these teams are just a bit outside of the Tournament field right now, but they are well within striking distance and a win today would help their causes, particularly the home team Vols. Prediction: Tennessee 66, Texas A&M 64.

#12 Kansas (15-3) at #16 Texas (14-4) 2PM, Austin, TX, CBS

Both of these squads are comfortably in the field, so the stakes are higher. Believe it or not, Kansas is in 1st seed range at this early stage, while the Longhorns are not far behind, in the 3-5 seed range. Prediction: Texas 71, Kansas 67.

Miami (13-5) at Syracuse (14-5) 4PM, Syracuse, NY, ESPN2

The Cuse is barely on the outside looking in and a win today would be great for Boeheim and his young and battered team's cause. The Canes, on the other hand, have been playing well of late and trending upward from their current 11ish seed status. Prediction: Miami 70, Cuse 68.

#19 Oklahoma (12-6) at Baylor (13-4) 6PM, Waco, TX, ESPN2

The Big 12 gives us another solid match-up with two more pretty sure bet tourney teams. The Sooners are looking to prove they are top 3 seed caliber, while the Bears are looking to avoid that 8/9 seed territory. Prediction: Oklahoma 74, Baylor 70.

San Diego State (14-4) at Colorado State (16-2) 10PM, Fort Collins, CO, ESPNU

The Mountain West heats up as these two meet for league supremacy. The Aztecs are the more tested of the two and likely have a Tournament spot in good hands. CSU is still working on their resumé and this would be a huge win for their dancing prospects. Prediction: SDSU 66, CSU 65. 

Other games of note: 

#21 Iowa (13-6) at Purdue (11-8) 12PM, West Lafayette, IN, BTN

#1 Kentucky (18-0) at South Carolina (9-7) 12PM, Columbia, SC, ESPN

DePaul (11-9) at Xavier (12-7) 12PM, Cincinnati, OH, FS1

Michigan State (13-6) at Nebraska (11-7) 4PM, Lincoln, NE, ESPN

UCLA (11-8) at Oregon (12-6) 4PM, Eugene, OR, CBS

Florida (10-8) at Mississippi (11-7) 6PM, Oxford, MS, SECN

Other Top 25 games:

Florida State (10-9) at #10 North Carolina (15-4) 2PM, Chapel Hill, NC, ESPN

TCU (14-4) at #22 West Virginia (15-3) 2PM, Morgantown, WV, ESPNU

#25 Georgetown (13-5) at Marquette (10-8) 2:30PM, Milwaukee, WI, FS1

#13 Iowa State (14-3) at Texas Tech (10-9) 4PM, Lubbock, TX, ESPNU

Houston (7-11) at #24 SMU (14-4) 6PM, Dallas, TX, CBSS

#6 Wisconsin (17-2) at Michigan (11-7) 7PM, Ann Arbor, MI, ESPN

Pacific (7-10) at #3 Gonzaga (18-1) 8PM, Spokane, WA, ROOT

#7 Arizona (17-2) at California (11-8) 10:30, Berkeley, CA, P12N

Vegas Pick (5-4): 

Kansas State -2.5 vs. Oklahoma State

Last Night's Recap - Tonight's Game To Watch

Last Night's Recap:

Big Wins:

St. John's at Providence, 83-70. - The Johnnies got their first Big East win of the season (now 1-3) and did so in a tough spot. Could this be the start of a Red Storm re-brewing?

Baylor vs. Iowa State, 74-73. - The Bears finally got that big win they were looking for, but it wasn't easy. They will need a solid road win or two to be considered a legitimate tourney team.

LSU at Mississippi, 75-71. - The Tigers, now 2-1 in the SEC, got their second league road win in a spot where they could have easily slipped up. LSU could be on the road to legitimacy.

SMU at Temple, 60-55. - The Mustangs have now won three straight and 11 of their last 12. They are 4-1 in the AAC and collected a nice road win over a fellow AAC contender.

San Diego State at Wyoming, 60-52. - The Aztecs are now 3-1 in the Mountain West, after a bit of a shaky stretch in November/December. They now may be able to lay claim to being the conference's best, after a nice road win versus an upstart.

Bad Losses:

Mississippi - Coming off of a strong performance in a loss at Kentucky and a nice win versus South Carolina, Ole Miss needed another solid home win to keep the momentum going. They could not get it done against LSU, a team in a similar position.

Wyoming - this was a bad loss only because they had a chance to claim legitimacy with a win over nationally respected SDSU. The loss throws shade on the Cowboys, who need to take advantage of their home opportunities versus tournament caliber opponents.

Tonight's Game To Watch:

Cincinnati (11-4) at Memphis (9-6) 7PM, Memphis, TN, ESPN2

There isn't much to choose from tonight, but this is a big game in the AAC. The Bearcats have won four of their last five, are 2-1 in league play, and can't afford to drop a game against a team they should probably beat, home or away. Memphis (2-2, AAC) has been shaky all season - by their standards - but has played slightly better of late. Prediction: Cincinnati 59, Memphis 54.

Other games of note...

Colorado (9-6) at #12 Arizona (14-2) 9PM, Tucson, AZ, ESPN2
Nebraska (10-6) at #8 Wisconsin (15-2) 9PM, Madison, WI, ESPN
#6 Utah (12-2) at Arizona State (8-8) 10PM, Tempe, AZ, FS1

Other Top 25 Games:

#3 Gonzaga (15-1) at Pepperdine (10-5) 10:30PM, Malibu, CA

Vegas Pick (4-3):

BYU -9 at Pacific 11PM

Today's Games To Watch - New Year's Eve

Yep, it's New Year's Eve. The last day of 2014. Get ready for the horrible New Year's Eve shows, the hazy sight of the ball dropping and, of course, the sunglasses and Advil. But first, there is a bunch of college basketball to digest. The Big Ten got underway yesterday and today the Big East, AAC, and the Mountain West follow suit.

#18 St. John's (10-1) at Seton Hall (10-2) 12PM, Newark, NJ, FS1

The Big East gets rolling at noon with a tri-state area match-up in rough and tumble Newark. Don't worry, the game will be played inside and there will be plenty of security. The Johnnies have looked really good lately. They handled Long Beach State and Tulane last week with relative ease, which shows they are no longer playing to the level of the competition, their previous M.O. Seton Hall has been surprisingly solid, as well. The Pirates have mixed experience with youth nicely, but their no-show at Georgia over a week ago showed they may not be ready for primetime. The Hall is also likely to be without their primary offensive threat, freshman phenom Isaiah Whitehead, who has been sidelined with a stress fracture in his foot. Prediction: St. John's 69, Seton Hall 62.

Butler (10-3) at #7 Villanova (12-0) 2:30PM, Villanova, PA, FS1

The second Big East game of the season features the league's presumptive best team. Nova has been hitting on all cylinders since the start of the season. They are not invincible, by any means, as evidenced by Syracuse taking the Wildcats to overtime in Philadelphia. But, Jay Wright has one of the deepest, most balanced teams in the nation, so in order to beat them, the opposing team will have to be on their A-game. Butler is capable. They are balanced, as well, and have beaten the likes of North Carolina and Georgetown already this season. Prediction: Villanova 73, Butler 67.

Georgetown (8-3) at Xavier (9-3) 10PM, Cincinnati, OH, FS1

The last game of the Big East triumvirate is a good one that will likely end while many are stumbling to the television and looking for someone to kiss. But, if you can manage to sneak away to check out this match-up, you're almost sure to see a spirited battle that will tell you a lot about both teams. Xavier has been up-and-down so far this season. They are notoriously tough at home and their three losses have all come away from the friendly confines of the Cintas Center. Georgetown is coming off a big win over a good Indiana team at Madison Square Garden, but this will be the Hoyas' first true road game. A fourth referee may be needed just for the low post to keep an eye on Georgetown's Josh Smith and Xavier's Matt Stainbrook, which is a 600-plus pound match-up. Prediction: Xavier 72, Georgetown 70. 

Other games of note...

Temple (9-4) at Connecticut (6-4) 1PM, Hartford, CT, ESPN2
Minnesota (10-2) at Purdue (8-5) 3:15PM, West Lafayette, IN, BTN
Georgia (7-3) at Kansas State (7-5) 4PM, Manhattan, KS, ESPNU
Indiana (10-3) at Nebraska (8-4) 5:30PM, Lincoln, NE, BTN
Creighton (9-4) at Providence (10-3) 7:30PM, Providence, RI, FS1
Boise State (8-3) at #24 Colorado State (12-0) 9PM, Fort Collins, CO, ROOT

Other Top 25 games...

Penn State (12-1) at #5 Wisconsin (12-1) 1PM, Madison, WI, BTN
Wofford (7-3) at #2 Duke (11-0) 3PM, Durham, NC, ESPN3
George Mason (4-6) at #13 Oklahoma (8-3) 5PM, Norman, OK
#19 Wichita State (9-2) at Drake (2-9) 6:05PM, Des Moines, IA
Mississippi Valley State (1-11) at #9 Iowa State (9-1) 7PM, Ames, IA

Tonight's Games To Watch, Friday, Dec. 5th

We have moved from the ACC/Big Ten Challenge to the Big 12/SEC Challenge. Don't get dizzy yet, there are more challenges to come.

First, props to TCU for a big win at Ole Miss last night. Trent Johnson has things moving in the right direction down in Fort Worth. It looks like the Horned Frogs will at least be a tough out in the Big 12 this year.

Iowa State also made a statement last night for the Big 12, as they blew out a previously up-and-coming Arkansas squad.

On the SEC side, LSU got a very big win at previously undefeated West Virginia. The Tigers now look like possible contenders in the SEC, for second place, that is.

Tonight, the Big 12/SEC Challenge continues, headlined by a marquee match-up in Lexington.

#6 Texas (7-0) at #2 Kentucky (7-0) 7PM, Lexington, KY, ESPN

This is one of the most anticipated games so far this season. We all know about Kentucky. A roster full of McDonald's All-Americans, the "platoon" system, the 30-point win versus Kansas. But, guess what? There's more. They are playing selflessly on both ends of the floor, particularly on the defensive end where they've absolutely stifled opponents when they've wanted to. Texas is one of the few teams that doesn't look embarrassingly inadequate opposite the UK lay up line. The Longhorns have length and talent in their front court, led by freshman, Myles Turner, and have a very capable, athletic backcourt. They would have even more of a chance in this one if starting PG, Isaiah Taylor, were healthy. But, he's not. And even with him, winning in Lexington would be unlikely. Prediction: Kentucky 71, Texas 62.

#25 Providence (6-1) at Boston College (3-3) 7PM, Chestnut Hill, MA, ESPN3

Speaking of Kentucky, Providence just experienced their hospitality. Despite being hobbled by a couple of key nagging injuries, the Friars kept it close for 3/4s of the game. But eventually, Kentucky's superior length, depth and talent wore Ed Cooley's team down. It'll be a little different for them traveling the short distance to Chestnut Hill. Providence has shown in the early season that they are a solid, tough-minded squad. Boston College has been gritty and a little better than expected, so far, under 1st year head coach, Jim Cristian. But, this match-up of former Big East founding members should be a tough one for BC. Prediction: Providence 66, BC 60.

Wyoming (6-0) at SMU (4-3) 7PM, Dallas, TX, ESPNNews

Wyoming, from the Mountain West, has jumped out to an undefeated November and early December, including a 56-33 demolishment of Colorado. SMU and Larry Brown have been a disappointment so far this season. They have failed all of their non-conference tests to date, with losses at Gonzaga and Indiana and a home loss to Arkansas. So, you could say SMU needs this one. Prediction: SMU 59, Wyoming 53.

Florida (3-3) at #12 Kansas (5-1) 9PM, Lawrence, KS, ESPN

Florida was a little overrated to start the season, considering they lost four starters from last year's Final Four team. Billy Donovan will no doubt get them right, but it's a work in progress and they have lost to the three solid teams they've played thus far. Kansas is in a similar position, a young, inexperienced team, highly rated too soon and then taken to the woodshed by Kentucky. But, Bill Self seems to have put things together quickly, capped by a neutral court victory over Michigan State last weekend. Back home, in Lawrence, Kansas should continue its improved play. Prediction: Kansas 68, Florida 61.

Other games of note...

Yale (6-2) at Connecticut (3-2) 7PM, Storrs, CT, ESPNFC
Duquesne (2-1) vs. Pittsburgh (3-3) 7PM, Pittsburgh, PA, ESPN3
Long Beach State (4-4) at Stephen F. Austin (3-3) 8PM, Nacogdoches, TX

Other Top 25 games...

FIU (3-3) at #3 Louisville (6-0) 7PM, Louisville, KY, ESPNFC
Missouri (3-3) at #18 Oklahoma (4-2) 9:30PM, Norman, OK, ESPNU