With only 7 weeks from the start of the NCAA Tournament, now is the time for teams to get those signature wins for their resume. Here are the key games from last week:
Week in Review
- Nova destroys Bulldogs – Coach Jay Wright has his team playing at a high level, and Butler had no answer. The Wildcats won going aways 76-61. Nova stays within 1 game of Big East leader, Seton Hall.
- Hawkeyes Continue Offensive Attack – Iowa is the highest scoring team in the Big Ten, and even against the very strong Rutgers D, they put up 85 points in their 85-80 win. Luka Garza put up 28 points, 13 rebounds. He is making a case for POY in the B10.
- Kentucky Muscles Up Red Raiders – The Wildcats are playing better after some early bumps, and this trip to Lubbock was a real challenge. Kentucky needed OT to get the 76-74 win over Tech, and the Red Raiders are now back on the wrong side of the Bubble.
- Racers in Control of OVC – Even without the future ROY in the NBA, Ja Morant, Murray State overcame a 4 point deficit to win comfortably, 85-75. The Racers grab a share of the conference lead with Austin Peay.
Predictions: 3-1
KenPom Review
Top 10 Teams:
- Kansas (17-3) – Despite an ugly finish against K State and suspension of a player, the Jayhawks are playing at an elite level.
- Duke (17-3) – The Blue Devils may be high in KenPom, but they have struggled lately, but bounced back with 2 straight wins. They trail Louisville in the standings though.
- Zags (21-1) – Gonzaga is an incredible team, and they look primed to enter the Big Dance with only one loss. Maybe a tougher match up later in February will trip them up. Look like a clear 1 seed.
- Baylor (18-1) – The #1 team in the rankings crushed the Gators on the road, and there is no one hotter (not even the Zags).
- West Virginia (16-4) – The Mountaineers are the 3rd best team in the Big 12, but that means they are really good. A loss to Texas Tech on the road isn’t great, but they are will be a strong seed in March.
- Dayton (19-2) – The Flyers survived a tough test in Richmond with a big win. So, yet another uber hot team.
- Michigan State (16-5) – Sparty is playing well both at home and on the road. They share the lead in the Big 10 with Illini.
- San Diego State (22-0) – The Aztecs remain undefeated, but maybe the Aggies can given them a run on Saturday.
- Maryland (16-4) – The Terps got a huge win in Bloomington to stay one game in the loss column out of 1st in the B10.
- Louisville (17-3) – The Cardinals have now won 7 straight in the ACC, and they lead the league by a game over the Dukies.
Over-rated Teams: Rutgers – KP 27/AP 25, LSU – KP 34/AP 22, Auburn – KP 33/AP 17, Wichita State KP 40/AP 23.
Under-Rated Teams: BYU – KP 20/AP NR, Ohio State – KP 12/AP 29, Arizona KP 13/AP 27, Purdue KP 22, AP 36.
Key Match Ups
- Michigan State at Wisconsin – Saturday, 2/1 at 1 PM Eastern/12 Noon Central – The Badgers may be 5-5 in the Big Ten, but 9-1 at home with lone loss to Illinois. Sparty has been great, but slow starts have hurt them on the road. I like the Badgers in this one.
- Texas Tech at Kansas – Saturday, 2/1 at 4 PM Eastern/3 PM Central – After the big win over WVU on Wednesday, Tech needs a road win to get on the right side of the Bubble. The Jayhawks will be tough at home. I like KU to win this one rather easily.
- Oregon at Stanford – Saturday, 2/1 at 6 PM Eastern/5 PM Central – The Ducks may get all the national attention, however Stanford is really good including an 11-1 home record. I think the Cardinal will win this one.
Mid-Major Match Up
Atlantic Sun Tilt
- Stetson at North Florida – Thursday, 1/30 at 7 PM Eastern/6 PM Central – The Stetson Hatters have been the top dog so far, but they will need to take out the Ospreys to keep 1st place. For a league that has produced big upsets in the tourney, these are 2 potential teams to fit that bill. I like the Ospreys who are 7-1 at home to prevail again in Jacksonville.
Catch a little College Basketball before the Super Bowl!
Wegs