A night packed full of hoops from conferences big and small, so you won’t have to be stuck with quality programming like Wife Swap and Supernanny.
#3 North Carolina (24-2 overall, 9-2 ACC) at NC State (15-10, 4-7) – 6 PM CST, ESPN
Roy Williams and Coach K are acting like characters in Mean Girls, which must mean the Tar Heels aren’t playing anyone important tonight. I dig J.J. Hickson and Gavin Grant inside, but they shouldn’t be too much of a hassle for Psycho T and his gang of defense-free friends.
#24 Marquette (18-6 overall, 8-5 Big East) at St. John’s (10-14, 4-9) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2
The Golden Eagles are beating the teams they are supposed to in conference play and only losing to the solid ballclubs, which is a bad omen for the Johnnies tonight. Usually I’d mention that home court could make something of a difference for the underdog in a major conference, but the fan support at St. John’s games reminds me of Canasta night in Boca Raton. Point, Marquette.
South Florida (11-15 overall, 2-11 Big East) at Cincinnati (12-12, 7-5) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU
It’s got to be depressing for Bulls fans to realize that their only real rebounder won’t be on campus next year, and that even with Kentrell Gransberry and freshman stud Dominique Jones, they still likely won’t make the Big East tournament. Perhaps Stan Heath can get things turned around in a few years, but for now the prognosis is grim.
#1 Memphis (25-0 overall, 11-0 C-USA) at Tulane (15-9, 5-5) – 7 PM CST, CSTV
Nothing can possibly top the unbridled awesomeness of the “Mempis” riot in UAB last weekend, so I’d rather not even tune in to this one and be disappointed. If Joey Dorsey happens to punch somebody, give me a call so I can flip channels.
#25 Kansas State (18-6 overall, 8-2 Big 12) at Nebraska (14-9, 3-7) – 8 PM CST, ESPN2
K-State controls its own destiny in the conference race, but that means they have to clean up on these chip shots before tackling UT, Kansas, and Baylor. Aleks Maric is a presence inside, but the Cornhuskers will have their hands full with the Beast-ley/Walker combo in this one.
Eastern Michigan (10-14 overall, 6-6 MAC) at Western Michigan (14-10, 8-3)
There is no possible way that Michigan is wide enough to justify not only Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan, but Central Michigan as well. That’s one directional school for every 73 miles. Overkill.
Fans of the BCS conferences can get their fill on ESPN Full Court tonight, with the ACC, SEC, and Big East providing a wide range of choices…
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (13-11 overall, 8-6 Horizon) at Cleveland State (17-11, 10-6) – 6 PM CST
Georgia State (7-18 overall, 4-11 CAA) at UNC-Wilmington (17-10, 10-5) – 6 PM CST
South Carolina (12-12 overall, 4-6 SEC) at Florida (19-7, 6-5) – 7 PM CST
West Virginia (18-7 overall, 7-5 Big East) at Villanova (15-9, 5-7) – 7 PM CST
Not a lot of solid games on the air tonight, but the headline match-up should more than make up for the mediocrity elsewhere on the TV dial.
DePaul (10-14 overall, 5-7 Big East) at #13 Connecticut (20-5, 9-3) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU
The Huskies return home after escaping sunny Florida with an overtime buzzer-beating win against the Bulls, hoping to keep pace with G-town and the Cardinals. DePaul is at the other end of the standings, trying to stay ahead of Providence and St. John’s long enough to make the Big East tournament.
#15 Purdue (21-5 overall, 12-1 Big 10) at #14 Indiana (21-4, 10-2) – 6 PM CST, ESPN
The Hoosiers silenced critics who asked if they would ever claim a marquee win and temporarily ushered the Kelvin Sampson debacle aside with a convincing home win over Michigan State on Saturday night. Purdue dispatched that same Spartan squad on Tuesday, setting the table for tonight’s winner to slide into the driver’s seat of the Big Televen.
UNC-Greensboro (14-10 overall, 8-7 Southern) at Davidson (19-6, 17-0) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2
The Wildcats have not lost since December 21st, and there’s no reason that they should tonight. Last week they defeated UNC-Greensboro by five on the road, but tonight get to face them in the friendly confines of Belk Arena. Although Davidson clinched their league title with a win on Saturday, they are still looking to impress the tournament committee in case they somehow stumble in the Southern Conference tournament. A 19-game win streak could quite possibly be the slightest bit impressive.
Georgia (12-11 overall, 3-7 SEC) at Kentucky (13-10, 7-3) – 8 PM CST, ESPN
It’s hard to believe that this is the same Wildcat team which lost to Gardner-Webb and started the year with a 4-5 mark, but Billy Clyde Gillispie has things looking up in the Bluegrass State. Kentucky has the third-best record in the SEC, a strength of schedule ranking of 27th, and quality wins over Tennessee and Vanderbilt. While tonight’s game won’t offer a réesumé-building victory, every win gets the Wildcats closer to the post-season in a year with a really, really soft bubble.
Missouri State (13-14 overall, 6-9 MVC) at Creighton (17-8, 8-7) – 8 PM CST, ESPNU
The Jays are certainly not the team of years past, as they are sitting smack in the middle of the Metro Valley and head into this one on a two-game losing streak. This game doesn’t have much impact on the big picture this season, so unless you dig the mid-majors or have a nephew at Missouri State, you might only catch this one during commercials of whatever else you are watching.
If you’ve got ESPN Full Court, I don’t have a lot to offer you. Here are the leftovers, if you’re interested…
Bowling Green (11-13 overall, 6-6 MAC) at Ohio (16-9, 7-5) – 6 PM CST
It’s MAC-tastic!
Southern Utah (8-17 overall, 6-8 Summit League) at Oral Roberts (18-6, 13-1) – 7 PM CST
Scott Sutton and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles should be dancing again in March, and with good reason. They are dominating the far-flung teams of the Summit League and played Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Texas close this year. As for Southern Utah…well, I honestly didn’t even know they existed until about ten minutes ago.
Baylor (17-7 overall, 5-5 Big 12) at Oklahoma (17-8 overall, 5-5 Big 12) – 7 PM CST
The selection committee says they don’t assign certain conferences a number of bids, but that doesn’t stop some pundits from labeling match-ups such as this one “elimination games.” But with that soft bubble I referred to earlier, there’s a good chance that both the Bears and Sooners could find themselves in the field of 65 next month, regardless of tonight’s outcome. Of course, if Baylor wants to even sniff the Big Dance, they need to first get off of their skid, as they’ve lost five of their last six, including a home game against this Oklahoma team.
Virginia Tech (14-8 overall, 5-3 ACC) at NC State (14-7, 3-4) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU – The Wolfpack are quite possibly the most disappointing team of the year, but they are still in the mix for an at-large bid to the NCAAs. The key to their tournament push is the current stretch of nine games, six of which are on their home court. Tonight will certainly be a challenge for State though, as the V-Tech bigs will provide a good match-up for J.J. Hickson and Gavin Grant.
Michigan (5-16 overall, 1-8 Big Ten) at Ohio State (15-7, 6-3) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – Also known by its alternate title, “When Rivalry Week Goes Bad.” This might be an epic showdown on the gridiron, but until John Beilein gets his system and players in place, this series is going to be dominated by the Buckeyes.
#22 Florida (18-4 overall, 5-2 SEC) at #7 Tennessee (19-2, 6-1) – 8 PM CST, EPSN – The Baby Gators have made an incredible run to start the season, but they still have yet to record a truly marquee win. Thompson-Boling isn’t an easy place to steal a victory, but if Florida wants to loudly announce its presence as a legit young threat, escaping with an upset on the road would certainly do just that.
#11 Butler (19-2 overall, 8-2 Horizon) at Valparaiso (14-7, 5-4) – 8 PM CST, ESPN2 – The Bulldogs seem to be cruising through Horizon League play at this point, but their only two losses have both come on the road in conference play. Shawn Huff and the Crusaders hope to hand Butler a third tonight, but the senior-laden Bulldog squad is tough to rattle down the stretch.
Northern Iowa (14-8 overall, 6-5 MVC) at Creighton (15-6, 6-5) – 8 PM CST, ESPNU – It’s been an off year for both the Panthers and Jays, but a victory tonight could keep the winner in the hunt for second in the conference. Just three weeks ago, Creighton pulled off the 68-59 road win over NIU led by Nick Bahe’s 15/6 line. Tonight, the Panthers will be looking for tiny guard Jared Josten to lead the team to sweet revenge.
And here are the ESPN Full Court listings for those who are as addicted as I am…
South Florida (10-12 overall, 1-8 Big East) at #6 Georgetown (18-2, 8-1) – 6:30 PM CST – The Bulls live and die by the play of behemoth Kentrell Gransberry, but he’s having a tough time carrying the team all by himself. Against Georgetown on the road, USF might just want to roll over and play dead.
DePaul (9-12 overall, 4-5 Big East) at Providence (12-9, 3-6) – 6:30 PM CST – There’s a ton of good basketball being played night-in and night-out in the BEast, but this game certainly isn’t it. The Blue Demons have some raw talent but can’t ever seem to get it consistently clicking, while Providence has spent the last few weeks getting knocked around by the league’s upper-level teams. Ought to be quite the match-up.
#18 Texas A&M (18-4 overall, 4-3 Big 12) at Iowa State (13-9, 3-4) – 7 PM CST – It’s tough to say whether Hilton Coliseum will be rowdy for the ranked Aggies or if the rough conference start will keep Cyclone fans at home. If Iowa State actually has its true home-court advantage, Texas A&M’s well-documented road struggles could come into play once more. But I think it’s much more likely that the talented Aggie squad steamrolls the ‘Clones in this one.
Big Monday expands to the U this week, with the sister station airing a couple of mid-major tilts and a mid-pack match-up from the WCC. The usual Big East/Big 12 combo on the flagship looks to be pretty solid, while the nightcap is one you should definitely stay up for.
Louisville (16-6 overall, 6-3 Big East) at #16 Marquette (16-4, 6-3) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – Louisville is getting back into the swing of things, winning seven of their last nine heading into tonight’s Big East throwdown. But those two losses for the Cards both came on the road, and you can be sure that the Bradley Center and its giant celebrity cutouts will be ready for the ‘Ville.
Grambling State (3-12 overall, 3-5 SWAC) at Mississippi Valley State (7-12, 5-3) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU – I’m not even going to pretend to know anything about SWAC basketball, but it’s nice to see the U bumping up its coverage of the smaller D-1 schools as conference play marches on.
Villanova (13-7 overall) at St. Joseph’s (14-5 overall) – 7 PM CST, CSTV – Nova and St. Joe’s take a break from their conference schedules to battle it out in the Holy War tonight, and if you’ve got CSTV you should give this one a look. There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of a Big Five game, and the fans will be fired up over this one.
Missouri (13-9 overall, 3-4 Big 12) at #5 Kansas (21-2, 6-1) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – One of the nastiest rivalries in college sports is rekindled tonight in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks won the first meeting this year by a 76-70 count in Columbia and the Tigers would love to return the favor. But the altercation at a nightclub a week ago still has this Mizzou team playing shorthanded, so things could get very ugly tonight.
Hampton (12-7 overall, 6-1 MEAC) at North Carolina A&T (11-9, 5-2) – Two teams near the top of the MEAC standings battle it out for conference supremacy. But in all honesty, does this game matter in a one-bid league where only the tournament champion will be dancing?
Gonzaga (17-5 overall, 6-0 WCC) at #23 Saint Mary’s (18-3, 5-1) – 10 PM CST, ESPN2 – Game. Of. The. Night. Perhaps I’m a bit biased as I’m already planning a Pac-10/WCC road trip for next season, but this epic battle atop the West Coast Conference is going to be ridiculously exciting. The small gyms these teams play in are always electric for big games, and the Gaels are hoping to finally overcome the Gonzaga stranglehold on the WCC. Drink some coffee, pop some No-Doze, or just take a nap during the Mizzou/Kansas game. But whatever you do, don’t miss this one.
Portland (7-15 overall, 1-5 WCC) at Santa Clara (11-10, 3-3) – 10 PM CST, ESPNU – More WCC excitement over on the U, but it’s a bit overshadowed by the game down in Moraga. Santa Clara is hoping to break from the pack with a home win tonight and keep within arm’s reach of the three teams running away with it. Portland is scuttling, so hopefully they don’t lay down and take a beating in this one.
The person who scheduled the IU/Wisconsin game against the season premiere of LOST has earned my unyielding hatred, but that’s why John Cusack invented the DVR. There are a few interesting games of note tonight, so let’s jump right into things.
Boston College (12-6 overall, 3-2 ACC) at #4 North Carolina (19-1, 4-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – The Golden Eagles have dropped their last two after jumping out to a 3-0 league start, and things don’t get any easier with the road trip to Chapel Hill tonight. The Heels are hoping to keep pace with Duke, who is still a game ahead of UNC in the standings.
Providence (12-7 overall, 3-4 Big East) at Notre Dame (14-4, 4-2) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2 – The Fighting Irish have one of the most bi-polar teams so far this year. Home court has been huge in Big East play so far, so look for the “good” Irish to show up when the Friars come to town tonight.
Temple (9-9 overall, 2-2 A-10) at Fordham (8-9, 2-3) – 7 PM CST, CSTV – There’s some really good ball being played in the A-10+4 this year, but you won’t find much of it in this match-up. Winner moves slightly further into the muddled pack of the league, while the loser gets to slide down towards G-Dub and the Bonnies. Holla!
#11 Indiana (17-2 overall, 6-0 Big Ten) at #13 Wisconsin (16-3, 6-1) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – Game of the night, as Indiana faces its first true conference test. In non-conf play, the Hoosiers were embarrassed by both Xavier and Connecticut, so on paper things look good for ‘Scon. But Indiana has something to prove, and nothing can do that faster than a road win in the Kohl Center.
NC State (13-6 overall, 2-3 ACC) at #3 Duke (13-6, 2-3) – 8 PM CST, ESPN2 – The only weak link in a really solid Duke lineup is a weak frontcourt, and the Wolfpack have a pair of solid scorers down low in Gavin Grant and J.J. Hickson. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for State to pull off the road upset in this one. The Blue Devils may have been under the radar for most of the year (at least by Duke standards), but these guys are in the hunt for a 1-seed.
Arizona (14-6 overall, 4-3 Pac-10) at USC (13-6, 4-3) – 9:30 PM CST, Fox Sports Net – The Wildcats and Trojans are finally starting to click, as U of A has won four of five while So Cal is on a four-game surge. This one also offers a great match-up of freshmen studs O.J. Mayo and Jerryd Bayless, who are both key to the recent resurrection of their teams.
Got the ESPN Full Court package? You can also enjoy the following two games…
UW-Milwaukee (12-8 overall, 7-3 Horizon) at Detroit (4-15, 0-9) – 6:05 PM CST – Can home court finally provide the magic that the Titans need for their first conference win? I don’t think I care enough to find out.
Fresno State (10-11 overall, 3-4 WAC) at Nevada (12-7, 4-2) – 9 PM CST – Nevada shook things up in the WAC with a big road win last Thursday against New Mexico State. The Wolfpack now must defend their own home court a week later, but the Bulldogs don’t seem to pose too much of a threat to the status quo.
The game preview for Colorado won’t be up until sometime after 3 P.M., but there’s a lot of hoops action on TV between now and then to keep you busy. And if you feel like watching some old games, ESPNU is even running some of the best games in the Border War all morning long. On to the listings…
#21 Villanova (12-3 overall, 2-2 Big East) at Syracuse (13-5, 3-2) – 11 AM CST, ESPN – The Orange is looking to break out of the pack in the Big East, and they have the huge advantage of playing this one at home in the Carrier Dome. The Wildcats are 0-2 on the road in conference play so far this year, which is unsettling for coach Jay Wright heading into this one.
Illinois (9-9 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) at Purdue (12-5, 3-1) – 1 PM CST, ESPN – Bruce Weber’s Illini are really struggling this year, but it’s tough to get well on the road against Purdue and its stifling defense. Meanwhile, the Boilermakers are looking to keep pace with the league’s top teams this week to set up a huge match-up with Wisconsin next weekend.
Rutgers (8-10 overall, 0-5 Big East) at DePaul (7-9, 3-2) – 1 PM CST, ESPNU – If Rutgers is going to get its first Big East win anytime soon, the Blue Demons are a possible victim. DePaul is a streaky shooting team that doesn’t do much else right, so if the shots aren’t falling for the home team, the Scarlet Knights could pull off the upset.
Oklahoma State (10-6 overall, 1-1 Big 12) at Iowa State (11-6, 1-1) – 12:30 PM CST, KNVA/Full Court – Two teams who have each split their first two conference games, OSU and ISU are mid-pack teams in the muddled Big 12 looking to make a mark. If the first week of league play is any indication, home court should give the ‘Clones the win in this one, but we all know that trends were made to be broken.
Maryland (11-7 overall, 1-2 ACC) at #1 North Carolina (18-0, 3-0) – 2:30 PM, ABC – This game isn’t quite as exciting on paper as some Maryland/Carolina tilts in recent years, but the rivalry usually produces some great games. And while Wednesday night’s game showed that UNC still has some vulnerabilities, you’ve got to like the Heels in the Dean Dome.
USC (10-6 overall, 1-3 Pac-10) at #4 UCLA (16-1, 4-0) – 2:30 PM, CBS – This is part of a split national telecast from CBS, so check your local listings to see which game you get. (Viewers in the Austin area are scheduled to get this game.) UCLA looks good in this cross-town rivalry, and it’s worth watching just to see O.J. Mayo get embarrassed yet again.
Ohio State (12-5) at #7 Tennessee (15-1) – 2:30 PM, CBS – The other half of the CBS split-national telecast is a rematch between two teams who played a pair of games last year decided by a total of three points. Ohio State ended Tennessee’s season on a blocked shot in the Sweet Sixteen last year, and you can be sure the Vols — and their rowdy fans in Thompson-Boling Arena — will be looking for some revenge.
#9 Texas A&M (15-2 overall, 1-1 Big 12) at Kansas State (11-4, 1-0) – 3 PM CST, ESPN – The Aggies collapsed in Lubbock under the pressure of their first road test in almost two months, and now they get another one just days later in Manhattan. K-State hasn’t lived up to expectations yet this season, but they’ve got the talent in Bill Walker and Michael Beasley. This one ought to be a dandy.
Texas Tech (10-6 overall, 1-1 Big 12) at Oklahoma (12-5 overall, 1-1) – 3 PM CST, KNVA/Full Court – Tech and OU? That means it’s time for the best Raiders/Sooners clip ever. Oh, and, uh…Blake Griffin’s hurt for the next two weeks.
Eastern Illinois (2-16 overall, 1-9 OVC) at Tennessee State (7-10, 4-4) – 4:30 PM CST, ESPNU – I don’t understand why every time they put a mid-major game on ESPNU, one of the teams has to be absolutely God-awful. There really are good teams playing basketball below the radar, but the “Worldwide Leader” decides to give us these crapfests instead. Thanks, guys!
#23 Clemson (14-3 overall, 2-1 ACC) at #5 Duke (14-1, 2-0) – 5 PM CST, ESPN – Remember the clock controversy in the first game between these two schools last year? Yeah, there might be some bad blood left over.
Oregon State (6-11 overall, 0-5 Pac-10) at Washington (10-7, 1-3) – 5 PM CST, FSN – If this is your first chance to watch the Pac-10 this year, please don’t think the Beavers represent the rest of the conference in any way, shape, or form.
Kent State (14-3 overall, 3-0 MAC) at Ohio (10-6, 1-2) – 5 PM CST, ESPN Classic – A live game on ESPN Classic? It’s like a giant mind-puzzle.
#3 Kansas (17-0, 2-0 Big 12) at Missouri (11-6, 1-1) – 7 PM CST, ESPNU – The Border War is always exciting, and the fans in Mizzou Arena are going to be rabid tonight when the hated Jayhawks come to town. As one Tiger fan told me last week, “This isn’t just a rivalry. We literally killed each other in the Civil War.”
Kentucky (7-7 overall, 1-1 SEC) at Florida (15-3, 2-1) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – This is your Game of the Night, ESPN? Really? Don’t let the schedule that the Baby Gators racked up against cupcakes fool you. Of course, they could’ve always played like Kentucky and lost to those cupcakes…
Wyoming (6-9 overall, 0-3 MWC) at San Diego State (13-4, 3-0) – 10 PM CST, CSTV – I don’t know a damned thing about the Mountain West, but just judging by records this one ought to be ugly.
And if that’s not enough basketball for you, here’s all the extra games you can watch if you’ve got the ESPN Full Court package…
The game of the night pits two of the top three in the SEC, who also happen to be interstate rivals separated by just 180 miles. The Big East provides some interesting match-ups as usual, and there’s a nice one to check out in the WAC for those up late. On to the games…
#13 Marquette (13-2 overall, 3-1 Big East) at Louisville (12-4, 2-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2 – Louisville is finally starting to show some signs of life, and this home game against the ranked Golden Eagles is a great chance to loudly announce their return. The guard play for Marquette makes them a scary squad for anybody to face, so the Cards will have to shut down the backcourt in this one.
#14 Vanderbilt (16-1 overall, 1-1 SEC) at #7 Tennessee (14-1, 2-0) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – Game of the night, without a doubt. These two teams have met 171 times in the last 86 years, but this is the first time since 1968 that both schools have been ranked on game night. The winner of this one takes control in the SEC East…at least until they meet again on February 26th.
George Mason (11-5 overall, 3-2 CAA) at Hofstra (3-11, 1-4) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU – It’s been an off season for Jim Larranaga’s bunch, but tonight should be a cakewalk of a win on the road in the CAA.
#21 Rhode Island (15-2 overall, 1-1 A-10) at Saint Louis (9-7, 0-2) – 7 PM CST, CSTV – Saint Louis scored only 20 points against a pretty awful George Washington team last week, so this home game against the Rams shouldn’t be pretty. Rhode Island hopes to keep rolling and take advantage of the stumbles by Xavier and Dayton last night.
Central Arkansas (11-5, 1-1 Southland) at UT-San Antonio (6-8, 0-1) – 7 PM CST, FSN Southwest – Unless you went to one of these two schools, I don’t see why you’d be watching it. But it’s on TV in the Austin area, so it’s listed for those of you who might be into that kind of thing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
#8 Indiana (14-1 overall, 3-0 Big 10) at Minnesota (12-3, 2-1) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – Minnesota has put together a nice start under new coach Tubby Smith, but they haven’t faced anything like E-Giddy and D.J. White yet.
Ohio (10-5 overall, 1-1 MAC) at Akron (12-3 overall, 2-0 MAC) – 8 PM CST, ESPNU – With Tennessee/Vandy on at the same time, even Kyle Whelliston won’t be watching this MAC showdown.
Full Court is packed to the gills, so get your hoops fix tonight before the abysmal Friday night schedule comes calling.
Providence (11-5 overall, 2-2 Big East) at Connecticut (11-4, 2-2) – 6 PM CST – The Friars are right in the thick of it! With a strong RPI and SOS, plus a chance to shine in an average Big East, Providence can play their way into the tourney. Of course, UConn might have something to say about that in Storrs tonight
St. John’s (7-8 overall, 1-3 Big East) at West Virginia (12-4, 2-2) – 6 PM CST – Thuggins has skinny, white Beilein players actually buying into what he’s teaching, and he’s got WVU in position to make a run. A home game against the Red Storm shouldn’t be too much of a hassle, but with the way things are going in the Big East this year, you can’t ever be sure.
South Florida (10-7 overall, 1-3 Big East) at Seton Hall (10-6, 0-3) – 6:30 PM CST – Seton Hall is much better than their 0-3 record in the conference would indicate, and they’ve got this one in the brand spanking new Prudential Center. The Bulls have their work cut out for them against a desperate Pirate team tonight.
Oregon (12-4 overall, 3-1 Pac-10) at Washington (9-7, 0-3) – 8 PM CST – Remember when Washington was being talked about as a potential seventh or eighth NCAA bid out of the stacked Pac-10? That seems like ages ago, as the Huskies have scuttled against a fairly stout schedule and are sitting just above .500 on the year. Oregon has also had its stumbles, but needs to win games like this one to keep the resumé from getting too messy.
Boise State (12-4 overall, 3-1 WAC) at Utah State (12-5 overall, 2-0 WAC) – 8 PM CST – I still haven’t had a chance to watch the Broncos, but they are certainly jumping out to a great start in league play. One might think that the New Mexico State Aggies are the WAC front-runners with Herb Pope and Hatilla Passos now ready for action, but the Broncos could be playing spoiler. Oh, and they’ve got the USU Aggies in this one.
#5 Duke (13-1 overall, 1-0 ACC) at Florida State (12-5, 1-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – Florida State has been hanging around the second tier of the ACC, and they have a history of jumping up and surprising teams in Tallahassee. An upset tonight would be the feather that their cap has needed, while further muddling the middle of the ACC picture.
Virginia Tech (10-6 overall, 1-1 ACC) at Virginia (10-4, 0-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU – This interstate rivalry is a pretty fun one to watch, and the Hoos will be pressing for their first conference win. Jones Arena — one of the nicest new basketball palaces in the country — should be absolutely rocking tonight.
#1 North Carolina (17-0 overall, 2-0 ACC) at Georgia Tech (7-8, 0-2) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – UNC is still undefeated and rolling through the ACC, and tonight shouldn’t slow that train down at all. Hansbrough is thisclose to averaging a double-double per game, so if he cleans up on the glass tonight he can crack that magical 10 RPG mark.
DePaul (7-8 overall, 3-1 Big East) at Villanova (11-3, 1-2) – 8 PM CST, ESPNU – These guys are playing again already? Back on January 3rd, the Blue Demons opened conference play with an upset win over the Cats in Chicago. This time, Nova gets to play in the friendly confines of The Pavilion, and they will be looking to bounce back from a confusing loss to Cincy this weekend.
Tulane (10-6, 0-2 C-USA) at Tulsa (8-5, 0-1) – 8 PM CST, CSTV – Can CSTV get back to broadcasting A-10 games instead of this crap?
#9 Texas A&M (15-1 overall, 1-0 Big 12) at Texas Tech (9-6, 0-1) – 8:30 PM CST, ESPN2 – Much like in the Florida State game, Lubbock is a dangerous place for top-ranked teams to come play. The students at Tech come out in force for big opponents — particularly the Aggies — and Bob Knight seems to always be able to coax upset wins out of his average teams. This year the Techsters are pretty abysmal, though…can they somehow pull out another miracle?
If that’s not enough hoops for you, there’s a ton of action on Full Court, although some of it might’ve been better left to radio. Or no media coverage at all.
Rutgers (8-9 overall, 0-4 Big East) at Syracuse (12-5, 2-2) – 6 PM CST – Rutgers is quite possibly the worst team in the conference, while ‘Cuse looks like they could be a sleeper in this wide-open league. Please be gentle, Coach Boeheim.
Towson (6-9 overall, 2-3 CAA) at UNC-Wilmington (9-8, 2-3) – 6 PM CST – I’ve had my calendar cleared for months for this barnburner.
Missouri (11-5 overall, 1-0 Big 12) at Iowa State (10-6, 0-1) – 7 PM CST – Mizzou looks to keep the momentum going after their upset win over the Horns on Saturday. Iowa State shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge in Ames tonight, setting up next weekend’s Border War as a game for the league lead.
Albany (7-9 overall, 2-2 America East) at Boston (4-11, 1-2) – 7 PM CST – There is one team in the America East conference with a winning record, and that is Maryland-Baltimore County, who is 11-6 against a schedule ranked 231st. Why is this conference included in the Full Court package?
St. Francis, PA (3-13 overall, 1-4 NEC) at Mount St. Mary’s (7-9, 3-2) – 8 PM CST – Who would win if the America East and Northeastern Conferences met in an epic battle of suck?
If you’re into the recruiting game, tonight there’s a high school match-up between Plantation American Heritage and Monsignor Pace (8 PM CST, ESPNU). This marks the first time a Florida high school game is going to be aired nationally, and it’s a chance to showcase some big-name stars. Heritage center Eloy Vargas has already signed with the University of Florida, as has one of his opponents, guard Ray Shipman. Pace’s frontcourt is also pretty nasty with stud junior Rakeem Buckles and Terrance Saintil, a VCU signee.
As for college hoops, ESPN’s got three games on their pair of channels, while Full Court has a few Big 12 match-ups. On to the games…
Cincinnati (8-8 overall, 3-1 Big East) at Notre Dame (12-3, 2-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU – South Bend is not an easy place to win, but Cincy hopes to continue their hot start when they travel there tonight. Former druggie Kyle McAlarney is averaging 15.6 PPG and 5 APG in conference play for the Fighting Irish.
Ohio State (12-4 overall, 3-1 Big 10) at #11 Michigan State (14-2, 2-1) – 6 PM CST, ESPN – The Spartans are going to be fighting mad after only scoring 36 points in a loss to Iowa on Saturday. Ohio State certainly has their work cut out for them in this one.
Creighton (12-3 overall, 3-2 MVC) at Northern Iowa (10-6, 2-3) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2 – It’s a topsy-turvy world in Mid-major Land this year, and the Metro Valley is no exception. Drake and Illinois State are both atop the league with perfect records, while Creighton and Northern Iowa are having some struggles this season. The loser of this one is going to be mired in the middle of the standings for quite some time.
Oklahoma State (10-5 overall, 1-0 Big 12) at Baylor (13-2, 1-0) – 7 PM CST, FSNSW/ESPN Full Court – Oklahoma State surprised a lot of folks with their emphatic win at home over Texas Tech on Saturday. Are the Cowboys putting things together, or is Tech really that bad? And after an impressive non-conf run, just how good is Baylor? There are a ton of questions in the middle of the Big 12, but this game might start to answer a few of them.
Kentucky (7-7 overall, 1-0 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-5, 2-0) – 8 PM CST, ESPN – Kentucky pulled out an overtime win over a previously-unbeaten Vandy squad, but they are still in the midst of a very average season. The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are riding a six-game winning streak and hope to maintain their perfect conference mark.
New Mexico (14-3 overall, 1-1 MWC) at Texas Christian (9-6, 1-1) – 8 PM CST, CSTV – Despite a solid record, the Lobos have an RPI in the low 60s thanks to a weak schedule. If they are going to be serious about the bubble, they can’t afford to mess around in conference play. Unfortunately for New Mexico, the pressing TCU Horned Frogs might present a problem in Fort Worth tonight.
There are a handful of other games on ESPN Full Court tonight, including the aforementioned OSU/Baylor tilt for those who can’t catch it on Fox Southwest. Here are those listings…
Stony Brook (4-11 overall, 1-2 America East) at Binghamton (6-10, 2-2) – 6 PM CST – Yikes.
Nebraska (11-3 overall, 0-1 Big 12) at Colorado (8-7, 0-1) – 8 PM CST – The Cornhuskers weren’t able to make a statement in their home opener against Kansas, but who can really blame them? Jeff Bzdelik’s weak team should make for a nice punching bag as Big Red takes out its frustrations in Boulder.
Wake Forest (11-4 overall, 1-1 ACC) at Maryland (10-7, 0-2) – 8 PM CST – This one doesn’t have quite the appeal of some past match-ups between the two schools, but there ought to be a desperate Terps squad on the court trying to avoid a crippling start to conference play.
