The early games left a lot to be desired on Tuesday, but the nightcaps provided a handful of contests that went down to the wire, including a potential top-ten upset.

#3 Kansas 90, Loyola (MD) 60 – The Jayhawks were without Mario Chalmers, but against the over-matched Greyhounds it didn’t make a difference. Sherron Collins led the way with 18 points, while Brandon Rush took only seven shots on the night. KU opens up their Big 12 slate on Saturday on the road against Nebraska.

#6 Michigan State 78, Purdue 75 – Purdue’s Keaton Grant missed a three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left and Sparty hung on for a conference victory at home. MSU had a comfortable nine point lead at half, but the Boilermakers clawed back and found themselves down only one point with 29 seconds left. But then, Spartan point guard Travis Walton improbably hit the clutch shot to give Coach Tom Izzo all the lead he would need. State travels to Iowa on Saturday night, looking to move to 3-0 in the Big Televen.

#8 Georgetown 76, DePaul 60 – I mentioned in yesterday’s TV listings that DePaul could possibly hang with the highly-efficient Hoyas at home, but Georgetown was having none of it. They absolutely burst out of the gates, shooting a scorching 66.7% from the field while holding the Blue Demons to a paltry 21.2% as they built a 21-point halftime lead. We’ve often seen Georgetown’s nouveau-Princeton offense methodically destroy their opponents, but the defensive performance in this one was excellent.

#11 Indiana 78, Michigan 64 – D.J. White had the first 20/20 game for an IU player since 1995 and the Hoosiers controlled this one the whole way. Usually I’d continue to talk about the game here, but I’d rather take the opportunity to point out how good the November 24th win over the Hoosiers is looking for Xavier. It is the only blemish on IU’s resumé, and the Hoosiers will soon be a top ten team with their next three games coming against the Fighting Illini, Golden Golphers, and Nittany Lions.

#16 Marquette 61, Seton Hall 56 – Marquette looked awfully flat in the first half and seemed to be in danger of dropping two straight games in Big East play. But they played incredibly well in the second half, figuring out the Seton Hall zone and fouling out some of the Pirates’ key players down the stretch. The biggest bucket of the night came from Dan Fitzgerald, who buried a three with 11 seconds left to clinch the win. With only five seconds between the shot clock and game clock, Seton Hall Coach Bobby Gonzalez had elected to play straight-up defense despite the two-point deficit. It was a confusing decision, but Fitzgerald made it completely irrelevant with his clutch shot.

Missouri 96, UMKC 76 – Mizzou struggled for much of the game, actually heading to the locker room in a 35-35 tie with the abysmal Kangaroos. But the Tigers’ pressure defense turned up in the second half, and with it came the scoring. In the end, five Mizzou players finished with double-digit scoring, led by Leo Lyons’ 22 points — 19 of which came in the second frame.

Baylor 72, Brown 62 – In the battle of the Bears, Baylor came out on top, led by LaceDarius Dunn’s 27 points. The sensational freshman hit 7-of-8 from behind the arc, including one to quash a last-gasp Brown comeback bid with 1:35 to play. Now it’s time for Baylor to prove that their impressive non-conference performance was no fluke, as they open Big 12 play with two very winnable home games against Iowa State (Saturday) and Oklahoma State (Tuesday).

The great thing about the start of a new year is that all the major conferences finally get their schedules underway, which means there are intriguing match-ups on TV six days a week. And if you’ve got the ESPN Full Court package, you can even find some obscure shit on Friday nights if you’re sitting at home.

Tonight there are some interesting ones to watch in the Big East, while I’ll be keeping an eye on Missouri beating the crap out of a local patsy. I’ve got three or four other MU games waiting on the DVR to watch, so I think I’ll probably know Stefhon Hannah’s favorite flavor of bubblegum before we drive to Columbia on Friday.

#11 Indiana (12-1) at Michigan (4-10) – 6 PM CST, ESPN
I feel sort of bad for John Beilein and the tough situation in Ann Arbor, but not bad enough to actually watch this snoozefest. Wake me when he gets some of his pasty white recruits on campus.

Bradley (7-8) at Southern Illinois (6-8) – 6 PM CST, ESPNU
Two of the most powerful mid-major darlings are struggling through sub-par seasons. You’ve got to like the Salukis at home, but they’ve rarely won the ones they should have this year.

Wichita State (8-6) at Missouri State (8-7) – 6 PM CST, ESPN2
Sigh.

Brown (8-5) at Baylor (11-2) – 7 PM CST, Fox Sports Southwest
This one is only on in Texas, but it’s worth a look if you haven’t seen the new and improved Bears. No, really.

#8 Georgetown (11-1) at DePaul (6-7) – 8 PM CST, ESPNU
Georgetown likely wins this one, but I really like the Demons to give them a scare. DePaul is a streaky team, and right now they are on a little tear. Combine that with G-town’s slow tempo, and there’s almost no way they get blown out. Of course, to pull it off, DePaul would first need to improve on free throw shooting…and rebounding…and closing out leads in the second half.

Florida (13-2) at Alabama (11-4) – 8 PM CST, ESPN2
The Gators are sporting a great record just a year after losing practically their entire championship team, but they’ve done it against a schedule of cupcakes. They’ll definitely be tested on the road in Tuscaloosa as the two teams open up SEC play.

For those with the ESPN Full Court package….

St. John’s (7-6) at Connecticut (10-3) – 6 PM CST
A perpetually rebuilding St. John’s program takes on the temporarily reloading UConn squad.

Loyola (6-8) at #3 Kansas (14-0) – 7 PM CST
If you’re into cruel and unusual punishment.

UMKC (5-11) at Missouri (9-5) – 7 PM CST
I realize that I have an addiction because I’m watching this. But they don’t have a 12-step program for it…yet.

Seton Hall (10-4) at #16 Marquette (11-2) – 7 PM CST
The Golden Eagles were surprised by West Virginia, but they should be fully ready for the Pirates tonight.

I’ve got to be at my McJob in less than an hour, so I’ll just throw out the sparse Sunday TV listings for those of you who won’t be tuned into the NFL playoffs. (Although really, all Longhorn fans should be watching VY against the Chargers.)

4:30 PM CST, FSN – Cornell (6-4) at #8 Duke (10-1)
6:30 PM CST, FSN – #1 North Carolina (14-0) at #19 Clemson (12-1)

I’d say that Clemson game is Carolina’s toughest test to date, but the Tigers are famous for chalking up a ton of early-season wins and then collapsing faster than Marie Osmond. Clemson gets this one at home, so it’ll be the first real road challenge for the Heels — sorry, but Rupp Arena doesn’t count this season — and perhaps we can finally learn something about this team beyond “they’re really good.”

For those of you with ESPN Full Court, here’s what’s on your plate today…

Right now – #13 Pittsburgh (12-1) at #16 Villanova (10-2)
Right now – Vermont (6-7) at Albany (5-8)
1 PM CST – #11 Marquette (11-1) at West Virginia (10-3)
2 PM CST – Xavier (11-3) at Auburn (9-2)
3:05 PM CST – Weber State (5-7) at Northern Colorado (6-8)
5 PM CST – St. Peter’s (4-9) at Siena (7-5)

With Big 12 play just a week away, the Longhorns face one of their stiffest tests as they close out the non-conference portion of their schedule. The Saint Mary’s Gaels come to town riding a five-game winning streak and boasting an upset win over Oregon in November. The Ducks have since dropped off the map, so that win might not be the calling card it once was. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that SMC is going to be a pushover — this team can win in a multitude of ways.

The Gaels hope that this is the season in which they finally get over the hump in the West Coast Conference. Forever a league dominated by Gonzaga, the WCC seemed up for grabs last year when the Gaels took out the Bulldogs early in the season. But SMC dropped four straight games in February, and Gonzaga slipped past to win yet another league crown. This year, Saint Mary’s is clearly the stronger team, but nothing would give them a bigger boost heading into WCC play than a road upset over the Horns.

By the numbers

St. Mary’s is currently 4th in Ken Pomeroy’s RPI approximations and has amassed that 11-1 record against the 23rd-toughest schedule in the country. The Gaels are at their best when pushing the tempo and forcing their opponents into mistakes, but the scary thing is that Saint Mary’s is just as effective in the half-court game. Their offensive numbers are nearly as good as those of the Longhorns, but the Gaels have a leg up because their defensive efficiency is roughly five points better.

The key players

It all starts and ends with freshman point Patrick Mills. The kid is a speedy, unflappable guard who can attack off the dribble, shoot the three, and is absolutely stellar in transition. He’s also got an eye for the court, as he constantly feeds the pair of big men down low for Coach Randy Bennett.

As you’ll hear endlessly during today’s broadcast, Mills is an Aborigine from Australia, one of three active Aussies on the Gaels roster. Ben Allen is also from Oz, although he will have to sit the season after transferring from Indiana.

Diamon Simpson is one of the big men who will create problems for the Longhorns down low. He was named Player of the Month for the WCC in December, and has an array of solid post moves. He’s averaging nearly a double-double so far this year, with 12.2 PPG and 9.6 RPG for the Gaels. Although SMC doesn’t play a style similar to Wisconsin or Michigan State, rebounding was a big concern in both of those losses and could play a big role in today’s game.

The other big threat is the mohawked Omar Samhan. He’s a beast of a man, checking in at 6’11” and 265 pounds, which means that only one player on Rick Barnes’ bench truly matches up with him. The problem with using Dexter Pittman to slow down Samhan is that he’s a liability in the kind of up-and-down game we’re likely to see today. It is likely that Samhan will face a steady rotation of players, if freshmen Alexis Wangmene and Clint Chapman have found their way out of Coach’s doghouse.

Forward Ian O’Leary reminds me a lot of Connor Atchley in that he’s a white forward who has surprising range. Although he’s about four inches shorter than Connor, O’Leary can still play both inside and out. He’s only averaging roughly eight points per game so far, but with the problems Texas typically has at guarding the three-point line, O’Leary could threaten to score more.

Tron Smith is an electric guard off of the bench who is averaging over 21 minutes per game for the Gaels despite never starting a contest. He can absolutely jump out of the gym and is a solid scoring threat as well, averaging nine points per game so far this year.

What to look for

Don’t get frustrated – The Gaels are an excellent defensive team, and the Longhorns have struggled recently at putting the ball in the basket. If scoring is as difficult as to can be expected today, Texas cannot get frustrated and let it change their game plan.

Battle on the glass – These are quality big men for the Gaels, and the Longhorns have let bigger teams push them around on the boards. Texas cannot afford to let a team that is this good clean up on the offensive glass and earn extra possessions.

The guard situation – A.J. Abrams is expected back from injury, but how effective will he be? D.J. Augustin has picked up a pair of fouls early in the first half against both TCU and Michigan State, crippling the offense with his time on the bench. If both can play solid games today, it opens up Justin Mason as a solid sixth man, and it instantly increases the potency of the Texas offense.

If you’re in Austin and even considering going to this game, please make it out to the Drum. Saint Mary’s is an excellent basketball team, but the average fan will see their name on the schedule and think it is just another creampuff. Texas can’t afford to have a half-empty, quiet arena in this ballgame. SMC does not usually play in arenas this big, and a rocking crowd of 14- to 16-thousand people would certainly shake them.

For those Longhorns out on the West Coast, please note that Fox Sports Net Plus will be airing the game in the Bay Area, while fans across the country with ESPN Full Court can also check this one out.

The undefeated teams marched on Thursday night, as Memphis crushed overmatched Siena, 102-58 and Vandy ran away from Rice, 76-58. While Memphis doesn’t have any real threats until the end of the month, the Commodores start SEC play next Wednesday. They open with South Carolina, who will likely be without gunner Brandis Raley-Ross, and then head to Lexington to face a struggling Kentucky squad. That means the next threat to Vandy’s impressive streak will most likely come on January 17th when they head northeast to face in-state rival Tennessee.

Pac-10 play got underway out west last night, with three games on the slate. Arizona State needed a late comeback, but ultimately knocked off Oregon, 62-54. The Arizona Wildcats seem to be hitting their groove after a rough start, and continued their winning ways with a 76-63 victory over Oregon State at home. UCLA started their title defense on the road, topping Stanford, 76-67.

Is DePaul finally starting to put it together? The Blue Demons stumbled through a very difficult non-conf schedule (SOS of 27 according to Ken Pomeroy), blowing halftime leads in four of their seven losses. The worst of those came against Vanderbilt, who eliminated DePaul’s 18-point second-half advantage before winning in overtime. Last night, it seemed like Villanova was going to repeat the late-game comeback, as they trimmed an 11-point deficit down to only four points less than two minutes later. But the Blue Demons stepped up on defense, the Wildcats melted down, and Coach Jerry Wainwright watched his squad seal a third-straight victory. Can the Blue Demons right the ship and make some noise in the middle of an abnormally weak Big East?

When I was a kid, the A-10 was routinely on Big Monday and John Calipari had UMass an established power. Since then, the conference has…dropped off the map, to put it nicely. But this season, it seems that the Atlantic 10 could be in the hunt for multiple NCAA bids. Xavier is one of the top teams in the league, and they have played a challenging slate so far. Their 20th-ranked schedule and 11-3 mark is impressive, but last night’s 108-70 demolition of Virginia was absolutely ridiculous. The Cavaliers shared the ACC regular-season crown with UNC last season, and had a 10-2 mark before last night’s embarrassment. The X-Men already have a win over #11/12 Indiana on the resumé and fell just short of an upset of #8/9 Tennessee during the holidays. Watch out for the upstart Muskies the rest of the way.

Friday night means a lack of quality hoops, but those with a true addiction can check out Fairfield at Loyola (Maryland) on ESPNU at 6 PM CST.