Friday
9 p.m.: Villanova at West Virginia (ESPN)
Saturday:
11 a.m.: "
College GameDay" (ESPN)
Noon: Georgetown at Syracuse (ESPN)
1 p.m.: UCLA at Arizona (CBS)
1:30 p.m.: Nebraska at Missouri (ESPN360)
3:30 p.m.: Kansas at Kansas St. (
ABC regional)
4 p.m.: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (ESPN)
4 p.m.: Florida St. at Wake Forest (ESPN360)
9 p.m.: Ohio St. at Wisconsin (ESPN)
Midnight: "Midnight Madness" (ESPN)
Sunday:
5:30 p.m.: Duke at Boston College (FSN)
7:45 p.m.: North Carolina at Miami (FSN)[h4]I Can't Wait To Watch …[/h4]
Andy Katz
What am I looking forward to this weekend? I want to see if Wake Forest can snap out of its funk and beat another solid ACC team in Florida State. Conversely,can the Seminoles elevate themselves to elite status with another big-time road win after winning at Clemson? This could be a defining game for Wake Forest.Another loss and it could seriously damage its seeding for the NCAA tournament.
Mark Schlabach
No other conference has more on the line this weekend than the Big 12, where as many as five teams will try to keep their NCAA tournament hopes alive. TexasA&M and Baylor will play what is essentially an elimination game in Waco and Nebraska and Kansas State can help themselves tremendously with victories. TheCornhuskers play at surging Missouri, and the Wildcats host rival Kansas. Oklahoma State is falling out of the bubble discussion, and certainly can'tafford losing to Iowa State at home.
Pat Forde
I can't wait to watch UCLA at Arizona on Saturday. After a chaotic start to the season, the Wildcats have pieced themselves together and are making aresilient run. After an 11-8 start made it appear as if the school's remarkable run of 24 straight NCAA tournaments would be coming to an end, Zona hasreeled off six straight wins -- and nothing would add more luster to their tournament resume than beating UCLA. As for the Bruins, they will surely come outwith some fire after seeing their Pac-10 lead evaporate with a loss up in Tempe on Thursday night.
Fran Fraschilla
Do you remember that 24-game win streak that Kansas enjoyed at arch-rival Kansas State that finally ended last year? It took Michael Beasley and company to enda hex that started in 1983. With four KU starters off to the NBA and Frank Martin's Wildcats on a six-game roll, Bramlage Coliseum will be a purple madhouse on Saturday afternoon. Denis Clemente, the Miami transfer, dropped 44 points on Texas earlier in the month and he'll be matched up with the Big12's best point guard, Sherron Collins, who has had 14 turnovers in the Jayhawks' last two losses. Bring some ear plugs.
DanaO'Neil
I'm looking forward to UNC-Miami and Duke-BC on Sunday. There's nothing quite like emotional wins/heartbreaking losses to test the emotional mettle ofa team. The 101-87 thumping of Duke vaulted UNC back into the forefront of the national conversation. The Heels look like the team they promised to be inOctober. Now that they're back front and center, how will they handle it?
GregPaulus vowed Wednesday that his team wouldn't pine over the loss to Carolina, but it was no doubt a devastating blow. Duke has lost three of its lastfive and needs to prove it isn't heading toward yet another February slide. That both have to go on the road against talented ACC teams desperate forsignature wins makes these games all the more intriguing.
No. 13 Villanova at West Virginia
Key Matchup: Da'Sean Butler vs.
Dante Cunningham
Butler is coming off his worst and most frustrating game of the season. He was in foul trouble from the opening tip against Pittsburgh, and fouled out withover five minutes to go. Butler is a tough matchup and has great footwork. In Big East play, he has been at his best, averaging over 20 points per game.Cunningham may be the most improved "good" player in the Big East. He went from good to great and has played consistently at a very high level.
X-Factors: The Coreys
Villanova has the best Big East guards not wearing Marquette on their jerseys.
CoreyStokes and
Corey Fisher are guards that can make plays for Jay Wright. Stokes isa long-range shooter and Fisher is a penetrating guard that can get his own shot. Both are capable of making big plays.
Watch For: Villanova's pick-and-rolls and West Virginia's defense
The Wildcats are very dynamic off pick-and-roll situations (especially
ScottieReynolds), and the Villanova guards will give WVU fits. The Mountaineers are long-armed and very athletic on the defensive end, but very young. Whether itis
Devin Ebanks,
Wellington Smith or Butler, West Virginia is capable of guarding anybody.
The Winner: Villanova
The Wildcats are playing at a really high level and with great confidence. With
DwayneAnderson hurting, Nova will have to make up for his athleticism and energy, but the Wildcats should be able to pull out a win against a young team with afreshman point guard.
AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain
Toney Douglas is averaging 20.3 ppg for the suddenly surging Seminoles, who have won six of their last eight in the ACC.
No. 25 FSU at No. 8 Wake Forest
Key Matchup: Toney Douglas vs.
Jeff Teague
Two of the most explosive scoring guards in the ACC, Douglas and Teague are of vital importance to their teams. Against NC State, Teague did not perform to hishighest level and Wake Forest was beaten on the road against NC State. He did not get many shots and was not the usual potent scorer that he has been throughmost of the season. Douglas is athletic and tough enough to guard Teague, and has great hands and feet to be able to stay in front of him. Douglas can score inboth the open court and in halfcourt sets and really makes winning plays for Florida State.
X-Factors: Chris Singleton and
Al-Farouq Aminu
Singleton is a 6-foot-11 McDonald's All-American who is skilled and very long-armed. He can score facing up or on the low block, and is a fine offensiverebounder. Aminu is very good finishing off the break, is a very tough competitor and can block shots and rebound.
Watch For: The length, size and the defensive stands of FSU
Florida State has the biggest frontline and team in the nation, and the Seminoles do a good job on the defensive end. The Noles are one of the best field goalpercentage defensive teams in the country and are among the leaders in steals and blocks.
The Winner: With their back against the wall, the Deacs will win at home.
No. 16 Kansas at Kansas State
Key Matchup: Sherron Collins vs.
Denis Clemente
Collins is the heart and soul of the Jayhawks and has a great motor. He is very good in transition and excellent off pick-and-rolls. Collins is a player ofcourage, and the clear leader of this Kansas team. Clemente is still a hot player after scoring 44 points against Texas, even though he is 16 of 40 from thefield in the three games since. Clemente has great quickness and is really good in the open court. He can hit from 3-point range, but he tends to turn the ballover too much.
X-Factors: Mario Little and
Jacob Pullen
Little is a strong athlete that can get to the rim and has a very good middle game. Pullen went 1 for 13 against Texas in the Kansas State win, but he will bemuch better against the Jayhawks. Pullen is a gamer.
Watch For: How hard Kansas State plays
The Wildcats really go all-out on every play, and Kansas will have to match that effort to win in a very tough environment. Watch also for KU and its use ofside pick-and-rolls with its big guys. Bill Self likes to get ball reversal and attack with multiple ballscreens, with slips and lob passes to the roll man.
The Winner: Kansas State
The 'Cats will be playing at a fever pitch and treating this game like a purple-clad Super Bowl.
[h3]Bubble Games To Watch[/h3]
By Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com
Saturday
Georgetown at Syracuse
After losing six of their last seven games to fall to 4-7 in Big East play, the Hoyas really need a marquee victory, especially on the road. Georgetown'scomputer numbers are still very good (it has played the country's second-toughest schedule), but it needs some wins to justify its lofty ratings. The Hoyashave lost five straight road games.
The Orange can't feel completely safe, either, after dropping six of their last eight games. Syracuse has fallen to eighth place in the Big Eaststandings, but has been very good at home with a 13-2 record at the Carrier Dome. The Orange will be trying to avenge an ugly 88-74 loss at Georgetown on Jan.14, during which the Hoyas shot 59.3 percent from the floor, including 12-for-21 on 3-pointers.
AP Photo/Paul Battaglia
Talor Battle and the Nittany Lions desperately need to avenge their 20-point loss to Minnesota.
Minnesota at Penn State
After losing three games in a row -- all to fellow Big Ten bubble teams -- the Nittany Lions' NCAA at-large chances are nearly running on empty. Penn Statedesperately needs another victory over an RPI top-50 opponent to go along with its wins over Michigan State (road) and Purdue (home).
It won't be easy against the Gophers, who have beaten Penn State eight straight times. Minnesota routed the Nittany Lions 79-59 in Minneapolis on Jan.11, shooting a whopping 62.5 percent from the field. The Gophers made all nine of their 3-point attempts, and held Big Ten leading scorer
Talor Battle without a point for the game's first 15 minutes.
Virginia Tech at Maryland
The Terrapins are going to have to start beating some quality opponents if they're going to avoid missing the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in thelast five seasons. Maryland has two victories over RPI top-50 opponents (Michigan State and Miami), but it hasn't beaten any of the ACC's top sixteams.
The Hokies have won two in a row to move into a three-way tie with Clemson and Florida State for third place in the ACC at 6-3. Given Virginia Tech'sso-so performance during its nonconference schedule, it might need to win at least three of its last seven games to feel safe about an at-large bid.
Texas A&M at Baylor
This could very well be an elimination game in the Big 12, with the winner keeping its fleeting at-large hopes alive and the loser being out of bubblediscussion all together. Both teams have only won three games against Big 12 foes, so time is running out.
The Aggies have lost two games in a row and still have to be kicking themselves for blowing a nine-point lead in the final 6 1/2 minutes of a 77-71 loss atOklahoma on Feb. 4. A&M has owned Baylor recently, winning eight of the last nine games in the series, including an 84-73 victory on Jan. 14. The Bearshave lost six games in a row, including a 78-63 loss to Oklahoma on Wednesday night. Baylor has a couple of good nonconference victories (Arizona State andProvidence), but it has to start beating some of the Big 12's best teams to have any chance.
Sunday
Michigan at Northwestern
The Wildcats are close to being done after blowing a 14-point lead in the final five minutes against Illinois on Thursday, which came on the heels of a 56-51loss at Iowa. With a 4-7 mark in Big Ten play, NU's home game against the Wolverines is its last chance to at least get in the discussion.Northwestern's RPI is still hovering around the top 60, and it has a few solid victories (Michigan St. on the road and home against Florida State,Minnesota and Wisconsin). But the Wildcats are only 5-7 in their last 12 games, and 2-6 on the road.
The Wolverines are also in a precarious situation after losing seven of their last nine games, including a 54-42 loss to Michigan State at home on Tuesday.Michigan has victories over Duke, Illinois and UCLA, but that hat trick will only carry it so far.
USC at Arizona State
The Sun Devils all but locked up an at-large spot by beating UCLA 74-67 at home on Thursday night. Arizona State is 8-4 against RPI top-100 teams, includingtwo victories over the Bruins. The Trojans certainly need this game more, after losing a close one at Arizona on Thursday. USC is only 2-5 against RPI top-50opponents and 2-5 on the road.
USC beat Arizona State 61-49 in Los Angeles on Jan. 15. The Trojans held forward
James Harden to a career-low four points, as the sophomore missed all eight of his field-goalattempts and went 4-for-7 from the foul line.