NCAA Basketball: Oregon topples USC to lead off Busting Brackets Daily Wrap-Up

With several major games occurring on Friday, the Daily Wrap-Up gives a quick recap on each key NCAA basketball game.

On the Busting Brackets Daily Wrap-Up, we go through the major NCAA basketball games from the night before with a few short summaries and articles to keep you up to date on the recent news in the college basketball world. This covers the major games from the previous night and today, as well as looking at major news stories from across the nation.

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We also go through each game of major importance in our “Games to Watch” section, which includes a **Game of the Day**, ^^a Bubble Battle^^, and a brief preview as to what to watch for.

Here we go:

Recaps from Friday, December 30th:

Dillon Brooks and the Oregon Ducks have ended two undefeated seasons this week. In this one, Oregon jumped out to an early lead on the Trojans and ran the 22nd ranked team out of Eugene. Brooks finished with 28 points, while Dylan Ennis also had an excellent game, recording 20 points.

Daxter Miles Jr. had 22 points to lead the 11th ranked Mountaineers over Oklahoma State, while Phil Forte III’s 18 points and a double-double (17 points, 10 assists) from Jawun Evans was not enough for the Cowboys. Lamont West also played the role of spark plug, as he was 3-of-3 from three for nine points in just eight minutes.

For an in-depth look at this game, Lukas Harkins has you covered here.

In the battle between two likely tournament teams, it was Iowa State who supplied a great defensive effort in the second half to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit. The Cyclones used 19 points from Naz Mitrou-Long to overcome an overall poor shooting night by both teams. In the losing effort, Keenan Evans had 15 points and Zach Smith added 14 rebounds for Texas Tech.

In a our “Bubble Battle” of the day, Memphis made a statement, winning on the road against South Carolina. Stepping up for the Tigers was Markel Crawford, who was red hot from the floor, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 10-of-12 from the free throw line for a game high 28 points. Star player Dedric Lawson also came up big with a monster double-double (nearly a triple-double) of 19 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists. An overall poor performance by the Gamecocks was led by P.J. Dozier, who had 13 points.

Although it was a losing effort, TCU showed in this one that their 11-1 start is no joke. The Horned Frogs are good, and they’re here to stay this season. Josh Jackson had a rough night for the Jayhawks, and it was just about everyone else who picked up the slack. The player of the game has to go to Landen Lucas for his 15-point, 17-rebound performance, but four other players joined him in double figures. For TCU, Vladimir Brodziansky was the show, finishing with 28 points and nine rebounds.

For an in-depth look at this game, Doug Winkey has you covered here.

Games to Watch on Saturday, December 31st:

**Game of the Day**          ^^Bubble Battle^^

No. 17 Xavier Musketeers @ Georgetown Hoyas, 11:00 a.m. ET: Trevon Bluiett (19.2 points) leads the Musketeers into Georgetown for their second Big East battle, having already defeated Providence. Hoyas star L.J. Peak looks to be a game-time decision and could be the difference maker.

No. 5 Duke Blue Devils @ Virginia Tech Hokies, 12:00 p.m. ET: Both teams enter this game with just one loss, and this would be a giant win for Buzz Williams and Virginia Tech. Duke will be without Grayson Allen, who is out due to a suspension. The player to watch in this one is Chris Clarke, who has been outstanding in the last few games for the Hokies.

^^Clemson Tigers @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 12:00 p.m. ET^^: Jaron Blossomgame looks to keep Clemson hot and move them to 11-2. On the other hand, John Collins brings a lot of game for Wake Forest and is very tough match-up at 6’10.”

No. 6 Louisville Cardinals @ No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers, 12:30 p.m. ET: One of the top match-ups of the day, these two non-conference foes will battle in Assembly Hall after both teams suffered losses in their last game. The Hoosiers run with a balanced offensive attack while Quentin Snider leads the defensive-minded Cardinals.

**No. 1 Villanova Wildcats @ No. 10 Creighton Bluejays, 1:00 p.m. ET**: In today’s Game of the Day, one of the two top teams in the Big East will lose their bid at an undefeated season. Josh Hart has been everything the ‘Cats expected and Creighton is led by the dynamic duo of Maurice Watson Jr. and Marcus Foster.

#24 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Pittsburgh Panthers, 2:00 p.m. ET: Michael Young (22.8 points, 7.8 rebounds) leads a strong Pittsburgh roster looking for a top-25 win at home in this ACC battle. Bonzie Colson, representing Notre Dame, is a double-double machine who can have a major impact in any facet of the game.

No. 20 Florida State Seminoles @ No. 12 Virginia Cavaliers, 2:00 p.m. ET: The 11-1 Cavaliers, coached by Tony Bennett, are an outstanding defensive team looking to control their home floor. They’re also coming off a great win on the road against Louisville. FSU is led by Dwayne Bacon, who has the Seminoles at 13-1 early.

NC State Wolfpack @ Miami Hurricanes, 4:30 p.m. ET: Freshman Dennis Smith Jr. (18.9 points, 6.3 assists) has the Wolfpack on a great track early this season, but traveling into “The U” is no easy task. Miami is 7-0 at home so far this season, and they certainly have no interest in taking this loss.

Best of the Yesterday from Busting Brackets:

Injury Report: When will Bennie Boatwright return?: Carmine Carcieri is back with this weekly slideshow that goes through the five major injury stories of the week, including an update on USC forward Bennie Boatwright.

Next: Player of the Year power rankings (Edition Five)

Tennessee Basketball: Volunteers developing rapidly under Rick Barnes: Following their monumental win over Texas A&M, Carmine Carcieri discusses how Rick Barnes has transformed the Tennessee program and brought them quickly into relevance in the SEC.