NCAA Basketball: Clemson nearly pulls off upset on terrific Tuesday
Tuesday was a crazy day in NCAA basketball, as Clemson nearly knocked off North Carolina and Kansas won at the buzzer.
In the Busting Brackets Daily Wrap-Up, we go through the major games from the previous day and keep you up to date on the recent news in the college basketball world. This covers the major games of yesterday and today, as well as looking at major news stories from across the nation.
Related Story: When will Bennie Boatwright return?
We also go through each game of major importance in our “Games to Watch” section, which includes a Game of the Day and a Bubble Watch for each day.
Here we go:
For a more in-depth recap on this game, Carmine Carcieri has you covered here.
For a more in-depth recap on this game, Mike Knapp has you covered here.
For a more in-depth recap on this game, Carmine Carcieri has you covered here.
For a more in-depth recap on this game, Lukas Harkins has you covered here.
For a more in-depth recap on this game, Stuart Gill has you covered here.
Games to Watch on Wednesday, January 4th:
**No. 1 Villanova Wildcats @ No. 18 Butler Bulldogs, 6:30 p.m. ET**: For a more in-depth preview of this game, Lukas Harkins has you covered here.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ No. 8 Duke Blue Devils, 7:00 p.m. ET: This will be Coach K’s last game for the next few weeks, and the Blue Devils will still be without Grayson Allen in this battle. Luke Kennard will be called upon again to carry the load as Duke looks to rebound from their loss to Virginia Tech. Georgia Tech, on the other hand, is trying to pick up their second straight marquee win, having defeated North Carolina in their last contest.
Iowa State Cyclones @ No. 2 Baylor Bears, 8:00 p.m. ET: It will be a difficult task for Iowa State to go on the road against undefeated Baylor, but it is the type of win that can go a long way for a bubble team. Baylor is off to an outstanding start to the year and will be looking to hold onto their undefeated record in front of their home crowd.
No. 10 Creighton Bluejays @ St. John’s Red Storm, 8:30 p.m. ET: Following the Butler-Villanova game, the Big East brings this battle to the forefront. St. John’s is off to a hot start in conference play and this would be another marquee home win for the Red Storm (they already beat Butler). Creighton will be looking to avenge their first loss of the season against Villanova with a convincing road win.
No. 21 Virginia Tech Hokies @ NC State Wolfpack, 9:00 p.m. ET: Buzz Williams has his team playing at a very high level, having just defeated Duke this past weekend, but it is definitely difficult to play on the road in the ACC. NC State is coming off a loss to Miami, but Dennis Smith Jr. is always a danger to explode in front of his home crowd.
No. 9 Louisville Cardinals @ No. 23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 9:00 p.m. ET: These teams are coming off of nice wins. For Louisville, it was winning on the road against Indiana, whereas Notre Dame traveled to Pittsburgh for a victory. Louisville is the slight favorite in South Bend, but Bonzie Colson is a double-double machine and a hard cover.
No. 11 Virginia Cavaliers @ Pittsburgh Panthers, 9:00 p.m. ET: Virginia is currently allowing less than 50 points per game to their opponents, and Pitt is averaging over 80 points per game as a team. This is a battle of different styles of play, so this will likely come down to who can set the pace early and control the game from start to finish. Virginia might be able to play at Pittsburgh’s pace, but I don’t think the Panthers can beat the Cavaliers at their own game.
^^Temple Owls @ SMU Mustangs, 9:00 p.m. ET^^: Tonight’s Bubble Battle features two teams in the AAC, both of whom will spend much of the season on the bubble. This win would mean more to Temple, who already has six losses, but SMU cannot afford home losses like this one if they want to maintain a solid at-large resume.
Best of Yesterday from Busting Brackets:
South Florida Basketball: Why was Orlando Antigua fired?: Following a poor three seasons with USF and NCAA allegations looming, Carmine Carcieri looks into the firing of head coach Orlando Antigua.
Michigan State Basketball: Miles Bridges set to return Wednesday: After missing the last several games, Carmine Carcieri has the scoop on the return of Miles Bridges and what it means for MSU.
Mountain West Basketball: How to revive the Mountain West: Despite a recent stretch of poor years from the conference, Doug Winkey gives a few ideas as to how the Mountain West could return to their old ways.
Next: Five reasons why Oregon will win it all
That ends today’s Daily Wrap-Up. Tune in tomorrow for another edition and have a great day!