NCAA Basketball: Tremendous Saturday of hoops approaches
After a relatively uneventful Friday night, NCAA basketball fans need to be on their game to catch a great slate of match-ups coming today.
In the Busting Brackets Daily Wrap-Up, we go through the major games of the day 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 biggest games of yesterday and today, as well as looking at major news stories from across the nation.
Related Story: Frank Mason III tops Josh Hart in latest power rankings
We also go through each game of key importance in our “Games to Watch” section, which includes a Game of the Day and a Bubble Battle.
Here we go:
Even with leading scorer (on the team and the entire NCAA) Marcus Keene struggling (20 points on 7-of-18 shooting), Central Michigan was able to snag their first conference win. The Chippewas are now 11-6 on the season and are searching for a tournament bid at season’s end by winning the MAC tournament. Braylon Rayson had 28 to lead Central Michigan, while Jonathan Williams had 30 for Toledo.
Games to Watch on Saturday, January 14th:
**Game of the Day** ^^Bubble Battle^^
No. 19 Virginia Cavaliers @ Clemson Tigers, 12:00 p.m. ET: Combined, these teams have won just one of their last five games and it is not looking good. Nonetheless, this would be a big game for either team to get back on track.
**No. 7 Duke Blue Devils @ No. 14 Louisville Cardinals, 12:00 p.m. ET**: After falling on the road against Florida State, Duke has another chance for a big road win. Louisville has won their last two games and will not make things easy on Luke Kennard and Co.
^^Miami Hurricanes @ Pittsburgh Panthers, 12:00 p.m. ET^^: In our Bubble Battle, Miami and Pitt are both looking for wins. While playing a very difficult ACC schedule, these kind of games could separate bubble teams.
No. 9 Florida State Seminoles @ No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels, 2:00 p.m. ET: Florida State continues to impress as one of the biggest surprises this season, while UNC has underperformed so far. Still, the Tar Heels are among the elite teams and it is very hard to get a win in Chapel Hill.
No. 20 Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ Virginia Tech Hokies, 2:00 p.m. ET: Though VT has been struggling recently, these opportunities do not present themselves too often. The Hokies get a Saturday afternoon game at home against a top-25 team.
No. 15 Xavier Musketeers @ No. 12 Butler Bulldogs, 2:00 p.m. ET: One of the must-watch games of the day, both of these Big East teams are coming off blowout losses to the other top members of the conference, Villanova and Creighton. Which teams bounces back first and how does each team look?
No. 1 Baylor Bears @ No. 25 Kansas State Wildcats, 4:30 p.m. ET: Both teams are coming off losses and it would be a real shame if Baylor lost its first two games since becoming the top team in the country. Even at home, this will take a great effort from K-State to pull out a win.
Iowa State Cyclones @ TCU Horned Frogs, 5:30 p.m. ET: TCU is on a skid since starting conference play, and are in dire need of a win. Iowa State presents a tough challenge, but at least the Horned Frogs will have their home court advantage.
Maryland Terrapins @ Illinois Fighting Illini, 6:00 p.m. ET: While Maryland is trying to show that they are a team that can compete for a Big Ten title this year, Illinois is in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid. They are sitting right on the bubble, but a home win against Maryland can help.
No. 4 UCLA Bruins @ Utah Utes, 6:00 p.m. ET: Utah, coming off a win against USC, is looking for their second straight marquee win. UCLA has had only one day off between their win over Colorado and this one, giving Utah a bit of an advantage in that regard. Also, UCLA is now playing their second straight road game. I’m not saying Utah will grab the win, but it might not be as easy of a victory for the Bruins
No. 21 Saint Mary’s Gaels @ No. 5 Gonzaga Bulldogs 10:00 p.m. ET: “The Kennel” will be rocking on Saturday night, as the two top teams in the West Coast Conference take centerstage. Gonzaga is the lone undefeated team in college hoops and could go down at the hands of Randy Bennett and company.
Best of Yesterday from Busting Brackets:
Maryland Basketball: Terrapins’ freshmen playing beyond their years: Carmine Carcieri looks at how Maryland has had a successful season on the back of three very talented freshmen and their already established stars.
Rider basketball: Broncs an early surprise in conference play: In a year where the MAAC has been very solid, Doug Winkey looks at Rider, a surprise team thus far.
Next: Ed Morrow out indefinitely with a foot injury
That ends today’s Daily Wrap-Up. Tune in tomorrow for another edition and have a great day!