What a weekend of hoops! There was so much that happened on Saturday that one single article like this could never do it justice. Sunday was just as good, and I saw a bubble team pick up a huge road win and two other ranked teams hold serve. Let’s start with the bubble team. A few weeks ago, Nebraska was in the middle of a six-game losing streak and looked lost on the defensive and offensive end of the floor. Then the Huskers decided to get back to doing what they do by defending and getting downhill and to the free throw line. It worked. The Huskers just picked up two huge wins last week, including one over 16th-ranked Oregon in Eugene.
The Huskers desperately needed that win to get themselves back into the tournament conversation. Oregon, who already has 8 quad one wins isn’t in any danger of missing the tournament but is trending in the wrong direction. Coach Altman called their leadership and togetherness in question yesterday. The Ducks are going to have to start taking better shots and staying together to get through this gauntlet of a schedule they have.
There were some other big results yesterday as well. Illinois had a huge second half to beat Ohio State. The Illini were struggling in the first half to defend, but in the second half, they turned up the defense, drove the lane, and used their ability to rebound everything into baskets. Illinois needed that win after losing to Nebraska on Thursday night. Memphis is pretty much a lock for the NCAA tournament. They won again and look to be well on their way to their first American Conference title under coach Penny Hardaway.
We made it to another week and the schedule doesn’t give us a break today. There is a huge bubble game to start everything off followed by a huge game in the Big 12 for NCAA tournament seeding purposes. Today is going to be one of my favorite days of the year because the SWAC and MEAC get games shown on the ESPN family of networks. It is always good when the HBCUs get their games shown on the major networks for more exposure. Picks for February 3, 2025, are below.
Winner | Loser |
|---|---|
Pitt | Virginia |
Norfolk State | NC Central |
Florida A&M | Alabama State |
Colgate | Lehigh |
Bethune | Alabama A&M |
McNeese | Incarnate Word |
Southeastern Louisiana | Lamar |
Howard | South Carolina State |
Delaware State | Morgan State |
Southern | Jackson State |
UT Rio Grande Valley | Northwestern State |
Texas A&M Corpus Christi | East Texas A&M |
Stephen F. Austin | New Orleans |
Nicholls | Houston Christian |
Maryland Eastern Shore | Coppin State |
William & Mary | Charleston |
Kansas | Iowa State |
UAB | North Texas |
Grambling | Alcorn State |
Weber State | Northern Arizona |
Northern Colorado | Idaho State |
To say that Iowa State and Kansas is a huge game would be an understatement. This game is massive for both teams for a lot of reasons. Iowa State is coming off two straight losses, and the last one to Kansas State was one where they got blown out in Hilton. Kansas State isn’t a very good team and should never have beaten Iowa State. The Cyclones desperately need a win. Kansas just blew a 19-point half-time lead against Baylor and a 10-point second-half lead with less than 8 minutes left. The Jayhawks have a hard time finishing games, and they need a good win in the Big 12. That game is going to be a battle from tip to finish. Enjoy the hoops!