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It's almost over, my friends. So just grit your teeth and bear it, close your eyes and ... well ... just keep them closed, because as much as I hate to admit it this uneventful (and uninteresting) week of basketball isn't getting any better this weekend.
There isn't a single Top 25 matchup.
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| Matt Howard had problems with foul trouble, but has picked up his play recently. (AP) |
Alas, this is what happens when actual college interferes with college hoops, and don't you just hate it? It seems unfair that finals week would ruin my week given how I finished my last final like eight years ago. But it turns out that student-athletes still have to take actual tests and stuff, much as Clem Haskins would like to believe otherwise.
Anyway, here's the Friday Look Ahead.
Game worth flying to see in person: Butler has already played some big names -- from Michigan to Virginia Tech, from Texas Tech to Ohio State. The 18th-ranked Bulldogs went 4-0 against that group (their only loss came in their most recent outing at Wright State), but the stiffest test could come Saturday courtesy of a Florida State team that has won six straight and handed Florida its lone defeat. Technically, this is a neutral-site game in the John Wooden Tradition. But you can expect a pro-Bulldog crowd considering the event is in Indianapolis, which means going on the road is only an acceptable phrase after acknowledging the road from Butler's campus to Conseco Fieldhouse is merely five miles long.
Game worth driving to see in person: One team demonstrating multiple personalities (like that hot chick Nikki/Jessica from Heroes) this season is Oklahoma State, which lost to North Texas by nine, Marquette by 30 and Illinois by 16 before beating Washington by 25. This is worth noting because OSU is playing at No. 11 Pittsburgh on Saturday, and that's the same Pittsburgh that last weekend barely escaped with a 75-74 victory at ... wait for it ... Washington! So good luck making sense of this game or trying to figure out which version of the Cowboys will appear. If it's the one that lost to Illinois by 16, get ready for a blowout. But if it's the one that beat Washington by 25 then Sean Sutton's team might just have a chance.
Game(s) worth watching on TV: If you want to catch two of the three ranked teams from the state of Tennessee (sorry, Vanderbilt not included), our friends at ESPN have got you covered with a Saturday doubleheader originating from Nashville. First, No. 2 Memphis plays Middle Tennessee State on ESPN2.
Then, No. 12 Tennessee plays Western Kentucky on ESPNU. So yeah, John Calipari and Bruce Pearl will be in the same building, like it's a Willie Kemp high school game or something. And though it's too bad their Tigers and Vols won't be playing each other, that'll happen in due time, on Feb. 23 at FedExForum.
Some non-BCS love: It's uncommon for programs from non-BCS-affiliated leagues to make a Final Four, but Xavier seems capable of providing us with a reasonable candidate. The 17th-ranked Musketeers already have double-digit wins over Indiana, Kent State and Creighton, and they just eked out a tough road victory over cross-town rival Cincinnati. Three of their first eight wins have been against the Big Ten, Big East and Missouri Valley Conference. Now comes a chance for a victory against a Pac-10 school thanks to Saturday's trip to Arizona State. While it seems simple on the surface, don't forget the Sun Devils can be dangerous at Wells Fargo Arena, particularly when Herb Sendek has a week to prepare.
An obvious prediction: The pupil rarely beats the teacher, and look no farther than Jamie Dixon vs. Ben Howland and Tom Crean vs. Tom Izzo in last March's NCAA Tournament for proof. Likewise, don't expect Tom Moore of Quinnipiac to top old boss Jim Calhoun when the Bobcats meet Connecticut on Sunday at the Hartford Civic Center. Moore spent 13 years on Calhoun's staff before leaving to take the Quinnipiac job this offseason. He's 4-4 through his first eight games, and there's a much bigger difference between Quinnipiac and UConn than there is between Pitt and UCLA or Marquette and Michigan State, in case you didn't know.
A crazy prediction (but it might happen anyway): There isn't a solid win on Nebraska's résumé. In turn, no real reason to suspect the Cornhuskers could upset No. 16 Oregon. So naturally, I'm suspecting they just might Saturday, and the reason is the birthplace of Nebraska star Aleks Maric. He's from Australia, and that's a key factor because the last time Oregon went on the road to play an opponent led by an Australian it resulted in a loss to Saint Mary's and Patrick Mills. So if it happened once it can happen again, right?
Player trying to keep rolling: There's no denying the Lute Olson saga has been a distraction for 21st-ranked Arizona, but one guy who has seemed unfazed is Jerryd Bayless. He has hit eight of his past 14 3-point attempts and 42 of his past 45 free throw attempts heading into Sunday's game against Fresno State, which isn't bad for a freshman. Or anybody, really.