Monday Night brought just one truly impactful tournament result:
Iowa State beats Houston with a little Hilton Magic! ISU → 5th overall. Houston → 6th.
Duke did beat Syracuse 101-64. Duke stays a 1 (2nd overall). Syracuse remains out.
Other Key results:
Boston U beat Colgate 85-58 in a surprise result in the Patriot!
Howard moves to 7-3 in the MEAC. NC Central beats Morgan State. Both NCC and Morgan State are 6-3 in conference play, giving Howard the new AQ!
Bethune-Cookman falls in the SWAC to Jackson State, but remains the top team.
Marshall moves to 9-5 in Sun Belt play, pulling tied with South Alabama.
McNeese continues to roll as does SFA in Southland play!
Stony Brook picks up a massive win over Drexel to gain an advantage in the middle of the CAA.
Tuesday’s Hoops Slate Promises to Deliver!
Villanova @ Xavier | 6:30, FS1
Nova is favored by 4.5 in this one, but this matchup promises to be intense. A Nova loss would push them down the seed line a bit and make their journey to the tournament a bit more precarious.
Michigan @ Purdue | 6:30, Peacock
Back to back night with huge top 10 battles! This time in the Big Ten. Michigan comes into Mackey favored by 2.5. Michigan is scorching hot right now, and Purdue has been a bit shaky at times. I have Michigan as my 1 overall seed, while Purdue is a shaky 2 seed.
South Carolina @ Florida | 7:00, SECN
Florida is favored by 21.5 headed into this matchup, and while that is a ton for a conference matchup, I’m honestly surprised it’s not more. UF is a 3 currently.
UNC @ NC State | 7:00, ESPN
We’ve got a rivalry matchup in Raleigh this evening! This matchup is critical within the long-term scope of the ACC, and both teams tournament seeding overall.UNC comes in as a 6, NCSU is an 8. This will be the first test for the Tar Heels since UNC lost Wilson. NCSU is 6.5 point favorites.
Saint Louis @ Rhode Island | 7:00, ESPN+
I fully expect Saint Louis (favored by 11.5) to roll here.
Louisville @ SMU | 7:00, ESPN2
Louisville is favored on the road in this critical matchup by just 3.5 points. This is the kind of resume building win SMU needs to solidify their spot after their recent slide (currently down to a 10 seed). Louisville is looking to continue to climb and is currently a 6.
Miami (OH) @ UMass | 7:00, ESPN+
I’ve heard for 2 weeks or so that this matchup is terrifying for RedHawk fans, and deservedly so. However, They come into this ranked 22nd in the country and 2.5 point favorites in their quest for 26-0! Miami (OH) is currently a 10.
TCU @ UCF | 7:00, ESPN+
UCF is looking to rebound after falling to bubble team WVU this weekend. This game also means a ton to TCU who, despite the bad losses has fought back into my current projection. UCF comes in as a 9, while TCU is my 2nd to last team in.
Kent State @ Bowling Green | 7:00, ESPN+
This is a really intriguing MAC matchup that has high value for both squads for seeding in Cleveland.
George Washington @ VCU | 8:00, CBSSN
VCU is very much so in the NCAA At-large picture at this time. However, to stay there they have to be near perfect. Tonight it a critical matchup on their road to a bid. They’re favored by 6.5 here.
Virginia Tech @ Miami (fl) | 8:00, ACCN
This is one of, if not the single most consequential bubble battles of the week. The Canes are favored by 7.5 here (per barttorvik.com), but I expect this to be close. A VT win puts them in the field. A loss makes the road even more tough. A win for Miami will get them more securely on the 8 line!
UCLA @ Michigan State | 8:30, Peacock
Yet another huge matchup within the realm of the Big Ten! This is not a must-win for UCLA, however, it is a game they cannot get blown out in. The Spartans are favored by 7.5 and it would be ideal if the Bruins can keep it close to that here. A win would push UCLA closer to the 9. For MSU, a win pushes them closer to the 3 line, but the area is extremely volatile at this time.
Wisconsin @ Ohio State | 8:30, FS1
Currently, the Buckeyes are out of the field pretty clearly. A win over projected 7 Wisconsin would change that in a hurry. However, Wisconsin is playing some extremely good ball right now and it’s going to be a tough matchup. Wisconsin is favored by just 1.5 here.
SEMO @ UT Martin | 8:30, ESPN+
We have some OVC chaos right now. This game has the potential to move it from chaos to a frenzy. If SEMO drops this one, the standings will be blown wide-open. A SEMO win, however, will stabilize the top of the conference a bit, at least for now.
Nebraska @ Iowa | 9:00, BTN
Iowa, while currently safely in, could use a big performance such as this one to help their tournament profile grow. A loss won’t be immediately detrimental, but a win would be massive. They’re a 8 currently and would jump to a 7 with a win, would be an 8/9 with a loss. Nebraska, however, is currently a 3. A loss would push them to the 4 line, a win likely leaves them on the 3, but could push them up a bit.
Air Force @ New Mexico | 9:00, MWN
UNM should blow the doors of Air Force. However, MWC play can be chaotic. The Lobos cannot lose this. They’re favored by 28.5.
Georgia @ Kentucky | 9:00, ESPN
The Wildcats are favored by 7.5 in this one. UK is a 7, but would move to a 6 with a win. Georgia is a 11, and currently in Dayton for me. They can afford al loss, but will need to keep it close.
LSU @ Texas | 9:00, SECN
Texas is freshly moved up to a 10 seed in my latest projection, however, the Longhorns are still volatile. A loss here would be catastrophic. A win would keep them steady on the 10 line. They’re favored by 9.5.
Grand Canyon @ San Diego State | 10:00, CBSSN
SDSU is favored by 7.5 in this intriguing matchup at Vegas. SDSU is currently in the play-in games for me right now, and a loss would likely knock them out. GCU is in win-out mode if they want to get in and even that might not be enough.
Texas Tech @ Arizona State | 11:00, ESPN2
This matchup should be really fun. Expect very little defense and a lot of shooting. Tech is favored by 7.5. I expect them to win big. They’re a 3 currently.
