Top Ten Games of the Weekend: Let's play 13!
Too many big games. Way too many. A lesser writer, confronted with this story's weekly title -- Top 10 Games -- would write on 10 games.
Rookie.
Thirteen games matter, so we're writing 13. Got a problem with that? Tell it to someone who cares. (Please don't tell it to my boss. He gets enough complaints about me as it is.)
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| Junior guard Roderick Wilmont and the Hoosiers have found a place in the Top 25. (AP) |
Arizona at No. 14 UCLA: If Arizona had defender extraordinaire Chris Rodgers, the Wildcats would have a shot against UCLA, which relies on Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar. Whichever UCLA guard was hot, Rodgers would him cool down. But Arizona doesn't have Rodgers, because Rodgers is a royal poopy-pants. So UCLA will wipe up the floor with the Wildcats. Pick: Charmin.
Kentucky at No. 8 Florida: Kentucky has won five in a row, and while none of those was all that impressive -- Arkansas at home was the best -- five straight wins is five straight wins. And it could become six, considering the Gators could be without two starters: forward Corey Brewer (ankle) and guard Lee Humphrey (shoulder). And then there's this: Kentucky has played better lately on the road. Too much pressure at home? Probably. Wildcat Nation is ruthless. Pick: Tourists.
No. 9 Pittsburgh at No. 17 Georgetown: The winner of this game is going to the NCAA Tournament with a high seed. The loser of this game is going to the NCAA Tournament. Also with a high seed. So there's no pressure. Let's just enjoy the matchup of Pitt 7-footer Aaron Gray vs. Georgetown's 7-2 Roy Hibbert. And Georgetown guard Ashanti Cook vs. Pitt's Carl Krauser. And Georgetown forward Jeff Green vs. ... wait a minute. Who does Pitt have who can stop Jeff Green? Pick: Not Levon.
Rutgers at Seton Hall: Seton Hall continues to creep toward an unexpected NCAA bid. Rutgers isn't going but could damage Seton Hall's resumé by winning this sucker on the road. And then there's the whole Louis Orr-Gary Waters-Fred Hill dynamic. Orr coaches Seton Hall. Waters coaches Rutgers. Hill is the ex-Seton Hall assistant now assisting at Rutgers. Fans of both schools would like to see him as their next head coach. Only in Jersey, kids. Only in Jersey. Pick: Larry Keating.
No. 19 Oklahoma at Kansas: Kansas has won 11 of 13. Oklahoma has won eight of 10. Both teams, in those red-hot stretches, lost to ice-cold Missouri. That's the kind of cool fact you can only find here, people. Additionally, my parents went to Oklahoma but Dorothy went to Kansas, and Dorothy's cooler than my parents. Oh, and finally, Oklahoma wanted Brandon Rush but backed off for academic concerns. Kansas swooped in and got him. Pick: Swoopers.
Maryland at No. 18 North Carolina State: The Terps were an NCAA Tournament team with Chris McCray. But they don't have McCray any more, do they? Without McCray, Maryland has gone 1-2, winning at Georgia Tech but losing at Temple and then getting blown out by visiting North Carolina. Without McCray, the Terps don't look like an NCAA Tournament team. The resemblance won't be any stronger after this game. Pick: NCAA Tournament team.
Wisconsin at Purdue: The RPI says Wisconsin has the 13th-best NCAA resumé in the country. The RPI is full of crap. Since losing Greg Stiemsma and Marcus Landry to academics, the Badgers have lost four of five games, including that home debacle against North Dakota State. The selection committee will be judging this Wisconsin roster, since this is the roster that would be competing in the NCAA Tournament. And so here it is, critical mass: If Wisconsin can't win at Purdue, Wisconsin is not an NCAA Tournament team. It's as harsh, and as simple, as that. Pick: Bo.
Colorado at Iowa State: Colorado is the least-accomplished 15-3 team in the history of sport -- any sport -- so this is a litmus test. Everyone is beating Iowa State in Ames, from great Texas to good Kansas to so-so Texas A&M. If Colorado can't do it, Colorado is a mirage. Iowa State has proved it's an NIT team. Beating Colorado would prove the Buffaloes are one, too. Pick: NIT team.
Southern Illinois at Wichita State: Here's half of the four-way tie for first in the Missouri Valley. All four teams are going to the NCAA Tournament -- the other two are Northern Iowa and Creighton -- but seeding is on the line, and the Salukis and Shockers would win some games with the right seed. Seeing as how SIU won the first meeting, it behooves the Shockers to keep up. Pick: Wizzu.
Cal at Oregon: Take your time. Read this again if need be. Here goes: California is an NCAA Tournament contender. Crazy. But true. Cal is tied for second in the Pac-10, has beaten bubble teams Akron and San Diego State, and has even won at high NCAA tourney seed UCLA. Last weekend's home sweep of the Washington schools was another step. Beating the crud out of Oregon State on Thursday was another. Winning at Oregon? Piece of cake. Pick: High-major team.
Akron at Kent State: Akron's only chance at an at-large NCAA bid is to dominate the MAC -- but Kent State won't go away. Both teams are 9-1 in league play, and this is the first of two meetings. Akron better sweep. Pick: Dirt.
NC-Wilmington at George Mason: The Colonial is awfully close to two-bid territory. Other at-large contenders are Old Dominion and Hofstra, but the best bets are NC-Wilmington and George Mason. They have identical 9-2 league records, but George Mason has the better RPI (35) while Wilmington (47) won the earlier meeting at home. GMU has the better resumé, so as a league, the Colonial should root for the Patriots. Pick: America's team.
