This is a sad day, because it's the last Top 10 Games of the season. We're sad but proud to have provided a service to CBS SportsLine.com readers. In past weeks we've written about mongoose (mongeese?), Charmin toilet paper and air sickness bags.
There's a place in college basketball for air sickness bags.
Without further ado, we bid adieu with these 10 games.
No. 13 North Carolina at No. 1 Duke: North Carolina's very good, but Duke's very much better, and very mad. Losing to Florida State -- and then getting steamrolled by FSU's prematurely evacuating student section -- won't do anything for Duke's disposition. Plus, Shelden Williams and J.J. Redick aren't losing their home finale. So I'm not wondering if Duke's going to win. I'm wondering if Redick is going to score 50. I'm also wondering how I can get away with writing the words "premature evacuation." Pick: Duke by 15, Redick rings up 40.
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Click the play button above to listen to
Gregg Doyel's response to Matt Rehm. |
Houston at No. 3 Memphis: I'm prepared to kiss and make up with Houston -- or in lieu of a smooch, to advocate Houston's NCAA Tournament candidacy -- if the Cougars are prepared to win this game. No fair, you say? Beating Memphis at Memphis is too much to ask? Life's tough. Houston's resumé isn't good enough for a bid. Not yet. The Cougars must do something special to catch the horde of teams ahead of them on the bubble. Beating the No. 3 team in America on the road would do the trick. It's the best I can do, Houston. Oh, and Houston? Pick: You've got a problem.
Charlotte at No. 7 George Washington: The RPI says Charlotte is No. 112. The RPI should be shoved into a pillow case and pummeled with a lacrosse stick. The 49ers aren't great, but they're not No. 112 either. I'm saying if 18-10 Charlotte wins this game, and then reaches -- not wins, just reaches -- the A-10 Tournament title game next week, it'll get an NCAA bid. The hard part isn't reaching the A-10 title game. The hard part is winning this game, considering GW already won in Charlotte and is trying to finish off a perfect A-10 season. But something tells me that cute little rascal coaching the 49ers will get it done. Pick: Moustache.
Indiana at Michigan: Let's discuss urination. Urination is what Hawaii did to its NCAA Tournament resumé earlier this season by beating Michigan State at home and then losing its next game at UNLV. And urination is what Indiana will do to its NCAA resumé if it follows its home win against Michigan State by losing here. Beating the Spartans (and then Purdue on Wednesday) got Indiana back into the NCAA conversation. Winning here would end the debate. Pick: Debate continues.
Northern Iowa at Missouri State: We love the Valley, do we not? We loved the Valley first, back in October, and we've loved the Valley ever since. But unlike other bracket projectors, we're not loving the Valley as a six-bid league. Six bids? That's not love. That's misdemeanor stalking. The Valley is going to get four bids, and Northern Iowa has lost four of its last five games. Losing its MVC Tournament opener is not advisable. In another MVC quarterfinal, Bradley must beat Creighton to stay in contention. Pick: Steve Alford's old team ... Hersey Hawkins' old school.
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| Expect WVU to execute the 'Hicks sandwich' defense as they get past the 'Nati. (AP) |
No. 4 Villanova at Syracuse: Syracuse, you're lousy. Not mediocre. Not struggling. Lousy. You're on the NCAA Tournament bubble, and you go into DePaul and not just lose -- losing would have been bad enough -- but you lose 108-69? Shameful. Lose by almost 40 to one of the worst teams in your league, and do so on March 2, and you fall out of the NCAA field. It's a rule. However, the rule comes with a corollary: Beat No. 4 Villanova on March 5, and all is forgiven. Pick: Unforgiven.
Seton Hall at No. 8 Pittsburgh: Most people think Seton Hall has no chance at an NCAA bid. Most people are so cynical. After beating Cincinnati, Seton Hall is back in business. Most small businesses fail, of course, but the Pirates have a great opportunity to get into the black here. Yes, Seton Hall loses four of five games before beating Cincinnati. But the Pirates have wins this season at North Carolina State and at Syracuse, and have beaten West Virginia. Add a road win against Pittsburgh, and Seton Hall is in. Unless Seton Hall loses to Pittsburgh. Pick: Unless.
Louisville at No. 2 Connecticut: Don't ask me how this is possible. It just is: Louisville is better without center David Padgett. Since Padgett succumbed to knee pain, the Cardinals have sandwiched home wins against DePaul and Marquette around a four-point loss at West Virginia. You might have lost interest in Louisville long ago, but the selection committee hasn't. If the Cardinals can win this one, they're not just a bubble team -- they're in. Pick: And if grass tasted like chocolate, I'd be a sheep.
No. 17 Florida at Kentucky: Florida's NCAA seed has plummeted from a potential No. 2 to a possible No. 7. Kentucky, meanwhile, went from bubble team to NCAA lock by winning at Tennessee. As far as NCAA seeding goes, Kentucky would pull even with Florida -- and might surge past the Gators -- by winning here. Shocking. True. Imagine them both as eight seeds. Pick: 16 (eight plus eight, people).
