ESPN Men's Basketball

Ohio advances to the NCAA tournament for second time in three years with a 64-63 victory over Akron.

The matchups for the 10th annual BracketBusters event were announced Monday night, but projecting how important some of these games will be three weeks before they happen is hardly an exact science.

Nevertheless, the evidence exists that BracketBusters usually help at least one team’s profile. Historically, George Mason is the most obvious example of the event helping a team’s cause. In 2006, the Patriots’ win at Wichita State was a large reason they received a controversial at-large berth -- one they used to reach the Final Four.

Every matchup may not move the meter for the 10-member selection committee, but there is a chance. So with that mind, here are my initial thoughts on what should be the top games. (Keep in mind, the home and road designations are pre-set before the season).

Editor's Note: The non-TV matchups can be found here.

All times ET

1. Saint Mary’s at Murray State, Feb. 18 (6 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2): You can debate whether the Gaels should be going to Creighton instead. I made that case in Tuesday’s 3-point shot. The Gaels are winning the WCC. The Bluejays are atop the Missouri Valley. Both conferences play at a higher level than the Ohio Valley.

That said, there’s certainly nothing wrong with this matchup. If Murray State is still unbeaten, it becomes fascinating because the Gaels will be the Racers’ best opponent this season. The best matchup is Matthew Dellavedova against Isaiah Canaan at the point. Rob Jones trying to keep Ivan Aska off the glass also will be critical.

Saint Mary’s is going to be in the NCAA tournament. Murray State will be as well barring some sort of collapse. So this is a game that won’t put a team in the tournament, but could affect seeding. And for drama, this is the game that could prevent the Racers from running the table prior to March. I’m convinced Saint Mary’s has second-weekend potential. Does Murray? This game will help us find out.

2. Long Beach State at Creighton, Feb. 18 (10 p.m., ESPN2): Hey, the 49ers are on the road again. They should be used to it. Long Beach State went to Kansas, Louisville, San Diego State, North Carolina, Montana and Pitt in the nonconference. They also played in Hawaii at the Diamond Head Classic. This is a legit team. Dan Monson has his best unit at Long Beach with a star guard in Casper Ware. The 49ers are running the table so far in the Big West and with a 34 RPI should have a spot in the NCAAs regardless. Creighton, which is atop the RPI among these teams at 14, has a national player of the year candidate in Doug McDermott. Antoine Young will have his hands full with Ware, but he can also cause problems himself. Creighton has the Omaha home court advantage, but this is a matchup that could easily be seen in the NCAA tournament between two teams that could win a game.

3. Nevada at Iona, Feb. 18 (4 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2): The Wolf Pack are undefeated in the WAC. Iona is tied with Loyola (Md.) and Manhattan in the MAAC. But both teams aren’t locks for the NCAAs if they don’t win their respective conference tournaments. That’s why this game will be critical to the cause. A win by Nevada thousands of miles from Reno will get the Pack credit with the selection committee. Neither team has a standout nonconference win but there is star power on the court. Deonte Burton is a legit scorer for the Wolf Pack. Scott Machado is one of the top four point guards in the country. This will likely be an up-tempo game and a good watch. Iona coach Tim Cluess didn’t want a West Coast team for return travel. But he can’t dismiss the good fortune of at least getting a conference leader.

4. Wichita State at Davidson, Feb. 18 (12 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2): The Shockers lost in triple overtime at Drake over the weekend. Davidson lost at Samford. That takes a bit of the luster out of both teams’ ability to possibly move up in the matchups. But each team has a shelf-life win that could catch the selection committee in March. Wichita State blew out UNLV at home and Davidson beat Kansas in Kansas City. A road win by Wichita State would enhance its strength of schedule and likely bump up the 31 RPI. Davidson, at 67, could use a top-40 RPI win, too. Wichita will want to push at every opportunity. Davidson may be a bit more deliberate. No one should be shocked if both of these teams are in the tournament and in position to win a first-round game. This game may not knock the other out from contention for a bid. But clearly Wichita State may need it more since Davidson has a better shot to earn the automatic berth out of the Southern than Wichita does in the more competitive Missouri Valley.

5. Drexel at Cleveland State, Feb. 18 (11 a.m., ESPNU): The Dragons are a game behind George Mason in a cluttered group in the Colonial with ODU and VCU. Cleveland State is atop the Horizon League. Cleveland State could get an at-large bid due to its win at Vanderbilt if the Vikings lost in the Horizon League final. Drexel can’t get an at-large bid. But what if the Dragons won at Cleveland State? That’s not enough, but it would help in possible seeding. Both teams are undersized and would prefer a defensive approach. Expect a lower scoring affair that will be a grinder. And Gary Waters and Bruiser Flint, the two head coaches, love to work the sidelines in animated fashion.

6. Akron at Oral Roberts, Feb. 18 (2 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2): The Zips are in first place in the MAC and have the defensive presence in Zeke Marshall. His ability to block and alter shots will be a potential difference maker going forward. The Zips, if they can win the MAC tournament, proved that they have the ability to step up in play when they won at Mississippi State. But that was a lifetime ago. Oral Roberts is undefeated in the Summit (although that may change with a game at South Dakota State on Thursday). The Eagles’ best win was over a depleted Xavier in Cincinnati. ORU would be an interesting case for the selection committee if it doesn’t lose again and has four losses. Akron probably can’t get in without winning the MAC tournament -- the MAC can’t seem to get multiple bids.

7. Valparaiso at Loyola Marymount, Feb. 17 (9 p.m., ESPNU): The Crusaders have been the surprise of the Horizon League, a half-game behind Cleveland State. LMU has wins over Saint Louis, Villanova and BYU and is a top-four WCC team, although the Lions couldn’t stop Saint Mary’s at home last week. LMU isn’t going to make the NCAAs unless it goes on a run at the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. Valpo, though, could win the Horizon League. So this could be an opportunity to see one team in the Dance as Bryce Drew has done a solid job in his first year at Valparaiso.

8. Northern Iowa at VCU, Feb. 17 (7 p.m., ESPN2): The Rams are headed in the right direction and are a threat to win the CAA. VCU, a Final Four team last year, is tied with Old Dominion and Drexel for second place. But the Rams didn’t get any favors in this event. VCU needed a better game. Northern Iowa has slumped to 4-7 in the Valley. This game won’t move the meter for the selection committee.

The rest of the TV games (all on Feb. 18):

Buffalo at South Dakota State, 1 p.m. ESPNU: Buffalo rocked Dayton on the road and South Dakota State crushed Washington on the road. And SDSU’s Nate Wolters is a star. Oh, and I love the Jackrabbit nickname, my favorite in the sport. Go Bunnies!

Drake at New Mexico State, 3 p.m., ESPNU: Drake has come on a bit lately with the weekend win over Wichita State. NMSU is the second-best team in the WAC. This game has potential between teams that could be pests in their respective conference tournaments.

Old Dominion at Missouri State, 5 p.m., ESPNU: The Monarchs are tied for second in the CAA. Missouri State has slipped a bit to 6-5 in the Valley. This will be a grinder between teams that have been all over the place this season.

UNC Asheville at Ohio, 7 p.m., ESPN3: Ohio has D.J. Cooper and is one of the four best teams in the MAC. Asheville is atop the Big South standings. A bit stunned that Asheville got a TV game, but the Bulldogs have been solid.

UT-Arlington at Weber State, 8 p.m., ESPN3: Weber State has one of the top five NBA-level point guards in the country in Damian Lillard. Arlington is atop the Southland West division at 7-0, but there were probably better choices for this slot.

Notable omissions: Loyola (Md.) coach Jimmy Patsos has a right to be peeved that his team was left out of the TV portion of BracketBusters. The Greyhounds and Manhattan are tied with Iona atop the always-competitive MAAC, but only Iona made the cut in terms of television selections. It is important to note that both Loyola and Manhattan were designated home teams, so they couldn't have replaced, say, UTA. George Mason is also atop the CAA, but the Patriots are nowhere to be found on this list of TV games. Butler hasn’t played well and didn’t deserve a high spot, but it’s still a stark reminder of how much the Bulldogs are rebuilding this season that they didn’t even make the TV cut. Wow.

1. The BracketBusters pairings will be unveiled at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU Monday night. I have no idea what they will be but I’m on the show to discuss the Feb. 17-19 event. I’ve bounced around plenty of pairings and here are my top four: Saint Mary's at Creighton; Long Beach State at Murray State; Wichita State at George Mason; Drexel at Iona; Akron at Loyola (Md.); Nevada at Oral Roberts; Valparaiso at VCU.

2. Let’s hope Kevin Parrom makes a full recovery from a broken right foot. The Arizona junior guard has suffered enough. He was shot in the right leg and left hand in September. He lost his mother to cancer in October. I interviewed Parrom in New York prior to the 2K Sports Classic in November. He handled the pain well at the time, but it was clear he was still hurting. He deserves some good news over a long stretch. He has proven that he’s strong enough to deal with adversity and this is yet another hurdle.

3. The College of Charleston didn’t reveal the health crisis facing coach Bobby Cremins. But if he doesn’t return to coaching, he has proven that coming back after a long respite and going from a high-profile, high major to a lower-profile program can be revitalizing. Cremins has given the Cougars’ program a national identity and plenty of pop in the Southern Conference during his tenure. His path back to coaching is one that might be repeated by others -- somebody who needed a break but then wanted to get back in and be effective when older. Hopefully Cremins will be well again soon.

For years, Zeke Marshall wanted to leave basketball.

As a 6-foot-7 eighth-grader in McKeesport, Pa., Marshall didn’t pick the sport. It grabbed him by the arm and yanked him onto the court.

Marshall didn’t fall in love because his introduction to the game, he said, felt forced.

He was tall. And that’s just what tall kids do. So the sport represented a source of frustration.

“I resisted, honestly. I resisted it so much,” said Marshall, a junior at Akron who’s averaging 10.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 2.8 blocks. “I didn’t like being forced to do something. I didn’t enjoy it. I literally just did it because people told me to do it, almost.”

Even as he developed into a 7-foot college prospect at McKeesport High School, Marshall didn’t feel a natural connection to basketball and he wasn’t interested in the daily tasks necessary to improve.

“I almost hated the idea of it. ‘I don’t want to do it. Why do I have to do it?’” he told ESPN.com. “I should enjoy doing it. You have to want to do something before you strive to perfect it and achieve it.”

But toward the end of high school, Marshall began to embrace some of the game’s nuances that appealed to him like protecting the rim and blocking shots. Plus, a free college education would offer Marshall an opportunity to pursue a career as a computer programmer.

Last year, Marshall said he began to “really enjoy” the game for the first time in his basketball career. His on-court progression has reflected his new-found passion.

“It’s changed now. I’ve found my own love for it, my own niche for it,” he said. “I appreciate it more, rather than me being forced into to it. The shot-blocking and the defense. Now, that right there, I enjoy doing it. I’m a defensive-minded person.”

He’s grown from a freshman who averaged 5.1 points per game to a junior who’s shooting 55 percent from the field and earning nods on mock boards as a potential NBA prospect.

Marshall recorded five blocks in his team’s 70-58 victory at Ball State Tuesday night. He’s 16th in the country with 2.8 swats per game.

His defensive impact has affected the entire squad.

The Zips are ranked 47th in Ken Pomeroy’s adjusted defensive efficiency ratings. They held Mississippi State to a 34.5 percent clip from the field during their 68-58 road victory over the Bulldogs in the season-opener for both teams. Marshall had 10 points, six rebounds and five blocks in that game.

“Everybody including me was excited in that game,” Marshall said. “I like when people try to underestimate us.”

But the Zips lost five of their next seven games. Marshall said the team didn’t fully regain its footing until a 76-75 loss against VCU Dec. 29.

“It was one of the first games, we actually played well. We really played hard,” he said. “I think that was the defining part of our season.”

Now, the Zips are on top of the MAC’s East division and Tuesday, they beat the West division’s best team in Ball State.

Marshall’s defensive prowess has been vital for Akron. And it’s also made the third-year standout think about the NBA and what he has to do to get there.

The notion that Marshall is working toward a pro career juxtaposes the disdain he had for the game a few years ago.

“Ultimately, I have to take care of business here and use that, I think, as motivation to take my game further,” he said. “Despite what anyone thinks, the only way you’re going to get higher in the draft is to win.”

It wasn’t so long ago that Marshall didn’t even want to play.

Florida Gulf Coast 101, Longwood 58
Florida Gulf Coast’s Sherwood Brown became the first person this season to record 20 points and 10 rebounds in fewer than 20 minutes of play. Brown played 18 minutes.

Miami (Fla.) 64, Georgia Tech 49
Miami only attempted three free throws against Georgia Tech and won. The Hurricanes are the fifth team to win a game attempting three or fewer free throws.

UC Irvine 78, Seattle 67
Will Davis II of UC Irvine became the first player off the bench this season to score at least 20 points, grab at least 10 rebounds and block at least five shots.

Buffalo 65, Eastern Michigan 47
Jarod Oldham of Buffalo recorded more assists (10) than the entire Eastern Michigan team (8).

Akron 70, Ball State 58
Ball State’s bench players went 0-10 from the floor, becoming the seventh team this season whose bench did not convert a field goal (minimum 10 attempts).

It didn't look like a great slate of games coming in, but Saturday turned out to be full of upsets and last-second thrillers. Here are some things we learned from all the action ...

The Top Three

Florida State 90, No. 3 North Carolina 57
What we learned: Wow. A true beatdown. Perhaps we don’t have an elite team in college basketball this season. North Carolina has as much potential as any team in the country to warrant that title, but Saturday’s meltdown -- the most lopsided of the Roy Williams era -- contradicted much of what we thought we knew about the Tar Heels. The Seminoles are always feisty against Carolina and Duke and tend to be giant-killers, but this was just silly. The Noles were 12-for-27 from the 3-point line in this victory. Deividas Dulkys was 8-for-10 from beyond the arc and scored a career-high 32 points. He had scored a combined 32 points in his previous nine games. The Tar Heels lost their fire once the barrage began. The Seminoles saw a vulnerable team and pounced. For the third time this season, the Heels lost a game outside of Chapel Hill. But in this loss, they were bullied and lethargic. How will UNC recover, and what on earth is the ACC about right now?

No. 2 Kentucky 65, Tennessee 62
What we learned: Cuonzo Martin’s Volunteers haven’t looked like an 8-9 squad over the past week. In their past three games, they’ve defeated Florida, nearly knocked off Mississippi State on the road and battled Kentucky for all 40 minutes. Freshman Jarnell Stokes, the highly touted prep player who joined the team Monday, recorded nine points and grabbed four rebounds in his debut. Once Stokes gets into shape, he’s going to have a major effect on a Tennessee squad that led Kentucky by eight in the second half and stuck with the Wildcats until the end. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Anthony Davis (18 points, 4 blocks) are two of America’s best, but their squad is going to get caught in league play soon if it continues to show up only after halftime.

No. 1 Syracuse 78, Providence 55
What we learned: This game was over when Ed Cooley announced stud point guard Vincent Council would not play. The Friars’ leading scorer might not have affected the final outcome, but he could have helped his squad’s deplorable offense (3-for-14 from beyond the arc, 22 turnovers) against Cuse's press. Council was a beast in PC's 31-point destruction of Louisville earlier this week. But Syracuse proved, again, that it’s the undisputed No. 1 team in the country. SU has separated itself from one of the most competitive leagues in the country. The Orange’s 19-0 start matches the best in school history. With North Carolina losing to Florida State and Kentucky struggling against Tennessee, it’s about time that Syracuse gets more credit for its strong start. Best team. In the country. No debate.

The Midwest Upsets

Northwestern 81, No. 7 Michigan State 74
What we learned: Oh, Big Ten. How you always find a way to amaze us. Within the past week, the league’s top three teams all have fallen in upsets. At home in Evanston, the Wildcats (losers of four of their previous five entering the game) snapped Michigan State’s 15-game winning streak as John Shurna led four double-figure scorers with 22 points. This game meant a few things: (1) There’s far less separation between the top and bottom of the Big Ten than there appeared to be two weeks ago. (2) Much like Michigan and Wisconsin, the Spartans are looking for a consistent No. 3. Draymond Green and Keith Appling were the team’s only two scorers in double figures. (3) Northwestern needs to prove it can put together a string of games that resemble Saturday’s outing. The Wildcats have pieces, but they tend to showcase their potential in spurts. Wonder whether this season will be different.

Iowa 75, No. 13 Michigan 59
What we learned: I can’t figure out Iowa or the Big Ten right now. The Hawkeyes knocked off their second nationally ranked opponent in two weeks. And in a Big Ten that’s as hard to peg as any league in the country right now, the Hawkeyes look like a factor. I didn’t say contender. But the Hawkeyes prove the Big Ten doesn’t offer any easy victories. No pushovers in this conference (see Minnesota-Indiana, Northwestern-Michigan for further proof). For Michigan, this game just confirmed how much the Wolverines rely on Tim Hardaway Jr. He is 17-for-55 in the team’s four losses. The only way the Wolverines -- now 1-3 on the road -- will make a push toward the top of the Big Ten standings is if Hardaway is more consistent.

Oklahoma 82, No. 18 Kansas State 73
What we learned: Frank Martin was enraged after his team lost to an undefeated Baylor squad Tuesday at home. He preached defense in his postgame interviews. That was a major challenge for the Wildcats on Saturday, too. The Big 12’s eighth-ranked scoring defense allowed a Sooners team that lost its first three Big 12 games to shoot 55 percent from the field. K-State's performances against Mizzou and Baylor suggested the Wildcats deserve a spot among the Big 12’s elite. That’s not necessarily the case anymore, with the Wildcats having dropped three of their past four games. Their conference slate gets easier from here over the next few weeks, but the Cats will find themselves in vulnerable spots, especially on the road, if their defensive woes continue. That's now 3-8 in its past 11 Big 12 road games for KSU. After a strong debut, Lon Kruger’s squad fell hard (the Sooners had lost four of five entering Saturday’s game). But the Kansas State victory should be a major confidence booster for OU. The Sooners snapped a 14-game losing skid against ranked opponents.

The Mountain West Thriller

No. 22 San Diego State 69, No. 12 UNLV 67
What we learned: The Mountain West is going to make noise in March. The league’s top two squads, both nationally ranked, battled for 40 minutes in San Diego. This wasn’t a basketball game. It was a title fight. I wasn’t there, but it felt like a tournament game from my couch. This game had some of the best back-and-forth action I’ve seen all season. Neither team could pull away. Jamaal Franklin (team-high 24 points) tumbled over a photographer in the final seconds and hurt his ankle. But he returned to the floor moments later and scored the game-winning bucket. Steve Fisher continues to exceed expectations after losing Kawhi Leonard to the NBA draft and three other starters. The Rebels won’t beat the top squads in their league or the NCAA tournament if their two leading scorers, Chace Stanback (7 points, 3-of-9 shooting) and Mike Moser (9 points, 3-of-11), struggle in big games. But San Diego State is headed to Las Vegas on Feb. 11 for the rematch. Can’t wait to see that. This matchup wasn’t just a boost for the two teams on floor; it was a boost for the entire league. The Mountain West is tough. And don't forget about New Mexico, which won its 13th straight with a victory at Wyoming. The Aztecs and Lobos go at it Wednesday night.

Taking Care Of Business

No. 9 Missouri 84, Texas 73
What we learned: The Tigers aren’t conventional. They’re undersized in a league with a multitude of skilled bigs and they’re not very deep. But Frank Haith used seven players in his second consecutive victory since last week’s lopsided loss at Kansas State. Ricardo Ratliffe led the Tigers with 21 points (10-of-12). Marcus Denmon, who had six in a win at Iowa State on Wednesday, scored 18 against the Longhorns. Phil Pressey (18 points, 10 assists, 0 turnovers) continued his impressive play. Few teams possess the perimeter depth and skill to challenge Missouri’s talented backcourt for 40 minutes. J’Covan Brown scored 34 points for the Horns, matching the combined scoring tally for the team’s other four starters. But they couldn’t defend a Mizzou team that held a 43-30 edge at halftime and finished with four scorers in double figures. A week ago, folks questioned the Tigers' legitimacy. But they clearly have regained their mojo since the KSU loss and should pose a threat to any top-tier Big 12 team.

No. 20 Mississippi State 56, Alabama 52
What we learned: Alabama entered this game on a five-game winning streak. But Bama won’t beat most teams in the SEC by scoring 52 points. JaMychal Green (14 points) was the Crimson Tide's only double-digit scorer. The Bulldogs weren’t much better. However, Arnett Moultrie’s 25-point, 13-rebound output was the difference. The two teams combined to shoot 4-for-26 from the 3-point line, but Dee Bost was 3-for-3 from long range in the closing minutes and that was that. Man, the SEC is confusing. Kentucky is obviously the league’s best, but who are Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5? This was an opportunity for these squads to make a definitive statement about their places in the league. Didn’t really happen. I expected more from this one, but hey, Mississippi State will take the win.

Some more observations from Saturday

• Baylor looked like a national champ in its 106-65 victory over Oklahoma State. No, the Cowboys aren’t an elite team. But the Bears shot 52 percent on 3-pointers (15-of-29) and had almost twice as many rebounds as OSU (48-25). Nine players scored for the Bears. Their depth is underrated, and it’s going to be a huge asset in March.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Al BehrmanMaalik Wayns, left, dropped 39 for Villanova in a loss at Cincinnati.
• Iowa State blew a 12-point second-half lead and lost its second consecutive matchup against a ranked opponent in its 82-73 defeat at Kansas. But with Royce White (18 points, 17 rebounds), the Cyclones can win nine or more in the Big 12. By the way, a career-high 28 points out of Tyshawn Taylor should quiet a few of his critics.
• Connecticut is such a different team when Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond are fully engaged. Drummond (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Oriakhi (12 points, 7 rebounds) were impressive in the Huskies’ 67-53 win at Notre Dame, ending the Irish's 29-game home win streak. The Huskies didn’t have Ryan Boatright, but they played like a complete team with their bigs being so active.
• Pittsburgh played better Saturday but still lost at Marquette 62-57. The Panthers, the models of consistency over the past decade, have lost six straight and are 0-5 in the Big East. Holy cow. Let that one sink in.
• His team lost once again in a close game at Cincinnati, but it's worth mentioning the effort by Villanova's Maalik Wayns, who had a line of 39 points (6-of-13 from 3), 13 rebounds and six assists, and put his struggling Wildcats in a position to win on the road.
• Xavier has won three in a row, after topping St. Bonaventure 77-64. Mark Lyons and Tu Holloway combined to score 33 points in the victory. The Musketeers didn’t secure any signature wins during this mini-revival, but that doesn’t matter. X needed to get back to winning as it prepares for the Atlantic 10's toughest squads. Until someone in the conference knocks off the Musketeers at the Cintas Center (where they've beaten 42 consecutive A-10 opponents), this team is still the league favorite in my opinion.
• Conference USA should be fun this season. Like Xavier, Memphis -- a decisive winner at Houston on Saturday night -- should still be considered the favorite until someone proves they can beat the Tigers on the road. But Marshall and UCF played a classic in a 65-64 Thundering Herd victory, and both could give Memphis trouble. Southern Miss is right in the mix as well.
• Meanwhile, in the Mid-American Conference, Akron now has to be considered the favorite after a 68-63 victory over Ohio, which looked so solid in nonconfernece play but has faltered of late. The Zips have wins at Mississippi State and Marshall. If they make the NCAA tournament, look out.
• Have to be impressed with the way Oregon swept the Arizona schools. Winning in Tempe is nothing to be overjoyed about, but winning in Tucson -- no matter how mediocre the Wildcats have been for most of the season -- is still special for any Pac-12 school. The Ducks are as good a bet as any to win this crazy league.
• You know who won't win the Pac-12? The Ducks' rival, Oregon State. The Beavers have played great at times this season, but the bottom line is 1-5 in a down conference after a horrendous double-digit loss at Arizona State on Saturday.
• You know who just might win the Pac-12? Stanford. The Cardinal now are 5-1 in the conference after a 20-point beatdown of Colorado, which began 3-0 (all at home) but got a rude awakening in the Bay Area by Cal and Stanford.
• Gonzaga was shaky early Saturday night, but the Zags have to be happy with their 62-58 win at Loyola Marymount, a team that has knocked off UCLA and Saint Louis this season. Mark Few's team was absolutely humiliated at Saint Mary's on Thursday. A bounce-back victory was a must, and the Zags got it done.

1. Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy has had a hard time catching breaks since he arrived in Oxford. The Rebels have dealt with injuries, defections and early-entrants and an inability to be consistent enough to be an NCAA tournament team. Whether or not Ole Miss can get there in 2012 is still to be determined. But the Rebels finally closed out a game in a frenetic situation as they beat DePaul on the road on a Murphy Holloway layup. Holloway, who played at Ole Miss, transferred to South Carolina and then came back, had committed a silly foul the previous possession before coming up with a decisive steal and layup. The Rebels got blitzed by 30 by Marquette in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands but did finish off Miami in overtime last week. DePaul may be in the bottom fourth of the Big East but the win will still do wonders for the Rebels’ confidence. “It’s the first road win versus a Big East opponent ever in Ole Miss basketball history,’’ said Kennedy late Thursday night of a random fact that seems hard to digest. “Sometimes you’ve got to win ugly.’’ The Rebels aren’t going to be better than Kentucky, Florida, Vanderbilt or likely Mississippi State or Alabama. But can Ole Miss be more productive than Tennessee or Arkansas or Auburn? This squad has a shot to be a top-six SEC team.

2. The Colonial Athletic Association has been disappointing through the first month of the season. Drexel (2-3) was the preseason favorite but the Dragons haven’t been completely healthy and don’t have a quality win. Other contenders like George Mason, VCU and Old Dominion have either not had their full complement of players or simply are rebuilding and aren’t ready to win elite games. The best win by the CAA so far may be Northeastern’s victory at St. John’s, hardly a NCAA-bound victory since the Red Storm are likely a lower-half Big East squad. “We don’t have that juggernaut team that stands out,’’ said ODU coach Blaine Taylor. “But once we get our people back, the same with Drexel, George Mason and you’ll see VCU play better than people will see how good the (CAA teams are). Our teams have been up and down that doesn’t mean in the long haul that we won’t have real good teams once we get to January and February.’’ The CAA had its second Final Four team in six seasons when VCU earned a bid last April.

3. The MAC last had multiple NCAA tournament teams in 1999 when Miami was a 10-seed and Kent State was an 11. The league once had a flurry of NBA-level-talented players who for whatever reason didn’t make it to the Big Ten. But the MAC slump has been going on for a dozen years. That is, possibly, until now. The MAC has already picked up significant wins: Akron at Mississippi State, Ohio at Marshall, Kent State at West Virginia, Miami and Buffalo beat Dayton (which won the Old Spice Classic). Bowling Green beat Temple. Will any of those wins get the MAC an at-large berth? Probably not. But the MAC is at least proving that it is no longer a weaker comparison to the Horizon League, the Missouri Valley or the Colonial.

1. The harsh reality for most schools outside the power six conferences is that they must play quality road games, mostly without a return, against elite teams. Win one or a few of those games and they should be treated well for at-large consideration. We’ve already seen a number of these cases so far and had more Wednesday night. Akron winning at Mississippi State, Kent State winning at West Virginia, Cleveland State winning at Vanderbilt and now add Long Beach State winning at Pitt. Creighton won at UAB, too, but that is a game between two similar conferences. Still, it’s a road win for the Bluejays, a team that is winning games it’s supposed to if they should be taken seriously. The selection committee will be mindful of these type of wins come March.

2. Six NBA teams have already come in to watch Minnesota’s Trevor Mbakwe. Mbakwe, who could lead the Gophers to an upset-type run in the Big Ten to finish in the top four. Mbakwe has missed only three shots in two games and leads the Gophers with 17 points and 10 rebounds a game. The key for the Gophers will be their young guards like Chip Armelin, Andre Hollins and Maverick Ahanmisi. If they mature, the frontcourt of Mbakwe, Ralph Sampson III and Rodney Williams could cause fits in the Big Ten.

3. Iowa State had its first wake-up call when it lost to rival Drake 74-65. Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg said the Cyclones missed too many shots, missed 10 free throws, didn’t guard the dribble well and now have an early-season wakeup. The Cyclones are leaning heavily on players who have transferred into the program. There were going to be growing pains with this move. Minnesota transfer Royce White can only do so much (23 ppg, 12.5 rpg through two games). The Cyclones will need more balance moving forward.

1. Michigan State coach Mark Hollis said Thursday that earlier this week he met with football coach Mark Dantonio and men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo about the proper protocol in dealing with a crisis, particularly if it’s a legal issue. Hollis said this is in direct response to the way Penn State handled the alleged sexual abuse scandal by a former assistant coach of young boys. “We had to go through discussing things that if something ever happens in negative in nature about how we’re supposed to handle it, react and respond,’’ Hollis said. “These are the challenges for all schools going forward. Something can happen every day and that’s why you hope everyone follows the protocol.’’

2. Akron upset Mississippi State in Starkville on Wednesday night in the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. But it doesn’t affect the Bulldogs’ appearance in the event next week in New York. The Gazelle Group, organizers of the event, changed the format after Gardner-Webb upset Kentucky in the same event in 2007. Organizers couldn’t afford to see a team get to New York that wasn’t going to sell tickets or move the ratings meter. That means Mississippi State will be in New York with the other three hosts – St. John’s, Arizona and Texas A&M. A year ago, San Diego State won at Gonzaga in the CBE Classic. But the Aztecs knew the deal and weren’t heading to Kansas City for the CBE semifinals. If the Bulldogs are a factor in the SEC then Akron, a MAC favorite, will have a shelf-life win.

3. Jim Larranaga certainly has a challenge ahead at Miami. Losing Reggie Johnson for the first half of the season to a knee injury was a crushing blow. Taking away forward Julian Gamble with a season-ending ACL injury was another shot. Now DeQuan Jones is out for the season as the NCAA and the school investigate the allegation that there was a $10,000 payment made to get him to come to Miami, as reported by Yahoo! Sports. Miami kept saying there was no change in Jones’ status throughout the fall. But it was clear that this allegation was going to cause some pause to play Jones until he was cleared. The Hurricanes couldn’t afford to potentially play an ineligible player. Now the ‘Canes are down three players from a year ago, making it even more difficult to mount an at-large bid through the non-conference portion of the schedule.

The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of the night's best basketball action. It apologizes for being a bit late, but it was up all night watching the JoePa mess unfold in real time. It should have just gone to bed.

Akron 68, Mississippi State 58: Before we get any further into recap mode, it should be said that it is way, way, way too early to draw any conclusions about any of the teams that played in Wednesday night's scattered (and poorly scheduled, if you ask me) games. That includes Mississippi State. In early November, everyone's a work in progress. But it appears the Bulldogs have more work to do than most.

In front of a paltry partisan crowd, Mississippi State mustered just .89 points per possession Wednesday. It's not that Akron was great offensively. The Zips averaged just over a point per possession; the Zips were good -- hey, the Zips can play -- but this was far from the sort of performance that should topple a program with designs on the NCAA tournament. Mississippi State was just that bad. Arnett Moultrie grabbed 15 rebounds but shot 2-of-13 from the field. Renardo Sidney turned in a more encouraging performance -- 12 points and five rebounds on 5-of-9 from the field -- but he was still limited to 25 minutes. Dee Bost had four of his team's 19 turnovers, which came in 64 possessions; that's a turnover rate of about 29 percent. The whole thing was just, well, ugly.

St. John's 78, Lehigh 73: If you're the kind of college hoops fan that pores over preseason predictions for each and every conference -- or, hey, complete conference rankings -- then you're familiar with Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum. McCollum was one of the best mid-major players in the country as a freshman; as a junior, he's primed for another monster year. His excellence was one of the reasons Lehigh put the Red Storm in a corner early at Carnesecca Arena, but St. John's struggles on the offensive end had a lot to do with that, too. One thing is clear about this pressing, athletic, very young team: They're not particularly confident in their perimeter game. The Red Storm were just 2-of-9 from three. A team with this sort of talent is going to learn quickly, and they're going to figure out how to get easy buckets out of their press. But if they can't stretch the defense, they may not have a fun time playing against veteran Big East defenses.

In any case, God's Gift Achiuwa was ... ah, I can't do it. I was going to make a name pun there, but I just can't do it. The point is, he was really, really good: He scored 21 points on 6-of-6 from the field and 9-of-9 from the line and grabbed eight rebounds. That's about as good as you can be in a basketball game. God's Gift is far more than naming novelty, that's for sure.

Everywhere else: Arizona wasn't great against Duquesne, but they played solid defense and got a win. For a team this young, playing a solid A-10 squad, that's a positive result. ... Despite an early injury to Khris Middleton, Texas A&M had no issues handling Liberty 81-59.

Before we get to the Blue Ribbon team-by-team previews for the Mid-American Conference, here is Eamonn Brennan's quick wind sprint through the league:



Blue Ribbon breakdowns of all 12 teams in the MAC:

Akron
Ball State
Bowling Green
Buffalo
Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Kent State
Miami (Ohio)
Northern Illinois
Ohio
Toledo
Western Michigan

More MAC content:

• Eamonn Brennan profiles new Northern Illinois coach Mark Montgomery.
• Watch, listen and marvel at Bowling Green's Stroh Center rap.
• Video: Fran Fraschilla on which MAC team he thinks can be a national sleeper this season.
• Reggie Rankin gives the lowdown on the top incoming freshmen in the MAC.

CHICAGO -- Notre Dame fans will be happy with a win. They might not be happy with much else.

The Irish opened their first big lead of the day -- a 21-10 gap built by on a pair of 3-pointers by ND guard Eric Atkins -- with 11 minutes left in the first half. By then, it wasn't hard to picture this game going the way of most of Thursday night's high-seed action -- the favorite asserting its dominance early and never looking back.

But Akron refused to go away. By halftime, timely 3s and stellar interior defense helped Akron close the gap to 34-30, and suddenly the thousands of local Irish fans in the United Center had reason to feel a little anxious.

ND used a 9-0 run to build another lead in the second half, but Akron responded again. After a Quincy Diggs jumper with 11:09 left to play, Notre Dame's lead had again dwindled to five (45-40), and again it seemed Akron could stick around long enough to make things interesting down the stretch.

In the end, it took all of 35 minutes -- Tim Abromaitis extended ND's lead to 59-45 with 4:49 remaining -- before the Zips eventually relented and the threat of an unthinkable upset finally waned.

Turning point: With 11 minutes left to play, just as Akron appeared to be mounting that second-half surge so crucial in upset situations, Notre Dame guard Tim Abromaitis sank two 3s in the next two minutes to help build ND's lead to 52-44. A minute later, Irish forward Carlton Scott earned an and-1 call on a fadeaway. Scott sank his free throw, put Notre Dame's lead into double-digit territory and the Zips never truly came close again.

Player of the game: None of Notre Dame's usually reliable seniors played all that well, but Abromaitis made the key buckets in the second half, and in an off night for ND's vaunted perimeter offense, his performance (14 points on 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line) made the difference.

Key stat: Notre Dame's offense was the third-most efficient in the country this season; it averaged 1.23 adjusted points per possession, per KenPom.com. On Friday, the Irish fell well below that standard thanks not only to substandard shooting but to some uncharacteristically sloppy ballhandling. Still, ND salvaged that effort by getting to the line 26 times and sinking 20 of those attempts.

Miscellaneous: Akron won't be making any miracle runs to the Sweet 16, but there's reason to believe the future is bright. Center Zeke Marshall, a 7-foot center that mans the middle of the Zips' defense, is rare for his size and athleticism at the mid-major level. Marshall's offensive game needs work -- he went 2-of-13 from the field, and nearly all of those shots came from inside five feet -- but his interior defense gave ND fits for much of the afternoon. Marshall's just a sophomore. If he can add some things to his game, you might hear more from him in the next two seasons.

What’s next: Notre Dame advances to play the winner of No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Florida State as the Irish look to keep their Final Four hopes alive. The Zips made their second NCAA tournament appearance in seven years under coach Keith Dambrot -- who is perhaps most famous for coaching LeBron James at St. Vincent-St. Mary's high school in Akron, Ohio, before taking the job with the Zips -- and will finish their season with a 23-13 overall record.

CHICAGO -- A look at the afternoon games being held here at the United Center:

No. 15 seed Akron (23-12) vs. No. 2 seed Notre Dame (26-6), 1:40 p.m. ET (TBS)

How they got here: Last time we saw Notre Dame in the tournament, the Irish, who struggled to earn a tourney bid in 2010, were bowing out thanks to an ugly, uninspired first-round loss to Old Dominion. Twelve months later, and after the graduation of four-year star Luke Harangody, the Irish are a whole different animal. In that time, guard Ben Hansbrough has rocketed from “good but not great” to the Big East player of the year. That surprising rise has dovetailed with this unheralded team's race to a second-place finish in the rough-and-tumble Big East this season.

Meanwhile, the Zips’ appearance in the NCAA tournament can be chalked up to survivalist instincts. Akron nearly lost in the first round of the MAC tournament; it had to fend off a 20-point comeback by Miami (Ohio) to take a double-overtime win on March 8. Three wins and one more overtime later, and Akron was sitting atop the MAC and headed to the tournament for the third time in school history.

Players to watch: How do you know you’re having a great year? When you -- and not Connecticut’s Kemba Walker -- are the only unanimous all-Big East first team selection, not to mention the Big East player of the year. But there are few who would argue Hansbrough didn’t deserve those honors. He’s been brilliant for Notre Dame, not only in a scorer’s role but in his ability to facilitate the uber-efficient perimeter offense that carried the Irish throughout their impressive Big East run. Forwards Tim Abromaitis and Carleton Scott are keys; when Scott is hitting outside shots, the Irish are almost impossible to guard.

What to look for: Can Akron find a way to keep Notre Dame from running away on offense? The Irish are deadly from the perimeter and willing to play at Mike Brey’s sloth-like “burn” pace; that negates the typical underdog strategy of slowing the game, packing the defense and hoping the big bad favorite goes cold. The Zips are a decent defensive team on the perimeter -- they held opponents to a 46.6 effective field goal shooting percentage this season -- but let’s be real: it will require a Herculean effort to keep the Irish from casually rolling in the Chicago opener Friday.

Quotable: “Most likely, if we play Notre Dame seven times, they would probably win the series, but we only have to win one game. And that's the beauty of sports. We have to play one great game. They have to be average, or we have to be good, and they have to be below average.” -- Akron coach Keith Dambrot

No. 7 seed Texas A&M (21-10) vs. No. 10 seed Florida State (24-8), 4:10 p.m. ET (TBS)

How they got here: Somehow, it seems Mark Turgeon always finds a way. The Texas A&M coach faced a serious challenge in the offseason: Replacing three seniors, including stars Donald Sloan and Bryan Davis, with a group of unproven unknowns. The Aggies didn’t miss a beat. Instead, A&M quickly established itself as another smart, solid Turgeon team, one that looked like it might compete for a spot among the Big 12’s elite before a late-January hiccup. Meanwhile, despite losing its leading scorer and best defender in forward Chris Singleton to a broken hand on Feb. 19, Florida State admirably maintained its spot above the bubble fray.

Players to watch: Singleton hasn’t seen action since his injury, but he practiced Thursday and appears likely to play Friday. Saying this is “huge” for the Seminoles is like saying water is “huge” for human survival. With Singleton on the prowl, an already-stout Florida State defense is one of the toughest, most disruptive units in the country. Texas A&M forward Khris Middleton will have to find a way to remain productive despite Singleton’s singular defensive prowess, and A&M will need to balance its interior scoring with some timely perimeter shooting from guard B.J. Holmes.

What to look for: A slow, defensive slugfest that will be decided on the offensive boards. FSU's defense is the second-stingiest in the nation; only Texas has allowed opponents fewer points per possession in 2011. That stinginess stems from Florida State’s excellent first-shot defense. The Seminoles simply don’t allow good looks. That said, Leonard Hamilton’s offense-averse team does allow opponents its share of offensive rebounds, and A&M ranks among the top 15 teams in the nation in retrieving their own misses. The Aggies aren’t going to get many good looks. But if they can take advantage of the offensive glass and get a few easy putbacks, they’ll be at a major advantage against a Florida State team that frequently struggles to score.

Quotable: “How big of a factor he's going to be will be in direct proportion to how he's going to adjust to not being available for a month, not being in practice, not having any contact, not being in rhythm. [...] He's only been in any type of contact with us now for four or five days. So to be honest with you, I think that's yet to be determined.” -- Florida State coach Hamilton on what he expects -- or doesn’t expect from Singleton.