College Basketball Nation: Big Ten/ACC challenge
The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of last night's best basketball action. Now that college hoops season is starting to settle into something resembling a normal schedule, it plans on being around more often.
As you probably already know, the Big Ten opened a slight lead on the first night of the 2011 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, going ahead 4-2 thanks to wins by Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois. Virginia toppled Michigan and Clemson got a sturdy win at Iowa. I, as well as my colleagues Andy Katz, Fran Fraschilla and John Gasaway, went 6-0 picking these games. (I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back. I have to stretch better next time.) Anyway, there, you're all caught up!
No. 2 Ohio State 85, No. 4 Duke 63: For a full recap of the game, check out the story Myron filed from Value City Arena last night. There isn't much more to say: Ohio State was very, very good on both offense and defense. Duke was ugly offensively and even worse on the defensive end. Ohio State deserves all of the love that has been or will be aimed in their direction in coming weeks; this was a dominant win over a good team. The Buckeyes are a national title contender of a certain sort. Duke isn't. That was abundantly clear.
That said, there are a few things to keep in mind, at least from Duke's perspective. For one, the Blue Devils just this weekend returned from a grueling trip to Maui, and looked every bit as tired as they were overmatched, which only exacerbated the result. Two, playing on the road is always hard. Three, Ohio State is a particularly bad matchup for this group of Blue Devils. Coach K's team is perimeter-oriented and not particularly athletic; it relies on penetration, spacing and screen action to free its coterie of spot-up shooters for open looks. When it runs into a team as uniquely deep and tough on the perimeter defensively as the Buckeyes are, Duke is always going to struggle. Fortunately for Coach K, there aren't very many Ohio States in the country this season. (There may be just one.)
Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: I'm going to leave this game be for now; instead, I'm going to spend my time discussing it in the Hoopsbag today, because I got a bunch of questions about why Virginia beating Michigan should have been considered "an upset" as I termed it in my Big Ten/ACC Challenge preview Tuesday. (That'll come later this afternoon.)
Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: Is this what a healthy John Shurna looks like? The sharpshooting Northwestern forward lost much of his 2010-11 season to nagging injuries, injuries which kept him off the court for long stretches and made him ineffective in spurts. But Shurna appears to be in much better shape in 2011-12. His 25 points in a solid road win for Northwestern (against a tough defensive team to date) boosted his average to 21.8 points per game, leading all scorers in the Big Ten. But Shurna isn't just scoring; he had eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals and two assists at Tech, and he's averaging 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. This is a newer, more versatile Shurna, and he's leading the way for a Northwestern team that might be just a little bit better than we all think. (We'll get a good idea Sunday, when the Baylor Bears come to Welsh-Ryan. That one should be fascinating.)
Illinois 71, Maryland 62: It's hard to get a good feel for what this result means. Maryland, feisty though it was, is a shallow and injury ridden squad right now. Illinois, even a younger, more inexperienced group, should beat this Maryland team. The fact that it took the Illini so long to figure out -- Illinois trailed at the half and led by just one with eight minutes remaining before Sam Maniscalco knocked down two 3s to build an insurmountable lead -- is probably not the most encouraging sign. But there were some noticeable bright spots. Illinois forward Brandon Paul was great in the first half; he presents a strange, exciting new form of offense for Bruce Weber's formerly jump-shot-obsessed Illini. (It's called driving to the rim.) Maniscalco was excellent, too, scoring an efficient 24 points on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. And Meyers Leonard -- perhaps Illinois's most promising and most important player -- went 6-of-9 from the field. Last season, Illinois couldn't get easy shots. Nor did it take enough 3s. Instead, the Illini frequently settled for long 2s. This season, Weber's combination of players and their various styles seems like it will be more efficient by default. It's a start.
Purdue 76, Miami 65: Hey, Jim Larranaga had to try something. The new Hurricanes coach had seen the tape on Purdue. He knew they were a perimeter-oriented team. He knew his team's bigs have been decimated by injury, but hey, Purdue plays so outside-in, maybe he didn't need bigs at all. So Larranaga started a lineup in which no player was taller than 6-foot-6. It did not pay off. Purdue, showing a bit of versatility previously unseen in its offensive attack, got the ball into the paint and scored with will inside the arc. Things were never particularly difficult. In the meantime, Robbie Hummel's comeback tour continues to roll on: Hummel shot 5-of-8, scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in his 32 minutes Tuesday night. He looks healthy. If it weren't for the two big knee braces, you could convince a novice Hummel had never been injured at all.
Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Year 2 of the Fran McCaffery rebuilding project has officially hit a snag. Or maybe that was last week, when Iowa lost at home to the Campbell Fighting Camels. (Amazing nickname, by the way. I would not want to fight a camel.) Either way, the Hawkeyes shot -- get this -- 16-of-56 from the field last night, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. That ice-cold shooting work graded out as an effective field goal percentage of 31.2. The Hawkeyes scored just .80 points per possession. It's a little baffling: This team could score in stretches in 2011, it appeared to be more balanced and improved all over the floor, forward Melsahn Basabe was coming off a breakout year -- there appeared to be signs of progress in Iowa City. Let's not take anything away from Clemson, which has defended very well to begin this season. But 16-of-56 on your home floor? I mean, look at this box score! Yikes.
As you probably already know, the Big Ten opened a slight lead on the first night of the 2011 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, going ahead 4-2 thanks to wins by Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois. Virginia toppled Michigan and Clemson got a sturdy win at Iowa. I, as well as my colleagues Andy Katz, Fran Fraschilla and John Gasaway, went 6-0 picking these games. (I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back. I have to stretch better next time.) Anyway, there, you're all caught up!
No. 2 Ohio State 85, No. 4 Duke 63: For a full recap of the game, check out the story Myron filed from Value City Arena last night. There isn't much more to say: Ohio State was very, very good on both offense and defense. Duke was ugly offensively and even worse on the defensive end. Ohio State deserves all of the love that has been or will be aimed in their direction in coming weeks; this was a dominant win over a good team. The Buckeyes are a national title contender of a certain sort. Duke isn't. That was abundantly clear.
That said, there are a few things to keep in mind, at least from Duke's perspective. For one, the Blue Devils just this weekend returned from a grueling trip to Maui, and looked every bit as tired as they were overmatched, which only exacerbated the result. Two, playing on the road is always hard. Three, Ohio State is a particularly bad matchup for this group of Blue Devils. Coach K's team is perimeter-oriented and not particularly athletic; it relies on penetration, spacing and screen action to free its coterie of spot-up shooters for open looks. When it runs into a team as uniquely deep and tough on the perimeter defensively as the Buckeyes are, Duke is always going to struggle. Fortunately for Coach K, there aren't very many Ohio States in the country this season. (There may be just one.)
Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: I'm going to leave this game be for now; instead, I'm going to spend my time discussing it in the Hoopsbag today, because I got a bunch of questions about why Virginia beating Michigan should have been considered "an upset" as I termed it in my Big Ten/ACC Challenge preview Tuesday. (That'll come later this afternoon.)
Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: Is this what a healthy John Shurna looks like? The sharpshooting Northwestern forward lost much of his 2010-11 season to nagging injuries, injuries which kept him off the court for long stretches and made him ineffective in spurts. But Shurna appears to be in much better shape in 2011-12. His 25 points in a solid road win for Northwestern (against a tough defensive team to date) boosted his average to 21.8 points per game, leading all scorers in the Big Ten. But Shurna isn't just scoring; he had eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals and two assists at Tech, and he's averaging 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. This is a newer, more versatile Shurna, and he's leading the way for a Northwestern team that might be just a little bit better than we all think. (We'll get a good idea Sunday, when the Baylor Bears come to Welsh-Ryan. That one should be fascinating.)
Illinois 71, Maryland 62: It's hard to get a good feel for what this result means. Maryland, feisty though it was, is a shallow and injury ridden squad right now. Illinois, even a younger, more inexperienced group, should beat this Maryland team. The fact that it took the Illini so long to figure out -- Illinois trailed at the half and led by just one with eight minutes remaining before Sam Maniscalco knocked down two 3s to build an insurmountable lead -- is probably not the most encouraging sign. But there were some noticeable bright spots. Illinois forward Brandon Paul was great in the first half; he presents a strange, exciting new form of offense for Bruce Weber's formerly jump-shot-obsessed Illini. (It's called driving to the rim.) Maniscalco was excellent, too, scoring an efficient 24 points on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. And Meyers Leonard -- perhaps Illinois's most promising and most important player -- went 6-of-9 from the field. Last season, Illinois couldn't get easy shots. Nor did it take enough 3s. Instead, the Illini frequently settled for long 2s. This season, Weber's combination of players and their various styles seems like it will be more efficient by default. It's a start.
Purdue 76, Miami 65: Hey, Jim Larranaga had to try something. The new Hurricanes coach had seen the tape on Purdue. He knew they were a perimeter-oriented team. He knew his team's bigs have been decimated by injury, but hey, Purdue plays so outside-in, maybe he didn't need bigs at all. So Larranaga started a lineup in which no player was taller than 6-foot-6. It did not pay off. Purdue, showing a bit of versatility previously unseen in its offensive attack, got the ball into the paint and scored with will inside the arc. Things were never particularly difficult. In the meantime, Robbie Hummel's comeback tour continues to roll on: Hummel shot 5-of-8, scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in his 32 minutes Tuesday night. He looks healthy. If it weren't for the two big knee braces, you could convince a novice Hummel had never been injured at all.
Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Year 2 of the Fran McCaffery rebuilding project has officially hit a snag. Or maybe that was last week, when Iowa lost at home to the Campbell Fighting Camels. (Amazing nickname, by the way. I would not want to fight a camel.) Either way, the Hawkeyes shot -- get this -- 16-of-56 from the field last night, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. That ice-cold shooting work graded out as an effective field goal percentage of 31.2. The Hawkeyes scored just .80 points per possession. It's a little baffling: This team could score in stretches in 2011, it appeared to be more balanced and improved all over the floor, forward Melsahn Basabe was coming off a breakout year -- there appeared to be signs of progress in Iowa City. Let's not take anything away from Clemson, which has defended very well to begin this season. But 16-of-56 on your home floor? I mean, look at this box score! Yikes.
Latest Big Ten/ACC Challenge takes shape
May, 17, 2011
5/17/11
3:03
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
That's right, folks: The matchups have arrived for the 2011-12 Big Ten/ACC Challenge (not to be confused with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, last year's always-alternating title). And they are every bit as appetizing as you'd expect.
First things first, of course. Here's the list:
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Miami at Purdue
Northwestern at Georgia Tech
Illinois at Maryland
Michigan at Virginia
Clemson at Iowa
Duke at Ohio State
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Indiana at North Carolina State
Penn State at Boston College
Florida State at Michigan State
Virginia Tech at Minnesota
Wake Forest at Nebraska
Wisconsin at North Carolina
Naturally, two games immediately stand out. The first is Duke at Ohio State, a likely top-five matchup of Jared Sullinger, William Buford and Aaron Craft against a reloaded Duke team featuring arguably the No. 1 recruit in the country in versatile guard Austin Rivers. Is Rivers ready for the big stage? Is Craft the best on-ball point-guard defender in the country? Have the Plumlees improved enough to halt Sully's interior dominance? Is Deshaun Thomas going to be as big a contributor as yours truly expects? And just how good is this Duke team anyway?
I'm practically writing a preview already, and the game is still -- sigh -- more than six months away.
Meanwhile, let's not forget that other big-time matchup: Wisconsin at North Carolina. Not only does that game pit two conference title contenders and highly ranked teams. Not only does it give us Jordan Taylor vs. North Carolina's star-studded starting five. It will also be a fascinating test of stylistic wills: The grind-it-out Bo Ryan Badgers (adjusted 2011 tempo: 58.0 possessions per game) against the high-flying, outlet-chucking, secondary-breaking Roy Williams Tar Heels (adjusted 2011 tempo: 71.7 possessions per game). I can't wait.
Besides the elite games, the biggest ongoing storyline surrounding the Challenge is the competition itself. Beginning in 1999, the Big Ten lost the first 10 Challenges to the ACC. Two years ago, it won its first. In 2010, it followed up with a second. Does the Big Ten maintain that momentum? Is the conference considerably better than the seemingly down ACC? It's a little too early to start breaking down matchups, but at first glance, the Big Ten would seem to hold the advantage in most, if not all, of the Tuesday games. In a general sense, Wednesday's games appear more evenly matched, but as always, home-court advantage will play a major role in deciding the title.
And, of course, this year features a new wrinkle: the inclusion of new Big Ten (or B1G, I guess) member Nebraska. The Cornhuskers' realignment means the ACC no longer has to keep one of its teams home (or since that's always the last-place team from the year before, gets to keep one of its teams home). Now everyone gets to participate. Really, it's just more fun that way, no?
Anyway, mark your calendars. Thanks to the addition of the Champions Classic, as well as the planned Michigan State-North Carolina aircraft carrier game -- yes, we're getting college hoops from aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier -- the 2011-12 season will feature more high-quality early-season basketball than ever before.
Still, I'd contend that the college season doesn't quite start to feel like the college season until the Big Ten and the ACC wage their yearly two-day joust. That's when it hits you. By late November, we're full speed ahead.
Now, if it was only late November.
Tom Petty was right: The waiting is the hardest part.
First things first, of course. Here's the list:
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Miami at Purdue
Northwestern at Georgia Tech
Illinois at Maryland
Michigan at Virginia
Clemson at Iowa
Duke at Ohio State
Wednesday, Nov. 30
Indiana at North Carolina State
Penn State at Boston College
Florida State at Michigan State
Virginia Tech at Minnesota
Wake Forest at Nebraska
Wisconsin at North Carolina
Naturally, two games immediately stand out. The first is Duke at Ohio State, a likely top-five matchup of Jared Sullinger, William Buford and Aaron Craft against a reloaded Duke team featuring arguably the No. 1 recruit in the country in versatile guard Austin Rivers. Is Rivers ready for the big stage? Is Craft the best on-ball point-guard defender in the country? Have the Plumlees improved enough to halt Sully's interior dominance? Is Deshaun Thomas going to be as big a contributor as yours truly expects? And just how good is this Duke team anyway?
I'm practically writing a preview already, and the game is still -- sigh -- more than six months away.
Meanwhile, let's not forget that other big-time matchup: Wisconsin at North Carolina. Not only does that game pit two conference title contenders and highly ranked teams. Not only does it give us Jordan Taylor vs. North Carolina's star-studded starting five. It will also be a fascinating test of stylistic wills: The grind-it-out Bo Ryan Badgers (adjusted 2011 tempo: 58.0 possessions per game) against the high-flying, outlet-chucking, secondary-breaking Roy Williams Tar Heels (adjusted 2011 tempo: 71.7 possessions per game). I can't wait.
Besides the elite games, the biggest ongoing storyline surrounding the Challenge is the competition itself. Beginning in 1999, the Big Ten lost the first 10 Challenges to the ACC. Two years ago, it won its first. In 2010, it followed up with a second. Does the Big Ten maintain that momentum? Is the conference considerably better than the seemingly down ACC? It's a little too early to start breaking down matchups, but at first glance, the Big Ten would seem to hold the advantage in most, if not all, of the Tuesday games. In a general sense, Wednesday's games appear more evenly matched, but as always, home-court advantage will play a major role in deciding the title.
And, of course, this year features a new wrinkle: the inclusion of new Big Ten (or B1G, I guess) member Nebraska. The Cornhuskers' realignment means the ACC no longer has to keep one of its teams home (or since that's always the last-place team from the year before, gets to keep one of its teams home). Now everyone gets to participate. Really, it's just more fun that way, no?
Anyway, mark your calendars. Thanks to the addition of the Champions Classic, as well as the planned Michigan State-North Carolina aircraft carrier game -- yes, we're getting college hoops from aboard a U.S. aircraft carrier -- the 2011-12 season will feature more high-quality early-season basketball than ever before.
Still, I'd contend that the college season doesn't quite start to feel like the college season until the Big Ten and the ACC wage their yearly two-day joust. That's when it hits you. By late November, we're full speed ahead.
Now, if it was only late November.
Tom Petty was right: The waiting is the hardest part.
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge will dominate the news cycle in the sport tonight, but there are other significant games that must not be ignored.
Washington State at Gonzaga: The Cougars won the Great Alaska Shootout and were led by Klay Thompson's 43 points in the win over San Diego. Gonzaga, UCLA and others passed on Thompson and it turned out to be a mistake. The Zags are coming off a Maui Invitational win over Cincinnati. The Cougars could be the sleeper team in the Pac-10 if this keeps up. I've been to this game before, and it's an intense rivalry between two schools separated by 70 miles of rolling hills.
Butler at Ball State: I know it doesn't sound too tough, but the Bulldogs are coming off two losses at the 76 Classic in Anaheim. Going to a MAC gym isn't exactly an easy task for anyone, especially with the Bulldogs desperately needing a win. This will be a big deal for Ball State, but Butler needs this game to stop the bleeding. Butler didn't have a bad loss at the tournament in Anaheim. But this would qualify as a bad loss.
Siena at Georgia Tech: The Saints desperately need to win this game if they have any chance at an at-large berth. Siena hasn't won a quality nonconference game yet. The Yellow Jackets are hardly the type of team that will gladly bow down. Siena will have to earn this win down to the final seconds if it wants to pull off the upset. The Yellow Jackets' interior may be too tough for the Saints, though.
UNLV at Arizona: The Runnin' Rebels are fresh off a win over Louisville at home. I had a number of coaches tell me that the UNLV newcomers, notably the freshmen, are much better than projected. Arizona didn't fare all that well in Maui, but the squad is still trying to find itself with so many new parts and a new staff. This would be a huge win for the Wildcats as they seek to be relevant throughout the season.
Cal at New Mexico: I wrote about this game in my Daily Word but I can't emphasize enough how critical this is to the Lobos. If UNM can pull off the upset over Cal, it would signify to the rest of the MWC that the Lobos are a real player for the league title. Cal could use a true road win to improve its national standing. This will be one of the toughest road games it plays all season.
Dayton at Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks nearly beat Kentucky. Dayton took out Georgia Tech. This is a dangerous road game for the Flyers. It should be counted as a quality win because of how hard it has been to win in Oxford, Ohio.
Old Dominion at Richmond: ODU was the preseason favorite to win the Colonial, but the Monarchs didn't pick up a high-profile win over Missouri or Mississippi State in South Padre Island, Texas. Richmond was the sleeper pick in the Atlantic 10 and has won four straight after losing to what now looks like a solid William & Mary team. This is one of those rivalry games that gets no national pub.
Western Kentucky at South Carolina: The Hilltoppers could use a win like this to improve their stock. South Carolina should count this as a quality win if it can land it. This is a tough game for Darrin Horn, who used to coach at Western Kentucky.
Oklahoma State at Tulsa: James Anderson is on display for Oklahoma State in a rivalry game that gets no national pub. Tulsa has Jerome Jordan in the post as its stud. This should count as a quality win for whoever can land the W.
Ole Miss at Arkansas State: Yet another dangerous road game for a "power six" team with NCAA aspirations. ASU coach John Brady is always crafty and the Rebels won't get out of Arkansas State easily.
Arkansas at Oklahoma: Willie Warren is back for Oklahoma. Arkansas is reeling. But the Sooners need to play a good, sound game after the debacle in the Great Alaska Shootout. The Razorbacks haven't proven they can be consistent.
Rice at Harvard: Any time an Ivy League team can get a home game against a Conference USA squad, it is significant. And hey, Rice is known as the "Harvard of the South." This game is a natural.
BYU at Utah State: The Cougars are the favorites in the Mountain West. The Aggies are the top pick in the WAC. The two schools are bitter rivals. This should be good.
San Diego State at San Diego: The Toreros have better wins so far this season than the Aztecs. Beating San Diego State will only enhance the profile of the WCC. San Diego State needs something positive before it gets into the MWC, and losing to the nearby rival wouldn't help.
Portland State at Portland: This is the type of game the Pilots must win -- you can't lose to Portland State after knocking off UCLA and Minnesota and getting ranked in the AP Poll. There will be a lot of eyes on this one.
Missouri at Vanderbilt: The Commodores were just OK in Maui, but are still an NCAA-potential team and could contend for a top three finish in the SEC East. Mizzou is a difficult out no matter where the game is played. This will be a extremely tough game for the Commodores.
Utah at Weber State: The Utes shocked Illinois in Las Vegas but now come back to reality with a tough, in-state rivalry game. Winning this game would say a lot about the Utes' improvement.
Northern Iowa at Iowa State: Huge game in the state for both squads. UNI beat BC in the Paradise Jam while Iowa State is projected to be a top six Big 12 school. The Cyclones are in the midst of a major three-game lineup. After this game, theygo to Cal and then host in-state rival Iowa.
Washington State at Gonzaga: The Cougars won the Great Alaska Shootout and were led by Klay Thompson's 43 points in the win over San Diego. Gonzaga, UCLA and others passed on Thompson and it turned out to be a mistake. The Zags are coming off a Maui Invitational win over Cincinnati. The Cougars could be the sleeper team in the Pac-10 if this keeps up. I've been to this game before, and it's an intense rivalry between two schools separated by 70 miles of rolling hills.
Butler at Ball State: I know it doesn't sound too tough, but the Bulldogs are coming off two losses at the 76 Classic in Anaheim. Going to a MAC gym isn't exactly an easy task for anyone, especially with the Bulldogs desperately needing a win. This will be a big deal for Ball State, but Butler needs this game to stop the bleeding. Butler didn't have a bad loss at the tournament in Anaheim. But this would qualify as a bad loss.
Siena at Georgia Tech: The Saints desperately need to win this game if they have any chance at an at-large berth. Siena hasn't won a quality nonconference game yet. The Yellow Jackets are hardly the type of team that will gladly bow down. Siena will have to earn this win down to the final seconds if it wants to pull off the upset. The Yellow Jackets' interior may be too tough for the Saints, though.
UNLV at Arizona: The Runnin' Rebels are fresh off a win over Louisville at home. I had a number of coaches tell me that the UNLV newcomers, notably the freshmen, are much better than projected. Arizona didn't fare all that well in Maui, but the squad is still trying to find itself with so many new parts and a new staff. This would be a huge win for the Wildcats as they seek to be relevant throughout the season.
Cal at New Mexico: I wrote about this game in my Daily Word but I can't emphasize enough how critical this is to the Lobos. If UNM can pull off the upset over Cal, it would signify to the rest of the MWC that the Lobos are a real player for the league title. Cal could use a true road win to improve its national standing. This will be one of the toughest road games it plays all season.
Dayton at Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks nearly beat Kentucky. Dayton took out Georgia Tech. This is a dangerous road game for the Flyers. It should be counted as a quality win because of how hard it has been to win in Oxford, Ohio.
Old Dominion at Richmond: ODU was the preseason favorite to win the Colonial, but the Monarchs didn't pick up a high-profile win over Missouri or Mississippi State in South Padre Island, Texas. Richmond was the sleeper pick in the Atlantic 10 and has won four straight after losing to what now looks like a solid William & Mary team. This is one of those rivalry games that gets no national pub.
Western Kentucky at South Carolina: The Hilltoppers could use a win like this to improve their stock. South Carolina should count this as a quality win if it can land it. This is a tough game for Darrin Horn, who used to coach at Western Kentucky.
Oklahoma State at Tulsa: James Anderson is on display for Oklahoma State in a rivalry game that gets no national pub. Tulsa has Jerome Jordan in the post as its stud. This should count as a quality win for whoever can land the W.
Ole Miss at Arkansas State: Yet another dangerous road game for a "power six" team with NCAA aspirations. ASU coach John Brady is always crafty and the Rebels won't get out of Arkansas State easily.
Arkansas at Oklahoma: Willie Warren is back for Oklahoma. Arkansas is reeling. But the Sooners need to play a good, sound game after the debacle in the Great Alaska Shootout. The Razorbacks haven't proven they can be consistent.
Rice at Harvard: Any time an Ivy League team can get a home game against a Conference USA squad, it is significant. And hey, Rice is known as the "Harvard of the South." This game is a natural.
BYU at Utah State: The Cougars are the favorites in the Mountain West. The Aggies are the top pick in the WAC. The two schools are bitter rivals. This should be good.
San Diego State at San Diego: The Toreros have better wins so far this season than the Aztecs. Beating San Diego State will only enhance the profile of the WCC. San Diego State needs something positive before it gets into the MWC, and losing to the nearby rival wouldn't help.
Portland State at Portland: This is the type of game the Pilots must win -- you can't lose to Portland State after knocking off UCLA and Minnesota and getting ranked in the AP Poll. There will be a lot of eyes on this one.
Missouri at Vanderbilt: The Commodores were just OK in Maui, but are still an NCAA-potential team and could contend for a top three finish in the SEC East. Mizzou is a difficult out no matter where the game is played. This will be a extremely tough game for the Commodores.
Utah at Weber State: The Utes shocked Illinois in Las Vegas but now come back to reality with a tough, in-state rivalry game. Winning this game would say a lot about the Utes' improvement.
Northern Iowa at Iowa State: Huge game in the state for both squads. UNI beat BC in the Paradise Jam while Iowa State is projected to be a top six Big 12 school. The Cyclones are in the midst of a major three-game lineup. After this game, theygo to Cal and then host in-state rival Iowa.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eamonn Brennan
Brennan joined ESPN.com in 2009 after several years of blogging at Yahoo! and other places around the Internet. The Iowa native lives in Chicago with his roommates, his dog, and a crippling addiction to caffeine.
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