ESPN Men's Basketball

OMAHA, Neb. -- Casey Prather arrived at the CenturyLink Center Friday as a seldom-used reserve averaging 2 points for Florida’s basketball team.

Hours later, the sophomore forward stood before national television cameras for a postgame interview while thousands of members of Gator Nation saluted him with cheers from the stands.

Prather scored a career-high 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting to vault Florida to a 71-45 victory over Virginia in the second round of the NCAA tournament. Prather played 22 minutes -- 13 above his average -- in a win that catapulted the Gators into Sunday’s thrid-round game against either Missouri or Norfolk State.

“If there is anyone on our team that deserves to have success, it’s him,” Florida coach Billy Donovan said of Prather. “I have been around so many young players [who] don’t get a chance to play and sulk and have no resiliency to come back the next day and work.

“I can tell you this, whether he has played two minutes, not gotten in the game or 15, he is the same kid every day. I personally am happy for him because he has stayed the course as a player and tried to figure out how to get better and how to improve. He gave us a huge lift.”

As convincing as Florida’s victory was, the game certainly didn’t start out pretty for the Gators. Donovan’s squad fell behind 10-2 and missed its first 15 3-pointers. Florida battled back and led 30-22 at halftime.

In the second half Florida used a full-court press to wear down a Virginia squad that has battled depth and injury issues all season.

The Gators shot 69.6 percent after intermission.

“I think (the press) had a huge affect on the game,” Florida guard Erving Walker said. “We were struggling to score a little bit in the beginning and I think that opened things up and put us into an offensive rhythm.”

Florida was held to a season-low four 3-pointers against Virginia, but the Gators more than made up for that inside the arc.

Donovan’s squad was 24-for-30 from 2-point range. That’s 80 percent -- it’s best effort in 47 NCAA tournament games.

Bradley Beal also had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Florida while Patric Young added 13 points. But the story of the day was Prather, who hopes Friday’s performance was the beginning of something special.

“I felt like if I kept working at it in practice and in individual instruction with the coaches that my time would come,” Prather said. “I guess tonight was a good time for that to happen.”

OMAHA -- Quick thoughts from Florida's 71-45 victory over Virginia Friday at the CenturyLink Center.

Overview: Florida advanced to the round of 32 of the NCAA tournament, but the Gators probably didn't throw much of a scare into their future opponent. At least not in the first half.

With the Missouri Tigers watching from the crowd, the Gators missed their first 15 3-point attempts before finding their groove in a 26-point dismantling of Virginia. As lackluster as Billy Donovan's squad was in the first half, Florida caught fire in the second. The Gators shot 69.6 percent after intermission in what turned out to be one of the more lopsided games in the NCAA tournament thus far.

Florida's performance was good enough to get past an injury-riddled, overmatched Cavaliers squad that hadn't defeated a high-quality team since beating Michigan on Nov. 29. But Donovan knows it will take a much better effort to get past No. 2 seed Missouri if the Tigers advance as expected by beating No. 15 Norfolk State.

Casey Prather and Bradley Beal had 14 points each for No. 7 Florida while Patric Young added 13. Virginia senior forward Mike Scott, an All-ACC performer, had 15 points in his final game as a collegian.

Turning point: Virginia opened the game on 10-2 scoring run, but not much went right for Cavaliers after that. Florida went on a 28-12 tear that resulted in a 30-22 halftime lead. It was never close in the second half.

Key player: Beal chipped in 11 rebounds to go along with his 14 points -- an impressive total for a guard.

Key stat: Florida and Virginia combined to miss their first 20 3-point attempts before Gators guard Scottie Wilbekin finally connected from beyond the arc late in the opening half. The teams were a collective 1-for-22 on 3-pointers before intermission.

Miscellaneous: Virginia was making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2007. ... Tony Bennett's father, Dick Bennett -- the former Wisconsin head coach -- was in the stands Friday to support his son. ... Florida is now 26-9 in NCAA tournament games under Billy Donovan. ... The Gators advanced to the Elite Eight last season. ... Florida had lost four of its past five games before Friday.

What's next: Florida improves to 24-10 and advances to play either Missouri or Norfolk State on Sunday. Virginia ends its season 22-9.

After a relatively mild third day of NCAA tournament action Thursday, does Friday promise more excitement? Close games? A buzzer-beater? Something?

Beggars can't be choosers, but we can be hopers. As we pray to the basketball gods for all the tournament has to offer, here's what you should keep an eye on as Friday unfolds.

Five best games:

No. 8 Creighton vs. No. 9 Alabama: Arguably the most intriguing stylistic clash in the entire round of 64, this one puts Creighton's all-offense attack up against one of the nation's most athletic and physical defensive teams. The Bluejays' offense and the Tide's defense both rank among the nation's 10 best per-possession in their respective categories, but the inverse is also true: Creighton's defense (ranked No. 180 in kenpom) and Alabama's offense (ranked No. 112) serve as each team's obvious weakness. It's unstoppable force/immovable object stuff, and it should be fascinating to watch.

No. 8 Memphis vs. No. 9 Saint Louis: It's not uncommon to see a team that looks considerably better than its NCAA tournament seed. It is uncommon to see two in the same second-round game, but that will be the case when the streaking Tigers and the defensively stalwart Billikens match up Friday. Both teams are ranked among kenpom.com's top 15 in overall adjusted efficiency. Memphis boasts a hyper-talented lineup led by forward Will Barton; Saint Louis has the benefit of Rick Majerus' tried-and-true defensive style and his strategic tournament superiority. If Saint Louis can keep Barton in check, and find a way to keep forward Tarik Black off the offensive glass (no easy feat, that), it may be able to hold off a Memphis team capable of a very deep run in this field.

No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 Texas: The Longhorns limped into the tournament, but as a team with talented guards -- like leading scorer J'Covan Brown and steady freshman Myck Kabongo -- and one that challenged the top teams in the Big 12 throughout the season (usually coming up just short), they represent a fantastic value as a No. 11 seed. Cincinnati forward Yancy Gates will have to take advantage of a favorable matchup with Clint Chapman in the post. If he doesn't, Texas has the chops to hang around in this game for 40 minutes -- and maybe even finish with a win.

No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Virginia: Before we crown Creighton-Alabama with the "most stylistically fascinating" superlative, let's reserve some consideration for Florida-Virginia. The Cavaliers play a drastically slow, packed-in defensive style. The Gators play a spread-out offense that relies primarily on 3-point shooting. Fortunately, they have the players for it, including guard Kenny Boynton, who has put together a quietly remarkable season launching the basketball from range. But Florida's lack of defense leaves it vulnerable if the shooters go cold, and UVa will look to take advantage on the other end.

No. 7 Saint Mary's vs. No. 10 Purdue: Though the Boilermakers would never admit it, they may have breathed a sigh of relief when they saw their second-round tournament matchup. Don't get me wrong: Saint Mary's is for real, an excellent offensive team led by the peerless point guard play of veteran Matthew Dellavedova. But the Gaels don't have much of an interior presence, which is the one personnel area in which the Boilermakers -- who rely on the guard play of Lewis Jackson, Ryne Smith and outside-in forward Robbie Hummel -- are legitimately vulnerable. Expect a lot of fluid motion offense, a lot of outside shots and a close, hard-fought game in Omaha.

No. 5 Temple vs. No. 12 South Florida: More stylistic clash potential! Take three! The Owls -- for years a grind-it-out defensive team under coach Fran Dunphy -- have flipped the script in 2012, morphing into a high-flying offensive juggernaut led by guards Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt. South Florida, on the other hand, looks a bit like Temple used to ... but even uglier and slower and practically impossible to score against.

Upset alert:

No. 1 Michigan State vs. No. 16 LIU Brooklyn: Just kidding! All due respect to the Blackbirds, it ain't happening. (Just had to make sure you will still paying attention is all.)

No. 3 Georgetown vs. No. 14 Belmont: If America has a favorite sleeper candidate this season -- other than VCU and the now-lamented Long Beach State 49ers -- it is Rick Byrd's Belmont team. The Bruins were a sleeper favorite last season, too, but they caught a bad matchup in the second round in Wisconsin. They're back with much the same team this season, and laptops love them; Belmont ranks No. 9 in LRMC, No. 23 overall in the kenpom.com rankings and No. 35 overall in the BPI. But they've got another tough matchup in Georgetown, which plays a stifling, lanky zone defense that makes everything difficult for its opponents. But if Scott Saunders and Mick Hedgepeth can handle Georgetown center Henry Sims, the Bruins are more than capable of knocking off the Hoyas -- and sticking around for a while, too.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Lehigh: Do I think this will happen? No. Duke has too much on the perimeter to be shut down by this Lehigh bunch. But could it? Sure. The Blue Devils beat a lot of good teams this season, which helped them to a No. 2 seed, but by per-possession efficiency standards Duke is easily the weakest of the No. 2 seeds. Lehigh, on the other hand, is not your typical No. 15 seed, and it has a secret weapon -- guard C.J. McCollum, one of the nation's most underrated scorers, who at the very least will give Duke's occasionally suspect guard defenders something to think about for all 40 minutes.

No. 2 Kansas vs. No. 15 Detroit: Speaking of deceptive 15-seeds, Detroit might be the most talented 15-seed in the history of the tournament. That's because guard Ray McCallum Jr. -- son of coach Ray McCallum Sr. -- turned down a host of elite programs to play for his dad two years ago, while transfer forward Eli Holman, a former Indiana prospect, patrols the middle with more athleticism than you usually see from Horizon League forwards. Kansas should win this game but the Titans have talent and they'll definitely give it a go.

No. 11 NC State vs. No. 6 San Diego State: San Diego State has achieved in remarkable fashion this season, relative to its talent, but will the run come to an end Friday? There's reason to think so: NC State enters the tournament playing the best basketball of its season (it dispatched Virginia and nearly took down UNC in the ACC tournament last weekend), and the young Wolfpack will be eager to prove they are already ready for the bright lights.

Players to watch:

Doug McDermott, Creighton: You know the deal by now: McDermott is at once one of the nation's most productive and most efficient scorers, and his twin abilities to turn on both shoulders in the post or step outside and knock down the 3 makes him a lethal offensive option. But he'll have to be extra-good Friday, as Alabama's JaMychal Green is one of the few defenders in the country able to guard McDermott both inside and out.

Tu Holloway, Xavier: It wasn't pretty, but Xavier made it to the tournament. Now what? This team is still talented, particularly on the perimeter, and if Holloway and running mate Mark Lyons can summon some of what led them to clutch comeback wins over Vanderbilt and Purdue before their brawl with Cincinnati, they could be an interesting out in the West region.

J'Covan Brown, Texas: Brown is always scoring. The question is whether he's getting his points efficiently, and whether the Longhorns' offense is conducive to scores in the flow of the offense. If they are, they can hang with Cincinnati.

Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure: In the Bonnies' A-10 title win over Xavier, Nicholson dropped 26 points, 14 rebounds and 8 -- yes, eight -- blocks. He's an NBA talent with the body to match. But will Nicholson be able to dominate the Seminoles' physical frontcourt? With Bernard James lined up across from him, this will the most difficult matchup Nicholson has seen all season.

Mike Scott, Virginia: If the Cavaliers are going to drop No. 7-seeded Florida in the second round Friday, they're going to have to get a massive effort from Scott, the dominant focal point of their slow, cautious offense. Scott has been hyper-efficient on the offensive end all season, but he could struggle against Florida forward Patric Young, one of the few big men in the nation with the athleticism and height to check Scott effectively. And if Scott doesn't score, UVa's chances are probably slim.

OMAHA, Neb. -- Here’s a quick rundown of what to look for in Friday’s afternoon games in Omaha.

No. 7 Florida (23-10) vs. No. 10 Virginia (22-9), 2:10 p.m. ET

Florida’s Billy Donovan and Virginia’s Tony Bennett may respect one another -- but when they run into each other during the offseason, it’s pretty obvious the coaches don’t compare notes.

While Bennett prefers a slower, muddier game with the score in the 60s, Donovan likes his teams to push the tempo and rack up as many points as possible. It’s a scenario that makes Friday’s Gators-Cavaliers clash one of the most intriguing matchups of the day.

“Our styles,” Virginia forward Mike Scott said, “are going to clash.”

That’s not all that separates these teams.

Florida -- which won the national title in 2006 and 2007 -- is making its 11th NCAA tournament appearance in the past 13 years. Virginia is in the field for the first time since 2007 and for only the fourth time in the past 16 years.

“Their players have all been here and done this before,” Bennett said. “Hopefully, [by] the first five minutes after the media timeout, we’ll have enough experience to play well.”

Even though Florida finished in a three-way tie for second in the SEC, the Gators’ season has been a bit of a disappointment. Donovan’s squad has defeated just four teams (Mississippi Valley State, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Florida State) in this year’s NCAA tournament. It enters Friday’s contest having dropped four of its past five games.

Still, with a lineup that features standout guards such as Bradley Beal, Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker -- as well as likely future NBA forward Patric Young -- Florida has enough talent to erupt at any time. But the Gators know that won’t be easy against a Virginia squad that has held all but two opponents to fewer than 70 points.

“This year we have seen every type of defense you can,” Boynton said. “With our offense, we can adjust to any type of defense.”

Even though it has a gaudy record, it’s not hard to understand why Virginia (22-9) received a No. 10 seed. Other than a Nov. 29 win against Michigan, the Cavaliers boast just one win against a team in this year’s NCAA tournament. That came in a 61-60 victory against NC State on Jan. 28.

Bennett’s squad is hoping to reverse that trend Friday.

“[Coach Bennett] just tells us it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” guard Sammy Zeglinski said. “We’ve been at the school five years. We’ve been waiting for this our whole career.”

Added Scott: “The celebrating is over. We’re here to work and win games.”

Players to watch:

Florida’s Brad Beal: One of the nation’s top freshmen, the 6-foot-3, 207-pound Beal averages 14.6 points and 6.5 rebounds. But he’s shooting just 32.9 percent from 3-point range.

Florida’s Patric Young: He’s still raw, but the 6-9, 247-pound sophomore has made tremendous strides in his first year as a starter. Young, who said Thursday he plans to return for his junior season, averages 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Virginia’s Mike Scott: The first-team All-ACC selection is one of the most efficient offensive players in the country. The forward averages 18.1 points on 56.2 percent shooting. He makes 80.1 percent of his free throws and snares 8.4 boards per game.

No. 2 Missouri (30-4) vs. No. 15 Norfolk State (25-9), 4:40 p.m. ET

They were denied a No. 1 seed, but the Missouri Tigers may be the top team in the NCAA tournament in terms of confidence.

While schools such as North Carolina, Kentucky, Syracuse, Duke and Kansas all suffered losses last week, Frank Haith’s squad demolished its competition at the Big 12 tournament and is a popular pick to reach the Final Four.

“This is a senior-laden team,” Haith said. “We have had opportunities to lose focus throughout the year, but this team has been determined and resilient. I anticipate us having great focus Friday afternoon.”

Missouri certainly can’t afford to look past Norfolk State.

The Spartans defeated a Drexel team that many felt should’ve been in this year’s NCAA tournament. And they lost to Marquette by only two points back on Nov. 21. Norfolk State will be hard-pressed to stop Missouri’s four-guard offense, but its players didn’t sound all that intimidated by it Thursday.

“Yes, we’re going against better players from a different conference,” senior Kyle O’Quinn said. “But it’s not something we haven’t seen before. We’re comfortable going into the game.”

Missouri has won its past four contests by an average of 17.5 points. The Tigers are making 50.4 percent of their field goals, a mark that ranks third in the nation. The figure is even more impressive considering Missouri uses a four-guard offense, which means more outside shots.

Five Missouri players are scoring in double figures, led by Marcus Denmon with 17.6 points per game.

“We are hoping that our length will pose problems for them,” Norfolk State coach Anthony Evans said. “They have four great guards. We can post up a little bit, but we think that Kyle is our best chance of creating mismatches against them. Hopefully, he can kick it out to our shooters to make shots.”

Players to watch:

Phil Pressey, Missouri: The Tigers point guard is the key to Missouri’s four-guard attack. He’s one of the fastest players in the country with the ball in his hands. Although he’s a pass-first guard, Pressey can score when he needs to. The defensive standout led the Big 12 in steals.

Ricardo Ratliffe, Missouri: The 6-8 senior shoots an eye-popping 69.8 percent from the field. The Tigers’ guards get most of the attention, but Ratliffe is averaging a respectable 13.9 points and 7.5 rebounds as the only big man in Missouri’s starting lineup.

Kyle O’Quinn, Norfolk State: The 6-10 senior averages 15.9 points and 10.4 rebounds. He’s scored in double figures in all but one game this season. He also averages 2.7 blocks.

The NCAA field of 68 is out and there are plenty of storylines. Let’s take a snapshot look at some of the most interesting nuggets that we compiled today.

On the seedings

• This is the fourth time Tom Izzo has had a team that is a No. 1 seed. The three previous times, he reached the Final Four (1999-2001). In all, Michigan State has been a No. 1 seed five times (also in 1990)
• This is the sixth time that Texas has been a double-digit seed in the men's basketball championship. Each of the previous five times, the Longhorns won at least one game in the NCAA tournament.

• This is the 1st time since 1992 that Connecticut has been seeded ninth or worse in the tournament (No. 9 seed in 1992). The Huskies had played in 14 tournaments since then seeded eighth or better.

Next Level

• Six of the top 12 teams in tempo (possessions per game) in the NCAA tournament are in the West Region. Brigham Young and Iona play in the first round. Seven teams that led their conference in transition points per game are in that region (Michigan State, Missouri, Marquette, Murray State, Memphis, and Iona).
• Creighton's matchup with Alabama in the Midwest Region will be a contrast between offensive and defensive efficiency. Creighton averages 117.8 points per 100 possessions, which is second in the nation, while Alabama allows 91.4 points per 100 possessions, which is second in the SEC and 16th in the nation.
• Virginia Commonwealth forces a turnover on 27.4 percent of its possessions and forces 17.9 turnovers per game this season, both of which are first in the nation. The Rams average 20.4 points per game off turnovers, which is identical to the number of points per game off turnovers that Syracuse scores this season. Syracuse is first among power six conference teams in points per game off turnovers.

• Florida averages 1.16 points per possession this season (tied for-fourth-highest in nation); Virginia allows 0.88 points per possession (second-lowest in nation).

Obscurity

• There are 31 states (and Washington DC) represented in the NCAA tournament. North Carolina has the most teams in the field (North Carolina, Duke, NC State, UNC-Asheville and Davidson). The state of Kentucky went 4-for-6 in getting teams into the field.
• Nashville and Cincinnati are the only two cities with a pair of NCAA tournament teams. Nashville has Belmont and Vanderbilt. Cincinnati has Xavier and the University of Cincinnati.
• The most common nickname in the tournament is Wildcats. It is represented by Kentucky, Kansas State, and Davidson. Also of note: Both teams nicknamed Gaels (Iona and Saint Mary’s) are in the field.

Snubs

• Washington became the first regular-season conference champion from a Power Six conference to not be selected to the NCAA tournament field. The Huskies 14 conference wins are the most of any Power Six team to miss the tournament since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
• Drexel and Oral Roberts each won 27 games, tied for the second-most by a team that didn’t make the tournament field, since it expanded to 64 teams, one behind Coastal Carolina (28 wins in 2010-11).
• Marshall had the best RPI for a team that didn’t make the NCAA tournament-- 43.

ATLANTA -- In a back-and-forth contest that left most players gasping for air as they walked off the court after the final buzzer, NC State proved to have the most endurance with a 67-64 win in the second round of the ACC tournament.

Both teams seemed to counter each other at every turn for most of the game. Baskets were traded between the two all the way to the end.

Free throws late and some tight defense around the perimeter kept NC State's lead intact.

Turning point: NC State kept its lead throughout the entire second half, but watched as Virginia slowly crept closer. It wasn't until C.J. Leslie grabbed a rebound from Virginia forward Mike Scott's missed hook shot with 37 seconds remaining that the Wolfpack had enough security to force the Cavs to foul.

Key player: Leslie's team-high 19 points and 14 rebounds made him the hardest-working player on the floor Friday. He was 5-for-5 from the floor in the first half. He also finished with 3 assists, 1 steal and 1 block.

Key stat: NC State didn't hurt itself by taking bad shots. The Wolfpack ended the game shooting 54 percent, hitting 27 of 50 shots.

Miscellaneous: When NC State won the 1983 ACC tournament in Atlanta, it did so by defeating Virginia 81-78 in the title game. ... Wolfpack forward Scott Wood has made a 3 in an ACC-best 29 consecutive games. He hit two Friday. ... Virginia entered the game with the ACC's No. 1 scoring defense (53.2), but NC State surpassed that mark with 7:35 remaining in the second half. ... NC State is 81-58 all time versus the Cavaliers. The Wolfpack also owns a 13-2 record against Virginia in the ACC tournament. ... A Virginia win would have put the Cavaliers in the ACC semifinals for the first time since 1995. They are on the longest semifinal drought in the conference.

What’s next: Virginia was all but locked into the NCAA tournament before Friday's game, so the Cavaliers' loss shouldn't keep them from dancing. With the win, NC State might have played its way right into the NCAA tournament. The Wolfpack were on the bubble heading into the ACC tournament, but back-to-back wins might be enough to send them to the Big Dance.

1. If Bruce Weber has coached his last game at Assembly Hall in Champaign then the Illini fans should find time to give him the praise he deserves for putting everything he had into the job. Weber won’t have to work after getting a $3.9 million buyout, but he could be a huge help to Chris Lowery at Southern Illinois if the Salukis can’t afford to push Lowery out in Carbondale. Weber’s ego is in check enough to help a friend, rather than think he’s too good for such a task.

2. Virginia should be safe, but it’s hard not to look at the Cavaliers and see a team that is in a tenuous situation. The Cavaliers couldn’t close out Florida State Thursday night at home as Ian Miller hit a 3-pointer with less than a second left. Virginia has lost four of six games and closes out at Maryland. Lose that game and fall in the first game of the ACC tournament and the Cavaliers may give the selection committee pause. The Cavaliers have had injuries yet again and are a tourney-worthy team for 38-39 minutes, but haven’t been able to close out the better teams in the ACC.

3. The C-USA/MWC merger needs teams and the first one on the list was going to be Temple, according to East Carolina athletic director Terry Holland. But the Owls, which would have likely been only a football member, are likely headed toward the Big East. The merger is about football, but Marshall and East Carolina desperately need a team in the Eastern Time Zone and the natural choice is Charlotte for all sports with the assumption that the startup football program can be ready to compete in the near future.

Ian Miller's 3-pointer at the buzzer lifts No. 22 Florida State past host Virginia.

One key player was ruled ineligible. At least one key team likely saw its at-large NCAA tournament hopes snuffed. And once again, it looks as if the ACC regular-season title will come down to the final Duke-North Carolina game, next weekend. This week’s attempt at the ACC power rankings:

1. Duke: The Blue Devils -- who already lost to Miami and Florida State at home this season -- had another close call at Cameron Indoor Stadium, needing overtime to beat Virginia Tech. But their win at FSU last week keeps them right where they want to be: in the hunt for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA and ACC tournaments.

2. North Carolina: ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi said last week the Tar Heels would need to win out to make a case for a top seed in the NCAA tournament. That push continues this week with their home finale against Maryland and a trip to Duke. When will point guard Kendall Marshall set the school record for assists in a season? Stay tuned.

3. Florida State: It was a rough week for the Seminoles. First they lost at home to Duke -- and likely lost their chance at the regular-season ACC title. Then they fell at Miami on Sunday. They’ll try to stop their slide at Virginia next.

4. Virginia: Saturday’s loss to the Tar Heels stung -- not just because of the physical game, myriad of whistles against the Cavs’ big guys or forward Mike Scott's ACC season-low six points. But also because Virginia has now lost three of its last five games.

5. Miami: The Hurricanes beat Florida State on Sunday without center Reggie Johnson, who was declared ineligible by the school after an investigation revealed members of his family took impermissible travel benefits from the former coaching staff. The victory enhanced the Hurricanes' NCAA résumé, but they’re going to need Johnson back to make a stronger push (and case).

6. Clemson: Andre Young's game-winning 3-pointer in overtime against NC State means the Tigers are now 2-8 in games decided by five or fewer points this season. They have now won four out of five games and pushed themselves to .500 in league play. But that still hasn’t made much of a dent in their triple-digit RPI.

7. NC State: Saturday’s overtime loss at Clemson was just the latest defeat to rip at the Wolfpack’s NCAA tournament hopes. An ACC tournament title would give them an automatic bid, but that now is probably the only way they get there after four straight defeats (Duke, Florida State, UNC and Clemson).

8. Maryland: After beating Miami at home last week, the Terps went on the road against a struggling Georgia Tech team and promptly lost. Coach Mark Turgeon summed up his team’s performance at Georgia Tech this way: “I thought we were growing up, but today showed we haven’t grown up all the way,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “We weren’t ready to play.”

9. Virginia Tech: “One or two more rolls went different this year, we’d be a whole different team,” senior guard Dorenzo Hudson told The Washington Post on Saturday after the Hokies lost another close one -- this time at Duke. Enough said.

10. Wake Forest: After Duke comes to town on Tuesday, the Deacs will finish the regular season with a winnable game in Atlanta. After prevailing in two of their last three games, they’d like to continue on a high note.

11. Georgia Tech: After managing only 37 points in a loss to Clemson, the Yellow Jackets beat Maryland by a bucket. “We're real happy,’’ guard Mfon Udofia said, according to The Associated Press. “I always tell the guys, 'Something's going to shake.'"

12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost 10 of 11 games. The positive: All of those freshmen will be sophomores next season.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – With 13.3 seconds left, North Carolina forward Tyler Zeller was not supposed to be an option. Actually, he said, he was the only Tar Heel on the court who wasn’t supposed to be an option.

The fact that he became the option – scoring on a driving, decisive, one-handed dunk to secure a bruising 54-51 victory at Virginia on Saturday – showed again why he might also be the option for ACC Player of the Year.

“Z,’’ UNC coach Roy Williams said after his team made only a third of its field goals, but prevailed at John Paul Jones Arena, “was huge for us.”

Against a team with limited tall players in the post, the 7-footer was, frankly, supposed to be. After all, he was the only Carolina starter who shot better than (or even close to) 50 percent the last time these two teams met (a UNC win in Chapel Hill on Feb. 11.)

And after making only 3 of his 7 shots Tuesday night during a win at NC State, Zeller seemed primed for an outburst here – especially with another ACC-Player-of-the-Year candidate, Virginia’s Mike Scott – on the court.

“This game, I think I was more aggressive [than Tuesday],’’ Zeller said. “Just finding a way to score.”

He used that attitude, and his size advantage, from the get-go, recording the seventh-ranked Tar Heels’ first 10 points en route to an 18-10 lead.

But even with Scott in foul trouble, Virginia used its hard-nosed, top-five defense to grind back, taking a 30-26 lead at halftime and going up by as much as 6 – 37-31 – in the second half.

“I thought we played pretty well through the night,’’ Cavaliers senior guard Sammy Zeglinski (11 points) said. “We played the game at our tempo. We battled, definitely.”

Indeed, with the Cavs putting extra pressure on Zeller (and the passing lanes to him), the senior seemed to disappear for a while, as fellow tall guy John Henson took up the slack by scoring 11 of his 15 points in the second half.

But in the final minutes, Zeller made his presence felt, again.

With 4:10 left – and his team getting better spacing because of a new offensive set – Zeller’s layup gave his team a 52-49 cushion.

After Virginia’s Jontel Evans (13 points) scored on a steal-and-layup with 3:09 left, and both teams traded misses on their next two possessions, Zeller stepped – well, leaped – up again, with the shot clock winding down.

Even though he was supposed to serve as a screener, not a scorer.

Explained point guard Kendall Marshall, who assisted Zeller on the pivotal play: “I had a wing guarding me, and I beat him; I was pretty excited, I thought I was going to go get a layup. But of course, as great as a defensive team as they are, a big man stepped up. Z was on the wing, and I thought if I threw it to him, he’d get a shot off.”

He did more than that. Zeller caught the ball near the right foul line elbow, shot-faked to get around Cavs forward Akil Mitchell, and drove to the basket.

“Mike Scott was there, so I just had to go up strong as possible in case he jumped with me,’’ Zeller said.

Slam.

“He made a very tough move – to be able to pump-fake like that, take one dribble, and finish at the rim, with authority, as a 7-footer, that’s pretty impressive,’’ Marshall said.

And in a Williams-described “tough-ass game” where there weren’t a whole lot of impressive numbers, Zeller stood out. He made 7 of his 11 shots for 20 points, while the rest of his team was 10-for-40. (UNC’s 17 field goals were its fewest in a victory under Williams).

Scott finished 3-for-13 with a season-low 6 points. UNC’s Harrison Barnes, another ACC Player-of-the-Year candidate, was 3-for-15 with 7 points and 9 rebounds, and Marshall finished with 1 point and 6 assists.

Zeller also recorded 6 rebounds in 31 minutes. Not a bad outing for a player who didn't even know he was in the league POY discussion until last weekend.

“He made tough shots and he's making really good plays,'' Virginia guard Joe Harris (12 points) said, "and that's what really good players do."

That’s what ACC Players of the Year do.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Maybe all the buzz -- or the Chuck Norris comparisons --went to Mike Scott's head. In discussions of the potential ACC Player of the Year, Scott's name has repeatedly surfaced, with supporters pointing out his all-around statistical dominance as well as his singular performances.

Another name in that contest? UNC's Tyler Zeller.

Zeller entered the afternoon ranked in the ACC's top 10 in points per game, rebounds per game, blocks per game and field goal percentage. Against the Cavs, he led all scorers with 20 points, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line, in UNC's 54-51 victory. He also grabbed 6 rebounds.

Scott, who played only 22 minutes because of foul trouble, came into the game as the ACC's active leader in points (1,431) and rebounds (900). He started Saturday ranked among the ACC's top six players in scoring (third), rebounding (sixth), field goal percentage (first) and defensive rebounds.

But on Saturday, Scott managed only a season-low 6 points and 7 rebounds. He started the game 0-for-4 and missed several wide-open jumpers.

What happened?

“I don't know, I just couldn't buy a basket,” Scott said. “I know normally I can make half of those [shots], so I just don't know what it was.”

Scott was in foul trouble early, notching two quick fouls in the first half and sitting with close to 10 minutes remaining. In the second half, he found a brief offensive spark, making two of the Cavaliers' first three baskets. But a foul call at the 16:01 mark put him back on the bench, where he sat for three minutes.

“That felt pretty good, felt like my normal self [making those two shots] and then I just picked up that foul,” Scott said.

Coming back in to the game at the 12:30 mark after Virginia's Akil Mitchell was tagged for his fourth foul, Scott matched up against John Henson at the 12:00 mark under Carolina's basket. After a missed James Michael McAdoo shot, both Scott and Henson went for the ball. Henson recoiled backward and the whistle blew. The call was a foul on Scott, his fourth, sending him back to the bench again. Virginia fans yelled high-decibel level boos toward the referees, venting their anger for several minutes afterward and chanting “Hen-son sucks,” several minutes later as he lined up at the free throw line.

Asked the key to stopping Scott, Henson said, “Get him in foul trouble -- you're not going to be that successful at stopping him offensively since he's such a good offensive player -- probably one of the best offensive big men in the ACC and the country.”

And what about that crucial fourth foul call?

“Oh yeah, I was hit, right there, you know you can go back to the tape or whatever, but it's kind of one of those things where I knew Scott would be going after the ball and he kind of elbow-checked me out there and so, you know, they called the foul,” Henson said. And maybe he gave it a bit of an acting job? “I might've given a little motion,” Henson said with a smile.

Scott didn't feel quite as positive when asked about the play. “I thought I boxed him out, so ...” Scott said. When asked if Henson might've given the play an acting job, Scott added, “I guess I was a little bit too aggressive … I didn't know I was that strong.”

Scott said when the whistle blew, he initially wasn't sure what the call was and thought that maybe he'd stepped out of bounds [rather than been called for a foul]. Still, overall, he said of his day's performance, “I kind of took myself out of the game by getting into foul trouble.”

UNC coach Roy Williams didn't think there was any question over the call, describing it in the postgame press conference: “He [Henson] whipped back because there was an elbow in his face. They went back and looked at it because they were trying to decide if it was something else. I don’t think that John’s that good of an actor, and his face doesn’t run into too many elbows. I’m not saying it was flagrant or anything, but it was a foul. And I don’t think there’s anything to drawing a foul there; you don’t want to draw a foul with your face in somebody’s elbow. That’s not very pleasant.”

While the game stayed close particularly in the second half, with Virginia slowing down many of the Heels' dominant scorers, they still couldn't stop Zeller. His team-leading performance mirrored two weeks ago in Chapel Hill, when he lead all Carolina scorers with 25 points in the win over UVa (in that game, Scott led all Virginia scorers with 18 points).

Cavaliers sophomore Joe Harris admitted it was difficult for Virginia to watch Scott struggle offensively. “He's a great all-around player and it's tough because sometimes we rely on Mike to score the basketball when other guys get a little cold,” he said. “And then him getting into foul trouble, which I felt like took him a little bit out of his rhythm.”

Still, Harris said that the uncharacteristic performance by Scott wouldn't hamper the senior's mentality in Virginia's matchup Thursday against Florida State. “I feel like Mike -- I don't think he ever really loses his confidence regardless of if he's missing shots,” Harris said.

But Scott's shot at the ACC player-of-the-year title took a hit, while Zeller keeps on rolling.

At this point in the season, college hoops' biggest games come in two different sizes. There are: 1) genuinely big games and 2) genuinely big bubble games.

We had a smattering of both categories this afternoon. We'll cover all of the evening action later Saturday night, but let's dig into what we've seen so far:

No. 4 Kansas 87, No. 3 Missouri 86: If these two teams don't meet in the Big 12 tournament -- and let's all pray to the basketball gods that they do -- well, at least we'll always have Feb. 25, 2012, the day a century-old rivalry served up an absolute classic.

Have we seen a better, more important, more frenzied game this season? In the past five years? Sure, UNC-Kentucky and Duke-UNC were great, but there wasn't anywhere near as much on the line. The putative end of a rivalry. Missouri's impending move to the SEC. The increased tension and finger-pointing therein. The Big 12 regular-season title, and KU's eight-year streak at the top of the league, and Mizzou's last, best chance to do something about it. This was always going to be a good game. But it delivered so much more: A brilliant offensive night from Missouri, an incredible second-half comeback by Kansas,* huge plays down the stretch from both teams, an overtime fraught with tension, an insane atmosphere. Kansas 87, Missouri 86 lacked for nothing. We got it all.

Judging by my Twitter feed -- which may or may not be a representative sample of all of America (OK, it isn't) -- you were probably watching this game, so there's little need to recap it minute by minute. (Plus, our own Jason King has you covered, and he'll have more from Allen Fieldhouse to come.) Instead, let's take a moment to review the state of the national player of the year race, in which Thomas Robinson remains very much a factor. Anthony Davis (as you'll see just below) has crept closer and closer to Robinson in recent weeks, and rightfully so: Davis' game-changing talents are the main reason Kentucky is so difficult to beat. But Robinson isn't ceding to the freshman without a fight. His performance today -- Robinson posted 28 points and 12 rebounds -- was a dose of mastery at the season's most important time. Even within the game, Robinson was the hero: His game-tying three-point play gave Kansas the tie in regulation, and his subsequent block of a streaking Flip Pressey with just four seconds remaining pushed the game to overtime. Whenever Kansas needed a big play, Robinson gave it to them.

Let the player of the year arguments rage on. If you can pick one player over the other, more power to you. Because I certainly can't.

In any case, I'm going to go watch the replay of this game. More than once, probably. When the college hoops gods serve up something this good, you can't discard it after one use. Whatever happens to the Kansas-Mizzou rivalry now, regardless of the Big 12 tournament, we'll always have this. Thank you, hoops gods. We love you, too.

*Which, by the way, tied the record for the biggest home comeback in Kansas history. KU recovered from a 19-point home deficit Dec. 2, 1995 against UCLA, but that started in the first half. Big game, but nothing like this. Crazy.

No. 1 Kentucky 83, Vanderbilt 74: Vandy coach Kevin Stallings isn't the type to revel in moral victories, but even so, it would be hard for him to walk away from today's loss at Kentucky and not feel pretty good about his team. Kentucky, as you know, is a steamroller, an incredible collection of talent with a transformative defensive player in Anthony Davis and a coterie of first-round draft picks on the floor at any given time. But over the 80 minutes these two teams have played, Vanderbilt has come closest to legitimately challenging UK. There's a victory in there somewhere.

In any case, newsflash: Kentucky is still really, really good. Another newsflash: So is Davis. His incredible line -- 28 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks, and a 10-of-11 mark from the field -- pretty much says it all. (According to ESPN Stats and Information, Davis' 10-of-11 night gave him the highest field goal percentage of any Kentucky player against an SEC opponent in the past 15 seasons. We're running out of adjectives to describe this guy.)

No. 7 North Carolina 54, Virginia 51: Lost in the hubbub of Missouri-Kentucky was this rather excellent game in Charlottesville, in which the Cavaliers executed their gameplan to precision. This team thrives in slow-paced affairs -- its adjusted tempo of 60.4 possessions per game is the eighth-slowest in the country -- and keeping this game in that range was Virginia's only hope of containing UNC's balanced, talented and typically uptempo offensive attack. That much went well. Virginia made every possession an important one. But having done so, the Cavaliers couldn't get the crucial stops and buckets they needed when the game tightened even further in the final minutes.

With 13.3 seconds remaining, Tyler Zeller headfaked Akil Mitchell and got all the way to the rim for a game-defining dunk. Virginia fans will be upset with the referees in this one; there's no question Mike Scott's foul changed the game, to say nothing of the issues it caused him defensively, with no fouls to spare down the stretch. Scott missed large portions of the game due to foul trouble, which included a very questionable fourth foul on John Henson, as our Robbi Pickeral recounted in her Rapid Reaction. But UVa had chances to win this one, to hold the Tar Heels back. It just couldn't quite get there.

Bubble Specials

Iowa State 65, Kansas State 61: Before today, there was a good chance the Cyclones were going to make the NCAA tournament. They had built their resume in solid but unspectacular fashion in recent weeks, avoiding (for the most part) the kind of bad losses that could introduce some doubt into the process. With the closing troika of Kansas State (away), Missouri (away) and Baylor (home), the Cyclones could potentially have closed with an 0-3 mark and still gotten in. There wasn't a bad loss to be had.

But forget all that now: With this road win, the Cyclones are in. Kansas State had sealed its fate last week with back-to-back road wins over Baylor and Missouri. Iowa State's ability to overcome a tough, grooving defensive team on the road, to ride a scorching-hot Scott Cristopherson's 29 points (on 10-of-13 from the field and 5-of-5 from 3), to hold on to the win in the final moments, was all very impressive, the kind of thing that distinguishes you from the score of shaky bubble squads in the mix. There's no chance Iowa State misses the tournament now. Fred Hoiberg's team just killed the suspense.

Ole Miss 72, LSU 48: LSU's bubble chances were always slim, but they might officially be over now. A loss at Ole Miss isn't a killer if you have an otherwise strong profile. LSU doesn't. Even worse, though, is that the Tigers weren't competitive. They never held a lead in this game, trailed 34-24 at halftime, and flailed throughout the second half en route to the rout. In the process, they shot 4-of-23 from 3 and 18-of-58 overall. A loss of any kind at Ole Miss may have pushed LSU's fringe bubble candidacy back too low along the S-Curve for the Tigers to be considered a legitimate contender, but a loss this bad definitely does.

Arizona 65, UCLA 63: What a game for Arizona's seniors. In their final home game against their program's chief existential rival, Kyle Fogg and Jesse Perry combined for 36 points -- 28 of which came in the second half -- on the way to an ugly but well-deserved two-point win. As emotionally big as this victory no doubt was, it is even bigger for Fogg's, Perry's and the rest of the Wildcats' chances at making it to the NCAA tournament. A loss here would have been an ill-advised move in the wrong direction, as Arizona's profile -- like much of the Pac-12's -- includes only one top-50 RPI win. Those lack of top-end wins puts everything in jeopardy for squads like Washington and Arizona, who have been among their conference's best teams even as the rest of the college hoops world puzzles over just how bad the league really is. Nothing is guaranteed for anyone in the Pac-12. This win, expected though it may have been, is huge.

Memphis 87, Marshall 67: The Tigers' at-large chances have long been boosted by their nonconference schedule, which was among the best (read: most difficult) in the country in November and December. The Maui Invitational was just that good. But the Tigers weren't necessarily all the way safe; another loss or two like last week's home defeat to UTEP could have spelled some bubble trouble down the stretch. But after today's dominant win at Marshall -- which included some scuffling and squaring up, as well as what appeared to be some discord on the Memphis sideline -- the Tigers are in really strong shape. In fact, between these two, Marshall needed this game more. The Thundering Herd's rather quiet at-large credentials were worth noting this week. They weren't in the field by any means, but they had their chances to get there. This was one of those chances. Marshall failed to take advantage -- and emphatically so.

Clemson 72, NC State 69: In the past two weeks, NC State has had three shots at big wins. It let one slip in dramatic, mind-boggling fashion at Duke. It couldn't hang with Florida State or North Carolina. Those missed opportunities made today's road trip to Clemson a must. The Wolfpack entered Saturday right on the bubble, with a razor-thin difference between in or out status, and almost no margin for bad-loss error. But a bad loss is exactly what they got. Clemson's RPI isn't as bad as it once was -- the Tigers have steadily improved in ACC play -- but the committee will still see this as a loss to a sub-100 RPI (in Clemson's case, sub-140) and a fourth straight defeat at the season's most important time. With just a few games remaining, and no chances to notch a marquee win in the mix, NC State's fans may be destined to watch their team miss the tournament for yet another year. The future is bright under Mark Gottfried, but the present remains frustrating.

Rhode Island 64, Saint Louis 62: Look up the phrase "bad loss" in the Official Unabridged Bubble Watch dictionary, and you're sure to see "at Rhode Island" at or near the top of the list. Saint Louis' profile -- a sound but hardly exciting ledger with a top-25 RPI but no top-50 wins -- now looks much shakier as a result of this loss. The Rams' RPI is in the high 200s; they entered Saturday with a horrid 5-23 record and 11 losses in their past 13 games. That changed when Billy Baron, son of Rams coach Jim Baron, made the game winner with just four seconds remaining, giving the Rams their best win of the season and putting SLU's at-large chances under much greater scrutiny. The Billikens aren't going to fall out of the bracket thanks to one awful loss, but if these struggles continue (Xavier and at Duquesne are up next), that outcome is hardly out of the question.

Drexel 73, Old Dominion 72: Even with an imbalanced CAA schedule (which gave them just one game apiece vs. VCU and George Mason, both at home) the Dragons' streak of 22 wins in 23 games was impressive and worthy of bubble consideration. But the Dragons are still, like VCU and Mason and most of the CAA, hampered in many ways by their conference's lack of quality non-league wins, not to mention big RPI numbers and bigger nonconference strength of schedule figures. In other words, to stay in the at-large hunt, Drexel had to win on the road at ODU today. It did. When you win 23 of your final 24 regular-season games, you have to be in the tourney picture. But if Drexel's computer numbers stay this ugly, will the committee be impressed? Will three sub-150 losses (including Nov. 18's neutral-court loss to Norfolk State) doom the Dragons? This will be one of the more interesting questions the committee tackles in the hours leading up to the final bracket reveal.

Let’s get you "warmed up" for the College GameDay road show (live on Saturday from Storrs, Conn., at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN) by taking a look at some notes and nuggets from our college hoops advanced stats research team (a group we call the "Stats in the Paint" team).

(2) Syracuse at Connecticut, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

When Syracuse has the ball: Watch for the Orange to take advantage of turnovers. Syracuse scores 21.4 points per game off turnovers this season, which leads all major-conference schools. The Orange score 1.24 points for every turnover that their opponents commit, which is the most among major-conference schools. Their percentage of points off turnovers also leads among Big Six teams this season.

When Connecticut has the ball: Which Huskies team will show up? Connecticut is shooting 60.0 percent in transition in its seven Big East wins this season and 46.2 percent in its eight conference losses.

Jeremy Lamb is shooting 49.5 percent against man defense in Big East play and 36.5 percent against zone defense. Lamb will have to deal with a Syracuse zone defense that's tops in the nation forcing 12.0 turnovers per game and is fifth in opponents' field goal percentage at 35.0.

Saturday’s Other Notable Matchups

Vanderbilt at (1) Kentucky, Noon ET

Key stat: Kentucky's Anthony Davis has 133 blocks and is averaging 4.8 blocks per game this season, both of which lead the nation. Davis has kept 99 of his 133 blocks inbounds this season, leading to 72 Kentucky points. He also has 81 dunks this season, more than the rest of the Kentucky team combined (61). The Wildcats are also seeking their 51st straight win at home.

(3) Missouri at (5) Kansas, 4 p.m. ET

Key stat: Missouri is 8-1 this season in games decided by nine or fewer points while Kansas is 6-4. Kansas is 20-0 this season when it holds opponents to less than a point per possession; the Jayhawks are 3-5 when they don’t. Kansas allowed a season-high 1.10 points per possession against Missouri on Feb. 4.

(7) North Carolina at Virginia, 4 p.m. ET on ESPN

Key stat: Virginia’s opponents average 60.7 possessions per game this season, the fourth fewest in the nation, but the Tar Heels average 73.2 possessions per game, ninth most in the country according to StatSheet.com. North Carolina has scored 543 points in transition this season, the fourth most in the nation. The Cavaliers trail only Ohio State when it comes to allowing the fewest points per 100 possessions this season.

Editor’s note: Jay Bilas breaks down Missouri-Kansas in today’s Weekend Watch. Andy Katz offers a dozen more games to keep an eye on this weekend.

Friday

Marquette at West Virginia (9 ET, ESPN): West Virginia has to win this game, right? The Mountaineers have lost six of their past eight games. The only wins were over lower-level teams (Providence and Pitt) on the road. Marquette has been on a tear of late and may have the Big East Player of the Year in Jae Crowder or Darius Johnson-Odom.

Saturday

Vanderbilt at Kentucky (noon ET, CBS): Kentucky has three games left to finish off an undefeated SEC regular season. No offense to Georgia, but the Cats should take care of the Bulldogs. If UK takes out Vandy, the only obstacle left is a game at Florida to end the regular season. If Kentucky can accomplish an unblemished mark, it would go down as one of the most impressive regular seasons in coach John Calipari’s career.

Iowa State at Kansas State (1:30 ET, ESPN3): Wins at Baylor and Missouri have changed the complexion of Kansas State’s season. The Wildcats have finally finished games by playing smart in the final possessions. Iowa State has a tough slate to finish the season with games at K-State and Missouri and then hosting Baylor. Not an easy road for a team that wants to wrap up an at-large bid.

North Carolina at Virginia (4 ET, ESPN): UVa has had injury issues and hasn’t been able to find consistency against the league’s elite (Duke and North Carolina). But the Cavs have a shot to re-establish themselves. This could turn into an ACC Player of the Year-type game as Tyler Zeller of the Tar Heels matches up with Mike Scott of the Cavs. UVa must ensure that it controls the tempo to have a chance.

Mississippi State at Alabama (6 ET, ESPN): Mississippi State has stumbled down the stretch and has no momentum going into the SEC tournament. The Bulldogs have lost to the bottom of the SEC and now to Kentucky at the top. Meanwhile, Alabama has done a tremendous job, despite player suspensions, to be in the hunt for an NCAA tournament berth. The win at Arkansas was one of the more impressive for the Tide this season.

George Mason at VCU (6 ET, ESPN2): George Mason was going to be in position to possibly catch Drexel and win the conference. But an overtime loss at Northeastern has pushed the Patriots into a second-place tie with VCU. The winner will get the No. 2 seed in the CAA tournament and potentially set up for a final matchup against Drexel.

Temple at Saint Joseph’s (7 ET, ESPNU): Temple has emerged as the class of the A-10. St. Joe’s had some fleeting hopes of getting a bid, but the Hawks lost at home to Richmond and scored only 49 points in the process. This is now a must-win for them. This is a huge rivalry game but the toughness of the Owls should prevail.

Penn at Harvard (7 ET, ESPN3): If Harvard gets by Princeton on Friday night, a win against Penn could give the Crimson a share of the Ivy League title and a chance to clinch it outright the following Friday at Columbia. Harvard is trying to get to the NCAAs for the first time since 1946.

Syracuse at Connecticut (9 ET, ESPN): The Huskies have new life after Shabazz Napier’s 3-point heave went in to beat Villanova on Monday night. The Orange have been as good, if not better, on the road than at home -- other than at Notre Dame. Syracuse should dominate the bench scoring. The Huskies have a chance if Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi can win the post, and Napier and Ryan Boatright can get into the zone with floaters to score. UConn is in desperate mode to get this win.

Sunday

Wisconsin at Ohio State (4 ET, CBS): The Badgers lost at Iowa on Thursday night and now have to go to Ohio State? Yikes. Iowa let Wisconsin back in the game, but then the Badgers couldn’t finish and lost by one. OSU, save the game against Michigan State, has been as dominant at home as any team in the country. The Badgers have to find a way to score and avoid the droughts that can decimate their chances of pulling off an upset like this one.

California at Colorado (5:30 ET, FSN): Colorado had a chance to make some noise down the stretch in the Pac-12, but losing at home to Stanford took some of the energy out of this game. The Buffaloes had overachieved to that point. Cal needs to get a sweep of the mountain area to win the Pac-12 regular-season title, assuming Washington doesn’t stumble.

Florida State at Miami (6 ET, ESPNU): The Seminoles lost their shot to win the ACC regular-season title by dropping a home game to Duke. Miami desperately needs this game to prove to the selection committee that it is tourney-worthy. This game will have ACC tournament seeding implications as well.

1. The comebacks from Duke and Florida State weren’t both epic Thursday night. But they were indications that these two teams can’t be put down easily. North Carolina had a golden opportunity to assume the role as clear favorite for the ACC title. Instead, Duke and Florida State will take this down to the final weekend. Duke already proved with the Austin Rivers shot at North Carolina that it had a big shot-maker. But Michael Snaer’s second game-winner (Duke and now Virginia Tech) gives the Seminoles someone to lean on late. These were two games that could have raised red flags about both teams. Instead, they may be the omens needed to buy Duke and Florida State advancing to the second weekend.

2. Draymond Green’s 20-and 10-evening for Michigan State in the win over Wisconsin should wake up any Big Ten player-of-the-year voters. Going with Green over Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger for the conference’s top player isn’t a reach. If the Spartans beat OSU in East Lansing in the March 4 season finale and end up winning the conference, Green should get the honor. That would be quite an upset (and as a result put him on the All-America first team?).

3. Virginia coach Tony Bennett said he’s not sure Assane Sene will come back this season from a fractured ankle. Sene suffered the injury on Jan. 19, the night the Cavs moved to 15-2. They are 4-4 since losing the big man. Bennett said guard Joe Harris' hand injury might take four to six weeks to fully heal, so he has to protect it with padding until then, and should start to feel better as the swelling and soreness subside over the next week. The Cavs host North Carolina and Florida State on Feb. 25 and March 1, respectively, two crucial games for a potential NCAA bid.