Miami gave their NCAA chances a huge boost with its win at Duke.
LEADING OFF
With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror, college basketball moves to center as March Madness looms just a month away. There's plenty to still be determined between now and Selection Sunday. Fittingly there are great games this week, particulatrly on Wednesday.
GAMES OF THE DAY: MONDAY: UConn at Louisville, 7 - The Huskies need wins to stay in the NCAA Tournament picture.
TUESDAY: Florida at Kentucky - Florida doesn't get talked about much as an NCAA Tournament contender. If they win Tuesday they will.
WEDNESDAY: Best night of college hoops so far this season Duke at North Carolina, 9 p.m. - Nuf ced. Kansas at Baylor, 7 p.m. -Could two Big 12 teams make the Final Four. These two would be candidates Georgetown at Syracuse, 7- Georgetown is lurking. Are the Hoyas a second weekend NCAA team?
THURSDAY: St. Mary's at Gonzaga, 11 - The Gaels whipped the Zags earlier. Gonzaga hunting for redemption Tennessee State at Murray State - The Racers don't play too many teams with winning records. This is one of them.
FRIDAY: Harvard at Penn, 7 -The Crimson would make themselves hard to catch with a win.
SATURDAY: Michigan State at Ohio State, 6- The next in a long line of great Big Ten games this season Baylor at Missouri, 1:30 - Back end of a challenging week for the Bears Virginia at North Carolina, 1 - San Diego State at UNLV, 4- The Mountain West is top heavy and both of these schools are in position to make an NCAA run.
SUNDAY: Stony Brook at Vermont, noon - Could be a preview of America East championship
UNDEFEATED: Murray State
WINLESS: Binghamton
UMASS PATH TO POSTSEASON
With projected results (W,L, or ?) are based on Jeff Sagarin's predictor from RPI forcast.com
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins. Currently: 17-6
LOSSES: FSU, Charleston, Miami, La Salle, Duquesne, URI
BEST POTENTIAL RECORD HEADING INTO A-10: 24-6
WORST POTENTIAL RECORD HEADING INTO A-10: 17-13
Date - Opponent - (Expected according to Jeff Sagarin's Predictor. A ? is anything game where UMass is given a 40-60 percent chance of winning) Feb. 8 vs. St. Bonaventure, (W) Feb. 11 at Saint Joseph’s, (L) Feb. 18 vs. La Salle, (?) Feb. 21 vs. Xavier, (?) Feb. 25 at Dayton, (L) Feb. 29 at Temple, (L) Mar. 3 vs. Rhode Island, (W)
Prognosis: Two projected (W) wins . Three projected (L) and two (?). A winning season has been clinched already. One maybe two more probably assures CBI or CIT. Three wins I think gets UMass to at least the NIT.
Question I don't know the answer to: Could UConn miss the NCAA Tournament a year after winning it?
Fearless predictions: UNC over Duke. Missouri over Baylor.
BUZZER BEATERS
I'm starting to think this might be Calipari's year.
Craziest Atlantic 10 season ever? Maybe. In the same season that Dayton beats Xavier at Dayton, previously winless Rhode Island upsets the Flyers there. Xavier, Dayton and Temple were the league's favorites to make the NCAA Tournament, but La Salle, St. Bonaventure and UMass are in first place. It could be a crazy last few weeks.
GAMES OF THE DAY: MONDAY: Princeton at Penn -Not a great slate today and this is always a good one.
TUESDAY: Kansas State at Iowa State - Is there a scarier place to for ranked teams to play than Iowa State?
WEDNESDAY: Indiana at Michigan -
THURSDAY: SE Missouri at Murray State - One of the few teams above .500 that the Racers will play the rest of the year. FRIDAY: - I got nothing
SATURDAY: Kansas at Missouri - With the Tigers leaving the Big 12, this rivalr's future is in jeopardy. This could be a classic. Virginia at Florida State, Marquette at Notre Dame
SUNDAY: - Michigan at Michigan State -A nice appetizer before the Super Bowl.
UNDEFEATED: Murray State
WINLESS: Binghamton
UMASS PATH TO POSTSEASON
With projected results (W,L, or ?) are based on Jeff Sagarin's predictor from RPI forcast.com
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins. Currently: 16-5
LOSSES: FSU, Charleston, Miami, La Salle, Duquesne
Date - Opponent - (Expected according to Jeff Sagarin's Predictor. A ? is anything game where UMass is given a 40-60 percent chance of winning) Feb. 1 at Rhode Island, (W) Feb. 4 at George Washington, (W) Feb. 8 vs. St. Bonaventure, (W) Feb. 11 at Saint Joseph’s, (L) Feb. 18 vs. La Salle, (?) Feb. 21 vs. Xavier, (?) Feb. 25 at Dayton, (L) Feb. 29 at Temple, (L) Mar. 3 vs. Rhode Island, (W)
Prognosis: Four projected (W) wins . Three projected (L) and two (?). A winning season has been clinched already. One maybe two more probably assures CBI or CIT. Four wins I think gets UMass to at least the NIT.
Question I don't know the answer to:How good is UConn? Notre Dame?
LEADING OFF It's worth noting that a lot of times media outlets list coaches being on the hot seat because there always have to be some coaches on the hot seat. But that said former UMass coach Travis Ford is starting to land on a lot of those lists as Oklahoma State has underacheived this season. I have a hard time believing he'd get fired, but you never know. His recruiting struggles aren't helping.
That jacket however should certainly be on the hot seat.
UMASS PATH TO POSTSEASON
With projected results (W,L, or ?) are based on Jeff Sagarin's predictor from RPI forcast.com
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins. Currently: 14-4
Date - Opponent - (Expected according to Jeff Sagarin's Predictor. A ? is anything game where UMass is given a 40-60 percent chance of winning) Jan. 18 at Duquesne , (?) Jan. 21 at Richmond, (L) Jan. 28 vs. Saint Louis, (L) Feb. 1 at Rhode Island, (W) Feb. 4 at George Washington, (W) Feb. 8 vs. St. Bonaventure, (W) Feb. 11 at Saint Joseph’s, (L) Feb. 18 vs. La Salle, (?) Feb. 21 vs. Xavier, (?) Feb. 25 at Dayton, (L) Feb. 29 at Temple, (L) Mar. 3 vs. Rhode Island, (W)
Prognosis: One current win. Four projected (W) wins . Five projected (L) and three (?). Two wins clinches a winning season. Three probably assures CBI or CIT. Six wins I think gets UMass to at least the NIT.
GAMES OF THE DAY: MONDAY: No. 4 Baylor at No. 10 Kansas, 9:30 p.m. - Best Big 12 games of the season. TUESDAY: - No. 7 Michigan State at No. 13 Michigan, 7 - It's been a long time since this game was this good WEDNESDAY: - San Diego State at New Mexico - The Lobos are legitimate. Winning here would prove it. THURSDAY: - Vandy at Alabama, 7 - FRIDAY: - Ugh nothing SATURDAY: - No. 9 Missouri at No. 4 Baylor, New Mexico at No. 12 UNLV SUNDAY: - Virginia Tech at Virginia
UNDEFEATED: Syracuse, Baylor, Murray State
WINLESS: Binghamton, Towson
Question I don't know the answer to: What would UMass' record have to be in the Atlantic 10 to get NCAA consideration?
BUZZER BEATERS How much of a lift can Jarnell Stokes give Tennessee. The freshman looks pretty promising so far and the Vols could sure use the help.
Here's hoping that the Carrier Classic becomes an annual event..
LEADING OFF
The start of college basketball increases my heart rate in any year, but I'm particularly enthusiastic for this year. I don't root against the NBA, but its lockout puts college hoops front and center. There's a lot of good teams and interesting players. On top of that I think UMass will be at least a little better, which makes my job more interesting. So here's Week Guide No. 1.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 1-0 WINS: Elon
LOSSES:
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Tonight vs. Northeastern (W)- I think so anyway. NU was good against BU.
Thursday vs. NJIT, (W) - NJIT is nobody's idea of a tough opponents
Monday at Boston College (L) I'm not sold on the Eagles, but its been a long time since UMass beat a big six conference team.
Battle 4 Atlantis – Imperial Arena (Paradise Island, Bahamas) Nov. 24 vs. Florida State 4:30 p.m. (L) - FSU is better than BC Nov. 25 vs. Harvard/Utah, TBA (?) Until there's an actual opponent
Nov. 26 at Battle for Atlantis - Final Round, TBA (?) Until there's an actual opponent Nov. 30 vs. Towson, TBA - (W) - Not much is expect from the Tigers
Dec. 3 at Miami (Fla.) 1 p.m - (L) See FSU/BC
Dec. 6 at East Carolina, (?) - I'm curious on this one Dec. 9 at Siena (at MassMutual Center – Springfield) 8 p.m. (?) Dec. 17 vs. Quinnipiac, (?) Dec. 22 vs. Davidson, (?) Dec. 28 vs. Central Connecticut, (?) Jan. 5 vs. Fordham*, (?) Jan. 8 at La Salle*, (?) Jan. 11 vs. Charlotte*, (?) Jan. 14 vs. St. Joseph’s*, (?) Jan. 18 at Duquesne *, TBA(?) Jan. 21 at Richmond*, (?) Jan. 28 vs. Saint Louis*, (L) Feb. 1 at Rhode Island*, (?) Feb. 4 at George Washington*, (?) Feb. 8 vs. St. Bonaventure*, (?) Feb. 11 at Saint Joseph’s*, (?) Feb. 18 vs. La Salle*, (?) Feb. 21 vs. Xavier*, (L) Feb. 25 at Dayton*, (?) Feb. 29 at Temple*, (L) Mar. 3 vs. Rhode Island*, (?) * - Atlantic 10 game
Prognosis: One current win. Three projected (W) . Six projected (L) and a whole lot of (?) I'd like to seeUMass in action a little more before I start putting most of the A-10 games into the mix as well as some of the later nonconference games.
GAMES OF THE DAY:
MONDAY:. TUESDAY: The start of 24 hours of basketball: Kentucky vs. Kansas - A must-watch in any season. Duke vs. Michigan State No. 10 Florida vs. No. 3 Ohio State - Rematch of the Noah-Oden title game.
Belmont at Memphis, -Belmont is among the best mid-majors out there.
WEDNESDAY:Long Beach State vs. Pitt - The 49ers will be a national recognized mid major before long this season
THURSDAY: Texas A&M vs. Miss. State at MSG - This would have looked better if MSU hadn't lost to Akron, but it should still be a good one.
FRIDAY: Davison at Duke - Not a great slate on Friday. Seth Curry vs. his brother's former team
SATURDAY: Penn State at Kentucky - Calipari plays nearby.
SUNDAY: Washington at Saint Louis - Big things are expected of the Billikens this season. This is test No. 1
Question I don't know the answer to:How can San Diego State have played three games already.
BUZZER BEATERS
The 24 hours of basketball tradition has become one of November's calendar days to circle. I'll be up at 6 a.m. for Drexel-Rider.
After Sunday's loss at La Salle, for the second time in four days, a UMass player expressed a goal to me unprompted:
"Winning four games in the Atlantic 10 Tournament."
That would be a natural goal - next week. Right now it is misplaced focus and that may be costing the Minutemen.
Reporters hate when players, coaches, etc., talk about "playing one game at a time," because it's been said over and over again to the point of cliche. But it seems like they certainly should be only focusing on their next game.
I'm not sure the UMass players are doing that. I don't know why the Minutemen came out flat against a La Salle team that they should be better than. But they did come out flat and they got pounded.
If UMass wants to make a run in the Atlantic 10 Tournament, it needs to be playing better when it gets there. Getting a good draw wouldn't hurt either. The Minutemen could help themselves with success in the next two games. But if the UMass players are thinking about the Atlantic 10 Tournament, they could not only get crushed by Temple, but they risk falling to a Fordham team with nothing to lose on Saturday.
The Atlantic 10 isn't one four-game event for a team. It's four one-game events. If the Minutemen are thinking about winning a championship on Tuesday, they're not likely to make it to Friday.
For a young UMass team, this is a lesson that would be valuable to learn for not only this year, but going forward as well.
IF THE ATLANTIC 10 TOURNAMENT STARTED TODAY
If the Atlantic 10 Tournament started today, here's how it would look:
* UMass beat St. Bonaventure and Dayton giving the Minutemen the No. 7 seed.
* Dayton beat St. Bonaventure giving the Flyers the No. 8.
* La Salle beat Saint Louis giving the Explorers the No. 10.
First-Round Byes 1. Xavier 13-1 faces winner of St. Bonaventure/Dayton 2. Temple 12-2 faces La Salle/UMass winner 3. Richmond 11-3 faces SLU/GW winner 4. Rhode Island 9-4 faces Duquesne/SJU winner
First-round games at home sites: No. 12 Saint Joseph's (3-11) at No. 5. Duquesne (9-5) No. 11 Saint Louis (5-9) at No. 6. George Washington (8-6) No. 10 La Salle (5-9) at No. 7 UMass (7-7) No. 9 St. Bonaventure (7-7) at No. 8 Dayton (7-7)
Remaining games
*1. Xavier 13-1 - vs. Charlotte, at SLU *2. Temple 12-2 - at UMass, vs La Salle +3. Richmond 11-3 - at St. Joes, vs. Duquesne +4. Rhode Island 9-5 - vs. GW, at SBU
+5. Duquesne 9-5 - vs. SBU, at Richmond +6George Washington 8-6 - at URI, vs. Dayton, +7. UMass 7-7 - vs. Temple, at Fordham +8. Dayton 7-7 - vs. SLU, vs. GW +9. St. Bonaventure 7-7 - at Duquesne, vs. URI +10. La Salle 5-9 - vs Fordham, at Temple +11. Saint Louis 5-9 - at Dayton vs. X 12. Saint Joseph's 3-11 - vs. Richmond, at Charlotte 12. Charlotte 2-12 - at Xavier, vs. St. Joe's
^Fordham 0-13 - vs. URI, at La Salle, vs. UMass
* Clinched a first round bye + Clinched Tournament berth ^ Incapable of earning a tournament berth
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 15-12 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte, St.Bonaventure, Rhode Island(2), St. Joe's
LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond, SLU, St. Joe's, GW, Duquesne, La Salle
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent.
March 5 at Fordham, 1 (?) -
Prognosis: As of right now, there are no more projected wins, one projected loss and one ?. Win one game and the Minutemen are guaranteed 16 wins
MONDAY:. Kansas State at Texas - Can Texas get its ship righted? Is K-State already in? TUESDAY: BC at Virginia Tech - Despite what Dick Vitale said, I'm not sure beating Duke clinched a spot for the Hokies. I do know BC has work to do. WEDNESDAY:Cincinnati at Marquette - Big East Bubble Battle THURSDAY: Tennessee at South Carolina - The Vols aren't nearly as solid as they were before. FRIDAY: - Watch conference tournament games. SATURDAY: Princeton at Harvard -If Harvard wins, this could force a one-game playoff in the Ivy League. Duke at Carolina - An upset seems very possible.
SUNDAY: Penn State at Minnesota-Loser of this game is in trouble. Winner has lots of work.
Question I don't know the answer to: Why is the Office continuing after Steve Carell leaves?
BUZZER BEATERS If the Big East gets 11 teams in, it's going to be awfully hard to keep those teams from playing each other in earlier rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
E'Twaun Moore had a Jimmer like performance against Ohio State Sunday.
LEADING OFF
After watching the top four teams in the national all lose last week, it's reasonable to wonder if there a true No. 1. Somebody will be ranked No. 1 when the poll comes out (I'd pick Ohio State, given who it lost to and where), but is there a a true favorite as March looms?
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 14-11 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte, St.Bonaventure, Rhode Island(2)
LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond, SLU, St. Joe's, GW, Duquesne
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (?) - UMass lost in the teams' previous meeting. Was Saturday's win for the Minutemen a sign that they're playing well again or just a win over a URI team, who they always seem to beat
Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (?) - March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (?) -
Prognosis: As of right now, there are no more projected wins. one projected losses and two ?'s. Win two of the ?'s and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY:. Syracuse at Villanova - Are either of these teams Final Four contenders? Both of them? TUESDAY: Michigan State at Minnesota - The Spartans need to keep winning to get back into the NCAA Tournament picture. Saturday's win over Illinois helped, but there's still ground to make up WEDNESDAY:Temple at Duke - This is a great game for Temple to help battle-test the Owls to prepare for the NCAA Tournament THURSDAY: Gonzaga at St. Mary's - Gonzaga badly needs this one for its NCAA resume. FRIDAY: Harvard at Brown - Brown upset Princeton Saturday to move Harvard back itno a tied atop the Ivy. The Crimson need to avoid a similar fate SATURDAY: BYU at San Diego State - The biggest rematch in the history of the Mountain West. If the Aztecs win can they get a No. 1 seed? SUNDAY: Pitt at Louisville - This will affect seeds on selection Sunday
Question I don't know the answer to: Can NC State keep getting the ball to poet lauriate C.J. Leslie over and over and over?
BUZZER BEATERS Congrats to UMass F/C Matt Hill on the birth of his first son. ...two days til UMass-St. Joe's II...
Until it makes a Final Four, people will doubt Pitt's ability to get there. But after beating Villanova without Ashton Gibbs, it's time to make the Panthers a
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 13-10 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond, SLU, St. Joe's, GW
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (L) - Dukes have been tremendous.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (?) - Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (?) - March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (?) -
Prognosis: As of right now, there are no more projected wins. two projected losses and four ?'s. Win three of the ?'s and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY:. Kansas at Kansas State - K-State badly needs a signature win to solidify its postseason position. TUESDAY: St. John's at Marquette - Marquette needs to gather wins for a shot at the postseason and St. John's has become a n opportunity for a big win WEDNESDAY: Wisconsin at Purdue - After upsetting Ohio State at home, the Badgers have no time to celebrate UAB at Memphis - A huge game in Conference USA and a big one for both team's at-large chances Vanderbilt at Georgia - Georgia's in good shape for a bid, but this would be a big win for the Bulldogs if they can win at home. THURSDAY: Minnesota at Penn State - The Nittany Lions still need wins to remain in the postseason picture. Winning this one at home would be critical. Richmond at Temple - Big in the A-10 and NCAA Tournament picture. FRIDAY - UConn at Louisville - A rare great Friday matchup. SATURDAY: Pitt at St. John's - The Panthers are still without Ashton Gibbs, but are still difficult to beat. The Johnnies are hard to beat at home Utah State at St. Mary's - Games like this is why the Bracketbuster Tournament is tremendous. SUNDAY: Ohio State at Purdue - The Buckeyes crushed the Boilermakers in Columbus. Can Purdue bounce back at home?
Question I don't know the answer to: Why is Baylor playing Wayland Baptist at this point in the season (Tuesday)?
BUZZER BEATERS
Happy birthday and Valentine's Day to my terrific wife. You know you've got a good one when she thinks covering UMass-GW is an acceptable way to spend her birthday.
With the Super Bowl over, from now until baseball's opening day, college hoop will take center stage on the national sports stage. Enjoy.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 13-9 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond, SLU, St. Joe's
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (?) -
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (L) - Dukes have been tremendous.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (?) - Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (?) - March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (?) -
Prognosis: As of right now, there are no more projected wins. two projected losses and five ?'s. Win three of the ?'s and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY:. Pitt at West Virginia -With Ashton Gibbs out, West Virgini's chances are much better and this would be a huge win for the Mountaineers NCAA Tournament chances.
TUESDAY: Tennessee at Kentucky - Bruce Pearl returns to the Volunteers' sidelines.
WEDNESDAY: North Carolina at Duke - Carolina needs to solidfy its NCAA Tournament position, but this is a big game in any season. Louisville at Notre Dame/Georgetown at Syracuse - All four teams will be in the NCAA Tournament. This will affect seeding in the Big East and NCAA Tournament, but most of all it's an opportunity to watch great basketball.
THURSDAY: . UConn at St. John's - Any result is possible in a game involving the Red Storm.
FRIDAY - Yale at Harvard -This is pretty much going to be an Ivy slot for the rest of the season
SATURDAY: Ohio State at Wisconsin - The Buckeyes undefeated run ends Saturday.
SUNDAY: Purdue at Illinois - The Big Ten has a good Sunday game now through conference tournament time.
Tom Izzo always has his team playing well in the NCAA Tournament. Will it get there?
LEADING OFF
There wasn't really any question that the Big East was the best league in college basketball. But when St. John's, the 11th place team in the Big East beats Duke the best team in the ACC, there's certainly no doubt.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 13-7 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte, St. Bonaventure, Rhode Island LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (W) - Bills are struggling and UMass is playing well.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst, this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (L) - Dukes have been tremendous.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - Leaning toward a W, but not sure if the location is enough to flip it. Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (W) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena, but the Explorers haven't been good March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast.
Prognosis: As of right now, there are six more projected wins. two projected losses and one ?'s. Win just three of the W's and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY:. Texas at Texas A&M-The Aggies are coming off a tough showing against Nebraska, while the Horns are starting to look like a title contender.
TUESDAY: Purdue at Wisconsin - Purdue's pounding by Ohio State means it needs to re-establish itself Penn State at Illinois - The Nittany Lions are trying to play their way into NCAA consideration. Winning here would help.
WEDNESDAY: Syracuse at UConn -Can the Orange pull out of its slide. Both teams need a win badly.
THURSDAY: . Gonzaga at Portland -Portland is a snaky NCAA contender and Gonzaga doesn't have much room for error.
FRIDAY - Harvard at Princeton -The Crimson can seize control of the Ivy.
SATURDAY: West Virginia at Villanova - Mountaineers need to rack up wins to stay in NCAA picture.
SUNDAY: Michigan State at Wisconsin - The once mighty Spartans' margin for error for making the NCAA is small.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: Could three of last year's Final Four teams be in the NIT?
WINLESS: Centenary
AND UNDEFEATED: Ohio State
BUZZER BEATERS
UMass has flown to Charlotte, Xavier and St. Bonaventure. It has snowed leading up to the flight out or the flight back every time. UMass is scheduled to fly to Saint Louis on Tuesday. Have a look at the forecast.
Purdue's showing this week will affect its NCAA Tournament seed.
LEADING OFF
Is San Diego State a legitimate top five or even top 10 team talent-wise? Hard to say. They have some very solid wins over St. Mary's, Gonzaga and UNLV, but could they beat the top teams in the Big East or the Big Ten? Instinct says no, but they've done nothing to say they can't.
And that's the beauty of college basketball. In March, they'll get a chance to prove their worth one way or the other. If this were college football, they might end up in a lesser bowl, but they'll find out for sure in March.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 11-7 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle, Charlotte LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier, Richmond
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Still not sure what to make of the Rams yet. Beat Richmond and lost to Charlotte
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst, this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (L) - I think the Dukes have the potential to be pretty good.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above. Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (?) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena, but the Explorers haven't been good March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast.
Prognosis: As of right now, there are four more projected wins. two projected losses and five ?'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extended.
The Yellow Jackets announced loudly that North Carolina remains disappointing.
LEADING OFF
Does college basketball have an odder team than St. John's? The Red Storm lost to Fordham and St. Bonaventure and has beaten Georgetown and Notre Dame. At their best, there's no game on their schedule that they can't win. At their worst, there's none they can't lose. In March at Madison Square Garden, nobody is going to want to play St. Johns in the Big East Tournament.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 10-6 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton, La Salle LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU, Xavier
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (?) - The 49ers are hard to figure, but UMass hasn't played well on the road.
Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Maybe the best team in the CAA
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Still not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are four more projected wins. three projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extended.
Syracuse at Pitt - From blog reader and Syracuse devotee Dave Guthro - Syracuse, who has
been one of the most successful teams in the country in recent years has
lost seven straight to Pitt. No current Orange player has ever been
part of a win over the Panthers.
Villanova at UConn -There's a lot of skepticism about UConn's legitimacy. A win here would quash that.
Kansas State at Missouri - Two teams that have struggled could each use a boost.
TUESDAY: Michigan State at Illinois - The Big Ten slate gives the Spartans plenty of games to re-establish themselves.
WEDNESDAY:
St. John's at Louisville -Any game involving either of these teams is completely unpredictable.
THURSDAY: Arizona at Washington - At 15-3, the Wildcats look like Sean Miller might have them going again. This is an opportunity to prove that.
FRIDAY - Go see The Fighter.
SATURDAY:
Michigan State at Purdue - Boilermakers have slipped of late. This is a ship-righting opportunity. Texas at Kansas - The Jayhawks have looked ripe to be upset lately. Could happen here. Villanova at Syracuse - This game will affect which seed line both teams land on in March Kansas State at Texas A&M - The Aggies are still flying under the radar, but they're legitimate
SUNDAY: Almost at bad as Friday
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: Is Terrell Vinson slowing returning to his freshman form?
WINLESS: Centenary
AND UNDEFEATED: Syracuse, Kansas, Ohio State, San Diego State
BUZZER BEATERS
It would be something if Seton Hall could get things together and make a run. Jeremy Hazell came off a broken wrist and getting shot and is back on the floor. They'd be a tremendous story if they get themselves to the bubble.
A struggling ACC is going to have a hard time wrestling the conference crown away from Duke.
LEADING OFF
Duke is undefeated. This is not surprising. What is unexpected is that the Blue Devils have zero games remaining against teams ranked in the top 25 (using last week poll, this week's isn't out yet). How can the ACC have nobody else ranked. Only two others North Carolina and Florida State even received votes and neither were close to the
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 9-5
WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU, Dayton LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF, CCSU
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - The UMass team that beat Dayton wins this game. The UMass team that got whipped agaisnt CCSU loses.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (?) - Charlotte's win over an admittedly bad Georgia Tech team still makes it seem like they're going forward Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Maybe the best team in the CAA
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Still not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good.
Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are four more projected wins. four projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY: If you're not watching the football game... It's an ugly slate for a Monday. Notre Dame at Marquette is your best bet.
TUESDAY:
Auburn at Kentucky - Tony Barbee's UTEP team's always challenged Calipari's Memphis squads. Auburn is playing better, but this looks like a mismatch.
Wisconsin at Michigan State - The Spartans have yet to prove anywhere near worthy of their preseason expectations. Because they always do people keep waiting for MSU to hit its stride. Will it?
WEDNESDAY: Pitt at Georgetown - Every week features some terrific games in the Big East. This is one of them.
UNLV at San Diego State - A legitimate threat toteh Aztecs' run at undefeated.
Louisville at Villanova - There's no home game all year Villanova won't be favored in. THURSDAY: Purdue at Minnesota - Gophers nearly topple Ohio State. They'll give Purdue a great game.
FRIDAY: Great night for Horizon fans. Also a good night to clear out your DVR.
SATURDAY: Cincinnati at Syracuse - The Bearcats got exposed a bit against Villanova. This is a chance to bounce back against an Orange team that's been terrific.
SUNDAY: Notre Dame at St. John's - The Red Storm has a legitimate shot at the NCAAs with a strong Big East season. This is one they've gotta get.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO:
WINLESS: UNC-Greensboro, Centenary, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Alcorn State
AND LOSSESLESS: Duke, Syracuse, Kansas, Ohio State, San Diego State
BUZZER BEATERS
Congrats to former UMass broadcaster Bob Behler, who was namedthe Idaho Broadcaster of the Year.
Duke may be No. 1, but Kansas is starting to look like it might be the team to be in March.
LEADING OFF
Just about everyone will be in conference games now which should expose any teams who have thrived on a weak schedule.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 8-4 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac, BU LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall, UCF
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Tonight at Central Connecticut, 7 (W) -Could be tough as Blue Devils are good at home.
Jan. 9 vs. Dayton, 2 (L) - UMass has to do more to prove it can beat an A-10 heavyweight.
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - La Salle doesn't impress me, but UMass hasn't played well against the Explorers.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (?) - Charlotte's win over an admittedly bad Georgia Tech team still makes it seem like they're going forward Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Maybe the best team in the CAA
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. George Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good. Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are five more projected wins. Five projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY: Georgetown at St. John's - It's an uncharacteristically weak slate of Monday games.
TUESDAY: UConn at Notre Dame - The Huskies looked vulnerable lately. Can they bounce back in a tough road game ?
WEDNESDAY: BYU at UNLV- One of the best Mountain West games on the schedule THURSDAY: Xavier at Cincinnati - One of the best rivalries in college basketball almost always produces a great game.
FRIDAY: Cleveland State at Butler - The Vikings can snatch Horizon League favorite status away from the Bulldogs.
SATURDAY: Kansas State at Oklahoma State - Travis Ford's team has a good record. Are they a good team? This could be an indicator.
SUNDAY: Cincinnati at Villanova - The undefeated Bearcats haven't played much of a schedule. Things will get much tougher.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: What's wrong with Gary Correia?
WINLESS: UNC-Greensboro, Centenary, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Alcorn State
AND LOSSESLESS: Duke, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Kansas, Ohio State, UCF, San Diego State
BUZZER BEATERS
How long can San Diego State stay undefeated? The Aztecs have two
left with UNLV and two left with BYU. Nobody looks at SDSU as a
legitimate title contender, but its not impossible that they could go
into postseason undefeated.
A fight in the stands is just another bad chapter in Renardo Sidney's college hoop career.
LEADING OFF
It was a scary holiday for Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell, who was shot under the arm during a mugging in Harlem. He was treated and released. Hazell has been out with a wrist injury and this might make it more likely that he'll end up redshirting this season.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Dec. 31 vs. Boston University, 2 (W) - Hard to make any game a solid W after Maine, but for now I'm keeping this here.
Jan. 3 at Central Connecticut, 7 (W) -Same as BU
Jan. 9 vs. Dayton, 2 (L) - The Flyers scored just 34 points against Cincinnati, which lessens my opinion of the Dayton a little, but UMass has to do more to prove it can beat an A-10 heavyweight.
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - La Salle doesn't impress me, but UMass hasn't played well against the Explorers.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (?) - Charlotteupset a faltering Tennessee team, but UMass has to regain some consistency before I mover a conference road game into the W column.
Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Will this be the Spider team that beat Purdue or the one that lost to Iona? I'm guessing Iona was the abberation
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- If UMass wins Wednesday, I'll move this to the (W), but Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. Geroge Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good. Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are six more projected wins. Five projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extended.
MONDAY: UConn at Pitt, - Huskies put their undefeated record on the line as an underdog.
TUESDAY: Minnesota at Wisconsin - Big Ten play tips off with a good one.
WEDNESDAY: Georgetown at Notre Dame - There aren't many bad games in the Big East. This is a great one. THURSDAY: Temple at Villanova - This game could affect both team's seeding on Selection Sunday.
FRIDAY: Kentucky at Louisville - The holiday calendar creates a rare great Friday slate. This game is always good.
SATURDAY: Notre Dame at Syracuse - Tough conference start for the Irish will determine how good they really are.
SUNDAY: Wisconsin at Illinois - Like Notre Dame, Wisconsin's tough schedule can be an opportunity.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO:
WINLESS: UMBC, Colgate, Centenary, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Alcorn State
AND LOSSESLESS: Duke, Syracuse, Cincinnati, UConn, Kansas, Ohio State, UCF, San Diego State
Wednesday marks UMass' last chance for a signature nonconference win.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 7-3 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac LOSSES: Boston College, Maine, Seton Hall
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Dec. 22 vs. Central Florida, 7 (L) - The Knights might be without Marcus Jordan, but they're still undefeated and UMass has to pull out of their recent slump.
Dec. 31 vs. Boston University, 2 (W) - Hard to make any game a solid W after Maine, but for not I'm keeping this here. Jan. 3 at Central Connecticut, 7 (W) -Same as BU
Jan. 9 vs. Dayton, 2 (L) - The Flyers scored just 34 points against Cincinnati, which lessens my opinion of the Dayton a little, but UMass has to do more to prove it can beat an A-10 heavyweight.
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - La Salle doesn't impress me, but UMass hasn't played well against the Explorers.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (?) - Charlotteupset a faltering Tennessee team, but UMass has to regain some consistency before I mover a conference road game into the W column.
Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Will this be the Spider team that beat Purdue or the one that lost to Iona? I'm guessing Iona was the abberation
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- If UMass wins Wednesday, I'll move this to the (W), but Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. Geroge Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good. Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are six more projected wins. Six projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extende.
The Big East-Mid East Shootout - Syracuse plays Morgan State and UConn faces Coppin
TUESDAY:
UNLV at Kansas State -
USC at Tennessee - USC is a team that doesn't seem very good that's been terrific at times. Tennessee is a team that looks very good, but has been very beatable at times, especially lately.
WEDNESDAY: Missouri vs. Illinois, Texas at Michigan State - There isn't a Big Ten, Big XII shootout, but Wednesday's pits a pair of both league's best teams.
THURSDAY:
Georgetown at Memphis -It must be so much more fun to be a Georgetown fan under John Thompson III than it was under John Thompson. So many more fun games.
FRIDAY: Watch It's a Wonderful Life.
SATURDAY:
Watch A Christmas Story.
Sunday Richmond at Seton Hall - I'll never understand why you'd schedule a noon game for the day after Christmas. Is Seton Hall considering joining the A-10? The Pirates scheduled Temple, Xavier, Dayton, UMass and Richmond this season.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: Is it worth closing the Luke Cothron loophole or is a school moving down too rare to waste the time on?
WINLESS: UMBC, Colgate, Centernary, Arkansas Pine Bluff
AND LOSSESLESS: Duke, Syracuse, Cincinnati, UConn, Kansas, Ohio State, Northwestern, UCF, San Diego State
UMass still has progress to make this season, but nothing I saw Saturday should diminish the optimism surrounding this team early. They got off to what looked like an overanxious start and shot poorly from the outside, but still found a way to make a game of it. This team is much better than they were and I think will keep getting better.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Currently: 7-1 WINS: Rider, Sacred Heart, New Mexico State, TCU, AIC, Holy Cross, Quinnipiac LOSSES: Boston College
Date - Opponent - (Expected result on paper)
Dec. 8 vs. Maine, 7 (W) - Maine is better than its been in a while, but still this should land in the win column.
Dec. 11 vs. Seton Hall, 7 (?) - After last year, this would be an (L) if Jeremy Hazell was healthy, but he isn't.
Dec. 22 vs. Central Florida, 7 (L) - The Knights' 7-0 start now includes Florida. UCF appears to be legitimate.
Dec. 31 vs. Boston University, 2 (W) - The Terriers have beaten Nevada, Cornell and George Washington. But how good are those teams?
Jan. 3 at Central Connecticut, 7 (W) - The Blue Devils have faltered of late.
Jan. 9 vs. Dayton, 2 (L) - The Flyers scored just 34 points against Cincinnati, which lessens my opinion of the Dayton a little, but UMass has to do more to prove it can beat an A-10 heavyweight.
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - La Salle doesn't impress me, but UMass hasn't played well against the Explorers.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (W) - Charlotte has some talent, but they seem to be in disarray right now.
Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Will this be the Spider team that beat Purdue or the one that lost to Iona? I'm guessing Iona was the abberation
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- If UMass wins Wednesday, I'll move this to the (W), but Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. Geroge Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good. Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are eight more projected wins. Six projected losses and seven (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extende.
UNLV demands some notice after winning the 76 Classic.
LEADING OFF
This is try number two at the Week Guide. About two thirds of the way through it this morning the computer crashed. So we'll try again with a lot more Cntrl+S.
Couple things of note:
1. Tomorrow on Gazettenet and in the paper, we're launching my first college basketball notes of the season. It's kind of the next step on the evolutionary process from A-10 Notes which have been a Tuesday staple for the past decade or so. There'll still be a lot of A-10 content in there, but this way I can touch on bigger issues as well.
2. Below is the first Path to Postseason for basketball. It's pretty much the same thing I do for football, looking at what it would take for UMass to reach postseason. I'm not sure if I'm going to make it a regular part of the week guide or something I do after every game along with three stars. For now it's debuting here.
PATH TO POSTSEASON
On the blog this season, I'll project each UMass
game based on expectations and how it affects the Minutemen's chances
of reaching the postseason.
* A projected win (W) means based on rankings, venue etc. The Minutemen should be considered the favorite.
* A projected loss (L) means the Minutemen would be considered the
underdog in the game, that a UMass win would be considered an upset.
* A (?) means the game is too close to call right now.
These aren't my predictions as such, simply how the games would be looked at right now.
I'll adjust the projections based on UMass' performance and the performance of the opponent as the season progresses.
By postseason I mean any tournament happening after the conference tournaments are over - NCAA, NIT, CBI, CIT - I'm guessing a UMass teams with a winning record gets a bid to one of those.
UMass has 29 games on its schedule and at least one A-10 Tournament game (I'm aware that two A-10 teams won't make the tournament, but if this execise is going to be relevant, UMass has to be good enough to make the A-10 Tournament). So a winning record means at least 16 wins.
Dec. 1 at Quinnipiac, 7 (?) - This game is scary on a lot of levels. The same UMass fans that thought Cornell was a bad loss last year, would similarly bemoan a defeat here. But the Bobcats are good. They're picked to win the Northeast Conference and this game figures to draw a big crowd in Hamden, Conn.
Dec. 4 vs. Boston College (TD Garden), 6:30 (L) - On paper this would certainly be an upset. BC has played well since losing to Yale, beating A&M and Cal, the same two teams that knocked off Temple. Dec. 8 vs. Maine, 7 (W) - Maine is better than its been in a while, but still this should land in the win column.
Dec. 11 vs. Seton Hall, 7 (?) - After last year, this would be an (L) if Jeremy Hazell was healthy, but he isn't.
Dec. 22 vs. Central Florida, 7 (?) - The Golden Knights' 5-0 start looks a lot like UMass' 6-0 start. Looks good, but doesn't have any real signature wins yet. Dec. 31 vs. Boston University, 2 (W) - The Terriers have beaten Nevada, Cornell and George Washington. But how good are those teams?
Jan. 3 at Central Connecticut, 7 (W) - Monday's 92=57 loss to Providence took some wind out of the Blue Devils' sails Jan. 9 vs. Dayton, 2 (L) - The Flyers scored just 34 points against Cincinnati, which lessens my opinion of the Dayton a little, but UMass has to do more to prove it can beat an A-10 heavyweight.
Jan. 12 at Xavier, 7 (L) - Nobody wins at Xavier
Jan. 15 vs. La Salle at Mass Mutual Center, 1 (?) - La Salle doesn't impress me, but UMass hasn't played well against the Explorers.
Jan. 19 at Charlotte, 7:30 (W) - Charlotte has some talent, but they seem to be in disarray right now.
Jan. 22 vs. Richmond, noon (L) - Will this be the Spider team that beat Purdue or the one that lost to Iona? I'm guessing Iona was the abberation
Jan. 26 at St. Bonaventure, 7(?)- If UMass wins Wednesday, I'll move this to the (W), but Olean is a tough place to play.
Jan. 30 vs. Rhode Island, 4 (?) - Not sure what to make of the Rams yet.
Feb. 2 at Saint Louis, 8 (?) - Not sure exactly who'll be on the roster for Billikens at that point.
Feb. 5 at Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much.
Feb. 13 vs. Geroge Washington, 4 (W) - In Amherst this should be winnable.
Feb. 16 vs. Duquesne, 7 (?) - I think the Dukes have potential to be pretty good. Feb. 19 at Rhode Island, 2 (?) - See above Feb. 23 vs. Saint Joseph’s, 7 (W) - The Hawks haven't shown me much. Feb. 27 at La Salle, 2 (L) - UMass has been awful in recent trips to Gola Arena. March 2 vs. Temple, 7 (L) - The Owls have historically come together well late in the season and this group has a lot of talent. March 5 at Fordham, 1 (W) - Tom Pecora will make Fordham better, but not this fast?
Prognosis: As of right now, there are eight more projected wins. Six projected losses and nine (?)'s. Win all the W's and two of the ?'s or L's and the season likely gets extende.
Georgetown at Missouri, 9 - Missouri is an under-the-radar Final Four contender. Both teams are undefeated.
North Carolina at Illinois, 9:30 - Can Carolina beat a good team?
WEDNESDAY: Michigan State at Duke, 9:30 - Best game of the season so far. A Final Four preview? St. Mary's at San Diego State, 10:30 - The lack of television for this tgame is disappointing as two to the best mid-majors square off.
THURSDAY:
UCLA at Kansas, 9 - This isn't the game it would have been in other years, but on a slow night this battle of blue bloods is worth tuning into. Especially given how far The Office has fallen in recent years.
FRIDAY:
Saint Joseph's at Villanova, 8:30 - Friday's are never good, so a Big 5 game is worth something.
SATURDAY:
Kentucky at North Carolina, 12:30 - Both teams are rebuilding a bit, but the Wildcats are further along.
Butler at Duke, 3:30 - Butler isn't nearly as good as last year, but it's a national championship rematchwhich is always worth a peek.
NC State at Syracuse, 5:15 - Jim Boeheim keeps saying his team isn't good. The Wolfpack could prove him right.
Wichita State at San Diego State, 10:05 p.m. - Give credit to the Aztecs, it seems like every game they play should be in the Bracket Busters.
SUNDAY:
Temple at Maryland, 2 - After a tough week last week losing to A&M and Cal, the Owls have a chance to get a signature win.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: How many wins would it take for UMass fans to start showing up?
FEARLESS PREDICTION - Big Ten wins the Big Ten-ACC Shootout again.
BUZZER BEATERS
If Gary Patterson leaves TCU for a bigger job, is this still a good move the Big East?
5-0 with wins over North Carolina and West Virginia in Puerto Rico, Minnesota has announced itself as a national presence.
LEADING OFF
It appears that after last year's tough season, people were a little hasty to declare North Carolina back. Harrison Barnes may be a star and the Tar Heels might be a contender eventually. But not just yet.
GAMES OF THE DAY:
MONDAY:
Kansas State vs. Gonzaga, 9:30 in Kansas City - Two potential, even likely, All-Americans will be in action as Jacob Pullen and Steven Gray take the court.
TUESDAY:
CBE Classic Championship - Winner of K-State/Gonzaga vs. winner of Duke/Marquette Maui Invitational - Semifinal games
WEDNESDAY:
Maui InvitationalFinal- Potential Michigan State vs. Kentucky
THURSDAY:
Eat turkey. Watch football.
FRIDAY: Old Spice Classic Semifinals
SATURDAY: Arizona at Kansas, 10:30 p.m. - Kansas will be better when Josh Selby gets eligible. They're still good without him. How good is Arizona?
Chicago Invitational Final - Perhaps Richmond vs. Purdue
SUNDAY:
Old Spice Classic Finals
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: How will UMass play tonight? It hasn't followed good wins with good showings in recent past. Is this team different?
FEARLESS PREDICTION -Witchita State beats UConn tonight.
BUZZER BEATERS How good is Rider? At halftime on UMass' opener, it looked like the Minutemen were heading for an embrassing loss. But the Broncs have steamrolled everyone since. Instead of a bad loss, UMass' comeback may have created a pretty good win. ...14 days til the return of Men of a Certain Age...
Without Robbie Hummell, Purdue is lacking its hammer.
LEADING OFF
The Olympics are over. Conference tournaments get going later this week. The calendar says March. The excitement is starting to build.
TOP 24:
1.Syracuse 2. Kansas 3. Kentucky 4. Duke 5. Kansas State 6. Purdue 7. Villanova 8. Ohio State 9. Michigan State 10. New Mexico 11. Butler 12. West Virginia 13. Tennessee 14. Pitt 15. Temple 16. Vanderbilt 17. Wisconsin 18. Gonzaga 19. UTEP 20. Georgetown 21. BYU 22. Texas A&M 23. Maryland 24. OK State
GAMES OF THE DAY:
MONDAY: Georgetown at West Virginia - The result of this game will affect seeds in the Big East and NCAA Tournament. TUESDAY: Illinois at Ohio State - If the Illini are already in, they're not confident about it. This would help.
WEDNESDAY: K-State at Kansas- A win for the Wildcats could put them in consideration for a No. 1 seed, but that'll be a difficult task.
THURSDAY: Dayton at Richmond -The Flyers need another big win to feel good.
FRIDAY: Missouri Valley Tournament - Is Northern Iowa still in position for an at-large bid despite its Evansville loss. This is an interesting tournament if the Panthers get beat. SATURDAY:.
UAB at UTEP - A preview of the CUSA Tournament final? West Virginia at Villanova - Both of these teams could use a momentum win. UNC at Duke - It's required to include this game QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: Can the Atlantic 10 still get five? Four?
Looks like Virginia Tech stole Syracuse's uniforms
LEADING OFF
Do these bubble teams even want to get in the tournament? They're not playing like it. Cincy? Charlotte, Texas Tech and others keep shooting themselves in the foot.
TOP 24:
1.Kansas 2. Kentucky 3. Syracuse 4. Purdue 5. Kansas State 6. Duke 7. Villanova, 8. West Virginia 9. Pitt 10. New Mexico 11. Butler 12. Ohio State 13. Michigan State 14. Georgetown 15. Tennessee 16. BYU 17. Texas 18. Temple 19. Texas A&M 20. Vanderbilt 21. Wisconsin 22. Gonzaga 23. UTEP 24. Richmond
GAMES OF THE DAY:
MONDAY: West Virginia at UConn - The Huskies are moving toward tourney consideration. A win here would be a huge step. TUESDAY: Georgetown at Louisvile - The Cardinals are probably in, but both teams could uses a bump in their seed.
WEDNESDAY: A&M at Baylor- Two Big XII darkhorses trying to improve seeds for the conference and NCAA Tournament.
San Diego State at BYU - With all the struggling teams on the bubble, the Aztecs have a shot to get an at-large bid. Winning here would help a lot. THURSDAY: South Carolina at Kentucky - The only team to beat the Wildcats tries to do it again.
FRIDAY: Watch Olympics.
SATURDAY:.
Kentucky at Tennessee - I'm picking an upset here.
Villanova at Syracuse - Preview of Big East title game? Final Four?
New Mexico at BYU - Best of the Mountain West tangle.
SUNDAY:
Michigan State at Purdue - Would have had more luster if Spartans didn't lose Sunday. Still this is two potential Final Four teams squaring off just before March.
QUESTION I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO: Can Saint Louis get at at-large bid?
Gazette UMass sports beat writer Matt Vautour tracks the daily happenings in Minutemen sports across the board, as well as casting a wider view on college sports in general.
Gazette UMass beat writer Matt Vautour shares his thoughts in this blog about the Minutemen and college sports. E-mail him questions (to be published here), suggested restaurants in UMass travel cities or recommended reading links at: mvautour@gazettenet.com
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