Preview Roundups
March 03, 2015
Iowa at Indiana 7:00 PM ET
With the expanded membership of the Big Ten Conference this year, the league's tournament will grant the top four teams in the standings a double bye into the quarterfinals. Heading into Tuesday night's game at Indiana, Iowa sits tied with Ohio State and Michigan State for fourth in the conference at 10-6. The Hoosiers are one behind those teams entering the final week of the regular season, and could put themselves into the mix by knocking off the Hawkeyes.
Maryland at Rutgers 7:00 PM ET
With the Big Ten tournament right around the corner, No. 9 Maryland appears to be peaking at the right time. The Terrapins have won five straight games and have an excellent chance to extend that streak when they visit last-place Rutgers on Tuesday. The Scarlet Knights enter this contest having dropped 12 straight games - a run that began with an eight-point loss at Maryland on Jan. 14.
Mississippi at Alabama 7:00 PM ET
Ole Miss is likely a lock for the NCAA Tournament but could use a strong finish to remove any doubt. The Rebels look to snap a two-game skid and solidify their resume with a win Tuesday at Alabama. The Crimson Tide likely must win their final two games and make a deep run in the SEC Tournament just to play their way onto the bubble.
Georgetown at Butler 7:00 PM ET
It’s the final week of the regular season in the Big East and Butler controls its own destiny for the No. 2 spot in the conference tournament. The 21st-ranked Bulldogs are a game up on Providence and Georgetown in the race for No. 2 behind Villanova and will face both teams this week, beginning by hosting the Hoyas on Tuesday. Georgetown fell a game back in the race with a loss at St. John’s over the weekend.
North Carolina at Georgia Tech 7:00 PM ET
North Carolina ended an uneven February with an inspired performance, and the Tar Heels’ hopes for success in March rest on more solid play. The 19th-ranked Tar Heels travel to Georgia Tech on Tuesday after pulling away in the final five minutes of Saturday’s 73-64 win at Miami (Fla.). “This time we made enough winning plays to make the difference,” guard Marcus Paige told reporters after the Tar Heels won for just the third time in eight games.
N.C. State at Clemson 9:00 PM ET
North Carolina State's recent upset win at North Carolina prompted some to put the Wolfpack safely in the NCAA Tournament field. However, following that up with a loss at last-place Boston College puts Mark Gottfried's team firmly back on the bubble, and N.C. State enters Tuesday's matchup at Clemson once again looking to build up its resume. The Wolfpack never seriously challenged the lowly Eagles on Saturday, falling behind by as many as 23 en route to a 79-63 setback.
Kentucky at Georgia 9:00 PM ET
As Kentucky continues to chase history, its coach doesn't appear too concerned with perfection - unlike his players. "I told them this: 'If we get dinged, I'm good.' This isn't March,'' coach John Calipari told reporters as the undefeated and No. 1 Wildcats prepare to visit Georgia on Tuesday. "If we get dinged, let's go try to be our best. But you never know what's going to happen. I'm not worried about that. I told them. I'm not sure they feel the same way I do. ..."
West Virginia at Kansas 9:00 PM ET
West Virginia doesn’t know whether it will have leading scorer Juwan Staten available when the No. 20 Mountaineers attempt to complete a regular-season sweep of No. 10 Kansas in the Jayhawks’ famed Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday. Staten missed last Saturday’s loss to Baylor with knee and groin injuries and the talented guard will certainly be needed for West Virginia to again tame Kansas. Staten scored the winning layup when the Mountaineers posted a 62-61 victory over the Jayhawks on Feb. 16.
Michigan at Northwestern 9:00 PM ET
Following its sixth loss in seven games, Michigan has played itself out of any chance of earning an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. The Wolverines can help their dwindling postseason odds by finishing outside the bottom four of the Big Ten in order to get a first-round bye in the conference tournament, which is a distinction they can earn Tuesday at Northwestern. At 11-7 and 4-2 in league play after a Jan. 17 win versus Northwestern, Michigan was in the thick of the Big Ten race.
Texas A&M at Florida 9:00 PM ET
Texas A&M has reached the 20-win mark for the first time in four seasons under coach Billy Kennedy, but the Aggies aren’t about to relax. Kennedy’s squad stands alone in third place in the SEC heading into Tuesday’s contest at Florida, which has lost six of its last eight but posted a 66-49 win over Tennessee on Saturday to move into a three-way tie for seventh. Texas A&M is seeking a regular-season sweep of the Gators after Kourtney Roberson scored 20 points in a 63-62 victory on Feb. 14.
Auburn at Missouri 9:00 PM ET
Auburn and Missouri were picked to finish in the middle of the SEC pack in the preseason media poll, but both have fallen short of expectations heading into their second meeting of the season Tuesday in Columbia, Mo. Missouri, picked to finish seventh in the 14-team conference, is alone in last after losing 14 of its last 15 games. Auburn, picked to finish eighth, is 13th after dropping its last four games.
Villanova at Creighton 9:15 PM ET
Fourth-ranked Villanova has won 10 straight games and is a couple of good weeks away from earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. “This year kind of fulfilled what I had hoped (for) last year,” Villanova coach Jay Wright told the New York Daily News. Wright's squad plays its road finale Tuesday against a Creighton team that has alternated wins and losses in nine straight games, beginning with a 21-point defeat at Villanova on Jan. 25.