[The Poet]

There were a few surprises for me last night, and the biggest one was:


Alabama 68 - Kentucky 66 = There is no way in hell the Tide should have beaten the Wildcats. I guess Calipari thinks so too, as he was caught on camera cussing out one of his freshman players on the sidelines. He apologized today, saying he got caught up in the moment, but that this is no excuse. Damn right it ain't, Cal . . . you &^@$!%' @$$&#!* you! Oh, and a great win for 'Bama, by the way.

Tennessee 59 - Georgia 57 = And this is a mild surprise, if only because it was in Athens, and the Vols have been losing more than winning lately. But as I did imply, it was a close call, and so it proved.

Illinois 71 - Michigan State 62 = And this one does not shock me with its outcome, although the margin was a tad higher than just the home court edge. But what does shock me is that the Spartans, now 12-6, are STILL being ranked nationally. Hey, I like MSU, and respect Izzo too, but fair is fair. Vote them out of the Top 25, and keep them out until they clearly demonstrate otherwise.

Georgetown 80 - Seton Hall 75 = And this is a minor shock in that the Hoyas should never have allowed the Pirates to stay this close. I don't give a crap if the game was in the Rock, or out on Broad Street in Newark, there's no good reason for this.

UNC 75 - Clemson 65 = And this one is no surprise at all, unless you consider it one that the victory keeps the Tar Heels in a 4-way tie for the lead in the ACC. And though there were a few other good signs for the Heels, there's no way it can be considered a turnaround win. But it does keep their 55-0 home streak against the Clemson Tigers intact. Just think about that a second. These two played their first basketball game in Chapel Hill over 80 years ago, and Clemson has yet to win one single game there. A run like that is hard to believe, much less to beat.


There are a lot more games tonight of import, so let's get to them:


Ohio State vs. Iowa = The Buckeyes almost blew their brand-new # 1 ranking before they even got it, but managed to squeak by a "surging" Penn State to remain undefeated. They should retain that against the Hawkeyes. However, do NOT think they are unbeatable. In their last four games, they won by a combined 15 points total . . . not a dominant performance, by any reckoning.

Memphis vs. Southern Mississippi = One team has not played as well as some expected, and the other has been better. This one could be real close.

James Madison vs. ODU = And this one's just a nice even matchup between two decent teams, and should be close also.

Virginia vs. Boston College = The Eagles are one of those 4 teams atop the ACC (so far, that is), while the Cavs are one of those striving to leave Wake Forest alone in the basement. If the guards for UVA can hit from outside, they can keep this one close up in Chestnut Hill, but I'd expect BC to pull it out.

Louisville vs. St. John's = The Cardinals needed a furious comeback against Marquette to edge them by one Saturday, and the Johnnies got a great win against Notre Dame Sunday. This game is in the new KFC Crumbucket, so give L'ville an edge. But I am very interested to see if the Red Storm can continue to improve.

Cincinnati vs. Notre Dame = Both of these are coming off of tough losses, and both need a win. I predict one of them will get it tonight.

George Washington vs. Richmond = And these are two who need all the wins they can garner before the Selection Committee meets, so plan on a war here.

Wake Forest vs. Georgia Tech = And these two are already planning to sit out the Big Dance, barring some miracle. Yet neither wants to be embarrassed, so they should show up and play.

Duke vs. N. C. State = The last time the Blue Devils left the friendly confines of Cameron Indoor Stydium, they lost. I would not bet on that being the case in Raleigh tonight, yet stranger things have happened. In conference play, against in-state rivals, all things are possible.

Missouri State vs. Indiana State = Here are two more of those teams nobody talks about, but both are not only capable of making the NCAAs, they could actually win a game or two there. Should be fun.

U. Mass vs. Charlotte = And both of these have had their ups-and-downs, which means they really need to make a move soon, or resign themselves to wait 'til next year. For that alone, it is worth keeping half an eye on.

Arkansas vs. South Carolina = Believe it or not, these two are presently challenging for the lead in their respective SEC divisions. If that does not focus them, nothing would.

SMU vs. UAB = The Blazers are not accustomed to being in a hole, and are trying to climb out. The Mustangs have been in that same hole for a while, yet are trying to keep from sinking deeper. This might actually be a pretty good game.

West Virginia vs. Marshall = So should this one. The Mountaineers are on a bit of a roll, and the Thundering Herd is hoping to start a new one. I'd give WVA the edge, but it may be fairly close even late in the contest.

Northern Iowa vs. Wichita State = Here are two more of those squads which are under most people's radar, but who can play a bit of ball. They are teams you don't want to meet in the second game of the NCAAs, as they can sneak up and bite you. Flip a coin here.

Purdue vs. Penn State = The Boilermakers did not lose a game in December, and have already lost two this month. So despite their nickname, it's Penn State who's gotten hot. Yet I don't expect them to stay hot, so put your penny on PU, not PSU.

Mississippi vs. Vanderbilt = Vandy has stumbled a bit from time to time, yet always against quality opponents. The Rebels started out better than their fans expected, yet have now dropped 3 in a row. I figure that will reach 4 down in Nashville this evening.

Texas vs. Texas A&M = And if there is a "pick 'em" amongst the top tier teams tonight, this is the one. It is in Austin, so the 'Horns have that. It is also the time of year when the 'Horns start their traditional collapse, so they also have that. As for the Aggies, they have only lost once so far, and that was to Boston College by two points 'way back at Thanksgiving. They'd best make both teams check their Colts at the door for this one.

Florida State vs. Miami = It may be news to you, but these two teams don't much like each other. Plus, they are close enough in talent to be equals. This one just might end in bloodshed also.

Iowa State vs. Oklahoma State = Both of these squads have notched some quality wins, and both are headed towards the cellar of the Big 12. Neither wants to be there, and to be honest, I don't think neither belongs their either. So here's another war for you to watch.

San Diego State vs. Air Force = And if this one WAS a war, and not a basketball game, the Air Force would just bomb the Aztecs back to the Stone Age, where they belong. However, it is not. Figure the Falcons may stay close for a while, but SDSU builds a decent lead in the 2nd half.

Colorado State vs. UNLV = And while those Aztecs and BYU are fighting for the lead in the Mountain West (not tonight, but soon), these two are fighting to stay in contention there. The Rams are visiting the Rebels, so give the house the odds . . . but don't bet your shirt.

St. Mary's vs. San Diego = And why this one? Well, it may have escaped your attention, but the Gaels are once again having a tremendous season. So far, they even lead the fabled Gonzaga for the WCC title. Tonight they pit their 4-0 conference record against the Toreros 0-4 one. Which one do you THINK I'm gonna pick, hunh?


That should be enough for you on a Wednesday, don't you think? So, enjoy.