Happy Friday! The conference tournament season has arrived,
but there are still some big time finishes to have in the regular for some.
So let’s get started with those predictions.
Marquee Matchup
No. 14 North Carolina @ No. 4 Duke, Saturday, 8 p.m., ESPN:
There really isn’t anything on the line in this one. The Tar Heels are riding a
12-game win streak and are arguably playing the best basketball in the ACC
behind Virgina. Duke needs to build its No. 1 seed resume, but with all the
other candidates vying for that bid and the Blue Devils loss at Wake Forest this
week, their chances are diminishing. So this one will be a good ole
fashioned rivalry game. And it will be spectatuclar. Duke’s Jabari Parker and
North Carolina’s Marcus Paige are two of the leading candidates for ACC Player
of the Year and both are crucial to their teams success. I like Duke at home in
this one, mainly because Carolina hasn’t been playing as well as its win streak
indicate. Parker goes off, but Paige keeps this one extremely close. Rodney
Hood knocks down a jumper in the final seconds to win this one for the Blue
Devils. Duke 78 North Carolina 77.
Second Tier
No. 9 Wisconsin @ Nebraska, Sunday, 6:30 p.m., Big Ten
Network: I never thought the Huskers would be playing meaningful basketball at
this time of the year, but here they are. There are four other Top 25 matchups
going on this weekend, but this game has as much importance as any of them
combined. Nebraska is going for its first NCAA tournament bid since 1999. And
after beating Indiana on Wednesday, a win would surely put them in easily.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, can still claim a No. 1 seed if it wins out. Both
teams are playing extremely well. The Badgers have won eight-straight and
Nebraska has won 10 of its last 13. Pinnacle Bank Arena should be hopping on
Sunday. I like Nebraska in this one. The Huskers will come out guns blazing and
take a double-digit lead early. The Badgers come back with their methodical
style until Shavon Shields and Terran Petteway take over the game. Nebraska 68
Wisconsin 62.
Might Get Interesting
No. 25 Kentucky @ No. 1 Florida, Saturday, 11 a.m., CBS: How
Kentucky is still a top 25 team is beyond me. But that doesn’t mean it can’t go
into the swamp and knock off the No. 1 team in the country. The Wildcats are as
talented as anyone in college basketball, but that talent struggles to play
with each other. Everyone wants to score at the same time. No one knows their
role. Florida is the complete opposite. The Gators are a senior-laden squad that plays phenomenal defense in order to win games. No one cares who is the scorer
that night, as long as they win. That’s probably one of the reasons they are
undefeated in SEC play. However, I think Kentucky plays well in this one. The
Wildcats take it too Florida for the first 35 minutes of the game, then the
Gators experience overwhelms them. Florida 65 Kentucky 57.
Other Notable Matchups
-Evansville vs. No. 2 Wichita State, Friday, 12:05 p.m.
-No. 18 SMU @ No. 20 Memphis, Saturday, 11 a.m.
-No. 19 Connecticut @ No. 11 Louisville, Saturday, 1 p.m.
-No. 21 New Mexico @ No. 10 San Diego State, Saturday, 9
p.m.
-No. 17 St. Louis @ Massachusetts, Sunday, 1 p.m.
Things I Missed
-Fantastic profile on college basketball’s best player.
-Top 10 clutch performers in college basketball.
-Tiger Woods shot a 4-over yesterday at Doral. Follow second round action here.
-Finally, in light of Nebraska's run to NCAA Tournament contention, here's a story I wrote on Tim Miles last year. Whoever he meets, he leaves a lasting impact. Everyone has a Miles story.
Thanks for reading and look for a notes package from
Nebraska’s game against Wisconsin Sunday.
Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com
Follow me on Twitter and Instagram: @_andrewward
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