11:00 AM EST-ESPNU
11-5 (4-0) Tulsa
at 7-10 (1-3) South Florida
11-5 (4-0) Tulsa
Lunardi's Bracketology: 11 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Auburn 53-35 in MGM Grand Main Event Semi-Final
-Creighton 77-64 (Home)
-Missouri State 74-70 (Home)
-UCF 56-54 (Road)
-Temple 63-56 (Road)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-Southeast Oklahoma State (Non Division I) 69-66 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Connecticut 66-58 (Home)
Key Players:
---#3 Shaquille Harrison (JR)
-15.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, & 1.7 SPG.
---#10 James Woodard (JR)
-15.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#1 Rashad Smith (JR)
-8.2 PPG & 6.6 RPG.
---#15 Marquel Curtis (JR)
-8.1 PPG & 3.3 RPG.
7-10 (1-3) South Florida
Solid Wins:
-UAB 73-71 in Overtime (Road)
-Hofstra 71-70 (Home)
-East Carolina 58-50 (Home)
Non-Power Six Losses:
-Detroit 67-57 (Road)
-Georgia Southern 68-63 (Home)
-Bowling Green 79-70 (Home)
Last Game:
-Loss To Tulane 56-51 in Overtime (Road)
Key Players:
---#4 Corey Allen Jr. (SR)
-15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, & 1.6 SPG.
---#1 Chris Perry (SO)
-11.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, & 1.4 BPG.
---#5 Nehemias Morillo (JR)
-8.8 PPG & 5.6 RPG.
---#11 Anthony Collins (SR)
-8.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, & 1.6 SPG.
Prediction:
The American Athletic Conference has been hit by a hurricane this season...a Golden Hurricane. Tulsa has taken the AAC by storm in their first year after leaving Conference USA on top with a tournament birth. Tulsa comes into today's game undefeated in conference play with impressive victories against Connecticut at home and Temple on the road. Real deal? I think so as they have one of the best guard combos in the conference in Shaquille Harrison and James Woodard. In fact, I would take those two scorers over any set of guards they will face for the remainder of the regular season and that includes the guards on South Florida. The South Florida Bulls are towards the bottom of the standings and will most likely stay there for the duration. South Florida does have a good guard-center duo of Corey Allen Jr. and Chris Perry but the team as a collective whole shoots poorly from beyond the arc (27.0%) and the free throw line (64.4%). The Bulls must shoot better if they want to hand their opponent their first loss of the conference season.
---Tulsa 65, South Florida 58
7:00 PM EST-PAC12
14-2 (4-0) 8. Utah
at 15-2 (3-1) 10. Arizona
14-2 (4-0) 8. Utah
Lunardi's Bracketology: 2 Seed
Solid Wins:
-#8 Wichita State 69-68 in Overtime (Home)
-BYU 65-61 (Road)
-UNLV 59-46 (in Las Vegas)
-UCLA 71-39 (Home)
-Colorado 74-49 (Home)
Only Losses:
-#16 San Diego State 53-49 (Road)
-#10 Kansas 63-60 (in Kansas City)
Last Game:
-Win Against Arizona State 76-59 (Road)
Key Players:
---#55 Delon Wright (SR)
-15.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.7 APG, & 2.4 SPG.
---#21 Jordan Loveridge (JR)
-11.1 PPG & 3.9 RPG.
---#11 Brandon Taylor (JR)
-9.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, & 3.0 APG.
---#42 Jakob Poeltl (FR)
-9.3 PPG, 8.2 RPG, & 2.0 BPG.
15-2 (3-1) 10. Arizona
Lunardi's Bracketology: 3 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Missouri 72-53 in Quarterfinal of Maui Invitational
-Kansas State 72-68 in Semi-Final of Maui Invitational
-#15 San Diego State 61-59 in Championship of Maul Invitational
-#9 Gonzaga 66-63 in Overtime (Home)
-Michigan 80-52 (Home)
-UTEP 60-55 (Road)
-Oregon 80-62 (Road)
"Never Should Have Happened" Losses:
-UNLV 71-67 (Road)
-Oregon State 58-56 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against Colorado 68-54 (Home)
Key Players:
---#5 Stanley Johnson (FR)
-14.4 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, & 1.6 SPG.
---#23 Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (SO)
-11.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, & 1.1 BPG.
---#21 Brandon Ashley (JR)
-11.0 PPG & 5.4 RPG.
---#1 Gabe York (JR)
-9.2 PPG.
---#35 Kaleb Tarczewski (JR)
-8.9 PPG & 5.1 RPG.
---#4 T.J. McConnell (SR)
-8.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, & 2.2 SPG.
Prediction:
This is the game of the day for me, not Duke at Louisville, or Kansas at Iowa State but Utah at Arizona. Even UCLA great Bill Walton said this is "the biggest game in the history of the PAC-12 basketball." I am not sure if I would go that far but yes it is a big game that could propel one of these teams to a number one seed come March. The Utes have looked unstoppable since their close loss to number ten ranked Kansas in Kansas City. Amazingly, Utah has beaten opponents by an average margin of 23 points since. Also, because most of their games have been blowout wins coming into tonight's matchup, star Utah guard Delon Wright is rested and has not played over thirty-two minutes in his last six games. Expect him to play close to forty tonight against the Arizona Wildcats. The Wildcats were looking unstoppable at one point in the season as they had talented youth mixed with experience but then the UNLV Runnin' Rebels rallied from an eight-point deficit and upset the then number three team in the nation, 71-67. That loss was two days before Christmas, their last defeat was last Sunday at Oregon State. Arizona played terribly (period). The Wildcats shot 37.8% from the field and allowed the Beavers to shoot 51.3%...that is just a formula for losinh. Luckily for Stanley Johnson and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tonight's game is not on the road, but in the friendly confines of Tucson, Arizona. So what will decide this game? Honestly, there are many factors that will play into winning such as "Can Arizona score the basketball on one of the best country's defenses?" or "Will Utah be able to stay composed in a hostile environment?" I like both teams a lot, but I am not sure if Utah can stop so many scorers. The Utes have been able to come out with wins against Ron Baker's Wichita State Shockers and Tyler Haws's BYU Cougars but naturally those two teams do not have as many weapons as Arizona. I see a very close game conspiring that will be won the Arizona Wildcats. With Arizona's depth I just do not see Delon Wright being able to do enough to pull this game out for Utah.
---Arizona 67, Utah 65
9:00 PM EST-ESPN
14-2 (3-0) 9. Kansas
at 12-3 (2-1) 11. Iowa State
14-2 (3-0) 9. Kansas
Lunardi's Bracketology: 2 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Rhode Island 76-60 in Quarterfinal of Orlando Classic.
-Tennessee 82-67 in Semi-Final of Orlando Classic.
-#20 Michigan State 61-56 in Championship of Orlando Classic.
-Florida 71-65 in SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Home)
-Georgetown 75-70 (Road)
-#13 Utah 63-60 (in Kansas City)
-UNLV 76-61 (Home)
-#21 Baylor 56-55 (Road)
Losses:
-#1 Kentucky 72-40 in Championship Classic
-Temple 77-52 (Road)
Last Game:
-Win Against #24 Oklahoma State 67-57 (Home)
Key Players:
---#0 Frank Mason III (SO)
-12.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, & 1.4 SPG.
---#34 Perry Ellis (JR)
-12.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#1 Wayne Seldon Jr. (SO)
-9.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, & 3.3 APG.
---#2 Cliff Alexander (FR)
-8.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, & 1.4 BPG.
---#12 Kelly Oubre Jr. (FR)
-7.9 PPG, 4.3 RPG, & 1.1 SPG.
12-3 (2-1) 11. Iowa State
Lunardi's Bracketology: 4 Seed
Solid Wins:
-Georgia State 81-58 (Home)
-Alabama 84-74 in Semi-Final of CBE Classic.
-#18 Arkansas 95-77 in SEC/Big 12 Challenge (Home)
-Iowa 90-75 (Road)
-#14 West Virginia 74-72 (Road)
Losses:
-Maryland 72-63 in Championship of CBE Classic.
-South Carolina 64-60 (in Brooklyn)
Last Game:
-Loss To #22 Baylor 74-73 (Road)
Key Players:
---#31 Georges Niang (JR)
-14.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, & 3.4 APG
---#13 Bryce Dejean-Jones (SR)
-12.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, & 1.6 SPG.
---#15 Naz Long (JR)
-12.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, & 2.1 APG.
---#22 Dustin Hogue (SR)
-11.3 PPG & 4.9 RPG.
---#11 Monte Morris (SO)
-10.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, & 5.6 APG.
Prediction:
Youth versus Experience. Lawrence versus Ames. Kansas versus Iowa State. The last time these two teams played was the 2014 Big 12 Conference Tournament Semi-Final and that was when the Iowa State Cyclones behind 20 points from DeAndre Kane defeated Andrew Wiggins and the Kansas Jayhawks by the score of 94-83. Tonight, Wiggins is the NBA and Kane is graduated. So who are the best players on the floor? For Kansas, Perry Ellis is a player that can score at any time while for Iowa State, the man is Georges Niang. Both are post players so it should be very entertaining to see how the two battle for the duration of the forty minutes. Kansas comes into tonight very strong and on a five game run but the Cyclones have lost two of their last four. For me, that doesn't mean much since the game is at the Hilton Coliseum. Also, and this is just a personal opinion of mine, I think Kansas is a championship contender next year when all their young talent, especially the guards of Mason III and Seldon Jr., have one more year of experience. Let's face it Kansas' guards have turned over the ball this season and I feel like tonight will be one of those nights against a veteran team like Iowa State.
---Iowa State 70, Kansas 64
11:00 PM EST-ESPN2
15-5 (5-2) BYU
at 14-3 (6-0) Saint Mary's
15-5 (5-2) BYU
Lunardi's Bracketology: "Next Four Out"
Solid Wins:
-Long Beach State 95-90 (Home Opener)
-Utah State 91-81 (Road)
-Hawaii 90-70 (in Salt Lake City)
-Stanford 79-77 (Home)
-Massachusetts 77-71 in Overtime (Home)
-Portland 97-88 (Home)
-Santa Clara 81-46 (Road)
Non-Ranked Opponent Losses:
-Purdue 87-85 in Overtime in 5th Place Game of Maui Invitational.
-Pepperdine 67-61 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Pacific 93-80 (Road)
Key Players:
---#3 Tyler Haws (SR)
-22.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, & 2.5 APG.
---#20 Anson Winder (SR)
-14.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.2 APG, & 1.3 SPG.
---#1 Chase Fischer (JR)
-14.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, & 2.5 APG.
---#5 Kyle Collinsworth (JR)
-12.9 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 6.1 APG, & 2.3 SPG.
14-3 (6-0) Saint Mary's
Solid Wins:
-New Mexico State 83-71 (Home)
-UC Irvine 72-69 (Home)
-Creighton 71-67 in Overtime (Road)
-Northeastern 72-68 in Overtime (Home)
-Santa Clara 73-60 (Home)
-San Francisco 69-56 (Home)
-Pepperdine 68-59 (Road)
Losses to Unranked Opponents:
-Boise State 82-71 (Home)
-Northern Arizona 73-71 (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against San Diego 70-58 (Home)
Key Players:
---#00 Brad Waldow (SR)
-20.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, & 2.4 APG.
---#3 Kerry Carter (SR)
-13.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, & 1.7 SPG.
---#20 Aaron Bright (SR)
-11.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, & 4.2 APG.
Prediction:
---BYU 73, Saint Mary's 69
11:30 PM EST-ESPNU
13-5 (1-1) Hawaii
at 8-9 (1-2) UC Riverside
13-5 (1-1) Hawaii
Solid Wins:
-Pittsburgh 74-70 (Home)
-East Carolina 75-73 in Fifth Place Game of Gulf Coast Showcase.
-Nebraska in Quarterfinal of Diamond Head Classic (Home).
-Colorado 69-66 in Third Place Game of Diamond Head Classic (Home).
Questionable Losses:
-San Francisco 88-73 in Quarterfinal of Gulf Coast Showcase.
-Cal Poly 61-57 in Overtime (Home)
Last Game:
-Win Against Cal State Northridge 83-68 (Home)
Key Players:
---#23 Aaron Valdes (SO)
-16.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, & 1.8 SPG.
---#0 Isaac Fleming (FR)
-9.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, & 1.1 SPG.
---#5 Roderick Bobbitt (JR)
-8.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 6.1 APG, & 2.8 SPG.
---#25 Mike Thomas (SO)
-8.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, & 1.2 BPG.
---#14 Negus Webster-Chan (SO)
-8.4 PPG & 4.6 RPG.
8-9 (1-2) UC Riverside
Solid Wins:
-Abilene Christian 76-56 (Home)
-Portland State 88-62 (Home)
Conference Losses:
-UC Irvine 69-55 (Road)
Last Game:
-Loss To UC Davis 74-61 (Home)
Key Players:
---#5 Taylor Jones (JR)
-16.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.8 BPG, & 1.2 SPG.
---#1 Jaylen Bland (JR)
-15.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.8 APG, & 1.5 SPG.
---#0 Nick Gruninger (SR)
-7.1 PPG & 2.9 APG.
Prediction:
---UC Riverside 64, Hawaii 63
PW's Prediction Record Coming into Today: 76-32 (18-7 in the MVC)
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