Tuesday, January 31st Predictions

Prediction Record: 315-160

Illinois at Wisconsin- Prediction: Wisconsin 69, Illinois 64
Pittsburgh at Connecticut- Prediction: Connecticut 75, Pittsburgh 67
Northern Iowa at Creighton- Prediction: Creighton 71, Northern Iowa 69
Nebraska at Oklahoma State- Prediction: Oklahoma State 67, Nebraska 60
Florida at Mississippi- Prediction: Florida 74, Mississippi 69

The Week Ahead

With a weekend filled with upsets and great games already in the past, a full week filled with conference battles and key bubble games is ahead of us. With less than 6 weeks remaining until Selection Sunday, teams need to start thinking about their NCAA profiles and how to make that resume as attractive to the committee as possible. Starting this week, the stretch run to the NCAA Tournament begins.

Top Games

Illinois at Wisconsin (Tuesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN)
Pittsburgh at Connecticut (Tuesday, 7:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)
Northern Iowa at Creighton (Tuesday, 9:00 PM, ESPNU)
Duke at Boston College (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN)
George Washington at Xavier (Thursday, 7:00 PM, ESPN2)

Other Games to Watch

Louisville at Villanova (Monday, 7:00 PM, ESPN)
Texas Tech at Kansas (Monday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2)
Samford at Murray State (Monday, 8:30 PM, Regional TV)
Nebraska at Oklahoma State (Tuesday, 8:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)
Florida at Mississippi (Tuesday, 8:00 PM, ESPN2)
Virginia at North Carolina State (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)
Buffalo at Akron (Wednesday, 7:00 PM)
Rutgers at Syracuse (Wednesday, 7:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)
Clemson at Florida State (Wednesday, 7:00 PM)
Kent State at Ohio (Wednesday, 7:00 PM)
Vanderbilt at Tennessee (Wednesday, 7:30 PM)
Texas A&M at Oklahoma (Wednesday, 8:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)
Texas at Missouri (Wednesday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2)
North Carolina at Maryland (Thursday, 7:00 PM, ESPN)
Old Dominion at Hofstra (Thursday, 7:00 PM)
Sam Houston State at Northwestern State (Thursday, 7:30 PM)
Nevada at Louisiana Tech (Thursday, 8:00 PM, Regional TV)
Arizona at USC (Thursday, 10:30 PM, Regional TV)
UC-Irvine at Pacific (Thursday, 10:30 PM)

Monday, January 30th Predictions

Prediction Record: 312-160

Louisville at Villanova- Prediction: Villanova 77, Louisville 64
Samford at Murray State- Prediction: Murray State 75, Samford 68
Texas Tech at Kansas- Prediction: Kansas 83, Texas Tech 65

Weekly Power Rankings

With yet another exciting weekend of college basketball in the books, the final release of March Madness All Season's Power Sweet Sixteen Rankings is here. Starting February 5th (Super Bowl Sunday), a complete Field of 65 will be released every Sunday until Selection Sunday. Every Thursday, a Bubble Watch will also start to be released. The past two days of upsets and down-to-the-wire finishes have affected the Power Rankings. How much, though?

- Standard bracketing rules apply (no two teams from the same conference in the same half-bracket unless there are more than 8 teams, etc.)
- Numbers in parenthesis next to the team indicate what 1-16 ranking they are

Atlanta Region:
1. Memphis (2)
2. Texas (7)
3. Pittsburgh (10)
4. Ohio State (15)

Oakland Region:
1. Villanova (4)
2. Gonzaga (5)
3. Florida (12)
4. Indiana (16)

Washington, D.C. Region:
1. Connecticut (1)
2. Tennessee (8)
3. Illinois (9)
4. UCLA (13)

Minneapolis Region:
1. Duke (3)
2. Michigan State (6)
3. Northern Iowa (11)
4. West Virginia (14)

17th Team: Wisconsin

Others Considered: Iowa, LSU, George Washington

Weekend Preview

After last weekend's endless string of exciting games and upsets, the past week did not disappoint. Many homecourts were rushed as several seemingly lower-tier teams took down highly-ranked clubs as the road was not kind to the elite. Another weekend is upon us with several key conference games as the stretch run starts to near and teams need to begin building an impressive resume. There might not be any games that immediately catch your eye, but the amount of quality games is astounding.

Top Games

Cincinnati at Georgetown (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN2)- A Big East battle between two likely NCAA Tournament teams. However, Cincinnati has lost 4 of 5 since Armein Kirkland's season-ending injury. James White is an athletic all-around player on the wing, while Eric Hicks is one of the best low-post players, offensively and defensively, in the country. Devan Downey is an excellent freshman point guard. Georgetown is coming off of the huge win over Duke last weekend and are looking to build off of it. The Hoyas have a very good forward tandem in Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green, while Roy Hibbert is an underrated center. Ashanti Cook is an athletic scorer in the backcourt. Prediction: Georgetown 69, Cincinnati 62

Marquette at Pittsburgh (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Another Big East tilt between two potential NCAA Tournament clubs. Marquette has had something of a surprise season and are in the thick of the conference race. Steve Novak is the best three-point shooter in the country, while freshman point guard Dominic James is fearless and quick--a deadly combination. Jerel McNeal is also a solid player in the backcourt. Pittsburgh lost their bid for an undefeated season a week ago to St. John's, but can still win the conference. Carl Krauser is one of the best guards in the country, while Ronald Ramon is solid on the perimeter. Aaron Gray might be the best big man in the Big East, and Sam Young is an impressive freshman. Prediction: Pittsburgh 68, Marquette 59

Arizona at North Carolina (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CBS)- This would be a phenomenal game had it been played last year, but this season it's a battle between two teams that could easily miss the Big Dance. Arizona is on a 3-game winning streak since Chris Rodgers was kicked off the team. Hassan Adams is one of the best all-around players in the country, while Mustafa Shakur is a decent point guard. Marcus Williams is developing into a future start in the Pac-10. North Carolina has lost 3 of their last 4 and need a win to get back on the right track. Tyler Hansbrough is building a very impressive Freshman of the Year resume, while David Noel is a versatile forward. Reyshawn Terry is a smooth slasher. Prediction: North Carolina 70, Arizona 66

Vanderbilt at Florida (Saturday, 1:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- An SEC East battle between two teams capable of winning the division. Vanderbilt has flown under the radar all season but are in position to grab an at-large bid if they can get a few big wins. Shan Foster is one of the best wings in the SEC, while Derrick Byars is another athletic scorer on the perimeter. DeMarre Carroll and Julian Terrell form a good forward tandem. The balanced Gators have overachieved all season, led by the frontcourt trio of Corey Brewer, Al Horford, and Joakim Noah. Brewer is an all-around stud, while Horford and Noah form a very talented post duo. Taurean Green is one of the best point guards in the SEC and Lee Humphrey is an outstanding shooter. Prediction: Florida 78, Vanderbilt 73

Old Dominion at George Mason (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Regional TV)- You don't care about this game? Well, the Colonial Athletic Association is the best mid-major conference this season (I'm not counting the Missouri Valley), and these two teams are fighting for first place. Old Dominion has not had the type of season many expected them to have, but they are still the team to beat in the Colonial. Isaiah Hunter is a very good backcourt scorer and Drew Williamson is a solid distributor. Arnaud Dahi and Alex Loughton are the best forward duo in the conference. George Mason is a very balanced group, with five double-figure scorers. Lamar Butler and Tony Skinn form a very good backcourt combo, while J'ai Lewis is one of the best frontcourt players in the conference. Folarin Campbell and Will Thomas are two more solid players in the lineup. Prediction: George Mason 74, Old Dominion 70

Wisconsin at Michigan (Saturday, 2:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Michigan 66, Wisconsin 64

Wichita State at Creighton (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV)- Prediction: Wichita State 76, Creighton 73

Ohio State at Iowa (Saturday, 8:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Iowa 68, Ohio State 64

Kansas State at Colorado (Saturday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV)- Prediction: Colorado 72, Kansas State 66

Texas at Oklahoma (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPN2)- Prediction: Texas 79, Oklahoma 70

Other Games to Watch

Kansas at Iowa State (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN)- Prediction: Iowa State 72, Kansas 66

Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (Saturday, 1:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Oklahoma State 69, Texas Tech 66

Louisville at Rutgers (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN)- Prediction: Rutgers 77, Louisville 70

LSU at Mississippi (Saturday, 3:00 PM)- Prediction: LSU 76, Mississippi 70

Virginia Tech at Wake Forest (Saturday, 3:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Wake Forest 79, Virginia Tech 66

San Diego State at Wyoming (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- Prediction: Wyoming 71, San Diego State 68

Missouri at Nebraska (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Missouri 69, Nebraska 66

Hofstra at Drexel (Saturday, 4:00 PM, Regional TV)- Prediction: Hofstra 75, Drexel 73

South Carolina at Tennessee (Saturday, 5:00 PM, FSN)- Prediction: Tennessee 79, South Carolina 68

Villanova at Notre Dame (Saturday, 6:00 PM, ESPN2)- Prediction: Villanova 74, Notre Dame 70

Sacramento State at Northern Arizona (Saturday, 6:00 PM)- Prediction: Northern Arizona 85, Sacramento State 80

Virginia at Duke (Saturday, 7:00 PM, ESPN)- Prediction: Duke 82, Virginia 70

Northeastern at UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 7:00 PM)- Prediction: UNC-Wilmington 76, Northeastern 68

Fairleigh Dickinson at Robert Morris (Saturday, 7:30 PM)- Prediction: Fairleigh Dickinson 73, Robert Morris 70

Holy Cross at Lehigh (Saturday, 7:30 PM)- Prediction: Holy Cross 70, Lehigh 68

South Alabama at North Texas (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- Prediction: North Texas 71, South Alabama 67

Texas-Arlington at Sam Houston State (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- Prediction: Sam Houston State 77, Texas-Arlington 72

UC-Irvine at Long Beach State (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- Prediction: UC-Irvine 74, Long Beach State 68

Hawaii at Nevada (Saturday, 10:00 PM)- Prediction: Nevada 75, Hawaii 63

Miami (Ohio) at Ohio (Sunday, 12:00 PM)- Prediction: Ohio 69, Miami (Ohio) 64

Arkansas at Kentucky (Sunday, 1:00 PM, CBS)- Prediction: Kentucky 67, Arkansas 62

North Carolina State at Clemson (Sunday, 1:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: North Carolina State 63, Clemson 59

Florida Atlantic at Lipscomb (Sunday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Lipscomb 73, Florida Atlantic 67

Buffalo at Kent State (Sunday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Kent State 78, Buffalo 64

West Virginia at St. John’s (Sunday, 2:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: West Virginia 73, St. John’s 61

Miami (Fl.) at Florida State (Sunday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Florida State 76, Miami (Fl.) 71

Seton Hall at Syracuse (Sunday, 4:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Prediction: Syracuse 69, Seton Hall 57

Washington at Stanford (Sunday, 8:00 PM, FSN)- Prediction: Washington 79, Stanford 75

New Articles at SCS, C-USA, Big 12

Don't forget to check out my new articles over at SouthernCollegeSports.com, Big12fans.com, and CUSAfans.com:

"The Making of a Champion": Breaks down what teams need to make a run at the national championship. Looks back at the past three champions and analyzes what they have in common. Then, the article goes team-by-team to see which contenders have what it takes to hoist the trophy in April.

"C-USA Game of the Week: UAB at Memphis": Previews the UAB-Memphis matchup and gives an in-depth breakdown of each team, complete with a prediction on the game. Also includes other observations on the season so far and what is to come in Conference USA.

"Can Texas Go Through the Big 12 Undefeated?": Looks at the Texas Longorns, and breaks down their season so far and their chances to run the table in the conference. Discusses how experts wrote them off back in December and how people are jumping back on the bandwagon as quickly as they jumped off.

Thursday, January 26th Predictions

Prediction Record: 282-145

Washington at California- Prediction: Washington 84, California 79
Miami (Ohio) at Akron- Prediction: Akron 76, Miami (Ohio) 68
Duke at Virginia Tech- Prediction: Duke 78, Virginia Tech 70
Tennessee Tech at Murray State- Prediction: Murray State 75, Tennessee Tech 71
UAB at Memphis- Prediction: Memphis 91, UAB 84
Monmouth at Robert Morris- Prediction: Robert Morris 73, Monmouth 71
Troy at North Texas- Prediction: Troy 78, North Texas 75

No Articles Today

I'm going to be in Connecticut tonight for the St. John's at UConn game, so there won't be any new articles today. Look tomorrow for a column on Air Force and a ranking of the Top Ten Freshmen Groups in the country.

Wednesday, January 25th Predictions

Prediction Record: 274-140

Michigan State at Michigan- Prediction: Michigan 71, Michigan State 69
Bucknell at Lehigh- Prediction: Bucknell 68, Lehigh 61
Cincinnati at Louisville- Prediction: Cincinnati 69, Louisville 66
Iowa State at Missouri- Prediction: Missouri 75, Iowa State 68
Kansas at Texas A&M- Prediction: Texas A&M 73, Kansas 67
Boston College at North Carolina- Prediction: North Carolina 72, Boston College 65
Florida at South Carolina- Prediction: South Carolina 71, Florida 67
Nebraska at Colorado- Prediction: Colorado 78, Nebraska 66
Mississippi at Arkansas- Prediction: Arkansas 74, Mississippi 65
Kennesaw State at East Tennessee State- Prediction: East Tennessee State 75, Kennesaw State 70
Maryland at Georgia Tech- Prediction: Georgia Tech 79, Maryland 74
St. John’s at Connecticut- Prediction: Connecticut 77, St. John's 63
Air Force at UNLV- Prediction: Air Force 67, UNLV 62

Tuesday, January 24th Predictions

Prediction Record: 270-136

Creighton at Southern Illinois- Prediction: Southern Illinois 71, Creighton 65
Indiana at Iowa- Prediction: Iowa 66, Indiana 63
Kent State at Miami (Ohio)- Prediction: Miami (Ohio) 73, Kent State 68
Georgetown at Notre Dame- Prediction: Notre Dame 76, Georgetown 74
Akron at Ohio- Prediction: Ohio 74, Akron 70
Florida State at Wake Forest- Prediction: Wake Forest 78, Florida State 72
Lipscomb at Florida Atlantic- Prediction: Florida Atlantic 72, Lipscomb 68
Miami (Fl.) at Virginia- Prediction: Virginia 75, Miami (Fl.) 70

Monday, January 23rd Predictions

Prediction Record: 267-135

Syracuse at Pittsburgh- Prediction: Pittsburgh 68, Syracuse 61
Furman at Elon- Prediction: Elon 73, Furman 71
Oklahoma State at Texas- Prediction: Texas 79, Oklahoma State 66
Utah State at Nevada- Prediction: Nevada 75, Utah State 70

Weekly Power Rankings

After one of the best weekends in recent college basketball history, the debate about rankings and potential seedings has heated up. All three unbeatens lost, and several other teams suffered upsets. How will that affect March Madness All Season's Power Sweet Sixteen Rankings? We will post the rankings every Sunday until we begin to release complete brackets in February.

- Standard bracketing rules apply (no two teams from the same conference in the same half-bracket unless there are more than 8 teams, etc.)
- Numbers in parenthesis next to the team indicate what 1-16 ranking they are

Atlanta Region:
1. Memphis (2)
2. Florida (7)
3. Illinois (10)
4. Pittsburgh (15)

Oakland Region:
1. Villanova (4)
2. Texas (5)
3. Indiana (12)
4. Northern Iowa (13)

Washington, D.C. Region:
1. Connecticut (1)
2. Gonzaga (8)
3. West Virginia (9)
4. North Carolina State (16)

Minneapolis Region:
1. Duke (3)
2. Michigan State (6)
3. Tennessee (11)
4. Ohio State (14)

17th Team: Wisconsin

Others Considered: UCLA, George Washington, Washington

Weekend Preview

Yet another weekend filled with excellent conference battles is upon us. Three unbeatens take their flawless records on the road in an attempt to continue their undefeated seasons, while several other teams need to win in order to position themselves for potential at-large bids. No matter what is at stake this weekend, there is a plethora of quality games to keep an eye on.

Top Games

Iowa at Michigan State (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN)- Another high-quality Big Ten matchup. Michigan State is coming off of back to back wins over Indiana and Ohio State. Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown form one of the best wing duos in the nation, while post player Paul Davis is having an All-America-type season. Drew Neitzel is a solid point guard that doesn’t turn the ball over much. Iowa is underrated nationally, but also have their own star trio. Jeff Horner and Adam Haluska are very good all-around players on the perimeter, while bruiser Greg Brunner handles the paint responsibilities. Erek Hansen is an excellent shot-blocker. Prediction: Michigan State 77, Iowa 69

Duke at Georgetown (Saturday, 1:30 PM, CBS)- Could this be the game where Duke's undefeated season ends? Doubtful, but Georgetown will give the Blue Devils a game. The Hoyas have a very good forward tandem in Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green, while Roy Hibbert is an underrated center. Ashanti Cook is an athletic scorer in the backcourt. If Georgetown hits their threes, they will keep the game close. Duke has the nation's best inside-outside duo in guard J.J. Redick and post man Shelden Williams. Sean Dockery is an underrated guard, while Greg Paulus is developing into an ACC-caliber point guard. Prediction: Duke 71, Georgetown 64

Alabama at LSU (Saturday, 3:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- The two best teams in the SEC West battle in Baton Rouge. LSU is developing into a team that can make a serious run in the NCAA Tournament. Tyrus Thomas is the best freshman in the country, while Glen Davis is one of the top big men in the nation. Darrell Mitchell has developed into the best guard in the SEC. Alabama has won 3 in a row since star Chuck Davis went down with an injury. Jermareo Davidson is a very athletic big man who can score and rebound, while Ronald Steele is a solid point guard. Richard Hendrix has played well as of late. Prediction: LSU 72, Alabama 64

West Virginia at UCLA (Saturday, 3:45 PM, CBS)- This should be a high-scoring non-conference contest. West Virginia is playing as well as any team in the country right now. Mike Gansey seems like he can score from anywhere on the court, while Kevin Pittsnogle (who might not play the entire game due to the possible birth of his son) is an outstanding scorer and shooter. They might be the best inside-outside scoring tandem in the country. Joe Herber is an underrated third option. UCLA has survived injuries to stay in the lead for the Pac-10 title. Jordan Farmar and Aaron Afflalo form one of the best backcourts in the country. Luc Richard Mbah a Moute plays a major role on the interior, while Darren Collison is developing into a good scorer at the point. Prediction: West Virginia 78, UCLA 75

George Washington at Charlotte (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Two of the top teams in the Atlantic-10 face off in what should be a high-scoring affair. Charlotte has turned their season around since they started off 5-5. Curtis Withers is one of the best low-post performers in America, while De'Angelo Alexander is an excellent scorer on the wing. Leemire Goldwire is a scoring machine in the backcourt. George Washington is one of the most talented teams in the nation. Pops Mensah-Bonsu and the underrated Mike Hall form a very good frontcourt tandem, while Danilo "JR" Pinnock is an outstanding scorer on the wing. Maureece Rice is one of the best sixth men in the country. Prediction: Charlotte 77, George Washington 74

Syracuse at Villanova (Saturday, 6:00 PM, ESPN)- Similar to the Big Ten, it seems like every game in the Big East is a quality contest between two NCAA Tournament teams. Syracuse is starting to develop into a team that is going to be a tough out in a couple of months. Gerry McNamara can keep the Orange in the game from the perimeter, while Terrence Roberts is the main man down low. Demetris Nichols is a versatile scorer at the forward spot and guard Eric Devendorf is a crafty player in the backcourt. Villanova has struggled in their past 4 games, but are still an outstanding team. Randy Foye and Allan Ray are one of the best backcourt duos around, while Mike Nardi and Kyle Lowry makes the Wildcats' perimeter the best in the nation. Jason Fraser and Will Sheridan need to provide some sort of inside production. Prediction: Villanova 73, Syracuse 61

Florida at Tennessee (Saturday, 7:00 PM, FSN)- Going on the road, this is where Florida's unbeaten season could end. The balanced Gators have overachieved all season, led by the frontcourt trio of Corey Brewer, Al Horford, and Joakim Noah. Brewer is an all-around stud, while Horford and Noah form a very talented post duo. Taurean Green is one of the best point guards in the SEC and Lee Humphrey is an outstanding shooter. Tennessee is a perimeter-oriented team led by potentially the best backcourt in the league in C.J. Watson and shooter Chris Lofton. Major Wingate provides balance on the inside, while Andre Patterson is a versatile scorer in the frontcourt. Prediction: Tennessee 84, Florida 78

Connecticut at Louisville (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPN)- A game that looked phenomenal at the start of the season has lost some of its luster with Louisville standing at 1-3 in the Big East. The Cardinals have struggled throughout the season, and are even worse-off now with star guard Taquan Dean out with an injury. Juan Palacios and David Padgett are a good inside duo that need to play to their potential. Brandon Jenkins is an underrated perimeter player and Terrence Williams leads a host of freshman that contribute. On Connecticut's side, Marcus Williams is becoming the All-American point guard he was last season, while Hilton Armstrong has developed into the Huskies' best big man. Rudy Gay can take over a game from the wing and Rashad Anderson can carry the Huskies if his shot is falling. UConn may be the best team in the country. Prediction: Connecticut 86, Louisville 72

Wichita State at Missouri State (Sunday, 3:05 PM, ESPNU)- A rematch of last weekend's Wichita State victory, both teams need a win to stay in the Missouri Valley Conference race.Missouri State is coming off of a huge win over league-leader Southern Illinois. They are a high-scoring bunch, led by super-scorer Blake Ahearn. Guards Tyler Chaney and Deke Thompson are also very good guards, while Kellen Easley is one of the best sixth men in the country. Wichita State is tied for first with three other teams, at 6-2. They may have the best frontcourt combo in the MVC in Paul Miller and Kyle Wilson. Guards P.J. Couisnard and Sean Ogirri are the top players in the backcourt for the Shockers. Prediction: Missouri State 79, Wichita State 70

Other Games to Watch

Pittsburgh at St. John's (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Another undefeated heads on the road. St. John's always plays tough defense, but Pitt has the inside-outside duo of Carl Krauser and Aaron Gray. Prediction: Pittsburgh 66, St. John's 59

South Carolina at Kentucky (Saturday, 1:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- An SEC East matchup between two teams in need of a win. South Carolina might be too far from an NCAA bid already, but the Wildcats need a victory to stay on track. Prediction: Kentucky 69, South Carolina 62

Texas Tech at Oklahoma (Saturday, 1:00 PM, ABC/ESPN FullCourt)- A Big 12 matchup between two teams that still have a chance for an at-large bid. Oklahoma need another win to build their resume, while Tech could really use a decent road win. Prediction: Oklahoma 68, Texas Tech 60

Texas A&M at Iowa State (Saturday, 1:45 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- See above. Iowa State has several quality wins, but needs to finish at a decent spot in the Big 12 standings, while Texas A&M needs a quality road win--or any type of quality win, actually. Prediction: Iowa State 72, Texas A&M 64

George Mason at UNC-Wilmington (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Regional TV)- A CAA matchup between two of the teams in contention for a regular season title. George Mason might be the only team in the conference with an outside shot at an at-large bid, while UNC-Wilmington needs to protect its homecourt. Prediction: UNC-Wilmington 76, George Mason 73

Georgia Southern at Davidson (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- A matchup in the Southern Conference between two of the top teams in the South Division. Ian Johnson and Brendan Winters are a great duo for Davidson, while Georgia Southern's Elton Nesbitt is the best scorer in the conference. Prediction: Davidson 78, Georgia Southern 71

Kent State at Northern Illinois (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- One of three undefeateds in the MAC East Division takes on the West Division's best. Northern Illinois has a clear path to a division title, while Kent State needs to fight off a bevy of quality teams to win their division. Prediction: Northern Illinois 73, Kent State 65

Wake Forest at North Carolina State (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- An ACC battle between the 2nd best team in the conference and a disappointing club. North Carolina State can beat any team in the country when they are hitting their shots, while Wake Forest has struggled all season due to the lack of a point guard. Prediction: North Carolina State 75, Wake Forest 60

Alabama A&M at Southern (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- The preseason favorite to win the SWAC takes on the current leader. Obie Trotter is going to have to carry A&M against a hot Southern team that has won 5 of their last 6. Prediction: Southern 81, Alabama A&M 75

Nebraska at Kansas (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN)- Similar to seemingly every Big 12 game, two teams with NCAA aspirations face off. Kansas has lost two in a row after looking like they were in good shape, while Nebraska needs to pick up a quality road win along the way to receive serious consideration for the Tournament. Prediction: Kansas 74, Nebraska 62

Colorado at Oklahoma State (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Oh wow, it's another Big 12 contest with teams that have a chance of getting an at-large bid. Oklahoma State has won 6 of 8, while Colorado has won 2 in a row after losing their first two conference games. Prediction: Oklahoma State 71, Colorado 61

Houston at UAB (Saturday, 6:00 PM, CSTV)- The only two teams in the conference besides Memphis that have RPIs in the non-100s will battle in Birmingham. Expect a high-scoring battle. Click here for a complete preview. Prediction: UAB 82, Houston 73

Delaware State at Hampton (Saturday, 6:00 PM)- A rivalry in the MEAC continues with a rematch of last season's conference tournament title game. Delaware State leads the conference, while Hampton is 1.5 games back. No team in the league has an overall record above .500. Prediction: Delaware State 75, Hampton 73

California at Arizona (Saturday, 6:00 PM, ABC/ESPN FullCourt)- A battle between two disappointing Pac-10 teams that have work to do before they have definite at-large-worthy profiles. Arizona is maddeningly inconsistent, while Cal just hasn't played to their potential. Prediction: Arizona 73, California 69

Gonzaga at San Diego (Saturday, 6:00 PM)- The only two teams in the WCC with above-.500 records, San Diego might stand a chance to upset Gonzaga. On second thought...nah. Prediction: Gonzaga 82, San Diego 74

Samford at Eastern Kentucky (Saturday, 7:30 PM)- Two teams on Murray State's heels in the OVC battle it out. Eastern Kentucky has turned around their disappointing season, while Samford has stayed right in the race the entire season. Prediction: Eastern Kentucky 72, Samford 69

Boston College at Miami (Fl.) (Saturday, 8:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Both of these teams could be on the bubble come March. Boston College has struggled in the ACC, while Miami (Fl.) has turned their season around with four straight wins. Prediction: Miami (Fl.) 77, Boston College 69

Montana State at Northern Arizona (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- Two of the top teams in the Big Sky battle for league supremacy. Northern Arizona is the lone undefeated, while Montana State might have the most potential of any team in the conference. Prediction: Northern Arizona 76, Montana 71

Wright State at Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- The two best in the Horizon League go at it each other in Milwaukee. UW-Milwaukee is the best team in the conference on paper, but Wright State has been a surprise and are right on the Panthers' heels. Prediction: Wisconsin-Milwaukee 80, Wright State 66

Missouri at Kansas State (Saturday, 8:00 PM, Regional TV)- Are you serious? Is this the fifth game in the conference this weekend with at-large implications? Missouri needs a win to stay in second place, while Kansas State needs to build off last week's win over Kansas and this week's victory over Texas A&M. Prediction: Kansas State 71, Missouri 70

New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech (Saturday, 8:00 PM)- Look at the WAC standings--these two have the best records in the conference. Neither of these two hold at-large chances, so they have to continue winning and try to get a good seed in the conference tournament. Prediction: Louisiana Tech 69, New Mexico State 60

Western Kentucky at South Alabama (Saturday, 8:05 PM)- Another conference battle with the top teams facing off. Western Kentucky has been the most impressive team in the conference all season, while South Alabama is the lone unbeaten in the league. Prediction: South Alabama 70, Western Kentucky 68

Air Force at New Mexico (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- New Mexico has one of the most interesting resumes this season: they are undefeated at home, but have not won a game on the road. Air Force is a team to watch out for from the MWC in March. Prediction: New Mexico 65, Air Force 62

Montana at Sacramento State (Saturday, 10:05 PM)- Another Big Sky matchup with two of the four quality teams in the conference facing off. This could be a preview of the tournament championship, as both teams have the ability to outscore anyone. Prediction: Sacramento State 93, Montana 89

Rutgers at Cincinnati (Sunday, 2:00 PM)- Two quality teams in the Big East face-off in what should be a defensive affair. Cincinnati has been destroyed by injuries, while Quincy Douby has led Rutgers to a surprising start. Prediction: Cincinnati 66, Rutgers 62

North Carolina at Florida State (Sunday, 6:30 PM, FSN)- Two teams in the ACC that are in the middle of the pack in the standings. Florida State has been somewhat of a surprise this season, while North Carolina has fallen a bit since their excellent start. Prediction: Florida State 79, North Carolina 72

New Articles at SCS, C-USA, Big 12

Don't forget to check out my new articles over at SouthernCollegeSports.com, Big12fans.com, and CUSAfans.com:

"Injuries Affecting NCAA Hopes": Discusses how a variety of injuries to key players have affected teams across the country. Breaks down how the team plays with the injured star and without him, and what sort of impact he has on their NCAA Tournament potential.

"C-USA Game of the Week: Houston at UAB": Previews down the Houston-UAB matchup and gives an in-depth breakdown of each complete with a prediction on the game. Also includes other observations on the season so far in Conference USA.

"Sorry Big 12, You're Even Worse than the SEC": Discusses how the Big 12 is going to have trouble on Selection Sunday if teams do not start separating themselves from the rest of the pack. Looks at each team's NCAA resume and breaks down what they have to do to get an at-large bid. Also talks about how the Big 12 might be the worst major conference in the country (besides the Pac-10, of course).

Will Duke Go Undefeated?

After last night's victory over North Carolina State, the Duke Blue Devils improved to 17-0, 5-0 in the ACC. With only 2 non-conference games and three truly difficult road tests left, talk heated up again about Duke going undefeated. There are 13 games left for Duke until the ACC Tournament. Add that to the three they would play in the ACC Tournament and the six they would play in the NCAA Tournament, and the Blue Devils have 22 games left that they would need to win in order to complete an undefeated season. I can't see them going 39-0, or even 38-1, for that matter. Duke will lose before the ACC Tournament, and will also not win the NCAA Tournament. As far as the NCAA Tournament goes, that is a different discussion for an entirely different time. However, one can analyze their schedule and breakdown their chances of going undefeated in the regular season.

Let's start with the non-conference games, just to get them out of the way. This Saturday, the Blue Devils head out to Washington, D.C. for a date with the Georgetown Hoyas. While they may be on the road, Duke is just too balanced and has too many options for the three-point oriented Hoyas. The only other non-league contest left is another road game, this one at Temple. The Owls are only 9-6 this season and have disappointed many. Duke should win that game as well. That leaves the 11 ACC games remaining on the schedule. The Blue Devils have to play Virginia Tech, Maryland, Boston College, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Virginia, and Miami (Fl.) one more time each, and Florida State and North Carolina twice.

In order to beat Duke, a team needs to be able to get offensive rebounds leading to easy baskets; they need to be able to spread the floor and not turn the ball over; and they need to be a good defensive group. In terms of individuals, an opponent needs to have a solid inside player that can score; a couple of players that can take their defender off the dribble; and one or two consistent three-point shooters. The only teams left on the schedule that have that are Maryland, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina. Oh, wow, what a coincidence--Duke has to go on the road to play each of those teams sometime during the rest of the season. Most likely, Duke will lose during the week of February 5-February 11. During that span, the Blue Devils have to play at North Carolina, and then play at Maryland. If they have not lost by February 12th (before that, they also play at Boston College and Virginia Tech), the Duke Blue Devils will go undefeated. If one is looking for a trap game for Duke, though, circle February 19th on your calendar: that is when the Miami Hurricanes come to visit. The guards of Miami could cause some problems for Duke.

Obviously, there are still several games left for Duke that they could go into undefeated and come out a one-loss team. However, with the lack of a return trip to North Carolina State looming, the number of teams able to defeat Duke is decreasing weekly. Don't book plans for the undefeated parade yet, though: Duke still has a lot of work to do.

Thursday, January 20th Predictions

Prediction Record: 239-123

Southern Illinois at Missouri State: Prediction: Southern Illinois 73, Missouri State 70
Cincinnati at Xavier: Prediction: Xavier 74, Cincinnati 65
Hofstra at Old Dominion- Prediction: Old Dominion 79, Hofstra 73
Montana at Northern Arizona- Prediction: Montana 73, Northern Arizona 71
Stanford at Arizona- Prediction: Arizona 75, Stanford 69

Wednesday, January 18th Predictions

Prediction Record: 234-122

North Carolina State at Duke- Prediction: Duke 71, North Carolina State 66
Tennessee at Memphis- Prediction: Memphis 85, Tennessee 77
Wisconsin at Ohio State- Prediction: Wisconsin 65, Ohio State 63
Arkansas at Alabama- Prediction: Alabama 71, Arkansas 65
Pittsburgh at Rutgers- Prediction: Pittsburgh 70, Rutgers 66
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest- Prediction: Wake Forest 80, Georgia Tech 71

Tuesday, January 17th Predictions

Prediction Record: 232-117

Illinois at Indiana- Prediction: Indiana 76, Illinois 73
Furman at Georgia Southern- Prediction: Georgia Southern 85, Furman 77
Iowa State at Nebraska- Prediction: Nebraska 69, Iowa State 65
Ohio at Northern Illinois- Prediction: Ohio 73, Northern Illinois 70
Texas Tech at Texas- Prediction: Texas 81, Texas Tech 64
Marquette at DePaul- Prediction: DePaul 75, Marquette 68
Kentucky at Georgia- Prediction: Georgia 70, Kentucky 65

Monday, January 16th Predictions

Prediction Record: 228-115

Kansas at Missouri- Prediction: Missouri 71, Kansas 67
Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa- Prediction: Northern Iowa 69, Southern Illinois 66
Connecticut at Syracuse- Prediction: Connecticut 78, Syracuse 75
Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay- Prediction: Austin Peay 75, Tennessee Tech 70
Southern at Mississippi Valley State- Prediction: Southern 64, Mississippi Valley State 59

Weekly Power Rankings

After an exciting weekend that saw several upsets and tight games that were decided at the wire, March Madness All Season is back with the Power Sweet Sixteen Rankings. We will post the rankings every Sunday until we begin to release complete brackets in February.

- Standard bracketing rules apply (no two teams from the same conference in the same half-bracket, etc.)
- Numbers in parenthesis next to the team indicate what 1-16 ranking they are

Atlanta Region:
1. Duke (1)
2. Illinois (8)
3. Texas (10)
4. Syracuse (16)

Oakland Region:
1. Connecticut (4)
2. Wisconsin (5)
3. Gonzaga (9)
4. North Carolina State (14)

Washington, D.C. Region:
1. Florida (2)
2. Pittsburgh (7)
3. Michigan State (11)
4. Washington (15)

Minneapolis Region:
1. Memphis (3)
2. Villanova (6)
3. Indiana (12)
4. West Virginia (13)

17th Team: Tennessee

Others Considered: George Washington, UCLA

Weekend Preview

Another weekend of college basketball means another two days completely filled with quality conference tilts. This week, there is a very good non-conference game mixed in with the usual docket of top teams from the top conferences going up against each other.

Top Games

Georgetown at Connecticut (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Georgetown is looking for a quality win to make their NCAA Tournament resume look somewhat attractive, while Connecticut is going to be fighting for a #1 seed throughout the season. For the Hoyas, Brandon Bowman and Jeff Green are a good forward tandem, while Roy Hibbert is an underrated center. Ashanti Cook is an athletic scorer in the backcourt. On Connecticut's side, Marcus Williams is becoming the All-American point guard he was last season, while Hilton Armstrong has developed into the Huskies' best big man. Rudy Gay can take over a game from the wing and Rashad Anderson can carry the Huskies if his shot is falling. Prediction: Connecticut 72, Georgetown 61

Villanova at Texas (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CBS)- The talent in this game is going to be unbelievable. On the perimeter, Daniel Gibson of Texas, and Allan Ray and Randy Foye of Villanova are in the Top 5 at their respective positions. Up front, Texas’ P.J. Tucker is a matchup nightmare, while the Longhorns’ LaMarcus Aldridge is a dominant big man. The key matchup will be Ray vs. Tucker and Foye vs. Brad Buckman. Ray is nowhere near strong enough to stop Tucker on the block. Foye might have a better chance at stopping Tucker when he posts up. If the Wildcats decide to put Foye on Tucker, it will help them out. On the other side, Buckman is going to have to defend Foye. Foye is too quick for Buckman, so he is going to need help. In the end, however, Texas has too much inside-outside balance for the Wildcats to handle. Unless Jason Fraser and Will Sheridan figure out a way to stop Aldridge on one end, and get some baskets on the other, Texas will be too much on the interior. On the perimeter, the Longhorns’ Gibson is good enough of a perimeter scorer to match Ray, while Foye is going to get his no matter what for Villanova. The variety of ways in which Texas can score is going to be the difference. Foye, Kyle Lowry, and Ray are going to give them a heckuva game, though. Prediction: Texas 76, Villanova 71 Click Here For a Complete Preview of Villanova-Texas

Washington at UCLA (Saturday, 4:00 PM, FSN)- This game could go a long way towards determining the Pac-10 Championship. UCLA went to Arizona and won, and the Wildcats went to Washington and emerged victorious. It’s Washington’s turn to pick up a big road win. The Huskies are a very balanced team offensively, led by National Player of the Year candidate Brandon Roy. Jon Brockman and Jamaal Williams are tough down low, while Bobby Jones is an excellent defender who can also score. Justin Dentmon is a solid point guard, and Ryan Appleby is an excellent shooter. UCLA is getting killed by injuries, but are still going to be competitive. Jordan Farmar and Aaron Afflalo are one of the best backcourts in the country, while Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is an underrated forward. Darren Collison is a developing scorer at the point guard spot. Prediction: Washington 80, UCLA 76

Michigan at Illinois (Saturday, 4:30 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Both teams are coming off of less-than-impressive games: Michigan's 3-point victory at home against Purdue, and Illinois' loss at Iowa in a game that they were never really competitive. The Wolverines have one of the best backcourts in the league in Daniel Horton and Dion Harris, and big man Courtney Sims can dominate a game from the paint. Graham Brown is a rugged rebounder down low. Illinois has one of the best inside-outside combos in the country in Dee Brown, possibly the nation's best point guard, and James Augustine, an underrated big man. Jamar Smith and Rich McBride are excellent long-range shooters for the Fighting Illini. Prediction: Illinois 69, Michigan 59

Syracuse at Cincinnati (Saturday, 8:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Two teams that will be in thick of the Big East race come March. Syracuse is starting to develop into a team that is going to be a tough out in a couple of months. Gerry McNamara can keep the Orange in the game from the perimeter, while Terrence Roberts is the main man down low. Demetris Nichols is a versatile scorer at the forward spot and guard Eric Devendorf is a crafty player in the backcourt. Cincinnati is falling apart due to injuries, and are going to be very thin for the rest of the season. James White is an excellent all-around player, while Eric Hicks is one of the best big men in the country. Devan Downey is a very good freshman point guard and Cedric McGowan is a solid forward. Prediction: Cincinnati 68, Syracuse 64

Tennessee at LSU (Saturday, 8:00 PM, FSN)- An SEC crossover game between a team that will be a contender in the extremely competitive SEC East Division and a club that should run away in the weak SEC West. Tennessee is a perimeter-oriented team led by potentially the best backcourt in the league in C.J. Watson and shooter Chris Lofton. Major Wingate provides balance on the inside, while Andre Patterson is a versatile scorer in the frontcourt. LSU might be the most talented team in the conference. Glen Davis is one of the best big men in the country and guard Darrell Mitchell has quietly been the best guard in the SEC (yes, including Rajon Rondo). Tyrus Thomas is one of the best freshmen in the country, while fellow frosh Tasmin Mitchell is also a contender for Conference Freshman of the Year. Prediction: LSU 76, Tennessee 68

Missouri State at Wichita State (Saturday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV)- Two teams fighting for second place in the Missouri Valley Conference behind undefeated Southern Illinois. Both teams are 4-2, and with injuries to other contenders' key players (Creighton and Nate Funk, Northern Iowa and Erik Crawford), the door could open for one of these two teams to make a run at the league title. Missouri State is a high-scoring bunch, led by super-scorer Blake Ahearn. Guards Tyler Chaney and Deke Thompson are also very good guards, while Kellen Easley is one of the best sixth men in the country. Wichita State may have the best frontcourt combo in the MVC in Paul Miller and Kyle Wilson. Guards P.J. Couisnard and Sean Ogirri are the top players in the backcourt for the Shockers. Prediction: Wichita State 81, Missouri State 75

Pittsburgh at Louisville (Sunday, 1:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- This could be the coming-out party for Pitt. The Panthers are one of three undefeated teams left in the country, and are showing they are going to be a team to be reckoned with in March. Carl Krauser is one of the best guards in America, while center Aaron Gray might be the most improved player in the country. Levance Fields is a shifty point guard that can score and fellow freshman Sam Young is a versatile scorer at forward. Louisville needs a quality win in order to bounce back after what seems like a season-long slump. Juan Palacios and David Padgett are a good inside duo and Taquan Dean is one of the best all-around guards in the country. Brandon Jenkins is an underrated perimeter player and Terrence Williams leads a host of freshman that contribute. Prediction: Pitt 70, Louisville 68

Michigan State at Ohio State (Sunday, 4:30 PM, CBS)- Two of the Big Ten’s best teams battle it out in Columbus. Michigan State needs a win in order to avoid a 1-3 start in conference play. They are coming off of a dominant win over Indiana at home. Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown form one of the best wing duos in the nation, while post player Paul Davis is having an All-America-type season. Drew Neitzel is a solid point guard that doesn’t turn the ball over much. Ohio State is still one of the big surprises in college basketball at 12-1. Je’Kel Foster might be the best three-point shooter in the country and Terence Dials is one of the best big men in the conference. J.J. Sullinger is a good inside-outside swingman, while Ron Lewis leads a host of perimeter players that can put the ball in the basket. Prediction: Ohio State 84, Michigan State 79

Wake Forest at Maryland (Sunday, 7:30 PM, FSN)- Will anybody in the ACC stand up and give Duke a running mate in the race for an ACC Championship. It doesn't look like either of these teams are ready to give the Blue Devils any sort of threat, after the Demon Deacons and the Terrapins lost to the Dukies by 18 and 24 points, respectively. Wake Forest has an excellent inside-outside combination in guard Justin Gray, an outstanding scorer, and big man Eric Williams, an efficient player around the basket. Trent Strickland is an athlete on the wing that can get to the basket and is also a good rebounder. Maryland is deep and has several guys that can beat you. 6-5 guards D.J. Strawberry and Chris McCray form a tall, defensive-minded backcourt that forces turnvoers. Nik Caner-Medley has the potential to be a very good inside-outside scorer, while Ekene Ibekwe and James Gist are energetic rebounders and shot-blockers on the interior. Prediction: Maryland 84, Wake Forest 75

Other Games to Watch

Miami (Fl) at North Carolina (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN2)- Miami picked up a big win last week against Maryland, while North Carolina looks like it could be the second-best team in the ACC. Prediction: North Carolina 75, Miami (Fl.) 65

Iowa State at Texas Tech (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN)- Texas Tech needs to start picking up some wins, while Iowa State is one of the few true good teams in the Big 12. The backcourt matchup of Iowa State's Will Blalock and Curtis Stinson vs. Martin Zeno and Jarrius Jackson of Texas Tech is going to be exceptional. Prediction: Iowa State 70, Texas Tech 63

Virginia Commonwealth at Old Dominion (Saturday, 12:00 PM, Regional TV)- Two of the seemingly endless group of quality teams in the Colonial do battle. Alex Loughton going up against Nick George will be an interesting matchup. Prediction: Old Dominion 74, Virginia Commonwealth 67

Georgia Tech at North Carolina State (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Two of the best (Georgia Tech? Best?) teams in the ACC--according to the standings, at least--go at it in Raleigh. Georgia Tech has been hot lately, while NC State always comes out with a solid performance. Prediction: North Carolina State 65, Georgia Tech 58

Holy Cross at Bucknell (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CSTV)- One of the few teams in the Patriot league that can actually give Bucknell a test pays the Bison a visit. If Bucknell doesn't lose this game to the Crusaders or the return trip, I can't see them losing a conference game. Prediction: Bucknell 66, Holy Cross 52

Alabama at Kentucky (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CBS)- The preseason favorites in the SEC have not lived up to expectations. Alabama doesn't look like it will come near the NCAA Tournament, while Kentucky needs to start beating some quality teams. The Crimson Tide isn't a "quality team", though. Prediction: Kentucky 71, Alabama 63

Oklahoma at Texas A&M (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN2)- Will one of these teams make the NCAA Tournament? It's up in the air for both the Preseason Top 10 Sooners and the previously 11-0 (now 11-2) Aggies. Prediction: Texas A&M 72, Oklahoma 68

Florida State at Boston College (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- Boston College is off to an 0-3 start, while Florida State is 2-1 in the ACC. The Eagles need a win here, while the Seminoles are poised to give them problems with their stable of athletes on the wings. Prediction: Boston College 72, Florida State 61

Duke at Clemson (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN)- Will anyone beat Duke this season? The prospects for potential defeats are shrinking. Maybe the Tigers can keep it close on their homecourt. Sorry, I was just joking. Prediction: Duke 84, Clemson 70

Marquette at West Virginia (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- West Virginia is becoming a team that can make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament, while Marquette is just trying to get there. Prediction: West Virginia 77, Marquette 66

Tennessee Tech at Samford (Saturday, 3:00 PM)- Two of the OVC's best try to keep pace with Murray State atop the conference. The winner moves to one game behind the 7-1 Racers. Prediction: Samford 71, Tennessee Tech 65

Vanderbilt at Arkansas (Saturday, 3:05 PM)- Vanderbilt looks for another road win against a quality SEC team (not too many of those, are there?). Arkansas needs to bounce back from an 0-2 conference start. Prediction: Vanderbilt 79, Arkansas 77

UNC-Wilmington at Hofstra (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Another quality matchup in the Colonial Conference as two of the best teams in the league battle in Long Island. UNC-Wilmington is tied for the league lead at 5-1, but Hofstra is undefeated at home and are still in the thick of the conference race. Prediction: Hofstra 82, UNC-Wilmington 75

Montana at Montana State (Saturday, 5:00 PM)- The two preseason favorites in the Big Sky go up against each other to try to keep pace with league leaders Northern Arizona and Sacramento State. Montana State's Ja'Ron Jefferson against Andrew Strait of Montana will be a key matchup. Prediction: Montana 70, Montana State 67

Arizona at Oregon (Saturday, 6:00 PM, FSN)- Arizona is coming off of a loss to Oregon State, while Oregon beat Arizona State this week. The Wildcats might be the most talented team in the conference and Oregon is struggling, Eugene is never an easy place to play. Prediction: Arizona 72, Oregon 63

Colorado at Missouri (Saturday, 6:00 PM, ESPN FullCourt)- Can Missouri seriously move to 3-0 in the Big 12 with a win at home against the Buffaloes? Richard Roby needs to have a big day for suddenly struggling Colorado. Prediction: Missouri 73, Colorado 66

Xavier at Charlotte (Saturday, 7:00 PM)- Two of the Atlantic-10's best teams try to keep their undefeated conference records intact. Xavier is flying under the radar, but have quietly been one of the nation's best teams, while Charlotte is starting to live up to their preseason expectations. Prediction: Xavier 73, Charlotte 70

Northern Illinois at Akron (Saturday, 7:00 PM)- The lone good team from the MAC's West division battles one of four undefeated teams from the East division. Akron needs a win to keep pace with the rest of the division, while Northern Illinois just needs to not collapse in order to win their half of the conference. Prediction: Akron 75, Northern Illinois 67

Washington State at USC (Saturday, 8:00 PM, Regional TV)- Two of the Pac-10 teams that could get on the NCAA bubble if either of them strings together a couple of good conference wins. Both teams can beat any team in the league, but also lose to any team in the Pac-10. Prediction: Washington State 61, USC 56

It's Time to Take Pitt Seriously

There are two unbeaten teams left in college basketball, Duke and Florida. Oh, what's that? There's three? Well, the Blue Devils are #1, the Gators are #2, shouldn't the next one get the same sort of recognition as the other two? No, keep looking...all the way down until you get to #11, Pittsburgh. The Panthers are often left out of the conversation when it comes to talking about the top teams in the country as of now. However, I suggest that you start paying attention to them as a legit Big East Championship threat and a contender to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.

The common excuse for most people not really respecting Pitt and their (after tonight's comeback victory over DePaul) 13-0 record is that they have not played anybody of note on the road nor do they have anything overly impressive on their resume. Nothing against Florida, but their power numbers are lower than the Panthers. Granted, the Gators have wins over Syracuse and a slumping Wake Forest team, but Pitt beat Wisconsin and DePaul at home, and also took down South Carolina on the road. NCAA profile aside, the Panthers are a very good team and a squad that needs to be looked out for come March.

Pittsburgh is a deep (10 players average over 12 minutes per game) team that can beat you both inside and outside. And, of course, they play tough, physical defense. On the perimeter, Carl Krauser (17.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.0 spg), as he has for what seems like a decade, leads the way. He moved from the point guard spot to the wing so he could concentrate more on scoring. His scoring efficiency is much improved, and his turnovers have decreased. Splitting time at the point guard position are Ronald Ramon (6.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) and Levance Fields (6.5 ppg, 2.8 apg). Ramon is more of a jump shooter, while the crafty Fields likes to get into the lane for his points. Part-time starter Antonio Graves (4.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg) is a good defender and can shoot the ball from deep. All four of the aforementioned players can handle the ball if needed. Also on the wing are 6-2 Keith Benjamin (4.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and 6-6 John DeGroat (4.5 ppg, 2.3 rpg). Both players are athletic and can score from the perimeter or off of penetration. Inside, the Panthers have possibly the most-improved player in the country in 7-footer Aaron Gray (12.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.9 bpg). He is a very good rebounder and is nearly impossible to move off of the block. He is adept at passing out of the double-team and has a nice offensive game with his back to the basket. Freshman Sam Young (8.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg) has been very impressive offensively and is averaging over 14 points per contest in his last 4 games. He is a versatile forward. Levon Kendall (7.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg) has potential as a scorer up front, as evidenced by his well-publicized 40-point game over the summer against Team USA. Tyrell Biggs (3.2 ppg) is another big body in the frontcourt that provides depth.

Pittsburgh is a deep, versatile group that is going to be a tough out in both the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. Of course they aren't going to stay undefeated, but the Panthers merit the same sort of respect and recognition as the other undefeated teams in college basketball. If you don't start taking them seriously now in mid-January, you are going to be sorry come March and they mess up your bracket by making a "surprising" run to the late rounds. Just giving everyone a warning--the Pittsburgh Panthers are for real.

Thursday, January 12th Predictions

Prediction Record: 206-102

DePaul at Pittsburgh- Prediction: Pittsburgh 73, DePaul 64
Washington State at UCLA- Prediction: UCLA 64, Washington State 57
Albany at Boston University- Prediction: Albany 75, Boston University 72
Austin Peay at Murray State- Prediction: Murray State 76, Austin Peay 68
UNC-Wilmington at Drexel- Prediction: Drexel 74, UNC-Wilmington 69
Washington at USC- Prediction: USC 75, Washington 66

Wednesday, January 11th Predictions

Prediction Record: 197-97

Indiana at Michigan State- Prediction: Michigan State 79, Indiana 76
LSU at Arkansas- Prediction: LSU 73, Arkansas 68
Maryland at Duke- Prediction: Duke 82, Maryland 73
Georgetown at West Virginia- Prediction: West Virginia 77, Georgetown 70
Syracuse at Notre Dame- Prediction: Notre Dame 68, Syracuse 63
Wichita State at Bradley- Prediction: Bradley 75, Wichita State 70
Southeastern Louisiana at Northwestern State- Prediction: Northwestern State 72, Southeastern Louisiana 62
Iona at St. Peter's- Prediction: St. Peter's 71, Iona 68
Nebraska at Kansas State- Prediction: Kansas State 73, Nebraska 65
Georgia at Tennessee- Prediction: Tennessee 76, Georgia 67
Baylor at Texas Tech- Prediction: Texas Tech 71, Baylor 64
Creighton at Northern Iowa- Prediction: Northern Iowa 76, Creighton 69
Kansas at Colorado- Prediction: Kansas 68, Colorado 66
Texas A&M at Oklahoma State- Prediction: Oklahoma State 72, Texas A&M 67

Tuesday, January 10th Predictions

Prediction Record: 195-95

North Carolina State at Boston College- Prediction: Boston College 69, North Carolina State 66
Kentucky at Vanderbilt- Prediction: Vanderbilt 76, Kentucky 68
Wisconsin at Minnesota- Prediction: Wisconsin 72, Minnesota 60
North Carolina at Virginia Tech- Prediction: Virginia Tech 74, North Carolina 69

Monday, January 9th Predictions

Prediction Record: 192-93

Cincinnati at Connecticut- Prediction: Connecticut 78, Cincinnati 74
Texas at Iowa State- Prediction: Iowa State 73, Texas 71
Oral Roberts at Valparaiso- Prediction: Valparaiso 72, Oral Roberts 69
Cal State-Fullerton at Pacific- Prediction: Cal State-Fullerton 78, Pacific 75
Gonzaga at Santa Clara- Prediction: Gonzaga 81, Santa Clara 73

The Week Ahead

After an exciting weekend of upsets and down-to-the-wire games, a new week of college basketball is upon us. Selection Sunday is only 9 weeks away and conference play is beginning to separate pretenders and contenders. Who will step up this week and win key games? Who will falter down the stretch and start to drop in the standings?

Monday

Top Games

Cincinnati at Connecticut- Two of the best teams in the Big East battle it out in Storrs. Connecticut is coming off a two-game stretch in which they lost to Marquette and narrowly escaped LSU at home. They will need to bounce back. Marcus Williams seems to be close to hitting his stride, while Rashad Anderson needs to get his stroke back. Rudy Gay, Hilton Armstrong, and Josh Boone comprise one of the best frontcourts around. Cincinnati has surprised some with their good start under Andy Kennedy. They went into Marquette on Saturday and got a victory, something UConn couldn't do. The Bearcats are an excellent shot-blocking and defensive team, but they are awfully thin on the bench. Eric Hicks is a beast on the inside; Armein Kirkland and James White are very good scorers on the wings; and Devan Downey is one of the best freshman point guards in the country.

Texas at Iowa State- The parody-laden Big 12 does not really have a clear-cut #2 after Texas. Iowa State is a good a choice as any. The Cyclones have wins over Iowa and Northern Iowa, and have won 5 in a row. The backcourt of Curtis Stinson, an excellent all-around guard, and Will Blalock, an underrated shooter and passer, is one of the best in the country. Rahshon Clark is a versatile matchup problem in the frontcourt. Texas seems to have bounced back from their 2-game struggle session back in December. They have possibly the best quartet of players in the country: Guard Daniel Gibson is an excellent scorer; P.J. Tucker might be a Player of the Year candidate before the season is over; Brad Buckman is a solid scorer and rebounder; and LaMarcus Aldridge is one of the best centers in all of college basketball.

Other Games to Watch

Oral Roberts at Valparaiso- The two best in the Mid-Continent go at it in a game that could go a long way towards determining the champion. ORU will be without star guard Ken Tutt, who is out for up to 6 weeks.

Cal State-Fullerton at Pacific- Two of the favorites in the Big West battle for league supremacy. Pacific is coming off of a horrendous loss at home to UC-Riverside, while CS Fullerton has not lived up to expectations thus far.

Gonzaga at Santa Clara- Will Gonzaga lose a conference game this season? Santa Clara, at home, has a chance as they have one of the league's better players in Travis Niesen.

Tuesday

Top Game

North Carolina State at Boston College- The race for the ACC's #2 spot heats up in Massachusetts. Both teams are coming off road losses, the Wolfpack to North Carolina and the Eagles to Georgia Tech. NC State is a very balanced team that can beat you from anywhere on the court. Ilian Evtimov is a versatile scorer; Cedric Simmons is a legit low-post option; and Engin Atsur and Gavin Grant are two very solid guards. Boston College is a frontcourt-laden team, with one of the best forward tandems in the country in Jared Dudley, an inside-outside scorer, and Craig Smith, a beast on the block. Sean Marshall and Tyrese Rice provide perimeter scoring.

Other Games to Watch

Kentucky at Vanderbilt- Two of the SEC East's top contenders look to get off to a good start in the league season. Vanderbilt have one of the best players in the league in Shan Foster, while Kentucky has All-American Rajon Rondo and get Randolph Morris back from suspension.

Wisconsin at Minnesota- Two of the Big Ten's eight potential NCAA teams battle it out. Wisconsin is hot lately, led by Alando Tucker, Kammron Taylor, and Brian Butch. Minnesota is coming off of a home loss to Northwestern, although Vincent Grier and Maurice Hargrow are a very good wing duo.

North Carolina at Virginia Tech- Two teams expected to be on the bubble at the start of the season are going in different directions. North Carolina is developing into a very good team, with one of the top frontcourts in the conference, including star freshman Tyler Hansbrough. Virginia Tech is 0-2 in the ACC, but have an excellent inside-outside duo in Zabian Dowdell and Coleman Collins.

Wednesday

Top Games

Indiana at Michigan State- Possibly the Big Ten's two best Final Four contenders go at it in East Lansing. Indiana received news this week that D.J. White re-injured himself and might miss the rest of the seasonn. Even without him, the Hoosiers are a very good team. Marco Killingsworth is an offensive force down low, while Robert Vaden and Marshall Strickland are very good perimeter producers. Michigan State is 0-2 in the Big Ten, but don't let that fool you. This team can beat anyone. Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager form one of the best wing duos in the country, and Paul Davis is having an All-America-caliber season down low.

LSU at Arkansas- The two best teams in the SEC West look to get a head-start in the race for a title. LSU is, without a doubt, the best 5-loss team in the country. Glen Davis is one of the country's best big men, while Darrell Mitchell is developing into an All-SEC guard. The freshmen forward tandem of Tyrus Thomas and Tasmin Mitchell is extremely talented. Arkansas is coming off a loss to Mississippi State, but need a win here to get back in the SEC West race. Ronnie Brewer is one of the best players in the conference, while guard Jonathan Modica and post player Darian Townes are also very solid offensive options.

Maryland at Duke- One of the best rivalries in the country opens another chapter with both teams looking like ACC title contenders, even though Maryland had a bad loss at Miami over the weekend. The Terrapins are athletic and deep, and can beat with you with a number of players. Chris McCray and DJ Strawberry are a big, defensive-minded backcourt, while Nik Caner-Medley, Ekene Ibekwe, and James Gist are three solid scorer up front. Duke has the best inside-outside tandem in the country in JJ Redick, a Player of the Year candidate, and big man Shelden Williams, a double-double lock every night. Greg Paulus is developing into a very good point guard; Sean Dockery is a vastly underrated guard; and Josh McRoberts is starting to become the player everyone thought he would be.

Other Games to Watch

Georgetown at West Virginia-
Syracuse at Notre Dame-
Wichita State at Bradley-
Southeastern Louisiana at Northwestern State-
Iona at St. Peter's-
Nebraska at Kansas State-
Georgia at Tennessee-
Baylor at Texas Tech-
Creighton at Northern Iowa-
Kansas at Colorado-
Texas A&M at Oklahoma State-

Thursday

Top Games

DePaul at Pittsburgh-
Washington State at UCLA-

Other Games to Watch

Albany at Boston University-
Austin Peay at Murray State-
UNC-Wilmington at Drexel-
Washington at USC-

Weekly Power Rankings

After an exciting weekend that saw upsets galore and undefeated teams go down at the hands of underdogs, March Madness All Season is back with the Power Sweet Sixteen Rankings. We will post the rankings every Sunday from now until we begin to release complete brackets in February.

- Standard bracketing rules apply (no two teams from the same conference in the same half-bracket, etc.)
- Numbers in parenthesis next to the team indicate what 1-16 ranking they are

Atlanta Region:
1. Duke (1)
2. Wisconsin (7)
3. UCLA (9)
4. Ohio State (14)

Oakland Region:
1. Villanova (4)
2. Indiana (5)
3. Cincinnati (12)
4. Texas (13)

Washington, D.C. Region:
1. Florida (2)
2. Gonzaga (7)
3. Pitt (11)
4. North Carolina State (16)

Minneapolis Region:
1. Memphis (3)
2. Connecticut (6)
3. Illinois (10)
4. Arizona (15)

17th Team: Northern Iowa

Others Considered: George Washington, Washington