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| TUNE THE TUBE!...THE WEEK'S TOP GAMES | |
| Week of January 31 - February 6, 2005 | |
| Jonathan, SCS.com Editor | Contact Jonathan |
GAME OF THE WEEK...
(1) Illinois at Michigan State
Tuesday : 6:00 PM CST : ESPN
Top-ranked Illinois survived a huge road test at Wisconsin last week and will try to do the same on Tuesday night. That's when the Illini pay a visit to Michigan State to take on the Spartans. MSU is currently in second place in the Big Ten, the only team in the conference with one league loss. Illinois is one of just two remaining unbeatens in the country.
After a 3-2 start, Michigan State has won eleven of their last twelve games. The lone loss since early December came a couple weeks ago on the road at Wisconsin. Though the Badgers are one of the Big Ten's better clubs, this will clearly be Coach Tom Izzo's toughest test since a seven-point defeat at Duke in late November. MSU is 12-0 at home this season and has won three Big Ten home games by an average of 16 points each. Five Spartans score in double figures, led by junior guard Maurice Ager with nearly 15 a night. Center Paul Davis contributes 13, while Alan Anderson, Shannon Brown, Kelvin Tolbert, and Chris Hill all add between 9 and 11 per contest.
Illinois has proven they can win anywhere. The Illini has won on the road at places like Georgetown and Wisconsin, at neutral sites over opponents like Arkansas, Gonzaga, Cincinnati, and Missouri, and at home against the likes of Wake Forest and Iowa. Senior guard Luther Head is the Big Ten's fifth-leading scorer at nearly 17 per game. Deron Williams, Roger Powell, and Dee Brown each add about 13 per contest, while forward James Augustine contributes 10.
Four of the Illini's last six games have been decided by 10 points or less, so one would expect Tuesday's showdown in East Lansing to be close as well. With hoops experts like ESPN's Dick Vitale saying this game is the last one standing between Illionis and an unblemished regular season record, the pressure is on Coach Bruce Webber and his squad. The Izzone will be rocking on Tuesday night, but Illinois shows once again that they are physically and mentally tough...and the nation's best team.
The Editor Says: Illinois
THE WEEK'S OTHER TOP MATCHUPS...
Cincinnati at (10) Louisville
Wednesday : 6:00 PM CST : ESPN
Round one of this showdown went to Pitino's Cardinals just a little over two weeks ago. Each squad currently boasts a 6-1 CUSA record, so the winner moves into first place heading into the second half of conference play. If UL can win on the Bearcats' floor, they can do it in Freedom Hall.
The Editor Says: Louisville
(8) Duke at (7) Wake Forest
Wednesday : 8:00 PM CST : ESPN
ACC preseason favorite Wake Forest has already lost two league games and cannot afford to drop another at this point, especially at home. Both squads have lost games they feel should have been won, but a victory in this in-state rivalry will erase some of those feelings. Round one to Wake.
The Editor Says: Wake Forest
St. Mary's at Gonzaga
Thursday : 7:30 PM CST
This Thursday evening showdown matches the top two teams in the West Coast Conference. The Gaels are currently leading the way with a 5-1 record, including a victory over the Zags by eight in early January. A GU win could create a four-way conference tie heading into the weekend.
The Editor Says: Gonzaga
Stanford at (11) Arizona
Saturday : 12:00 PM CST : CBS
The Cardinal is perhaps the hottest team in the PAC 10, winners of their last six games since the second week of January. Arizona picked up a huge win over Washington last Thursday but was then upset on Saturday by Washington State. Expect a battle, but the 'Cats get back on track.
The Editor Says: Arizona
(13) Alabama at Florida
Saturday : 2:00 PM CST : JP / Yahoo!
After a sluggish pre-conference run, Billy Donovan's club has won five of their first six SEC contests. Like the Gators, Alabama has lost just once in league play, but this is probably their toughest road contest since the new year began. UF improves to 11-3 in the O-Dome this season.
The Editor Says: Florida
BEST OF THE REST...
Missouri at (3) Kansas - Monday
The Editor Says: Kansas
Providence at Pittsburgh - Monday
The Editor Says: Pittsburgh
(15) Utah at BYU - Monday
The Editor Says: Utah
Maryland at Clemson - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Maryland
West Virginia at (4) Boston College - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Boston College
Florida at Mississippi State - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Mississippi State
Wichita State at Creighton - Tuesday
The Editor Says: Wichita State
TCU at DePaul - Tuesday
The Editor Says: DePaul
Kansas State at (14) Oklahoma State - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Oklahoma State
Villanova at Connecticut - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Connecticut
Florida State at Georgia Tech - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Georgia Tech
Arkansas at South Carolina - Wednesday
The Editor Says: South Carolina
LSU at Georgia - Wednesday
The Editor Says: LSU
Virginia Tech at Miami - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Miami
Virginia at Providence - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Virginia
Seton Hall at Georgetown - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Georgetown
Texas A&M at Oklahoma - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Oklahoma
Tennessee at Vanderbilt - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Vanderbilt
Northwestern at (12) Wisconsin - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Wisconsin
Minnesota at Michigan - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Michigan
UAB at Marquette - Wednesday
The Editor Says: UAB
Colorado at Texas Tech - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Texas Tech
Southern Illinois at Bradley - Wednesday
The Editor Says: Southern Illinois
NC State at (2) North Carolina - Thursday
The Editor Says: North Carolina
Akron at Bowling Green - Thursday
The Editor Says: Bowling Green
Stanford at Arizona State - Thursday
The Editor Says: Arizona State
California at (11) Arizona - Thursday
The Editor Says: Arizona
(3) Kansas at Nebraska - Saturday
The Editor Says: Kansas
(12) Wisconsin at Minnesota - Saturday
The Editor Says: Wisconsin
Michigan at Ohio State - Saturday
The Editor Says: Ohio State
Georgia Tech at (8) Duke - Saturday
The Editor Says: Duke
Mississippi State at Auburn - Saturday
The Editor Says: Mississippi State
George Washington at Temple - Saturday
The Editor Says: Temple
Michigan State at Iowa - Saturday
The Editor Says: Iowa
Memphis at Houston - Saturday
The Editor Says: Memphis
Maryland at Miami - Saturday
The Editor Says: Maryland
(6) Kentucky at Vanderbilt - Saturday
The Editor Says: Kentucky
(7) Wake Forest at Virginia Tech - Saturday
The Editor Says: Wake Forest
Cincinnati at Charlotte - Saturday
The Editor Says: Charlotte
Old Dominion at UNC-Wilmington - Saturday
The Editor Says: Old Dominion
Arkansas at Mississippi - Saturday
The Editor Says: Arkansas
UCLA at (9) Washington - Saturday
The Editor Says: Washington
Santa Clara at Gonzaga - Saturday
The Editor Says: Gonzaga
Pittsburgh at West Virginia - Saturday
The Editor Says: Pittsburgh
Missouri at Texas A&M - Saturday
The Editor Says: Texas A&M
LSU at Tennessee - Saturday
The Editor Says: LSU
California at Arizona State - Saturday
The Editor Says: Arizona State
Oregon at Oregon State - Saturday
The Editor Says: Oregon State
(4) Boston College at Seton Hall - Saturday
The Editor Says: Boston College
Providence at Villanova - Saturday
The Editor Says: Villanova
Virginia at NC State - Saturday
The Editor Says: NC State
(10) Louisville at UAB - Saturday
The Editor Says: UAB
Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa - Saturday
The Editor Says: Southern Illinois
Notre Dame at (5) Syracuse - Saturday
The Editor Says: Syracuse
Texas Tech at Oklahoma - Saturday
The Editor Says: Oklahoma
Indiana at (1) Illinois - Sunday
The Editor Says: Illinois
(2) North Carolina at Florida State - Sunday
The Editor Says: North Carolina
The Editor's CBB Records:
Last Week: 39 - 21 (.650)
To Date: 272 - 120 (.694)
Game of the Week: 8 - 2 (.800)
