KANSAS JAYHAWKS at (#10) TEXAS LONGHORNS |
Monday   8:00 PM CDT   ESPN   Austin, TX |
The second and third place teams in the Big XII get together Monday evening in Austin, Texas. The Longhorns, currently one game behind Oklahoma State in the Big XII, lead Kansas by one game in league play. Two of the conference's top six scorers will be wearing Jayhawk blue. Junior forward Wayne Simien scores almost 17 a game, while junior guard Keith Langford rams home 16 a night. Texas spreads the scoring around, with nine players averaging more than 5 points a game and no one scoring 14 a contest. A Kansas road win would keep the 'Hawks right in the thick of things in the Big XII; a Longhorn win puts the pressure on Oklahoma State heading into Mizzou on Tuesday night.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Texas |
Texas |
Texas |
Coming... |
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NC STATE WOLFPACK at (#13) GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS |
Wednesday   6:00 PM CDT   ESPN   Atlanta, GA |
NC State comes into this week just a win away from moving to within one game of league-leading Duke. Had the Wolfpack not been upset last week at Clemson, coach Herb Sendek's team would already have that one remaining game behind them and be playing for the ACC lead Wednesday. Georgia Tech will be try to avoid a second straight home loss in the McDonald's Center, while also looking to stay above .500 in conference play. Two of the conference's top four scorers, NC State's Julius Hodge (18 ppg) and Tech's B.J. Elder (16 ppg), lead their teams into battle. NCSU has been a dismal 3-7 on the road this year, while the Yellow Jackets cannot afford to drop a third home game in 2003 - 2004.
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Georgia Tech |
Georgia Tech |
Georgia Tech |
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ILLINOIS ILLINI at IOWA HAWKEYES |
Wednesday   6:00 PM CDT   ESPN+   Iowa City, IA |
A Big Ten team who has recently moved off of the NCAA bubble will visit another that is sitting squarely on top of that very same bubble on Wednesday evening. Illinois, just a half-game behind league-leading Michigan State, will visit Iowa in Iowa City. The Fighting Illini have won six straight games, including three on the road. The Hawkeyes, meanwhile, have gone just .500 in their last ten games dating back to their mid-January loss at Illinois. Iowa has been led by the Big Ten's fifth-leading scorer in guard Pierre Pierce (17 ppg). The junior is one of six Hawkeyes averaging nine or a game. Illinois, meanwhile, has five players scoring between 10 and 14 points a game, led sophomore guard Deron Williams' 13.8.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Illinois |
Illinois |
Iowa |
Coming... |
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MEMPHIS TIGERS at (#15) LOUISVILLE CARDINALS |
Saturday   12:00 PM CDT   ABC*   Louisville, KY |
This is a matchup of two teams going in totally opposite directions at this point in the season. Memphis is leading the league by one game over Cincinnati and Charlotte. Rick Pitino's Louisville squad is four games back and has lost four consecutive games. The Tigers, meanwhile, have come out on top in each of their last eleven games, including an early February victory over UL. UM freshman forward Sean Banks is CUSA's second-leading scorer at 17 points per game. Guard Antonio Burks chips in over 16 as well. For Louisville, sophomore forward Francisco Garcia has been the Cards' most productive scorer with over 15 a game. UL is looking to win their first home game in nearly three weeks; UM hopes to pick up road win #6.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Memphis |
Louisville |
Louisville |
Coming... |
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TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS at (#10) TEXAS LONGHORNS |
Saturday   1:00 PM CDT   CBS*   Austin, TX |
In-state rivals Texas Tech and Texas get together in Austin Saturday afternoon. The Longhorns are currently tied atop the Big XII standings with Oklahoma State. The Cowboys should be able to pick up a win at Baylor on Saturday, meaning UT will likely need a win to keep pace with the Pokes. The 'Horns have won eight of their last nine, the only exception being a one-point defeat at Iowa State a couple weeks ago. The Red Raiders have found the conference schedule tough this season, winning only seven of thirteen. In fact, six of their last nine games have ended in Tech defeats. Red Raider senior guard Andre Emmett leads the Big XII with 21 points per game. UT looks to improve on a 14-1 home record this season.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Texas |
Texas |
Texas Tech |
Coming... |
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(#12) CINCINNATI BEARCATS at CHARLOTTE 49ers |
Saturday   4:00 PM CDT   ESPN   Charlotte, NC |
Two teams tied for second place in Conference USA go head to head in North Carolina late Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats and 49ers are each just one game behind league-leading Memphis. The winner of this game could move into a tie for first place in CUSA if the Tigers fall on the road at Louisville earlier in the day. Cincinnati has been on a roller coaster ride this season. Since winning their first thirteen games of the season, the 'Cats have won six of their previous eleven contests. Charlotte has built a nice resume for the NCAA committee. The 49ers have won seven of their last eight games and claim impressive victories over Syracuse, Southern Illinois, DePaul, Cincinnati, and Louisville.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Charlotte |
Cincinnati |
Charlotte |
Coming... |
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(#9) KENTUCKY WILDCATS at LSU TIGERS |
Sunday   3:00 PM CDT   CBS*   Baton Rouge, LA |
The biggest game of the day Sunday is an East vs West matchup in the SEC. Kentucky, leaders of the conference's Eastern division, will travel to take on LSU, the second place club in the SEC West. Coach John Brady's team has struggled recently, losing three consecutive games since winning at Florida two weeks ago. Star center Jaime Lloreda has been battling a leg injury, further hampering the Tigers' efforts. Meanwhile, Kentucky has gotten back on track since losing to Georgia for the second time this season. Coach Tubby Smith's team holds a three-game lead in the East and could clinch the division title with a victory. The Tigers are 13-2 in the "P-MAC" on the LSU campus this year.
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SouthernCollegeSports.com Writers' Predictions |
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Jonathan |
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LSU |
Kentucky |
Kentucky |
Coming... |