It’s a huge day of college hoops with an absolutely insane menu of games to choose from.  You’ve got rivalry games like Xavier vs. Cincinnati, Louisville vs. Indiana and the blockbuster Marquette vs. Wisconsin.  You’ve got Big Eat nostalgia with Pitt vs. West Virginia and Georgetown and Syracuse.  You’ve got brand name programs squaring off with Kentucky vs. Seton Hall and Florida and Michigan State.

We know we have an awesome slate of games.  What we don’t know yet this season is who is GOOD.  It’s been a really interesting start to the season.  Six teams have emerged as clearly good, and nearly 40-50 more seem to be in the “they seem like tournament teams, I think” category.  Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga, Virginia, Michigan and Nevada are really good.  I am pretty sure Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina are, or at least will be, good.  After that?  It’s a big muddle.  Wisconsin and Marquette will provide a nice glimpse today into that second tier, and frankly, for the Big East, the game is MASSIVE.  With Villanova down and Xavier WAY down, the league is falling far behind the rest of the conference Big Boys (well, except the Pac 12).

This is one of the final bigtime non-con days before conference play commences, so enjoy it!

 

TODAY’S BEST PLAYS:

 Xavier Musketeers at Cincinnati Bearcats -7

The Crosstown Shootout (as it was formerly named, before “shootout” was deemed uncouth) became so acrimonious a few years ago the series was moved off campus and played in a neutral location.  It’s now back, and expect UC’s new home to be rocking today, despite the relative “down” mature of both perennially ranked programs.  Neither has a number before their name, but the intensity won’t suffer – if anything, the game means even MORE as both will likely find themselves on the bubble (or in X’s case, perhaps, worse).

Xavier has failed most of the early season tests.  They were waxed by Wisconsin in Cincy, lost to San Diego State, and lost to Auburn (though that overtime loss was actually one of their more impressive moments of their season).  The problem is, despite three quality losses, there are no good wins to offset them.  Their best win is the 7^th place game in Maui against Illinois.  Miami of Ohio, Evansville, Oakland, Ohio…and that’s it.  On the plus side, they have won their last three games by double digits.

Meanwhile, ‘cross town, UC has been perfect since a season opening loss to Ohio State.  But, again, the schedule has been Charmin-soft.  Their best include George Mason, UNLV (in a tough scrap), Mississippi and Northern Kentucky.

Neither team is great, so I’ll bank on emotion and familiarity to ensure another tense classic.  This is a line play more than anything else.  I’ll take the fat seven and bank on a close contest.

MY PICK:  XAVIER MUSKETEERS +7

 

Kentucky Wildcats -7 vs. Seton Hall Pirates

I guess the Pirates are technically the “home team” in Madison Square Garden, but let’s not kid ourselves, this game will be more of a home court for the well-travelled Big Blue faithful.  Kentucky is oddly disappointing despite a top ten ranking and just one lone loss.  It is because of how JARRING that first-glimpse against Duke was.  But keep in mind – this was the #1 team preseason in a lot of circles and that was their very first game together.  Give up on UK at your own peril.

Meanwhile, Seton Hall already has three losses including a doozy to St. Louis.  I think they are going to get drilled today by a constantly-improving bunch of Wildcats.  I’ll eat the points and take the Cats.

MY PICK:  KENTUCKY WILDCATS -6.5

 

Creighton Blue Jays at Nebraska Cornhuskers -7

I feel like we are really sleeping on Creighton.  They have covered four of their last five games, mostly against Top 100 competition, including an impressive effort against #1 Gonzaga.  Yes, that was their lone non-cover, but the Blue Jays showed some mettle in the 102-93 loss.

Nebraska has a solid ballclub, but I can’t think of many times in the last decade they were head and shoulders better than Creighton.  I don’t think that is the case this year either, despite the line.  The Huskers have gotten off to a solid start, but the loss at Minnesota and the blasting from Texas Tech offset the wins over Seton Hall and Clemson.  This still feels like a fringe bubble team at best.

I’ll take the points in a rivalry game once again.  I like when I can get a team of equal talent in a rivalry game and more than a half dozen points.

MY PICK:  CREIGHTON BLUE JAYS +7