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Top 25 Games
- #2 Texas 76, Texas Tech 60: “The No. 3 Texas Longhorns remained undefeated in the Big 12 conference with a 76-60 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Texas has now navigated half its conference season unscathed and is off to its best ever start in the Big 12 at 8-0. That is the good news. However, for the first time in Big 12 play, the Longhorns failed to play a full 40 minutes, and the lack of effort and execution should give Rick Barnes plenty of game tape to refocus the ‘Horns for the rest of February and March.” (Burnt Orange Nation)
- #3 Kansas 86, Nebraska 66: “In the Jayhawks final trip to Lincoln during Big 12 Conference play Kansas continued their recent run on the offensive end. Since the Jayhawks dropped the one and only game of the season to Texas things have turned for the better at Kansas as the Jayhawks have taken what was already one of the most efficient offenses in the country to another level. The game in Lincoln certainly had a different feel than the matchup earlier this season between these two teams in Lawrence. In the first game the tempo and style went exactly the way Nebraska wanted it to. The game was ugly, it was slow and Kansas barely squeaked out a win.” (Rock Chalk Talk)
- #12 Villanova 66, West Virginia 50: “Having nibbled two points off of Villanova’s lead (47-40) and with just over 11 minutes left in the game, West Virgninia went 1-11 and 1-4 from the line over an eight minut stretch as Villanova blew the game open with a 17-3 run that made the score 64-43 with just over three minutes left.” (Villanova by the Numbers)
- #17 Georgetown 83, Providence 81: “The Georgetown Hoyas extended its Big East winning streak to six games today with a 83-81 win over the Providence Friars. BARELY. The Hoyas were paced by Austin Freeman with 23 points. Marshon Brooks led the Friars with 43 points in a virtuoso performance for the ages.” (Casual Hoya)
Other Games of Interest
- Oklahoma State 81, Oklahoma 75: The Cowboys utilized a big edge at the free throw line to knock off the Sooners. (Pistols Firing)
- Memphis 62, Gonzaga 58: “Today, thousands of people from the Spokane area got the rare chance to see Gonzaga play within city limits. Those same people likely left saying “Eh, I’m cool with staying on the waiting list”. I’ve seen a number of high flying, intense, and well played games between Memphis and Gonzaga. This was not one of them. One team shot 38%, the other shot 36%. The one that shot 38% won the game. It really was that simple in this one. Gonzaga simply could not make a shot with any consistency. Senior Steven Gray was 4-14 while Rob Sacre and Elias Harris combined to go 6-17. The end results was a Gonzaga lost at the Spokane Arena by a count of 62-58.” (The Slipper Still Fits)
- UCLA 66, St. John’s 59: A big victory for Ben Howland and the Bruins over Steve Lavin, who was returning to Los Angeles after a big win a week ago against Duke. (Bruins Nation)
- Maryland 91, Wake Forest 70: “When you need an easy win, Wake Forest is there. Jordan Williams had a career with 27 points and 15 rebounds and Pe’Shon Howard had eight assists in his second ACC start as Maryland romped over the Demon Deacons, 91-70.” (Testudo Times)
- Alabama 65, Tennessee 60 (OT): “There wasn’t going to be a winner in this one, just a survivor. And in the end, it was Alabama who was tougher longer: while the Vols turned the ball over four times on their first six overtime possessions, the Tide just kept getting to the line. Alabama went 10 for 10 at the stripe in the extra session, and that was enough to keep the Vols at bay. It is a huge win for the Crimson Tide, who go to 7-1 in the SEC and get the road resume win they needed to convince the selection committee that they’re for real.” (Rocky Top Talk)
- Boston College 58, Virginia Tech 56: “The Hokies blew a golden opportunity to take command of fourth place in the ACC, losing 58-56 at Boston College. Erick Green missed an open 3-pointer with under five seconds left to give the Hokies the lead, and BC secured the win on a questionable foul call with 1.1 seconds left. Tech falls to 1-9 all time at the mostly empty Conte Forum.” (Tech Hoops)
- Iowa 64, Indiana 63: “Iowa did it again. It marched into Assembly Hall — where the Hoosiers have been playing inspired basketball of late — and punched home their second win in as many seasons in Bloomington. Both victories mark its only road conference wins in the last three seasons. Somehow, someway, this Hawkeyes team just has IU’s number.” (Inside the Hall: Recap and Post-Game Interviews: Part 1 and Part 2)
Pre-Game Analysis
- #1 Ohio State at #20 Minnesota: “Having dispatched the pesky Michigan Wolverines at home on Thursday night, top-ranked Ohio State now enters the most difficult stretch of the regular season with a road tilt against the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. The Gophers are reeling after back-to-back losses to Purdue and Indiana, but the Buckeyes have not exactly been firing on all cylinders lately as they struggled mightily on the road against Northwestern before having to grind out a home victory against one of the the Big Ten’s worst. ” (Eleven Warriors)
News/Analysis
- Huskies need to improve Defense, Shot Selection, and Bench Play: Breaking down some of the reasons for Washington’s recent struggles. (Seatown Sports)