If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #1 Duke 71, Maryland 64: “I’m not sure how to view Maryland’s loss to Duke. They played hard. They played well. They never gave up and were in it until the final minute. For a team so inexperienced against supposedly the best team in the country in supposedly the hardest place to play in the country – both lies, but whatever – it’s difficult to be disappointed with a game so close.” (Testudo Times)
• #2 Ohio State 67, #23 Minnesota 64: “Minnesota nearly pulled off a miraculous 18-point comeback against #2 Ohio State on Sunday after a furious final eight minutes before falling to the Buckeyes 67-64 in Columbus, coming up just an Austin Hollins three-point attempt short of sending the game to overtime.” (From the Barn, The Daily Gopher, or Eleven Warriors)
• #3 Kansas 67, Michigan 60: “The Jayhawk again struggled to put away a team that they had overmatched and as happens when you do that, Michigan gained confidence and they elevated their play down the stretch.  In that same time, Kansas looked tight and a little pressured. Overall the Jayhawks shot poorly, turned the ball over and just didn’t look crisp in a game that didn’t have a lot of flow to it period.  This one can certainly be used as a learning experience as Kansas will face opponents and games that will have a similar feel in the Big 12.” (Rock Chalk Talk or UM Hoops: Recap, John Beilein Interview, Player Interviews)
• #8 Villanova 72, Cincinnati 61: “The Nova Nation watched the second game between two nationally ranked teams in Villanov’s on campus arena today. They got their money’s worth in both of those games.” (Villanova by the Numbers)
• #9 Purdue 75, Iowa 52: “Purdue’s opponent looked sloppy, out of control, confused and out-manned in the opening minutes on Keady Court. It’s something Purdue fans have become accustomed to, especially in the last few seasons. But, if I was to tell you that JJ and Smooge would be quiet offensively during that period, you’d probably think Purdue might be leading 18-16 at the half…but that wasn’t the case.” (Boiled Sports)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #4 Syracuse 61, Seton Hall 56: “Syracuse beat Seton Hall 61-56 in a game that was not decided until the 0:16 mark of the second half. Separated by a single point, 20-19 Syracuse, at the half, the Orange spent the first seven minutes of the second half on an 18-9 run that secured them a double digit lead. Though they survived several pushes by the Pirates over the next eight minutes, the Pirates had one last, sustained push that translated into an 11-2 run that cut the Orange lead to two, 55-53 with just over two minutes left. The Orange hung on, outscoring the Pirates 6-3 over the last two minutes, to secure the win.” (Villanova by the Numbers)
• Colorado 89, #7 Missouri 76: “I know as an Internet sports fan, I’m supposed to full of remorseless rage when my team loses to a team that, to date, had been its lesser in just about every way.  Colorado came into this game having gone just 3-4 versus Top 200 teams and played near-atrocious defense most of the year.  But yesterday in Boulder, they dictated the pace, didn’t start fading until about 30-32 minutes had passed (when they intentionally slowed the tempo), and even then had enough trick shots in the bag to keep their distance against a Mizzou team that was finally getting it together.  I said in the preview that Colorado tends to jump up and play great against heavyweights a few times a year, but they hadn’t done it to Mizzou in a while.  Well … now they’ve done it to Mizzou.” (Rock M Nation)
• Georgia 77, #10 Kentucky 70: “I offer no superlatives in this game for Kentucky.  None.  Kentucky did not play well, and I don’t feel like patting anyone on the back.  Georgia deserves significant praise, particularly coach Mark Fox, for executing a perfect game plan against the Wildcats.  Georgia was simply outstanding, and I am very impressed by what they did against us.” (A Sea of Blue)
• West Virginia 65, #11 Georgetown 59: “This sucks.  There is no sugarcoating what happened today in the Verizon Center.  The Georgetown Hoyas, as recently as December 29, were a top 10 team in the country.  They finished the hardest out-of-conference schedule in the nation at a sparkling 11-1, including road wins at Missouri, Old Dominion, and Memphis.  Since conference play began 10 days ago, this team has been an unmitigated disaster.” (Casual Hoya or Glide Hoyas)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #17 Illinois 88, Northwestern 63: “Conan the Barbarian had it right, there is nothing greater in life than a total, demoralizing, suffocating victory over one’s enemies, and the Illini may finally have developed the taste for blood after their performance against Northwestern tonight. The shooting for the game was so good, that the team set a school record for percentage from the field, going an astonishing 70.5% capped by Crandall Head’s breakaway jam in final minute of the game.” (Hail to the Orange)

Other Games of Interest

• Temple 70, Fordham 51: “[Temple] showed the reason, or reasons, they are the front runner in the Atlantic Ten.” (Villanova by the Numbers)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #3 Kansas 99, UMKC 52: “The first few minutes of the game set the tone of this one.  Kansas hopped out to a 15-0 lead and continued to push the Roos all over the court the rest of the first half.  Kansas carried on through the game winning 99-52.” (Rock Chalk Talk)

Other Games of Interest

• Tennessee 104, Memphis 84: “Memphis is Memphis.  You can count on them to have a ton of talent and freakish athleticism – some of the blocked shots and dunks the Tigers had tonight were SportsCenter-worthy. Unfortunately, when you get blown out by 20, they usually don’t show your stuff. Because all of our favorite things about Memphis Basketball were also on display tonight: poor free throw shooting (53.8%), no offensive continuity, and absolutely no defense under any circumstances.” (Rocky Top Talk)
• Louisville 73, Seton Hall 54: The Cardinals dominated the Pirates in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicates and the final score wasn’t that close. (Card Chronicle)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #23 Minnesota 67, Indiana 63: “This was one the Hoosiers had right in their hands. A chance to get over the hump. A shot at erasing a four-game losing streak in a tough road environment against a ranked opponent. But they came up a little too short in the end, and it’s now 0-3 on this Big Ten season” (Gopher Nation: Recap or Inside the Hall: Recap and Tom Crean Quotes)

Other Games of Interest

• Maryland 95, Colgate 40: “Sometimes, the score sums it up better than I ever could. 95-40: that was the final score in Maryland’s victory over Colgate. And it wasn’t really that close.” (Testudo Times)
• Canisius 63, St. Peter’s 55: “St. Peter’s started the new year off right with a 63-55 decision over Canisius at Yanitelli Center. Coming into this first MAAC meeting of the new year the emphasis was on pace. Their two conference games saw visiting Canisius post the second fastest tempo in the league with a 79 (Marist led with 80) possessions per game. St. Peter’s, was at the bottom with a 59 possession pace. Clearly, Canisius favored a break dance, St. Peter’s a waltz.” (Villanova by the Numbers)

News/Analysis

• Kentucky Basketball: Coach Cal Is In The Process Of Confounding His Critics Yet Again: Taking  a lot at Calipari’s success so far this season. (A Sea of Blue)
• Hoo-Hoo: Trains of Thought Post Howard: Analyzing Virginia’s perplexingly variable offensive efficiency (Dear Old UVa
• Zags ride a six game win streak into WCC play: “Everyone can take a deep breath now.  Gonzaga’s treacherous nonconference slate, save for a tricky matchup with Memphis, has come to a close.  For as poorly as it began, I don’t think you could have scripted a better way for Mark Few’s team to head into conference play.” (The Slipper Still Fits)
• Five Key Plays: Penn State at Michigan: Breaking down Michigan’s win through five plays that determined the outcome of the game. (UM Hoops)

We have quite a few links today after an extended long weekend/hiatus. If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #2 Ohio State 85, Indiana 67: “Peeking at the numbers, it sounds a little silly to say Indiana brought it this evening. After all, the Hoosiers allowed Ohio State to shoot a blistering 60.5 percent from the floor (23-of-38) and 68.4 percent from three (13-of-19). They lost by 18. But this Ohio State team is so strong, so lengthy, so crisp, so, well, good. Undefeated through 14. Ranked No. 2 in the nation. Selfless and experienced — with a freshman phenom in Jared Sullinger to boot. No one will be surprised if the Buckeyes find themselves in the Final Four this spring. They are that good. They can outclass a team like Indiana with relative ease.” (Inside the Hall: Recap, Post-Game Interviews, and Breaking Down Jared Sullinger; Eleven Warriors: Recap)
• #3 Kansas 83, Miami (OH) 56: “Four days ago the Jayhawks played a bit of a lackluster style in an easy but somewhat sloppy win over Texas Arlington.  Following the game Bill Self made the statement that practices were about to get interesting for the Jayhawks and he followed that up by stating he wouldn’t know the starters for this one until gameday. For coach Self basketball boils down to great effort and intensity on the defensive end.  He’s said it time and time again that offense takes a night off, but great defense does not.  Sunday night Kansas finally seemed to get back on track and heed that message.” (Rock Chalk Talk: Recap and Statistical Analysis)
• #4 Syracuse 70, #16 Notre Dame 58: The Orange had one of their most important wins of the season over a Notre Dame team that had just knocked off Georgetown a few days earlier. (Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician)
• #8 Villanova 78, Temple 74: “When #25 Templa faced #8 Villanova at the Pavilion on Villanova’s Main Line campus the national media touted the match up as a “1 in 220” game — the last time two nationally ranked Big 5 teams faced off in a City Series game. But for the 6,500 fans who braved the December cold to watch Villanova beat back four Temple second half rallies to preserve their 78-74 win, it was just another night in the Big 5. Desipite taking a commanding eight point lead, 76-68 inside the last minute, the Wildcats watched the Owls record six points in the last 18 seconds to close the final margin to four points.” (Villanova by the Numbers)
• #8 Villanova 81, Rutgers 65: “‘Tough’ was the theme in the post game interviews — two technicals and a player ejection can refocus a storyline in that way. Rutgers Head Coach Mike Rice was asked where on the toughness meter did his team play the Wildcats. The toughness meter? I have heard of turnover meters and foul meters, but not toughness meters.” (Villanova by the Numbers)
• #9 Purdue 82, Northwestern 69: The Boilermakers had a solid win over the Wildcats to get them to 2-0 in the Big Ten and have a few more relatively easy games before they get into the heart of the Big Ten schedule. (Boiled Sports)
• #10 Kentucky 78, Louisville 63: Buoyed by the play of Brandon Knight and Josh Harrellson the Wildcats knocked off their intrastate rivals with relative ease. (Recap: A Sea of Blue and Card Chronicle)
• #10 Kentucky 86, Penn 62: “If not for Josh Harrellson, this game might have been lost.  That’s a strong statement, but there is a defensible argument to be made that Kentucky was ripe for a major upset tonight, and Josh Harrellson was a big reason why that didn’t happen.” (A Sea of Blue)
• #11 Georgetown 86, DePaul 75: “There is an old adage in golf that there are no pictures on the scorecard, meaning that it doesn’t matter how one gets a score, as long as it is good.  That adage does not apply to Georgetown basketball today.  Sure, we got our first Big East victory today over an improving Depaul squad.  But for 30 minutes, the Hoyas were lifeless, apathetic, and defenseless in an 86-75 victory.  Austin Freeman seemed to be the only player aware that Georgetown played today, pacing the team with 21 crucial points on 12 shots. Jason Clark and Chris Wright continued to struggle shooting the basketball, but were able to find other ways to score, netting 21 points and 17 points respectively.” (Casual Hoya)
• St. John’s 61, #11 Georgetown 58: “In a hard-fought Big East basketball game that recalled the heyday of the Hoyas – St. John’s rivalry, the Hoyas dropped to 1-2 in Big East play after a 61-58 defeat at the hands of the suddenly surging Red Storm.  Hollis Thompson led the Hoyas 16 points, and that alone should tell you all you need to know.  The vaunted ‘Hoya Trinity’ of Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark combined for 20 points on 7 of 26 shooting from the field (2 of 14 from three point range).  Georgetown fans have long wondered what would happen if all three of the Trinity had off nights and that picture clearly isn’t pretty.” (Casual Hoya or for a St. John’s perspective: Johnny Jungle or The East Coast Bias)
• #15 BYU 90, Buffalo 82: “More than 5,800 fans packed Alumni Arena on the campus at the University of Buffalo anticipating an All-American performance. The UB Bulls nearly stole the show. All-American Jimmer Fredette recovered from a sluggish first half scoring 28 of his game-high 34 points after the break to lead the 16th-ranked BYU Cougars over the University of Buffalo Bulls 90-82 in non-conference action Thursday night.
  More than 5,800 fans packed Alumni Arena on the campus at the University of Buffalo anticipating an All-American performance.The UB Bulls nearly stole the show. All-American Jimmer Fredette recovered from a sluggish first half scoring 28 of his game-high 34 points after the break to lead the 16th-ranked BYU Cougars over the University of Buffalo Bulls 90-82 in non-conference action Thursday night.” (Pickin Splinters)
• #17 Illinois 69, #19 Wisconsin 61: “Demetri McCamey is the sort of guy I would hate if I were a fan of any other team. Just when you think you have locked him down and he can’t get a clean shot, he starts dishing to players and racking up assists (six in the first half) and just when you let up on him to keep his passing down, he lights up the score board (17 points in the second half.) He is crafty, an excellent ball handler and a frightening player to go up against. Demetri McCamey took the Illini over in the second half once again today, and proved again that this team will go exactly as far as he takes it. When he plays like this, or like at Iowa, he can take them far. The Illini do not win, however, when Demetri is the only person getting his production, and thankfully that was not the case today.” (Hail to the Orange)
• #22 Washington 74, UCLA 63: “If this year’s edition of UCLA basketball needed any reminders why it’s important to play the full 40 minutes, this should be it. It is a shame that such reminders are needed at this stage in the season against one of the better opponents we’ve faced this year.” (Bruins Nation: Part 1 and Part 2)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #3 Kansas 82, UT-Arlington 57: “Sometimes the best thing you can do after a week off filled with a little extra turkey and egg nog is go out and take on a team that you can beat on talent alone.  That’s what the Jayhawks did on Wednesday night and that’s about all they probably could have handled through the first 25 minutes. In a game that saw an all new starting lineup, a choppy rotation and sluggish defense, the Jayhawks managed to hit a bit of a stride through stretches of the final 15 minutes allowing Kansas to pull away and get a victory over a Maverick basketball team that quite frankly isn’t very good.” (Rock Chalk Talk with a recap and Bill Self after the game)
• #16 Notre Dame 69, #8 Georgetown 55: The Irish picked up their biggest victory of the year behind a great shooting night from Tim Abromaitis and solid team defense. Austin Freeman put up 21 points for the Hoyas, but it wasn’t enough. (Casual Hoya or Rakes of Mallow)
• #22 Vanderbilt 77, Marquette 76: In one of the more entertaining games of the season Marquette came up just short and there were plenty of questions about the officiating after a late no-call. (Anonymous Eagle and Cracked Sidewalks)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Top 25 Games

• #10 Missouri 97, Northern Illinois 61: Going behind the numbers of the Tigers blowout victory. (Rock M Nation)
• #11 Purdue 80, Michigan 57: “The Boilers started off hot as Smith, Moore and Johnson led Purdue to a very early 14-2 lead. UM stormed back by hitting a ton of threes while Purdue got cold. After Beilein’s squad took the lead briefly, Purdue regained a five point lead before the half…and never relinquished it.” (Boiled Sports or UM Hoops with additional video from UM Hoops of John Beilein and the Wolverine players)
• #12 Kentucky 91, Coppin State 61: “The Kentucky Wildcats did not have a Christmas hangover, and handled the Coppin St. Eagles convincingly in Rupp Arena tonight.  It was the kind of game that we have become used to with this team — inferior opponents are rarely able to challenge Kentucky.  The ‘Cats have, for the most part, handled their weaker opponents easily, unlike last year’s team who struggled against them early.” (A Sea of Blue)
• #14 Wisconsin 68, #13 Minnesota 60: “Several questions faced the Minnesota Golden Gopher basketball team as they entered Big Ten conference play.  How would they handle the relative increased level of competition?  Would they play up to their opponent after playing down so often in the non-conference season?  How would the team look with both Al Nolen and Devoe Joseph healthy and playing?  These questions were more or less answered in Minnesota’s frustrating 68-60 road loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten season opener in which they were torched by Jordan Taylor and unable to convert down the stretch.” (From the Barn or Gopher Nation)

Other Games of Interest

• UNC 78, Rutgers 55: “For Christmas this year, the Tar Heels apparently asked for a shooting touch. And Leslie McDonald at least got one in his stocking – he went 4 of 7 from behind the arc, on his way to 14 points. The rest of the the team was a mixed mag, but they ran the transition game well, shot almost 47% from the field, and was never in any danger of losing, en route to a 23-point victory.” (Carolina March)

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If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Other Games of Interest

• Penn State 69, Indiana 60: “Things have gone from bad to worse, my friends. Another game Indiana was favored to win, another loss. In the Big Ten, you need defense, and you need someone to step up and hit shots when it matters. Indiana had neither tonight inside Assembly Hall.” (Inside the Hall: Part 1, Part 2,  Part 3, and Part 4)

Pre-Game Analysis

• #11 Purdue at Michigan: Looking at the match-up through a series of interviews from the Wolverines. (UM Hoops: Part 1 and Part 2)

News/Analysis

• An Early Look At All-Conference Teams: RTC correspondent John Templon takes a look at potential all-conference teams for the Big East, Big Ten, and Horizon League.
• Kentucky Basketball: What UK Can Do To Win Every Game From Here On Out: “Did the lede get you interested? Well, I was only kidding. If I could really produce something that would get us victories every time, I’m sure Coach Cal would be on the line posthaste.  But there is something that all our losses and difficult games have in common.” (A Sea of Blue)
• Recalibrating Expectations: After a strong start fans in Ann Arbor are rethinking what they think the Wolverines could do this season and are wondering just how good their team could be. (UM Hoops)
• UCLA Basketball: Non-Conference Review (Part 1): “As we have finished non-conference play and enter the PAC 10 on Wednesday, over then next two days I will try to tee up for a discussion reviews of all the players so far this year and more importantly, the 2010-11 UCLA Bruins. The important thing is CBH needs to get this Bruins team to the Tournament.” (Bruins Nation)

Most people seem to still be on Christmas break so our ATB2 is a little light today. If you are interested in participating in our ATB2 feature, send in your submissions to rushthecourt@gmail.com. We will add to this post throughout the day as the submissions come in so keep on sending them.

Pre-Game Analysis

• Missouri vs. Northern Illinois: Breaking down the match-up that should be a nice post-Christmas present for the Tigers. (Rock M Nation)

News/Analysis

• SEC Basketball: What Happened To The Great Expectations?: Coming into the season many expected the SEC to be much improved, but that has not proven to be the case. (A Sea of Blue)
• Most Valuable Morris?: Taking a look at whether Marcus or Markieff is more valuable for the Jayhawks. (Rock Chalk Talk)
• Defensive efficiency a red flag for UConn: Analyzing the numbers behind Luke Winn’s assertion that UConn’s poor defense may be a limiting factor in their success this season. (The UConn Blog)