A terrific Kansas-Missouri game on Saturday night provided a springboard into “Rivalry Week,” which features a number of intriguing matchups.

Before that tips off though, here are this week’s power rankings.

College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Kentucky (23-1, Previous Ranking: 1)

Freshman sensation Anthony Davis had a phenomenal week with 40 points (on 15-of-17 shooting from the field), 16 rebounds, and 15 blocks in wins over Tennessee and South Carolina, as the Wildcats won by a combined 59 points.

Kentucky’s schedule finally starts to get challenging this week as they host Florida on Tuesday and head to Vanderbilt on Saturday.

2. Ohio State (20-3, Previous Ranking: 2)

The Buckeyes got just seven points from players not named Jared Sullinger, Deshaun Thomas, or William Buford against Wisconsin, but that trio combined for 51 points and led OSU to a terrific road win at the Kohl Center.  Sullinger scored 24 points and grabbed 10 boards, including five on the offensive glass, to pace the Buckeyes, who are now alone in first place in the Big Ten.

They welcome Purdue and second-place Michigan State to Columbus this week.

3. Syracuse (23-1, Previous Ranking: 3)

So maybe Fab Melo was more important to this team than everyone realized.  After a loss and two other close games, Melo returned from his academic issues to score 14 points in a 25-point route of St. John’s.

The Orange face Georgetown and UConn at home this week, and the matchup with the Hoyas will be their first game against a ranked team in over a month.

4. Missouri (21-2, Previous Ranking: 6)

With the Tigers down eight points with just over two minutes left against Kansas, senior guard Marcus Denmon put the team on his back.  He scored nine of his 29 points during an 11-0 run to finish the game, which gave Mizzou the three-point victory.  Earlier in the week, Michael Dixon hit the game-winner with 30 seconds left to win at Texas.

The Tigers are now in a three-way tie for first place in the Big 12, and Monday they head to Oklahoma before a home date with Baylor next Saturday.

5. North Carolina (20-3, Previous Ranking: 4)

The Heels picked up a pair of road wins this week, although they trailed for a while against Maryland.  Tyler Zeller continued his solid play with 40 points and 25 rebounds in the two victories, while Kendall Marshall dished out 16 assists against the Terps.

UNC has a pair of huge home games this week with arch rival Duke visiting the Dean Dome on Wednesday and Virginia coming to town on Saturday.

6. Baylor (21-2, Previous Ranking: 7)

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bears picked up road wins over Texas A&M and Oklahoma State by a total of just seven points.  Perry Jones III had 31 points and 16 rebounds during the week, while Pierre Jackson tallied 30 points.

This week Baylor gets a chance to avenge both of their losses when they host Kansas on Wednesday before traveling to Missouri on Saturday.

7. Kansas (18-5, Previous Ranking: 5)

The Jayhawks were mere minutes away from picking up a huge road win against Missouri, and many will cite a pair of questionable charging calls down the stretch as one of the reasons their lead slipped away.  Thomas Robinson was phenomenal in the second half and finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds against the Tigers after posting 20 points and 17 boards earlier in the week against Oklahoma.

Kansas heads to Baylor on Wednesday before a winnable home game against Oklahoma State next weekend.

8. Michigan State (18-5, Previous Ranking: 9)

Sparty lost an ugly game against Illinois early in the week, and they also feared they had lost Draymond Green who suffered a knee injury in the second half.  Green returned Sunday against Michigan and posted 14 points, 16 boards, and four assists in a 10-point victory.

Michigan State is a game behind Ohio State in the Big Ten race, but they get their first shot at the Buckeyes in Columbus next weekend after they host Penn State on Wednesday.

9. Georgetown (18-4, Previous Ranking: 12)

The Hoyas won home games against Connecticut and South Florida by a combined 44 points to get back on track.  Henry Sims scored 13 points in each game and had a strong all-around game against USF with nine rebounds and five assists.

Georgetown hits the road for three of their next four games, starting in Syracuse on Wednesday.

10. Florida (19-4, Previous Ranking: 17)

Saturday’s home win over Vanderbilt was Florida’s seventh straight victory, and the Gators are finally looking like the team many people ranked in the Top 10 before the season.  Freshman Brad Beal continued his solid play with 33 points, 18 rebounds, and one massive dunk over the course of the week.

Tuesday’s road trip to Rupp Arena will be Florida’s biggest test of the season, while Saturday gives them a chance for revenge against Tennessee.

11. Duke (19-4, Previous Ranking: 8)

The Blue Devils won at Virginia Tech early in the week behind 18 points from Austin Rivers, but they were outplayed at home by Miami on Sunday when they lost in overtime after coming back from a large second half deficit.

Getting back on track won’t be easy with their next game coming on Wednesday at North Carolina.  Duke follows up that rivalry game by hosting Maryland next weekend.

12. Murray State (23-0, Previous Ranking: 14)

Isaiah Canaan went off for six threes and 32 points in a comeback win over Southeast Missouri State, and the Racers followed that up with a seven-point victory against Tennessee-Martin.

Home games against Austin Peay and Tennessee State await this week, but the big one for Murray State comes on February 18th when Saint Mary’s comes to town as part of the BracketBusters.

13. Creighton (21-3, Previous Ranking: 11)

The Bluejays saw their 11-game win streak snapped when Northern Iowa’s Anthony James hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to win it for the Panthers. Earlier in the week, Creighton hung 102 points on Illinois State behind 25 from Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott.

They head to Evansville on Tuesday before hosting MVC co-leader Wichita State on Saturday, which should be an outstanding matchup.

14. San Diego State (20-3, Previous Ranking: 16)

Wins over Boise State and TCU have the Aztecs at 6-1 through the first half of the Mountain West season.  Guard Jamaal Franklin led the way in both games with a total of 40 points and 19 rebounds during the week.

San Diego State’s only game this week comes Saturday at UNLV with first place in the MWC on the line.

15. UNLV (21-4, Previous Ranking: 10)

The Rebels made just 3-of-14 from beyond the arc in Saturday’s loss at Wyoming, but they blew out Colorado State by 19 points earlier in the week.  Chace Stanback has been up and down of late, and that continued this week with 16 points against the Rams but just two versus the Cowboys.

Like SDSU, the Rebels have the week off before they welcome the Aztecs in a revenge game for first place in the league.

16. Florida State (16-6, Previous Ranking: 18)

Things keep on rolling for the Noles, who knocked off Georgia Tech and Virginia at home this week.  They have now won seven straight games and are tied atop the ACC with North Carolina.  Michael Snaer continued his strong play with five three-pointers and 21 points against the Jackets, while the team relied on a more balanced attack versus UVA.

This week, the Noles head to Boston College before hosting an improving Miami squad next weekend.

17. Michigan (17-7, Previous Ranking: 15)

The Wolverines have now alternated wins and losses over their last eight games after beating Indiana at home during the week before falling at Michigan State on Sunday.  Tim Hardaway Jr. went just 5-of-25 during the week, while senior Zack Novak stepped up with 27 points and six threes.

Michigan heads to Nebraska this week before welcoming Illinois to Ann Arbor on Sunday.

18. Marquette (19-5, Previous Ranking: 13)

Marquette ran into a buzzsaw when they lost to Notre Dame on Saturday, which snapped their seven-game winning streak.  It was an up and down week for Jae Crowder, who had 20 points and 12 boards against Seton Hall but managed just four against the Irish.

The Golden Eagles travel to DePaul on Monday for a winnable road game, and then Cincinnati comes to Milwaukee next weekend.

19. Wisconsin (18-6, Previous Ranking: 19)

After winning at Penn State and losing at home to Ohio State, there’s no change for the Badgers this week.  Wisconsin’s struggles from long range crept up again versus OSU, as they hit just 5-of-27 from deep.

With their six-game win streak snapped, the Badgers hit the road for four of their next five games, starting with this week’s trip to Minnesota.

20. Saint Mary’s (22-2, Previous Ranking: 22)

The Gaels extended their winning streak to 12 games by beating San Diego, but their biggest headline came when they were announced as Murray State’s opponent in the BracketBusters.  Rob Jones went off for 28 points against the Toreros, and Stephen Holt chipped in with 23 of his own.

Saint Mary’s has a challenging road date with Gonzaga on Thursday as part of Rivalry Week, which gives us yet another “mid-major” game to look forward to this week.

21. Mississippi State (18-5, Previous Ranking: 23)

In their only game of the week, the Bulldogs won by just three against Auburn.  Forwards Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney led the way with a combined 38 points, while Dee Bost and Brian Bryant combined for 16 assists.

MSU needs to take care of business at home this week against Mississippi and Georgia before playing four of their final six games on the road.

22. Indiana (18-6, Previous Ranking: 20)

The Hoosiers dug themselves a 20-point hole early against Michigan as their road woes continued, but they bounced back to win by 17 points at Mackey Arena against arch rival Purdue.  Victor Oladipo and Remy Abell keyed the victory against the Boilers thanks to their aggressiveness, and they will look to build on those performances against Illinois this week.

IU plays five of their final seven games at home to close out the regular season.

23. Virginia (18-4, Previous Ranking: 21)

A late rally against Florida State came up just short on Saturday, but Mike Scott had another fantastic week for the Cavaliers.  He had a pair of double-doubles and finished with 39 points and 21 boards while hitting 14-of-19 from the field.  Still, Virginia has just one Top 50 win and that came back in November.

After hosting Wake on Wednesday, the Cavs will get a chance to pick up another one when they travel to North Carolina next weekend.

24. Notre Dame (15-8, Previous Ranking: N/A)

I’m not sure if there is a hotter team in the country right how, as the Irish have ripped off four straight wins, three of which have come against ranked opponents and all of which have come against tournament teams.

Without Tim Abromaitis, the Irish have been getting contributions from a number of different players.  Eric Atkins combined for 31 points in last week’s wins, while Pat Connaughton came through with 23 points and 11 boards versus Marquette on Sunday.

Notre Dame heads to West Virginia in search of their fourth Big East road win before hosting DePaul on Saturday.

25. Southern Mississippi (20-3, Previous Ranking: N/A)

The Golden Eagles are overrated as a Top 10 team in the RPI, but this is a solid basketball teamwithout a doubt.  They beat Memphis at home this week to break a lengthy losing streak against the Tigers and take sole possession of first place in Conference USA.  Kentucky transfer Darnell Dodson is playing really well right now, and Larry Eustachy has seven players averaging at least 7.0 points.

This week USM has a road trip to UAB followed by a home date against a solid Central Florida team.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

The great news is that in a mere six weeks, we’ll have a bracket in our hands with March Madness just days away.

College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Kentucky (21-1, Previous Ranking: 1)

The Wildcats won road games against Georgia and LSU by a combined 37 points, with Darius Miller leading the way with 19 against the Bulldogs and Terrence Jones going off for 27 against the Tigers.

Kentucky has now won 13 straight, but for those waiting to see them against the SEC’s best, they’ll have to wait another week.  The Wildcats are home against Tennessee on Tuesday before a road trip to South Carolina.

2. Ohio State (19-3, Previous Ranking: 2)

It was Lenzelle Smith Jr., not Jared Sullinger, who posted a double-double against Michigan, as the OSU sophomore had 17 points and 12 rebounds in a 15-point victory.  The Buckeyes crushed Penn State at home earlier in the week behind 20 points and 13 boards from Sullinger.

Ohio State is idle until next Saturday when they head to the Kohl Center for a matchup with the resurgent Badgers.

3. Syracuse (22-1, Previous Ranking: 4)

It wasn’t exactly pretty from the Orange this week, but they managed to beat Cincinnati and West Virginia.

Against the Bearcats, ‘Cuse made just 5-of-15 free throws, shot 25% from beyond the arc, and allowed 13 offensive rebounds, which is not exactly the typical recipe for a win.  They were nearly doubled up on the glass by West Virginia and benefited from a late no-call on a clear goaltend to win by two points.

Fab Melo’s status is still uncertain due to academic issues, and the Orange haven’t been quite the same without him.  Their only game this week is at St. John’s on Saturday.

4. North Carolina (18-3, Previous Ranking: 6)

The Heels took care of business at home this week against North Carolina State and Georgia Tech.  Tyler Zeller had 21 points and 17 rebounds against the Wolfpack, and Harrison Barnes poured in 23 against the Jackets.

UNC hits the road this week for a pair of winnable road games against Wake Forest and Maryland, but they need to make sure not to look ahead to the Duke game the following week.

5. Kansas (17-4, Previous Ranking: 5)

The Jayhawks suffered their first Big 12 loss at Iowa State on Saturday, as the Cyclones limited Thomas Robinson to 13 points and seven rebounds.  KU also put the Cyclones on the line 34 times and got almost no production from their bench.

The Jayhawks will look to bounce back when Oklahoma comes to Lawrence on Wednesday before they head to Mizzou for what should be a terrific game on Saturday.

For now, I gave the Jayhawks the slight edge over Missouri since their loss this week was more “forgiveable.”  I also couldn’t rank Baylor ahead of KU based on their margin of defeat in Lawrence.

6. Missouri (19-2, Previous Ranking: 3)

On the heels of their impressive road win at Baylor, the Tigers dropped a game at Oklahoma State, as they allowed their second-highest point total of the season and shot poorly from the outside.  They bounced back to beat Texas Tech at home behind 22 points from Kim English and 12 assists from Flip Pressey.

Mizzou starts a tough four-game stretch with a road trip to Texas on Monday before the Jayhawks visit Columbia on Saturday.

7. Baylor (19-2, Previous Ranking: 7)

The Bears pulled away late to pick up a road win at Oklahoma then held on to defeat Texas by five at home.  Perry Jones III had a huge week with 43 points and 26 rebounds in the team’s two wins.

Based on their overall body of work, Baylor is likely to be a one seed in my next set of bracket projections, but they can’t afford to slip up this week in road games against Texas A&M and Oklahoma State.

8. Duke (18-3, Previous Ranking: 6)

Mason Plumlee came up big for the Blue Devils this week with 23 points and 12 boards in a road win at Maryland, and he followed that up with 15 points and 17 rebounds against St. John’s.

Outside of a three-point home win against Virginia, Duke hasn’t beaten a tournament-caliber team since late November, which makes it hard to truly assess them.  This week features a road trip to Virginia Tech and a home game with Miami leading into a February 8th matchup against North Carolina.

9. Michigan State (17-4, Previous Ranking: 9)

Tom Izzo won his 400th game in MSU’s lone outing this week, a 16-point win over Minnesota at the Breslin Center.  Draymond Green was fantastic with 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, 14 rebounds, and six assists.

The Spartans have a pair of tough games this week when they head to Illinois on Tuesday and host Michigan on Sunday.  They need to win both to stay tied in the loss column with Ohio State.

10. UNLV (20-3, Previous Ranking: 11)

The Rebels needed overtime to knock off both Boise State and Air Force on the road this week, but they managed to escape with a pair of wins.  Mike Moser was simply ridiculous, as he had 18 points and 21 (yes, 21) rebounds against the Broncos followed by 27 points and a mere 12 boards versus the Falcons.

UNLV hosts Colorado State this week before a weekend trip to Wyoming.

11. Creighton (20-2, Previous Ranking: 12)

With wins over Drake and Bradley, the Bluejays extended their winning streak to 10 games.  To the surprise of no one, Doug McDermott tallied 54 points in the victories, making 10-of-14 shots in each contest.

Creighton has just eight regular season games left, starting with a home game against Illinois State on Wednesday and a road trip to Northern Iowa on Saturday.

12. Georgetown (16-4, Previous Ranking: 10)

The Hoyas lost their only game of the week against an improving Pittsburgh team after allowing the Panthers to shoot 52.1 percent from the field while they struggled to get anything going offensively.

Senior guard Jason Clark was held to just nine points in the loss, but Georgetown can’t afford to get down on themselves with UConn coming to D.C. on Wednesday.

13. Marquette (18-4, Previous Ranking: 18)

Marquette continues to fall behind early in games, but they rallied from an 18-point first half deficit to win at Villanova on Saturday.  They also blasted South Florida by 20 points earlier in the week.  Seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder combined for 46 points, 17 rebounds, nine assists, and four steals to key the victory over the Wildcats.

The Golden Eagles have now won six straight heading into a home game against reeling Seton Hall before a road trip to surging Notre Dame.

14. Murray State (21-0, Previous Ranking: 14)

The Racers won easily over Eastern Illinois in their only game of the week.  They got 18 points each from Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole, but perhaps most importantly, forward Ivan Aska returned after missing the last six games with a hand injury.

Murray State shouldn’t have much trouble with Southeast Missouri State or Tennessee-Martin, but the biggest part of their week comes on Monday when the BracketBusters matchups are announced.

15. Michigan (16-6, Previous Ranking: 15)

After starting the week with a hard-fought road win against Purdue, the Wolverines lost by 15 at Ohio State on Sunday.  Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way in both games with a total of 34 points, but the team has now alternated wins and losses over the last six games.

The tough stretch of their schedule continues when Indiana comes to Ann Arbor on Wednesday before they head to East Lansing on Sunday.

16. San Diego State (18-3, Previous Ranking: 13)

I mentioned that road games at Wyoming and Colorado State might be tougher than people think, and that turned out to be the case when the Aztecs lost by 17 to the Rams on Saturday.  SDSU made just 3-of-21 from beyond the arc against Colorado State and shot only 31.3 percent from the field.

Home games with Boise State and TCU this week should allow them to get back on track and remain atop the MWC standings.

17. Florida (17-4, Previous Ranking: 19)

The Gators picked up a pair of solid victories this week, winning by four at Mississippi and knocking off a ranked Mississippi State team by 12 points.  A number of different players contributed for Florida, with Patric Young scoring 15 against the Rebels and freshman Brad Beal going for 19 versus the Bulldogs.

Thursday’s home game against South Carolina is one they should win handily, while a Saturday matchup with Vanderbilt gives Florida another chance to prove themselves.

18. Florida State (14-6, Previous Ranking: 20)

The red hot Noles extended their winning streak to five games with a 23-point win at Wake Forest last week.  Michael Snaer continued his strong play with 18 points in the victory, while the team turned in a solid all-around effort on both ends of the floor.

They shouldn’t have any issues with Georgia Tech on Wednesday, but Saturday’s date with Virginia will help settle the argument about who the ACC’s third-best team really is.

19. Wisconsin (17-5, Previous Ranking: 25)

After holding off Indiana on Thursday, the Badgers have now won five straight after a 1-3 start in Big Ten play.  Four players scored in double figures for Wisconsin, and Ryan Evans grabbed nine rebounds, including a few key offensive boards late.

The Badgers head to Penn State this week before a huge home date with Ohio State on Saturday.

20. Indiana (17-5, Previous Ranking: 16)

The Hoosiers had a chance to win in Madison but struggled down the stretch and lost by seven.  On Sunday, they bounced back to take advantage of a poor Iowa defense to the tune of 103 points.  Freshman Cody Zeller struggled against the Badgers but scored a career-high 26 points against the Hawkeyes.

The Hoosiers also changed up their starting lineup for the first time this season, as Will Sheehey started in place of fellow soph Victor Oladipo.

IU hits the road this week for games against Michigan and Purdue.

21. Virginia (17-3, Previous Ranking: 21)

ACC Player of the Year candidate Mike Scott scored 18 points against both Boston College and North Carolina State, as the Cavs won both games to move to 4-2 in the conference.

A winnable home game with Clemson awaits this week before a Saturday trip to Tallahassee.  The reality is that Virginia has a solid record, but only one of those victories has come at the expense of a Top 50 team.

22. Saint Mary’s (21-2, Previous Ranking: 23)

The Gaels beat Loyola Marymount and BYU on the road to move to 10-0 in the WCC.  Brad Waldow continued his solid play with 19 points and eight rebounds against the Cougars, and Saint Mary’s was able to win comfortably despite an uncharacteristic 11 turnovers during the week from Matthew Dellavedova.

Their only game this week is at home against San Diego, but they are also anxiously awaiting their BracketBusters fate.

23. Mississippi State (17-5, Previous Ranking: 22)

Arnett Moultrie extended his streak of double-doubles to five games, but the Bulldogs went 1-1 during the week, beating LSU at home and falling to Florida on the road.

MSU plays their next three games at home, starting with Saturday’s home date with Auburn.  They need to hold serve in those games with four of their final six on the road.

24. Kansas State (15-5, Previous Ranking: 17)

After losing to Oklahoma for the second time this year, the Wildcats nearly dropped out of the Top 25.  Rodney McGruder had a solid game against the Sooners with 19 points, but the team struggled offensively with 41.2 percent shooting and 20 turnovers.

This week they head to Ames to take on a confident Cyclones team followed by a home game against Texas A&M.

25. West Virginia (15-7, Previous Ranking: 24)

The Mountaineers played poorly in a road loss to St. John’s, but they bounced back to give Syracuse everything they could handle at the Carrier Dome.  Had referees not missed a clear goaltend near the end of regulation, West Virginia would have had a shot to pick up a huge road in overtime.

Kevin Jones continues to be phenomenal and has now scored at least 20 points in seven straight games, including four double-doubles.

The Mountaineers play three of their next four games at home, starting with Pitt on Monday.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

And as usual, that led to plenty of shakeups in this week’s Top 25.

College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Kentucky (19-1, Previous Ranking: 2)

The Wildcats picked up a pair of home wins last week, crushing Arkansas by 23 and beating Alabama by six.  Anthony Davis was phenomenal against the Hogs with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and seven blocks, and he has already broken the UK single-season record for rejections.

Image source: Andy Lyons/Getty Images via B/R

Terrence Jones tallied 28 points, 15 boards, and seven blocks of his own in the two victories, which is a good sign for Kentucky fans.  They shouldn’t be tested until a February 7th home date with Florida.

2. Ohio State (17-3, Previous Ranking: 4)

William Buford led the way with 15 points in the Buckeyes’ lone game of the week, a 34-point drubbing of Nebraska.  Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas chipped in with 14 points each in OSU’s second road win in league play.

The Buckeyes play four of their next five games in Columbus, starting with this week’s matchups against Penn State and Michigan.

3. Missouri (18-1, Previous Ranking: 6)

After taking care of business at home against Texas A&M, the undersized Tigers picked up a huge road win at Baylor, outrebounding the much taller Bears in the process.  Ricardo Ratliffe grabbed six of Mizzou’s 12 offensive boards and scored 27 points in the victory.  Point guard Flip Pressey was fantastic with 18 points, seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds.

The Tigers have a pair of winnable games this week as they travel to Oklahoma State and host Texas Tech.

4. Syracuse (20-1, Previous Ranking: 1)

The Orange never led against Notre Dame and suffered their first loss of the year on Saturday night.  They were playing without center Fab Melo, who is out with academic issues of some kind.  Without him, the Irish dominated the glass and shot 50 percent from the field, while the Syracuse offense struggled throughout the game and shot just 34 percent.

The Orange beat Pitt by eight in their first game of the week, and this week brings a tough road test at Cincinnati on Monday followed by a home date with West Virginia.

5. Kansas (16-3, Previous Ranking: 9)

After outplaying Baylor and squeaking out a win at Texas, the Jayhawks have now won nine straight and 13 of their last 14 contests.  Tyshawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson continue to lead the way for KU, with Taylor posting 78 points over the last three games and Robinson going for 44 points and 23 boards in two games this week.

Next up for the Jayhawks is a home game against reeling Texas A&M and a road trip to Ames to face an Iowa State team desparate for a signature win.

6. North Carolina (16-3, Previous Ranking: 8)

For about a half, the Heels didn’t appear to have responded well to getting drubbed by Florida State, but a 19-0 run during the second half propelled them to a 14-point win at Virginia Tech in their only game this week.  Harrison Barnes scored 27 points and attempted a season-high 12 free throws, while John Henson and Tyler Zeller combined for 30 points and 27 rebounds.

UNC has four winnable games coming up before Duke comes to the Dean Dome in early February.

7. Baylor (17-2, Previous Ranking: 3)

The Bears lost their first two games of the season last week, losing by 18 at Kansas and by one at home to Missouri.  In both games, Baylor was outrebounded and allowed far too many second chance points for a team with so much height.

In the end, questions about the team’s toughness and Scott Drew’s ability to make adjustments remain following their two losses.  However, the Bears still have a number of quality wins, but they need to stop their skid with wins at Oklahoma and at home versus Texas this week.

8. Duke (16-3, Previous Ranking: 5)

A Michael Snaer buzzer-beater ended Duke’s 45-game home winning streak and gave the Devils their first conference loss.  Freshman Austin Rivers led the team in scoring with 19 points after not starting the Wake Forest game, but Duke shot under 40 percent from the field in a losing effort.

The Devils head to Maryland on Wednesday before a non-conference matchup with St. John’s next weekend.

9. Michigan State (16-4, Previous Ranking: 7)

It was another strange week for the Spartans.  Despite doubling up the Wolverines on the boards and shooting 46.7 percent from deep, they lost at Michigan before bouncing back to crush Purdue at home on Saturday.  Big man Derrick Nix played well in both games, totaling 25 points in just 41 minutes of action.

MSU plays just once this week with Minnesota visiting East Lansing on Wednesday.

10. Georgetown (16-3, Previous Ranking: 10)

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Hoyas won both of their games this week against DePaul and Rutgers.  Center Henry Sims posted a double-double against the Scarlet Knights and had 16 points and seven boards versus DePaul.

One potential concern is that Hollis Thompson has a pulled thigh muscle that limited him on Saturday, but the Hoyas don’t play again until next weekend when they visit Pittsburgh.

11. UNLV (18-3, Previous Ranking: 12)

The Rebels bounced back from a road loss to San Diego State to win a pair of home games this week versus TCU and New Mexico by a combined 40 points.  Mike Moser tallied 30 points and 25 boards while posting two double-doubles, and UNLV now faces winnable road games this week against Boise State and Air Force.

12. Creighton (18-2, Previous Ranking: 12)

Despite getting ”just” 27 points from star Doug McDermott in their two games last week, the Bluejays continue to pile up wins.  First they avenged one of their two defeats by winning at Missouri State, and then they crushed Indiana State on Saturday.

Creighton takes an eight-game winning streak into games at Drake and home against Bradley this week.

13. San Diego State (17-2, Previous Ranking: 15)

The Aztecs followed up their big home win against UNLV by going into The Pit to beat New Mexico behind 22 points from Xavier Thames.  Guard Jamaal Franklin had 14 points and 10 boards in Saturday’s game against Air Force, putting SDSU in sole possession of first place in the Mountain West.

Road games against Wyoming and Colorado State this week will be tougher than you might think.

14. Murray State (20-0, Previous Ranking: 20)

At some point you just have to give the Racers credit, because they just keep rolling along in a year when Top 25 losses are becoming the norm.  They got a scare from Morehead State this week, but guards Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole combined for 35 points to lead the comeback.  Those same two players combined for 35 again on Saturday night to remain the lone unbeaten team in college hoops.

Murray State is idle until a Saturday home game against Eastern Illinois.

15. Michigan (15-5, Previous Ranking: 16)

The Wolverines continue to be inconsistent, and this week was no exception.  They picked up a hard-fought one-point win over Michigan but fell behind by as many as 20 points against Arkansas in a non-conference road game on Saturday.  A furious comeback came up just short, as a potential game-winning three-pointer by Trey Burke rimmed out at the buzzer.  Tim Hardaway Jr. continues to struggle with just 28 points in his last three games on 8-of-30 shooting.

A tough week awaits with road games at Purdue and Ohio State.

16. Indiana (16-4, Previous Ranking: 13)

After blowing a double-digit lead on the road against Nebraska, the Hoosiers stopped the bleeding with a home victory over Penn State.  Cody Zeller continued his strong play with 18 points in each game, but defense and turnovers continue to be a concern for Indiana.

This week they head to Madison to take on a resurgent Wisconsin squad before a home game with Iowa on Sunday.

17. Kansas State (14-4, Previous Ranking: 21)

Behind 33 points from Rodney McGruder, the Wildcats beat Texas at home early in the week.  They followed that up with a road win against Oklahoma State to even their Big 12 record at 3-3.

K-State has a pair of winnable games this week when they travel to Texas Tech before returning to The Octagon for a game against Oklahoma.

18. Marquette (16-4, Previous Ranking: 22)

The Golden Eagles dug themselves a huge early hole but stormed back to beat Louisville on Monday, then picked up a road win at Providence on Saturday.  Not surprisingly, they were led by seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder, who combined for 69 points in the two victories.

Marquette hosts South Florida on Tuesday before traveling to Villanova on Saturday.

19. Florida (15-4, Previous Ranking: 19)

I have a hard time moving the Gators up any further in the rankings until they actually beat someone.  Five Florida players scored in double figures in a 12-point win over LSU this week, led by 15 from Erik Murphy.

On Thursday, they have a road date with Mississippi, and then turn around to host Mississippi State on Saturday.  Those games should tell us a bit more about the Gators.

20. Florida State (13-6, Previous Ranking: N/A)

You’d be hard-pressed to find a hotter team than the Seminoles right now.  In their last three games, they have blown out North Carolina, knocked off an improving Maryland squad, and pulled out a road win at Duke.  In addition to hitting the game-winner, Michael Snaer has really stepped up offensively with 50 points in those three victories.

The Noles travel to Wake Forest for their only game this week.

21. Virginia (15-3, Previous Ranking: 14)

The Cavaliers destroyed Georgia Tech on Thursday but slipped up at home against rival Virginia Tech Sunday night.  Against the Hokies, UVA hit just 1-of-14 from long range, and Mike Scott was held to just 10 points, which is not exactly a recipe for victory.  At this point, they have a number of good – but not great – wins on their profile with a pair of losses to teams who wouldn’t make the tournament if it started today.

The Cavaliers face Boston College at home on Thursday before heading to Raleigh for a matchup with North Carolina State.

22. Mississippi State (16-4, Previous Ranking: 18)

The Bulldogs stumbled on the road against Ole Miss but hung on for an overtime win at Vanderbilt on Saturday night to salvage their week.  Dee Bost and Arnett Moultrie combined for 45 points against the Commodores, while Jalen Steele drained five three-pointers.

LSU visits Starkville on Wednesday in a game MSU should win, but Saturday’s game at Florida will be a huge test.

23. Saint Mary’s (19-2, Previous Ranking: 24)

After beating Pepperdine and Santa Clara, the Gaels reached the halfway point of the WCC season with a perfect 8-0 record.  Matthew Dellavedova had 39 points and 12 assists in the two victories, and Saint Mary’s has now won nine straight and 17 of their last 18.

Five of their final eight league games are on the road, starting this week with trips to Loyola Marymount and BYU.

24. West Virginia (15-5, Previous Ranking: N/A)

The Mountaineers picked up a couple solid wins last week over Marshall and Cincinnati, and forward Kevin Jones continued his campaign for Big East Player of the Year with 51 points and 20 rebounds in those contests.  He now has at least 22 points in five straight games and 13 double-doubles for the season.

West Virginia hits the road this week for games against St. John’s and Syracuse.

25. Wisconsin (16-5, Previous Ranking: N/A)

A road win at Illinois extended Wisconsin’s winning streak to four games, and after a disastrous start to Big Ten play, they are now 5-3 in the league.  Jordan Taylor is starting to heat up with 53 points, 18 rebounds, and 11 assists over the last three games.

The Badgers return to the Kohl Center to take on Indiana this Thursday in their lone game of the week.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

The middle of the list has proven to be a complete mess, but since road wins have been so tough to come by, there are some teams that actually stayed put or even moved up despite losing.

College Basketball Power Rankings

1. Syracuse (19-0, Previous Ranking: 1)

The Orange won their two games this week by a combined 36 points and are the only Big East team without a loss.  I am dying to see this team be challenged, but with games at home against a reeling Pitt squad and on the road at Notre Dame, I don’t see that happening this week.

2. Kentucky (17-1, Previous Ranking: 2)

With road victories against Auburn and Tennessee last week, the Wildcats have already equaled their SEC road win total from last season.  Freshmen Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist continue to lead the way for Kentucky, while fellow frosh Marquis Teague could stand to cut back on his shooting given his efficiency numbers.  Kentucky has home games against Arkansas and Alabama this week.

3. Baylor (17-0, Previous Ranking: 5)

The Bears picked up arguably the biggest road win in college hoops last week by knocking off K-State in the Octagon before dumptrucking Oklahoma State over the weekend.  Monday’s game with Kansas is the marquee matchup of the week, but win or lose, Baylor has proven they should be considered among the nation’s elite teams.  Saturday’s game against Missouri closes out a brutal week for the Bears.

4. Ohio State (16-3, Previous Ranking: 4)

Brandon Paul almost singlehandedly beat the Buckeyes on Tuesday with 43 points, but they returned to form against Indiana on Sunday and had the look of a Final Four team in that game.  Lenzelle Smith Jr. gave them a huge spark with 28 points against the Hoosiers, and if he can become a consistent contributor, it takes OSU to another level.  Their lone game this week is at Nebraska on Saturday.

5. Duke (15-2, Previous Ranking: 8)

The ACC doesn’t provide many chances for quality wins this year, but the Blue Devils picked up one on Thursday by knocking off Virginia at home.  They followed that up with a road win at Clemson and are currently the only team undefeated in ACC play.  A pair of home games await this week, with Wake Forest coming to Cameron on Thursday and surging Florida State visiting on Saturday.

6. Missouri (16-1, Previous Ranking: 9)

The Tigers rebounded from a loss to Kansas State to win by 10 points at Iowa State and by 11 at home versus Texas.  Flip Pressey tallied 30 points and 15 assists in the two victories, while Ricardo Ratliffe scored 21 against the Longhorns and is now shooting 77.4 percent from the field.  Mizzou has a winnable home game against A&M on Monday before a showdown at Baylor on Saturday.

7. Michigan State (15-3, Previous Ranking: 6)

It was an uneven week for the Spartans, who dismantled Iowa in their first game but lost at Northwestern on Saturday.  Draymond Green and Keith Appling continue to pace the MSU offensive attack, but turnovers were the team’s undoing against the Wildcats and their 1-3-1 zone.  An intra-state battle at Michigan awaits Sparty on Tuesday before they return home to take on Purdue next weekend.

8. North Carolina (15-3, Previous Ranking: 3)

It’s hard to put into words how disappointing UNC’s performance was on Sunday as they allowed Florida State to jump out to a large lead and eventually rolled over and got blown out.  As I mentioned with Duke, there aren’t many chance to pick up resume-enhancing wins in the ACC, which magnifies the importance of any unexpected losses.  UNC’s only game this week comes Thursday at Virginia Tech.

9. Kansas (14-3, Previous Ranking: 11)

Tyshawn Taylor had a fantastic game to lead the Jayhawks to a comeback win over Iowa State on Saturday, scoring 28 points and dishing out six assists.  Thomas Robinson posted two more double-doubles, and his play will be critical against Baylor’s talented frontline on Monday.  Kansas follows up that terrific matchup with a trip to Texas over the weekend.

10. Georgetown (14-3, Previous Ranking: 9)

Turnovers led to a disappointing home loss to Cincinnati, but the Hoyas bounced back to win at St. John’s on Sunday.  Senior Jason Clark had a solid all-around game against the Red Storm with 15 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.  With games against DePaul and Rutgers this week, Georgetown has a good chance to move to 16-3.

11. UNLV (16-3, Previous Ranking: 12)

The Rebels lost a hard-fought game against rival San Diego State on a last-second shot in their only game of the week.  Anthony Marshall paced the UNLV attack with 26 points while Chace Stanback, Mike Moser, and Oscar Bellfield combined to go 7-of-32 from the field.  They have a pair of home games this week, the second of which comes against a red hot New Mexico squad.

12. Creighton (16-2, Previous Ranking: 15)

While many teams had a hard time winning two games this week, the Bluejays won three MVC games, knocking off Northern Iowa, Illinois State, and Southern Illinois.  Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott posted 59 points and 28 boards in the three games.  This week Creighton heads to Missouri State to try to avenge an earlier loss before hosting Indiana State over the weekend.

13. Indiana (15-3, Previous Ranking: 7)

It was a disappointing week for the Hoosiers, who dropped a winnable game at home against Minnesota on Thursday before losing by 17 at Ohio State on Sunday.  Defense continues to be a concern with IU allowing the most points per possession of any team in Big Ten play.  Games against Nebraska and Penn State give them the opportunity to get back on track.

14. Virginia (14-2, Previous Ranking: 16)

The Cavaliers had a pair of last-second shots that could have sent their game against Duke into overtime.  Mike Scott was fantastic once again with 23 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort.  The Cavs have established themselves as the clear-cut third best team in the ACC, which means they should be able to win at Georgia Tech and at home against Virginia Tech this week.

15. San Diego State (15-2, Previous Ranking: 22)

After beating UNLV at home, the Aztecs validated their hot start after having played virtually no one for a month.  Jamaal Franklin led the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, including the game winner with just 0.3 seconds left.  James Rahon was also on fire and poured in 22 points for the Aztecs.  Another tough tests awaits when they head to The Pit this week to face New Mexico.

16. Michigan (14-4, Previous Ranking: 13)

The Wolverines needed overtime to take care of Northwestern and followed that up with a 16-point loss at Iowa.  Tim Hardaway Jr.’s inconsistent shooting continued, and Michigan made just 8-of-31 from three-point range against the Hawkeyes.  They need significantly more production from their frontline with Michigan State coming to town this week.  On Saturday, the Wolverines head to Arkansas for a non-conference matchup of contrasting styles.

17. Connecticut (14-3, Previous Ranking: 20)

The Huskies picked up a much-needed win against West Virginia and played one of their best games of the season at Notre Dame on Saturday.  Freshman Andre Drummond had two more double-doubles to extend his streak to three, but fellow frosh Ryan Boatright’s eligibility is in question again.  Wednesday’s game against Cincinnati is a big one for both teams, and a non-conference matchup at Tennessee will be challenging as well based on how the Vols are playing.

18. Mississippi State (15-3, Previous Ranking: 24)

After losing to Arkansas last weekend, Mississippi State bounced back to beat Tennessee and Alabama at home.  Arnett Moultrie had a huge night against the Tide with 25 points and 13 boards, while Dee Bost had 30 points in the two wins.  The Bulldogs, who are just 1-1 in true away games, hit the road this week to take on Mississippi and Vanderbilt.

19. Florida (14-4, Previous Ranking: 19)

The Gators won two games they should have won this week, with Kenny Boynton leading the way with 32 points in victories over Georgia and South Carolina.  Florida still doesn’t really have a signature win this year, although the 18-point drubbing of Florida State looks better now.  Their only game this week comes on Saturday when a struggling LSU squad comes to Gainesville.

20. Murray State (18-0, Previous Ranking: 23)

Things just keep on rolling for the Racers even with second-leading scorer Ivan Aska out with an injury.  Donte Poole had a huge week for Murray State, scoring 21 points against Jacksonville State before pouring in a career-high 28 versus Tennessee Tech.    A pair of road games await the Racers this week, but I don’t expect them to lose either one.

21. Kansas State (12-4, Previous Ranking: 14)

The Wildcats lost a hard-fought game to Baylor on Tuesday, so there’s no shame in that.  However, they played poorly in a road loss to an Oklahoma team that had struggled in conference play.  K-State’s first three league games were as tough as they come, so things should start to even out for them from a scheduling standpoint.  This week they welcome Texas to the Ocatgon before heading to Oklahoma State.

22. Marquette (14-4, Previous Ranking: 25)

The Golden Eagles took care of business at home against St. John’s and Pitt thanks to seniors Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder.  DJO scored 38 points in the two wins while Crowder went for 30.  This week they face Louisville at home on Monday before a winnable road game at Providence on Saturday.

23. Illinois (15-3, Previous Ranking: N/A)

Brandon Paul’s 43-point outburst against Ohio State was one of the best individual performances this season, particularly given his subpar efficiency numbers heading into that game.  The Illini are now 4-1 in Big Ten play, and after a lengthy layoff, they head to Happy Valley this week for a date with Penn State before hosting Wisconsin on Sunday.

24. Saint Mary’s (17-2, Previous Ranking: N/A)

The Gaels already had a handful of decent wins, but they played arguably their best game of the season in a 21-point blowout of Gonzaga on Thursday.  Matthew Dellavedova was fantastic against the Zags with 26 points and six assists and is one of the more underrated guards in the country.  Saint Mary’s has a pair of winnable games this week as they look to stay alone atop the WCC.

25. Seton Hall (14-2, Previous Ranking: 17)

Blowing a late lead and losing at South Florida on Friday night put an end to the Pirates’ win streak, but I’m not prepared to write off wins over West Virginia and UConn as a fluke just yet.  However, they need to avoid a road loss against a struggling Villanova team in their only game this week to stay in the Top 25.

Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

The ACC now has 13 losses, Cal got dumptrucked by Missouri, Long Beach State lost immediately following their signature win, and Memphis went 1-2 in Maui just to name a few.

The possibility also exists that I am the kiss of death, so to fans of this week’s “stock up” teams, consider yourselves warned.

Stocks Up

Alabama

The Tide rolled through the Puerto Rico Tipoff, beating Maryland, Wichita State, and Purdue by an average of 13 points.  With Tony Mitchell (14.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 41.2 3P%) and JaMychal Green (14.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg), Alabama boasts one of the top frontcourt duos in the nation, and point guard Trevor Releford (12.0 ppg, 2.7 apg) is showing no signs of a sophomore slump.  Coach Anthony Grant is also getting decent contributions from his bench, but the Tide is really getting things done on the defensive end with the fifth-ranked defensive efficiency according to the Pomeroy Ratings.

On the most recent addition of the Bottoms Line podcast, Troy Machir made the case that Alabama is the second-best team in the SEC, and based on how they have played so far, it’s hard to disagree.

Kansas

It was tough to know what to expect from the Jayhawks this season based on the amount of roster turnover, but so far they have been better than I expected.

The one thing that isn’t shocking is the play of Thomas Robinson (16.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg), who has logged a double-double in each of KU’s five games.  Outside of his 11 turnover performance in the Maui final, Tyshawn Taylor (16.0 ppg, 3.8 apg) has been a consistent contributor, and backcourt mate Elijah Johnson (11.6 ppg, 3.8 apg) has shown flashes as well.  The Jayhawks have also received solid contributions from Travis Releford and Jeff Withey, both of whom have played sparingly over the course of their careers.

With essentially a seven-man rotation, depth will be a concern, but Kansas should be right in the thick of things in the Big 12 once again.

Marquette

With Pitt struggling, Louisville sustaining injuries at an alarming rate, and Cincinnati losing to the likes of Presbyterian, the door is open for the Golden Eagles to rise to the top of the second tier of the Big East behind UConn and Syracuse.

Marquette won the Paradise Jam and currently ranks 11th in offensive efficiency and 24th on defense in the Pomeroy Ratings.  Seven players are averaging at least 7.0 points, and 10 players are logging double-digit minutes.  Darius Johnson-Odom (20.0 ppg, 3.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 56.9 FG%, 44.0 3P%) and Jae Crowder (17.8 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.8 spg, 58.6 FG%, 40.0 3P%) are leading the way, but sophomore Vander Blue has bounced back from a disappointing freshman season with 12.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.  Big men Davante Gardner and Chris Otule have combined to average 15.4 points and 9.6 rebounds to provide an additional presence inside, and Junior Cadougan is dishing out 6.4 assists.

The Golden Eagles have another huge test at Wisconsin on December 3rd, and a win there would further validate their early season success.

Mississippi State

I have to give credit where credit is due.  After a disappointing home loss to Akron, the Bulldogs bounced back with two solid wins at Madison Square Garden against Texas A&M and Arizona.  There are still going to be some ups and downs from MSU this season, but the roster isn’t short on talent.

Arnett Moultrie (15.2 ppg, 11.2 rpg) is a relentless rebounder, and point guard Dee Bost (16.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.3 spg) has done a decent job cutting back on his turnovers in the past couple games.  Freshman Rodney Hood (12.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 41.7 3P%) has been impressive as well, and his 20 points helped the team to a win over Louisiana-Monroe with Moultrie and the much-maligned Renardo Sidney out with injuries.

Again, consistency will never be the calling card of this team, but they have a chance to make some noise in the SEC.

Missouri

I was very skeptical of the Frank Haith hire, but after beating Notre Dame and Missouri by a combined 68 points, he deserves some credit.

Without Laurence Bowers, the team is relying heavily on Ricardo Ratliffe (11.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) inside, while a slew of talented guards and wings are pouring in points and leading a team shooting over 46 percent from beyond the arc.  Marcus Denmon (19.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 44.4 3P%), Kim English (16.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 60.0 3P%), and Flip Pressey (12.2 ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.0 spg, 41.7 3P%) have all been superb, propelling the Tigers to Top 10 rankings in effective field goal percentage and turnover rate.

The Tigers have also maintained their reputation as a tough defensive squad, and the top tier of the Big 12 is shaping up to be a real slugfest.

Oregon State

With the bulk of the Pac-12 struggling, the Beavers have one of the league’s few solid wins thanks to an overtime victory over Texas.  Sure the Longhorns are down, but Oregon State followed that up with a last-second loss to Vanderbilt, proving they will be a tough out this year.

Jared Cunningham (22.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.2 spg) is an electrifying player who is starting to get his due on a national level.  He’s already shot a staggering 62 free throws this season and is due for another highlight reel dunk anyday now.  Forward Devon Collier is also contributing 16.6 points per game, and four other players are chipping in better than seven points per contest.

The remainder of the non-conference schedule is manageable, so the Beavers could enter Pac-12 play with just one loss.

Saint Louis

The Billikens are doing their best to prove the A-10 isn’t just a two-team race between Xavier and Temple.  They beat Washington by 13 and won their opening game in the 76 Classic.  If they can beat Villanova in the semi-finals, they have a decent shot to win the whole thing.

The inside-outside duo of Brian Conklin (17.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 63.2 FG%) and Kwamain Mitchell (14.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.8 apg, 43.5 3P%) is leading the team offensively, while a stingy defense has been shutting down opponents with regularity.  This is easily Rick Majerus’ best team since taking the helm, and if they can get another player or two to become consistent contributors on offense, look out.

San Diego State

Without Kawhi Leonard, Malcom Thomas, D.J. Gay, and Billy White, it was natural to predict a down year for the depleted Aztecs, but after a home victory against Long Beach State and a road win over Arizona, they are going to be a factor in the Mountain West after all.

Guards Chase Tapley (16.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 3.1 spg, 55.6 3P%) and Jamaal Franklin (16.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) have led the way for the Aztecs, but a defense ranked 20th in the Pomeroy Ratings has helped to offset some of their offensive shortcomings.  Upcoming games against Cal and Creighton will provide additional opportunities to pick up impressive non-conference wins, but the MWC is shaping up to be a three-team race among SDSU, UNLV, and New Mexico.

Stock Down

Cincinnati

For a team that didn’t go out of its way to construct a challenging non-conference schedule, the loss to Presbyterian looks that much worse.

The Bearcats blew a double-digit lead in the second half against the Blue Hose in what is the season’s biggest upset to date.  The lack of bench production is a huge concern for Mick Cronin with no one outside of the starting five scoring better than 4.0 points per game.

UC’s two toughest games left in the non-conference are at home against Marshall and at Xavier, so remaining opportunities for marquee wins outside of the Big East are limited to say the least.

Fairfield

Early losses to Providence and Minnesota, coupled with impressive play from Iona, aren’t great signs for the Stags’ at-large chances come March. Fairfield won their opener in the Old Spice Classic, and a rematch with the Gophers may await them if they make the finals, but it is imperative the Stags pick up some decent victories in the remainder of their non-conference slate which features games with Old Dominion, Connecticut, and Drexel.

While the team has maintained their level of play on the defensive end, there is still work to be done offensively.  The quartet of Rakim Sanders (17.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 52.9 FG%), Ryan Olander (13.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.0 bpg), Maurice Barrow (12.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 55.6 FG%), and Derek Needham (9.2 ppg, 2.8 apg) is doing nearly all of the team’s scoring, but as a team they’re doing a very poor job of getting to the free throw line.  Fairfield also needs to take better care of the ball, because their offense simply has to become more efficient if they want to challenge Iona for the MAAC title.

CAA

Traditionally one of the top non-BCS leagues, the CAA has been brutal so far this year.

Drexel was picked as one of the favorites to win the league, but they lost to Norfolk State and then were held to 35 points against Virginia.  Once Chris Fouch and Tavon Austin are back from injury, their offense should improve.  Quite frankly, it can’t get much worse.

George Mason was expected to be one of the other top teams, but they have lost to Florida International and Florida Atlantic so far, fueling the argument that Paul Hewitt simply isn’t a great coach.

The other top teams in the league haven’t fared well either.  Old Dominion lost at home to Northern Iowa and Vermont, while VCU lost by double digits to Seton Hall and Georgia, both of whom are expected to finish toward the bottom of their respective conferences.

It’s too early to know for sure, but the CAA has the early look of a one-bid league.

Memphis

The Tigers came dangerously close to leaving Maui with three losses, but they managed to hang on for an overtime win against Tennessee.

With the exception of a woeful offensive rebounding percentage, Memphis is playing relatively well on the offensive end.  However, their defense has been abysmal, making stars out of guys like Jeronne Maymon and Henry Sims in the process.  Sophomore big man Tarik Black has been unable to stay out of foul trouble, and that’s one area where the Tigers just don’t have much depth.

Overall though, seven players are scoring at least 7.8 points per game, and Josh Pastner is trying to work out his rotation.  Still, the Tigers can’t rely on simply outscoring their opponents every game, so they need to make strides on defense over the next few games, all of which are winnable.

New Mexico

As I mentioned above with San Diego State, the Lobos were projected as one of the league’s top teams, but they have now lost two of their first four games, at home against in-state rival New Mexico State and in the 76 Classic against Santa Clara.  New Mexico State has emerged as the favorite in the WAC and Santa Clara is better than many people realize, but it’s still not a reassuring start for Steve Alford’s squad.

Soph Tony Snell (14.3 ppg, 42.9 3P%) has played well, but the team’s two stars, Drew Gordon (10.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 1.3 bpg) and Kendall Williams (9.5 ppg, 5.8 apg, 1.8 spg), have struggled with their shooting.  Nine players are averaging at least 14 minutes, but ultimately the team will go as far as Gordon and Williams can take them.  I’ll be interested to see how they respond over the remainder of the 76 Classic.

Pac-12

UCLA’s struggles both on and off the court have been well publicized, and while they have been an unmitigated disaster, the Bruins aren’t the only Pac-12 team off to a rough start.  Arizona dropped two games and has some issues with its talented freshman class, Cal got smoked by Missouri, Oregon’s top newcomer Jabari Brown has elected to transfer, and Washington lost by double digits to Saint Louis in its first real test.  In all, the conference has 23 losses, 14 of which have come against non-BCS teams.

Other than that, things are great.

Virginia

Many people (myself included) touted the Cavs as a potential sleeper team in the ACC.  And then they went and lost to TCU in their first game of the Paradise Jam.  They rebounded to beat Drexel and Drake but missed out on the chance to prove their mettle against Marquette in the finals.

Virginia plays at one of the slowest paces in all of college hoops, and while their defensive efficiency numbers have been solid, it’s another story on offense.  After hitting nearly 39 percent from deep last season, the Cavs have made just 33 percent from beyond the arc while seeing a drastic increase in their turnover rate.

Even though Tony Bennett is playing a number of guys, just two of them are scoring over 6.6 points per game.  Mike Scott (14.8 ppg, 10.0 rpg) looks healthy again and soph Joe Harris (12.4 ppg, 2.4 apg) has been fairly consistent in the backcourt, but other players have to step up and make outside shots based on how this team is constructed.

Wichita State

The Shockers didn’t necessarily play poorly in Puerto Rico, losing by 10 to Alabama and in overtime to Temple, but it could be deja vu for Wichita State fans.

Last season they endured a couple near misses in Maui, but in the end, their lack of quality non-conference wins was their undoing in terms of at-large consideration.  The Shockers did beat Colorado and they have games remaining against UAB, UNLV, and Utah State at home with a road trip to Tulsa mixed in.  Three players are scoring in double figures, but the team could stand to get to the line more often after attempting just 17 free throws per game so far.

So far, Creighton looks like the MVC team with the best chance to earn an at-large bid, but the Shockers’ play over the next month could change that.

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Follow me on Twitter (@andybottoms) for more thoughts on college hoops, and check out the latest edition of the Bottoms Line podcast.

#4 Oklahoma State is taking their fast paced offense on the road to Columbia, Missouri where the Tigers have won 10 straight at home.  This current winning streak has included victories over some of the top teams in the Big 12 and none was bigger than last season’s upset victory over #1 Oklahoma.   Many people think Oklahoma State is going to stroll into their final game undefeated, but this game has the potential to ruin the Cowboys’ perfect season.

Here is why the Missouri Tigers will upset the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

MISSOURI’S RUSHING ATTACK

Missouri is one of the best teams in the country at rushing the ball, led by sophomore Henry Josey.  Josey’s 717 rushing yards is tops in the Big 12 and the young running back is averaging 9.6 yards per carry.  Due to injuries at the running back spot, Missouri was forced to use Josey and he has turned into one of the top running backs in the country.

Not only does Missouri have running back that can beat you rushing the ball but they also have a quarterback that can do the same.  Missouri’s James Franklin is a very mobile quarterback that can take off and get positive yards at anytime.  Franklin’s most impressive performance rushing the ball this season came against Oklahoma’s stout defense, where he ran for 103 yards.

Oklahoma State’s defense is susceptible to giving up a lot rushing yards, and last week Texas ran for 231 yards against them.

OKLAHOMA STATE’S DEFENSE IS WEAK

Oklahoma State’s defense gives up a lot of yards and the only thing saving them is that they force a lot of turnovers.  The Cowboys are allowing 426.7 yards per game, and as usual Missouri has one of the best offenses in Big 12.

The Cowboys defense has allowed teams with lesser offenses than Missouri to rack up a large amount of yards against them.  Oklahoma State gave up close to 500 yards of offense against Tulsa and Kansas, two teams that don’t have a winning record.

Missouri is going to get their yards in this game and if they don’t turn the ball they are going to defeat Oklahoma State.

MISSOURI HAS MOMENTUM

Missouri might be the best team without a winning record (3-3) in the country, and their only losses have come on the road against ranked opponents.  The Tigers are coming off a confidence building win against Iowa State, dominating the Cyclones 52-17.

Missouri played very well against Iowa State especially on the offensive side the ball.  Against the Cyclones, Missouri had nearly 600 yards of total offense in a very balanced attack, churning out 289 yards in the air and 294 yards on the ground.

MISSOURI HAS THE HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE

The Tigers have their back against the wall and will be motivated not to drop their fourth game of the season.  Missouri fans are going to be loud in this game and will make it very difficult for the Cowboys all day.

Missouri is very tough team at home and that is why I like the Tigers to pull of the up and win this game 49-42 in a shootout.

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Oklahoma State v Missouri Game Info:

• Oklahoma State-Missouri Date: Saturday, October 22nd
• Oklahoma State-Missouri  Kickoff Time: 12:00 ET
• Oklahoma State-Missouri  TV: FX
• Oklahoma State-Missouri Point Spread: Oklahoma State -7

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* – Missouri Tiger football photo credit: via Rok Grilec

Both teams won their season opener in two completely different types of games.  Missouri won a close one against Miami of Ohio (2010 MAC Champions) and Arizona State won big against UC Davis.

This game has upset written all over it as Vegas odds makers have the unranked Arizona State Sun Devils as 7.5 point favorites in this matchup.

The Missouri Tigers are breaking in a new quarterback this season after last year’s starter, Blaine Gabbert, was drafted in the first round of April’s NFL Draft.  Sophomore James Franklin had a decent debut as the Tiger’s QB last week by throwing one touchdown pass and rushing for one as well.  He threw for only 129-yards , but made up for his lack of passing yards with 72-yards rushing on 14 attempts.

Arizona State had no problems offensively last week by scoring 48 points in their season opener and racking up 517 yards of total offense.  Sun Devils’ QB Brock Osweiler looked sharp throwing two touchdown passes to Aaron Pflugrad.

Both teams performed well last week defensively and will look to carry that momentum into this game.  Missouri held Miami of Ohio to a measly six points and 270-yards of total offense in a dominating performance.  Arizona State was equally effective on defense last week, holding UC-Davis to only 243-yards of total offense.  Sun Devils’ standout linebacker Vontaze Burfict had three sacks last week and will be difficult to stop for the Mizzou blockers.

The weather could play a major factor in deciding the outcome of this game as temperatures are expected to be around 100 degrees when play begins.  Last week it was over 100 degrees in Tempe and players were suffering cramps during the game.   Also with intense heat there is expected to be thunderstorms tomorrow night in Tempe near kickoff.

The heat will be too much for the Missouri Tigers and that will give Arizona State the edge in this game.  I think this game will be close in the beginning but the Sun Devils will be able to handle heat longer giving them the opportunity to pull away in the second half.  Arizona State gets their first victory over a ranked opponent since 2007 in this game.

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* – Vontaze Burfict photo credit: via Bleacher Report

(For a complete timeline of the events that led to the Big XII’s current state, click here.)

Colorado and Nebraska left last year; and rumors that the SEC will go after Missouri or that the Oklahoma schools will bolt for the Pac 12/14 never seem to go away. Both the Big Ten and Pac 12 have long coveted Texas, and the Big East has suggested that it would welcome the four schools from the former Big XII North.

But is the Big XII really as doomed as everyone seems to think it is?

Austin American-Statesman columnist Kirk Bohls thinks that one more move—perhaps Oklahoma to the Pac 12—will kill the conference. Bohls tweeted earlier this week that there’s a 70 percent chance that Texas will end up in Pac 12. Meanwhile rumors abound about possible expansion candidates.

While some observers are prepping for a conference alignment apocalypse, the Big XII’s situation isn’t nearly as dire as the conventional wisdom suggests, and it’s quite possible that the conference will survive. Here’s why:

The Big XII, like Gloria Gaynor, will survive.

Nine Teams Is Plenty

Aside from the embarrassment of calling yourself the Big XII even after three of your 12 teams have left you, there is no shame in being a 9-team league. The Big XII’s predecessor, the Big 8, thrived for decades with only 8 teams (and zero top-ten media markets). The Southwest Conference—longtime home of Texas, Texas Tech, and Baylor—never had more than 9 teams. Prior to  2004, the ACC only had 9 teams. The Big East and Mountain West currently have 8 teams apiece. As recently as 1991, every Division I-A football conference had between 7 and 10 teams.

Granted, all the other major conferences are expanding. The Pac 12 just added Colorado and Utah; the Big Ten added Nebraska; the Big East will be adding TCU; the SEC will be (presumably) adding Texas A&M; the Mountain West just added Boise State, with Fresno State, Nevada, and Hawaii (football only) soon to follow. And it’s only been six years since the ACC added Boston College. No conference wants to be the only major conference that’s shrinking, but bigger isn’t always better.

In 1996 the 10-team Western Athletic Conference decided to become a superconference, adding three Southwest Conference schools that didn’t get Big XII invitations (TCU, SMU, and Rice), along with UNLV, Tulsa, and San Jose State. Expansion got the WAC into new media markets, but it also diluted the product. Old-guard schools such as Utah, BYU, New Mexico, Colorado State, and Wyoming weren’t interested in being in a 16-team conference that spanned from Houston to Manoa. So they—along with UNLV, Air Force, and San Diego State (and later TCU)—broke off and formed the Mountain West Conference. By next season the Mountain West will have poached the WAC’s last remaining notable programs, leaving the lesser league begging FCS schools to upgrade their athletic departments.

The ACC’s recent expansion is another cautionary tale. Adding Virginia Tech, Miami, and Boston College helped the ACC get a nice new TV contract with ESPN, but it hasn’t turned the ACC into a football power conference, nor has it elevated the ACC to the level of the Big Ten, SEC, and Pac 12.

Nine is fine. Adding BYU to get back to 10 would be a good move. Adding Louisville, Pittsburgh, Memphis, and/or any former Southwest Conference school to get to 12 wouldn’t. I don’t care how badly Boone Pickens wants TCU. Expand with caution.

Who Else Might Leave?

In its current configuration, the Big XII is in good shape. It will never be worse than the fourth best football conference. And when it comes to conference alignment, football drives everything. (That said, as long as it has Kansas, the Big XII will be a relevant men’s basketball conference too.) Any speculation about the league’s demise comes from the assumption that more teams will leave.

For a school to switch conferences a school a) must want to leave its current conference and b) must secure an invitation from a new conference. Are there Big XII schools that would benefit from leaving and be welcome elsewhere?

The Pac 16: not as inevitable as you think

Both the Big Ten and Pac 12 have expressed interest in Texas in the past; but that was before the Longhorn Network. Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott has said that the Longhorn Network would be a “huge impediment” to Texas joining the league.

It makes sense that Iowa State, Baylor, and Texas Tech would begrudgingly approve of UT’s 20-year deal with ESPN. If they hadn’t, they might be headed to the Mountain West or Conference USA. USC, UCLA, Arizona, and Oregon wouldn’t be so forgiving. Considering that no one can even watch the Longhorn Network, one might think that Texas would give up on the Longhorn Network or turn it into one of the Pac 12′s regional networks. But I can think of $300 million reasons why that won’t happen.

Carter Strickland of ESPN’s HornsNation blog (yes, ESPN now has a HornsNation blog) says that Texas is better off staying put. As long as it’s in the Big XII, Texas can do whatever it wants. It wouldn’t have nearly as much sway in the Pac 12.

Independence is another option that Texas has allegedly discussed. The football Longhorns would do well as an independent, but the other sports would need a home conference. No major conference, apart from maybe the Big East, would welcome Texas without the football team. And if UT wants people to tune in to volleyball and baseball games on its new network, it would be best if those teams didn’t play in a second-tier league.

Other than Texas, Oklahoma is probably the only school that could kill the conference by leaving. I have no doubt that the Sooners would love to join the Pac 12, but I’m not convinced that the Pac 12 wants them.

Oklahoma would give the Pac 12 a top-10 football program and eyeballs in the coveted Texas media markets. It would also give them Oklahoma State. Politically, it would be near impossible to take one without the other. Adding Oklahoma would mean splitting revenue 14 ways instead of 12. Some Pac 12 presidents might also be concerned about how the Oklahoma schools fit in culturally, geographically, and academically.

The Pac 12 expressed interest in Oklahoma last year, but that was when Texas was part of the package. Much has changed since then.

Missouri could realistically leave for the SEC, but the Big XII could survive without Missouri. You’d hate to lose St. Louis, just like the league probably hated to lose Denver, but the big money is in Texas (and the real college sports fans are in Kansas City).

All of the former Big XII North schools would be welcome in the Big East, and some would probably be welcome in the ACC, but the money is better in a nine-team Big XII with Texas and Oklahoma that it would be in a 14-team ACC or a 29-team Big East.

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Final Thought

The Big XII can live and thrive as a 9- or 10-team league. It will even be OK losing another school or two, as long as that school or two isn’t Texas and/or Oklahoma.So don’t hold your breath waiting for the Pac 12 to make an offer to the Big XII’s premier programs, and don’t assume that, if the opportunity arises, current Big XII will leave for another league.

There is no reason why the Big XII cannot remain the flagship college athletic conference in Texas and the Great Plains for years to come.

Of course, I could be wrong about all of this. So next week, when Texas and the Oklahoma schools announce that they’re leaving and that the conference will disband after this season, you can tweet me, @joshtinley, and tell me why I’m an idiot.

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Josh Tinley is the author of Kneeling in the End Zone: Spiritual Lessons From the World of Sports. Follow him at twitter.com/joshtinley or send him an e-mail.

* – Bob Stoops/Mack Brown photo source: Bleacher Report

The article includes this footnote:

Though as a Kansan, I am trying to be mean to Missouri, even though I went to journalism school there. In Kansas City, collegiate rooting affiliations are bound by blood and soil, not matriculation. I root for the Tigers in journalism and for the Jayhawks in everything else.

I don’t understand. This approach to rooting affiliations is contrary to everything I know, understand, and believe about college sports fandom.

Photo credit: Nick Krug via LJWorld.com

Blood? Perhaps Suellentrop has inherited chromosomes from KU grads, but his blood spent four years in Columbia, Missouri. Why defer to ancestry? Would you root for your parents’ high school against your own? Soil? Living on the Kansas side of the border requires or compels one to be a Jayhawks fan? What about K-State? What about Wichita State? The Suellentrop family tax dollars found their way to Manhattan and Wichita as surely as they did Lawrence.

From birth until age 18, I was as big an Indiana Hoosiers fan as any of my peers. My dad graduated from IU and dressed me in cream and crimson during my formative years. The two of us spent several evenings each season in the balcony at Assembly Hall and many more watching promising Indiana recruits such as Greg Graham and Alan Henderson play high school ball.

from the UE bookstore

On my nineteenth birthday, I moved into the Hughes Hall dormitory on the campus of the University of Evansville. I was no longer an Indiana Hoosiers fan. I was an Evansville Purple Aces fan. It wasn’t an easy adjustment. Like Indiana, Evansville has five national championship banners hanging in its basketball arena, but UE’s banners are for the Division II titles the Aces won between 1959 and 1971. Unlike Indiana, Evansville hangs banners for NIT appearances. Indiana, for all its faults on the gridiron, plays football in the Big Ten. Evansville eliminated its football program during my junior year. Indiana has won 7 NCAA men’s soccer championships and 6 NCAA men’s swimming championships. Evansville hasn’t won any of either.

But Evansville was my school. It’s where I spent four of the most important years of my life; where I first encountered the Internet; where I won intramural championships in floor hockey, kickball, and C-league basketball; and where I met my wife. I take pride in knowing that I graduated from the same college as Jerry Sloan, Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock, and True Blood‘s Rutina Wesley. (Rutina Wesley was in my voice class. She is a much better singer than I.)

I identify with the University of Evansville. It’s a part of me. Therefore I cheer with “pep and vim” for the Aces. That’s how being a college sports fan works, right? You cheer for your school.

In 1996 Evansville and Indiana met at Madison Square Garden in the semi-finals of the Preseason NIT. Evansville led for much of the second half but lost the game on an Andrae Patterson buzzer beater. I was crushed. No part of me felt good for Indiana. In that moment, I loathed every one of my friends who was enrolled at IU-Bloomington. I wanted nothing to do with any of them. That’s how being a college sports fan works, right?

After Evansville I went to Divinity School at Vanderbilt, and Vandy took the number-two slot on my college-sports-rooting-affiliation list. Since beginning my post-secondary education, Evansville has made only one NCAA Tournament appearance (in 1999 they lost to Kansas in a first-round 6-11 matchup; I was there) and Vanderbilt has played in only one bowl game (they beat Boston College in the 2008 Music City Bowl). Between them, Evansville and Vanderbilt have won exactly one NCAA Division I championship: Vandy, women’s bowling, 2005.

But it doesn’t matter, because they’re my schools.

I have an Ace Purple bobblehead on my desk. I look forward to evenings when I can watch Evansville’s basketball team play on ESPN3.com or Vanderbilt’s baseball team play on regular ESPN. I was proud when the Purple Aces beat Hofstra in this year’s CIT and won’t pass up this opportunity to remind you that Evansville beat Butler at Hinkle last season. And in 2005 I watched Vandy take down Maryland Eastern Shore for that women’s bowling title. (It was on ESPN2.)

I still follow Indiana basketball, and I hope that Indiana will soon reclaim its place as a top ten college hoops program. But Indiana isn’t my school. And Kansas isn’t Chris Suellentrop’s school. I don’t care if the Jayhawks have a bigger trophy case or better fans or a richer tradition than their rivals to the east.

If you are a Mizzou grad, the Tigers are your team. Embrace them. Complain about the fifth down game. Reminisce about the Steve Stipanovich days. Look forward to Blaine Gabbert’s NFL career and wonder aloud if Chase Daniel will ever get a chance to be a starter.

Having said that, I now give you the worst hit song that Brian Wilson ever wrote:

1. School from which one earned a bachelor’s degree
2. School from which one earned a graduate degree
3. School one attended for two or more years without graduating
4. School(s) from which one’s parents or siblings earned a bachelor’s degree
5. School(s) from which one’s parents or siblings earned a graduate degree
6. School(s) one attended for fewer than two years
7. School(s) located in the metropolitan area in which one currently lives
8. School(s) from which one’s close friend(s) earned a bachelor’s degree
9. School(s) located in the metropolitan area in which one grew up
10. School(s) from which extended family members with whom one maintains contact earned a bachelor’s degree
11. School(s) where one’s band played a gig in the 1990s

Schools can be eliminated or demoted due to rivalries with schools higher on the list. For example, I have cousins who graduated from Drake and Illinois State, two of Evansville’s Missouri Valley Conference peers. So Drake and Illinois State are off my list, at least during MVC play.

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Josh Tinley is the author of Kneeling in the End Zone: Spiritual Lessons From the World of Sports. Follow him at twitter.com/joshtinley or send him an e-mail.

Rumors have steadily intensified over the last few days that Painter was the #1 choice of Missouri to replace the departed Mike Anderson as its head basketball coach. I laughed off the rumors at first, considering them absurd. Painter grew up in Indiana, played at Purdue, coached there under Gene Keady, and has rebuilt Purdue from rubble into one of the top teams in the Big Team. Why the heck would he leave?

Well I’m not laughing off the rumors anymore, and neither should Purdue fans. In fact, it’s time to get very, very worried if you don the old gold and black.

From Vahe Gregorian at STLToday.com:

Purdue coach Matt Painter will meet with Mizzou soon to gauge the school’s commitment to the basketball program, sources told the Post-Dispatch today.

A resolution to the Painter situation will likely be Wednesday. One source said it was better than a 50 percent chance that Painter would accept an offer.

Purdue fans, all together now: *GULP*.

Before I go any further, let me state my personal, relatively uninformed opinion right off the bat: I will still be shocked if Painter leaves.

If he does go to Missouri, it will be strictly about the money – at least that’s how it seems – and I can’t imagine Purdue not ponying up as much or more money as Mizzou has to keep him. Purdue is notoriously frugal when it comes to paying coaches and funding athletics so I still think that this is a case of Painter seizing an opportunity to leverage Purdue into a deservedly bigger paycheck.

For the record, Painter is the 8th highest paid coach in the conference ($1.325 million), higher than only Fran McCaffery, Bill Carmody, and Ed Dechellis. Anyone with even a peripheral knowledge of Big Ten basketball knows that Painter outproduces that salary, relatively speaking, on an annual basis.

But Travis over at Hammer and Rails brought up some great points in a post published this morning entitled “Does Purdue have a Loser’s Mentality?” You might dismiss such a title as partisan, agenda-driven drivel if it were on an IU site, but this is one of the most passionate Purdue fans I know providing an astoundingly honest depiction of his own athletic department’s shortcomings. I encourage you to read the full article, but here is the most telling passage:

This is only speculation, but maybe Painter sees the mentality of the athletic department better than any of us. He is, after all, a competitor. He is a former player that came close to playing on a Final Four team. He wants to succeed at the highest levels, but he knows Purdue’s history better than most. If he feels that he can have more success elsewhere, he may bolt.

I never would have really thought this was the case – heck, I’m the Indiana fan who respects Purdue enough to have written this laudatory post – but Travis makes a pretty compelling case that Purdue’s athletic department needs an attitude adjustment if it wants to compete for championships. We can certainly assume that a guy like Painter wants to compete for championships, so perhaps there could be more than just money at play here. Again, it’s all just partially educated speculation at this point.

Rather than spend more time speculating myself, I’ll leave it to the informed professionals, namely the guys at the Purdue-affiliated Gold & Black Illustrated. As the guys at The Boiling Points noted, “If there is an informed voice in this whole thing on Purdue’s side, it’s [GBI].”

And here is what Brian Neubert of GBI had to say about the Painter-to-Missouri rumors earlier today:

What we’ve found is only more and more suggestions that Mizzou could be on the fast track to making a hire in the short term. A pair of different sources have said Tuesday could be the day. As far as we can tell, Painter is not only the leading candidate; he’s the only candidate. Do the math.

…

Purdue is Painter’s alma mater, but at no point in time in his career coaching in West Lafayette has he said or done anything to suggest he’s a lifer here for that simple reason.

Speculation might have it that this is all merely a shakedown – I know that term has sinister connotations, but I can’t think of a better one – of Purdue. But if that’s the case, it’s been an unbelievably elaborate and well-choreographed one.

Head over to read the entire article from The Boiling Points if you want to see who Neubert speculated might replace Painter if he does in fact leave.

Where does this leave Purdue fans and keenly interested rival observers like myself? In a big, muddy mess of rumor, innuendo, guesswork, and vague reports…so, pretty much where we are left with every story like this that we try to pick apart and discuss without many hard parts.

All we know is that Matt Painter is meeting with Missouri today, and there are legitimate signs that point to him taking the job being a reasonable possibility. We also know that Purdue’s purported #1 candidate to replace Painter, Cuonzo Martin, is now the head coach at Tennessee.

Add it all up and it means two things: 1) Purdue fans, if they weren’t already, need to take this very seriously and get in the ear of their athletic department to open up the coffers; and 2) Rock bottom for the 2010-11 season might not have come, as we all thought, at the hands of VCU in the Round of 32.

Stay tuned…

• Rule #1 Don’t bet what you don’t have. You don’t want to spend grocery money on my picks no matter how hot I get. 
• Rule #2 No matter how much you like a game, bet the same amount on the all games I give you. Freaky things happen in college football.

This is the time of the year when you make your money. Vegas is not sure how certain teams are going to perform, how new players are going to react to certain situations, and who will be the new stars emerge across the country.

And for the record, I only play the big games, the games you will see on TV (which you can find out at the MSF college football TV schedule).  Thus, I will not be giving picks on North Texas vs. some other cream puff.

We have a theme this week, so let’s begin.

Game #1 I love; actually, I love all four of the gems I’m going to give you, but I like this game the most.

Follow the link or click the image below to get great deals on college football tickets at StubHub.

Boise St vs. Oregon

• Boise State-Oregon Point Spread: Boise State -3.5
• Boise State -Oregon Over-Under: 64

The oddsmakers have Boise State favored in this game by 3.5 with the over-under at a whopping 64. I don’t believe either team will have many stops in this game and I expect the over to be in full effect. With that being said, Boise State is at home, it’s the first BIG game of the NCAA year, and oh by the way it’s on a Thursday night.

Folks, for starters, Boise State does not lose many home games, I can probably count on one hand how many losses they have had at home over the past five years. Boise State also has the experience, with 90% of their players having started a game last year. Oregon can’t match that experience, which is HUGE in the beginning of the season.

What does this game mean for Boise State? Well, if they win tomorrow night you might as well pencil them in to BCS Bowl, and maybe even a national championship. For Oregon, this game means a lot, but nowhere near what it means to the Broncos. Oregon did not have this game circled on their schedule as they had Cal, Oregon State, and USC.

Go with the Boise State and give the points.

Georgia at Oklahoma State

• Georgia-Oklahoma State Point Spread: Oklahoma State -5

Game #2 is Georgia at Oklahoma State. Will Georgia be able to stop the high powered offense of the Cowboys? Oklahoma State has some key players like Zac Robinson and Dez Bryant, who just so happens to be my projected #1 wide receiver in the country.

Georgia, on the other hand, has some players, but when the game is close who are they going to turn to? No Matthew Stafford, and no Knowshon Moreno.

Like the previous game, this game means a lot to Oklahoma State. This will be on Saturday night, on ABC, and the country will be watching. Oklahoma State has added seats for this year, so this will be the largest amount of fans to attend an Oklahoma State football game.

Georgia, well they need to worry about the SEC, so this game again means a lot but nowhere near what it means to the Cowboys. Oh and by the way, when was the last time Georgia traveled outside of their time zone?

Give the 5 and count your cash.

Missouri at Illinois

• Illinois-Missouri point spread: Illinois -7

Game #3 has Illinois giving 7 to Mizzou. I will keep this one quick, short, and to the point.

Mizzou lost everyone, Illinois has not. Gone for the Tigers are Chase Daniels, Jeremy Maclin and Chase Coffman. Mizzou had a great run, but they don’t reload like the top teams in the country do.

Illinois, on the other hand, returns quarterback Juice Williams. He had a great year last year, but still flew under the radar. He will be throwing the rock all day to up-and-coming stud Arrelious Benn. This is a home game for the fighting Illini and they have returning starters.

Give the points as Mizzou can’t stay up with the Illini like Ron Zook can stay up on his skis.

Virginia Tech vs Alabama

• Alabama-Virginia Tech point spread: Alabama -6.5

Game #4 is Virginia Tech vs. Alabama. The line in this game is 6.5. When I first saw this I almost jumped out of my chair. My first thought was there wasn’t going to be 6.5 points scored the whole game, not that I am advocating the under over in this game, but it just seems like a lot to give Virginia Tech, team with more firepower than the Crimson Tide.

Alabama over it’s past two games has been destroyed, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Nick Saban is sweating tonight thinking about the game on Saturday. I like Tyrod Taylor, and I think he is a playmaker, something Alabama doesn’t have many of on the offensive side of the ball.

Take the Hookies and take the points.

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Keep your eye out for Rich’s next column here at MSF, and you can also follow his blog at http://www.nflandcollegefootball.com/.

* – Ron Zook skiing photo credit: Deadspin

Note: This post is from 2009. To view our 2010 March Madness coverage, use the following links:

• March Madness 2010 Schedule, Sites, and Tickets
• MSF Bracket Challenge
• Mens NCAA Tournament Bracket, TV Schedule, Announcers, Spreads
• Midwest Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• East Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• South Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• West Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• History of Final Four in Indianapolis
• Women’s NCAA Tournament Schedule, Sites, Tickets

——————–

This post will analyze the UConn-Missouri Elite 8 game using a statistical analysis provided by the Game Predictor at ESPN.com, which is powered by TeamRankings.com. For an analysis of how this program works, hop over to the first individual game Sweet 16 preview I put out for UConn-Purdue. The methodology is all explained there.

One of these two teams I expected to get this far. The other one not so much. One of these teams was my championship pick on my original bracket. The other team I had getting bounced in round two.

So you would think that this would be an easy prediction right?

Wrong.

The horse I decided to ride all the way through the brackets to the championship was UConn. I didn’t necessarily “decide” on them, per se, as much as I was led to picking them because of the bracket picking system I devised. Still, I wasn’t too upset or surprised. UConn is a very good team that is extremely strong at point guard and center. The loss of Jerome Dyson certainly hurt, but this appeared like a team with enough juice to go all the way.

And I still think they can. But I’m a little worried.

All of the hubbub over the investigation into potential recruiting violations has to be a distraction. It obviously did not affect them too much against Purdue, but it might start to as the story gains steam. Maybe it won’t affect the team as much as it will Jim Calhoun, but I think UConn needs their fiery coach at his best to navigate through the defensive scheme and intensity of Missouri.

Which brings me to the real reason I’m worried: Missouri is a damn good team. I underestimated them in the Big 12 Tournament. I underestimated them in the NCAA Tournament, and now here they are, ready to play for a shot at the first Final Four in school history.

Let’s outline the particulars of the game and then we’ll jump right into a prediction.

UConn-Missouri Elite 8 Regional Final Preview

• StubHub: West Region Elite 8 Regional Final Tickets
• West Regional Breakdown
• Date: Saturday, March 28
• TV Time: 4:40 PM on CBS
• Site: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ
• Announcers: Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
• Point Spread: UConn -5 (according to ESPN Game Predictor)
• Over-Under: 150 1/2

Before I offer my own first impressions and prediction for this game, let’s see how Game Predictor views the action, based on the same five statistical categories we used to analyze the Sweet 16 games.

• Offensive Efficiency: UConn – 1.098 | Missouri – 1.100
• Defensive Efficiency: UConn – 0.888 | Missouri – 0.918
• Assist/TO Ratio: UConn – 1.284 | Missouri – 1.538
• Free Throw %: UConn – 0.674 | Missouri – 0.668
• Defensive Field Goal %: UConn – 0.374 | Missouri – 0.418

Other than the significant advantage for UConn in terms of defensive field goal percentage, these two teams are very evenly matched across these five categories. My anticipation is that UConn will be a slight favorite by Game Predictor based on the SOS and higher seed (and I base this on the results of the Sweet 16 predictions). Let’s see:

• Odds to Win Game: UConn – 59.4% | Missouri – 40.6%
• Most Likely Final Score: UConn – 70.8 | Missouri – 68.2
• Odds to Cover Spread (MIZZOU +5): UConn – 45.9% | Missouri – 54.1%
• Confidence Level: 2 Stars

So a relatively solid vote of confidence for UConn, at least for an Elite 8 game where each team should be pretty evenly matched. Here the issues though:

1. UConn was not as good after the Dyson injury as they were before. However, the stats used in my original bracket analysis and this Game Predictor analysis take into account their performance with a healthy Dyson in the lineup.
2. Game Predictor obviously cannot factor in the swirling controversy about the recruiting violations. I don’t know to what extent this will affect UConn — no one does — but let’s put it this way: I don’t see it as a positive in any way.

Still, I can’t abandon the Huskies. Not yet anyway.

I really like this Missouri team. They obviously play a very frenetic style of defense and an up-tempo style, yet they have an impeccable Assist/TO ratio. Additionally, they have scoring balance on offense. All five starters scored in double figures against Memphis with JT Tiller leading the way with 23. Plus, the duo of DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons is outstanding. They had a combined 32 points and 18 rebounds against a Memphis team with a strong presence inside. This bodes well for their ability to compete against the inside presence of Hasheem Thabeet.

But, I am not going to get carried away yet and jump two-feet first onto the Missouri bandwagon. Yes, they had an impressive win over Marquette; but it was against a Marquette team playing with a hobbled Dominic James. And after jumping out to a big lead they had to hang on late. Their win over Memphis was obviously impressive as well; but I have not been a believer in Memphis all year so I am not ready to anoint them West Region champs simply because of that victory. And just like in the Marquette game, Missouri displayed an inability to shut the door by letting Memphis back into the game late — though they never relinquished the lead.

The fact of the matter is that a week ago, I would not have thought twice about who to pick in this game. After how well Missouri has played over the last three weeks, they have given me plenty of reasons to pause long and hard and consider their chances.

At the end of the day though, I am a sucker for experienced backcourts and teams that can control the paint defensive. UConn is led by a player I love, senior AJ Price, and his senior backcourt teammate Craig Austrie. And, of course, they have Hasheem Thabeet down low who has proven all year, and did again last night against Purdue, that if he stays out of foul trouble he is an absolute beast and gives UConn a huge advantage against every team in American that does not have a 7’3 center with great defensive timing — which is pretty much every team in America.

This is a fascinating game between two outstanding teams with plenty of compelling storylines to go around. In the end, this game will come down to what most UConn games come down to: can Hasheem Thabeet stay on the floor and can UConn get enough scoring from their backcourt. UConn beat Purdue because Thabeet played 36 minutes, grabbed 15 rebounds, scored 15 points, and controlled the paint with 4 blocks. UConn also got 32 points from Price and Austrie on 9-21 shooting, plus 11 assists against only 4 turnovers from the duo. If these three guys produce like that against Missouri, UConn will win.

But if Thabeet gets in foul trouble, or Price and Austrie get out of their comfort zone against the Tigers’ D, Missouri has a great chance to win. Mix in the prospect of the Huskies being distracted as a result of the recruiting violation story, and the game gets ever so close to being a complete toss-up in my mind — and I start to think that Missouri may even be the “safer” pick.

There are lots of variables on the UConn side, but they are also the better team when they are at their best. I’m not ready to say that I am still 100% committed to them as the eventual national champions, but I am willing to say that they’ll at least reach the Final Four. Missouri will put up a great fight, and UConn better be ready. I think they will be. I like Missouri with the points (assuming the spread stays at 5, and I’ve only seen it listed on ESPN), but UConn to win straight up. And I can’t wait to see how this one actually unfolds once the ball is tipped.

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Demarre Carroll photo credit: Jon Goering/KANSAN

This post will analyze the Memphis-Missouri game using a statistical analysis provided by the Game Predictor at ESPN.com, which is powered by TeamRankings.com. For an analysis of how this program works, hop over to the first individual game Sweet 16 preview I put out for UConn-Purdue. The methodology is all explained there.

If John Calipari were to have read MSF over the past couple of weeks, he would know that I was not among those who thought Memphis should have received a #1 seed and that I picked the Tigers to lose in the second round. (And I predicted that loss to come against Cal, who lost in the first round to Maryland. Shows you how much I know.)

Of course, John Calipari has plenty of more important things to do than read our little blog here. On the off chance he did, he would probably just chalk our site up as another one of the haters and naysayers and not give it a second thought. Calipari is a pretty cool customer who does not seem to get rattled or frustrated in the face of people constantly doubting his team, or disparaging its conference and schedule.

Now, if John Chaney read MSF and I had been down on Temple, he might not be such a cool customer…

Video: John Chaney v John Calipari

Forgive me, I had to get that in there. It’s been years since I’ve seen that video, but it never gets old. If only we could have seen how the fight ended up…

But I digress.

Mike Anderson, the coach of Missouri, would probably not think much of this site either. I picked the Tigers to lose in the Big 12 tournament and I predicted a second round loss for them against Marquette. Obviously, neither happened.

So it is with great shame, humility, and surprise that I type this Memphis-Missouri Sweet 16 preview. I did not expect either team to make it this far, yet here they are: my own personal bracket busters duking it out to ensure that I cannot have a perfect Elite 8 this year.

But you know what? I can’t wait for this game. These two teams play an entertaining style of basketball that should make this one of the more exciting Sweet 16 games this year. Here are the particulars for the Mizzou-Memphis matchup later this week:

Memphis-Missouri Sweet 16 Preview and Prediction

• StubHub: West Region Sweet 16 Tickets
• West Regional Breakdown
• Date: Thursday, March 26
• TV Time: 9:37 PM on CBS
• Site: University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ
• Announcers: Dick Enberg and Jay Bilas
• Point Spread: Memphis -4 1/2
• Over-Under: 140
• My prediction (done before looking at the Bracket Predictor): Missouri

Let’s see how the Bracket Predictor sees this game going, based on the five statistical categories I submitted to the prediction engine:

• Offensive Efficiency: Memphis – 1.071 | Missouri – 1.097
• Defensive Efficiency: Memphis – 0.826 | Missouri – 0.913
• Assist/TO Ratio: Memphis – 1.149 | Missouri – 1.541
• Free Throw %: Memphis – 0.695 | Missouri – 0.668
• Defensive Field Goal %: Memphis – 0.366 | Missouri – 0.415

And based on these numbers, plus the strength of schedule factor that is automatically used to calculate the results, the Game Predictor sees the outcome as follows:

• Odds to Win Game: Memphis – 60.7% | Missouri – 39.3%
• Most Likely Final Score: Memphis – 70.6 | Missouri – 67.5
• Odds to Cover Spread (MIZZOU +4.5): Memphis – 42.8% | Missouri – 57.2%
• Confidence Level: 3 Stars

So, the Game Predictor sees this as being a closer matchup than UConn-Purdue and Pitt-Xavier, which one would expect. I am still a little bit surprised that Memphis’ odds are above 60%, and I completely agree that Missouri has a great chance to beat the spread in this one — if not win it outright.

Here is what I did not like about the Game Predictor analysis of this one: the historical comparisons (not shown in the images above). The majority of the teams Missouri was compared to were double-digit seeds. I don’t know exactly how these historical comparisons are generated, but the typical seed differentials of the ten comparisons provided was 6 or 7 seed slots. This game is a #2 seed versus a #3 seed, and two teams that I think are very, very comparable. Luckily, the final projection anticipates a close game that I project to be even closer.

Missouri plays a fast style of basketball, attacking on both ends of the court. I was shocked to see that their Assist/TO ratio is as good as it is. Obviously that number is driven by their great ability to pressure teams into turnovers; but it shows a strong ability on their part to protect the ball as well. Their high offensive rating shows that they are able to turn the majority of those turnovers into points.

Memphis, on the other hand, is not quite as strong in either category but still in the top 15% or so in the nation in both. And their defensive numbers are outstanding, with the best defensive efficiency and defensive field goal % ratings in the nation. My apologies to Coach Cal and the Memphis Tigers: I underestimated your ability on defense, otherwise I just might have had you advancing this far, if not further.

At the end of the day, I look at this game as a toss-up. Tyreke Evans has really improved Memphis as he has become more comfortable controlling the basketball as the season has gone on. He leads the team in points at 16.6 per game and also grabs 5.4 rebounds per. However, he also turns it over 3.6 times per game, only generating an Assist/TO ratio of 1.1/1. Antonio Anderson has been much more steady, with an Assist/TO of 2/1. Against the Missouri press, Evans will have to take better care of the basketball.

For Missouri, DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons must continue to lead with excellent all-around play from the forward slots. If the Tigers can get a performance out of Matt Lawrence like they got against Marquette (16 points) it will make them that much more difficult to overcome.

My gut is still telling me that Missouri is going to win, but obviously the Game Predictor, using the stats I fed it, has a 3 Star confidence level on Memphis. Either way, one of these teams is going to surprise me by making it to the Elite 8, only to have me (most likely) pick against them on Saturday. Luckily for Memphis and Missouri, the opinions of some idiot blogger mean nothing and they have been able to prove their worth on the court.

When these two skilled, athletic, well-coached teams meet up on Thursday, it could very well provide the most exciting game of the weekend.

Unless you picked neither to be here and your bracket is toast.

Then it’s just depressing.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Tyreke Evans photo credit: AP Photo/Nick Wass

Demarre Carroll photo credit: Jon Goering/KANSAN

Let’s break down what should be an extremely tight round of March Madness betting. (Editor’s note: All picks are straight up, not against the spread. Go to the homepage and check out the recent game-by-game posts for a closer look at how to pick these games against the spread.)

EAST REGION

No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers vs No. 4 Xavier Musketeers

Xavier is like the plucky little kid trying to measure up to his older brother in this NCAA basketball betting matchup. What do the Musketeers do best? Play defense and rebound like crazy. They showed off those skills in the first two rounds of the tournament, totally stymieing Wisconsin in the round of 32 after shooting the lights out against Portland State.

Problem: Pittsburgh battles the same way Xavier does and does it better. While the Musketeers are fifth in the nation in rebounding, the Panthers are second. Pittsburgh will eke out a win here thanks to superior backcourt talent with Levance Fields leading the way alongside outstanding big man DeJuan Blair.

Online betting pick: Pittsburgh

No. 2 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 3 Villanova Wildcats

Playing in the powerful Big East, Villanova has flown under the radar for much of the season. This weekend, the Wildcats be outed as major contenders when they knock off the Blue Devils. Duke’s overreliance on perimeter shooting doesn’t bode well against the defensively sound Villanova. Expect the Wildcats to control the pace and reach the Elite 8.

Online betting pick: Villanova

SOUTH REGION

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels vs No. 4 Gonzaga Bulldogs

There aren’t too many “pretenders” left in the March Madness betting field, but Gonzaga is close. Yeah, the Bulldogs put up some points against Akron and Western Kentucky, but those were No. 13 and No. 12 seeds, respectively. Gonzaga barely survived those matchups, coming from behind to beat Akron and downing Western Kentucky with a last-second shot.

Jumping from that competition to No. 1 North Carolina, still the odds-on sportsbook favorite to win the March Madness odds, will be too much for the ’Zags to handle. The Tar Heels should drop major points on the Bulldogs in a high-scoring affair here. Bet on North Carolina, who should keep getting better with Ty Lawson regaining his form.

Online betting pick: North Carolina

No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners vs No. 3 Syracuse Orange

It’s Blake Griffin Versus the World in what could be the closest of all the Sweet 16 lines. Well, maybe that’s an overstatement, but the point is that Griffin has been the force of the Tournament so far, averaging 30.5 points and 15 rebounds. Is Syracuse up to the task after breezing through the first two rounds?

I say yes. The Orange are a potent offensive unit with well-distributed scoring; five different Orange players averaged 10 or more points per game this regular season. The Orange offense can top Griffin’s inevitable powerhouse performance and guard Jonny Flynn has been sensational. Bet on Syracuse to pull off what some online betting experts would call a minor upset.

Online betting pick: Syracuse

WEST REGION

No. 1 Connecticut Huskies vs No. 5 Purdue Boilermakers

So, uh…Connecticut did pretty well in its first two March Madness betting contests, averaging a 46-point victory margin. Does that mean the Huskies are extremely sharp or extremely untested? Only time will tell. What we do know is that Purdue enters the Sweet 16 nicely battle-hardened, being the only No. 5 seed to avoid the dreaded 5/12 loss and grinding out a tough win over Washington. Center JaJuan Johnson in particular has stepped up his play and will need to maintain that high standard against UConn.

It’s tempting to pick Purdue to pull off the sportsbook upset here, but UConn sure isn’t getting much respect for a No. 1 seed. Better to have the Huskies surprise you with a loss than to pick the No. 5 seed and kick yourself afterwards. Go with Connecticut until they prove you wrong.

Online betting pick: Connecticut

No. 2 Memphis Tigers vs No. 3 Missouri Tigers

It just doesn’t feel right picking Missouri. For one, J.T. Tiller’s convenient last-second injury, which allowed Kim English to shoot the game-winning free throws in his place, seemed shady. Missouri also got pretty darn lucky when Marquette’s Lazar Hayward blew the game by stepping on the baseline during an inbound.

Karma aside, Memphis is still be better of the two March Madness picks here. It got its major scare out of the way in the first round and should ride its outstanding defense to the Elite 8 and maybe the Final Four.

Online betting pick: Memphis

MIDWEST REGION

No. 1 Louisville Cardinals vs. No. 12 Arizona Wildcats

Like them or not, the Arizona Cardinals have impressed in the March Madness odds after many detractors felt they shouldn’t have qualified for the tournament at all. Many online betting sharps correctly predicted their upset over Utah in the first round and they had the lucky draw of No. 13 Cleveland State in the second round, so the Wildcats haven’t really been tested.

Louisville, the top overall seed in the tourney, won’t be like anything the Wildcats have faced so far. This may be the only Sweet 16 betting matchup with blow-out potential.

Online betting pick: Louisville

No. 2 Michigan State Spartans vs No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks

Still feels weird to see Michigan State seeded higher than Kansas, doesn’t it? Most basketball betting fans didn’t expect much from Kansas in its attempted national title defense after the Jayhawks lost all their starters from last year’s team. However, they’ve looked very impressive early, riding the torrid play of Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins.

A couple of weeks ago, Michigan State would have been the consensus sportsbook pick here, but the Spartans had their hands full with USC and may not have an answer if Aldrich does anything close to the triple-double he posted against Dayton. Bet on Kansas to win one more round.

Online betting pick: Kansas

There were spells during the game that it felt like Mizzou might actually get something going but then OU would make an adjustment and immediately shut things down. On the flip side I saw nothing that led me to believe Mizzou was trying different schemes or options to try and slow OU down. The most puzzling to me was how far off the line the corners were playing. They were giving OU receivers 5 to 8 yards of cushion the entire game. I mean come on, you’re down 38-7 at the half, what is there to lose by jamming some receivers and getting a little more physical?

Now, I will say that Oklahoma is very impressive; this squad is clicking on all cylinders right now. I keep hearing that Oklahoma will be an underdog to Florida in the Championship game. I don’t see it. Florida is a very good team as well but I honestly don’t see any college team beating the Sooners right now. You can’t tell me that OU’s defense is not good enough to hang with Florida. There’s no doubt Mizzou didn’t do themselves any favors by turning the ball over 3 times, but still, the OU D held the 6th ranked offense in the nation to only 21 points.

I do think this will be a great matchup between the Sooners and Gators but I have to give the edge to Oklahoma.

Meanwhile, Mizzou has accepted an invite to play in the Alamo bowl against Northwestern on Dec. 29th. Two teams with completely different expectations coming into the season, Missouri was a preseason National Championship favorite while Northwestern was just hoping to get into and win a bowl game.

These two teams have not faced each other since 1987 when the Tigers beat the Wildcats in Columbia 28-3. These teams have previously faced off 8 times and are split at 4 wins apiece.

Again, the strength of Mizzou is its explosive offense and its weakness is the 100th ranked defense. Mizzou has losses to three top 25 teams, getting beat by an average of 23 points. Northwestern has losses to two top 25 teams by an average of 26 points. Both teams faced Illinois this year with Mizzou winning by 10 and Northwestern winning by 17.

This should be a good ballgame. Mizzou has several seniors in which this will be their last hoorah, so I am sure they will want to go out on top and give Mizzou their first back to back 10-win seasons in school history.

Northwestern will be playing to reach that 10-win mark as well. Like Mizzou, Northwestern has 23 seniors that will be looking to go out on top. It has been 59 years since Northwestern has won a bowl game.

I have to give the edge to Mizzou on Offense and Northwestern on Defense. Should make for an interesting game. Go Tigers !!

coop92 is a contributing author to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as the editor at Midwest Sports Junkies. Check out his site for additional analysis of the St. Louis Cardinals, the BCS, and Missouri Tigers football.