Night two of the SEC/Big East Invitational was the main action on a quiet Thursday night. The two leagues split the doubleheader in Tampa, which means there are no bragging rights this year, thanks to a 2-2 overall series mark.
- DePaul was no match for Mississippi State in game one, falling 76-45. As I mentioned at SB Nation, it was one of the quietest crowds I've ever seen for a neutral site game.
- The crowd was no issue in game two, as plenty of Orange and Gator fans filled the lower tier of the building formerly known as the Ice Palace. They got to see No. 10 Florida give No. 7 Syracuse a fight before falling, 85-73. Rick Jackson and Wes Johnson both had double-doubles for the Orange, while Kenny Boynton had 20 points and 7 assists for the Gators, with Chandler Parsons adding 19.
In other Thursday night action
- No. 12 Michigan State blasted Oakland, 88-57, thanks to 19 points and 12 boards from Draymond Green.
- No. 19 Cincinnati held off local rivals Miami, 63-59.
- Rhode Island knocked off Northeastern, 79-76.
- Western Carolina won again, as they knocked off Campbell, 66-59.
- Colorado was pounded by Colorado State in Fort Collins, 77-62.
- Montana came back to win on the road at Loyola Marymount, 82-73.
Friday is a good night to do your holiday shopping (like I will) as there isn't much available to a national audience.
The only game available nationally via Full Court is Iowa at Iowa State (8 p.m. ET). The Hawkeyes and Cyclones are playing for second (at best) in the Hawkeye State, as both have already lost to UNI.
The big event of the night is the Sun Belt Invitational in Nashville, where two Sun Belt teams face SEC opponents. Unfortunately, this showcase is only on regional television in parts of the Southeast.
- No. 9 Tennessee vs. Middle Tennessee (CSS, 7)
- Vanderbilt vs. Western Kentucky (CSS, 9:30)
For a full list of televised games, including contests that are only going to be televised regionally (including Old Dominion at Dayton), visit Matt Sarz' College Sports on TV site.