For the remainder of the regular season, Blogging the Bracket's TV previews for the two busiest college basketball days of the week, Wednesday and Saturday, will be presented by Bud Light's "March to the Championship" game. (Details below the jump.)
The final weekend of the regular season has arrived, and while several mid-major leagues have started postseason play, all of the major conferences wrap up their league slates between now and Sunday evening. Teams have one last chance to improve their conference tournament seeding position and selection profile before elimination play begins next week. Expect these final two days to be just as frantic as the rest of the season we're soon to leave behind.
For info on the day's conference tournament action, which will see the first bids of 2011 handed out, check out my Championship Festival Go-Round for today.
The highlights of the penultimate day of the regular season are after the jump.
Early Afternoon (ET)
Kansas Jayhawks at Missouri Tigers, CBS (12 p.m. ET)
The Jayhawks can clinch the top seed for the Big 12 Tournament, which will be held in their backyard, Kansas City, with a win in Columbia. Meanwhile, the Tigers are looking to avoid a .500 conference finish.
KenPom.com projection: Jayhawks 83-78, 75 poss.
Louisville Cardinals at West Virginia Mountaineers, ESPN (12 p.m. ET)
The Cardinals have already clinched a double-bye to next week's Big East Tournament, meaning they'll sit until Thursday's quarterfinals, while the Mountaineers are trying to hang on to a single bye and a Wednesday opener.
KenPom.com projection: Mountaineers 65-63, 64 poss.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Clemson Tigers, ESPN2 (12 p.m. ET)
Even with a win over Duke, the Hokies can't afford a second straight loss to a fellow bubble team heading into the ACC Tournament. This game will go a long way to determining which team earns a valuable bye to the ACC quarterfinals, particularly with RPI killers Wake Forest and Georgia Tech awaiting the 5 and 6 seeds.
KenPom.com projection: Tigers 63-60, 63 poss.
Duquesne Dukes at Richmond Spiders, CBS College Sports (12 p.m. ET)
With a loss in Richmond, it's possible the Dukes could be forced to play a campus site opening round game, depending on what George Washington (who they defeated) and Rhode Island (who they lost to) do in their finales.
KenPom.com projection: Spiders 72-69, 69 poss.
Indiana Hoosiers at Illinois Fighting Illini, ESPN (12 p.m. ET)
A loss to the Hoosiers in Champaign would be a late blow to the Illini's hopes. A Hoosier win would leave open the possibility of a rematch in the 6 vs. 11 game of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.
KenPom.com projection: Illini 75-64, 66 poss.
Mid-Afternoon (ET)
Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide, SEC Network/ESPN3/Full Court (1:30 p.m. ET)
Alabama needs to win this one, particularly after being embarrassed in Gainesville on Tuesday night. On the other hand. Georgia looks to be in good shape, win or lose.
KenPom.com projection: Tide 62-58, 64 poss.
Michigan St. Spartans at Michigan Wolverines, CBS Regional (2 p.m. ET)
While this may not be an elimination game necessarily, just because of how wild the bubble has been, a Wolverine sweep of the Spartans could put Tom Izzo's team in position to go to Dayton instead of Michigan. Of course, these two could very well meet again in the 4 vs. 5 quarterfinal in Indianapolis on Friday, depending on what happens elsewhere in the conference.
KenPom.com projection: Wolverines 64-60, 61 poss.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Connecticut Huskies, ESPN (2 p.m. ET)
The Irish will lock up the two seed in the Big East Tournament if they win in Hartford, and can claim the top spot if Pittsburgh happens to lose to Villanova later in the afternoon. Meanwhile, the Huskies better be ready to play in Tuesday's opening round. If Notre Dame shoots the three ball and defends as well as they did against the Wildcats on Monday night, they'll have nothing to worry about.
KenPom.com projection: Huskies 70-68, 64 poss.
Georgetown Hoyas at Cincinnati Bearcats, Big East Network/MASN/SNY/ESPN3/Full Court (2 p.m. ET)
The Bearcats can set themselves up for a single-bye by sweeping the Hoyas, a team they beat by 12 in Washington on February 23rd. Meanwhile, Georgetown is looking at a Tuesday game if they don't somehow win.
KenPom.com projection: Bearcats 64-61, 62 poss.
Other Viewing Options
Iowa St. Cyclones at Kansas St. Wildcats, Big 12 Network Regional/ESPN3/Full Court (1:30 p.m. ET)
Texas Tech Red Raiders at Texas A&M Aggies, Big 12 Network Regional/ESPN3/Full Court (1:30 p.m. ET)
Oregon Ducks at Arizona Wildcats, CBS Regional (2 p.m. ET)
Xavier Musketeers at Saint Louis Billikens, CBS College Sports (2 p.m. ET)
South Carolina Gamecocks at Mississippi St. Bulldogs, ESPN2 (2 p.m. ET)
Virginia Cavaliers at Maryland Terrapins, ACC Network/TheACC.com or ESPN3/Full Court (2 p.m. ET)
Late Afternoon (ET)
Wyoming Cowboys at BYU Cougars, The Mtn. (3:30 p.m. ET)
The Cougars' first game without the suspended Brandon Davies didn't go very well, as they lost to New Mexico by 18, at home. Wyoming, a team that's sewed up the eight seed in the Mountain West tournament, and therefore a potential quarterfinal opponent for the Cougs, will look to hand BYU a second straight loss.
KenPom.com projection: Cougars 90-61, 73 poss.
Villanova Wildcats at Pittsburgh Panthers, CBS (4 p.m. ET)
As I mentioned before, the Panthers need this one to secure the outright Big East title and top seed in New York. Meanwhile, the Wildcats, who lost to Pitt on campus back on February 12th, are trying to snap a three-game skid, one that sees them likely to play in Tuesday's Big East opening round.
KenPom.com projection: Panthers 73-64, 64 poss.
Oklahoma St. Cowboys at Oklahoma Sooners, Big 12 Network/ESPN3/Full Court (4 p.m. ET)
The Cowboys, one of my First Four Out, are looking for their third straight win heading into the Big 12 Tournament and a sweep of the season's Bedlam series.
KenPom.com projection: Cowboys 66-65, 64 poss.
Other Viewing Options
Purdue Boilermakers at Iowa Hawkeyes, ESPN (4 p.m. ET)
UNLV Runnin' Rebels at Utah Utes, Versus (4 p.m. ET)
Tulane Green Wave at Memphis Tigers, CBS College Sports (4 p.m. ET)
DePaul Blue Demons at Syracuse Orange, Big East Network/MASN/SNY/CST/ESPN3/Full Court (4 p.m. ET)
Arkansas Razorbacks at Mississippi Rebels, SEC Network/ESPN3/Full Court (4 p.m. ET)
Early Evening (ET)
UCLA Bruins at Washington St. Cougars, FSN/Comcast SportsNet (5:30 p.m. ET)
On Thursday, the Bruins lost at Washington, while the Cougars handled USC. Fittingly, these two played each other to open the Pac-10 slate back on December 29th, an 80-71 win for the Bruins. Closing the regular season with three straight wins would help the Cougars move up the bubble; however, they'll have to make do without their best player, Klay Thompson, who is suspended after being cited for marijuana possession.
KenPom.com projection: Cougars 68-65, 68 poss.
Florida Gators at Vanderbilt Commodores, ESPN (6 p.m. ET)
The Gators will look to clinch the outright SEC crown with a win, while the Commodores still have a slim shot at earning a bye to quarterfinal Friday in Atlanta. This is a key matchup in determining the SEC Player of the Year as well, as Vanderbilt's Jeff Taylor is the favorite, but Florida's senior leader Chandler Parsons deserves a serious look because of his versatility.
KenPom.com projection: Commodores 70-67, 64 poss.
Marquette Golden Eagles at Seton Hall Pirates, Big East Network/MASN/MSG/TWC Sports 32/ESPN3/Full Court (6 p.m. ET)
After losing to Cincinnati on Wednesday night, the Golden Eagles really need this win. Otherwise, they may need a win or two in New York to be totally safe.
KenPom.com projection: Golden Eagles 69-68, 70 poss.
Other Viewing Options
Air Force Falcons at New Mexico Lobos, The Mtn. (6 p.m. ET)
Utah State Aggies at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, CST/Altitude/ESPN3/Full Court (7 p.m. ET)
Late Evening (ET)
Duke Blue Devils at North Carolina Tar Heels, CBS (8 p.m. ET)
First place in the ACC, and the top seed in Greensboro is on the line when these eternal rivals meet. The Blue Devils could use the sweep for their case for an NCAA one seed.
KenPom.com projection: Blue Devils 75-74, 76 poss.
Texas Longhorns at Baylor Bears, ESPN (9 p.m. ET)
Another Saturday, another road game for the Longhorns. Will it be their third loss in a row in that situation? The Bears could use a quality win to go along with their sweep of Texas A&M and bolster a weak profile.
KenPom.com projection: Longhorns 70-62, 67 poss.
South Florida Bulls at St. John's Red Storm, Big East Network/MASN/MSG/BHSN/ESPN3/Full Court (8 p.m. ET)
The Red Storm can clinch a double-bye for the Big East Tournament, held on their home floor by the way, if they take care of business against the 15th-place Bulls (the easy part) AND Syracuse loses to DePaul (the hard part). In short, Thursday's loss to Seton Hall was indeed a costly one.
KenPom.com projection: Red Storm 69-56, 62 poss.
Colorado St. Rams at San Diego St. Aztecs, The Mtn. (10 p.m. ET)
This is Colorado State's last chance at grabbing a marquee win before the Mountain West Tournament, while the Aztecs are in position to take advantage of BYU's issues to solidify their place on the two line for the NCAA Tournament.
KenPom.com projection: Aztecs 73-60, 65 poss.
USC Trojans at Washington Huskies, FSN/Comcast SportsNet (10:30 p.m. ET)
The Huskies opened their Pac-10 campaign with a six-point OT win over the Trojans on December 29th. After beating UCLA Thursday night, Washington will look to sweep the L.A. schools for the season.
KenPom.com projection: Huskies 76-67, 69 poss.
Other Viewing Options
Southern Miss. Golden Eagles at Tulsa Golden Hurricane, CBS College Sports (8 p.m. ET)
For even more Saturday games, visit Matt Sarz's College Sports on TV site. Another good resource is the schedule page at BB State.
Please share your thoughts about today's action in the comments, after you sign up for a free SB Nation account, of course.
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