Should be a Breeze After grabbing a share of the Western Athletic Conference lead, Boise State shouldn’t have trouble staying on top before its regular season finale that could determine the league champion. The No. 19 Broncos look for an eighth consecutive victory and seventh straight over winless Utah State in a road matchup Saturday.
Author: Anthony Rome
Key Big East Matchup In a year of unprecedented success, No. 16 Connecticut can add another first to its list Saturday if it can be the first ranked team this season to defeat Cincinnati in a key Big East matchup.
Still Seeking Victory The Hornets franchise wasn’t even in existence the last time the Portland Trail Blazers lost their first four games. New Orleans, meanwhile, has won its first four for the second consecutive year. The Hornets look to continue their hot start Wednesday night when they face the winless Trail Blazers in the season’s first game at the Rose Garden.
Back in the Top 25 Kentucky enjoyed its most productive weekend in a while, and it didn’t even play a game. Despite coming off two consecutive losses, the Wildcats moved back into the rankings at No. 24 during their bye week and look to stay in the poll with a victory Saturday at Vanderbilt.
Plenty on the Line Clemson’s winning streak has helped it get back into the race in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. Wake Forest’s run is over, but it’s also right in the mix for the division title. The 20th-ranked Tigers host the Demon Deacons on Saturday, with the loser likely to have its chance of playing in the ACC championship game come to an end.
ACC Showdown Virginia’s ability to win close games has it atop the ACC Coastal Division standings and back in the Top 25. The No. 23 Cavaliers look to remain in both positions Saturday night as they try to spoil Miami’s final home game at the Orange Bowl.
Emerging Threat In just his third season, Utah Jazz point guard Deron Williams has become one of the league’s emerging stars. Williams looks to continue his outstanding play Wednesday night when the Jazz host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Spurs, Heat Battle in S.A. The San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat have won the last two NBA titles, but neither team is feeling like a champion right now. San Antonio tries to shake off its first loss of the season and take advantage of a winless Heat team missing its biggest star as the clubs face each other Wednesday night.
Red Hot Wings The Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators engaged in a season-long battle for the Central Division title and top spot in the Western Conference in 2006-07. A month into this season, Detroit is playing like it wants no part of another tightly contested race. The Red Wings (11-2-1) try for their eighth straight victory as they return home Wednesday to take on Nashville (7-7-0) for the first time this season.
Northeast Battle The Ottawa Senators started building momentum when they opened the season by sweeping the Toronto Maple Leafs in a home-and-home series. They’ve been nearly unbeatable since. The Senators look to set a franchise record with their eighth straight victory and continue their recent dominance of the Maple Leafs when the Northeast Division rivals meet on Tuesday at Scotiabank Place.