All of todays games.

Florida
Kentucky -1½
The regular season comes to an end for two of the top teams in the country, as Florida tangles with Kentucky. Kentucky is coming off a surprising loss to Vanderbilt on Wednesday. The Wildcats were behind throughout the contest, and eventually lost by a score of 86-73. Forward Marquis Estill was injured during the game and played just four minutes, which further weakened Kentucky’s bench. Gerald Fitch and Erik Daniels also sat out Wednesday’s game, despite their reinstatement from suspension and the fact that they are available to head coach Tubby Smith. Kentucky is a game behind the Gators in the SEC East, with a 9-6 conference record and a 19-8 mark overall. The Wildcats beat Florida on the road on January 29th, 70-68, as six point underdogs. Since that loss Florida has gone 6-2 straight up, including a 68-62 win over Tennessee in their last game, in which they failed to cover the 16- point spread. They are 6-3 SU on the road this season but just 3-4 against the spread away from home, as a favorite each time. A win in this game would assure the Gators at least a share of the SEC Eastern Division title, and Kentucky has something of a soap opera going on off the court. The Gators are playing with revenge on their minds, and will get it in a tight contest.
Projected Score: Florida 84, Kentucky 81
Injury Report

Massachusetts
Xavier -12
Shannon Crooks scored 23 points and added seven rebounds and six assists as Massachusetts beat Rhode Island 79-69 on Wednesday. Crooks, among four UMass seniors playing their last home game, hit 10 of 14 attempts from the field, including three of six 3-pointers. Kitwana Rhymer and Anthony Anderson both scored 13 points for UMass (12-14, 6-9 Atlantic 10). Leading 36-28 at halftime, UMass extended its advantage to 17 on four separate occasions. The Rams made a 12-4 run midway though the second half to make it 57-48, but the Minutemen held them off down the stretch. David West had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead Xavier to a 68-53 victory over La Salle on Thursday night as the Musketeers (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today) clinched the top seed in next week's Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. Xavier (21-5, 13-2) never trailed after Lionel Chalmers opened the scoring with a fast break layup off a turnover by La Salle (13-15, 6-9) just over a minute into the game. The Explorers cut a 10-point lead to 33-29 with 2:27 left in the first half, but the Musketeers responded with an 8-2 run capped by a three-point play by David Young with 48 seconds left that gave them their largest lead of the half, 41-29. The Musketeers continue to march along and the Minutemen will be standing targets. The home team is the play.
Projected Score: Xavier 86, Massachusetts 73
Injury Report

Georgia Tech -1
Florida St
B.J. Elder scored 23 of his career-high 25 points in the second half as Georgia Tech beat Wake Forest 90-77 Wednesday night. Tony Akins, the only senior who plays regularly for the Yellow Jackets (14-15, 6-9 Atlantic Coast Conference), scored 19 points and added eight assists and seven rebounds as they won their fourth straight and seventh of nine. "It's been a long journey for me, a long journey that seems like it lasted one year," Akins said of what probably was his final home game. "It's kind of sad, but things don't last forever." Georgia Tech got a career-high 14 points from 7-foot center Luke Schenscher, who was 7-for-7 from the field. Georgia Tech led by 12 points with 4:18 left in the first half, but two technical fouls about 90 seconds apart helped Wake Forest score 15 straight points to get back in the game. First, as the teams were heading to their benches for a timeout, Robert Brooks was whistled for apparently throwing a forearm at Howard. Then Hewitt reacted to an offensive foul called on Akins by waving his hands, and referee Jamie Luckie came running across the court to call a technical. Maryland coasted to a 96-63 win over the Seminoles on Wednesday night. "They're as good as advertised," Florida State coach Steve Robinson said. "The way they played tonight they sure convinced me they're playing just as good as anybody in the country." The Terrapins used a 16-2 run to take a 22-9 lead were never in trouble, holding leads of 30 points or more for much of the second half. Monte Cummings scored 17 points for Florida State (11-15, 4-11), while Nigel Dixon added 15 points and 10 rebounds and J.D. Bracy had 11 points. Florida State closes out its fourth straight losing season Saturday with Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets who are looking forward to next year, as they lose only one contributing senior, are more well balanced and look to finish the regular slate with five straight wins.
Projected Score: Georgia Tech 77, Florida St 66
Injury Report

Rutgers
Georgetown -12
Virginia Tech held Rutgers to 29.4 percent shooting in the Hokies' 63-49 victory Wednesday. Virginia Tech (10-17, 4-11 Big East) led 29-21 at halftime after shooting 52.6 percent from the floor. The Hokies opened the second half with an 8-1 run and extended their lead by as many as 15 points. Rutgers (18-10, 8-7) got no closer than eight. Ricky Sheilds and Mike Sherrod led the Scarlet Knights with 12 points apiece, and Jerome Coleman had 11. Georgetown rolled to an 87-77 Big East Conference victory over West Virginia on Wednesday. In beating the worst team in the league, which will be one of two teams not even invited to next week's conference tournament, the Hoyas finally pulled away with a run that featured outside shots from sophomore Riley and freshman Tony Bethel and inside power from Mike Sweetney and Wesley Wilson. Sweetney (20 points) and Wilson (17) each made 8 of 12 field goal attempts and Sweetney had 17 rebounds. Wilson had four b*ed shots and Braswell tied his career high in assists with 12. Still, the Hoyas did not play all that well for much of the game and the first postgame word from Braswell was "bad." Braswell was referring to Wilson and Sweetney having seven and five turnovers respectively -- and to parts of his stat line, 11 points on 13 shots. Both teams will be motivated on Saturday so look for a defensive battle. Not much separates these teams so the home nets will be the deciding factor.
Projected Score: Georgetown 77, Rutgers 70
Injury Report

NC Charlotte
Louisville -2½
Jobey Thomas scored 23 points in his last game at Halton Arena to lead Charlotte to a 96-54 win over Tulane on Saturday. Cam Stephens added 21 points and 15 rebounds for the 49ers (17-9, 11-4 Conference USA), and Demon Brown had 15 points, all in the first half. Demon Brown finished the half with 15 points, and Stephens collected 12 rebounds before the half which ended 49-28. Charlotte was 8-of-15 from 3-point range in the first half (53.3 percent) and 17-of-28 overall (60.7 percent). Tulane hit 11 of 34 shots in the opening period (32.4 percent). Reece Gaines, the Cardinals' 6-foot-6 junior captain was all smiles after scoring 26 points in Louisville's 74-71 upset of No. 4 Cincinnati on Wednesday night. "If we play that way, we can beat anybody. To come out and beat a team like that is unbelievable. I'm really happy," said Gaines, who was 8-for-14 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free throw line. Ellis Myles had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Louisville (16-11, 7-8 Conference USA), which earned coach Rick Pitino his biggest win since he replaced Denny Crum last March. "This was a wonderful win for our players," Pitino said. "They put in countless hours to get to a night like tonight." Myles' double-double was his sixth of the season, but only his second since early December. Louisville made a statement on Wednesday in pulling one of the best upsets of the year. Charlotte heads into the Freedom Hall Cardinals nest and there is nothing but trouble for them there.
Projected Score: Louisville 88, NC Charlotte 84
Injury Report

Virginia Tech
Miami Fl -13½
Virginia Tech held Rutgers to 29.4 percent shooting in the Hokies' 63-49 victory Wednesday. Virginia Tech (10-17, 4-11 Big East) led 29-21 at halftime after shooting 52.6 percent from the floor. The Hokies opened the second half with an 8-1 run and extended their lead by as many as 15 points. Rutgers (18-10, 8-7) got no closer than eight. Brian Chase scored 12 points for Tech, which outrebounded Rutgers 40-31 and shot 46.5 percent overall. Darius Rice scored 21 of his 30 points in the second half to lead the Hurricanes to an 81-65 victory over Providence on Tuesday night. James Jones had 15 points for the Hurricanes (22-6, 9-6 Big East), while Marcus Barnes had 10. With just a game against Virginia Tech remaining before the Big East tournament begins on March 6, beating Providence was key for Miami, which had lost three of its last four games. "We certainly needed this game for confidence going into the Big East tournament," Miami coach Perry Clark said. "Kids are fragile, and we needed this for our psyche." The schedule couldn’t be finer for the Hurricanes as the Mountaineers will put up only minimal resistance as the Big East tournament beckons.
Projected Score: Miami Fl 75, Virginia Tech 66
Injury Report

Penn St
Purdue -12
This weekend most teams are fighting for the right to continue playing, but these two teams have almost, thankfully, completed playing out the string. These are the two worst teams in the Big 10 and they have a combined record of 7-23 in the conference. Both teams enter this game on three-game losing streaks. Penn State lost to Minnesota at home, 68-64, the last time out. On the road they have been as bad as any team in the country, with an 0-11 record, but against the spread they are a solid 6-5. Purdue is 9-6 straight up at home, but they have been terrible against the spread, especially as a home favorite. They are just 3-7 ATS as a home favorite this season. In the first meeting between these two teams, Penn State got an 81-68 win as a home underdog. Penn State made 56% of their field goal attempts that game, and they probably won’t be able to match that output in this contest. They haven’t won on the road all season, and won’t start now. Take the Boilermakers and their veteran players to give a big performance in their last home game.
Projected Score: Purdue 78, Penn St 58
Injury Report

Texas Tech -4
Baylor
Texas Tech was routed by the Texas Longhorns 96-71 on Tuesday. Andy Ellis led Tech (20-7, 9-6) with 17 points. The Red Raiders shot 53 percent for the game but couldn't compensate for the Longhorns ability to grab seemingly every ball off the rim. "They just absolutely buried us on the boards," said Tech coach Bob Knight. "The difference was just so monumental." Texas never trailed and led 45-32 on Thomas' tip-in at the buzzer to end the first half. The Longhorns held a 26-7 rebounding edge by halftime and never let up. The Longhorns opened the second with a 13-6 run with a 3-pointer and took its first 20-point lead at 63-43 with 12:41 to play. Baylor (14-14, 4-11) lost to Nebraska 75-55 Wednesday. Nebraska made eight 3-point shots in the first half, hitting 47 percent of its long-range shots to take a 35-23 halftime lead. Baylor made only 26 percent of its first half shots. The Bobby Knight crew will reload after the Texas fiasco and the Bears just don’t have the firepower to stay in this game for more than a half.
Projected Score: Texas Tech 80, Baylor 71
Injury Report

California
Arizona -3½
Shantay Legans, who was 4-for-4 on 3-pointers, made the last of those with 2:45 to play, and the Golden Bears pulled away from Arizona State for a 91-80 victory Thursday night. Amit Tamir finished with 18 points and seven rebounds and Joe Shipp also had 18 points for the Bears (21-6, 12-5 Pac-10), who remained in the race for the conference title. Cal, which finished 17-1 at home, rallied to win for the fourth time in nine road games. Curtis Borchardt scored 28 points, one shy of his career-high, to pick up the slack from an injured Casey Jacobsen as the Stanford Cardinal beat Arizona 76-71 Thursday night. Jason Gardner scored 33 points for the Wildcats (18-7, 11-6), whose loss ended any shot at a share of the Pac-10 title. "I would have rather scored five and won the game," Gardner said. "We fought so hard. We had a chance to share the league title." Luke Walton scored 14 points for Arizona but committed nine turnovers was just 4-for-11 from the foul line. "I really didn't do anything well tonight, and that just can't happen," Walton said. Gardner scored 20 points in the first half, going 4-of-5 from 3-point range. His fourth 3, at the halftime buzzer, tied the game, at 37. Arizona outrebounded Stanford 23-13 in the first half and was outrebounded by the Cardinal 25-11 in the second. Arizona will be loaded for black bear, brown bear or Golden Bears on Saturday after Thursdays’ loss. Cal will be up for the task but in a barnburner the home team is the slim pick.
Projected Score: Arizona 77, California 73
Injury Report

NC State
Wake Forest -6
Few leagues have been as top-heavy as the ACC this season. While there is little doubt Maryland and Duke are among the nation’s elite, there are just two other teams in the league that can finish the season with conference records of over .500, North Carolina State and Wake Forest, the two squads facing off in this game. State is 9-6 in the ACC, while Wake is 8-7, so the Demon Deacons need a win to tie the Wolfpack for third place in the league. It seemed as if finishing over .500 in the ACC would be a breeze for Wake Forest, but they’ve lost their last three conference games, including a tough two game stretch at Maryland and Georgia Tech. Wake was blindsided by a dangerous Georgia Tech team on Wednesday, 90-77, in Atlanta, to drop their overall record to 18-11 on the season and just 10-14 against the spread, 6-10 as a favorite. At home they are just 4-7 ATS this season, despite their 12-3 overall record. North Carolina State has been off since beating North Carolina, 98-76, on Sunday, easily covering the spread. They are 6-4 on the road this season, but just 4-6 against the spread away from home. This should be an interesting game, but Wake Forest is playing their final home game and should be charged up to play. Take the Deacons to get the home win.
Projected Score: Wake Forest 88, NC State 76

LSU
Auburn -3½
LSU played another close, low- scoring ball game on Wednesday, beating Ole Miss at home, 59-56. It was the third straight game in which the Tigers scored less than 60 points, and they haven’t reached the 70 point mark since beating today’s opponent, Auburn, 75-58, back on January 19th, a streak of 11 games. Their inability to score has certainly kept them out of the win column, as they’ve gone just 3-8 over their last 11 games, and they are just 5-10 in the conference. They could still merit some consideration for the NIT, though. They have a 15-13 record on the season, but on the road, they are just 2-7 straight up, 2-6 against the spread. Auburn has lost three of their last four games, but they’ve covered in their last two contests, including their last game, a 73-68 loss at Alabama on Wednesday. They are 13-13 SU on the season, but at home they’ve been pretty solid, with a 12-4 mark, 7-5 ATS. Their poor record this season can be attributed to their youth and inexperience, but they’ve played with great energy in front of the home folks all season. Today is no different. Auburn gets a nice win to finish their regular season.
Projected Score: Auburn 62, LSU 54
Injury Report

Ball St -5½
Cent Michigan
The Ball State Cardinals are 18-9 SU/12-10 ATS. Ball State is led by 6’-8” junior Theron Smith, who averages 19 points, 11 rebounds per game while 5’-10” senior Patrick Jackson runs the backcourt (17 ppg, 3.6 assists, shooting 47% from the field and 45% from three-point land). 6’-3” transfer Chris Williams has been a huge asset, averaging 15 points per game, 38% from long range and 82% from the free throw line. This is the club that played Kansas, UCLA and Duke to start the year and won two of those games outright as +15 and +9 point dogs. Offensively they are averaging 80 points per game and shoot 40% from 3-point land. Smith had 24 points, 10 boards in an 81-63 rout of Toledo and 18 points, 12 boards in a 74-58 win over Miami. Central Michigan gets it done at home (7-5 SU, 4-6 ATS) but falls apart on the road (1-11 SU/1-10 ATS). Note that the Chippewas are 5-16 ATS on the season and led by dynamic 6’-2” sparkplug senior guard Dave Webber (18 points per game). 7-foot sophomore Chris Kaman (12 points, 8 rebounds per game, 64% shooter) teams with Webber to form a strong one-two punch. They are not a strong defensive team and give up 76 points per game at home and they are the third-worst defensive team in the MAC, allowing teams to shoot 46%. They lost at home 93-91 in OT to Northern Illinois as a 9-point favorite and lost at home to Kent State by 30 points! They had a 69-57 loss at Buffalo and are on a 1-8 ATS run. The visitors will take advantage of the soft defense.
Projected Score: Ball St 87, Cent Michigan 77
Injury Report

George Wash
Fordham -3½
George Washington (11-15, 4-11 Atlantic 10) ended a 10-game losing streak, the program's longest since it lost 13 in a row in finishing 1-27 in 1988-89 as they beat Richmond 53-49 on Saturday. Chris Monroe finished with 20 points and eight rebounds, including a crucial put-back basket that gave the Colonials a 53-49 lead with 28 seconds left. He also played the final 5 minutes 53 seconds with four fouls. Senior center Jaason Smith added seven points and 11 rebounds for GW . Fordham (8-18, 4-11) lost their eighth-straight game as Richmond marched to a 67-50 win on Wednesday. Adrian Walton's 13 points led Fordham. Duke Freeman-McKamey added 12 and Johnson 11. The Spiders had a 6:13 field goal drought in the first half before snapping it by holding Fordham scoreless for 6 minutes as the Spiders ran off 15 straight points to take a 31-21 lead. The Rams snapped the drought with 2:41 remaining on a tip in by Teremun Johnson. The Spiders led 36-27 at the half and never trailed the rest of the way. Both teams are looking for a spark to end the year with hope for the future. The Rams have the home nets and end their losing streak at eight.
Projected Score: Fordham 68, George Wash 63
Injury Report

No Illinois
W Michigan -7
Northern Illinois is 11-14 SU, 10-10 ATS. They are a hard team to figure out, as they nearly pulled off upsets of South Florida (losing 79-74) and Marshall (losing 79-76) as a +14 dog in each game. Yet, they were flattened 86-69 at Illinois-Chicago, before turning things around with easy wins over Drake and Eastern Illinois. They are coming off a 5-23 season and are essentially a one-man team. 6’-6” senior Leon Rodgers averages 20 points and 8 rebounds per game, while shooting 51% from the field. 6’-4” sophomore guard PJ Smith chips in 12 points and 4 rebounds per game. 6’-6” sophomore Marcus Smallwood is a good role player (12 ppg, 6 rpg). They are a weak free throw shooting team at 64% and were a +9 dog at Central Michigan and won 93-91. But they may be tiring out, losing two straight home games to Kent and Western Michigan and they’re on a 1-3 SU/ATS run. Western Michigan is led by 6’-7” senior Steve Reynolds is (17 points and 4 rebounds per game.) 6’-7” junior Taylor Bro is a good role player on the boards (5 rebounds per game), as is 6’-7” sophomore Anthony Kann (6 rpg). 6’-3” Ben Reed has been a pleasant surprise and chips in 14 points/6 rebounds per game, while 6’-1” junior point guard Robby Collum averages 15 points per game. They had a 55-51 win at Virginia Tech as a +7 road dog and a 59-51 win at Milwaukee as a +8 dog. Western Michigan is 14-11 SU and 13-8 ATS and a good free throw shooting club (73%). In a 95-65 rout of Ohio, Collum had 25 points, 5 assists and they had a 94-89 OT win at Akron where Reed had 29 points, 8 rebounds. They went 3-0 SU/ATS on a 3-game road trip and are on a 6-2-1 ATS run.
Projected Score: W Michigan 68, No Illinois 63
Injury Report

W Virginia
Pittsburgh -17
West Virginia (8-19, 1-14) stayed close, until a burst midway through the second half gave Georgetown a 20-point lead with five minutes left leading to a Hoya 87-77 win on Wednesday. In beating the worst team in the league, which will be one of two teams not even invited to next week's conference tournament, the Hoyas finally pulled away with late second half run. Brandin Knight scored six of his 19 points in a game-ending 12-0 run in overtime as the Panthers (No. 8 ESPN/USA Today, No. 10 AP) beat Seton Hall 73-66 on Tuesday night to clinch first place in the conference's West Division. "It's a fine line between winning and losing, and teams like Pittsburgh seem to make the big shots at the right time, and the big plays at the right time," Seton Hall coach Louis Orr said. Pittsburgh (24-4, 12-3) made a couple of monstrous plays in winning its sixth straight game and sending Seton Hall (12-16, 5-10) to its fifth straight loss and seventh in eight games. Donatas Zavackas, who overcame early shooting woes to finish with 15 points, hit a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds to go in regulation that forced the overtime. After Seton Hall scored the first five points in overtime, the Panthers turned to Knight, the former Seton Hall Prep star whose mother works at Seton Hall University. Pitt had a close shave against Seton Hall on Tuesday and now face off against the cellar dwelling Mountaineers who will be playing their last game of the year. The home nets work easily for Pitt.
Projected Score: Pittsburgh 77, W Virginia 66
Injury Report

So Florida -3½
So Miss
Altron Jackson scored 28 points and B.B Waldon had 26 points and 18 rebounds Tuesday night to lead South Florida to an 88-57 rout of short-handed Houston. Houston played without four suspended players, including three starters, and made its final road trip of the season with just eight players in uniform. Jackson made 8 of 20 shots, while Waldon's big night enabled him to become South Florida's all-time leading rebounder with 898, the second-highest total in Conference USA history. Will Campbell scored 18 points to guide the UAB Blazers to a 66-56 win over the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in Conference-USA action from Bartow Arena. UAB had its second consecutive win, while Southern Miss had its two-game winning streak snapped. Eric Bush contributed a double-double for the Blazers with 12 points and 12 assists. P.J. Arnold pulled down a game-high nine rebounds, leading UAB to a 34-30 advantage on the boards. Brad Richardson was the high scorer for Southern Miss (9-17, 3-11) with just 11 points on the night. He was the only Golden Eagle in double figures, as Southern Miss shot just 36.5 percent from the floor and made only 4-of-13 attempts from beyond the arc. South Florida has a couple of horses in Jackson and Waldron and Southern Miss just doesn’t match up well. So. Fla. Is the play.
Projected Score: So Florida 68, So Miss 60
Injury Report

Northwestern
Indiana -15
It’s been a great season for Northwestern, but they’re looking like participants in the NIT, instead of the Big Dance. The Wildcats lost any realistic hopes for an at-large bid with consecutive bad losses, at home to Illinois and at Minnesota, but with a 16-11 record, 7-8 in the Big 10, the Wildcats have already matched their win total from the past two seasons combined. Indiana is one of four teams in a virtual tie for the top spot in the Big 10. Wisconsin has already completed their regular season, and they are 11-5, while the Hoosiers have a 10-5 record heading into this game, despite losses in their last two games. Both of those losses were tough ones, though, at Michigan State and Illinois, respectively. Indiana failed to cover in both of those games, but they were certainly not blown out. The Hoosiers’ failure to cover on Wednesday might have been directly correlated to a controversial technical foul call on the Indiana bench in the final minutes of the contest. This game probably won’t be that close. Northwestern is just 3-6 on the road this season, and not playing well. Look for the Hoosiers to get a big win.
Projected Score: Indiana 69, Northwestern 55
Injury Report

Kent -4½
Miami Oh
The Kent State Golden Flashes are the class of the MAC, winning 22 games last season and they are 23-5 SU/19-6 ATS this season. Kent has a strong backcourt and is led by All-MAC 6’-1” senior Trevor Huffman (15 ppg, 4.4 asp). Kent is a strong defensive team holding opponents to 40% shooting (#1 in the MAC), led by MAC Defensive Player of the Year Demetric Shaw, a 6’-3” senior guard who averages 5 boards per game. 5’-11” senior Andrew Mitchell averages 15 ppg and is strong from the line. In fact, the whole team is solid from free throw line (73%, #1 in the MAC). 6’-3” junior Antonio Gates is having a great season averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. Kent has won 11 in a row and they are 9-3 SU/8-3 ATS on the road. As a +2 dog Kent won 70-67 at Bowling Green and in a 79-52 rout of Toledo, Gates had 17 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Miami of Ohio is led by 6’-8” senior Alex Shorts: over 13 points, 5 rebounds per game. They have 6’-3” senior point guard Doug Davis (12 ppg), 6’-5” sophomore Julius Johnson chips in 10 points per game, and Danny Horace leads the team with over 6 rebounds per game. Miami is 11-16 SU and 10-16 ATS (8-3 SU/5-6 ATS at home.) In a wild 100-94 double OT win at Central Michigan, Shorts had 22 points and Horace had 11 points, 14 rebounds; and Davis had 20 points in a 50-48 win over Akron. Davis had 25 points in a 79-55 rout of Ohio. They are off a 74-58 loss at Ball State.
Projected Score: Kent 68, Miami Oh 58
Injury Report

Marshall
Akron -1
Marshall boasts two of the MACs top two players in 6’-9” Tamar Slay (18 points, 7 rebounds, 40% shooter from three-point land), while 6’-10” J.R. VanHoose chips in 14 points, and 11 boards per game. 6’-8” senior Latece Williams averages 12 points and 7 rebounds per game. Temple transfer Ronald Blackshear, a 6-‘5” sophomore chips in 18 ppg and 6’-7” senior William Butler is back after a back injury giving this team plenty of depth and trees in the paint. Marshall can rebound with anyone in the MAC, but their defense is terrible. They should be better at 12-14 SU and only 7-14 ATS (3-9 SU/1-9 ATS on the road). Blackshear had 30 points but Marshall lost at Ohio 94-78 and they appeared to lie down again in an 87-62 blowout loss at Buffalo. The Akron Zips are struggling at 9-18 SU and 10-13 ATS. After going 4-0 SU/ATS with some impressive upsets, Akron is on an 1-5 SU/2-4 ATS run. The upset wins were over Bowling Green (as a +8) and at Ohio as a +12 dog! Rebounding is a weakness and they are averaging 69 points per game and shoot 44%. The guard play is solid with Rashon Brown (16 points per game, 42% from 3-point land) and 6’-3” junior Emmanuel Smith (8 ppg). 6’-8” Andy Hipsher is a skinny sophomore and has stepped forward averaging 12 points, 6 rebounds per game. Akron is good from the charity stripe (75%). They had a tough 94-89 OT loss at home to Western Michigan despite Brown’s 32 points, an 83-76 loss at a bad Eastern Michigan club and they didn’t look good in a 30-point loss at Bowling Green! Don't look for a lot of defense.
Projected Score: Marshall 76, Akron 68
Injury Report

Vanderbilt
Arkansas -8½
For those who doubt that the SEC is the toughest conference in college basketball, we present the case of the SEC East. The Eastern Division contains two teams that were rated as Top 10 material in most pre-season polls, and haven’t disappointed this season in Florida and Kentucky. Throw in a talented Georgia squad, and you have three teams capable of beating any opponent, anywhere. So, naturally, one would think that the bottom of the division would have terrible records. But that isn’t the case, as the three squads tied for last place in the East, Vanderbilt, Tennessee and South Carolina, are all a decent 6-9 in conference play with one game left, respectively. Vanderbilt, in fact, is coming off one of their best games of the season, beating Kentucky, 86-73, as nine and a half point home underdogs. It was the second win in a row for the Commodores, who are 16-12 on the season and should receive an NIT invitation if they don’t win the SEC Tournament. Arkansas has been embroiled in the Nolan Richardson affair this week, and it is unsure what kind of effort the Razorbacks will give on Saturday, in their final home game of the season. They’ve lost two in a row and five of their last six, and have gone just 10-6 straight up at home this season, 4-9 against the spread. With a record like that against the number and all the controversy surrounding the team, it is impossible to take Arkansas. Go with Vanderbilt.
Projected Score: Vanderbilt 77, Arkansas 75

Bowling Green
Ohio -1
The Bowling Green Falcons have a great one-two punch in 6’-9” senior center Len Matela and guard Keith McLeod. Matela averages 15 points and 8 rebounds per game, while 6’-2” senior Keith McLeod led the team with 22 points and 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Coach Dan Makich also has one of the top point guards in 6’-1” senior Brandon Pardon (11 points, 6.4 assists per game, 45% from three-point land). This team shoots 49% from the field and 41% from 3-point land. They are 21-6 and are strong at home (12-1 SU, 7-4 ATS at home) and on the road (7-4 SU, 5-6 ATS). They whipped a good Detroit team 77-60 at home as McLeod had 24 points and Matela grabbed 12 rebounds and are the second best free throw shooting team in the MAC (74%). Matela had 19 points, 12 rebounds in a 70-67 home loss to Kent and he had 23 points, 12 boards in an 83-60 rout of Marshall. The 16-9 Ohio Bobcats have a new coach in Tim O’Shea and a solid junior in Brandon Hunter. The 6’-8”, 270-lb Hunter leads the team with 18 points and 9 rebounds per game. 6’-8” senior Patrick Flomo pulled down over 4 boards per game and is a good shot b*er. 6’-5” Sonny Johnson is averaging 16 points per game, and 6’-6” Steve Esterkamp is averaging 13 points, 4 boards per game. Ohio is a good rebounding team, shoots 49% from the field and is 15-8 SU, 11-8 ATS (an impressive 8-5 SU/6-6 ATS on the road). Hunter had 30 points, 10 boards in an impressive 85-71 rout of Ball State and 27 points, 12 boards in a 71-66 upset at Marshall. Looks to be a close game.
Projected Score: Ohio 67, Bowling Green 64
Injury Report

Utah
Wyoming -4
Mountain West battle with two very strong defensive teams. Utah is 19-6 SU, but a poor 7-14 ATS. 6’-9” junior Britton Johnsen is averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds per game, while the guard play is strong with Travis Spivey (4.6 assists per game) and Nick Jacobsen (13 ppg, 79% from the line, 45% 3-point shooter). Utah is averaging 68 points per game while shooting 41% from long range and 47% from the field. Utah is 14-2 SU, 3-9 ATS at home and 5-4 SU/4-5 ATS on the road. Utah can play defense, as evidenced by a 41-35 win over St. Marys. They blew a big halftime lead in a 72-64 loss at UNLV and struggled in wins over Air Force (59-51) and new Mexico (66-65). The Wyoming Cowboys are 18-6 SU, 9-13 ATS. 6’-5” Marcus Bailey is averaging 13 points per game, and team MVP 6’-8” senior Josh Davis is leading the team with 12 points, 7 rebounds per game, while shooting 53% from the field. 6’-10” sophomore Uche Nsonwu-Amadi is using his 260-lb frame to chip in 9 rebounds per game while JC transfer Donta Richardson is chipping in over 13 ppg. Note that these Cowboys are 12-1 SU/5-6 ATS at home and the best defensive team in the MWC (holding teams to 39% shooting). Nsonwu-Amadi had 15 rebounds in a 54-46 upset win at Utah. They finally lost a home game, 68-64 to SDSU as a 9-point favorite, and are on a 1-6 ATS run. Should be a low scoring defensive duel.
Projected Score: Utah 58, Wyoming 55
Injury Report

Providence
Notre Dame -11½
Providence was outgunned by Miami 81-65 on Tuesday. John Linehan become the NCAA's career steals leader. The 5-foot-9 senior point guard's fourth of the game gave him 377, one more than Eric Murdock, who played for the Friars from 1987-91. Abdul Mills, who couldn't practice this week because of a groin injury, had 21 points to lead Providence (15-14, 6-9), while freshman Ryan Gomes added 18. Miami extended a 45-27 halftime to 23 points early in the second half. Providence capitalized on a five-minute scoring drought by the Hurricanes to pull within 12 with 12:45 remaining. Before losing to St. John’s on Wednesday, Power forward Ryan Humphrey (29 points) and center Harold Swanagan were having their way with St. John's down low in the first half. The quick-passing Irish (19-9, 9-6) were getting them open shots, and together they made 12 of 16, good enough for 27 points to help Notre Dame take a 47-40 lead into halftime. The lead had ballooned to 11 on a Swanagan layup, and then Curtis Johnson was brought in with 17:59 to play and the Storm trailing 51-44. Jarvis described the move as an "act of desperation." The Garden crowd erupted as Johnson took his position on defense. For the next six minutes, Notre Dame didn't sink a shot from the field. Its interior game vanished because of Johnson and the Red Storm defense extended to silence the perimeter. Unless Johnson steals his way into a Providence uniform on Saturday, the Irish are in good shape to hold at home.
Projected Score: Notre Dame 78, Providence 69
Injury Report

Oregon
UCLA -1½
The 13th-ranked Ducks clinched at least a share of the PAC-10 title and proved they can win on the road, getting a runner by Frederick Jones with one second remaining for a 67-65 victory over Southern California on Thursday night. With Trojan center Sam Clancy on the bench after he picked up his fourth foul, the Ducks launched a 21-5 tear to take their first lead of the second half. Reserve Luke Jackson keyed Oregon's big run, scoring all of his 12 points as the Ducks went ahead 60-55 with 4:11 remaining. The Bruins (19-9, 11-6 Pac-10) led all the way but simply couldn't put outmanned Oregon State away on Thursday. Matt Barnes then made two free throws and Billy Knight four in the closing moments to seal the win. Knight made four free throws in the final 38 seconds and had 13 points, and Barnes had 14 points, including two crucial, late free throws. Oregon (21-7) remained atop the Pac-10 with a 13-4 record, and put itself in position to claim the top seed in next week's conference tournament. The Ducks conclude the regular season Saturday at UCLA and this will be no easy task. The Bruins are very tough at Pauley and it pays off here.
Projected Score: UCLA 83, Oregon 79
Injury Report

Oklahoma -6
Colorado
Senior forward Aaron McGhee had 26 points and 10 rebounds Tuesday night to lead No. 5 Oklahoma to an 89-75 victory over Iowa State. The double-double was McGhee's 11th of the season and his seventh in the past nine games. He has scored at least 20 points in six of the past seven. "It was just a special night," McGhee said. "It's a credit to the program, all the hard work we're putting in. To go undefeated at home is just a great accomplishment." The Sooners (23-4, 12-3 Big 12) won their 22nd straight at home to close out a 16-0 season, their first perfect home mark since 1994-95. Hollis Price added 24 points for Oklahoma, which had already *ed up the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 tournament and now is angling for the same seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Oklahoma only led 32-25 at halftime despite holding the Cyclones to 30 percent shooting. The Sooners scored the game's first seven points and once led by as many as 10, but Iowa State used a 6-0 run late in the half to get within 26-22. Price scored Oklahoma's final three baskets to give the Sooners the seven-point lead. Colorado was too much for Texas A&M on Tuesday and ran away with a 92-77 victory. The victory ended a five-game losing streak for Colorado (14-12, 5-10 Big 12) and gave the Buffaloes only their second victory on the road this year. Colorado shot 54 percent, including 56 percent from 3-point range, where it scored 27 points. Blair Wilson scored a career high 24 points, while making 5 of 9 from 3-point range to lead Colorado. Wilson hit 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Michel Morandais scored 21 points and David Harrison added 20 for Colorado. The Buffs step up in class on Saturday and the results will not be pretty.
Projected Score: Oklahoma 78, Colorado 62
Injury Report

La Salle
Dayton -14
La Salle (13-15, 6-9) lost to Conference Champ Xavier 68-53 on Thursday. The Explorers cut a 10-point lead to 33-29 with 2:27 left in the first half, but the Musketeers responded with an 8-2 run capped by a three-point play by David Young with 48 seconds left that gave them their largest lead of the half, 41-29. La Salle hit just two of its first 15 shots to open the second half, and Xavier took advantage to open its biggest lead of the game, 57-36, on a 3-pointer by Kevin Frey with 10:30 remaining. La Salle finished the half shooting only 7-of-28 from the field. Rasual Butler led the Explorers with 15 points, while Reggie Okosa added 13 and Mike Cleaves 10. The Musketeers snapped a four-game losing to La Salle. Dayton lost in overtime to red hot Temple 75-70 on Wednesday. Dayton led most of the first half, and was ahead 38-36 going into the second half. Ramod Marshall led scoring for Dayton with 18 points and was 4-of-9 from 3-point range. David Morris scored 11 points, and D.J. Stelly added 10 for the Flyers. A 3-pointer by Brooks Hall gave Dayton a 63-61 lead at the 1:42 mark. With 38 seconds remaining, Greer tied the score at 63, sending the game into overtime. The Flyers come off a tough loss to the Owls and LaSalle should be easy pickins’ on Saturday. The Explorers just don’t have the firepower to stay with the well balanced Dayton squad.
Projected Score: Dayton 75, La Salle 60
Injury Report

Ohio St -8
Michigan
Thanks to a great start, Ohio State doesn’t have to worry about missing the NCAA Tournament, but with losses in four of their last six games, the Buckeyes stock is surely plummeting. Still, with a win in this game, Ohio State will win a share of the Big 10 regular season title, as well as mark at least 20 wins in a season for the fourth straight time. The Buckeyes’ last loss was probably one of their most disturbing of the season, as they lost to Michigan State, 81-76, at home. It was a big loss because the Buckeyes had a chance to salt away the conference crown by closing out their last two games with wins, and they were facing a Michigan State team that was due for a letdown, playing on the road, after winning a number of big games to move off the Tournament bubble. The Buckeyes haven’t played that well on the road this season, but they are a lot more talented than today’s opponent, Michigan, whom they held under 50 points in their last meeting, a 69-47 Buckeye win on January 24th. Michigan has lost five in a row, and look like they’ve already packed it in for the year. Their last home game was a 20-point loss to Indiana, and they might equal that showing in this game. Take Ohio State.
Projected Score: Ohio St 71, Michigan 56
Injury Report

Stanford -2
Arizona St
Curtis Borchardt scored 28 points, one shy of his career-high, to pick up the slack from an injured Casey Jacobsen as the Cardinal beat No. 14 Arizona 76-71 Thursday night. The 7-foot junior, who also had nine rebounds, scored 10 points over the final 1:44, including going 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the last 15 seconds. He got a crucial offensive rebound after teammate Teyo Johnson missed two free throws with six seconds to go and Stanford (18-8, 11-6) leading 74-71. Borchardt, who finished 11-for-11 from the line, was fouled by Salim Stoudamire on the play, and made two free throws with 4.2 seconds left to seal the victory. Jacobsen, the Pac-10's leading scorer at 23.8 points per game, left the game with 4:07 to go in the first half with a cut above his right eye. He received five stitches and returned early in the second half, but a more extensive medical exam was planned after the game. "It bled a ton," Jacobsen said. The junior, who was an All-American last season, finished with a season-low six points on 2-for-7 shooting. Arizona State lost to California 91-80 on Thursday night. Tommy Smith had a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for Arizona State (14-12, 7-10), while injured center Chad Prewitt had 17 of his 19 points in the second half. Prewitt partially tore a ligament in his right elbow during practice on Tuesday. "He's a warrior, and he plays through that," Arizona State coach Rob Evans said. "He'll be in real early tomorrow morning, and he'll be ready to play against Stanford on Saturday." The Sun Devils led 59-53 after Smith made a layup off an inbounds pass with 9:36 to play. But they went nearly six minutes without another field goal, and Cal caught up and went ahead with a 17-4 run that lasted 4:23. The Sun Devils get a motivated Stanford Cardinal on Friday. The Stanford inside game will be the difference here as the Prewitt elbow injury catches up and limits his effectiveness.
Projected Score: Stanford 80, Arizona St 76
Injury Report

Seton Hall
Connecticut -11½
Seton Hall lost to Pittsburgh 73-66 on Tuesday night to clinch first place in the conference's West Division. "It's a fine line between winning and losing, and teams like Pittsburgh seem to make the big shots at the right time, and the big plays at the right time," Seton Hall coach Louis Orr said. Pittsburgh made a couple of monstrous plays in winning its sixth straight game and sending Seton Hall (12-16, 5-10) to its fifth straight loss and seventh in eight games. After Seton Hall scored the first five points in overtime, the Panthers turned to Brandin Knight, the former Seton Hall Prep star whose mother works at Seton Hall University. John Allen had 18 points and Andre Barrett added 17 for Seton Hall. The Pirates missed their final eight shots after taking a 66-61 lead on a three-point play by Allen and a basket by Greg Morton. Caron Butler had 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Emeka Okafor set a school shot-b*ing record as No. 23 Connecticut beat Boston College 75-61 on Monday night. Johnnie Selvie scored 14 as UConn (20-6, 12-3 Big East) beat BC for the 26th time in the last 27 tries. UConn already clinched the conference's East division title by beating West Virginia 95-73 on Saturday. With that, the Huskies probably earned a berth in the NCAA tournament as well. UConn never trailed, taking a 15-6 lead early en route to a 38-20 halftime lead. That was Boston College's lowest first-half scoring total of the season. The Huskies appear ready to show their stuff in the Tournament but first they take care of business against the Pirates.
Projected Score: Connecticut 84, Seton Hall 70
Injury Report

E Michigan
Toledo -18
Interesting MAC finale for bettors: Toledo can't shoot and Eastern Michigan can't play defense. Even worse, neither team gets many ATS covers. The Eastern Michigan Eagles are led by sophomore guard Ricky Cottrill (20 points per game.) 6’-8” forward Steve Pettyjohn is averaging 11 points/7 rebounds per game while 6’-9” Ryan Prillman has been a welcome addition and is grabbing 5 boards per game. Eastern Michigan is 6-21 SU, 7-14 ATS and shoot 42% as a team and 68% from the line (67 points per game). The Eagles are the worst defensive team in the MAC allowing clubs to shoot 47%. They are on a 5-10-1 ATS run, but did get an 83-76 win over Akron as a +3 home dog; Pettyjohn led the way with 25 points and 9 boards. The Toledo Rockets are a guard-oriented team led by MAC Freshman of the Year Terry Reynolds. The 5’-9” sophomore averages 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game. The frontcourt is thin and 6’-7” Ricardo Thomas pulls down 5 rebounds per game and is second in assists at 3 apg, which shows how much this team lives on the outside shot. And that outside shooting is not going down often, as the team shoots 43% from the field, 66% from the line and 35% from long range (66 points per game). Toledo is 12-13 overall, 9-13 ATS. They had a nice 73-64 upset win at Western Michigan as 6’-7” junior Milo Kirsch stepped forward with 21 points, 8 rebounds. But they are on a 4-9-1 ATS run and they blew a 33-24 halftime lead at Miami before getting outscored 40-21 in the 2nd half. Moore had 31 points in a 72-68 win over Western Michigan. Believe it or not, the visitors have better rebounders and may get the straight up win.
Projected Score: E Michigan 70, Toledo 68

Harvard
Brown
Harvard played at Yale on Friday, losing a 77-72 decision. Meanwhile, Brown got its weekend off to a good start by dominating Dartmouth by an 85-70 count. Both the Crimson and Bears are assured of solid seasons, as Harvard is 14-11 while Brown stands 16-10. But there's Ivy League positioning and pride on the line here aas both squads are 7-6 in league play heading into this finale. A good story in the Friday edition of the Providence Journal explained how important this weekend is for the Brown seniors especially, and I'm convinced that this game just means a little more to the Bruins. In addition, the scheduling dynamics clearly point to the host, as Harvard has to travel off the road loss to arch rival Yale. I'll look for a convincing Brown win and cover in the curtain closer for these two Brain Chain entries.
Projected Score: Brown 90, Harvard 72
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Injury Report

No line available at this time.
Dartmouth
Yale
Dartmouth played at Brown on Friday. Last Saturday, Dartmouth lost to Cornell 70-61. While Dartmouth (9-16, 2-10 Ivy) missed its first 10 shots, Cornell began the game the game by making six of seven from beyond the 3-point line, Cornell led 34-22 at the half, shooting 44 percent to Dartmouth's 19 percent. The Big Green made only 4 of 21 shots in the first half. Dartmouth chipped away at the deficit in the second half, getting as close as four, 55-51, on a 3-pointer by Mike McLaren with 6:29 to go. Flinder Boyd led Dartmouth in scoring with 16 points. With his first basket of the game, Boyd became the first Dartmouth player to surpass 500 assists and 1,000 points in a career, and only the fourth in Ivy League history. Yale, who played Harvard on Friday, (17-9; Ivy: 9-3) lost to Penn 72-63 last Saturday. The Eli led at the half 35-28 before the defensive battle leaned towards the Quakers. Penn shot 45 % from the field and converted 15 of 18 free throw opportunities vs. 8 of 10 for Yale. It’s been a while since the Eli have battled for an Ivy Crown so we know Yale is highly motivated if the title hasn’t been decided before this game. They do have the home nets against lowly Dartmouth, so they are the pick on Saturday.
Projected Score: Yale 74, Dartmouth 55
Injury Report

Richmond -3
Duquesne
Richmond was the perfect guest on Saturday as they allowed George Washington to snap a ten game losing streak with a 53-49 loss. Richmond's leading scorer, junior guard Reggie Brown, was 0 for 15 from the field and finished with two points, 12 below his average. Mike Skrocki had 20 points for the Spiders (15-12, 9-5). Overall, Richmond made 15 of 50 shots (30 percent). Duquesne fell to Xavier 80-66 on Sunday. Duquesne (9-17, 4-11) was able to trim Xavier's lead to nine points with 12:27 left to play but the Musketeers went on a 16-6 run to secure the victory. The closest Duquesne could get after that was 12 points. Wayne Smith led the Dukes with 26 points. The Dukes are not playing well and Richmond is winning even without their big gun Reggie Brown, who is shooting blanks. Richmond gets the play.
Projected Score: Richmond 73, Duquesne 57
Injury Report

No line available at this time.
Princeton
Columbia
Princeton played Cornell last night. Last Saturday, Ray Robins scored all 17 of his points in the decisive first half as Princeton moved into first place in the Ivy League with a 73-47 win over Brown Saturday. The Tigers (14-9, 9-2) moved one-half game ahead of Yale, which lost 72-63 to Pennsylvania on Saturday. But talk of being in front with three games remaining never surfaced. "We don't think about it in terms of what we're doing now," Robins said. "We just know if we win each game, we'll end up in first." Princeton won its fourth straight Mike Bechtold added 14 points for Princeton, which clinched its 92nd winning season in 102 years. Dominick Martin had nine points and three b*ed shots for Princeton, which shot 51 percent and had 21 assists on 26 baskets. Columbia played Penn on Friday. The Lions (11-15, 4-8) turned the ball over 25 times and were outrebounded 34-20. Harvard never trailed in the final eight minutes but the Lions tied it two more times, the last time when Austin converted two free throws with 2:06 remaining. The Lions started out the season like they were going to be stronger than last years 7-7 squad but it wasn’t meant to be. Craig Austin who averaged 18 ppg last year didn’t step up to another level. Princeton on the other hand is the probable Ivy winner and Columbia will not stay with them for more than a half.
Projected Score: Princeton 78, Columbia 63
Injury Report

Georgia
Tennessee -2½
This could be a very exciting game, purely because Tennessee is at home, where they are a solid 10-4 straight up and 7-4 against the spread. Earlier in the season, Tennessee played tough against Georgia, in Athens, losing 73-70 on January 12th. Despite the fact that they are under .500, with a 13-15 record on the season, Tennessee has been one of the best teams in the country, in terms of covering the spread. They are 16-8 against the spread this season, and they are 10-2 as an underdog this season. Georgia has won three games in a row, but they have been very close the edge in those games, beating LSU by one point on February 23rd, and needing overtime to get past South Carolina, 82-75. They have also been outstanding when it comes to the spread, with a 17-7 ATS mark, and they have been one of the better road teams in the conference, with a 7-5 mark straight up, 6-4 ATS. Georgia has been cutting it close recently, and Tennessee has the athletic ability, especially up front, to hang with the Bulldogs, especially at home. Take the Vols.
Projected Score: Tennessee 75, Georgia 71
Injury Report

Miss St
So Carolina -5
South Carolina held a three-point lead in the waning seconds of their last game, at Georgia, but were unable to hang onto the lead, and eventually not only lost, but also failed to cover, dropping an 82-75 decision. The Game@#$%s fell to 16-12 on the season, 6-9 in the SEC with the loss, their second in a row, both on the road. They are 10-5 at home this season, but have been a bit overrated by the oddsmakers when they play there, as they have a 4-7 record against the spread at home. Mississippi State comes into this game playing well. They are on a four-game winning streak, and while they are 6-5 SU on the road this season, they are just 2-5 against the spread as a road dog. This game is virtually meaningless for Mississippi State, but, because it’s Senior Night, it will certainly be big for South Carolina. The number should be relatively small in this one, and South Carolina will close out their season with a win and a cover.
Projected Score: So Carolina 71, Miss St 57
Injury Report

St Bonnie -6½
Rhode Island
Saint Joseph's exploded on an incredible 12-0 run in that span to stun the Bonnies, 91-84, The loss dropped Bona's record to 16-10 overall and 8-7 in the Atlantic 10. Saint Joseph's won its fourth straight over Bona and improved to 18-9 and 12-3 in the A-10. The Bonnies, 16-10 overall and 8-7 in the Atlantic 10, led the entire second half and things looked secure when Marques Green's floater with two seconds on the shot c* gave them an 84-79 lead with 1:26 left. Bona was led by Bremer, who had 20 points but hit just 7 of 18 from the field. Marques Green chipped in 17 points, while Vidal Massiah had 12 of his 14 in the second half. Rhode Island lost to UMass 79-69 on Wednesday. Dustin Hellenga scored 16 points to lead Rhode Island (7-19, 3-12). Leading 36-28 at halftime, UMass extended its advantage to 17 on four separate occasions. The Rams made a 12-4 run midway though the second half to make it 57-48, but the Minutemen held them off down the stretch. Rhode Island lost despite putting four players in double figures and hitting 14 of 14 free throw attempts. Lazare Adingono, Dinno Daniels and Troy Wiley scored 10 points each for Rhode Island. The Bonnies loss on Thursday was a heartbraker but it was that kind of year…close but no cigar. They get to finish off the regular season on a high note on Saturday as R.I. just doesn’t have the horses.
Projected Score: St Bonnie 84, Rhode Island 67
Injury Report

Oregon St
USC -15½
Oregon State (12-16, 4-13) lost 65-56 to UCLA on Thursday. Philip Ricci had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Oregon State. Brian Jackson added 13 points and Brandon Payton 12 for the Beavers. Beavers coach Ritchie McKay said: "I'm proud of the guys, to shoot 32 percent in Pauley and still have a chance to win. We thought we could come in here and grab a team we weren't supposed to beat." Southern California lost 67-65 to Oregon on Thursday night. The Trojans (19-8, 11-6) came into the game looking to grab a share of their first Pac-10 title since 1985. After trailing most of the first 20 minutes, they built an 11-point second-half lead amid a rare electric atmosphere created by 11,505 screaming fans. "That's a big deal to be Pac-10 champions," USC coach Henry Bibby said. "We wanted that, but we can't lay down now. We've got to pick the pieces back up and go again." Sam Clancy led the Trojans with 25 points and Errick Craven added 20. But Clancy had to sit when he picked up his fourth foul and that's when the Ducks launched a 21-5 tear to take their first lead of the second half. "It's real tough," a disconsolate Clancy said. "We get this game, get Oregon State and we got a share of the Pac-10 title. But another last-second shot goes against us." The Trojans need a win here and will get it handily. The USC inside game with Clancy banging the boards will be too much for the Beavers.
Projected Score: USC 90, Oregon St 64
Injury Report

No line available at this time.
Penn
Cornell
Penn played Columbia on Friday. Penn (21-6) overcame the stubborn Eli 72-63 last Saturday. The Eli led at the half 35-28 before the defensive battle leaned towards the Quakers. Penn shot 45 % from the field and converted 15 of 18 free throw opportunities vs. 8 of 10 for Yale. Cornell played the strong Princeton Tigers on Friday. Last Saturday Cornell (5-20, 2-10 Ivy League) led from start to finish, amassing 20 points before Dartmouth scored its first basket. Cornell led 34-22 at the half, shooting 44 percent to Dartmouth's 19 percent. The Big Green made only 4 of 21 shots in the first half. Dartmouth chipped away at the deficit in the second half, getting as close as four, 55-51, on a 3-pointer by Mike McLaren with 6:29 to go. A Toppert 3-pointer, his fourth of the night, built the Cornell lead back to 10, 64-54, with 3:12 to go before the Big Red sealed the win with four free throws in the final 32 seconds. With the win, Cornell broke a 17-game losing streak. The Quakers can smell an Ivy Crown and the Big Red are chewable.
Projected Score: Penn 69, Cornell 55
Injury Report

St Louis
Tulane -1½
Marque Perry tied a career high with 27 points Tuesday night in leading Saint Louis to 72-63 win over DePaul. It was the third straight win for the Billikens (14-15, 8-7), while the Blue Demons lost their fifth straight, eliminating them from the Conference USA Tournament. Perry started a 10-2 run on a jumper to give Saint Louis the lead for good, 56-53. Josh Fisher ended the run with a free throw as the Billikens' margin grew to 64-55 lead with 2:34 remaining in the game. In the first half, Perry and the Demons' Lance Williams traded off basket-for-basket. The two each scored 10 points in a seven-minute span. Williams finished the half with 14 points and Perry had 13. Williams had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Tulane was clobbered by Charlotte 96-54 on Saturday. Brandon Brown scored 12 points and was the only player in double figures for Tulane (13-12, 5-9). With a barrage of 3-pointers in the final seven minutes of the first half, Charlotte turned a 24-21 lead into a 48-26 advantage. Charlotte was 8-of-15 from 3-point range in the first half (53.3 percent) and 17-of-28 overall (60.7 percent). Tulane hit 11 of 34 shots in the opening period (32.4 percent). The Billikans have not done very well on the road this year but Tulane offers them a golden opportunity to finish the regular season with a four game winning streak.
Projected Score: St Louis 68, Tulane 57

Illinois
Minnesota
Since a three-game losing streak from January 26th to February 3rd, Illinois has become re-focused and is playing their best basketball of the season. The Illini have won seven straight games, covering each of their last five, and have moved into a first-place tie in the Big 10. They are 22-7, easily the best overall record in the conference and will probably be a very dangerous team in the post-season. They beat Indiana, 70-62, in their last game, as guard Frank Williams controlled the game, scoring 24 points to go with his six rebounds and three assists. As well as Illinois is playing, they haven’t been very good on the road, where they are just 5-6 straight up this season, 3-6 against the spread. Minnesota came very close to clinching an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with an easy 69-51 win over Northwestern on Wednesday. The Golden Gophers are 16-10 on the season, 9-6 in the Big 10, thanks, mostly, to great play at home. The Golden Gophers are 13-2 at home, 8-3 against the spread and they’ve lost just one conference game at home this season, to Wisconsin. Illinois is playing well, but Minnesota is a good team, that becomes very good, as well as explosive, when they play at home. Take Minnesota to win the game.
Projected Score: Minnesota 83, Illinois 79
Injury Report

Nebraska
Kansas St -2½
Gary Cochran the senior guard hit a single-game school record eight 3-point field goals, six of them in the first half, scored a career-high 27 points and tied his career high with seven rebounds to lead Nebraska over Baylor 75-55 Wednesday. "It was a great feeling," Cochran said. "I was really expecting to be more emotional. Nebraska's been very good to me. It was just a great way to go out." Nebraska (13-13, 6-9 Big 12) trailed Baylor 19-12 when Wendell Greenleaf hit a 3-pointer with 12:22 left in the first half. But the cold-shooting Bears got just one more field goal in the rest of the period. Kansas State lost to big bother Kansas 103-68 on Wednesday. The Wildcats (11-15, 5-10) finished the regular season winless on the road for the first time since 1942-43 and set a school record with their 10th road loss. They had committed 19 of their 28 turnovers by the time Kansas' Jeff Boschee banked home a 12-footer for a 66-36 lead with 16:44 left. Pervis Pasco had 20 points for Kansas State, while Tony Atchison added 17. The Cornhuskers handily took care of business against Baylor on Wednesday when Kansas State was being dismantled by Kansas. Look for Nebraska to step up once again in this tight battle but the home team gets the play.
Projected Score: Nebraska 90, Kansas St 80
Injury Report

Texas A&M
Oklahoma St -18½
Texas A&M's defensive shortcomings allowed Colorado to run away with a 92-77 victory Tuesday night. Bernard King led the Aggies (9-20, 3-12) with a season-high 32 points. He matched Wilson's five 3-pointers. Nick Anderson scored 13 points and Keith Bean added 10 for A&M, which has lost eight straight games for its third straight 20-loss season. "I don't want to say our players have given in, but losing has taken its toll on our mental approach to the game," A&M coach Melvin Watkins said. "We were pretty bad defensively. We did not do a good job defending the perimeter and because of that they gained confidence all night long." Oklahoma State, with a disappointing second half, lost to Missouri 72-69 on Monday night. Victor Williams had 19 points, and Fredrik Jonzen 16 for Oklahoma State. Jonzen had 10 points in the final 7:42 as the Cowboys kept it close after falling behind by seven. "We gave the game to them," Jonzen said. "I don't want to take away anything from Missouri, but whatever you want to call it, they took the game from us or we gave it to them, a loss is a loss." Cheyne Gadson had 12 points in the first half, nearly doubling his season average, but was shut out the rest of the way. Missouri’s top scorer Kareem Rush had no points, no assists and three fouls in the first half as Oklahoma State took a 38-29 lead. The Cowboys had runs of 9-0 and 10-2, and Gadson got several wide-open looks from long range, going 5-for-6. As Texas A& M closes out the schedule the main thing Mel Watkins worries about is whether Bernard will stay in school for his senior year. Oklahoma State is still trying to figure how they lost on Monday. Cowboys figure out how to win this one easily.
Projected Score: Oklahoma St 88, Texas A&M 72
Injury Report

E Carolina
TCU -9½
The E.C. Pirates pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the college basketball season Tuesday night, holding No. 9 Marquette to six points over the final 12½ minutes to stun the Golden Eagles 51-46. "East Carolina plays as hard as anybody in this league, and that includes us, Cincinnati -- you name it," Marquette coach Tom Crean said. "We didn't play for 40 minutes and when you don't play for 40 minutes in this league you are not going to succeed. We need to understand that -- this time of year more than any time." "We just beat a great basketball team," Herrion said. "But we've been playing good basketball and last three or four weeks." Travis Holcomb-Faye was the hero for East Carolina, scoring 12 of his 15 points in the second half as the Pirates held Marquette to 35 percent shooting in the final 20 minutes. While good on defense, the Pirates managed just nine points in the opening 13½ minutes to fall behind by double digits before pulling within 27-20 at halftime. Junior Blount scored 42 points, Corey Santee scored 25 and Marlon Dumont had 15 points and 13 rebounds as Texas Christian beat Tulane 106-87 on Tuesday. The Horned Frogs (15-14, 5-10 Conference USA) led 47-41 at the half despite shooting 56 percent from the field to 63 percent by Tulane Tulane shot 43 percent in the second half and TCU hit 21-of-33 from the field, or 64 percent, including 6-of-10 3-pointers. Blount was 15-of-22 from the field in the game and hit 6-of-10 3-pointers. Santee hit 10-of-16 from the floor and hit 3-of-6 3-point shots. Corey Valsin scored 14 points for the Frogs and had seven rebounds. Bingo Merriex pulled down eight rebounds and Santee had eight assists. Not much separates these teams but TCU does have the home court and a couple of high flying frogs.
Projected Score: TCU 75, E Carolina 69
Injury Report

UAB
Houston -1
Will Campbell scored 18 points to guide the UAB Blazers to a 66-56 win over the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in Conference-USA action