1  Thought from the Games Last Night

Can a 3-point overtime loss (on the road) to an in-state rival (that’s also a tournament team) really drop you a seed line?

I don’t know if I have a definitive answer to that question just yet, because I have to see how the rest of the week’s games play out. However, the Jayhawk faithful may not like the conclusion I am leaning towards at this very moment. Last night’s loss in Manhattan was the sixth loss of the year for Kansas, and it’s hard for me to see an 18-6 team deserving a 2-seed, even with the brutally tough schedule they’ve played to this point.

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3  Games to Watch Tonight

i. (15) Michigan @ (22) Ohio State, ESPN – 9 PM
The stakes aren’t quite as high when these two bitter rivals meet on the hardwood as opposed to the gridiron, but I’m sure the game is bound to get quite chippy. These two teams are also trending in opposite directions. After a demoralizing home loss to Penn State, Ohio State has righted the ship with 3 wins in a row, including road wins against Wisconsin and Iowa. Michigan, on the other hand, has loss two of three, after starting 8-0 in conference.

ii. Oklahoma State @ (19) Texas, ESPN2 – 7 PM
The Marcus Smart shoving incident was blown way out of proportion, but that’s a tangent I may address on another day. Nonetheless, Smart’s three-game suspension is going to have a major impact on the Cowboys, who have to prevent the wheels from completely falling off in his absence. In their first game sans their star, OK State faces a stern road test against the surprising Longhorns. It’s not an NCAA tournament game, so I’m sure Rick Barnes will actually have the squad ready to roll this evening.

iii. (3) Florida @ Tennessee, ESPN – 7 PM
Tennessee is that relative that you’re pretty sure has bipolar disorder – you just keep your mouth shut and enjoy the entertaining portion of their performances. Florida is that affluent, well-spoken relative that has had a great deal of consistent success in their life. The family is having a cozy little get-together in Knoxville tonight; we’ll see if the bi-polar relative smashes out the windows on the affluent relative’s Mercedes, or if the affluent relative will overwhelm all their cousins with their general aura and power.

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1  Bold Prediction for Tonight’s Slate

The Gators go on the road and hang a 15+ point beatdown on the Volunteers, further muddling Tennessee’s perplexing bubble résumé.

Billy Donovan’s squad is far better than every other team in the SEC, save Kentucky. Whether that speaks more about the lack of depth in the SEC, or the strength of Florida, I’m not sure… I guess we’ll find out in March!