BYU

NO. 20 SAINT MARY’S (20-2, 9-0 WCC) AT BYU (18-5, 6-2 WCC)

 

Time/TV: 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)/ESPNU

While Kentucky is the clear favorite to win the SEC, the battle beneath them should be a spirited one. #16 Mississippi State (17-4, 4-2), who has already won at Vanderbilt, could win the tiebreaker with #13 Florida (16-4, 4-1) with a win in Gainesville on Saturday afternoon. That's easier said than done as Billy Donovan's team is 10-0 at home this season, but the Bulldogs have won four of the last five meetings in this series.

Consistency has been an issue for the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season, and it's been an issue for highly-touted freshman Le'Bryan Nash as well. After scoring 21 points in the Cowboys' 71-68 loss to Iowa State (which ended at the buzzer on a Scott Christopherson three) Nash scored just four points in a 66-58 home loss to Kansas State. But the Dallas native brought his "A-game" to Gallagher-Iba Arena on Wednesday night, making 12 of 18 shots from the field to score 27 points while also grabbing four rebounds in Oklahoma State's 79-72 win over #2 Missouri.

Neither team is currently in first place in the Atlantic 10 but if anything that magnifies the importance of Saint Louis (15-4, 3-2) heading east to take on Xavier (13-6, 4-2) at the Cintas Center. Both teams are a game out of first place in the loss column, and a closer look at the Billikens' computer numbers shows that they could use a win like this to bolster the resume.

Based on CollegeHoops.net's most recent Bracketology projection, here is how the NCAA Tournament Bubble currently stands. CHN will publish Bubble Watch on Tuesday's following the Bracketology update.

There's just one game between Top 25 teams on the schedule tonight, and it should be a good matchup of teams looking to further cement themselves as Big Ten title contenders. #12 Indiana (13-1) is 10-0 at Assembly Hall this season, and their wins over Kentucky and Ohio State are the most impressive pair of victories that any team in America can claim.

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for our weekly awards.

 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

The matchup between #10 Florida and Rutgers on Thursday night was hyped up due to the return of Mike Rosario, who transferred from the New Jersey school following two seasons in New Brunswick. But his return was a subplot in what turned out to be one of the best games of the calendar year, with the focus by the end being Mike Rice's young guards. Eli Carter led the way with 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Myles Mack knocked down some big shots late in regulation and during the overtime periods to lead Rutgers to the 85-83 double overtime victory.

It can be argued that Vanderbilt's trip to #13 Marquette is the big game of the day on Thursday, especially when considering a Commodore resume that could use some added bulk. But there's also the first-ever conference game as a member of the West Coast Conference for BYU (11-3), and they're jumping directly into the fire thanks to the league schedule-makers. Dave Rose's Cougars visit Saint Mary's (11-2) in the league opener for both teams, and there are some very good individual battles to keep track of in Moraga.