Clubhouse Article

CBB: Games of the Week + Bracketology 101

February 5th, 2012 by Andrew Joseph

College Reporter Andrew Joseph looks at the big live games of the week including #8 Kansas at # 4 Mizzou< where he will be courtside. Plus Andrew posts his first look at “Bracketology” and how to get the most out of this great American tradition.

Game of the Week

#8 Kansas at # 4 Missouri
Check local listings for all tip-off times in your region.

North Carolina-Duke may be the most famous college basketball rivalry, but in terms of pure hatred, no series compares to Kansas and Missouri. Known as the “Border War,” the bitterness between Kansas and Missouri dates back to actual violence in the Civil War, and to this very day, both states are not fond of one another at all.

Saturday at Mizzou Arena promises to be a scene that Columbia, Missouri, has never experienced before. Mizzou will be hosting ESPN’s College GameDay for the first time ever in basketball as Rece Davis, Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis and Jay Bilas preview the most anticipated game of the season thus far.

The Jayhawks and Tigers first met on the hardwood in 1907 and have played 265 times with Kansas comfortably leading the series 171-94. With Missouri set to enter the Southeastern Conference in 2012, Kansas has made it well-known that the rivalry has no future beyond this season. If the two sides do in fact stop playing each other, college sports has lost one of its best rivalries.

With Saturday night potentially being Kansas’ last trip to Columbia, the emotion in the building will be at an all-time high. In the 105 years of the basketball series Kansas and Mizzou have only met as top-10 teams twice before.

The game holds major implications beyond the rivalry as Kansas currently holds a one-game lead of Missouri in the Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks have won the last seven Big 12 titles, but a Mizzou victory on Saturday would allow the Tigers to control their own destiny.

Fans of college basketball will be in for a treat Saturday as both teams are led by some of the best players in college basketball. Kansas’ Thomas Robinson leads every National Player of the Year poll, averaging 17.6 points and 12 rebounds a game. Robinson is a dynamic athlete who attacks the rim better than any player at the collegiate level.

Missouri coach Frank Haith plays an unconventionally small lineup – four guards and a post. However, there are not many guards better than Mizzou’s Marcus Denmon. The sharpshooter from Kansas City averages 17.1 points a game, but he is currently in the middle of a shooting slump from long range. The Tigers need Denmon to make open shots because Kansas has the considerable size advantage in the low post.

My Picks of the Week on ESPN America

7 Feb – Connecticut at #25 Louisville
Jeremy Lamb and the Huskies look to get back on track against Louisville in this Big East matchup.

9 Feb – #14 Georgetown at #2 Syracuse
The Carrier Dome should be rocking as Jason Clark and Georgetown try to steal a win from second-ranked Syracuse.

9 Feb – #5 Duke at #6 North Carolina
College basketball’s favorite rivalry gets underway in Chapel Hill as Austin Rivers and the Blue Devils take on a loaded Tar Heel squad.

BRACKETOLOGY 101

No, this is not a science that takes place in a chemistry lab. Bracketology uses formulas and rankings to predict the teams that will be included in the field of 68 come March. This is not some random guessing game as ESPN’s Joe Lunardi takes the accuracy of his predictions to a whole new level. When the brackets get released on Selection Sunday, the fun truly begins, but Bracketology is a great resource for basketball fans to follow throughout the season.

Is Your Team on the Bubble?
With only 37 at-large bids awarded to teams in the NCAA Tournament, not every school can make the “Big Dance.” The concept of the bubble applies to the borderline tournament teams as March approaches. These teams need to avoid the bad losses that would essentially “pop the bubble.”

Video: “Bracket Bubble Watch”

TOURNAMENT CHALLENGE

With March Madness fast-approaching, I will be on hand to take you through the run in to the NCAA Tournament with up-to-date reports and rankings. Each week, I will also be bringing some background to March Madness and bracketology – how to fill in your bracket.

Stay tuned for news of how to enter ESPN America’s Tournament Challenge that will take you right through to the Final Four and Championship Game in April in New Orleans.