Feb. 10-16, 2025
36 games on the schedule this week, with 2 of them being feature games. Let's start in the American:
2/15/25-
UConn (Randolph Childress) @
Tulsa (Will Brown) -- Hot shooting for both of these teams, as there wasn't a lot of defense to be played. Tulsa scored over half their points from the three point line, hitting 15 three pointers. Unfortunately for them, they were outshot everywhere else, and that proved to be the difference as the Huskies get a much needed road win.
Final Score: UConn- 81, Tulsa- 72
Now to the Pac 12:
2/15/25-
#8 Stanford (Benito Sanchez) @
#4 UCLA (Tim Shepard) -- The Bruins are just unstoppable right now, as they shot better from the field and the three point line. Despite everything else being even, UCLA had 13 blocks, which really helped the difference as they were able to turn them into easy points and stay undefeated in conference.
Final Score: #4 UCLA- 91, #10 Stanford- 78
Now for the rest of the weekly recap:
Hartford (David Ginsberg) -- 19-9, 10-4 2nd America East.
2/12/25 at Vermont (W 97-83).
2/16/25 at Maine (W 73-43).
The Hawks get 2 big road wins to stay in the hunt for an America East title. Unfortunately they have to win both of their games next week and get help. They lost both games to conference leader Binghamton, so the only possible scenario for Coach Ginsberg to cut the nets is if Binghamton loses 2 of their 3 remaining conference games and Hartford wins both of theirs. Another scenario I just thought of is if Hartford splits next week and Binghamton loses all 3 of their remaining conference games.. either way, the Hawks need to take care of business and get help.
UConn (Randolph Childress) -- 12-13, 7-6 5th American.
2/12/25 vs. ECU (L 75-71).
2/15/25 at Tulsa- feature game, highlighted above.
A split for the Huskies, and another embarrassing loss to what was the conference dwellers in ECU. However, the win at Tulsa did break a 3 game losing streak.
Tulsa (Will Brown) -- 8-16, 4-9 11th (last) American.
2/12/25 at Houston (L 53-50).
2/15/25 vs. UConn- feature game, highlighted above.
2 more losses for the Golden Hurricane, and coach Brown has to be concerned about keeping his job after the season. It's going to take a miraculous run for Tulsa to make the postseason.
Notre Dame (Al Mighty) -- 10-14, 3-9 13th ACC.
2/12/25 at Boston College (L 60-52).
2/15/25 vs. N.C. State (L 95-81).
2 more losses for the fighting Irish, and with their upcoming schedule, it's quite possible they don't win another game in the regular season. They have 2 more games on their schedule against non-ranked teams, but even those aren't gimmes at this point. Coach Mighty might be wishing he would have stayed in East Lansing.
North Florida (Felix Abel) -- 12-14, 6-5 T-2nd Atlantic Sun.
2/13/25 at Stetson (W 73-58).
2/15/25 at USC Upstate (W 91-83).
2 huge road wins for the Ospreys this week, including a monumental win over conference leaders USC Upstate, who were receiving a lot of votes in both polls. They have 4 more regular season games, and 3 of them are in conference. All of them are winnable, if they continue to play like they did at Upstate.
TCU (Bee Mighty) -- 9-15, 3-9 10th (last) Big 12.
2/10/25 at Iowa State (L 81-68).
2/15/25 at #18 Oklahoma (L 89-81).
2 more losses for the Horned Frogs, who are having their worst season in quite some time. Another team in which it's going to take a huge run at the end of the season to make the postseason. I don't see it happening.
St. John's (Dean Hoo) -- 17-7, 9-3 T-3rd Big East.
2/12/25 at Butler (W 76-66).
2/15/25 at Creighton (W 70-38).
2 road wins this week for the Red Storm, who are 1 of 4 teams separated by just 1/2 game for first place. They have a huge test next week which will be pretty telling. Win that, and this time might be for real again.
Northwestern (Ess Vee) -- 10-14, 4-8 T-11th Big Ten.
2/12/25 vs. Rutgers (W 96-94, OT).
2/15/25 vs. Penn State (L 81-78).
Eureka! The Wildcats finally break the losing streak with an OT win over Rutgers, then start a new losing streak against Penn State. They aren't playing terrible ball lately, but they also have a lot of work to do.
FIU (Brett Hawkins) -- 11-13, 4-8 T-12th Conference USA.
2/13/25 vs. Marshall (W 75-63).
2/15/25 at George Mason (L 59-50).
A split for the Golden Panthers, who continue to underwhelm this season. A lot more was expected of this team, but hopefully with the changes I'll be making in the offseason, they'll be one of many teams benefiting.
Rice (Charlie Shocker) -- 11-12, 6-6 7th Conference USA.
2/13/25 at Southern Miss (L 81-70).
2/15/25 vs. UTEP (W 67-60).
The Owls split again this week, as they continue to fight for a .500 record, which was the goal coming into the season.
Fairfield (Ariel Pryde) -- 10-16, 8-9 6th MAAC.
2/13/25 vs. Valparaiso (L 80-67).
2/16/25 at Iona (W 88-67).
A split for the Stags this week, who lose a tough non-conference game, but get a huge win in conference play. They'll have to win all 3 of their remaining conference games to finish over .500 in MAAC play, which is the goal. They'd probably be happy winning 2 of 3 and finishing .500 though. Anything less will be a disappointment.
San Jose State (Thomas Sheppard) -- 12-11, 8-5 4th Mountain West.
2/12/25 vs. UNLV (L 77-57).
2/15/25 at Colorado State (W 78-63).
Another split for the Spartans, who just need to win 1 of their remaining 5 conference games to ensure a .500 finish in Mountain West play. This is a team that could still win the Mountain West, or if they really hit a slump, could still finish under .500. Still, they've been exceeding expectations so far.
Colorado (Rob Nielsen) -- 12-12, 6-6 T-5th Pac 12.
2/13/25 at Washington (L 76-73).
2/15/25 vs. Arizona State (W 81-74).
Guess what the Buffaloes did this week guys? Anybody? You're correct, they split. Again. 6 weeks of conference play, 6 splits. If there were a consistency award, Coach Nielsen would get it. Unfortunately, that's not enough. However, looking at the schedule ahead, I'm fully expecting a .500 record from here on out.
#8 Stanford (Benito Sanchez) -- 19-5, 8-4 2nd Pac 12.
2/13/25 vs. Oregon (L 56-51).
2/15/25 at #4 UCLA- feature game, highlighted above.
Not a good week for the Cardinal, who drop both games this week and have lost 3 out of 4. Their remaining schedule is promising though, so if they can take care of business and win out, that would put them in position for a top 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
#4 UCLA (Tim Shepard) -- 22-2, 12-0 1st Pac 12.
2/13/25 vs. #14 Arizona (W 76-58).
2/15/25 vs. #8 Stanford- feature game, highlighted above.
The Bruins continue to roll, and stay in line for an undefeated Pac 12 run. They schedule is favorable as they don't play another team over .500 the rest of the regular season. It's all about keeping focus now.
Washington State (DeShawn St. John) -- 14-10, 6-6 T-5th Pac 12.
2/13/25 at Oregon State (L 77-54).
2/15/25 vs. Gonzaga (L 83-64).
The Cougars are sliding right now, losers of 4 in a row. They MUST find a way to right the ship, because they are starting to be in danger of missing the postseason yet again.
Alabama (Roy Rogers) -- 15-10, 5-7 T-10th SEC.
2/12/25 vs. #10 Vanderbilt (L 74-57).
2/15/25 vs. Ole Miss (W 66-58).
This is just not the best Crimson Tide team. They continue to struggle, and are also in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament, unfortunately they still have a tough schedule ahead.
Arkansas Pine Bluff (B.B. Gunn) -- 12-12, 7-6 T-5th SWAC.
2/10/25 vs. Prairie View A&M (W 57-51).
2/15/25 vs. Texas Southern (L 77-58).
Another split for the Golden Lions, who are just 2 games out of 1st in the SWAC, and their schedule is favorable. 4 of their remaining 5 conference games are against teams with losing records, and 3 of those 4 are against teams with single digit wins. If ever there was a time for Coach Gunn to bear down and get a team to finish strong, this is it.
Troy (Benton Gale) -- 11-13, 8-8 5th Sun Belt.
2/13/25 at South Alabama (L 71-68).
2/15/25 vs. Georgia Southern (W 95-85).
A split for the Trojans this week, and another crushing loss, as they led South Alabama by 10 at halftime. Coach Gale needs his team to sweep next week as they are playing Texas State back to back, and they are 7-16 and next to last in the conference. Gotta win them both.
Here's a look at the national top 25 going into the week of Feb. 17-23:
Code:
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
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1. Baylor (64) 25-1 1792 1 Big 12 Conference
2. Syracuse (8) 23-1 1730 2 Atlantic Coast Conference
3. UCLA 22-2 1659 4 Pacific-12 Conference
4. Villanova 22-4 1583 6 Big East Conference
5. Michigan State 20-4 1481 7 Big Ten Conference
6. Providence 22-3 1470 3 Big East Conference
7. Wisconsin 19-5 1345 5 Big Ten Conference
8. Georgetown 19-5 1292 9 Big East Conference
9. Vanderbilt 20-4 1231 10 Southeastern Conference
10. Stanford 19-5 1164 8 Pacific-12 Conference
11. Virginia 20-5 1082 12 Atlantic Coast Conference
12. Memphis 20-5 943 13 American Athletic Conference
13. Tennessee State 23-3 941 14 Ohio Valley Conference
14. Arizona 16-8 865 15 Pacific-12 Conference
15. Miami 16-7 668 11 Atlantic Coast Conference
16. Louisville 17-7 581 NR Atlantic Coast Conference
17. Princeton 19-4 569 17 Ivy League
18. Mercer 20-4 520 19 Southern Conference
19. St. John's 17-7 438 NR Big East Conference
20. Pepperdine 19-5 434 25 West Coast Conference
21. Sacramento State 20-4 371 NR Big Sky Conference
22. Iowa 16-8 311 24 Big Ten Conference
23. Oklahoma 17-8 257 18 Big 12 Conference
24. Florida State 16-8 243 22 Atlantic Coast Conference
25. Indiana 17-7 144 NR Big Ten Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
Georgia 16-8 109 Southeastern Conference
VCU 15-9 91 Southeastern Conference
USC Upstate 21-5 61 Atlantic Sun Conference
Tennessee 16-8 14 Southeastern Conference
Penn State 17-7 6 Big Ten Conference
Robert Morris 21-6 4 Northeast Conference
Ohio State 15-9 1 Big Ten Conference
UCLA finally moves up 1 spot after their run this week, while Stanford only drops 2 spots after 2 losses. Nice position to be in. And welcome St. John's back into the national top 25 after another strong week.
Now a look at the mid-major top 25 going into the week of Feb. 17-23:
Code:
# Team FPV Record Points Prv Conference test test test test
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1. Memphis (69) 20-5 1797 1 American Athletic Conference
2. Tennessee State 23-3 1714 2 Ohio Valley Conference
3. Pepperdine (3) 19-5 1624 4 West Coast Conference
4. Princeton 19-4 1580 3 Ivy League
5. Mercer 20-4 1491 5 Southern Conference
6. Sacramento State 20-4 1291 13 Big Sky Conference
7. San Diego 19-8 1249 15 West Coast Conference
8. Davidson 16-8 1173 11 Atlantic 10 Conference
9. USC Upstate 21-5 1166 7 Atlantic Sun Conference
10. Boise State 16-8 1156 9 Mountain West Conference
11. SMU 17-7 1098 8 American Athletic Conference
12. Saint Joseph's 16-8 1004 16 Atlantic 10 Conference
13. Loyola Chicago 16-8 771 12 Missouri Valley Conference
14. Furman 18-7 763 19 Southern Conference
15. Middle Tennessee 17-7 762 18 Conference USA
16. St. Bonaventure 15-9 706 22 Atlantic 10 Conference
17. Evansville 17-9 655 14 Missouri Valley Conference
18. Robert Morris 21-6 604 24 Northeast Conference
19. Wichita State 16-9 525 6 Missouri Valley Conference
20. Boston University 18-7 487 21 Patriot League
21. Massachusetts 15-9 366 NR Atlantic 10 Conference
22. Northeastern 17-7 221 NR Colonial Athletic Association
23. Indiana State 16-10 187 NR Missouri Valley Conference
24. San Diego State 15-9 168 NR Mountain West Conference
25. Akron 15-10 165 17 Mid-American Conference
Others Receiving Votes:
George Washington 14-9 147 Atlantic 10 Conference
Long Beach State 15-9 103 Big West Conference
BYU 17-11 98 West Coast Conference
Eastern Michigan 17-8 80 Mid-American Conference
Central Michigan 16-9 67 Mid-American Conference
Richmond 14-8 63 Atlantic 10 Conference
Utah State 15-9 43 Mountain West Conference
Harvard 16-8 36 Ivy League
UC Riverside 16-8 23 Big West Conference
Oral Roberts 17-7 6 Summit League
Temple 15-8 4 American Athletic Conference
Louisiana Tech 14-10 3 Conference USA
Northern Illinois 15-9 3 Mid-American Conference
Southern Miss 15-9 1 Conference USA
Another blank for our mid-major teams.
Now a look at the Bubble Watch for the week. We have 1 FOFC coached team in the Overall Bubble Watch:
Code:
Team Record RPI vs. 1-50 vs. 51-100 vs. 101-200 vs. 200+ SOS Projected
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Pepperdine 19-5 .548 (65) 2-0 2-2 7-1 8-2 243 In
BYU 17-11 .557 (51) 2-5 5-1 4-4 6-1 61 In
Long Beach State 15-9 .580 (26) 2-1 4-2 6-4 3-2 26 In
Harvard 16-8 .551 (60) 0-3 4-0 5-1 7-4 142 In
Indiana State 16-10 .553 (57) 0-5 0-4 10-1 6-0 96 In
Central Michigan 16-9 .546 (69) 3-0 2-3 6-4 5-2 112 In
Kentucky 15-9 .546 (71) 6-7 1-0 6-2 2-0 80 In
UT Arlington 15-9 .549 (63) 0-1 2-0 4-7 9-1 121 In
St. Bonaventure 15-9 .546 (70) 1-3 4-1 7-4 3-1 93 Out
George Washington 14-9 .574 (33) 4-3 2-3 6-3 2-0 30 Out
Alabama 15-10 .565 (43) 4-7 2-0 4-3 5-0 44 Out
Florida 15-10 .585 (24) 3-7 2-2 6-1 4-0 18 Out
Akron 15-10 .596 (16) 2-4 3-1 7-4 3-1 4 Out
Utah State 15-9 .543 (74) 2-1 3-5 5-2 5-1 118 Out
Mercer 20-4 .535 (91) 1-2 1-0 4-1 14-1 322 Out
Alabama has work to do, as it's going to be hard for them to get into the NCAA Tournament with a losing SEC record. They need to go on a good winning streak and at worst finish 1 game under .500 in the SEC. They aren't terrible against the RPI top 100 (6-7), but their record against the RPI 101-200 needs work, as they are just 4-3 there.
Now it's time for the rest of the Bubble Watch and our FOFC teams:
Locks: St. John's, UCLA, Stanford
The only changes are Washington State and Alabama, who lost week were on the bubble but projected in. This week Alabama is on the bubble and projected out, and Washington State is projected out, and off the bubble completely.