In perhaps the game of the year, Tyshawn Taylor's two free throws with 8.3 seconds left in overtime gave Kansas a come-from-behind 87-86 win over Missouri. (US Presswire)

By Jeff Borzello

On busier Saturdays and Sundays this season, we’re not going to make you wait until the end of the slate of games to catch up with all that’s happened. Afternoon Delight (3-pointers in flight!) recaps the first five-or-so hours’ worth of action, the perfecta appetizer right before dinnertime.

Note: We’re covering most of the bubble action over at Poppin’ Bubbles, so we’ll try to keep the bubble talk to a minimum over here. 

The best we’ve seen so far: Goodman will have something on this game pretty soon, but we couldn't post this without mentioning perhaps the Game of the Year. It was hyped, it was packed, it was loud. Missouri's trip to Kansas. The Tigers were rolling out of the gate, getting Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey sidelined in the early going. After pushing the lead to as many as 19 points in the second half, Kansas roared back behind dominance from Thomas Robinson and the 3-point shooting of Connor Teahan. The Jayhawks tied it up with 16 seconds left in regulation, and we got five extra minutes. Kansas looked like it might pull away, but Marcus Denmon wasn't going to allow that -- knocking down a baseline jumper with 12.1 seconds left. Tyshawn Taylor responded by hitting two free throws with 8.3 left to give Kansas an 87-86 win. It’s a shame we won’t see this game again for a long time. What a game, what a rivalry.

Deserving of a free dinner at the restaurant of their choice: Kentucky continues to take everyone’s best shot – and then punch back down the stretch for a comfortable win. The Wildcats did it again on Saturday, despite trailing by one at the half to Vanderbilt. Anthony Davis was absolutely dominant for Kentucky, finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks. He also demonstrated some things we haven’t seen from him in awhile, including face-up jumpers from the perimeter and the ability to go off the dribble. 

No soup for you: Just as some people were starting to trust Florida again, the Gators go out and lose to Georgia. Brad Beal had 19 and 12 for Florida, but the Gators shot just 5-of-23 from 3-point range and turned it over 12 times in the 76-62 loss. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led five guys in double-figures for Georgia.

Afternoon all-stars

1. Fordham’s Chris Gaston went for 35 points and 16 rebounds in Fordham’s win over La Salle. The best part: he had 15 offensive rebounds. Fifteen. Offensive. Rebounds.
2. Providence freshman LaDontae Henton had 24 points and 15 rebounds, plus the game-winning shot, to beat DePaul.
3. Buffalo senior Mitchell Watt had a nice all-around line: 28 points, five rebounds, four assists and three blocks.
4. Mike Moore, in his last home game for Hofstra, dropped 30 to beat UNC-Wilmington.
5. Chris Crawford, off the bench for Memphis: 16 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, three steals.

Other daytime action worth your attention

• Iowa State essentially punched its ticket to the Dance by beating Kansas State on the road. The Cyclones are now 11-5 in the Big 12.
• St. John’s snapped Notre Dame’s nine-game winning streak by holding off the Fighting Irish down the stretch. Syracuse also clinched the No. 1 seed in the Big East tournament as a result.
• Austin Rivers came up big once again for Duke, who needed overtime to dispatch of Virginia Tech.
• Virginia seemed to have another one of the ACC’s elite on the ropes, but the Cavaliers couldn’t knock down shots down the stretch and fell by three to North Carolina.
• It wasn’t pretty for Baylor, but the Bears overcame a sluggish first half to beat Oklahoma.
• Wichita State got revenge for its lone loss in 2012, hammering Drake by 23.
• In other Missouri Valley action, Creighton survived a last-second miss to beat Indiana State by one.
• Old Dominion’s Kent Bazemore had a chance to tie Drexel in the final second, getting fouled on a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left. He missed one of the free throws and Drexel won.
• Arkansas finally won a road game, beating Auburn, 77-71.
• Air Force always seems to play well against UNLV, and the Runnin’ Rebels only scored 68 points. But Air Force only managed 58.
• Georgetown steamrolled Villanova, 67-46.

Delightful (and not-so-delightful) thoughts

• If you’re wondering why some games aren’t included, check out Poppin’ Bubbles. Parrish will have Night Court tonight.
• Norfolk State put pressure on Savannah State to win today, by beating Bethune-Cookman. Savannah obliged, knocking off NC-Central.
• Bucknell clinched the outright Patriot League title, defeating Navy.
• Haven’t seen video of it, but there was apparently some tomfoolery in the Marshall vs. Memphis game. We’ll keep you posted.

We broke down every bubble game as the day went on, over at the Poppin' Bubbles page. For all the analysis and ramifications of the bubble's winners and losers, check it there. We'll recap all the non-bubble things here. 

Game of the Night: Everyone knew that Long Beach State vs. Creighton would be filled with plenty of offense and two teams that really wanted to prove themselves on national television. It certainly didn't disappoint -- what a game. LBSU was in control for most of the game, leading by as many as 10 points in the second half. However, Doug McDermott and Creighton kept coming and kept coming. A missed layup by Casper Ware and a turnover allowed Creighton to get the last shot. Antoine Young took advantage, and -- well, I'll let the video above tell the rest of the story. 

Game of the Night, Vol. 2: Dayton. Xavier. City rivals. Both desperate for a bubble win. The game lived up to the drama, with the two teams going back and forth for 40 minutes -- and then an extra five after Dayton's Kevin Dillard made a layup with 1.2 seconds left to tie the game. Tu Holloway controlled the overtime, reverting to the clutch form he showed during Xavier's 8-0 start to the season. If he continues to play like that, might the Musketeers regain their magic? 

Game of the Day: Kansas State, perhaps you’ll no longer be underrated. That was the case at the mock selection meetings this week in Indianapolis. The Wildcats were placed into the 8/9 game, and now they’re certainly on the seven line at worst after beating Baylor 57-56 in Waco.

New Mexico, best of the West?: New Mexico, I’ve praised you in recent Power Pyramids, and now I’m fully in love with what the Lobos are capable of. They didn't mess around against UNLV, winning at home 65-45 and taking full control of the Mountain West chase. I've seen a lot of people mention the fact they liked New Mexico at the start of the season. I actually didn't. I came around on them soon, but didn't think they'd be this good. UNLV's a really nice team; the Lobos made them look like Air Force this afternoon at The Pit. 

Michigan, darkhorse Big Ten contender?: With Michigan beating Ohio State at home on Saturday night, the Wolverines could be a potential sleeper in the Big Ten title race. They are only a half-game back of Michigan State in the standings, and are now tied with Ohio State for second place. They also don't play any of the contenders the rest of the way. 

Murray State shows out: Saint Mary's has now lost three of its last four, but Murray State dominated the Gaels from the opening tip and showed that it's still a threat to win at least a game or two in the NCAA tournament. The Racers played tremendous defense all night, and got timely baskets from Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole. 

Rough day for Conference-USA: UTEP gets its first road win of the season. Where does it come? FedEx Forum. Memphis sticks a hot dagger right into its foot with a 60-58 loss to the .500 Miners. Conference USA can be a two-bid league, but only if Memphis takes the auto bid and Southern Miss keeps winning until the semis or finals of the conference championship game. No time for duds for Josh Pastner’s team, especially at home against middling foes. That wasn't the only problem for the league. Southern Miss went into Houston and dropped one to the Cougars. Now there's very little separation at the top of the standings -- and that could limit the number of bids from the league.

No soup for you, personally: Perry Jones III. Had four points, four rebounds and fouled out. I’ve recently talked to a few former players who think PJ3 is the real deal. He isn’t showing it, and I’ve never actually seen it. This isn’t just Scott Drew, either (plenty want to criticize his coaching of this talented team). Jones lacks semblance of urgency, anger and pride on the floor. He seems likely to be a big factor in costing Baylor a game in March.

Saturday all-stars

1. Wichita State is the truth and Joe Ragland is among the best “mid-major” players in the country. The guard who’s shorter than half the guys in your social circle is one of the most efficient shooters in the nation. He put up 30 and seven rebounds in a 91-74 road win against a more-than-decent Davidson team. Shockers were a four seed in the mock selection process. They can easily get that if they win the Valley tournament.
2. Drew Gordon had 27 points and 20 rebounds, officially. (One UNLV beat writer is shooting down that 20-boards stat). For as much as I’ve been pushing UNM this season, I’ve said they won’t go next level until Gordon plays to his talent. He did that today. UNLV was playing in mud and Gordon did what he wanted. Can be a difference-maker in the tournament, certainly.
3. Nate Wolters led South Dakota State to a BracketBusters beatdown on Buffalo, taking out the Bulls 86-65. Wolters had 22 points, eight assists and six rebounds. #NatersGonnaNate
4. Jae Crowder with 29 points and 12 rebounds for Marquette in its 79-64 road win at UConn. It’s always been Crowder, not Darius Johnson-Odom, who’s been the most critical piece for the Golden Eagles the past two years.
5. Keiton Page dropped 40 points in Oklahoma State's win over Texas.
6. St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson went for 32 points and 13 boards, continuing his dominance outside the nation's watchful eye.
7. South Dakota's Louie Krogman lost, but 37 points and six assists? Not too bad.

Other action worth your attention

1. San Diego State lost its second in a row, stumbling on the road at Air Force. Xavier Thames' 3-pointer hit the front rim at the buzzer, and now the Aztecs are out of the Mountain West title hunt.
2. It was almost pretty bad, and certainly a seed line sacrifice for Louisville in Chicago this afternoon. The Cardinals needed overtime — and were sort of luck to get there — to take out DePaul, 90-82. my attention, which isn’t the case with 90 percent of tilts involving ACC teams this year.  
3. I think one of the two most important wins of the day came in Seattle. Washington earned a season sweep of Arizona, definitively putting UW over U of A when it comes to whether or not either deserves an at-large. (And as of now, I’d say neither.) However, the 79-70 win for the Puppies was one of the best for Lorenzo Romar, as he had 25 come from Terrence Ross and 22 come from Tony Wroten, Jr. Washington can be fun to watch—but they’ve been like this for years, now. Fun, inconsistent. Loves to run, stumbles over itself.
4. Tennessee’s not that good, but boy was that a big win for Alabama to just stop the bleeding and beat the Vols in Tuscaloosa.
5. Mercer lost its share of the Atlantic Sun title, Bucknell lost its second straight game in the Patriot, and Harvard grabbed control of the Ivy League. Mississippi Valley State also improved to 14-0 in the SWAC, while Middle Tennessee continued to cruise.
6. Texas-Arlington ended its 16-game winning streak with a loss at Damian Lillard and Weber State.
7. What a comeback by Notre Dame. Down by 20 points, the Fighting Irish stormed back against Villanova and won in overtime. Pat Connaughton had 21 points, and Jack Cooley continued his surprising dominance with 18 points and 13 boards.
8. Iona simply outran Nevada in the second half. The Gaels forced the Wolf Pack to play too fast and made them turn the ball over left and right.
9. Gonzaga lost to San Francisco for the third consecutive season, as Rashad Green hit a runner with less than three seconds left. Saint Mary's still has control of the WCC standings.
10. Georgetown beat Providence. Goodman has his reaction to the game.

• If you think we missed any of the bubble talk, just go to Poppin' Bubbles. Everything is over there.
• If you want UConn thoughts, we touched on that earlier today.
• Iowa State is going to coast through the backdoor into the tournament, FYI. The Cylcones won 80-69 over Oklahoma today. The resume keeps getting more cushion. Mildly concerning was Royce White only scoring four points. A lot of variance in his game.
• Drexel starting to feel like a CAA team on a huge come, but the 69-49 win at Cleveland State was also about the Vikings having the floor fall through their season yet again.
• Tiny thought. One seeds don’t lose in conference on the road against bad teams. Missouri 71, Texas A&M 62. Kansas kept pace, by steamrolling Texas Tech on the road.

Chace Stanback and UNLV made big defensive plays down the stretch to hold off San Diego State. (AP)

By Matt Norlander and Jeff Borzello

Game of the Night: Vanderbilt made the charge. It took the lead back from Kentucky in the middle of the second half. Then it didn't score in the final four minutes and seven seconds, and Kentucky remained the best team in college basketball. Wildcats 69, 'Dores 63. Anthony Davis will now wrestle the title of Player of the Year away from Thomas Robinson. That's a debate for later in the week, though. Davis had 16 points and seven blocks. He completely changed how Vanderbilt attacked inside.

The Wildcats only have incalculable Miss State and flaky Florida left to play on the road. Then comes the SEC tournament, where Kentucky fans will smother the joint. The chances this team gets to the NCAA tournament 33-1 are better than not, even if Ken Pomeroy is telling us otherwise.

Game of the Day: OK, we absolutely need a rubber match between San Diego State and UNLV. The first game ended on a Jamaal Franklin layup at the buzzer. Saturday’s contest didn’t have a buzzer-beater, but it took a Justin Hawkins offensive rebound, free throw and steal in the final 10 seconds to give UNLV a 65-63 win. The Runnin’ Rebels went four minutes without a field goal down the stretch, but they constantly came up with huge defensive plays – including Chace Stanback knocking the ball away from Franklin in the final minute. These two are now tied atop the Mountain West standings, along with New Mexico.

Michigan State now clearly worthy of a two seed. (AP)

Spartans Final Four-worthy: Michigan State got a road win at Ohio State and did it by shoving Ohio State's head into the ground. According to this tipster, Ohio State was less than 30 percent in eFG% first time since late 2007 against Texas A&M. A 58-48 outcome has to make you wonder if the Spartans will be ranked higher than the Buckeyes come Monday. What's clear after this: Tom Izzo is in the thick of the Coach of the Year race again.

Also clear: Ohio State can't be considered on the same level as Kentucky and Syracuse and Missouri. Not at this moment. Jared Sullinger was able to score 17, grab 16 rebounds ... but also had 10 turnovers. It was the eighth time this season a player had at least 10 giveaways. The other seven times, it was a guard with all those donations.

Second-tier game with significance: Reminiscent of its series of comebacks in December, Louisville ended its game at West Virginia on a 13-3 run to beat the Mountaineers in the final minute. There was some questionable calls late in the game that had Bob Huggins heated in the postgame – again. Kyle Kuric tied the game on a 3-pointer with two minutes left, then had the game-clinching steal and free throws in the last 10 seconds. West Virginia has now lost five of its last six, putting itself squarely in bubble trouble.

Saturday all-stars

1. Jeff Withey had 18 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks to lead Kansas to an 81-66 win over Oklahoma State. He’s become such an underrated cog for the Jayhawks.
2. Notre Dame’s Jack Cooley shot 10-for-12 from the field, finishing with 22 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in a win over DePaul. He’s making a case for the all-Big East team.
3. Andrew Nicholson notched a Dwight Howard-esque performance, going for 21 points and 23 rebounds in St. Bonaventure’s win over Duquesne.
4. Penn State’s Tim Frazier nearly racked up a triple-double against Nebraska, putting up 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He also had three steals.

Numbers don't lie

30. Kent State has now won 30 consecutive games against MAC West opponents dating back to 2008.
3. Prior to today, Virginia hadn't lost this season by more than three points.
22. The number of rebounds for Miles Plumlee, one of the best performances around the tin in Duke history.
12-for-12. Indiana State made the most 3s without a miss in a game in NCAA history.
664. Roy Williams tied John Wooden with 664 wins, 23rd all-time.
23. It's been 23 years since Harvard has won at Princeton.

Other Saturday action worth your attention

• Missouri knocked down 14 3-pointers and Baylor stubbornly stayed in its zone all game, as Tigers rolled to a 72-57 win. Read more about this game here.
• Murray State has no hangover. The Racers defeated Austin Peay, 82-63.
• Temple's an 8-2 A10 team after its home win over Xavier to the tune of 85-72. Owls are working their way toward another seven seed, just like last year. Xavier's tripping over itself on the way to the First Four or the NIT.

• Florida State pulled out a five-point win over Miami (Fla.). The Hurricanes have a nice win over Duke from last weekend, but they need more beef on their profile.
• Marquette got down 16-4 early to Cincinnati, but the Golden Eagles came back and won in a blowout. They made 32 of their last 53 shots.
• Kansas State blew a 13-point lead to Texas, as the Longhorns now throw themselves squarely in the bubble picture. Kansas State is too inconsistent.
• Good night, Davidson’s at-large hopes. The Wildcats lost to Charleston.
• VCU is hitting its stride at the right time, as the Rams went into Old Dominion and knocked off the Monarchs.
• In its first game since Austin Rivers’ big shot, Duke suffered a bit of a hangover against Maryland – but the Blue Devils made a nice second half run to get a win.

Notes

1. With Kent State’s win over Ball State, the Golden Flashes have now swept the MAC West in four straight seasons.
2. The Atlantic-10 could be seeing a little bit of separation at the top. Saint Louis went on the road and beat La Salle today – could the Billikens win out?
3. Alabama suspended Trevor Releford, JaMychal Green and Andrew Steele indefinitely, days after suspended Tony Mitchell. The Crimson Tide are going to have trouble making the NCAA tournament without them.
4. Will Yeguete was knocked unconscious in Florida's bad, bad home loss to Tennessee. It's been diagnosed as a concussion  and due to the 10 stitches in Yeguete's head, he's out indefinitely.

I can't even bite into pudding after seeing Ronald Nored's chipped Chiclet. Butler fell 65-61 to Detroit. (Mocksession.com)

On busier Saturdays and Sundays this season, we’re not going to make you wait until the end of the slate of games to catch up with all that’s happened. Afternoon Delight (3-pointers in flight!) recaps the first five-or-so hours’ worth of action, the perfecta appetizer right before dinnertime.

The best we’ve seen so far:  The Buckeyes got their first win at Kohl since 2000. Thad Matta won in Madison for the first time. It was close. It was quintessential Big Ten basketball, which means I took fadeaway shots with balled-up socks at my living room garbage can to pass the time and make up for lost entertainment. Jared Sullinger’s performance is addressed below. As for Wisconsin, my adoration’s worn off. I still may pick it to win a game in March, but at this point, I’d be happier getting burned and being wrong if they managed to make the second weekend. Team is limited, Jordan Taylor will never get back the level of play he was at last season and UW is all too frustrating to be invested in anymore.

Deserving of a free dinner at the restaurant of their choice: It was the inter-conference game that had the most intrigue. Xavier at Memphis. X led most of the way, bloating its lead in the second half to 10 with six minutes remaining. It looked good and in control. Then, a Memphis run. The Tigers finished the game on a 21-6 run. Memphis looks good now. It needs to avoid getting stupid in C-USA and it will saunter into the tournament. Xavier gets to ride the carousel in the A10 and hope it plays better than 90 percent of the league. No guarantee.  

No soup for you: I’d like to go out and thank Georgetown for exposing South Florida. The Hoyas won at home today over USF, 75-45. Few bought into the Bulls, but losing like this will convince everyone that Stan Heath’s team isn’t, and never was, tournament-worthy.  

Afternoon all-stars

1. Sully went for 24 and 10 and had three steals to boot. Eagerly awaiting what Thomas Robinson does to respond in the marquee game tonight in Columbia.
2. Who is Pat Connaughton? Seriously. I have no idea. Somebody whip up a profile piece. This freshman had 23 and 11 in Notre Dame’s big win over Marquette.
3. Jamelle Hagins, who plays for Borzello’s Delaware Blue Hens, had 18 rebounds in a UD W over James Madison.
4. Vandy might’ve lost, but Jeff Taylor had 25 points, six boards and four steals. He was on his game today. He plays like that going forward, Vandy’s a Sweet 16 team. I swear!
5. Props to VMI’s Keith Gabriel who, as of this post, has a day-high 32. VMI beat Winthrop 86-79.
6. Andre Drummond had seven blocks and a filthy alley-oop which is not yet available on the Web.

Other daytime action worth your attention

1. Florida State is a 7-1 ACC team after defeating Virginia at home, 58-55. Want to emphasize just how good this is for FSU, which is halfway home in conference play and will remain atop the ACC standings with Duke and North Carolina. Virginia falls further behind the pack. The Cavs and Seminoles traded turnovers with each other, but at least the game kept my attention, which isn’t the case with 90 percent of tilts involving ACC teams this year.  
2. Anyone who tries to make Notre Dame’s 76-59 defeat of Marquette more about the Golden Eagles isn’t giving the right due to Mike Brey, who I’m fairly certain came thisclose to having to start a Gatorade cooler earlier this season. The Fighting Irish are now a 7-3 Big East team with DePaul, Villanova and Rutgers aligned in three of their next four games. My God, the Irish stand a good chance of cracking the field! Anything to keep mock turtlenecks relevant: I’m for it.
3. Goodman will have more on Vanderbilt falling 73-65 at Florida. I’m guessing he’ll be writing Florida, so let me say something quickly on Vandy: I’M STILL NOT GIVING UP ON YOU. LOOK AT ME. WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK.
4. UConn’s 69-46, Calhoun coached-less win at home over Seton Hall came as dominantly as the Huskies and their fans could have asked for. But we can’t overreact. Seton Hall didn’t have Herb Pope. And Seton Hall has white guys who can’t shoot. Road tests ahead for the Huskies, and it’s then we’ll find out if the team’s got gumption or not. Beating hobbling roadkill like SHU isn’t going to capture the committee’s attention.

Delightful (and not-so delightful) thoughts

• Difference between home and road. Jan. 14, Baylor plays Okie State at home, wins 106-65. Saturday, Baylor plays Okie State on road, wins 64-60. And if you’ve got a problem with “Okie State,” just know I’ll never stop writing it that way.
• Fab Melo scored a career-high 14 points after missing three games due to academic troubles. As a people, we cannot let Melo’s haircut to continue, however.
• Arizona went into Palo Alto and cleaned up the Cardinal, winning 56-43. It basically means nothing, though.
• I’ll have something on the A10 tonight or tomorrow—depending on how crazy the evening games get—in how it’s a beautiful disaster of sorts. That was reinforced this afternoon once top-ranked La Salle fell to St. Joe’s, 70-66.
• I’m thrilled to report I’ll continue to not pay attention to Arkansas, as I was alerted to the fact the Hogs fell on the road again today, losing at lousy LSU, 71-65.

Archie Miller isn't truly this concerned. (Getty Images)

By Matt Norlander

On busier Saturdays and Sundays this season, we’re not going to make you wait until the end of the slate of games to catch up with all that’s happened. Afternoon Delight (threeeee-pointers in flight!) recaps the first five-or-so hours’ worth of action, the perfecta appetizer right before dinnertime.

Before we get going, the We Back Pat shirts are great and for sale. If you caught the UConn-Tenessee game on CBS today, you saw everyone on the bench wearing them.

The best we’ve seen so far:  It’s the game that just ended as we’re posting this. Cincinnati went into West Virginia, fresh off that win at UConn Wednesday night, and couldn’t claw its way to a win against the Mountaineers, falling 77-74 in overtime. Crowd was frenzied; it was a great watch. God bless the WVU mascot, who could easily charge $500 for party appearances on campus.

I maintain Cincy’s the league’s second-best team until the end of the Syracuse game Monday night. Dennis Kilicli’s left hook shot, by the way, that thing is awesome.

The second-best we’ve seen: Missouri’s win over Baylor. Goodman covered that. I’ll only add that Missouri, in my estimation, would be a one seed if the tournament started today. They’ve deserved it. Tigers as a one … incredible to think about. Frank Haith is no believer in 40-degree days, I bet.

Deserving of a free dinner at the restaurant of their choice: Dayton welcomed Xavier into UD Arena and showed X who’s boss. 87-72, Flyers, and enjoy the 30-minute ride home, Musketeers. Boss-like. A no-doubt-about-it win for UD, who I’ve said for a month now is destined to be a tournament team. Archie Miller is amid the chase for national coach of the year, thanks to Goodman loving the little guy so much. We may have a post on young Archie by the time you stop reading Afternoon Delight.

No soup for you: It was a game that got closer than any one man, woman or child could have predicted. Georgetown 52, Rutgers 50, your life after watching it, 0.

Afternoon all-stars

1. Phil Pressey: 18 points, seven assists, six steals, five rebounds.
2. Pieere Jackson: 20 points, 15 assists, four rebounds.
3. Ricardo Ratlifee: 27 points, eight rebounds.
4. Quincy Miller also had 27 in a losing effort.
5. Oh, are we supposed to pick out players who didn’t get involved in Missouri-Baylor? I can do that. Hmm … Stan Okoye had a best-so-far 18 rebounds for VMI.
6. Maalik Wayns scored 28 points in the most Maalik Wayns way possible, lifting Villanova to a 79-76 OT win at MSG against St. John's.
7. JaMychal Green gave 'Bama 22 and 12 and was the most impressive forward on the floor in the 'Bama-UK game.

Other daytime action worth your attention

1. Kentucky should win at home. That said, there won’t be three teams that play the Wildcats in Rupp as well as Alabama did. Falling 77-71, I was as impressed with the Tide today as I’ve been in any other game, and I’ve been high on the Tide for most of the year. Still think this team should make the Sweet 16 if it falls in a quadrant that doesn’t have a potent offensive team.
2. It’s a nice win for Arkansas, but I’m not sure Michigan falling on the road in Fayetteville (66-64) will ultimately mean anything. Arkansas isn’t a good loss, but it doesn’t affect the Big Ten chase and UM is going to be a single-digit seed regardless. Doubt this truly affects whether they end up as a four, five or six seed.
3. Temple is going to remain in the Power Pyramid Monday because it Maryland 73-60. Terps aren’t as good as the Owls and it should today. Maryland was without one man today, assistant Dalonte Hill, who was arrested for suspicion of DUI. He’ll be out, minimum, two games. This is a big deal; Hill is one of the highest-paid assistants in hoops. Driving while drunk is dumber than agreeing to play Temple at the Palestra.
4. Georgia State started hot in the Colonial. Now it’s 5-3 after falling in 50 minutes to Borzello’s alma mater, Delabro—er—Delaware.
5. Win the road games over non-tournament teams in conference. That’s how good teams become NCAA tournament teams. Kansas State beat Okie State in Stillwater, 66-58. I’ve my doubts about Kansas State, but I know it’s no OSU.

Delightful (and not-so delightful) thoughts

• Michigan State pummeled Purdue 83-58. That’s not much of a story. This, however, is. State's students mocked Robbie Hummel's affliction with knee injuries today. Purdue coach Matt Painter was incensed enough with the vocal, rude fan that he started verbally sparring with him. Let's put these kinds of taunts away forever and instead turn our attention to the fact Purdue is slipping into a bad bubble team.
• In the battle of The Two Schools Everyone Gets Confused With One and Other, Florida Atlantic beat Florida International, 66-64. In other words, Isiah Thomas lost, so you’re probably happy.
• Any hopes Belmont had of running game in the A-Sun this year like it did last year are gone, as the Bruins got beat at always-cagey USC Upstate.

By Matt Norlander

On busier Saturdays and Sundays this season, we’re not going to make you wait until the end of the slate of games to catch up with all that’s happened. Afternoon Delight (3-pointers in flight!) recaps the first five-or-so hours’ worth of action, the perfecta appetizer right before dinnertime.

A very nice win for Iowa, and so the Tebow craze continues. I think benchwarmers are starting to revolt against all that time they spend not playing. Now they’re trying to get the attention on themselves. It’s working.

The best we’ve seen so far: Kentucky 65, Tennessee 62. Now, bear in mind, this post is going up as Kansas is fending off Iowa State and San Diego State is tied with UNLV with a few minutes remaining. I’d wait ‘til those games finish, but I’ve got dinner plans. I know—I’m sorry! We’ll have coverage from that game and all the dinnertime-and-after results as the night goes on.

So anyway, UK went into Knoxville and didn’t get done like Florida got did last Saturday in an early tip. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Anthony Davis continue to amaze; the two combined for 35 crucial points and 20 even more crucial rebounds. Jarnell Stokes played his first game for Tennessee. He made the Vols look real, real good.

Deserving of a free dinner at the restaurant of their choice: Northwestern, hello! We can’t downplay the significant of this win, right now, for the Wildcats. They hosted Michigan State, who’d won 15 straight games, and got out with a decisive 81-74 win. There’s so much to go (I only hope NU is bubble-worthy when I see them at Indiana next month), but beating tournament teams at home gets you closer. More times than not in the past decade, I guess ever, Northwestern doesn’t beat the good teams at home.

No soup for you: North Carolina — need I say more? Actually, I already did.

Afternoon all-stars

1. Shabazz Napier had to play 40 minutes because Ryan Boatright is sitting again while the NCAA and UConn review his eligibility. No matter — Napier played 40 minutes, scored 16 points, only had one turnover and put up five assists. Bigtime game for the soph.
2. I’ll have something up on Arnett Moultrie tomorrow. I talked with him a few days ago, and damn do his quotes to me sound prophetic. Moultrie and Mississippi State got a nice home W against ’Bama today, 56-62. Moultrie went for 25 points and 13 boards. He’s getting close to being a top-10 Player of the Year candidate. Monster showing.
3. Maalik Wayns. Had THIRTY-NINE, 13 rebounds and six dimes in Villanova’s 82-78 loss at Cincy, which was a very entertaining game, might I add.
4. Phil Pressey finished with 18 points, 10 assists, two steals and not a one giveaway in Missouri’s cruise-control home win against Texas.

Other daytime action worth your attention

1. It was a great team effort from Iowa. The Hawkeyes nipped Michigan in Iowa City, 75-59. No chairs were damaged, and Fran McCaffery got his team to respond. Props to him and the ’Eyes.
2. Baylor’s 106-65 killshot to Oklahoma State has to be mentioned, because it’s a look into how scary-good Baylor can be. This won’t be among the top-10 talked about results from today, but after that W over K-State on the road, and now this at home? Baylor a top-three team now, yes?
3. Best game no one really noticed: Saint Louis finished off Charlotte 68-67, a win the Billikens absolutely had to have on the road. Top-five game of SLU’s season right there.
4. What can I say, I have my doubts about Kansas State. Yes, this can tie into our road-woes theme, but I think the Wildcats aren’t that good. KSU never even had a lead in its 82-73 loss at Oklahoma.
5. Oregon 59, Arizona 57 pretty much kills off the slimmest of at-large hopes Wildcats fans had. We’re talking ’Zona needing to reel off 10 straight wins to enter the bubble picture now.
6. New Mexico and Wyoming is what we’ll close up with. The Other Big MWC Matchup finshed with New Mexico winning 72-62 on the road. Wyoming will have to steal its SDSU and UNLV home games if it wants to make a run at the tournament.

Delightful thoughts

• Xavier rolling again after beating the Bonnies.
• Kevin Jones took just one 3-pointer. West Virginia beat Rutgers by 24. I told ya!
• It was 62 years ago when second-ranked Kentucky went into Knoxville and fell.
• This is not delightful. Virginia Tech lost at Boston College. Seth Greenberg is now on the NIT bubble.

By Matt Norlander

On busier Saturdays and Sundays this season, we’re not going to make you wait until the end of the slate of games to catch up with all that’s happened. Afternoon Delight (3-pointers in flight!) recaps the first five hours worth of action, the perfecta appetizer right before dinnertime.

The best we’ve seen so far: Baylor went into Provo and got a win in one of the toughest environments in college basketball, 86-83 over BYU. Brandon Davies was blocked by 5-10 Pierre Jackson as Davies tried to put up the game-tying 3. No Jimmer in the building, but Baylor had plenty of firepower from Brady Heslip, who drained six 3s. By the way, Perry Jones will be a guaranteed top-four draft pick. He had an injury scare in his leg/knee, but not matter: Jones came back in the game. He finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Love the royal blue Santa suit.

Deserving of a free dinner at the restaurant of their choice: It was about as quiet of a top-25 game as you could ask for (and not want). Florida got out early against Texas A&M and coasted 84-64 in what they're calling the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic. The worst thing about the Gators were their hideous orange-on-blue uniforms. This was more about A&M not being a top-25 than Florida proving its worth against a ranked team, which UF finally did by way of a victory.

No soup for you: That was a worse loss for Purdue than it was a good win for Butler. Andrew Smith picked up the trash and tipped the game-winner in with one second to give the Bulldogs a 67-65 win, but the Boilers gave away a 15 point led and was on the wrong end of a 21-8 run. Shaky free-throw shooting and not enough interior presence, either.

Afternoon all-stars

1. Deshaun Thomas 30 points on 13-of-16 shooting and six rebounds as he showed just how good he can be in a spot when Ohio State needs him. Buckeyes won a 74-6 road game against slippery South Carolina.
2. The two-overtime game you might have missed was a blast. All sorts of bonkers buckets and Miami beat Florida Atlantic 93-90. Reggie Johnson came off the bench, played in his first game back from a knee injury and 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five blocks in 36 minutes. Damn, son!
3. Arnett Moultrie (17 points, 13 boards) was huge in Mississippi State’s tough road win at Detroit. Speaking of that:

Other afternoon action

1. Mississippi State got a clutch block late from Moultrie and won 80-75 against the Titans, who could be a tournament team down the road. Mississippi State will climb into the top 15 of the polls now that it’s 11-1.
2. Iona keeps gritting out road wins in the midst of its nine-game away-from-home trip. The Gaels won 63-62 at Vermont this afternoon.
3. We’d give Temple a lot of credit if it went in and beat Texas on the road. It didn’t happen, and so the Longhorns deserve just as much credit for beating the Owls (77-65), who can finish second in the Atlantic 10.

Delightful thoughts

• It’s a delightful thing when you can rally twice from double digits. That’s what the Big Red of Cornell did, knocking off Albany in overtime, 85-82.
• As for the Horizon, consider: Detroit at home can't close out against Miss. St. Butler on neutral floor overtakes Purdue. Muscle memory, coaching, etc.
• You see Cincinnati play teams like Radford, you see why Yancy Gates only got suspended for one Big East game and the remainder of this patsy schedule.
• We'll see what the night brings, but after such a down week without any games, this start to a Saturday was uplifting and a joy to see. Felt like mid-February, almost.

Photos: US PRESSWIRE