Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="OrangeXtreme, post: 2110775, member: 41"] [B][URL="http://www.syracuse.com/orangebasketball/index.ssf/2017/03/bubble_watch_losses_by_illinois.html#incart_m-rpt-1"]Bubble watch: K-State, Xavier score big wins as Syracuse basketball waits (March 10)[/URL][/B] [B]Thursday games of note[/B] [B]Michigan 75, Illinois 55:[/B] The Illini, listed among the first four out in the Bracket Matrix not only lost, but lost badly to a Michigan team the Big Ten had no compassion for. The Wolverines, victims of a skidding plane and a lack of uniforms, likely stamped out the faint hopes of an Illinois appearance in the NCAA Tournament. [B]TCU 85, Kansas 82:[/B] Jamie Dixon and his TCU team pulled a Big 12 upset and all of a sudden, TCU is still in play for a Big 12 tournament title and the automatic bid it delivers. Jamie Dixon: Still annoying Syracuse. This time from Texas. [B]Middle Tennessee 86, UT San Antonio 70:[/B] Middle Tennessee went 17-1 in Conference USA and is 28-4 overall. Syracuse wants nobody but Middle Tennessee to win that conference championship. MTSU plays again Friday at 12:30 p.m. vs. UTEP. [B]California 78, Utah 75:[/B] The Bears lost a healthy late-game lead, but survived against the Utes. Cal, which sits outside the field right now, gets a chance to make a big statement with a win over Oregon on Friday. [B]Indiana 95, Iowa 73:[/B] Indiana positively smoked Iowa, which should deal a significant blow to the Hawkeyes' chances to gain an at-large spot. New problem: Indiana now plays fading Wisconsin with a chance to secure another big win and stay relevant in the race for the Big Ten automatic bid. [B]Vanderbilt 66, Texas A&M 41:[/B] The Commodores kept their tournament hopes aloft with a win over the somewhat lowly Aggies. Vandy now gets Florida and a chance to beat the Gators for the third time this season. That would hugely help a resume that right now puts Vandy in right at the edge of the field, according to the matrix. [B]Xavier 62, Butler 57:[/B] This outcome was bad news for Syracuse. Xavier, teetering the last half of the season without its star guard, got a huge, huge win over Butler. Travon Bluiett's late-game bucket was the difference. The Musketeers were on the edge of the field, in the tournament, before this win. The victory might have solidified Xavier's spot. [B]Kansas State 70, Baylor 64:[/B] K-State secured a big bubble win over Baylor, a team it has beaten twice this season, once on Baylor's home court. Kansas State was just outside the field on the Bracket Matrix before this win. Joe Lunardi had K-State in his first four out before the win and moved the Wildcats into the field after they beat Baylor. K-State probably scored the biggest win of the bubble teams on Thursday. [B]UCLA 76, USC 74:[/B] USC nearly pulled off the second-biggest win of the day. Even with the close loss, the Trojans seem to be safely in the field with a No. 11 seed in the Bracket Matrix. [B]Friday games of note[/B] [B]St. Bonventure vs. Rhode Island, A-10 Tournament, 2:30 p.m. (NBC Sports):[/B]Rhode Island is perched directly on the NCAA Tournament bubble. A win by the Bonnies would not help Rhody's case. This could be as important a game that exists for SU and its NCAA Tournament hopes. Today, we're all Bonnies. [B]TCU vs. Iowa State, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)[/B]: Syracuse really, really wants Iowa State to win this game. The alternative is the possibility that Jamie Dixon continues to haunt SU with an improbable run through the Big 12 tournament. [B]Cal vs. Oregon, 9 p.m.:[/B] Those Oregon uniforms are some of the coolest in all of college basketball. The Ducks deserve your support. Bonus reason: Creepy Cal Bear mascot makes it difficult to root for that team. Bonus reason No. 2: Dylan Ennis, brother of Tyler Ennis, plays for Oregon. [B]Indiana vs. Wisconsin, 6:30 p.m. (BTN):[/B] Bucky Badger is one of the coolest mascots in all of college sports. Bucky deserves your support. [B]Vanderbilt vs. Florida, 7 p.m. (SECN):[/B] A Gators win could wobble Vandy, which like Syracuse has double-digit losses and is just inside the cut line in the Bracket Matrix. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?