College Hoops Today

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The Breakfast Buffet: Hunter Dickinson versus Luka Garza, Boise State/San Diego State, Western Kentucky’s big opportunity

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Hunter Dickinson versus Luka Garza
This feels like a throwback to the 1990s. In a day and age, where traditional big men are having less and less of an impact at all levels of basketball, tonight’s game between Iowa and Michigan features a showdown of two legitimate centers in the Hawkeyes’ Luka Garza and the Wolverines’ Hunter Dickinson. The 6-11 Garza is the favorite to win National Player of the Year as a senior while the 7-1 Dickinson has been a revelation for Michigan in the paint and seems destined to earn All-American status in the next few weeks. Dickinson had 22 points and nine rebounds in Sunday’s massive win at Ohio State. Consider this matchup appointment television for the college basketball junkie.

The Mountain West takes the spotlight at Viejas Arena
This was the series that everyone circled on the calendar when the conference schedules came out last fall. Over the next few days, the Mountain West’s top two teams — San Diego State and Boise State — will take part in a pair of games at Viejas Arena that will ultimately have a major hand in who wins the league’s regular season title. Round one between these two teams is tonight with another showdown looming for Saturday. The Broncos have never won an outright Mountain West regular season title under Leon Rice. 

Western Kentucky can take a major step towards an NCAA Tournament berth by winning at Houston
Rick Stansbury has done everything during his tenure in Bowling Green except earn a place in college basketball’s most fabled showcase. There’s a good chance that will change if Western Kentucky (15-4) wins at Houston tonight. The Hilltoppers are currently projected to be in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team by my colleague at CBS Sports Jerry Palm and a win tonight on the road over the Cougars would drastically enhance Western Kentucky’s potential place in the bracket. This team already has a road win on its resume against Alabama, has beaten Memphis on a neutral court, and also beat Northern Iowa — the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley — on a neutral court before star guard AJ Green was lost for the season due to injury.

On The Side

  • If Michigan State (12-9) wins three of its final five regular season games, it will be in the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans host Ohio State tonight in East Lansing and also have two meetings remaining with Michigan. Michigan State will also visit Maryland and host Indiana prior to the postseason.
  • West Virginia is 7-4 since Oscar Tshiebwe left the program in December and the four losses have come by a combined 12 points. There’s going to be a lot of people picking the Mountaineers to go deep in their bracket on Selection Sunday.
  • Something to monitor: Villanova’s Trey Patterson made his college debut late in Tuesday night’s win over St. John’s. The 6-8 forward enrolled in college early and wasn’t expected to play this season, but could be a significant addition to the Wildcats’ depth. Patterson was a four-star recruit.
  • VCU’s Mike Rhoades feels like a runaway candidate for Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. The Rams lost their top three scorers from last season, but are 17-5 and well positioned to both win the Atlantic 10 regular season title and reach the NCAA Tournament.
  • Arizona State is 8-11, but I wouldn’t want any part of the Sun Devils in the Pac-12 Tournament. Why? Remy Martin. The preseason All-American has regained his vintage form. Martin has scored 23 or more points in six straight games.

Daily Specials

  • Iowa at Michigan
  • Western Kentucky at Houston
  • Ohio State at Michigan State
  • USC at Colorado
  • Boise State at San Diego State

Leftovers: