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The Breakfast Buffet: UConn/Providence, TCU’s backcourt gets a big stage, Missouri/Arkansas

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

UConn/Providence
This game is everything that conference play should be about. Dan Hurley is going to have the Huskies breathing fire after they suffered a hard fought loss — their first of the year — on Saturday at Xavier. Providence (12-3) meanwhile, has won seven games in a row and has not lost since Nov. 30th. Another thing to keep in mind: Hurley and Ed Cooley are cordial, but they’re also the same guys who traded blows one time a year for six seasons when Hurley was the head coach at Rhode Island. Translation? They’re not making plans together for dinner in Federal Hill after tonight’s game. This is an old school Big East showdown. A word to the wise: Don’t show up if you’re soft.

TCU’s backcourt gets a big stage
When people talk about the top backcourts in the Big 12, the Horned Frogs’ tandem of Damion Baugh and Mike Miles isn’t likely to be the first duo that comes to mind. That can change after tonight’s game against Baylor in Waco. TCU — who is 12-1 — suffered its only loss this season when both Baugh and Miles were out of the lineup. How good is this duo? In Saturday’s win over Texas Tech, they combined for 37 points, eight assists, and five steals, four of which were by Baugh. This is a major opportunity for the Horned Frogs to continue to cement their place as a presence nationally.

Missouri hits the road
Back-to-back wins over Illinois and Kentucky by an average of 18 points have made the Tigers nationally relevant. Now comes the hard part: Dealing with expectations, especially away from home. That will begin tonight as Missouri plays its first SEC game away from Columbia under Dennis Gates when the Tigers face Arkansas at Bud Walton Arena. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 of this week’s ROTHSTEIN 45. Tonight’s game will only be the second time that Missouri has played a true road game this season. The Tigers won by four at Wichita State on Nov. 29th.

On The Side

  • UCLA freshman Adem Bona is averaging 9.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and two blocks in his last five games. The 6-10 big man is far from a finished product, but Bona’s confidence and productivity is clearly improving compared to the first month of the season.
  • Duke’s Jaylen Blakes has scored 17 points in back-to-back games entering tonight’s matchup with NC State in Raleigh. The 6-2 Blakes was part of the starting lineup in Saturday’s win over Florida State in Durham.
  • Following Monday night’s win at Mackey Arena, Steve Pikiell is 5-1 in Rutgers’ last six games versus Purdue.
  • The Atlantic 10 may be only be a one-bid league, but that doesn’t mean that this conference doesn’t have a star in Dayton’s Daron Holmes II. The 6-10 sophomore is significantly improved from last season and is averaging 25.6 points and 9.6 rebounds in his last five games. Keep this guy on your radar.
  • Liberty’s Darius McGhee has made five or more three-point shots in five of his last six games. McGhee is shooting 47.2 percent from long distance and has already made 75 shots from three-point range this season.

Daily Specials

  • Duke at NC State
  • UConn at Providence
  • Missouri at Arkansas
  • TCU at Baylor
  • Iowa State at Oklahoma

Leftovers