The Tigers appear to have the opponent they need, as Clemson has really had Pittsburgh’s number. Since Pitt’s inaugural ACC season, Clemson has dominated this series, winning 11 straight over the Panthers.
If the NCAA tournament was played at Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas would be the overwhelming favorite to win the title. The Jayhawks have been so unbeatable in their building that even defending champion and likely top seed Connecticut couldn’t handle them there.
Cincinnati hasn’t found the Fertitta Center any more welcoming than any other Big 12 visitors. The Bearcats are used to coming to Houston, as the teams used to be American Athletic Conference rivals, but that only means that the Cougars have won nine of 10 from Cincinnati and six straight in Houston. Cincinnati hasn’t won in the Space City since 2017, the final year before Houston built the Fertitta Center.
The Boilers know they’ll be a top seed again. But they need the intimidation factor, and they need to make a statement to make that happen. Showing the Ohio State game was a fluke would make a strong statement that Purdue intends to be a force in March.
St. John’s hasn’t beaten any of the Big East’s best. And that’s why this is their last chance. The Red Storm’s final three games before the Big East tournament are Butler, DePaul and Georgetown. Beating the Bulldogs won’t move the needle, and the Blue Demons and Hoyas are pure land mines.
The AP Top 25 saw its top two seeds lose this week. Purdue dropped to third overall after their loss to Ohio State, and UConn will face their wrath come Monday when the new rankings are out.
Houston will be playing their first game at Foster Pavilion, which has proved advantageous for Baylor this season. Both teams have crushed opponents at home this season; home-court advantage could be pivotal for this Big 12 matchup.
Unlike a lot of teams, Washington State has held its own on the road. Since dropping their first two league games, the Cougars are 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in Pac-12 play away from Pullman. The one loss wasn’t great considering it came at California, but it was in overtime. The Cougars have also depended on their defense as of late, holding four straight opponents to 65 points or less.Â
Florida Atlantic went 4-1 in those games, which more than offset its pratfalls against Florida Gulf Coast and Bryant. And that has the Owls on the right side of the bubble and the Mustangs needing to run the table to have a chance. SMU at least has an opportunity to get a Quad 1 win here (and potentially another one at South Florida on Sunday), but most people aren’t thinking about them as a bubble squad.Â