Must-see TV

When is the right time to pay attention to bracketology? Is it in February, the start of conference play, or as soon as the season starts? Depending on where you land, you'll want to read the impact of Thursday night's games from a résumé-building standpoint. Because one team got a big prize that could be their ticket to the Big Dance.

Plus, it's gonna be a fantastic Saturday thanks to the Big12/SEC Challenge. We tell you which games you have to watch.

Let's get to the news.

1. serious mUSCle

In the return of our bracketology show "Fielding the 68," USC barely made the cut. When the new episode drops tonight at 5 pm ET (watch it here), the Trojans won't have to sweat anything.

USC erased a 12-point halftime deficit Thursday night against No. 8 UCLA and ran away from its crosstown rivals, 77-64. Boogie Ellis, perhaps the Pac-12's best player not on Arizona or UCLA, went off for 31 points, 27 of which came after the intermission. 

Perhaps more impressive? Ellis match the Bruins' second-half point total by himself.

It's easily the best win of the season for USC (15-6, 7-3 in Pac-12). Entering the night, its NET rating was 62, and it had a Quad 3 loss. Now, they have two Quad 1 wins, which is crucial because not every Pac-12 game provides those chances. Their remaining schedule is league landmines until they close with the Arizona schools the first week of March.

Despite Mick Cronin's disgruntlement, it's not the end of the world for UCLA (17-4, 8-2), although it has lost two straight in its swing through LA. However, the Bruins are still atop the league standings and have a decent chance of claiming a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They'll just need to rip off another long win streak as they did in December and January.

2. Michigan's running out of time

When you need a signature win, there's no better time than when you're hosting the nation's No. 1 team.

Welp. Maybe not. 

Michigan's 75-70 loss to Purdue was probably a given. The Wolverines didn't have freshman Jett Howard, their second-leading scorer, and they have been inconsistent all season. But they started feisty, hitting shots and limiting Purdue's chances. With 7:47 remaining in the first half, it was tied at 28. 

Then Purdue (20-1, 9-1 in Big Ten) went on a 12-0 run, and the game was never really in doubt from there. Zach Edey had 19 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Fletcher Loyer had 17 on 4-of-10 shooting and 8-of-8 from the line.

Hunter Dickinson had a good game against Edey, scoring a game-high 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Kobe Bufkin had 16 points, while Joey Baker, who started in place of Howard on the wing, had 11 points in 29 minutes. 

But this was the kind of game that Michigan (11-9, 5-4) needed to win. It is 0-7 against Quad 1 opponents. Its Net rating is hovering in the 70s. It has the Quad 4 loss to Central Michigan, etc, etc. Know what, we'll let the AFTER DARK crew take it from here.

Other results to know:

Utah 63, Oregon State 44Stump your friends with this trivia: Who is second in the Pac-12 standings? Utah (15-7, 8-3), which quietly keeps winning games. It didn't have the best offensive game but held Oregon State (8-13, 2-8) to just 34 percent shooting from the field and 2-of-18 from deep.

Washington 69, Arizona State 66 (OT)It's just a Quad 2 loss for Arizona State (15-6, 6-4 in Pac-12) but it'll sting, even after freshman Austin Nunez made all three free throws in the final second to take the game into overtime. Desmond Cambridge had 26 points, but the team made just 31 percent from the field. Washington (13-9, 5-6) got 22 points from Keion Brooks and 18 from Noah Williams.

Arizona 63, Washington State 58Washington State (9-13, 4-7 Pac-12) couldn't pull off the season sweep of Arizona, shooting just 33 percent. Azuolas Tubelis (18 points and 12 rebounds) led No. 6 Arizona (18-3, 7-3), while Kerr Kriisa made five 3-pointers.

Michigan State 63, Iowa 61The Spartans trailed 10-0 to start the game at home but steadily climbed back for a nice win. Five players for Michigan State (14-7, 6-4 in Big Ten) were in double figures, led by Jaden Akins with 12 points. Ahron Ulis had 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting for Iowa (12-8, 4-5), while Filip Rebrača had 16 points and 11 rebounds. But a rare off-game from Kris Murray (11 points, 8 rebounds) prevented the Hawkeyes from a road triumph.

FAU 85, Middle Tennessee 67The Blue Raiders were competitive in the first 15 minutes, but the Owls (20-1, 10-0 in CUSA) raced ahead for a comfortable win, despite two starters going scoreless. Johnell Davis scored a game-high 25 points off the bench, while Eli Lawrence had 17 on 7-of-13 shooting for Middle Tennessee (13-8, 6-4). No. 21 FAU is three games ahead of everyone else in CUSA.

Louisiana Monroe 86, Marshall 82, 2OTA battle between two of the Sun Belt's top teams needed extra basketball. Guard Jamari Blackmon had the shot of the game, scoring a career-high 35 points on 8-of-15 shooting from deep.

The Warhawks (10-12, 6-3 in Sun Belt) also got 21 points and 15 rebounds from Thomas Howell, who also played all 50 minutes. Marshall (17-5, 6-3) got 28 points from star guard Taevion Kinsley. Both teams are just one game behind in the standings.

Memphis 99, SMU 84The Tigers (16-5, 6-2 in AAC) are clicking on offense; they shot 54 percent from the field and racked up 25 assists Thursday night. Kendric Davis had 11 of them, along with a game-high 25 points. SMU (7-14, 2-6) falls to the bottom tier of the AAC.

Old Dominion 66, South Alabama 64The Jaguars (8-13, 2-7 in Sun Belt) have now lost four straight and are and tied for second-to-last in the Sun Belt. Chaunce Jenkins had 16 for the Monarchs (12-9, 4-5).

Wright State 93, Milwaukee 86The Panthers couldn't hang against the potent Wright State (12-10, 5-6 in Horizon) offense, with Alex Huibregtse scoring 25 points and Trey Calvin chipping in 21. BJ Freeman did all he could for Milwaukee (14-7, 8-3), scoring 25 points. With Northern Kentucky winning over lowly Green Bay, the Panthers are now one game behind in the league standings.

Hofstra 82, Elon 65Aaron Estrada was the star, scoring a career-high 40 points on 16-of-25 shooting for  Hofstra (14-8, 7-2 in CAA). Tyler Thomas added 23 points. Sean Halloran had 24 points but it wasn't enough to stop the skid for the Phoenix (2-19, 0-8).

Liberty 74, Stetson 45A couple of weeks ago, Stetson (11-9, 6-3 in ASUN) was the surprise leader of the ASUN. Order has since been restored, with Liberty (17-5, 8-1), now tied with Kennesaw State atop the standings. Reigning ASUN Player of the Year Darius McGhee had 15 points to lead all scorers. 

Sam Houston State 55, Seattle U 40On a night with an entertaining WAC slate, Seattle U (16-5, 7-1) went on the road and managed just 16 first-half points and dropped its first conference game. Donte Powers was the leading scorer with 13 points, but Sam Houston State (16-5, 6-3) showed its defense and why it could still claim the top spot.

Oregon 75, Colorado 69Without N'Faly Dante, Nathan Bittle stepped up at center for Oregon (12-9, 6-4 in Pac-12), producing 11 points and 13 rebounds. Quincy Guerrier had 16, while Keeshawn Barthelemy contributed 13 off the bench. Tristan Da Silva had 23 to lead Colorado (12-10, 4-7), which is now tied for the second-most losses in Pac-12 play.

UAB 65, Louisiana Tech 59Once again, without star guard Jelly Walker, UAB (14-7, 5-5 in CUSA) found a way to win, thanks to 19 points from Eric Gaines and 11 and 13 from forward KJ Buffen. Cobe Williams contributed 21 points for LA Tech (11-10, 4-6), but the rest of the team combined for 14-of-47 shooting. While the Blazers aren't going to catch FAU in CUSA, they're still just two games out of second place.

Northwestern State 82, Houston Christian 63The Purple Demons (13-8, 5-3 Southland) are just a game back in the Southland standings after Ja'Monta Black dropped 31 points on Houston Christian (7-14, 4-4). One-arm sensation Hansel Enmanuel had four points in 17 minutes off the bench, including this emphatic slam.

Southern Utah 79, Utah Valley 67Southern Utah (15-7, 7-2 in WAC) got the important home win and is now tied for first. All-league guard Tevian Jones had 20 points to lead all scorers, while Justin Harmon scored 16 for Utah Valley (16-6, 7-2).

Eastern Washington 81, Idaho State 68The Eagles (15-7, 9-0 in Big Sky) remain unbeaten in conference play, thanks to 33 combined points from Steele Venters and Angelo Allegri. Idaho State (8-14, 2-7) got a good night from Branden Parker with 18 points.

LMU 79, Portland 60A week after upsetting Gonzaga, LMU (15-7, 5-3 in WCC) sits third in the league standings, handling Portland (11-12, 3-5) at home. Cam Shelton continues his scoring run, leading all players with 20 points.

UC-Santa Barbara 65, Hawaii 64For those who stayed up late, you got to see two of the top teams in the Big West duke it out for 40 minutes. The Gauchos (17-3, 8-1) were able to pull off the massive victory to stand alone at the top of the standings, led by Ajay Mitchell with 24 points. It was a missed opportunity for the Rainbow Warriors (15-6, 6-3), who are two games back.

3. Can a guard snag Naismith DPOY honors?

The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award announced its 15 finalists on Thursday, with a few surprises on the list.

Oscar Tshiebwe, the reigning National Player of the Year, is known as a rebounder and has improved as a defender, but it's surprising to see him here. Marcus Sasser is Houston's best offensive player and is the Cougar representative. Good defender, but not great. And while Zach Edey is the favorite for NPOY, he can be exploited on that end of the court.

There are a few names with national reputations for their defense, such as Leaky Black, Kevin McCullar, Ryan Kalkbreener and Jamarion Sharp, who currently leads the NCAA in blocked shots. Big Ten frontcourt star Trayce-Jackson Davis is an All-American — and not just because of his offense. Caleb McConnell is the lead defender on a Rutgers squad filled with them. The same could be said for Jaylen Clark, who is the best defender in the Pac-12.

The guy that stands out is Zakai Zeigler. A fearsome on-ball pest on the best defense in the country, the 5-9 guard got SEC all-defense honors as a freshman and has stepped into a leading role.

Could Zeigler ride the wave of the Vols' outstanding defense to this individual award? We'll see.

4. Ranking the Big 12/SEC matchups

This will be the final season of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. We'll miss seeing the great games lodged in late January, but this season's got a few great games that can be the capstone. This is how they rank in terms of watchability and intrigue for Saturday's games.

10. Ole Miss (9-11, 1-7 SEC) at OK State (11-9, 3-5 Big 12)Perhaps the two worst offenses out of all 20 participants makes this a competitive game on paper. But it certainly won't be very watchable. Whoever gets 60 points likely wins. Matthew Murrell vs Bryce Thompson will be fun to watch but outside of Oklahoma State trying to avoid a bad loss, there's not much to this game. (8 pm ET, ESPN2)

9. Texas Tech (10-10, 0-8 Big 12) at LSU (12-8, 1-7 SEC)As the lone game that features no projected NCAA Tournament teams, this one means little. But the Red Raiders' struggles are a compelling storyline, and this is the easiest game they have left on the schedule. If Texas Tech, who likely won't have big man Fardaws Aimaq, can't win at LSU, they'll be in complete freefall. (2 pm ET, ESPNU)

8. TCU (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) at Mississippi State (12-8, 1-7 SEC)The Bulldogs led Alabama this week for 30-plus minutes, but couldn't pull off the upset. They take on a team just as good (TCU), with its own All-American guard in Mike Miles. Unless Tolu Smith can have a big game, it's hard to see this one being as competitive. (4 pm ET, ESPN2)

7. Auburn (16-4, 6-2 SEC) at West Virginia (12-8, 2-6 Big 12)This game is the evolved form of Ole Miss vs OK State, but both are in the projected NCAAT field. It should be a fun and competitive game. With Erik Stevenson, Wendell Green, and KD Johnson on the court, let's just say that there could be a lot of chances for offensive rebounds for the bigs. (Noon, ESPN)

6. Alabama (18-2, 8-0 SEC) at Oklahoma (11-9, 2-6 Big 12)On paper, the Crimson Tide is a big favorite against the Sooners, who are firmly on the bubble. But Coach Porter Moser's team has been very competitive in Big 12 play and has shown that they can beat top-10 teams. Alabama is coming off a near-upset against Mississippi State and will go on the road against a team that could use a signature resume win. Also, freshman Brandon Miller of the Tide is always appointment TV. (2 pm ET, ESPN)

5. Florida (12-8, 5-3 SEC) at Kansas State (17-3, 6-2 Big 12)It's a familiar team for Keyontae Johnson, who transferred from Florida after sitting out nearly two years due to a heart condition. Now, he's averaging over 18 ppg for the No. 5 team in the country. For Florida, this is a major opportunity to get a signature win and get on the bubble after a 7-7 start to the season. (6 pm ET, ESPN2)

4. Arkansas (14-6, 3-5 SEC) at Baylor (15-5, 5-3 Big 12)It's a shame that 5-star freshman Nick Smith won't be available for Arkansas because he versus Keyonte George would've been great. But Anthony Black, Devo Davis and Ricky Council are a good enough trio to take on Baylor's trio of George, LJ Cryer and Adam Flagler. (4 pm ET, ESPN)

3. Kansas (16-4, 5-3 Big 12) at Kentucky (14-6, 5-3 SEC)With two potential All-Americans playing (Oscar Tshiebwe; 16.6 ppg and 13.9 rpg and Jalen Wilson; 21.4 ppg and 8.6 rpg), you'd think this would be the premier game. But the Wildcats are firmly on the bubble and could use a signature win, while the Jayhawks are looking to avoid a fourth-straight loss. Considering that the losing fanbase could have a meltdown after this game, you'll have to turn into this one. (8 pm ET, ESPN)

2. Iowa State (15-4, 6-2 Big 12) at Missouri (15-5, 4-4 SEC)If these rankings were done in the preseason, this may have been the 9th or 10th. Instead, it's a battle of teams massively exceeding expectations, as the Tigers are in the NCAA Tournament mix, while the Cyclones are contending for a Big 12 title. Iowa State is one of the top defensive units in the country, going up against a Mizzou squad that scores over 83 ppg. One thing you can expect is a lot of 3-pointers taken in this game, something that's a strength on both sides. (2 pm ET, ESPN2)

1. Texas (17-3, 6-2 Big 12) at Tennessee (17-3, 7-1 SEC) Two of the top defensive teams in the country face off with top-tier seeding at stake. The Vols have a shot at a 1 seed, as does Texas since they're a top team in the Big 12 and have many Quad 1 opportunities ahead. Zakai Zeigler has started as of late, and expect him to be on Marcus Carr, the Longhorns' star and leading scorer. How this individual matchup plays out may be a deciding factor of who wins this battle of top 10 teams. (6 pm ET, ESPN)

5. NCAA lost 59 million in the fiscal year of 2022

The NCAA's strength has been the operation levels and ability to make money for the institutions under its umbrella. A recent USA Today article examined its finances.

The big thing mentioned is the "$59 million" that was lost, but upon further reading, it's not that bad. There was an $84 million expense to create an insurance company to ensure the sport of college basketball against future cancellation of tournaments due to another pandemic, war, or any other cataclysmic events that are unforeseen. So without that, the NCAA would've been in the black.

The organization also boosted its spending on women's events, addressing the complete disparity that was shown in the past few years, most notably in 2021 in the NCAA Tournaments. It's a good step in a sport that, by all numbers, keeps growing and needs support from the NCAA to continue in that positive direction.

There's going to be continued debate on the NCAA and its importance/value in college athletics. But with over a billion dollar budget and doing well with revenue ($138 million increase due to title events and television fees), they'll certainly be a part of the sport of college basketball shortly.

Saint Mary's looks to make a national statement in Provo

Another non-Power 5 program has joined Florida Atlantic and College of Charleston in the Top 25 rankings. But it's a familiar face in Saint Mary's, which has flown under the radar this season. Not only are the Gaels in first place in the WCC, but the metrics also rank them better than Gonzaga. We'll have to wait another week for that matchup, but they will have their toughest test since San Diego State in BYU at their place. The Cougars nearly beat Gonzaga in Provo two weeks ago, and this has been one of the top rivalries in the WCC. Can Saint Mary's find a way to beat them in its last game at BYU before they leave for the Big 12? (10 pm ET ESPN2)

The other games to watch this weekend (All times ET)

Saturday

• Xavier (17-4, 9-1 Big East) at Creighton (12-8, 6-3) 12:15 pm (CBS)

• NC State (16-5, 6-4 ACC) at Wake Forest (14-7, 6-4) 1 pm (ACC Network)

• Cincinnati (14-7, 5-3 AAC) at Houston (19-2, 7-1) 2:15 pm (CBS)

• Illinois (14-6, 5-4 Big Ten) at Wisconsin (12-7, 4-5) 3: pm (FOX)

• Hofstra (14-8, 7-2 CAA )at College of Charleston (21-1, 9-0) 4 pm (Check local listings)

• Western Kentucky (11-10, 3-7 CUSA) at Florida Atlantic (20-1, 10-0) 4 pm (Check local listings)

• Richmond (11-10, 4-4 A-10) at Dayton (13-8, 5-3) 4:pm (CBSSN)

• Miami (16-4, 7-3 ACC) at Pittsburgh (14-7, 7-3) 4 pm (ACC Network)

• Clemson (17-4, 9-1 ACC) at Florida State (7-14, 5-5) 5 pm (ACC Network)

• Arizona (18-3, 7-3 Pac-12) at Washington (13-9, 5-6) 5:30 pm (FOX)

• Seattle (16-5, 7-1 WAC) at Stephen F. Austin (14-7, 6-2) (ESPN+)

• Saint Bonavneture (10-11, 4-4 A-10) at VCU (16-5, 7-1) 6 pm (CBSSN)

• Gonzaga (17-4, 6-1 WCC) at Portland (11-12, 3-5) 7 pm (Check Local Listing)

• Florida Gulf Coast (14-8, 4-5 ASUN) at Liberty (17-5, 8-1) 7 pm (ESPN+)

• Arizona State (15-6, 6-4 Pac-12) at Washington (13-9, 5-6) 8 pm (ESPNU)

• Ohio State (11-9, 3-6 Big Ten) at Indiana (14-6, 5-4) 8 pm (FOX)

• Nevada (16-5, 6-2 Mountain West) at UNLV (13-7, 2-6) 10 pm (CBSSN)

Sunday

• Providence (16-5, 8-2 Big East) at Villanova (10-10, 4-5) Noon pm (FS1)

• Michigan (11-9, 5-4 Big Ten) at Penn State (13-7, 4-5) Noon (Big Ten Network)

• Michigan State (14-7, 6-4 Big Ten) at Purdue (20-1, 9-1) 12:15 pm (CBS)

• Georgetown (6-15, 1-9 Big East) at St. John's (13-8, 3-7) 2 pm (FS1)

• Rutgers (14-6, 6-3 Big Ten) at Iowa (12-8, 4-5) 2 pm (Big Ten Network)

• Drake (16-6, 7-4 MVC) at Belmont (16-6, 9-2) 3 pm (ESPN2)

• Memphis (16-5, 6-2 AAC) at Tulsa (5-14, 1-7) 5 pm (ESPN2)

Texas Tech's freefall

The Red Raiders entered the season with a spot in the AP Top 25. Now? They've lost eight in a row and have yet to win a Big 12 game. How can Texas Tech recover? Randolph Childress, Rob Dauster and Chris Mack discuss on AFTER DARK.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 AFTER DARK on YouTube and click here subscribe to the AFTER DARK podcast.

Links as you hear why Brevin Galloway won't be playing this weekend for Clemson.

• Billy Packer, a former Wake Forest star and legendary analyst, has died, his family announced.

• Louisville lands JUCO (LA Southwest) guard transfer Koron Davis, who is averaging 25 ppg this season.

• Standardized test scores are removed for 2023 enrollees and beyond.

• Duke got good news with Dariq Whitehead's injury but he likely is out for Georgia Tech.

• After the "food prank" incident, Duquesne will be reviewing its safety policy.

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected]

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