The turning of the calendar means the ramp-up of conference play in college basketball. At least 26 of the 68 teams in the NCAA tournament will represent a mid-major conference. More programs will make it as an at-large bid. This series aims to showcase mid-major basketball weekly, both during the week and on weekends.
This weekly installment will cover Monday through Friday, and the “Weekend Desserts” editions will cover Saturday and Sunday. The weekday articles will cover one game per weekday, while the weekend series will cover five games per day.
Monday: Wofford Terriers (8-8, 2-1 Southern) @ Furman Paladins (14-2, 2-1 Southern)
A battle of South Carolina-based programs headlines the Monday slate. Wofford (KenPom 148) has one of the weirder resumes in college basketball, sporting wins over St. Thomas (KP 115) and Saint Louis (KP 117) but losses to Portland State (KP 250) and Presbyterian (KP 265). Furman’s in need of a solid pick-me-up win after losing to UNCG by 17 and sneaking past The Citadel.
This will be a litmus test for the Terriers. They have three players scoring double digits on average (Corey Tripp, Kyler Filewich, and Dillon Bailey), but Furman’s PJay Smith Jr. is one of the top three scorers in the conference. This game has potential to be a barn-burner.
When and where: 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+
Tuesday: Saint Louis Billikens (10-6, 3-0 Atlantic 10) @ VCU Rams (12-4, 2-1 Atlantic 10)
The influence from last year’s Indiana State team is strong on the Billikens. Isaiah Swope and Robbie Avila are combining for 35.9 points per game. Saint Louis has won four straight after a rocky five-game stretch in December where it lost to San Francisco, Illinois State, Wofford, and Grand Canyon.
As for VCU (KP 45), the Rams have run out of leeway. Losses to Seton Hall and Nevada have effectively nullified any opportunity to earn an at-large bid. The Rams have four double-digit scorers on the roster and are a team that can easily steal a bid in March. Can they prove their mettle in the Siegel Center?
When and where: 7 p.m. EST on ESPN+
Wednesday: George Mason Patriots (12-5, 3-1 Atlantic 10) @ Dayton Flyers (11-5, 1-2 Atlantic 10)
Dayton (KP 54) is the only team in the Atlantic 10 with a chance at an at-large bid, but they will need to play this conference slate nearly perfectly from here. The Flyers own top-ten wins over Marquette and UConn, but have lost two straight to George Washington (KP 104) and Massachusetts (KP 206).
George Mason (KP 87) is in need of a signature win this year. It does not have a win against a team with a higher KenPom rating. What this team can do, however, is lock down just about anyone. Its defense is 33rd in the country in adjusted defense and 12th in the country in points allowed per game.
When and where: 7 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network
Thursday: High Point Panthers (15-4, 3-1 Big South) @ Longwood Lancers (13-6, 2-2 Big South)
Turns out the Big South won’t be the cakewalk some thought it would be for High Point (KP 98). Compared to last year’s high-flying bunch, this Panthers team is efficient with the basketball. High Point boasts the 37th best adjusted offense in America while sitting 236th in adjusted tempo.
This is a petty revenge game, as Longwood was the team that knocked High Point out of the Big South tournament early. This year, the Lancers (KP 197) have sneaky good wins over UAB and Milwaukee. Both teams will need to be at their best on national television.
When and where: 7 p.m. EST on ESPNU/ESPN+
Friday: Ohio Bobcats (9-6, 3-0 MAC) @ Akron Zips (10-5, 3-0 MAC)
Four teams remain unbeaten in MAC conference play and here are two of them facing off. Something will have to give in Akron as the Bobcats (KP 159) take on the Zips (KP 119). These teams have no true outlying advanced metrics, but rather are solid on both ends of the floor.
The player to watch this game is AJ Clayton. The guy could be a game-changer for the Bobcats down the line. He’s averaging 17.4 points per game and the Bobcats are 4-0 in games he scores 20+ points. If he pops off, it could be night-night for Akron.
When and where: 6 p.m. EST on CBS Sports Network
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