1/7: Wild Card Wrap and more!

Greetings! It was certainly a busy weekend in the sports world, but as always, the NFL is king in this country so let's hit that first...

• Green Bay 24, Minnesota 10 - Aaron Rodgers is better than you... and he's much better than Joe Webb. I was actually semi-excited about Joe Webb getting the start for an injured Ponder, but it wasn't enough, and not even Adrian Peterson could save them. Green Bay is just better and they showed it here.
• Houston 19, Cincy 13 - I can't believe Cincy didn't win and/or cover this game. That said, Andy Dalton was awful and that's the key to the game despite Matt Schaub's mediocrity and Houston's coaching staff. Alas, the Texans move on.
• Baltimore 24, Indianapolis 9 - Andrew Luck didn't play well... and that's that. A 27.2 QBR and a QB rating south of 60 wouldn't do it, and I picked Indy on the back of him. Baltimore got the Ray Lewis bump, but it was all about shutting down the Colts' passing game. Moving on.
• Seattle 24, Washington 14 - Best game of the day, but it was marred by the RG3 injury. He was really limited, and they couldn't score a single point in the final 47 minutes of the game. The Washington offense simply hasn't been the same since the initial knee injury, and they had no shot once he couldn't move and there was a Kirk Cousins sighting. Also, Russ Wilson!

Elsewhere..

• The NHL is... back!? Yes, it appears that way. As you may know, there's not a ton of hockey coverage in this space (and that's not changing, sorry), but it is certainly worth noting that the NHL and its players have agreed to terms. It seems as though they'll be a 48-50 game season to follow, and that'll be interesting. Welcome back, hockey.
• Coaching news! Chip Kelly will reportedly stay at Oregon after turning down the Eagles job. This one kind of surprised me as it seemed like he was all but gone, but that's a huge coup for Oregon as he's one of the elite guys in the country. Doug Marrone, on the other hand, is leaving Syracuse for a close destination as the new head coach in Buffalo. Marrone took Syracuse out of the ashes, but doesn't have a huge track record, and the Bills are swinging for the fences here. Good luck. 
• Minnesota T-Wolves all-star forward Kevin Love has re-injured his right hand. He'll be reevaluated by doctors as far as timetable is concerned, but this is a huge blow for the playoff-contending T-Wolves. Any loss of more than weeks or months would torpedo their hopes.
• On Saturday night, the Atlanta Hawks turned in their worst half of basketball this season against the Celtics. In fairness, it really wasn't a "half" as the Hawks got absolutely slaughtered by a 33-9 margin in the 3rd quarter and that was good enough to give the game away. No analysis here other than hopefully it was an aberration, but it was brutal.
• NBA Roundup (Sunday edition) - Miami and Oklahoma City cruised to easy wins over Washington and Toronto respectively. Again, no real analysis as both teams were led by their stars as Lebron had a typical 24 points and 7 assists, and Durant/Westbrook keyed the OKC win. Elsewhere, Memphis went into Phoenix and beat the Suns 92-81 behind 21 points from Z-Bo, and a balanced attack from the rest of their rotation. Finally, Denver beat LA in the Staples Center by 112-05 final tally. Ty Lawson led Denver with 21 points and 10 assists, but the key to the win for the Nuggets was winning the turnover battle (18 to 8) and grabbing 17 offensive boards to allow for a staggering 101 field goal attempts. Multiple chance mean buckets. On the LA side, Kobe had 29/7/5, but the story was Dwight Howard, who scored 14 points and grabbed a staggering 26 rebounds. Maybe he's getting healthy? Either way, a nice win for Denver away from home.

What to watch for on Monday (including a preview of the BCS title game)...

• 8:30 - BCS Championship Game - #2 Alabama vs. #1 Notre Dame (ESPN) - Obviously, this is the headliner of the night on Monday. I'm taking Bama in the game because I think they have a) more talent, b) the better quarterback, and c) the better coach. That's not a shot at Brian Kelly, who I think is excellent, or at the Notre Dame defense, which is superb, but I trust Saban and Bama has the horses on both sides of the ball. 

Also, I will be live-blogging this game. Yes, you read that right, I'm bringing the live-blog back! It's been a long time, but tune in at 8:30 this evening for my every thought on the game as it unfolds... 

• 6:30 - NCAAB - #21 Notre Dame @ #14 Cincinnati (ESPN2) - School officials moved this game to 6:30 so that the ND students could watch both games, and that's a great idea. At any rate, this is a quality basketball game, so if you need an appetizer to the gridiron action, here you go.
• 7:00 - NCAAB - #5 Indiana @ Penn State (BTN) - A true road game for Indiana, and the former #1 has looked vulnerable in recent days.

Enjoy!

NFL Wild Card Round Preview

Aloha! It's time for the NFL's playoff "tournament" and since it's the national pastime (sorry, baseball), I figured I should break it down round-by-round. Let's go!

Wild Card Round

• AFC - #6 Cincy @ #3 Houston (Saturday 4:30 on NBC) - I have no idea to make of this Texans team. After starting the season 11-1, they finished 1-3 in their last four games and looked bad doing it. There's a case to be made that all three losses were to playoff teams, but on the other hand, they weren't competitive in any of the three. Arian Foster doesn't look like the same player in 2012 (career-low 4.1 per carry) as he was in 2010 and 2011, and their defense is severely banged up. On the Cincy side, they've won 7 of their last 8 games after a slow start, and they feature a very potent defense. There's no question they're playing better than Houston at the moment, but the X-factor is that Houston is probably the more talented team and they're playing at home. I'm taking the upset with Cincy, but I don't feel great about it.
• NFC - #6 Minnesota @ #3 Green Bay (Saturday 8:00 on NBC) - Remember when these teams played less than a week ago? I do. It took the best game of Christian Ponder's career and a super-human performance from Adrian Peterson for the Vikings to win... in Minneapolis. This game is outside in Green Bay, and I really think the Packers are a better team. Throw in Christian Ponder on the road against Aaron Rodgers, and I'm taking the Pack. Sorry, Adrian.
• AFC - #5 Indianapolis @ #4 Baltimore (Sunday 1:00 on CBS) - The battle of the Colts and the former Colts. The fact that Indy won 11 games including 9 of their last 11 is absolutely staggering when you remember how bad they were last year. Andrew Luck has suddenly become the unsung rookie due to the praise for RGIII and Russell Wilson, but I still feel that Luck will be the best pro, and he's been electric as well. Throw in the fantastic story of Chuck Pagano (chuckstrong!) and his return, and they have mojo working. For Baltimore, they've lost 4 of their last 5, and backed into the playoffs in a big way. Seems easy to pick Indy, right? Well, I am going to pick the Colts, but not without reservation. Baltimore is playoff-seasoned, they are a different (read: much better) team at home including Joe Flacco becoming shockingly competent when inside his home stadium, and Indy has done much of the season with smoke and mirrors behind Luck and Reggie Wayne. I'm taking Indy because of Pagano and Luck, but I don't feel great.
• NFC - #5 Seattle @ #4 Washington (Sunday 4:30 on FOX) - Best game of the opening weekend for me. Russell Wilson against Robert Griffin III? Come on! Wilson has a QB rating of 100 for the season (insane) and that number is over 120 in the months of November and December. He's playing out of his mind right now, and Seattle's offense has gone with him since the inception of their college-like read option offense. Throw in a very stout defense with a non-suspended Richard Sherman and Seattle is a gauntlet. On the Washington side, Griffin has looked a bit slowed since returning from his injury, but with Alfred Morris coming off of a 200-yard day against Dallas, that offense is scary in its own right. I think it'll come down to whether Washington can get Russell and company off of the field, and I frankly don't think they can with how he's playing right now. Take the Seahawks, even on the road. 

Just for reference (since the playoffs haven't begun yet), I wanted to get my overall playoff picks on the record... here they are!

• NFC Wild Card - Green Bay over Minnesota, Seattle over Washington
• AFC Wild Card - Cincy over Houston, Indy over Baltimore
• NFC Divisional Round - Atlanta over Seattle (this one was close), Green Bay over San Fran
• AFC Divisional Round - Denver over Cincy, New England over Indy
• NFC Title Game - Green Bay over Atlanta
• AFC Title Game - New England over Denver 
• Super Bowl - New England over Green Bay

Enjoy!

1/4: Fiesta!

Greetings! Happy Friday...

• Oregon beat up on Kansas State last night in the Fiesta Bowl by a final count of 35-17. The Ducks took their foot off the gas late, but still ran for 200+ yards including 143 from Kenjon Barner that keyed the victory. I thought the biggest factor in the game (besides speed) was Collin Klein's performance, and he was underwhelming, throwing 2 interceptions, going 17/32 for 151 yards, and only rushing for 30 yards. Big win for Oregon, and now all eyes shift to Chip Kelly and the NFL. 
• Speaking of the NFL, reports are circling that Kansas City is going to hire former Philly HC Andy Reid. This is just a weird situation in general, as their GM Scott Pioli is universally hated and no one can believe he wasn't fired... so he brings in Andy Reid?! I don't get this one at all, but maybe Reid will be reinvigorated in a new place.
• And in a final NFL coaching note, Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien will remain in Happy Valley after being courted by the Cleveland Browns. He did an insanely good job with that undermanned PSU team this year, and it's a huge win for them that he's staying to lead them through this tough time.
• NBA Roundup - In the early game, New York blasted San Antonio 100-83. The Spurs had won 7 in a row, but ran into a buzzsaw here, and Pop called the dogs off in the 4th quarter. New York dominated on the glass (48-35) and held the Spurs to just 36% FG and 26% from 3-point land in the win. And later, Minnesota went into Denver and stole an impressive road win by a 101-97 tally. The biggest key was the T-Wolves controlling the glass 52-39, and that helped them to overcome just 44% shooting. Both teams had 6 guys in double-figures and the game-high scorer was just 17 points (a tie between Shved and Barea). Weird game. 
• On the college hardwood, there was a wild one played in Tucson between Colorado and Arizona. The Buffs' Sabatino Chen lofted a buzzer-beating bank shot to win the game in regulation... but it was overturned by an official video review, and Arizona went on to win the game 92-83 in overtime. It was one of the crazier reviews you'll ever see, as some angles looked like the shot was out of his hand, and others didn't, but Arizona seized the game after that and Colorado was shell-shocked. At any rate, wildly entertaining game, as the teams combined for 99 points in the 20-minute second half, and we'll see this match-up again.

What to watch for on Friday (in chronological order)...

• 7:30 - NBA - Hawks @ Pistons (SportSouth) - Rematch of the 2-OT battle from last week, and hopefully Larry Drew will design something to stop Will Bynum!
• 8:00 - NCAAF - Cotton Bowl - #9 Texas A&M vs. #11 Oklahoma (FOX) - Probably the most entertaining of the non-BCS games this year, with two top-11 teams facing off and the Heisman winner featured. No result would surprise me here, and it's a fun game. 
• 8:00 - NBA - Bulls @ Heat (ESPN) - Chicago will at least guard well in this one.
• 10:30 - NBA - Lakers vs. Clippers (ESPN) - The battle of LA re-engages and this time, Steve Nash is involved. Really fun game.

Enjoy! And don't worry, I'll have an NFL preview ready by Sunday... Stay tuned!

1/3: Down with the SEC!

Greetings! Short today....

• Louisville upset Florida by a 33-23 tally in the Sugar Bowl last night. It was a semi-shocking sight to see the Cardinal up by 3 touchdowns in the second half, but they were the better team all night and got all of the breaks. Deadly combination, and a black mark for the vaunted SEC (which I love). 
• Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim won his 903rd game last night, which pushed him to 2nd place all time behind Coach K. Boeheim doesn't get mentioned enough as one of the best ever, but he's proved it over and over again, and with his longevity combined with the national title, he's on the short list.
• NBA Check! - Memphis gave Boston their 4th straight loss with a 93-83 decision in the garden. Mike Conley led the way with 23 points and 9 dimes for the Grizz, who are now a stellar 20-9. Miami rallied from a late deficit behind a 32/12/9 from Lebron and beat Dallas 119-109 in overtime. These lines are becoming "typical" for Lebron, but that doesn't make them less absurd. Tim Duncan had 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead San Antonio to a 117-110 road win in Milwaukee. He's the best. Kevin Durant got ejected (what!?) in OKC's home loss to Brooklyn last night. OKC was getting beat before his early exit anyway, but it was the first ejection of his career and they had no prayer without him. Finally, the Clippers have now lost two straight after suffering a 115-94 blowout loss to Golden State last night. Steph Curry led the way for GS with 31 points and 8 assists, and the Dubs basically ran LA out of the gym.

What to watch for on Thursday (chronological order)...

• 7:00 - NCAAB - #2 Michigan @ Northwestern (ESPN2) - I'm overly excited about this Michigan team as they enter conference play, but this is no easy game on the road in Evanston. 
• 8:00 - NCAAB - Colorado @ #3 Arizona (ESPNU) - Arizona is probably overrated at #3 but that doesn't mean they aren't an elite team, and Colorado is playing well at 10-2. 
• 8:30 - NCAAF - Fiesta Bowl - Oregon vs. Kansas State (ESPN) - This is the 2nd-best game of the bowl season, as two top-5 teams face off. I think Oregon's speed and offensive firepower is too much for K-State, but the Wildcats are well-coached and they do have a Heisman finalist in Klein. Tune in for a fun match-up. 

Enjoy!

1/2: Happy New Year!

Greetings everyone! Took yesterday off due to holiday, but there is a ton to get to this morning, so let's dive right in... First? The New Year's Day bowl slate!

• Rose Bowl - Stanford outlasted Wisconsin by a 20-14 score in the Granddaddy of them all. It was an ugly second half where both teams combined for just 3 points, but the Cardinal hung on thanks to a stout defense, and the fact that they didn't turn the ball over all game. It was a valiant effort from a 5-loss Wisconsin team that probably shouldn't have been there, but overall, it's always fun to see Pasadena.
• Orange Bowl - Florida State cruised over an over-matched opponent in Northern Illinois by a 31-10 score. The Noles ran up 534 yards of total offense, while holding NIU to under 300 on the other end, and after two touchdowns in the opening 5 minutes of the 2nd half, it was virtually over. Vaunted QB Jordan Lynch was just 15-41 passing for the Huskies, and the FSU defense is scary when it gets going. Not a shocking result, but I'm still not looking forward to listening to the pundits kill NIU for even being there. 
• Capital One Bowl - Overall, the Capital One Bowl is usually considered to be the "best" of the non-BCS bowl slate and they didn't disappoint during a 45-31 Georgia victory over Nebraska. The Cornhuskers actually led by a point entering the half, but the UGA offense took over, hanging 22 efficient points in the second half, and the Dawgs were able to clamp down on the Nebraska rushing attack. Aaron Murray went for 5 touchdowns and 427 yards on just 18 completions, which is absolutely insane, and UGA also got 120+ yards from Todd Gurley on the ground. Nebraska was very competitive, but the big play bit them in the end.
• Outback Bowl - I pretty much don't want to talk about this one. South Carolina beat Michigan on a late passing touchdown that was far more wide-open than it should have been. Clowney is a monster, Michigan doesn't have a single NCAA running back, and big plays victimized Michigan from the jump. Sigh.
• Gator Bowl - Northwestern got its first Bowl win since 1949 in beating Mississippi State by a 34-20 margin. In what could've been a stellar day for the Big 10, Northwestern was the only team to actually hang on and win, and they did so in convincing fashion. Enjoyed it.
• Heart of Dallas Bowl - I have no idea why the Heart of Dallas Bowl exists. Purdue had no business (as a 6-6 team) playing on January 1st, and Oklahoma State showed us why, as they hung 58 points on the Boilermakers, and it could've been worse. Not much else to say about that one.

In non-bowl news..

• Andy Reid to the Arizona Cardinals? This was reported as a virtual done deal in some places, but it is backed off a bit. I think that's a decent move for Arizona, as Reid has probably been unfairly criticized in Philly this year, but he's still a horrible game-manager and they have no quarterback. Good luck!
• NBA Roundup - The LA Clippers have begun January 0-1 after completing an absolutely insane 16-0 record in December. Denver was the team that broke the streak, with a 92-78 victory at home over the Clips. 6 players scored in double-digits for Denver, and they managed to hold the electric LAC offense to just 38.5% from the field. Impressive win. Portland went into MSG and knocked off the Knicks 105-100. This would be a mild upset under any circumstance, but since Carmelo Anthony had 45 points and A'mare returned for NYK, it was even bigger news. Stoudemire was a -9 in 17 minutes and looked wildly rusty, but the key to the loss for NY was allowing 51% shooting to the Blazers and getting killed on the glass. And finally, my Atlanta Hawks came from behind in defeating the Hornets in New Orleans by a 95-86 final. A 28-14 advantage in the 3rd period keyed the win for the Hawks, and they were led by a ridiculous line from Josh Smith that included 23 points, 13 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 blocks, and 3 steals. The last time that line was matched in the NBA? Tim Duncan in 2008. Yep. On the positive side for NO, Greivis Vasquez almost had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
• In a random MLB note, Cleveland has reportedly inked a 1-year deal with former Astros pitcher Brett Myers. All signs to Myers starting for Cleveland, and at worst, he's an innings-eater a team with a need in that area. Not a bad deal for both sides.

What to watch for on Wednesday (chronological order)...

• 7:00 - NCAAB - #1 Duke vs. Davidson (ESPN2) - This isn't Stephen Curry's Davidson team, but it's a chance to see Seth Curry and company.
• 7:30 - NBA - Grizzlies @ Celtics (NBATV) - Boston is 14-16 and no one seems to realize that they are really scuffling. Usually, Memphis isn't the cure for anyone's ills, but it's a chance for Boston to get a momentum-building home win.
• 8:30 - NCAAF - Sugar Bowl - #21 Louisville vs. #3 Florida (ESPN) - On paper, this looks like a complete mismatch and it probably is. That said, Florida is a defense-first team with an offense that scares no one, so if Louisville can score 20+ they'll have a chance, and Teddy Bridgewater is a big-time QB.
• 10:00 - NCAAB - San Francisco @ Santa Clara (ESPNU) - My first chance to tout a WCC game! Tune in!

Enjoy!

12/31: Black Monday

Greetings! It's "Black Monday" in the NFL, meaning the day after Week 17 where coaches get the ax, and where teams that are out of the playoffs see their seasons end. Let's recap the action from Sunday, and then hit the coach firings...

• In the game of the day, Minnesota edged Green Bay 37-34 to clinch the 6th seed in the NFC and a re-match with these same Packers next week. Adrian Peterson ran for 199 yards before falling just short of Eric Dickerson's record in favor of a game-winning Blair Walsh field goal, but the story of the game for me was the play of Christian Ponder. He generated 3 TDs through the air, and they need him to play effectively if they have a chance next week against #3 seeded Green Bay.
• With Minnesota's win, Chicago's 26-24 win over Detroit ended up not mattering as the Bears fell short (yet again) from the playoffs despite 10 wins. Lovie Smith, Mike Tice, and Jay Cutler... congrats!
• Houston fell by a 28-16 score to Indy, and subsequently fell out of the 1st-round byes and into a 3/6 match-up with a dangerous Cincy team. It's been a severe fall from grace for the Texans and for them to end up with 4 losses and a 3-seed is kind of a disaster. That said, they're still dangerous if they can get healthier on defense, but Cincy is a scary first-round opponent.
• In a match-up of rags and riches, Denver trounced KC by a 38-3 tally. The end result wasn't shocking (at all) but it did clinch the #1 seed for Denver and the #1 pick in the draft for KC. Winners all around.
• New England is the #2 seed in the AFC and they'll have a 1st-round bye after blanking the hapless Dolphins 28-0 yesterday. Rob Gronkowski is also back for New England, and that brings terror to opposing defenses.
• And finally, Washington glided into the playoffs with a 28-18 win over Dallas in the default NFC East title game. RG3 threw for just 100 yards, but Alfred Morris had 33 carries for 200 yards and 3 TDs, and Tony Romo threw the ball to the opposing jersey 3 different times to seal the fate of the Cowboys. Sorry, Nick.

To the firings...

• Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles is easily the biggest name to be on the way out in the NFL. He had been the league's longest-tenured coach at 14 years, and had a resume of playoff appearances, wins, and even a Super Bowl appearance. That said, he had lost control a bit in Philly and they were a disaster this year, but there's still talent there, and that's a high-profile gig.
• New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum got the ax on Monday as well. HC Rex Ryan kept his job, but Tannenbaum's work may be the biggest reason for the Jets failures lately anyway. The offensive talent is laughably bad (Shonn Greene is the "best" skill player) and the extension for Sanchez provded to be a disaster. Rex gets one more shot, but if he doesn't turn it around, he'll be gone too. 
• Cleveland cleaned house, including a 1-year stint from head coach Pat Shurmur. I'm not sure I love canning a coach who didn't even underachieve in one year (his QB is Brandon Weeden!), but there were some bad moments. That's an interesting situation.
• There are wide-spread reports that San Diego will finally fire AJ Smith and Norv Turner. Only three years too late! There are jokes everywhere here, but when it's 80 degrees every day, it shouldn't be hard to find a high-profile coach.
• And finally, there is a report that KC will fire Romeo Crennel.... but keep Scott Pioli. This would be the biggest joke of them all, as there's an entire body of evidence to Pioli's incompetence and a full-scale fan uprising against this tenure. Did I mention they have no talent? And that he acquired Matt Cassel for a zillion dollars? Keep him!

EDIT: Chicago has reportedly canned Lovie Smith, and Chan Gailey is on the chopping block in Buffalo. Neither is overly surprising, but Smith has a winning record, and that's always a weird one.

Enjoy...

12/28: Clippers, Avery, etc.

Greetings! A lot to get to on this freezing December morning...

• The Los Angeles Clippers are unconscious. With a dominant 106-77 win over Boston, they've now won 15 straight games and look like a legitimate NBA Championship contender behind Chris Paul and company. Their depth is pretty outstanding at this point, with Lamar Odom shedding pounds and looking like an NBA player again (13 boards and 5 assists on Thursday) and 10 legitimate guys even before the return of Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups. Chris Paul is still the engine, however, and that's always a good thing.
• In the early TNT game, OKC outlasted Dallas 111-105 in overtime. The Thunder came back from a 4th quarter deficit to take a late lead, and the only reason that Dallas was able to force OT was on the strength of an off-balance triple by Darren Collison at the buzzer. Kevin Durant was the best player on the court (no surprise) with 40 points and 8 rebounds, and Serge Ibaka added 19 points, 17 boards, and 5 blocks in 42 minutes for OKC. On the Dallas side, they got a huge 32-point night from Darren Collison, but it wasn't enough to overcome another bad shooting night from OJ Mayo (1-7) and the still rusty Dirk (3-11). Really nice game here.
• The Brooklyn Nets have fired Avery Johnson after a 14-14 start. This one blew me away because of one thing. How good were the Nets supposed to be? I would've understood this one more if they were 10-18, but aren't the Nets a 45-48 win team? They have no depth, their roster is constructed very weirdly, and Deron Williams is in the tank. I don't get it. At any rate, Deron Williams officially garners the "coach killer" tag now as he gets #2 fired, and the coaching search is on. 
• Dwyane Wade is suspended 1 game for his shot on Ramon Sessions private area. Moving along.
• In college Bowl news, Baylor blitzed UCLA by a final tally of 49-26 in the Holiday Bowl last night. It always seems to be an offense-first affair, and this was no different as Baylor notched 494 total yards including 300+ on the ground, and beat up the Bruins. 
• College Hoops! #8 and previously unbeaten Cincinnati fell at the hands of New Mexico by a 55-54 final last night in Ohio. Not a huge upset as New Mexico is 13-1 and a legitimate club, but a nice win for the Lobos. 

What to watch for on Friday (in chronological order)...

• 2:00 - NCAAF - Independence Bowl - Ohio vs. Louisiana-Monroe (ESPN) - Midday football during the week!
• 5:30 - NCAAF - Russell Athletic Bowl (huh?) - Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech (ESPN) - How the mighty have fallen in Blacksburg.
• 7:30 - NBA - Hawks @ Cavs (SportSouth) - Kyrie Irving! The Hawks go into Cleveland to try and avenge an early-season loss to Cleveland.
• 8:00 - NCAAB - Baylor @ #13 Gonzaga (ESPN2) - A really, really nice game here as Baylor heads to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Zags. It'll be a hostile atmosphere in Spokane.
• 8:30 - NBA - Nuggets @ Mavs (NBATV) - Dallas on the 2nd night of a back-to-back, and yet another road game for Denver. Woo-hoo.
• 9:00 - NCAAF - Meineke Car Care Bowl - Minnesota vs. Texas Tech (ESPN) - Go. Big. Ten.
• 10:00 - NCAAB - #7 Missouri @ UCLA (ESPN2) - Another pretty nice college hoops match-up as the unbeaten Tigers head to take on a talented UCLA squad. UCLA is a mess right now, but there's no denying that Shabazz Muhammed and company could win this game at home. 

Enjoy!