The Breakfast Buffet: Kansas/Kansas State, UConn hits the road, Boo Buie
Here’s today’s edition of The Breakfast Buffet, a daily column that can be found here every morning, keeping you up to date on everything that happened the day/night before and everything that’s to come in the next 24 hours will happen.
Mangia!
things to try
The rematch between Kansas and Kansas State
Two weeks ago, the Wildcats emerged as legitimate contenders for the Big 12 regular-season title when they defeated the Jayhawks by a point in overtime in Manhattan. The two teams meet again tonight at Allen Fieldhouse, a venue where Kansas State has not won since 2006. Kansas is currently a game behind the Wildcats in the Big 12 standings. Under Bill Self, the Jayhawks are currently 38-7 against Kansas State.
UConn is on its way
Getting out of the fishbowl is sometimes a good thing. Don’t be surprised if it works to the Huskies’ advantage at two road games this week in DePaul (tonight) and Georgetown (Saturday). UConn (16-6) has lost six of their last eight games after starting the season 14-0, but this is still a side that has more than enough to be a major factor in the postseason. Because of what’s next, it’s imperative for the Huskies to rebuild confidence over the next 80 minutes. After Saturday’s game against Georgetown in Washington DC, UConn will return home next week to host Marquette (17-5), followed by an away game at Creighton (13-8) on February 11th.
Northwestern’s Boo Buie transitions into a point guard
The Wildcats – currently 15-5 overall – will bring a three-game winning streak into tonight’s game in Iowa (13-8). A major reason for this is Buie’s development in the most important position on the floor. The 6-2 senior, who was considered the top scorer for most of his career, has 15 assists and just four turnovers in the Wildcats’ last three games. He also averages 19.3 points while being 47.7 percent off the field over that span. “I can’t say enough about how Boo (Buie) has progressed as a point guard,” Northwestern coach Chris Collins said in this week’s edition of the College Hoops Today Podcast. The Wildcats finished 30th that week Rothstein 45.
On the website
- Providence (17-5) has won 10 straight games with Jared Bynum in the lineup. The 5-10 Bynum – who had 19 points and five assists in Sunday’s win at Villanova – missed several games in January with a stomach injury.
- Nevada’s game tonight against San Diego State (17-4) is the best remaining opportunity for the regular-season Wolf Pack to pick up a Quad 1 win. Apart from today’s encounter with the Aztecs, all of Nevada’s remaining games are against high-quality opponents. Tipp-Off is at 11 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network.
- Virginia Tech (13-8) is now 13-4 with Hunter Cattoor in the lineup and 0-4 when he’s not. Cattoor has averaged 17.5 points in his last two games before taking on Miami (16-5) in Coral Gables tonight. The Hokies will also host Virginia in Blacksburg this weekend.
- Michigan and Ohio State have a combined record of 22-20.
- Fordham’s Keith Urgo is the early favorite for Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. The Rams have already surpassed their overall wins from last season and go into the tilt 17-4 against Saint Louis (15-6) in the Bronx tonight.
Daily Specials
- Virginia Tech in Miami
- State of Kansas in Kansas
- West Virginia at TCU
- UConn at DePaul
- State of San Diego in Nevada
leftovers
