The Morning Mix

Feb 20, 2013, 8:35 AM EDT

Let’s hit the links.

Wednesday’s Top games:
7:00 p.m. – Providence @ No. 8 Syracuse
7:00 p.m. – DePaul @ No. 11 Georgetown
7:00 p.m. – Minnesota @ No. 18 Ohio State
7:00 p.m. – James Madison @ Northeastern
7:00 p.m. – Charleston @ Western Carolina
8:00 p.m. – Air Force @ Boise State
8:00 p.m. – Vanderbilt @ Kentucky
8:00 p.m. – UTEP @ Southern Mississippi
8:45 p.m. – Stephen F. Austin @ Sam Houston State
9:00 p.m. – No. 9 Kansas @ No. 14 Oklahoma State
9:00 p.m. – No. 19 Wisconsin @ Northwestern
9:00 p.m. – Houston @ No. 21 Memphis
9:00 p.m. – Iowa State @ Baylor
10:00 p.m. – Washington State @ Arizona State
10:00 p.m. – Pacific @ UC-Irvine
10:05 p.m. – UC-Davis @ Long Beach State
10:15 p.m. – No. 22 Colorado State @ UNLV
11:00 p.m. – Santa Clara @ No. 3 Gonzaga
11:00 p.m. – Washington @ No. 12 Arizona

Read of the Day:
A tremendous story about race and basketball through the eyes of James Reed a former Morgan State player who broke social norms in pursuing his dreams. This is the best thing you will read all day. So don’t continue on until you’ve finished it. (SB Nation)

Andy Glockner’s Bubble Watch is a must-read every week. This is vital information people. Read it. (Sports Illustrated)

Top Stories:
Ten of the top 20 teams in the country have lost by more than 17 points? I’m not sure if there is a message in all of these statistics other than March is going to be absolutely crazy.

Hoops Housekeeping:
- Colorado forward Josh Scott is day-to-day after taking an eblow to the head against Arizona State over the weekend. (Ralphie Report)

Observations & Insight:
- Expansionocalypse rumors began circulating yesterday afternoon indicating that Virginia and North Carolina may have been offered a spot in the Big-Ten. UVA and UNC were the two most likely schools to follow after Maryland and Rutgers joined, but since then the ACC schools publicly announced their solidarity. I have absolutely no clue what this rumor means. (The Champaign Room)

- Aaron Torres ranks the top-10 coaches in the country and has some interesting choices. HINT: Coach-K is not in the top-5. (Aaron Torres Sports)

- An interesting-read on Bucknell’s “anit-HAVOC” defense. The Bison rank in the top-10 for effective field goal defense and defensive rebounding, yet rank 345th in the nation in causing turnovers. (Hoop Vision)

- West Virginia is not a very good team this year. They have a lot of new peices, some of which are not as talented as previously thought, and there is no chemistry. Freshman Eron Harris was seen crying on the bench during the Mountaineers 71-61 loss at Kansas State. While you may mock his tears, you cannot deny that the kid cares. (The Dagger)

- John Gasaway provides some itneresting info on Kansas’ Big-XII title chances, bad losses, and the Big East in the most recent edition of “Tuesday Truths”. (Basketball Prospectus)

- Vander Blue has emerged this season as Marquette’s premier scoring threat. Blue was a highly-touted recruit who spurned Wisconsin for their in-state rivals. But some Marquette fans still don’t appreciate the work that Blue has put in this season. (Anonymous Eagle)

- Allen Crabbe’s mother has weighed in on the Mike Montgomery incident. She says Crabbe has put it behind him. Finally, we can move on. (Mercury News)

- We’ve said it before, but it bares repeating: The Providence Friars are on the up-and-up. (Daly Dose of Hoops)

- Some good words on Oklahoma freshman je’lon Hornbeark, who is putting the finishing touches on a productive freshman campaign. (Crimson and Cream Machine)

- Jeff Borzello updated his Freshman of the Year Rankings. Now w/ less Nerlens Noel. (Eye on College Basketball)

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