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Sunday’s Pregame Shootaround: Michigan State vs. Michigan with first place on the line

Keith Appling

GAME OF THE DAY: No. 13 Michigan State vs. No. 20 Michigan, noon (CBS)

The rivalry has some added incentive beside bragging rights on Sunday afternoon. First place in the Big Ten is on the line with Michigan State clinging to a half game lead over Michigan, which already handed the Spartans a loss earlier this season.

Sparty got Keith Appling back in the lineup but they suffered their worst of the year to Nebraska before defeating Purdue. The Wolverines dropped their last game to Wisconsin, at home by double digits. Michigan’s leading scorer Nik Stauskas is averaging only 10.2 points per game over the last five games.

WHO’S GETTING UPSET? SMU vs. No. 21 UConn, 2 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

The Mustangs handed UConn its second consecutive straight loss back in January. The rematch will be tougher, getting the Huskies inside Gampel Pavilion.

SMU hasn’t been great on the road (see losses to South Florida and Temple) but crazier things have happened in the American this season. The Mustangs have a difficult slate to end conference play with games against Louisville and at Memphis still remaining. A win today would be huge.

MID-MAJOR GAME OF THE DAY: Drexel vs. Delaware, 3 p.m.

Two top four teams in the Colonial Athletic Association square off in Newark, Del. on Sunday afternoon. Delaware controlled the first meeting, 90-77, back on Jan. 20. The Fightin Blue Hens can extend its lead atop the CAA to two games ahead of Towson.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1) Doug McDermott, he national player of the year favorite, is in action as Creighton hosts Seton Hall in Big East play.

2) You can catch Yale at Columbia on the NBC Sports Network. Yale is tied with Harvard in the Ivy League standings with a win.

3) Iona can go ahead two games in the MAAC standings with a win over Marist.

4) After Florida Gulf Coast breezed past Mercer on Friday night, the top two teams in the Atlantic Sun are back in action on Sunday. Dunk City is at home against last-place Kennesaw State. Mercer is on the road at Stetson.

5) Sunday’s bubble games


  • Purdue at Nebraska, Sun 4:15 p.m.
  • Florida State at Pittsburgh, Sun. 6 p.m.
  • Providence at Butler, Sun 6 p.m.
  • Arizona State at Utah, Sun 8 p.m.
  • USC at Cal, Sun 8 p.m.
  • Washington State at Oregon, Sun p.m.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25:


  • Seton Hall vs. No. 11 Creighton, 5 p.m.

NOTABLES:


  • Bucknell vs. Boston University, noon (CBS Sports Network)
  • Iona vs. Marist, 2 p.m. (ESPN3)
  • Hartford vs. Vermont, 2 p.m. (ESPN3)
  • Stony Brook vs. Maine, 2 p.m.
  • Chattanooga vs. UNC Greensboro, 2 p.m.
  • Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan, 2 p.m.
  • Purdue vs. Nebraska, 4:15 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
  • Florida State vs. Pitt, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • Providence vs. Butler, 6 p.m. (Fox Sports 1)
  • Ball State vs. Toledo, 6 p.m. (ESPN3)
  • Arizona State vs. Utah, 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
  • USC vs. Cal, 8 p.m (Fox Sports 1)
  • Washington State vs. Oregon, 9 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)

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