We have a full slate of conference games today and all but one take place fairly early in the day.


**Tip-Off at 12:05pm CT**
in Orlando,
UCF (19-9, 8-5)...RPI: #107 (SOS: #130)
#19/#17 Memphis (24-4, 13-0)...RPI: #20 (SOS: #76)

*This game will be televised on Fox Sports Network. UCF is attempting to win their final home game of the year and secure a 20-win season for the third year in a row. Memphis seeks to bounce back from a two-point loss @ Xavier that ended their 18-game winning streak. The Knights have won two consecutive games overall, but they have lost three of their last four C-USA contests. UCF is 15-4 at home this season overall and an impressive 6-1 in league games in Orlando. Their only loss in C-USA play at home came to Marshall on February 20. Memphis comes into this game having won 19 straight games against C-USA opponents dating back to last year. They have also won 10 straight C-USA road games. The Tigers only lost on the road in the league twice last season. One of those was a one-point defeat @ UCF. Earlier this season, Memphis defeated UCF by 22 in FedExForum. UCF is 2-4 versus the RPI top 50. The two wins both came at home (a three-point win over #23 Belmont and a two-point win over #36 Southern Miss). Against opponents rated outside the RPI top 100, the Tigers are 15-0.


**Tip-Off at 1:05pm CT**
in Houston,
Rice (5-22, 1-12)...RPI: #314 (SOS: #143)
UTEP (15-12, 8-5)...RPI: #98 (SOS: #67)

*The Owls have lost seven in a row and nine of their last ten. They are 4-8 at home this season, just 1-5 in C-USA home games. Rice has been outscored by an average of 15.9ppg during their losing streak. UTEP had lost four of five before their relatively easy win at home over Houston on Wednesday. The Miners have struggled away from El Paso this season, going just 2-10. They have lost their last three league road games. In the previous meeting this season, UTEP won by 12 at home. Against the RPI top 100, Rice is 0-6. The Miners are 6-1 versus those teams outside the RPI top 200.


**Tip-Off at 1:05pm CT**
in Houston,
Houston (15-11, 4-9)...RPI: #206 (SOS: #285)
Marshall (12-16, 5-8)...RPI: #204 (SOS: #120)

*This game will be televised on CSS. Like their crosstown rival, Houston is on a losing streak. The Coogs have lost three straight, but all were on the road. Now UH is back home where they have done fairly well this season. They are 10-4 at home overall and 3-3 in conference play. Marshall got a big win @ UCF on February 20, however they followed that up with a disappointing four-point defeat at home to UAB. Outside of the victory @ UCF, the Herd have been dreadful away from home this season. In combined road and neutral court games, they are 1-12 away from Huntington, just 1-5 in C-USA play. Houston is a solid 11-2 against teams outside the RPI top 200. Marshall is just 4-3 against those same teams.


**Tip-Off at 2:05pm CT**
in Birmingham,
UAB (14-14, 6-7)...RPI: #146 (SOS: #115)
SMU (14-14, 4-9)...RPI: #217 (SOS: #252)

*This is a match-up between two teams that have gone in opposite directions over the last month. UAB is 6-2 since January 30. SMU has lost four of their last six. The Blazers are 9-3 at home this year. They started out C-USA play losing three of their first four in Birmingham, but have since won two straight. The Mustangs have actually been quite respectable in true road games this season, going 5-6. However, they are just 2-4 on the road in league play, with the two wins coming @ Marshall and @ Rice. UAB is 8-2 this season against teams rated #201 or worse in the RPI. SMU is just 3-7 versus opponents rated #101 to #200.


**Tip-Off at 3:05pm CT**
in Tulsa,
Tulsa (14-13, 6-7)...RPI: #135 (SOS: #117)
Tulane (18-10, 6-7)...RPI: #171 (SOS: #243)

*These two teams both sit at 6-7 in league play. Tulsa was 4-2 in C-USA at one point, but they have lost five of their last seven. The weight of injuries seem to be taking their toll on the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa is back home where they have not had the greatest of advantages. They are only 7-4 at home overall and just 3-3 in C-USA play. Tulane had won four of their last five before losing at home to streaking UAB on Wednesday. The Green Wave are just 3-7 in true road games this season, but they have taken two of their last three. Tulane won the previous battle of the TU's on January 19 in New Orleans by 3. Tulsa is 2-4 against RPI #101 to #200. Tulane is 3-5.


**Tip-Off at 7:05pm CT**
in Hattiesburg,
Southern Mississippi (21-7, 10-3)...RPI: #36 (SOS: #94)
East Carolina (16-10, 7-6)...RPI: #100 (SOS: #92)

*This is arguably the most interesting game of the day. Southern Miss is back home after losing @ Memphis last week. They have only lost once in Hattiesburg all year, however they are facing a team they struggled with on the road two weeks ago before coming from behind and beating in overtime. East Carolina has won four of their last six overall, but it is their performance on the road of late that has been so impressive. The Pirates are 4-1 in their last five road games winning those four games by an average margin of 8.5ppg. USM is 3-1 vs. RPI #51 to #100. ECU is 0-4 against the RPI top 50.

Big game for the Pirates.

Good job as usual JMS.

I still am not used to positive write ups about ECU basketball. Nice!

Gonna be a rowdy one at the Yurt tonight!

**HALFTIME**
in Memphis,
UCF- 29
#19/#17 Memphis- 34

**HALFTIME**
in Houston,
Rice- 24
UTEP- 34


**HALFTIME**
in Houston,
Houston- 44
Marshall- 28

**FINAL**
in Orlando,
UCF- 67 (19-10, 8-6)
#19/#17 Memphis- 76 (25-4, 14-0)

*The Tigers bounce back from their loss @ Xavier with the big win @ UCF. Memphis extends their C-USA winning streak to 20 overall and their C-USA road winning streak to 11. UCF finishes the year 15-5 at home. They have lost 4 of their last 5 in C-USA play. The Knights end the year @ UAB and @ Southern Miss. Memphis finishes up the regular season @ UTEP and at home to UAB.

(03-02-2013 03:15 PM)JMSTiger Wrote:  **FINAL**
in Orlando,
UCF- 67 (19-10, 8-6)
#19/#17 Memphis- 76 (25-4, 14-0)

*The Tigers bounce back from their loss @ Xavier with the big win @ UCF. Memphis extends their C-USA winning streak to 20 overall and their C-USA road winning streak to 11. UCF finishes the year 15-5 at home. They have lost 4 of their last 5 in C-USA play. The Knights end the year @ UAB and @ Southern Miss. Memphis finishes up the regular season @ UTEP and at home to UAB.

Not trying to get ahead of myself and one might think they won't care, but if we can win the next two, UCF is going to try to come here and bust our balls....just like your next game with UTEP....but one at a time

**FINAL**
in Houston,
Rice- 56 (5-23, 1-13)
UTEP- 67 (16-12, 9-5)

*The Miners take care of business @ Rice. They have now won 3 of their last 4 against league opponents and are a respectable 3-4 on the road in C-USA play. The Owls lose their eighth straight, including their fourth straight at home. UTEP finishes with Memphis at home and @ SMU. Rice has @ Houston and Tulsa.

(03-02-2013 03:35 PM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(03-02-2013 03:15 PM)JMSTiger Wrote:  **FINAL**
in Orlando,
UCF- 67 (19-10, 8-6)
#19/#17 Memphis- 76 (25-4, 14-0)

*The Tigers bounce back from their loss @ Xavier with the big win @ UCF. Memphis extends their C-USA winning streak to 20 overall and their C-USA road winning streak to 11. UCF finishes the year 15-5 at home. They have lost 4 of their last 5 in C-USA play. The Knights end the year @ UAB and @ Southern Miss. Memphis finishes up the regular season @ UTEP and at home to UAB.

Not trying to get ahead of myself and one might think they won't care, but if we can win the next two, UCF is going to try to come here and bust our balls....just like your next game with UTEP....but one at a time

You have em at home and your team will be seeking payback. You got that one.

**HALFTIME**
in Birmingham,
UAB- 27
SMU- 33

SMU knows how to ugly up the game of basketball.

**FINAL**
in Houston,
Houston- 103 (16-11, 5-9)
Marshall- 76 (12-17, 5-9)

*The Coogs pull out a can of whoop ass and steamroll hapless Marshall. The win snaps UH's three game losing streak. Houston has won 3 of 4 at home. Marshall's terrible play away from home continues. They are now 1-13 away from Huntington on the year, 1-6 in C-USA road games (how UCF lost at home to the Herd, I do not know). Houston finishes the regular season with Rice at home and then @ Tulane. Marshall ends with Southern Miss and @ ECU.

(03-02-2013 03:57 PM)Blazer85 Wrote:  SMU knows how to ugly up the game of basketball.

They do. Still, this is a game UAB should and needs to win.

**FINAL**
in Birmingham,
UAB- 74 (15-14, 7-7)
SMU- 69 (14-15, 4-10)

*The Blazers struggled in this one, but they pull out the win. UAB has a winning record for the first time since early January. They have won 7 of 9 overall and 4 of 5 at home. SMU is now 6-14 since their 8-1 start to the season. UAB finishes the regular season with UCF at home and then @ Memphis. SMU is @ Tulsa and then gets UTEP in Dallas.

**HALFTIME**
in Tulsa,
Tulsa- 23
Tulane- 43

(03-02-2013 04:59 PM)JMSTiger Wrote:  **FINAL**
in Birmingham,
UAB- 74 (15-14, 7-7)
SMU- 69 (14-15, 4-10)

*The Blazers struggled in this one, but they pull out the win. UAB has a winning record for the first time since early January. They have won 7 of 9 overall and 4 of 5 at home. SMU is now 6-14 since their 8-1 start to the season. UAB finishes the regular season with UCF at home and then @ Memphis. SMU is @ Tulsa and then gets UTEP in Dallas.

SMU had an exceptionally good shooting day for them. Either way, that's how UAB gets it done. This team knows how to win close games.

UAB is playing their best ball of the year heading into the final week of the regular season.

(03-02-2013 04:03 PM)JMSTiger Wrote:  **FINAL**
in Houston,
Houston- 103 (16-11, 5-9)
Marshall- 76 (12-17, 5-9)

WOW!

I expected bigger things from Marshall especially after they played us so tough at home.

Not having Tristan Spurlock hurt tonight. Congrats Memphis I'm glad we will continue the series.

Hope Pastners first win or two over a ranked team comes in this years NCAA tourney

**FINAL**
in Tulsa,
Tulsa- 78 (15-13, 7-7)
Tulane- 66 (18-11, 6-8)

*Tulsa comes back from a 20-point halftime deficit, outscoring Tulane 55 to 23 in the second half to claim the victory over the Green Wave. The Golden Hurricane have won 3 of their last 5. Tulane has now lost two straight. Tulsa finishes out with SMU at home and then @ Rice. Tulane is @ East Carolina and then hosts Houston.