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Before the start of action on Saturday few had any idea that the day would end up being as wild as it was. Seven ranked teams fell to unranked opponents on a day that will have a drastic impact on Monday's polls, providing a reminder that the madness doesn't always wait until March to get going. Those results were as follows:

It's been quite some time since St. John's was able to enjoy a true home court advantage at Madison Square Garden, as more successful programs with hearty fan bases in the area (Connecticut and Syracuse come to mind) would take over the building when playing the Red Storm. But Monday night may have been as close to a beginning to the end of that as Steve Lavin's troops beat Georgetown 61-58 to move to 3-0 in Big East play. The win, their fifth straight, also ended a 14-game losing streak to ranked teams for the Red Storm who have to deal with ranked teams in their next seven games as well.

Given their soft non-conference schedule, Northwestern (9-2) entered Big Ten play on Friday with a decent amount of work to do resume-wise in order to have a chance at making their first NCAA Tournament appearance. And conference play didn't get off to the best of starts for Bill Carmody's team, who fell 82-69 at Purdue and have lost two of their last three. But the good thing about being in a conference like the Big Ten is that another opportunity for a quality win is usually right around the corner, and that's the case tonight as they host Michigan State (9-4).

If Notre Dame can play defensively against Syracuse and Connecticut the same way they did last night, Mike Brey's team will be situated well within the Top 10 at the end of a rough slate to begin Big East play. Georgetown, one of the nation's best three point shooting teams, made just four of eighteen in a 69-55 loss in South Bend. Tim Abromaitis led Notre Dame with 20 points and Tyrone Nash added a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) in a game that the Irish controlled for most of the way thanks to their defense.

While Mike Krzyzewski going for win number 880, which would push him past Dean Smith and into second place all-time, is a big deal that does not make Duke playing UNC Greensboro at the Greensboro Coliseum the game of the night. That distinction goes to the Big East opener for #9 Georgetown (11-1) and #15 Notre Dame in South Bend.

Thursday provided quite the test for Josh Pastner's Memphis Tigers, with the more experienced Georgetown Hoyas invading the FedEx Forum. While Memphis' competitive spirit can't be questioned their execution, especially on the defensive end, was of no match for the Hoyas who diced up the Tigers to the tune of an 86-69 win. Austin Freeman scored 24 points while Chris Wright added 19 and Julian Vaughn 15 points and 10 rebounds in arguably Georgetown's best showing this season in moving to 11-1.

There are some good matchups on the schedule for today, from Washington State and Baylor playing in the Diamond Head Classic to Oakland's Keith Benson taking on Ohio State sensation Jared Sullinger. But the best meeting may be that between Georgetown (10-1) and Memphis (9-1) at the FedEx Forum in front of what will be a raucous crowd. The Hoyas have already picked up one win in a hostile environment (despite it being a "neutral" court), beating Missouri in Kansas City in late November.

Last night's game between #9 Georgetown and Temple was easier to watch than last season's meeting, a 46-45 Hoya victory in the nation's capital. A major reason for that, and also why Fran Dunphy picked up the 400th win of his coach career, was the play of junior guard Ramone Moore. With the concern for the visitors being whether or not they could compete up front with the likes of Lavoy Allen and Micheal Eric, Moore lit up Georgetown for 30 points in a 68-65 win that Temple never trailed in.

Thursday's schedule is a light one in regards to the number of games, but there are games that folks should keep an eye on. At the top of that list is Georgetown (8-0) heading up to Philadelphia to take on Temple (5-2), with the Owls looking to exact some revenge for last year's close loss in the nation's capital. The Hoyas are coming off of a week that featured wins over Missouri and Utah State, and their offensive play has been a major reason why.

The question that's dominated discussion for many in regards to the Gonzaga Bulldogs has been what's up with Elias Harris. One of the best freshmen in America last season, Harris has been dealing with shoulder and knee injuries in the Bulldogs' 4-2 start. Can he increase his production on Saturday when the Bulldogs take on Illinois in Seattle? Whether or not the swingman is healthy enough to make a significant impact will determine whether or not the Bulldogs are able to knock off the Illini in an environment that while defined as "neutral" will be anything but.