Big East

Many expected the matchup between #12 Missouri and #13 Texas A&M to be a thriller and it most certainly didn't disappoint, requiring an extra five minutes before rendering a verdict. Khris Middleton was outstanding for the Aggies, scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds as Mark Turgeon's team remained undefeated in Big 12 play with a 91-89 overtime victory. Five A&M players reached double figures but it was Middleton who made the difference, scoring 11 points in the extra session to lead the way.

Another day, another matchup between ranked teams in the Big East as #17 Louisville (13-2, 2-0) heads northeast to take on #7 Villanova (14-1, 3-0). The question some have in regards to Rick Pitino's team is who have they beaten of consequence on the road, and with a 2-0 mark in such games a win in Philadelphia would go a long way in cementing them as a factor in the Big East race. The Cardinals want to play fast and they want to force you to play with discomfort, which more often than not results in turnovers and transition scoring opportunities for Louisville.

With the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game between Auburn and Oregon taking center stage (the pick here is Oregon) there isn't a whole lot to keep tabs on in college basketball. But there is an important resume-boosting opportunity for arguably America's favorite cardiac program as Marquette (11-5, 2-1) looks to rebound from their loss at Pitt on Saturday. And the return to Milwaukee won't come without a challenge as Mike Brey's Fighting Irish are the visitors, and they're looking to build on a productive 2-0 week (wins over Connecticut and St. John's).

One of the most surprising teams in America has to be the Cincinnati (14-0) Bearcats, who remain undefeated after opening Big East play with wins over DePaul and Seton Hall. But that only gets you so far in the argument as to who the best team in the city is, a question that will get its answer on Thursday night when Xavier (8-4) comes calling in what's one of the more spirited rivalries in college basketball. Neither coach has to be particularly pleased with this game being played in early January as opposed to December but that won't diminish the focus for anyone involved.

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.

There should be little doubt as to what the game of the day is on Thursday with a Big 5 battle on the docket. Temple (9-2, 0-0 Big 5) makes the short trip to Villanova (10-1, 3-0 Big 5) with hopes of picking up their second win over a ranked Big East team this season, and they've got the horses to do so.

Despite making the quick climb through the rankings, from not being ranked in anyone's Top 25 to finding themselves in the Top 5, there were still questions about Jim Calhoun's Connecticut squad. Biggest question: how would they handle playing in a hostile environment like the Petersen Events Center? That question obviously didn't stand for the experienced Kemba Walker but the team as a whole received quite the lesson from Big East preseason favorite Pittsburgh.

While the overall schedule for Monday is a light one Big East play opens up with a heavyweight battle in Pittsburgh. Undefeated Connecticut (10-0) plays their first true road game of the season, leaving the friendly confines of home to take on sixth-ranked Pittsburgh (12-1) in what should be a physical battle. Junior point guard Kemba Walker (26.5 ppg, 4.0 apg) has been one of the best players in America to this point in the season and no one's found the right answer in terms of how to slow him down.

A familiar argument early in the season is which conference is tops. The preseason hype tended to go in the direction of the Big Ten, but with strong starts by the Big East and Big 12 there has been room for discussion. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum: which BCS conference member is the worst team to this point in the year? Unlike the best conference question, that answer has been rather straightforward as the Auburn Tigers have put forth quite the display of ineptitude through the first ten games of the Tony Barbee era.