I've got feelings (a "fan crush"; <3) for this #23 Oklahoma (21-8, 10-6) team, which could be dangerous come NCAA tournament time if those feelings are linked more with their style of play than their chances of winning. I've only seen them play once (a win against Baylor), but I liked the way they spread the ball on offense, their size, and the way they seemed like they were down by ten when they were only really down by a few points (maybe that was the announcer's fault). In a way, the Sooners remind me of my other favorite team (not named Villanova), Iowa. Though the Hawkeyes have more of a clear-cut star in senior Roy Marble, both teams possess a high scoring, versatile offense. (Oklahoma is 11th in the nation in scoring; Iowa is 5th.)
Oklahoma's opponent tonight at 9:00 pm EST on ESPNU, West Virginia (16-13, 8-8), hasn't fostered any sort of crushes lately. Besides a recent 22 point win over last place TCU (9-19, 0-16), the Mountaineers had lost four of their last five. Oddly, the lone win was a 25 point beat-down of #16 Iowa State (22-7, 10-7), in the midst of their own mini-swoon. Such is the conference season in a league as competitive as the Big 12.
Encouragingly for West Virginia, they beat Oklahoma during their last meeting in overtime. Not so encouragingly, that one was in the state directly west of Virginia. They'll play in a more southwest direction tonight. Like most college basketball teams, the Mountaineers aren't the same on the road.
At eight point favorites, I feel like developing this relationship a little further (which could be a bad sign for Oklahoma, see below record). Sooners for the cover.
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Record: 22-35 (C'mon, 13 in a row, let's do it)
Butler @ Creighton: L (picked Butler, +10.5)
UConn @ Memphis: L (picked Memphis, -7.5)
Depaul @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -17.5)
Pittsburg @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -5.5)
Creighton @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Baylor @ Kansas: W (picked Baylor, + 10.5)
Indiana @ Michigan State: L (picked Michigan State, -12)
Iowa @ Michigan: L (picked Iowa, + 1.5)
Colorado @ Arizona: W (picked Colorado, + 14.5)
Illinois @ Ohio State: W (picked Illinois, + 11)
Michigan @ Michigan State: W (picked Michigan, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Marquette: W (picked Villanova, -3)
Utah @ Arizona: W (picked Utah, + 15)
Oklahoma @ Oklahoma State: W (picked Oklahoma, + 4.5)
Villanova @ Georgetown: L (picked Villanova, -6.5)
Michigan State @ Iowa: W (picked Michigan State, + 5)
St. John's @ Creighton: W (picked St. John's, + 12)
Iowa State @ Kansas: L (picked Iowa State, + 8.5)
Syracuse @ Wake Forest: L (picked Syracuse, -10)
Purdue @ Michigan: L (picked Michigan, -12)
Florida @ Mississippi State: W (picked Miss. State, + 15)
Duke @ Syracuse: L (picked Syracuse, -3)
Xavier @ Villanova: L (picked Xavier, + 10)
Nebraska @ Michigan: L (picked Nebraska, + 13)
Boston College @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -13)
Oregon @ Arizona: L (picked Arizona, -11)
Oklahamo State @ Texas Tech: W (picked Texas Tech, + 6.5)
West Virginia @ Kansas: L (picked WVU, + 14)
Maryland @ Virginia: L (picked Virginia, -11)
Iowa State @ West Virginia: L (picked Iowa State, - 1.5)
Michigan @ Ohio State: L (picked Ohio State, -3.5)
Florida @ Tennessee: W (picked Florida, - 1.5)
Syracuse @ Pittsburg: W (picked Syracuse, + 2.5 -- absurd line)
Villanova @ Depaul: W (picked Villanova, -14)
Creighton @ Butler: L (picked Creighton, -8.5)
West Virginia @ Texas: W (picked Texas, -6)
Florida @ Kentucky: L (picked Kentucy, -2)
VCU @ Saint Louis: W (picked VCU, +4.5)
Villanova @ Creighton: L (picked Villanova, -3.5)
Texas @ Iowa State: L (picked Texas, +6)
Villanova @ Providence: L (picked Villanova, -4.5)
Wichita State @ Loyola: L (picked Loyola, + 13.5)
Creighton @ Marquette: W (picked Creighton, -3)
Gonzaga @ BYU: L (picked Gonzaga, +2)
Duke @ North Carolina: L (picked Duke, -2)
St. John's @ Villanova: W (picked St. John's, + 8.5)
Seton Hall @ Creighton: L (picked Creighton, -13.5)
Syracuse @ Maryland: L (picked Syracuse, -4.5
Indiana @ Wisconsin: W (picked Wisconsin, -10.5)
Butler @ Villanova: L (picked Villanova, -14.5)
North Carolina @ North Carolina State: L (picked UNC, -4)
Arkansas @ Kentucky: W (picked Arkansas, + 10.5)
Missouri State @ Wichita State: L (picked Missouri State, + 17.5)
Syracuse @ Virginia: L (picked Syracuse, +3.5)
Marquette @ Villanova: W (picked Villanova, -10.5)
Notre Dame @ North Carolina: L (picked North Carolina, -10.5)
Creighton @ Georgetown: L (picked Creigton, -3.5)
