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AROUND THE NATION
Games to watch Keep an eye on these matchups
CONNECTICUT VS. LOUISVILLE
The Huskies and the Cardinals are trying to find their way into the upper echelon of the Big East standings. Connecticut has struggled after defeating Texas, and Louisville is a tough place to play. This is a big game for both teams, and Louisville will come ready to play at home.
S MICHIGAN STATE VS. WISCONSIN
The Spartans head west to take on a Wisconsin team that is much better than many expected them to be this season. Michigan State will have its hands full trying to contain the Badgers' star player, senior Trevon Hughes, but point guard Kalin Lucas should be up to the task.
MISSISSIPPI VS. KENTUCKY
After a loss at South Carolina last week, the Wildcats will be even more focused as they hit the home stretch of the season. Mississippi has been playing well this season, but they will likely have a tough time keeping up with Kentucky on the road.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GEORGIA TECH VS. DUKE
The Yellow Jackets pulled out a victory the last time they played Duke, but that victory came at home. Everyone knows Cameron Indoor Stadium is a tough place to play, and forward Kyle Singler and the Blue Devils will be ready to get off to a great start in this game.
West Virginia's Devin Ebanks, left, spins past Depaul's Eric Wallace during the Mountaineers 62-46 victory last Tuesday. The Pittsburgh Panthers travel to West Virginia to play the Mountaineers in an important Big East matchup on Wednesday.
PITTSBURGH VS.WEST VIRGINIA Panthers take on Mountaineers in pivotal Big East matchup
It seems like anything can happen in the Big East. Five teams have a legitimate shot at winning the league, and this game could be very important in determining the conference title. After losing star forward Deluan Blair to the NBA following last season, Pittsburgh has done
much better than expected so far this season. West Virginia has several players who can really change a game, including point guard Joe Mazzulla. This game should be a fight, but the loser won't have to wait long for revenge — these teams meet again next Friday.
THE WAVE'S 2010 NCAA TOURNAMENT PROJECTIONS
The 2010 NCAA Tournament is just a few weeks away, and it's never too early to start thinking about which teams will earn this year's top seeds. The Wave editor Scott Toland projects the top four seeds in each regional.
EAST
MIDWEST
1. Villanova 1. Kansas
2. West Virginia 2. Michigan State
3. Gonzaga 3. Kansas State
4. Wisconsin 4. Tennessee
WEST SOUTH
1. Texas 1. Kentucky
2. Syracuse 2. Duke
3. Georgetown 3. Pittsburgh
4. Georgia Tech 4. Purdue
Right now, it looks like five teams are shooting for four No. 1 seeds. Villanova and Syracuse are both very good teams, but point guard Scottie Reynolds should make the difference and the Wildcats should win the Big East. Kentucky, Texas, and Kansas should take the other three top seeds, as they are not likely to be challenged by many teams in their conferences.
The Wave's Top 25 Wave editor Scott Toland ranks the nation's best teams
1. Kansas - After Kentucky's loss and a great start in Big 12 play, the Jayhawks are back on top in The Wave's Top 25.
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6. Michigan State - Tom Izzo's Spartans survived a tough test against Michigan last week on the road.
PITT
2. Villanova - The Wildcats have some of the best guards in the country and are playing well enough to earn a No. 1 seed.
11. Pittsburgh - The Panthers defeated Syracuse on the road a few weeks ago to prove that they can play with anyone.
7. West Virginia - Bob Huggs has his Mountaineers playing well in the tough Big East Conference.
16. Georgia Tech The Yellow Jackets demolished Wake Forest last week and could be a tough team to face in March.
12. Purdue  The Boilermakers have won two straight games after a three-game losing streak earlier this month.
21. Wake Forest — The Demon Deacons have an outside shot at the ACC Championship if they can win some big games.
17. Temple - The Owls should be able to win the Atlantic-10 Championship and make the NCAA Tournament.
3. Syracuse - The Orangemen have lost just one Big East game and their 2-3 zone gives just about everyone a lot of trouble.
22. UAB - The Blazers have arrived in the Top 25 after winning their first six games in Conference USA play.
8. Duke - The Blue Devils had a back at North Carolina State, but they recovered nicely by winning their next two games.
13. Georgetown - The Hoyas lost to Syracuse after failing to take advantage of a 14-0 start to the game last week.
4. Kentucky - John Calipari's Wildcats suffered their first loss at South Carolina last week, but they should get back on track
10. Tennessee - The Volunteers lost at home to Vanderbilt last week, but they still have a chance to defeat Kentucky.
9. Kansas State – The Wildcats barely got past Bayon on the road last week, but it still counts as a victory.
23. Ohio State - The Buckeyes should be able to challenge Wisconsin and Purdue for second place in the Big Ten.
14. Vanderbilt - Kevin Stallings*
Commodores deserve some more attention after knocking off Tennessee on the road.
10. Gonzaga — No one wants to play the篮球队 in March. Coach Mark Few has Gonzaga rolling through conference play.
19. BYU. The Cougars lost just their second game last week, but they could be a dangerous team to play in the NCAA Tournament.
5. Texans - The Longhorns are trying to hit their stride as they prepare for a big matchup with Kansas next Monday.
15. Wisconsin - The Badgers probably can't catch Michigan State, but they can likely finish second in the Big Ten.
24. Connecticut - The Huskers have been struggling on their way to seven losses, but no one wants to face Connecticut.
20. Mississippi - The Rebels are hoping they can pull off a victory against Tennessee or Kentucky during the conference season.
THE WAVE FEBRUARY 1,2010
25. Florida State - The Seminoles are off to a good start and have a chance to finish near the top of the ACC.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN