It’s Feb. 28 but it feels a bit like March.
Check out today’s prime time games in college basketball. It’s a big-time appetizer for the main course that is just ahead. Here’s a guide to today’s agenda. Call is must-see TV. Bring all your flatscreen sets into the same room or least use picture-in-picture. Pour a cold one and grab the chips.
Noon – Michigan at No. 14 Maryland: Maryland is coming on strong in the Big Ten and the Terps will be playing their final home game. Senior Day, ESPN
2 p.m. – No. 10 Northern Iowa at No. 11 Wichita State – One of the biggest games in the history of the Missouri Valley Conference. These are two very good teams. Great theatre. ESPN
2 p.m. – No. 6 Villanova at Xavier – Villanova could be moving toward a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament as the top team in the tough Big East. Can Xavier play spoiler? FOX
4 p.m. – No. 18 Arkansas at No. 1 Kentucky – Is this the day? Can the Razorbacks hand Kentucky its first loss? Not likely. But this should be a close game at least. CBS
4 p.m. – No. 12 Iowa State at Kansas State – Iowa State lost at home to Baylor this week. The Cyclones will be mad. K-State is looking to beat its second ranked team this week. Is court security ready at the Octagon? ESPN2
4 p.m. – No. 20 West Virginia at No. 19 Baylor – Another huge game in the Big 12 standings Pressure defense against 3-point shooting. ESPNU
5 p.m. – Texas at No. 8 Kansas – The Jayhawks got help from Baylor and now they can win another Big 12 title by taking care of business. Kansas celebrates the 60th anniversary of Allen Fieldhouse by wearing throw-back uniforms. ESPN
7 p.m. – Syracuse at No. 4 Duke – The new, trendy rivalry in the ACC. Jim Boeheim will likely hold on to this sport coat but Syracuse is capable of an upset. ESPN
9 p.m. – No. 7 Arizona at No. 13 Utah – First place is on the line in the Pac 12. Emotions will be running high on both sides. Statement game for the conference and NCAA seeding. ESPN