Monday's Key Games (2/25)

Looking ahead at key games for Monday, 2/25

Two of the week's most interesting games will be played tonight in the Big 12.

Oklahoma at Iowa State - 7:00 PM (CST) on ESPN2

There may be no more intriguing bubble team than Oklahoma, who currently sits at 4 games below .500 in Big 12 Play at 5-9.  The NCAA has never taken a team as an At-Large with a conference regular season record more than 2 games below .500.  With 4 games remaining in conference play, Oklahoma would need to win 3 of its final four games to close at 8-10.  Iowa State won the first match-up on the road in Norman by 1.  The Sooners close out the season against Kansas and Kansas State.  A loss tonight could force the Sooners into the unenviable position of having to win those two final league games to avoid having to win the Big 12 Tournament to get in ... Unless the NCAA selection committee were to choose to further water down the importance of success in league play, and select a team with a 7-11 conference record. 

Kansas State at Kansas - 8:00 PM (CST) on ESPN

A classic interstate rivalry game with a lot at stake.  A week ago this looked like the game that might determine the conference leader heading into the final 3 games of the season, and the inside track to the coveted #1 Seed in the Big 12 Conference tournament.  That was before Kansas was run off the court at Texas Tech by 29 points on Saturday.  Plummeting in almost all bracket projections, Kansas needs a win at home to maintain a spot among the top 16 seeds.  Kansas State, on the other hand, must be asking as they look at projections, what they have to do to get more consideration for one of those 16 coveted seeds.  They currently lead the conference with an 11-3 record, beat Kansas by 8 a little over 2 weeks ago, and have more Quad 1A wins then either Kansas or Texas Tech who many have seeded above them, and whom KSU has beaten this season.  A second win over the Jayhawks, currently ranked 20th in the NET, this time in Lawrence, would almost certainly give them a second signature road win to propel them into the top 4 seed line.