© Jim Barnes 2012
If you are not a fan of the Ivy, Horizon or Metro Atlantic leagues
then college basketball holds little interest for you tonight.
Harvard, a 16-2 season underway, is tied for the Ivy leadership
with Yale (12-4) and the pair meet tonight on Yale’s home court.
The Crimson have been far more impressive to date with early
season road wins at Utah (75-47) and Florida State (46-41) while
one of Yale’s setbacks was against Quinnipiac. The Bulldogs
have won four in a row, including back to back victories over
league rival Brown, 68-64 and 73-60. Harvard’s two conference
triumphs have been versus Dartmouth 63-47 and 54-38.
Iona, Loyola-Maryland and Manhattan are deadlocked for the
top slot in the Metro Atlantic with 7-2 records. Iona is at Fairfield
(5-3), Loyola-Maryland travels to Niagara (4-5) while Manhattan is
also the road - facing last place Canisius (1-8).
The only two games in the Horizon don’t carry much weight as
neither contest involves top schools. Last night Valparaiso fell out
of a first place tie with Cleveland State, losing to UW-Milwaukee.
State and UW are now 7-3, tied for 2nd.
How about the Celtics?
Trailing by 27-points at Orlando - and without injured
starters Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O’Neal - Boston
used a giant fourth period spurt to upset the Magic 91-83 last
night. The Celtics, still one of the lowest scoring teams in the
NBA, host Indiana tonight. The Pacers have won the last four
meetings, but rarely have been able to defeat the Celtics in
Boston.
If winning streaks carry any impact in pro basketball, Denver
has won five in a row, the Celtics and Oklahoma City three
each. New Orleans has lost nine straight, Charlotte six and
Sacramento three.
The news front is quiet this morning - if you exclude another
GOP debate where Rick Santorum made made sense and Ron
Paul drew the most laughs. Ford Motor Company says it has
posted the most profit since 1998 and the Pentagon is slashing
its budget - getting rid of old military equipment and reducing
the number of uniformed personnel.