WEEKEND GAME TO WATCH
No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 10 West Virginia, 3 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)
What's going on with the Sooners? Well, they are finally starting to look human, shooting under 32 percent from three-point range in each of their three losses over the past four games. Meanwhile, West Virginia is hiccupping too, and beat up heading into this matchup with Daxter Miles Jr. missing the Mountaineers' loss at Texas on Tuesday due to a strained hamstring, and Jaysean Paige leaving that game because of a sprained ankle. The momentum would be big for both teams.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
4 No. 1 and 2 seeds in CBSSports.com's projected bracket that lost Wednesday and Thursday (Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa and Maryland).
7 Big Ten teams projected to make the tournament, according to both CBSSports.com and ESPN.com.
FINAL THOUGHT
Moments after the Gophers overpowered No. 6 Maryland to break a 14-game skid, Joey King went on camera and conducted his postgame interview with tears streaming down his face as he thanked fans for coming out night after night to watch a team that had been 0-13 in Big Ten play and spoke of his awe in the underclassmen's ability to keep fighting. The Gophers likely will go through more struggles before this season is over, and we'll all discuss where they fell short. But one thing the game itself needs more of is the raw emotion we saw from King. That pure, uncut pride and passion is the best of what we all love about sports, after all.
