DAILY DISH: Anthony Davis for Freshman of the Year, Bracket Busters Schedule Released

By: Kels Dayton

• Texas might be the unluckiest team in America. The Longhorns (13-9, 3-6 Big 12) have lost four of five, all against ranked teams, and all by five points or less. Missouri beat Texas 67-66 on Monday night. If the ‘Horns had been able to capture just one or two of those games, their NCAA chances would look a lot better. They’ve played a ridiculously tough schedule, but just don’t have enough quality wins to put themselves in consideration for an at-large berth right now. There are still chances for Texas, with home games against Kansas State and Baylor and a game against the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse, but the Longhorns are probably going to have to take two of those three and handle the rest of their Big 12 business to make a run at the Big Dance.

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  Kentucky's Anthony Davis has been the most impressive freshman in the nation this season. (AP Photo)

  With apologies to Austin Rivers and Cody Zeller, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis is the freshman of the year in college basketball this season. Davis is averaging 13.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, but the main reason he stands a cut above the rest is his presence on the defensive end of the floor. The 6-10  is averaging 4.6 blocks per game, and is already just seven blocks shy of Shaquille O’Neal’s SEC record of 108 for a freshman. He may not be generating the buzz that Derrick Rose or John Wall did as freshmen under John Calipari, but Davis  does have a chance to be a one-and-done No. 1 pick in the NBA draft like his predecessors.

• Murray State just got its biggest challenge on the road to going undefeated this season. ESPN has released the schedule for its Bracket Busters event, which pits top mid-major teams from different leagues against one another in a midseason showcase. The 9th-ranked Racers (21-0, 9-0 OVC) will host No. 18 Saint Mary’s (21-2, 10-0), in what should be an incredible game. Other key matchups include Long Beach State at No. 13 Creighton, Nevada at Iona, Northern Iowa at VCU, and Wichita State at Davidson. The rest of the schedule has conveniently been placed below.

BracketBusters TV Schedule

Northern Iowa vs. VCU – 7:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 17, ESPN2
Valparaiso vs. LMU – 9:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 17, ESPN2

Drexel vs. Cleveland State – 11:00 a.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPNU
Wichita State vs. Davidson – 12:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPN or ESPN2
Buffalo vs. South Dakota State – 1:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPNU
Akron vs. Oral Roberts – 2:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPN or ESPN2
Drake vs. New Mexico State – 3:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPNU
Nevada vs. Iona – 4:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18. ESPN or ESPN2
Old Dominion vs. Missouri State – 5:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPNU
No. 18 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 Murray State – 6:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPN or ESPN2
UNC-Asheville vs. Ohio – 7:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPN3
UT-Arlington vs. Weber State – 8:00 p.m., Feb. 18, ESPN3
Long Beach State vs. No. 13 Creighton – 10:00 p.m. ET, Feb. 18, ESPN2