Anyone who follows mid-major basketball will have their eyes on two games tomorrow. At noon, Davidson will try to knock off Duke and tomorrow night Eric Gordon leads the Hoosiers into Carbondale for a date with Southern Illinois. Each game provides a chance to make a major statement for the smaller programs against iconic teams that share their regions.Davidson won't be able to rely on the singular brilliance of Stephen Curry if they hope to knock off the Blue Devils. They'll need a repeat of the team effort that nearly brought them to an upset of North Carolina earlier this month. Duke is even deeper than the Tar Heels, if not as talented, and the Wildcats will need to pressure them into something close to the 19 turnovers they got in the earlier game to have a chance. Kyle Singler will put a lot of pressure on Davidson's forwards while Curry can't afford to rest on the defensive end against DeMarcus Nelson and Gerald Henderson.
As for the Salukis, they'll need to turn in a performance that's 180 degrees from their work against USC last weekend.
Their defensive intensity lagged and their shots clanked iron. If they want to make a statement against the Hoosiers, they can't afford a repeat in either department. Matt Shaw and Bryan Mullins will need to hit shots from the outside to stop Indiana from sagging on Randal Falker but it's going to be up to everyone to slow down Gordon.
Elsewhere, Butler hosts Ohio State, which is coming off a loss to North Carolina. The Buckeyes are still trying to find themselves after losing the heart of last year's team while Butler has been flying high behind their talented backcourt of A.J. Graves and Mike Green. Mid-major or not, this is Butler's game to lose and they'll be doing it in front of a home crowd eager to celebrate their Great Alaska Shootout title.
Belmont travels to Cincinnati for a game with Xavier, who shouldn't be considered a mid-major. The Bruins first trip to town resulted in a victory over the Bearcats but Xavier poses a much tougher task.
Harvard hosts Michigan in the Tommy Amaker classic. Expect the Crimson to be fired up for a date with their coaches former charges. If they win, it will be the first time Amaker is victorious in a big game featuring the boys from Ann Arbor.
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