Hawaii has only lost at the Stan Sheriff Center vs. good North Carolina and Nebraska teams this season and expect the Rainbow Warriors to at least get to third place in their own tourney. A recovery of sorts should be expected from top scorer F Gytis Nemeiksa (13.7 ppg), who was held to just one point in the semifinal loss to the Cornhuskers on Monday after scoring 24 in the opening-round win over Charlotte. Meanwhile, Oakland has been involved in a pair of nailbiters already in Honolulu vs. Loyola and Oregon State and the Golden Grizzlies (who have lost four of five) might be hard-pressed to dig deep into the well for a third time in four days, far from home Play Hawaii

Given the Honolulu venue, we might want to cut Loyola a bit of slack for the subpar Sunday effort in the Oakland upset. This is a Golden Grizzlies team that had recently absorbed heavy defeats vs. Youngstown and Cleveland State in the run-up to Hawaii, scores barely 63 ppg and hits barely 29% of its triples. Meanwhile, OSU looks menacing after taking care of capable Charleston on Sunday. This season, the 9-2 Beavers have hit nearly 50% from the floor, have won five straight, and are now a spotless 10-0 vs. the number, paced by their international frontline of 6-9 Michael Rataj (Germany; 16.6 ppg) and 6-9 Southern Utah transfer Parsa Fallah (Iran; 12.3 ppg). Play Oregon State (at Honolulu)

Payback chance for the Bison after losing a fast-paced 86-81 decision on the blue court at Bakersfield on November 11. In hindsight, that might have been the high point of the Roadrunner season, shooting 57% from the floor and rallying from an 11-point halftime deficit behind transfer G Jemel Jones, who scored 25 off the bench. But Rod Barnes' crew hasn't reached that 86-point level since and has covered just two of tis last eight against the number. Meanwhile, the Bison have developed plenty of momentum, as they have won and covered seven in a row, with what might be the Summit's best 1-2 punch in transfer F Jacksen Moni (19.6 ppg) and G Jacari White (17.2 ppg). Play North Dakota State

IPFW has faced one Big Ten entry thus far (Penn State) and that turned into a shootout in a 102-89 Nittany Lions win. Michigan can do as much damage, as Jon Coffman's Mastodons play at only one speed (fast) and continue to score points in bunches, nearly 85 pg, while hitting 49% from the floor and 38% from beyond the arc. A veteran backcourt paced by Gs Jalen Jackson (18.1 ppg) and Rasheed Bello (14.5 ppg) will give it a go vs. the Wolverines as they did vs. Penn State, when Jackson (31 points) and fellow G Corey Hadnot (20 points) did much of the damage. Dusty May's Michigan will be all-in on the fast pace with an 81 ppg offense. Play IPFW-Michigan Over

Ohio State has taken some heavy defeats already and Jake Diebler's Buckeyes just took it on the chin from another high-ranked SEC foe (Auburn) at another neutral venue (Atlanta) last Saturday when getting clocked 91-53. Smallish OSU was overwhelmed 49-28 off of the glass and could not keep pace, much as another recent game at Maryland when falling behind 50-17 at halftime en route to another lopsided loss. Meanwhile, Mark Pope is leading a Kentucky renaissance as the Cats have been beating teams like Duke, Gonzaga and Louisville while scoring better than 91 pg and with six DD scorers. Note San Diego State transfer G Lamont Butler scored a big 33 in last Saturday's win over the 'Ville. Play Kentucky (at Madison Square Garden)

Steve Alford's Nevada that has shown well since a couple of bad efforts two weeks ago vs. Washington State and at LMU. The last two games, however, have been among the Wolf Pack's best this season, taking care of South Dakota State and Texas Southern at the Lawlor Center while hitting a combined 57% from the floor. Well-traveled MWC transfer G Xavier DuSell had his best game with Nevada when scoring 25 earlier this week vs. the SWAC Tigers. Meanwhile, Niko Medved's CSU is not the same team minus departed star G Isaiah Stevens, and no love lost across many Mountain West venues for the Rams, who are bolting for a reconfigured Pac-12 and are now suing the MW to escape contractual penalties. Play Nevada

Not sure many SMU fans will be tuned into Chestnut Hill while the Mustang gridders are involved in their playoff game at Penn State at the same time. No matter, Andy Enfield needs to keep his hoopsters focused, as SMU's successes away from Dallas have come on neutral courts; in a true road game at Butler, the Ponies were bounced, 81-70, worn down by the Bulldog frontline. Earl Grant's BC is built somewhat similarly, glad to bang with rugged frontliners 6-9 Chad Venning (via St Bona; 11.5 ppg) and bullish 6-8 PF Elijah Strong (11.2 ppg), who can also float to the perimeter when the mood strikes. Enfield will be happy to get out of Conte Fieldhouse with any sort of win. Play BC

Dayton hasn't lost since taking top ten Iowa State to the wire in Maui, greatly impressing with its very seasoned roster including some key veteran transfers in PF Zed Key (via Ohio State) and PG Posh Alexander (via Butler & St John's). The Flyers might have been caught looking ahead when barely escaping a UNLV upset bid on Tuesday, but it's the same Dayton that has already beaten UConn and Marquette, and shoots 50% from the floor. Cincy seeks revenge after the 82-68 loss to the Flyers last December, but Dayton's experience, depth and versatility makes it a compelling underdog. It's also a short ride from Dayton to Cincy's downtown Heritage Bank Center, not the Bearcats' Fifth Third Arena. Play Dayton (at Heritage Bank Center)

Back to an old haunt for Rick Pitino, whose star began to rise with his first major HC job at Providence in the late 80s, and a Final Four run in '87 along with a guard named...Billy Donovan. Pitino's current SJU capable to challenge UConn in the Big East, with only a couple of last-second losses in the Bahamas vs. well-regarded Baylor and Georgia (the Bears loss especially painful at the double-OT buzzer). The Johnnies are scoring nearly 85 ppg and shooting better than 49% FGs. Providence has been hindered by recurring absences of key cog Bryce Hopkins, dealing with knee issues while limited to just three games and held out of last Saturday's loss to St Bona; iffy tonight. Play St John's

Grambling, which showed well for a bit in November, has hit a downturn in recent weeks. The reason? The offense has been misfiring, scoring less than 62 pg across the past three games, all double-digit losses. Three-point shooting is suffering as in yesterday's 73-60 loss to Delaware State when hitting only 4 of 24 from deep on this neutral floor at the Mohegan Sun. Norfolk State has been showing more in the past month. not to mention sporting an 8-3 spread mark after yesterday's comfy win over Alabama State. The Spartans have some decent offensive numbers (including 48% FGs and nearly 36% triples), while Murray State transfer G Brian Moore (18.3 ppg) looks like a star in the MEAC. Play Norfolk State (at Uncasville, Ct)

It's been a tough go already for capable western sides like Cal Baptist, Grand Canyon, and USF, all losers in the Central Time Zone this week....might UCI be next? Though 9-1, recent Anteater games have been a struggle, and it came crashing down in a 67-55 loss at Oregon State that reminded not get too carried away by the early successes. The Beavers gradually pulled clear, controlling the glass 37-27 and limiting UCI to just 37% FG scooting. Belmont is arguably better than any team the Anteaters have faced, with superb balance (five DD scorers) led by Memphis transfer G Jonathan Pierre (13.6 ppg), and a five-game win streak featuring Pierre's 28 points in last Saturday's win over Richmond. Play Belmont

The visiting Cougs will have no shortage of motivation in this hoops version of the Apple Cup, especially after U-Dub's bolt to the Big Ten. WSU has already shown resilience, winning four of five since the season-ending shoulder injury to top scorer G Cedric Coward. But soph F LeJuan Watts and soph G Isaiah Watts have picked up the scoring slack, and remaining top scorer Nate Calmese (15.5 pgp) returns to Seattle after transferring from the Huskies. Meanwhile, DannyS Spinkle's U-Dub got the offense moving in the 87-69 win over EWU last Tuesday, but the Huskies still want to get 6-8 PF Great Osobor (14.1 ppg) his touches in halfcourt sets, and remain comfy playing at a slower pace. Play WSU-Washington Under

More air miles for Kennesaw State after an excursion to Alberta for games during Thanksgiving week, when the Owls lost 2 of 3. Living on the perimeter, KSU is really at the mercy of its three-point shots, which haven't been connecting all that well (just 32.5%). Risky, especially as Herb Sendek's SCU is working on three impressive wins in a row. Three-point shots, which weren't falling the first few weeks of the season, are now connecting, especially boomerang transfer G Carlos Stewart, scoring 18 ppg and hitting 59% beyond the arc (17 of 29) the past five games after enduring a very bumpy first few weeks of the season. Play Santa Clara

A-10 insiders say Matt McKillop might have something cooking at Davidson, whose two losses to ranked teams should not get us off the scent. The Wildcats' functional offense scores nearly 78 ppg, and good shooters abound for an attack hitting nearly 48% from the floor and 35% beyond the arc. A third-year starter, 6-10 F Reed Bailey (18.2 ppg), has emerged as one of the loop's top scoring threats, and there is balance in this offense with another go-to scorer in 6-5 wing Connor Kochera (16.3 ppg). Meanwhile, Temple has lost to all of the fully-competent foes it has faced as the Owls lean heavily (too heavily?) upon New Mexico transfer G Jamal Mashburn Jr (21 ppg). Play Davidson

We're still waiting to see the same UNLV as a season ago. The departure of the Boone brothers and versatile G Luis Rodriguez have robbed Kevin Kruger's side of versatility and consistency. Trying to accommodate plodding 6-11 juco Bear Cherry has slowed the offense, and Cherry has been held to single-digit scoring his last four outings. Too much burden is being placed on soph G Dedan Thomas to create offense; the Runnin' Rebels are underachieving, dropping five straight and seven of eight vs. the line. Meanwhile, the Flyers (8-2 vs. line) reminded again on Saturday that it is a team to reckon with this season when downing 6th-ranked Marquette 71-63 at the UD Arena, rallying from 13 down to score another emphatic win. Play Dayton