All of this scoring can be fun, but after a while it’s just not as impressive when it seems like everyone is doing it. After West Virginia dismantled Clemson 70-33 last night, the whole bowl system looks even more ridiculous. Perhaps if these games meant something we’d see some more defense.

I think it’s a joke that Alabama gets a rematch with LSU in the National Championship game, but at least those teams know something about how to play defense.

If you could pry yourself away from the televised coverage of the T.O. ordeal for just one minute, you could tune in to a couple of key marquee matchups on the hardwood this weekend. It begins with Cleveland visiting Boston tonight, and with a victory the Cavs can confirm their status as a legitimate title contender. They’re no longer LeBron James and the Cavalettes coming to your favorite NBA arena. On Saturday, it’s #1 UConn versus #4 Pittsburgh in a crucial Big East matchup. Then, travel down Tobacco Road for Duke-North Carolina in an ACC heavyweight matchup this Sunday. This could be a dress rehearsal for next week’s conference tournament final, with the winner getting a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

All times ET…

College Basketball
Saturday, 12 PM: #1 Connecticut @ #4 Pittsburgh (CBS)
Saturday, 2 PM: #25 Syracuse @ #14 Marquette (ESPN Full Court)
Sunday, 12 PM: #20 Purdue @ #8 Michigan State (CBS)
Sunday, 4 PM: #7 Duke @ #2 North Carolina (CBS)
Sunday, 6 PM: #19 Clemson @ #10 Wake Forest (Fox Sports Net)

NBA
Friday, 8 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Boston Celtics (ESPN)
Friday, 10:30 PM: Denver Nuggets @ Utah Jazz (ESPN)
Saturday, 8:30 PM: Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks (NBA TV)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Phoenix Suns @ San Antonio Spurs (ABC)
Sunday, 7 PM: Philadelphia 76ers @ Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA TV)

NHL
Saturday, 1 PM: Chicago Black Hawks @ Boston Bruins
Saturday, 10 PM: San Jose Sharks @ Vancouver Canucks (CBC)
Sunday, 12:30 PM: Boston Bruins @ New York Rangers (NBC)

World Baseball Classic
Saturday, 2 PM: Canada vs. United States from the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada (ESPN)

Damn you, Tim Clark!

Thanks for ruining the weekend of all hack golfers in the world by defeating golf’s stimulus plan, Tiger Woods, on Thursday. We (I confess that I am a hack golfer) live vicariously through every one of his great shots from the fairway that land smoothly a foot away from the pin on the green. Now, we have to hope for another Phil Mickelson meltdown to bring our attention back to the Accenture Match Play Championship. Hopefully, Shaq will reprise his introduction dance from the All-Star Game before Sunday’s nationally-televised game against the Lakers. I mean the Big Shaqtus can really move on the dance floor.

All times ET…

College Basketball
Saturday, 2 PM: Notre Dame @ #2 Connecticut (CBS)
Saturday, 2 PM: #13 Clemson @ #25 Florida State (ESPN Full Court)
Sunday, 12 PM: #10 Marquette @ #6 Louisville (CBS)
Sunday, 2 PM: #8 Missouri @ #15 Kansas (CBS)
Sunday, 4 PM: #9 Michigan State @ #20 Illinois (CBS)

NBA
Friday, 7 PM: Detroit Pistons @ Orlando Magic (ESPN)
Friday, 9:30 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers @ San Antonio Spurs (ESPN)
Saturday, 7 PM: Orlando Magic @ Philadelphia 76ers (NBA TV)
Sunday, 1 PM: Detroit Pistons @ Boston Celtics (ABC)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns (ABC)
Sunday, 8 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)

NHL
Friday, 7 PM: Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers
Saturday, 7 PM: San Jose Sharks @ Montreal Canadiens
Sunday, 1 PM: Philadelphia Flyers @ New Jersey Devils

PGA
Feb.27-Mar. 1, TBA: Accenture Match Play Championship (NBC/TGC)

There were five top 20 matchups on Saturday, and although there weren’t any buzzer beaters, there were some good games. Here are a few random thoughts…

- What is CBS thinking having Gus Johnson in the studio? He’s a capable in the halftime show, but he should be at the gym calling a game.

- #8 Syracuse blew out #13 Notre Dame, 93-74. The Big East is deep again this season and any win will be tough, especially on the road. Six Orangemen scored in double figures, led by Arinze Onuaku’s 19 points. Luke Harangody scored 25 points, but was a miserable 9-28 from the field.

- #2 Duke beat #12 Georgetown at home, 76-67. This game was close at the start, but a late first half run put the Blue Devils ahead, 40-29. From there, Duke simply managed its lead. G’Town cut it to five with 0:46 to play, but Duke made its free throws and coasted to the win. Gerald Henderson led the Dookies with 23 points and is looking more and more like an NBA talent.

- #3 Wake Forest won at #9 Clemson, 78-68. There was a great atmosphere at Littlejohn Coliseum, but the Demon Deacons passed the ball really well down the stretch to fend off the pesky Tigers. Clemson cut the lead to 61-60 with 4:54 to play, but Wake went on a 10-1 run over the next two and a half minutes to essentially put the game away. Jeff Teague led Wake with 24 points and five dimes.

- #15 Arizona State went into Pauley Pavilion and upended #7 UCLA in overtime, 61-58. Former North Carolina State head coach Herb Sendek has the Sun Devils playing solid basketball. They aren’t a very balanced team; James Harden (24 points) and Jeff Pendergraph (18 points) scored 42 of the team’s 61 points. UCLA simply couldn’t figure out the ASU zone in the second half, and didn’t score a single point for the last eight minutes of regulation. Including the extra period, the Bruins scored a total of four points in 13 minutes. Ouch.

- #20 Louisville upended #1 Pittsburgh, 69-63. Like I said earlier, winning on the road in the Big East isn’t going to be easy this season. There are a lot of good teams with strong home courts. Terrence Williams (20 points, seven rebounds, four assists) led the way for the Cardinals, and Earl Clark posted a double-double (16 points, 11 rebounds) on his birthday. It looks like Duke will be the #1 team in the nation come Monday, at least in the ESPN poll.