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Previewing the top 10 college basketball games this weekend

Scott Gleeson   | Paste BN Sports

Setting up the top 10 games this weekend in order of watchability. All times Eastern.

1.) No. 6 Kansas at No. 3 Oklahoma

Saturday, 1:30 p.m., ESPN

  • About the Jayhawks (20-4, 8-3): Kansas has won four in a row since falling at Iowa State on Jan. 25, regaining its mantle atop the Big 12 standings. Yet as good as the conference is this year, KU doesn’t have much room to slip up if it wants to win yet another regular season title. Coach Bill Self’s veterans are leading the way for the Jayhawks. Senior forward Perry Ellis and junior guards Wayne Selden Jr. and Frank Mason III make up for a bulk of the team’s offensive production; KU ranks 14th nationally with 83.0 points per game. But it’s concerning that the Jayhawks’ freshmen haven’t contributed much as of late. Cheick Diallo is averaging 5.6 minutes in the last five games and Carlton Bragg is averaging just 6.6 minutes in the past five games. Both were top-25 recruits in the class of 2015 via Rivals. 
  • About the Sooners (20-3, 8-3): An upset road loss to Kansas State last weekend posed an interesting question: What if Oklahoma goes cold? That hasn’t happened often this season for the Sooners, especially with hot-shooting player of the year candidate Buddy Hield leading the way. That loss really illustrated a heavy reliance on the three ball. The Sooners shot 25% from beyond the arc, whereas on the season they average a nation-leading 45.1% a game. Then Monday came around and Hield hit a game-winning three-pointer to help OU sink Texas. Concern? Yes, but a small one for a potential NCAA tournament No. 1 seed. Hield isn't alone on this squad. Point guard Isaiah Cousins has played well as of late, averaging 17.4 points in the last seven games. 
  • Star Watch: Kansas forward Ellis (16.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and guard Selden Jr. (14.4 ppg). Oklahoma guard Hield (25.7 ppg and 5.6 rpg) and guard Isaiah Cousins (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 4.6 apg).    
  • The pick: Oklahoma. The first matchup between these two teams was a triple-overtime instant classic and perhaps the most exciting game of the season thus far. As for an encore, don’t expect Buddy Hield to match the 46 points he had last time against Kansas. And as great as Kansas has been, it’s been a different team on the road. This will be KU’s toughest road test yet. 

2.) No. 7 Virginia at Duke

Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ESPN

  • About the Cavaliers (20-4, 9-3): Virginia is starting to hit the same title form it had the past two seasons for back-to-back ACC regular-season championships, having won seven games in a row to climb near the top of the ACC standings. UVA’s defense is starting to look like the sound defense coach Tony Bennett manifested within the program. The Cavaliers rank third nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 59.6 points a game. Their patient offense, fueled by All-American Malcolm Brogdon and explosive forward Anthony Gill, is once again highly efficient — ranking ninth nationally in field goal percentage with 49.5%. 
  • About the Blue Devils (18-6, 7-4): Duke seems to be getting it together, beating two bottom-feeders in N.C. State and Georgia Tech before knocking off league-leader Louisville earlier this week. The mini win streak has helped dig the Blue Devils out of a hole they fell in from a late January stretch that saw them lose four of five. The major headlines have pointed out that Duke is out of the top 25 polls. But knowing a college basketball season is about progress, coach Mike Krzyzewski has been patient with his young team that’s suffered growing pains because there’s plenty of potential. Freshman guard Luke Kennard had a huge game against N.C. State, finishing with 26 points. His three-point shooting continues to spark Duke. 
  • Star Watch: Virginia guard Brogdon (17.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg) and forward Gill (14.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg). Duke guard Grayson Allen (20.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.6 apg) and forward Brandon Ingram (16.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg).  
  • The pick: Virginia. Both teams are getting better, although it’s much clearer with Virginia’s play. Duke’s offense, which ranks eighth nationally with 84.3 points a game and is driven by the play of All-American candidate Grayson Allen, gives it the chance to win against practically any team on any given night. But at the end of the day, a great defense beats a great offense. That’s where Virginia’s ahead. 

3.) No. 22 Indiana at No. 9 Michigan State

Sunday, noon, CBS

  • About the Hoosiers (20-5, 10-2): Indiana suffered a résumé-staining loss at Penn State last weekend, thus making its NCAA tournament profile all the more confusing. The Hoosiers are near the top of the Big Ten standings thanks to a huge win against Iowa on Thursday. But the only other top-50 win came against Notre Dame. This team gets the rest of the conference schedule to show what it’s made of. Statistically, this is one of the best offenses in the country — ranking second nationally in field goal percentage (51.1%) and fifth in three-point field goal percentage (42.2%). Yogi Ferrell has played exceptional, making up for the loss of second-leading scorer James Blackmon Jr., who’s out for the season. 
  • About the Spartans (20-5, 7-5): A three-game losing streak in January temporarily took Michigan State out of the national title discussion. Four wins in a row later, which started with a big win against Maryland before three routs, and Tom Izzo's team seemed to have regained its footing. A one-point road loss to Purdue earlier this week stings, mostly because it moves MSU to the middle of the Big Ten standings. And that's not where a team with this talent and experience belongs. Player of the year candidate Denzel Valentine leads an efficient offense that leads the nation in assists (20.4) and ranks second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69). And the team has collectively gotten extremely sound on the defensive end, ranking fifth nationally in field goal percentage defense — allowing 37.3% shooting from the floor. 
  • Star Watch: Indiana guard Ferrell (17.3 ppg, 5.8 apg) and forward Troy Williams (12.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg). Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine (19.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 6.9 apg) and guard Bryn Forbes (14.0 ppg, 49% three-point shooting).    
  • The pick: Michigan State. Indiana is much better than bracketology boards show. But it’s also not as good as its conference record indicates, mainly because the Hoosiers haven’t played the best teams yet. And Michigan State, especially at home, is a better team. The Spartans also have better momentum despite trailing the Hoosiers in Big Ten action. 

4.) Gonzaga at SMU

Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN2

  • About the Bulldogs (20-5, 12-2): Gonzaga has only lost five games on the season. But those five games were all against top-tier teams it needed to beat to remain at an elite status it had attained over the years. And because the ‘Zags’ résumé is lacking a top-50 victory, well, they’re surprisingly in jeopardy of not reaching the NCAA tournament — a bizarre twist to a team with Final Four aspirations in the preseason. Regardless of profile, there are still two All-American candidates on this team in Kyle Wiltjer and Domantas Sabonis. The loss of big man Przemek Karnowski to injury surely messed with the team’s psyche. But there’s been enough time now to establish a new identity. Guard play is where the Bulldogs struggle. Their assist-to-turnover ratio (1.18) ranks 99th in the country compared to last year when it ranked fifth (1.56). 
  • About the Mustangs (20-3, 9-3): With a painful postseason ban hovering over the program, what does SMU have to play for this season? How about pride? That’s been the question for a while now and yet, the Mustangs were the last undefeated team in the country to fall and they’re currently sitting atop the AAC standings in great position to win another league title. In other words, this is hardly a team playing without a purpose. If anything it’s a chip-on-their-shoulder mentality. A;ll that said, Larry Brown's group has lost three of five and needs to restore its winning mentality. This is a highly efficient shooting team, ranking fourth nationally with 50.3%. It’s also a great team on the boards; SMU ranks eighth nationally in rebounding margin (10.3). Texas Tech transfer Jordan Tolbert (12.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg has fit in nicely.
  • Star Watch: Gonzaga forward Kyle Wiltjer (21.8 ppg, 6.5 rpg) and forward Sabonis (17.4 ppg, 11.5 rpg). SMU guard Nic Moore (16.3 ppg, 4.9 apg) and forward Ben Moore (12.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg).   
  • The pick: Gonzaga. If the ‘Zags can put the breaks on Moore, they’ll have a chance to win on the road and seriously bolster their résumé. It’d be a top-50 road win and completely secure a tourney bid without a stunning collapse. Winning at Moody Coliseum won’t be an easy feat, as it's only been done once — by Tulsa on Wednesday. And the selection committee will take notice if Gonzaga comes away with a win in a hostile environment.    

5.) No. 23 USC at No. 15 Arizona

Sunday, 1 p.m., Fox Sports 1

6.) No. 21 Kentucky at No. 20 South Carolina

Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN

7.) Louisville at Notre Dame

Saturday, 3 p.m., ESPN2

8.) No. 15 Texas at No. 15 Iowa State

Saturday, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

9.) Wisconsin at No. 2 Maryland

Saturday, 5:30 p.m., ESPN

10.) No. 13 Texas A&M at LSU

Saturday, noon, CBS

Also: No. 4 Xavier at Butler (Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Fox), No. 11 Miami at Florida State (Sunday, 5:30 p.m., ESPNU)

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