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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.

No. 1) No. 10 Miami at No. 4 North Carolina

Saturday, 1 p.m., CBS

  • About the Hurricane (21-4, 10-3): It might be a surprise to some that Miami is near the top of the ACC standings, but coach Jim Larranaga has a hungry group that’s been playing with a chip on their shoulder all season. That starts with gritty point guard Angel Rodriguez (11.4 ppg, 4.4 apg), a transfer from Kansas State who’s a major sparkplug for this team. The Hurricanes’ primary offensive weapon is Sheldon McClellan, a high-volume shooter with a knack for slashing to the basket. Miami lost to Northeastern in non-conference action otherwise it’d be in contention for a top seed in the NCAA tournament.  
  • About the Tar Heels (21-5, 10-3): The Tar Heels, coming off an upset loss to archrival Duke on Wednesday, need to pick up more signature victories to notch a No. 1 seed in the NCAAs. Brice Johnson had an impressive stat line — 29 points and 19 rebounds — in that Duke loss, and is a front-runner for ACC player of the year. All-American-caliber guard Marcus Paige (seven points on 2-for-10 shooting vs. Duke) needs better offensive production for UNC to win. One player who hasn’t gotten enough credit is Joel Berry II (12.0 ppg, 4.0 apg), who’s made a nice freshman-to-sophomore jump this season with his all-around play. 
  • Star Watch: Miami guard McClellan (16.1 ppg) and guard Ja’Quan Newton (11.4 ppg). North Carolina forward Brice Johnson (16.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg) and guard Paige (12.7 ppg, 3.7 apg).
  • The pick: North Carolina. The two best teams in the ACC here in mid-February for a primetime matchup. The Tar Heels have more talent but struggle to play with an edge at times whereas the Hurricanes make up for lack of talent with fiery play. Miami will either awaken UNC’s willpower or impose its own to take control of the ACC race.  

No. 2) No. 3 Oklahoma at No. 11 West Virginia

Saturday, 4 p.m., ESPN

  • About the Sooners (20-5, 8-5): Oklahoma lost to Kansas for the second time last weekend, this time on its home floor and not nearly as dramatic as the triple-overtime thriller between the two foes in the first matchup. Still, Oklahoma had a profile worthy of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Then it fell at Texas Tech on Wednesday. The Sooners have now lost three of their last four. Buddy Hield is the front-runner for national player of the year and spearheads OU as the best three-point shooting team in the nation at 44.6%.
  • About the Mountaineers (20-6, 9-4): If West Virginia hadn’t lost to Florida by 17 points on Jan. 30, it would have a pretty fantastic NCAA résumé, with the only other losses coming against the nation’s top teams — Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma and earlier this week, Texas. Point is: The Mountaineers should be taken seriously as a Big 12 and national title contender; they're currently alone in second place behind Kansas. Coach Bob Huggins’ group unsurprisingly leads the nation in steals with 10.2 a game and ranks fifth in turnover margin with 4.5 per game. WVU’s full-court pressure defense takes even the most disciplined teams out of their offensive rhythm and their offense is often the product of a stellar defense.     
  • Star Watch: Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield (25.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 49% three-point shooting) and guard Isaiah Cousins (13.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg). West Virginia guard Jaysean Paige (13.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and forward Devin Williams (13.5 ppg, 9.1 rpg).  
  • The pick: Oklahoma. In the first matchup between the two teams, Khadeem Lattin’s tip-in helped the Sooners escape with a two-point victory. OU has beaten good teams by playing well down the stretch. But what happens when the Sooners aren’t shooting well? As we saw in a loss to Kansas State on Feb. 6 or Texas Tech earlier this week, they’re definitely far from invincible. An over-reliance on the long ball makes OU very average. 

No. 3) Utah at USC

Sunday, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Network 

  • About the Utes (20-7, 8-5): Utah has positioned itself for a strong finish in the Pac-12 and decent NCAA tournament seeding. Jakob Poeltl has blossomed into a bona-fide star and gives the Utes an edge in the paint against just about every Pac-12 foe. He had 25 points and 10 rebounds in Utah’s monstrous 47-point rout of Washington State. On the season, he’s shooting 67% from the floor. The Utes have a nice mix of veterans on the roster, including senior point guard Brandon Taylor (9.1 ppg, 3.6 apg). 
  • About the Trojans (19-7, 8-5): For all the criticism coach Andy Enfield had gotten heading into the 2015-16 season, USC is in contention for a Pac-12 championship. It’s one of the best turnaround stories in college basketball this season. The Trojans have been atop the league standings but have fallen off recently due to back-to-back losses to Arizona State and Arizona before bouncing back with a solid win against Colorado earlier this week. This is a balanced, high-octane offense, with six players averaging double figures and USC ranking 16th nationally in scoring with 82.9 points a game.  
  • Star Watch: Utah center Poeltl (17.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and forward Kyle Kuzma (11.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg). USC guard Jordan McLaughlin (13.2 ppg, 5.0 apg) and forward Nikola Jovanovic (12.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg)   
  • The pick: USC. In a wide-open Pac-12, the winner of this contest could certainly emerge down the stretch. In the games the Trojans have won against top-tier opponents, like in a 103-101 Arizona victory, it scored a lot of points. Scoring is essential, but defense is where this team can evolve. Right now they they allow 73.8 points a game (228th in the nation). Containing the Utes will be vital for USC to stay in the Pac-12 hunt.      

4.) Duke at Louisville

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

5.) Kansas at Kansas State

Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN2

6.) Baylor at Texas

Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN

7.) Saint Mary's at Gonzaga

Saturday, 10 p.m., ESPN2

8.) Kentucky at Texas A&M

Saturday, 6:30 p.m., ESPN

9.) Purdue at Indiana

Saturday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

10.) Michigan at Maryland

Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS

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