If you’re a college basketball fan, Saturday is full of marquee matchups
Kentucky vs. UCLA in the Champions Classic at Madison Square isn’t the only marquee matchup in college basketball on Saturday. Not by a longshot.
In fact, the day overflows with top-level non-conference matchups. Such as these:
No. 14 Indiana at No. 8 Kansas
12 p.m. on ESPN2
Since beating North Carolina 77-65 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, Indiana (8-2) has lost two of its last three. Rutgers beat the Hoosiers 63-48 on Dec. 3 and No. 10 Arizona beat Mike Woodson’s team 89-75 in Las Vegas. Tracye Jackson-Davis leads IU with 16.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Kansas (9-1) lost to Tennessee 64-50 in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. Since then, the Jayhawks have beaten Texas Southern (87-55), Seton Hall (91-65) and Missouri (95-67 in Columbia). Jalen Wilson is averaging 22.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game for Bill Self.
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 15 Gonzaga
1 p.m. on CBS
After beating No. 1-ranked Houston in Houston 71-65 last Saturday, Alabama (9-1) welcome Gonzaga (8-3) to Birmingham.
Nate Oats’ Crimson Tide has three wins over ranked teams, including a 81-70 victory over Michigan State and the four-overtime 103-101 triumph over then No. 1-ranked North Carolina, both in the Phil Knight Legacy. Bama’s only loss also came at the Phil Knight. UConn took care of the Tide 82-65. Freshman Brandon Miller is averaging 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.
Gonzaga has experienced its struggles. The Zags own that 88-72 win over Kentucky on Nov. 20, but Mark Few’s team has lost at Texas 93-74, to Purdue 84-66 in the Phil Knight and 64-63 to Baylor in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Gonzaga forward Drew Timme is averaging 20.5 points per game.
No. 5 Houston at No. 2 Virginia
2 p.m. on ESPN2
After that loss to Alabama, Houston (10-1) whipped North Carolina A&T 74-46. Now Kelvin Sampson’s Cougars meet the second-ranked Cavaliers in Virginia. Houston is No. 2 in kenpom’s adjusted defensive efficiency rankings and No. 2 behind Connecticut overall. The Cougars are allowing just 49.4 points per game.
Tony Bennett’s Virginia (8-0) owns wins over then No. 5 Baylor 86-79 and No. 19 Illinois 70-61 in Las Vegas. The Cavs also defeated Michigan 70-68 in Ann Arbor. Virginia has ramped up the offense, averaging 72.2 points per game compared to 62.6 last year. Kihei Clark is averaging 11.6 points and 5.0 assists per game.
[NCAA team basketball statistics]
No. 23 Ohio State vs. North Carolina
3 p.m. on CBS
The opening game of the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden has the Buckeyes vs. the Tar Heels.
Ohio State (7-2) has lost to then No. 17 San Diego State 88-77 in Maui and 81-72 to then No. 17 Duke in Durham. The Buckeyes are No. 4 in adjusted offensive efficiency, but 75th in adjusted defensive efficiency. Zed Key is averaging 14.3 points and 8.7 rebounds for the Buckeyes.
No. 1 in the pre-season AP poll, North Carolina (7-4) has already suffered a four-game losing streak. Iowa State (70-65), Alabama (103-101), Indiana (77-65) and Virginia Tech (80-72) all knocked off the Heels. Defense has been UNC’s biggest problem. The Heels are 59th in kenpom’s adjusted defensive efficiency.
[North Carolina in a New York state of mind ahead of Ohio State matchup]
No. 16 UCLA vs. No. 13 Kentucky
5:15 p.m. on CBS
The second game of the CBS Sports Classic features the two teams with the most NCAA titles -- UCLA 11, Kentucky 8.
UCLA (9-2) is fresh off an 87-60 smackdown of Maryland in College Park. The Bruins suffered a pair of November losses -- 79-70 to No. 19 Illinois and 80-75 to No. 5 Baylor. But Mick Cronin’s club has won six straight games since. Jaime Jaquez is averaging 17.1 points per game.
Kentucky (7-2) is looking for its first win over a ranked foe. The Cats lost to No. 2 Gonzaga back on Nov. 20. They’ve won four since, including a 73-69 victory over Michigan in London. Oscar Tshiebwe scored 28 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the win over Yale.
No. 6 Tennessee at No. 9 Arizona
10:30 p.m. on ESPN2
Talk about an offense vs. defense battle. Arizona is ranked No. 1 in adjusted offensive efficiency rankings. Tennessee is ranked No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency rankings
Tennessee (9-1) has won eight straight, including that convincing victory over then No. 3 Kansas in the Bahamas. The Vols are definitely doing it with defense. Rick Barnes’ team is holding opponents to just 32.7 percent shooting from the field, second only to Houston’s 31.6 percent.
Utah handed Arizona (9-1) its lone loss back on Dec. 1. Since then, the Wildcats knocked off No. 14 Indiana 89-75 in Las Vegas. Led by Azoulas Tubelis, who is averaging 20.2 points per game, Arizona is the nation’s highest-scoring team at 92 points per game.
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