Current:Home > ContactStarting Five: The top men's college basketball games this weekend are led by Big 12 clash -Wealth Evolution Experts
Starting Five: The top men's college basketball games this weekend are led by Big 12 clash
Burley Garcia View
Date:2025-04-09 02:38:28
To paraphrase Julius Caesar, all of the college basketball season is divided into three parts.
The opening third, the non-conference portion with a number of holiday tournaments and tune-up games for the sport’s top-tier programs, is concluded. The second part, regular-season conference play, is now well underway, and early returns point to a whole lot of uncertainty when we reach the third segment, in which March Madness will live up to its name and then some.
Already this week in men’s college hoops, four of the top five teams and six of the top 11 have taken a loss. Two of those are now set to square off in Saturday’s headliner in our inaugural edition of the Starting Five.
No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 3 Kansas, Saturday, 2 p.m., ESPN+
Yes, you’ll have to stream this one, but it might be worth the effort. The intensity level should definitely be high with both teams in need of a bounce-back performance. The Jayhawks squandered a big lead thanks mainly to a spate of turnovers Wednesday night in a loss at Central Florida, while the Sooners couldn’t overcome several long scoring droughts at TCU. Oklahoma’s scoring balance, with eight players averaging at least six points, and strong team defense could pose a tough matchup for KU. The Jayhawks’ long-range shooting can also be spotty, though big man Hunter Dickinson can score in a variety of ways.
No. 2 Houston at TCU, Saturday, 6 p.m., ESPN
The Horned Frogs, meanwhile, don’t get long to savor their Oklahoma win with an angry pack of Cougars coming to Fort Worth. Houston’s first taste of life on the road in the Big 12 resulted in defeat at Iowa State as leading scorer L.J. Cryer was held to just five points. The 27-point performance turned in by TCU’s Emanuel Miller in the Oklahoma win undoubtedly got the attention of the Cougars’ Jamal Shead, whose 2.3 steals per game lead the relentless defensive effort that is a hallmark of Kelvin Sampson coached teams.
No. 5 Tennessee at Georgia, Saturday, noon, ESPN2
Despite a couple of losses at a star-studded tournament in Hawaii back in November, the Volunteers had worked their way back into the top five, opening SEC play with a 32-point demolition of previously unbeaten Mississippi. But Wednesday’s 77-72 setback at Mississippi State was a reminder that road life in any conference is never easy. Now Tennessee must head to Athens, where the league’s other Bulldogs are riding a 10-game winning streak. Georgia is not a big team but gets production from a lot of back-court contributors. Finding open looks against the Vols’ notoriously stingy perimeter defense, however, might still be a challenge.
Northwestern at No. 15 Wisconsin, Saturday, noon, BTN
While Purdue was topping the polls for the past month, the Boilermakers dropped a second Big Ten road game this week and find themselves down the pecking order in the standings. The Badgers, meanwhile, have climbed to the head of the class, off to a 4-0 league start including Wednesday’s tough victory at Ohio State in a back-and-forth affair. They return home to Madison to take on the Wildcats, who were responsible for one of those takedowns of Purdue but also have a terrible result against Chicago State on their resume. A high-end road victory in the Kohl Center would help, which will likely require a lights-out day from the arc. Northwestern does connect at a respectable 37.7% clip from three-point range, but the ‘Cats be at a disadvantage on the glass against Wisconsin’s frontcourt if the treys aren’t falling.
St. John’s at No. 20 Creighton, Saturday, 1 p.m., Fox
Rick Pitino as expected has wasted little time making the Red Storm relevant again in the hotly-contested Big East, entering the weekend with a share of the league lead after wins against Villanova and Providence. They head west to Omaha, where the Bluejays have rattled off three wins in a row after starting 0-2 in the conference. Though Creighton is still known as a perimeter team heavily reliant on making jumpers, veteran big man Ryan Kalkbrenner is an effective rim protector averaging 2.4 blocks. His battle in the paint with the Red Storm’s Joel Soriano should be worth watching.
veryGood! (86353)
Related
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Some veggie puffs contain high levels of lead, Consumer Reports finds
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Ex Ryan Anderson Reacts to Her Reuniting With Ken Urker
- UN agency predicts that 1.5-degree Celsius target limit likely to be surpassed by 2028
- Toyota to invest $922 million to build a new paint facility at its Kentucky complex
- Gabby Petito’s Family Share the “Realization” They Came to Nearly 3 Years After Her Death
- In Washington, D.C., the city’s ‘forgotten river’ cleans up, slowly
- U.S. Army officer resigns in protest over U.S. support for Israel
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- As New York Mets loiter in limbo, they try to make the most out of gap year
Ranking
- Charges tied to China weigh on GM in Q4, but profit and revenue top expectations
- Toddler killed and mother injured during tornado in Detroit suburb
- Amanda Knox’s Slander Conviction Upheld by Italian Court in Meredith Kercher Murder Case
- What happened to Eric Bolling? Here's what to know about the Newsmax anchor's exit
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
- No, you probably didn't win a free vacation. Don't let these scams ruin your summer fun
- 14-years old and graduated from college: Meet Keniah, the Florida teen with big plans
- New York judge seen shoving police officer will be replaced on the bench
Recommendation
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
Demonstrators occupy building housing offices of Stanford University’s president
Whitney Port Shares Her Son's Kindergarten Graduation Included a Nod to The Hills
NHL to broadcast Stanley Cup Final games in American Sign Language, a 1st for a major sports league
Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
Most Americans still not sold on EVs despite push from Biden, poll finds
Kyrie Irving took long, complicated route back to NBA Finals with Dallas Mavericks
U.S. Army officer resigns in protest over U.S. support for Israel