The stretch run has arrived in college basketball. Teams are now entering their last 10 games of the season, which—in the Committee’s eyes—are the most important games of the year. While that might be incorrect, the Selection Committee has the only opinion that matters. This weekend is stacked with games on Saturday and Sunday (yes, there are things other than Super Bowl going on Sunday), including several games that could go a long way determining positions in March.
Due to a lack of time, this is the abbreviated version of the "weekend preview"...next week the complete one will return.
Top Games
Southern Illinois at Wichita State (Saturday, 12:00 PM)- Two of the MVC’s four teams fighting for first place. A win here would make the Salukis a lock for the tourney; while the Shockers need a quality win to boost their profile. Prediction: Wichita State 69, Southern Illinois 64
Connecticut at Indiana (Saturday, 1:00 PM)- Excellent non-conference battle. If Indiana had D.J. White, they would stand a better chance against the Huskies’ massive frontcourt. Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, etc. against Marco Killingsworth will be an interesting matchup. Prediction: Connecticut 77, Indiana 71
Marquette at Villanova (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- The Golden Eagles could use another key win for the NCAA Tournament, while Villanova has not looked overly impressive in their past couple of wins. Prediction: Villanova 74, Marquette 65
Arizona at UCLA (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- The Wildcats are currently one game back of the Bruins. UCLA won the first meeting of the two in Arizona, but have suffered several injuries since that game. Prediction: UCLA 72, Arizona 63
Michigan at Iowa (Saturday, 5:10 PM)- Two of the top teams in the Big Ten battle. Both the Wolverines and the Hawkeyes are only a half-game out of first place behind Illinois. Could be the best game of the weekend. Prediction: Iowa 69, Michigan 66
UNC-Wilmington at George Mason (Saturday, 7:00 PM)- The two best teams in the Colonial go at it. The Seahawks and the Patriots are tied for first place at 9-2. A win for either could improve their seeding come March. Prediction: George Mason 75, UNC-Wilmington 69
Kentucky at Florida (Saturday, 9:00 PM)- One of the best rivalries in the country opens another chapter. Florida had slumped after starting out 17-0, but is now on a 2-game winning streak. Kentucky has won four in a row after struggling the entire season. Prediction: Florida 73, Kentucky 68
Pittsburgh at Georgetown (Sunday, 12:00 PM)- Both teams are 6-2 in the Big East, tied for fourth. The loser could be out of the running for a conference championship, while the winner would solidify themselves as a legit contender. Prediction: Georgetown 74, Pittsburgh 70
Oklahoma at Kansas (Sunday, 1:00 PM)- After Oklahoma’s win over Texas and Kansas’ four-game winning streak, this game suddenly means something again. Both teams could conceivably catch the Longhorns in the Big 12 standings if either can get some consistency. Prediction: Kansas 70, Oklahoma 65
Maryland at North Carolina State (Sunday, 2:00 PM)- Two teams behind Duke in the ACC standings currently battle in an effort to stay within shouting distance of the Blue Devils. The Terrapins and the Wolfpack both suffered a bad non-conference loss last week—to Temple and Seton Hall, respectively. Prediction: North Carolina State 71, Maryland 58
Other Games to Watch
Cincinnati at West Virginia (Saturday, 12:00 PM)- Prediction: West Virginia 78, Cincinnati 63
Florida State at Duke (Saturday, 12:00 PM)- Prediction: Duke 82, Florida State 68
Virginia Commonwealth at Northeastern (Saturday, 1:00 PM)- Prediction: Northeastern 72, Virginia Commonwealth 67
LSU at Alabama (Saturday, 1:00 PM)- Prediction: LSU 79, Alabama 74
Akron at Kent State (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Kent State 75, Akron 72
Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Butler (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Wisconsin-Milwaukee 79, Butler 77
Texas A&M at Texas (Saturday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Texas 84, Texas A&M 62
Air Force at BYU (Saturday, 3:00 PM)- Prediction: Air Force 61, BYU 59
Mississippi at Tennessee (Saturday, 3:00 PM)- Prediction: Tennessee 81, Mississippi 69
Lamar at McNeese State (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- Prediction: McNeese State 82, Lamar 76
Clemson at North Carolina (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- Prediction: North Carolina 76, Clemson 66
Utah State at Louisiana Tech (Saturday, 4:00 PM)- Prediction: Utah State 73, Louisiana Tech 70
Georgia at Vanderbilt (Saturday, 5:00 PM)- Prediction: Vanderbilt 73, Georgia 66
Washington at Washington State (Saturday, 5:00 PM)- Prediction: Washington 74, Washington State 70
Gardner-Webb at Florida Atlantic (Saturday, 7:00 PM)- Prediction: Florida Atlantic 72, Gardner-Webb 68
Bradley at Missouri State (Saturday, 8:05 PM)- Prediction: Missouri State 75, Bradley 71
Southern at Grambling State (Saturday, 8:30 PM)- Prediction: Grambling State 66, Southern 61
Colorado at Iowa State (Sunday, 2:00 PM)- Prediction: Colorado 85, Iowa State 76
Marist at Iona (Sunday, 3:00 PM)- Prediction: Iona 76, Marist 69
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