Here we go ladies and gentlemen. The 2015-16 college basketball season will finally commence this Friday and there’ll surely be a lot of high-quality games in store for your viewing and betting pleasure. But if you’re wondering about which matchups are bound to be the most promising, we’ve got you covered with our picks of the five best games to watch out for this week. Just read on below and take all the time you need.
Meanwhile, you can also indulge yourself with our pieces about the top 10 centers, shooting guards and point guards in the upcoming college basketball season.
[sc:MarchMadness ]The Top Five College Basketball Games to Watch this Week (Nov. 13-20)
Colorado Buffaloes vs. No. 7 Iowa State Cyclones
Where: Sanford Pentagon, South Dakota
When: Friday, November 13, 5:00 PM ET
Line: Colorado Buffaloes at Iowa State Cyclones – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Coming off their first losing season under head coach Tad Boyle, the Colorado Buffaloes’ biggest challenge is staying healthy. They can’t afford to be nagged by injuries if they hope to be relevant this year.
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]Unfortunately that could be the case again as they’ll be missing one of their dependable scorers in Xavier Johnson, who tore his Achilles in the offseason, for the entire year. While he remains sidelined, the onus is on their senior forward, Josh Scott, who averaged 14.5 PPG and 8.4 RPG, to carry most of the load on offense especially against the No.7 Iowa State Cyclones this coming Friday.
Speaking of the Cyclones, who are priced at +2800 to win the 2016 NCAA title, they will be boasting a formidable offensive game highlighted by their dynamic duo in Georges Niang and Monte Morris. Both led the way in scoring last year, averaging a combined 27.2 points per game.
Iowa State is 5-5 SU and ATS in its previous 10 meetings with Colorado.
Writer’s Prediction: Cyclones win by double-digits.
Siena Saints vs. No. 17 Wisconsin Badgers
Where: Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin
When: Sunday, November 15, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Siena Saints vs. Wisconsin Badgers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Like Colorado, the Siena Saints’ 2014-15 campaign was highlighted by injury woes. Things fell apart when 6-foot-9 center Imoh Silas (1.7 BPG in 2013-14) tore his ACL in the preseason workouts and then forward Brett Bisping, the heart and soul of the team, suffered a season-ending toe injury after playing just six games. The lone bright spot was Marquis Wright, who started all 31 games and led the MAAC with 5.1 APG. He’ll try to continue proving why he’s arguably the best pure point guard in the nation right now against last year’s losing finalist.
Wisconsin will have its sights set on a third-straight Final Four appearance as it tips off the new season. With the Badgers’ top two scorers from last year—Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker—gone, though, head coach Bo Ryan will look to Nigel Hayes (12.4 PPG) and Bronson Koenig (8.7 PPG) to step up their game in leading the offense from now on.
Writer’s Prediction: Badgers win this one by single digits only.
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Vermont Catamounts vs. No. 23 Purdue Boilermakers
Where: Macky Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana
When: Sunday, November 15, 2:00 PM ET
Line: Vermont Catamounts at Purdue Boilermakers – view all NCAA basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN3
The reigning America East conference champions, the Vermont Catamounts, are going to be in for a battle when they take on the No. 23 Purdue Boilermakers. The Catamounts, who have produced 20 victories in the last seven seasons, will put their trust on Ethan O’Day to lead them from the get go. O’Day, the senior all-conference forward, held a team-best of 12.4 PPG last year.
But his production alone won’t be enough against a ranked team. That said, the pair of Drew Urquhart and Darren Payen could be the team’s difference-makers. Urquhart, who averaged just less than 10 minutes in his rookie year, has shown signs of potential when given the opportunity. He’ll definitely be playing more than enough minutes to prove that this season. Payen, on the other hand, is one of the key additions during the offseason and he’s expected to receive a huge share of minutes as well due to Vermont’s depleted frontcourt.
As for the Boilermakers, they won’t be having any problems in their frontcourt at all. They have a pair of 7-footers in A.J Hammons and Isaac Haas to provide them with the solid interior presence and low-post scoring that can leave teams scratching their heads. And their backcourt is pretty formidable as well with Rapheal Davis leading the way. He’s the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and was the team’s second-leading scorer in 2014 with 10.7 PPG.
Writer’s Prediction: Purdue wins by double-digits.
No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats vs. No. 5 Duke Blue Devils
Where: United Center, Chicago, IL
When: Tuesday, November 17, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Kentucky Wildcats at Duke Blue Devils – view all NCAA Football lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
The departures of Karl-Anthony Towns and Willie Cauley-Stein to the NBA are big losses for the Kentucky Wildcats, who went 38-1 last year. But they immediately made up for it with five-star recruit, Skal Labissiere. The 6-foot-11 freshman is arguably the best big man entering this season. He has a solid two-way game that can prove to be a nightmare matchup for any opposing team. It’ll be really fun to see though, how Labissiere will perform against a formidable opponent like the Duke Blue Devils.
The Blue Devils, meanwhile, also made sure to replenish their roster which lost Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Tyus Jones. They did so by adding a seven-man recruiting class which includes three McDonald’s All-Americans in forward Chase Jeter, guard Brandon Ingram and guard Luke Kennard.
With a bunch of new faces in the team, chemistry could be an issue here, but head coach Mike Krzyzewski will surely have something up his sleeve. Also, talented 6-foot-2 guard Derryck Thornton is another reliable option for Duke and he could be in for a huge year as the team’s new floor leader.
Duke is 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS overall versus Kentucky.
Writer’s Prediction: Duke wins this one by single digits only.
No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 13 Michigan State Spartans
Where: United Center, Chicago, IL
When: Tuesday, November 17, 10:00 PM ET
Line: Kansas Jayhawks at Michigan State Spartans – view all NCAA basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
When you talk about the Big 12, the first thing the pops to mind are the Kansas Jayhawks. Kansas has won the Big 12 regular season title for 11 straight years, and will be looking to extend this impressive streak to 12. That may just happen again, as the Jayhawks are also on track for another strong run at the national title. They still have proven veterans in Perry Ellis, Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. to take them all the way in the Big Dance.
Furthermore, their veteran core is bolstered by solid recruiting class highlighted by Cheick Diallo and Carlton Bragg. But Diallo’s has yet to be cleared by the NCAA to play this year. With or without him, Kansas’ combination of both experience and young talent makes them a top-10 team.
On the other side, Michigan State Spartans won’t be fazed by Kansas’ strength at all. They proved to the world that they’re the real deal in last year’s NCAA Tournament by upsetting Virginia, Oklahoma and Louisville on their way to the Final Four.
Gone are Travis Trice and Branden Dawson, who were two of their main offensive threats in 2014, but all-around guard Denzel Valentine returns and shall carry most of the load on offense. He’ll also be receiving an extra-boost from new comers in West Virginia transfer Eron Harris and a pair of freshmen in Matthew McQuaid and Deyonta Davis.
Kansas is 2-4 SU and 1-5 ATS overall opposite Michigan State
Writer’s Prediction: The Jayhawks edge Michigan State by only single-digits.
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