LSU beat Kentucky. Kansas and Oklahoma engaged in an epic marathon between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation. Diamond Stone and Brice Johnson have channeled their inner Hulk. It’s been a crazy past couple of weeks in college basketball, and it’s about to get wilder as we plunge deeper into conference play.
Read on for a brief preview of our select five best NCAAB games to watch until Tuesday. You can also read our full breakdown of North Carolina vs. Syracuse.
[sc:MarchMadness ]The Top Five College Basketball Games to Watch this Week (Jan. 8-12)
Virginia Tech Hokies vs. No. 14 Duke Blue Devils
Where: Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham
When: Saturday, January 9, 12:00 PM ET
Line: Virginia Tech Hokies vs. Duke Blue Devils– view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
[sc:NCAAB240banner ]After scoring their biggest upset in years, the Hokies are aiming to slay an even bigger giant in No. 14 Duke in Durham this coming Saturday. The Hokies beat then-No. 4 Virginia last Monday, 70-68, ensuring them of an RPI-boosting win this season.
The Devils are big favorites in this game of course, but they can’t overlook a Virginia Tech team that has gotten it together the past two games. Prior to beating Virginia, the Hokies beat top 75 RPI team NC State. This should be a good test for Duke, who is still missing the services of Amile Jefferson (ankle).
No. 3 Maryland Terrapins vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Where: Kohl Center, Madison
When: Saturday, January 9, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Maryland Terrapins vs. Wisconsin Badgers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
We’ve heard a lot about Ben Simmons putting up big numbers for LSU, but how about that Terp dude, Diamond Stone? Stone certainly deserves some love after he went off for an insane 39-point, 12-rebound performance to help Maryland stave off an upset-seeking Penn State. He’ll look to get it going again this Saturday against Wisconsin, which has already lost four games at Kohl Center this season.
The struggle is real for the Badgers, as they’ve gone from being ranked No. 17 in the AP preseason poll into a team growing desperate for wins just to improve their chances of getting an invite to the Big Dance. A win over No. 3 Maryland will go a long way for sure for the Badgers.
No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Syracuse Orange
Where: Carrier Dome, Syracuse
When: Saturday, January 9, 1:00 PM ET
Line: North Carolina Tar Heels vs. Syracuse Orange – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
It’s not looking good for the Orange, who’ve lost all of their last three games. The last one was an ugly 73-64 loss to Clemson on Tuesday. For those keeping count, that’s the second loss this season for Syracuse against teams past the top 140 of the RPI. The first one was an embarrassing defeat at the hands of St. John’s last December. Getting back in the win column may have to wait for Syracuse a little longer as the Orange don’t seem to have that much of a chance against the rolling Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels enter Saturday’s contest riding on a seven-game win streak, victimizing the likes of UCLA, Georgia Tech, and Florida State along the way. The win in Tallahassee was arguably the most impressive of late for the Tar Heels, as Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige went full beast mode, scoring 39 and 30 points, respectively, in a 106-90 demolition of the ‘Noles.
No. 11 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 18 Butler Bulldogs
Where: Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
When: Sunday, January 10, 7:30 PM ET
Line: Villanova Wildcats vs. Butler Bulldogs– view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: FOX Sports 1
Butler could really use a win against a ranked opponent right now. After back-to-back losses to Providence and Xavier, the Bulldogs are looking to get back the committee’s attention with a big win. That may come this Sunday against streaking Villanova, which has won its last five games by a 20.8 points margin.
Butler is coming in with the conference’s best offense, averaging 86.5 points per game, while Villanova is fourth in the Big East with 77.7.The Wildcats, however, have one of the best defenses in the nation, allowing just 60.5 points per contest, 11th in Division I.
No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks vs. No. 17 West Virginia Mountaineers
Where: WVU Coliseum, Evansdale
When: Tuesday, January 12, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Kansas Jayhawks vs. West Virginia Mountaineers – view all NCAA Basketball lines
TV Broadcast: FOX Sports 1
We’re still buzzing about that Kansas-Oklahoma triple-overtime barnburner, but the Jayhawks might be in for another close contest next Tuesday against West Virginia. For one, both teams have insanely efficient offenses with the Jayhawks shooting 50.6 percent and the Mountaineers doing fine too with a 48.4% clip.
As of this writing, Kansas still has a date with Texas Tech before the showdown in Evansdale, but that’s a game the Jayhawks are likely to cruise pass by. In any case the game against West Virginia should be a fun game that features two of the highest scoring teams in the nation.
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