NCAA Basketball Weekend Predictions: Can Trae Young beat West Virginia?
NCAA basketball has a great slate of games coming up this weekend, headlined by Oklahoma at West Virginia. Here are my predictions for the top games.
College basketball weekends are some of the best days of the year. With conference play now underway across the country, these weekends are full of incredible matchups. From now until the end of the season, I will give my top games for the weekend along with my predictions.
For the weekend of January 6-7, here is a look at the best games to watch, what to watch for, and my picks.
Every game listed is shown in Eastern Time.
Saturday, January 6th
No. 5 Xavier Musketeers (15-1) at Providence Friars (10-6)
How to watch: 12:00 p.m. on FOX, Full Preview
It is never easy to win on the road in college basketball. So far this season, Xavier has looked every bit as good as they were expected to be in the preseason. They have one brutal loss to Arizona State but have been great otherwise. In their last game, the Musketeers took care of business at home against Butler. The team relies on a heavy dosage of Trevon Bluiett and J.P. Macura so those are the guys to watch for head coach Chris Mack.
Providence, on the other hand, is a team that has been decimated by injuries as of late. Kyron Cartwright, although playing now, missed time and was not 100% due to an ankle injury for much of this season. In addition, Rodney Bullock, the team’s leading scorer, missed the Friars’ last game, a loss to Marquette, due to a stomach ailment.
Prediction: Xavier 85, Providence 72
Louisville Cardinals (11-3) at No. 25 Clemson Tigers (13-1)
How to watch: 12:00 p.m. on ACC Network, Full Preview
Clemson has easily been one of the best surprises this season. After an up-and-down season last year that ended in several close defeats, the Tigers are off to a tremendous start this season. They are led by five players who are averaging in double figures as well as one of the best scoring defenses in the country. This team is compiled from a ton of transfer students and head coach Brad Brownell has them playing with fluidity and chemistry.
Louisville, on the other hand, had a tumultuous offseason and their on-the-court play has not been up to their usual standards. Rick Pitino is no longer the head coach and David Padgett is doing his best to keep the team playing up to par. Even though they have fallen out of the top-25, Quentin Snider and Deng Adel can lead this team to an NCAA Tournament berth.
Prediction: Clemson 74, Louisville 66
Alabama Crimson Tide (9-5) at Georgia Bulldogs (10-3)
How to watch: 12:00 p.m. on SEC Network
Georgia’s Yante Maten is one of the most underrated players in the country. For the season, he is putting up a ridiculous stat line of 19.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He is the clear-cut leader of the Bulldogs and he has put them in position to compete for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid. The team is very solid defensively, giving up only 66.8 points per game.
Alabama, on the other hand, is an offensive juggernaut. Freshman Collin Sexton is one of the most exciting players to watch in college basketball. He is averaging 20.4 points per game to lead the team. John Petty is the other freshman stud for the Crimson Tide while Donta Hall and Dazon Ingram round out the scorers in the rotation.
Prediction: Georgia 76, Alabama 72
No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels (12-3) at No. 8 Virginia Cavaliers (13-1)
How to watch: 1:00 p.m. on ESPN, Full Preview
It is no surprise that both of these teams are ranked in the top-25. Over the past several years, North Carolina and Virginia have been staples in the top-25 and are often in the discussion of favorites for the national championships. This year is no different. Virginia might not have the likes of Malcolm Brogdon or London Perrantes anymore, but they have plenty of talent on both ends of the floor. Tony Bennett’s elite defense is as good as ever and the team has more scoring than it has had in the past. Leading the way for the Cavaliers is sophomore Kyle Guy (15.5 points) and senior Devon Hall (11.6 points). Unlike other years, Virginia can beat you in a variety of ways this season.
North Carolina is led by two superb players in Joel Berry and Luke Maye. The team is coming off a tough loss to Florida State in their last game and they will be hungry for a victory. The Tar Heels are not as deep in the frontcourt as they have been in the last two years and that has been a problem so far this season. Yet, this is North Carolina we are talking about. This is a top-25 team that can compete against the best in the nation.
Prediction: Virginia 72, North Carolina 63
Florida Gators (10-4) at Missouri Tigers (11-3)
How to watch: 1:00 p.m. on CBS
These two teams have had an interesting start to this season. For Florida, they have been incredibly inconsistent. The Gators looked absolutely dominant in the PK80 Tournament in November but have also suffered some head-scratching losses. For reference, look back on their performance against Loyola (Chicago). With their poor play as of late, the team has slipped to being more on the NCAA Tournament bubble than anyone expected them to be at the beginning of the year.
Missouri, on the other hand, was hit with one of the most disastrous injuries this season. Arguably the most highly-regarded freshman in the country, Michael Porter Jr., went down for the season in just the first couple of weeks. This could have ripped their season apart, but Missouri has done the opposite. The Tigers have regrouped tremendously over the past month and look to compete for an at-large bid out of the SEC.
Prediction: Missouri 76, Florida 72
No. 14 Arizona Wildcats (12-3) at Colorado Buffaloes (9-6)
How to watch: 2:00 p.m. on Pac-12 Network
Ever since their disastrous performance at the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, Arizona has been excellent. The team has progressively gotten healthier over the past month and they are finally hitting on all cylinders right now. Allonzo Trier (20.3 points) is the same top-notch scorer that he has always been and DeAndre Ayton (20.0 points, 12.1 rebounds) is arguably the most dominant inside force in college basketball.
Colorado might not be the most intimidating team in the nation but they have an awesome home atmosphere. In addition to a raucous crowd, the Buffaloes have the advantage of playing at a higher altitude. In their last game, Colorado took down one of the top teams in the nation in Arizona State. Can the Buffaloes win their second straight monster game at home?
Prediction: Arizona 85, Colorado 74
No. 21 Seton Hall Pirates (13-2) at Butler Bulldogs (12-4)
How to watch: 2:30 p.m. on FS1, Full Preview
These are two of the top teams in the Big East this season. Seton Hall has been excellent thanks to their elite senior class coupled with sophomore Myles Powell. The Pirates might not be on the same level as Villanova or Xavier but they seem to be a step ahead of everyone else in the conference. They already have in-conference wins over Creighton and St. John’s and will be looking for another.
Butler is being led by the top-notch duo of Kelan Martin and Kamar Baldwin. These two have already carried the team to victories over Georgetown and Villanova this season. In their first year under new head coach LaVall Jordan, the Bulldogs have exceeded expectations so far and they have a good shot at another huge home win in this one.
Prediction: Butler 84, Seton Hall 78
No. 22 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-3) at Auburn Tigers (13-1)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on ESPNU
Arkansas might be the ranked team in this matchup but Auburn has been criminally underrated to this point in the year. Their only loss came to a solid team in Temple and they have wins over Middle Tennessee and Tennessee. Even though they are still dealing with some suspensions, the Tigers have four double-digit scorers. Junior Bryce Brown (15.9 points) is the leading scorer on the team but Mustapha Heron (15.8 points) follows closely behind.
This will still be a very difficult matchup, though. Jaylen Barford (18.7 points) and Daryl Macon (17.2 points) are the leaders on the court for Arkansas and they have propelled the Razorbacks to an 11-3 record. Their losses are all to solid teams in North Carolina, Houston, and Mississippi State while they hold wins over Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Minnesota.
Prediction: Auburn 89, Arkansas 84
No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) at No. 6 West Virginia Mountaineers (13-1)
How to watch: 7:15 p.m. on ESPN2
Arguably the best game of the weekend, welcome to the Trae Young show. The freshman sensation for Oklahoma is must-watch TV and he faces off against another top Big 12 team in this game. There are several supporting cast members for both teams in this game that are worth mentioning, but let’s be real, this game is all about Trae Young (Oklahoma) vs. Jevon Carter (West Virginia).
Young has been the most impressive player in the country so far this season but Carter is the wily veteran. While leading the top-10 ranked Mountaineers, Carter is a solid offensive player in addition to being the best on-ball defender in the nation. This point guard matchup will be more than worth watching.
Prediction: West Virginia 85, Oklahoma 82
No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats (12-2) at No. 23 Tennessee Volunteers (9-4)
How to watch: 9:00 p.m. on SEC Network
This game features two of the most surprising teams in the country. Kentucky has not been as good as expected in the preseason while Tennessee has exceeded expectations. Playing on the road is never easy in college hoops and this will be a dangerous game for Kentucky. The Wildcats have struggled recently with getting off to slow starts and that could come back to hurt them on the road in this one.
Tennessee is led by Grant Williams (15.6 points) but it is the balanced effort of many that has made the Volunteers so good this season. They are 0-2 in conference play and in desperate need of picking up a win. Can they take down Coach Cal and the Wildcats at home?
Prediction: Kentucky 78, Tennessee 74
No. 10 Kansas Jayhawks (11-3) at No. 16 TCU Horned Frogs (13-1)
How to watch: 9:15 p.m. on ESPN2, Full Preview
In another top-25 Big 12 battle, the old is meeting the new. Kansas has been the top team in the conference over the past decade and TCU is on the rise. Both of these teams have been very solid this season and are looking for another high-quality win. Bill Self’s squad is being led by five double-digit scorers this season, including four that are putting up more than 15 points per game. This is a very balanced offense and it is hard to come across a night where everyone is off for Kansas.
TCU also has five players in double-figures but their depth is better than that of Kansas. Jamie Dixon’s team is led in scoring by two seniors, Kenrich Williams and Vladimir Brodziansky. Both of these teams are high-scoring and could put on a show in a shootout.
Prediction: TCU 89, Kansas 85
Sunday, January 7th
SMU Mustangs (12-4) at No. 19 Cincinnati Bearcats (13-2)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on ESPN2
These are two of the top teams in the AAC and everyone should know it. Wichita State might be the frontrunner to win the conference but Cincinnati and SMU are not too far behind. The Bearcats are excellent on both ends of the floor as always this season. Mick Cronin has a balanced roster that makes up for the fact that they lack a true point guard. Gary Clark is second on the team in scoring at 12.3 points per game while leading the way in rebounding at 8.4 boards per game.
Entering this game, SMU is going to have a major chip on their shoulder. They are coming off of a disastrous loss to Tulane and they are in need of a bounce-back victory. Shake Milton (17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists) is the leader of this team and the Mustangs need a big game from him to win on the road.
Prediction: Cincinnati 69, SMU 60
No. 24 Florida State Seminoles (12-2) at No. 15 Miami Hurricanes (12-2)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on ESPNU
While Miami is coming off of a crushing loss to Georgia Tech in their last game, Florida State is riding high after knocking off North Carolina. The Seminoles are in danger of a letdown road game in this one but should be well-prepared to move further up the top-25. Florida State has one of the most potent offenses in the nation and can really knock down the 3-point shot.
Miami, on the other hand, is built on their defense. For the season, the Hurricanes are allowing just 58.9 points per game, which is good for fourth in the nation. A trio of sophomores for coach Jim Larranaga are all scoring in double figures and are the engine that drives this team. Miami is hoping to right the ship in this one. If they fall, the Hurricanes could drop out of the top-25.
Prediction: Florida State 84, Miami 77
No. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils (12-2) at Utah Utes (10-4)
How to watch: 8:00 p.m. on ESPNU
As I mentioned already in reference to the Arizona-Colorado game, Arizona State could have a tough matchup in this game due to playing on the road. The Sun Devils have lost their last two games after reaching the top-5, with their last loss coming on the road against Colorado. This game will not be any easier. Utah gave Arizona a run for their money in their last game and the Utes’ home crowd will be ready for another big game.
Arizona State is scoring 90.0 points per game thanks to the play of their guards. Tra Holder (22.4 points) and Shannon Evans (16.6 points) make up just the tip of the iceberg for this potent offense. Playing in front of their home crowd will certainly help, but Utah is going to need a great effort from their stars to win this game. Utah has five players that are scoring in double-figures, including Justin Bibbins, a 5’8″ transfer from Long Beach State.
Prediction: Arizona State 94, Utah 80
Next: Bracketology: First projected field for 2018
Other games to watch this weekend (previews are linked)
Saturday games: Marquette at Villanova, Duke at NC State, Creighton at Georgetown, Notre Dame at Syracuse, Illinois at Michigan, UCLA at California, Texas at Baylor, Kansas State at Texas Tech, Boise State at Wyoming, Princeton at Pennsylvania, North Dakota State at South Dakota, Bradley at Evansville, UMBC at Vermont, Northern Colorado at Montana, and Portland State at Idaho.
Sunday games: Temple at UCF, Michigan State at Ohio State, Iowa at Maryland, Loyola (Chicago) at Northern Iowa, and USC at Stanford.
Have a great weekend watching college hoops!