NCAA Basketball Weekend Predictions: Who will wreak havoc on top-25 opponents?
Saturday’s evening slate
Baylor (12-6) at No. 10 Kansas (15-3)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on ESPN
If Baylor wants to reach the NCAA Tournament this season, they are going to need to secure high-quality road wins like this one. It is already mid-January and the Bears RPI sits just inside the top-100. Come Selection Sunday, that is just not going to cut it for a bid. Heading into Allen Fieldhouse has been a death sentence in the past but Kansas has shown to be vulnerable on the home floor this season. In fact, the Jayhawks are just 8-3 in front of their students and fans this season. This record bodes well for Baylor, but their 0-4 record in true road games this season does not. Expect the Jayhawks to add another win. Prediction: Kansas 83, Baylor 70.
Georgia (12-5) at No. 17 Auburn (16-2)
How to watch: SEC Network
Auburn is coming off of just their second loss of the entire season. In their last game, the team took a tumble against their in-state rivals in Alabama on the road. This was a tough loss for the team due to the hatred between the two schools but does not hurt them too much in terms of ranking/seeding. The Tigers are still one of the better teams in the country and are well-balanced on both ends of the floor. With a game against Georgia coming up this weekend, Auburn is looking to return to their normal form. Yet, Georgia will not let them snag a win easily. Yante Maten is one of the best players in the SEC and he has put the Bulldogs in a solid position to receive a Big Dance bid later down the road. Both of these teams would like to add this as a Group 1 or 2 win at the end of the year. Prediction: Auburn 74, Georgia 66.
No. 21 Tennessee (12-5) at South Carolina (12-6)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on ESPN2
After making the Final Four last season and losing plenty of talent, most thought South Carolina would regress this year. Although they have slightly, back-to-back wins over Georgia and Kentucky have put the Gamecocks right in the thick of the NCAA Tournament conversation. Their resume is definitely bubble-worthy and they have a chance to build on that with a win over Tennessee at home. As for Tennessee, they took a tough loss to Missouri in their last game, a low-scoring affair. In terms of reaching the postseason, the Volunteers should have no trouble. Winning a road game against a bubble team would help their seeding though as a Group 1 win. Prediction: South Carolina 72, Tennessee 69.
Washington (13-5) at Colorado (11-7)
How to watch: 6:00 p.m. on Pac-12 Network
Washington is right on the early-season bubble. Despite losing their star player from last year in Markelle Fultz, the team is in a better position this year to go dancing. Yet, their two-game losing streak is putting them in danger of falling off of the bubble. The Huskies really cannot afford to drop their third straight. On paper, Washington is the better team in this matchup but winning on the road in Colorado is incredibly difficult. The Buffs’ home-court advantage is one of the best in the nation because of the elevation and they have already claimed two huge victims in Arizona and Arizona State. Will the freshman McKinley Wright lead Colorado to another home win? Prediction: Colorado 76, Washington 75.
Middle Tennessee (13-4) at Western Kentucky (13-5) – FULL PREVIEW
How to watch: 7:00 p.m., check local listings
In the most underrated matchup of the entire weekend, two of the best teams in the Conference USA will face off. Including all conferences in the nation this season, no league is more underrated than the C-USA. Come NCAA Tournament time, I would not want to be the four or five seed that sees the C-USA champion in the first round. Even though Middle Tennesee lost their last game, they will be eager to move back atop the league with a road win over Western Kentucky. When on, Nick King is one of the best hidden gems in the country for the Blue Raiders while the Hilltoppers are led by two experienced seniors in scoring. King had a rough game in Middle Tennessee’s last outing and I expect a big bounce-back performance from him to take the win. Prediction: Middle Tennessee 78, Western Kentucky 76.
Florida (13-5) at No. 18 Kentucky (14-4)
How to watch: 8:15 p.m. on ESPN
Florida and Kentucky have not been the top-10 teams in the country that many expected them to be in the preseason but they are still excellent teams. Both squads are NCAA Tournament-bound at the end of the year and are still contenders to win the SEC. Due to the flaws on their rosters, they are vulnerable to be beaten by just about anyone in the country. Kentucky has struggled with slow starts at times this season but this is not a game in which they can get away with that. Expect the Wildcats to come out strong in front of the BBN faithful and take down Florida in convincing fashion. Prediction: Kentucky 82, Florida 70.
Boise State (16-3) at Nevada (17-3)
How to watch: 10:00 p.m. on ESPNU
Much like the C-USA game above, this matchup features two of the best teams in an underrated conference. While the Mountain West has had a couple of down years recently, this is not one of those. At least three teams in the conference are good enough to reach the NCAA Tournament and do some damage. In my opinion, both of the teams in this game have legitimate shots at reaching the Big Dance and making something happen when they get there. Boise State is led by Chandler Hutchison, an elite college scorer that people tend to forget. Nevada, on the other hand, is a balanced team featuring the Martin brothers and Jordan Caroline. This is a must-watch late night game. Prediction: Nevada 79, Boise State 77.