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NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 10 matchups in 2020-21 Big 12/Big East Challenge

By Tristan Freeman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 21: Marcus Garrett #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks drives to the basket against Brandon Slater #3 of the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on December 21, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 21: Marcus Garrett #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks drives to the basket against Brandon Slater #3 of the Villanova Wildcats at the Wells Fargo Center on December 21, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 22: Courtney Ramey #3 of the Texas Longhorns (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 22: Courtney Ramey #3 of the Texas Longhorns (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /

1. Villanova at Texas

The two teams getting the most votes for preseason No. 1 are currently Gonzaga and Villanova, who each still have players making key NBA Draft decisions. For the Wildcats, they’re waiting on leading scorer Saddiq Bey (16.1 ppg), a projected top-30 pick currently. Everyone else is already set to return, including freshman big man Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and All-Big East performer Collin Gillespie.

The Wildcats also bring in two newcomers, including Tulane transfer Caleb Daniels (16.9 ppg) and former five-star guard Bryan Antoine, who played very little last season after offseason shoulder surgery. It may be a case of too many rotation players and mouths to feed but you have to trust two-time national champion head coach Jay Wright in making it work.

There isn’t as much trust in Texas head coach Shaka Smart, who may have been fired this offseason had the coronavirus not come into the picture. The program has been about average overall in the past few years, despite having multiple NBA lottery picks and a host of top-100 players coming in.

Things could be different next season, with the Longhorns returning everyone on the roster. That includes leading scorers Matt Coleman and Andrew Jones, along with big man Jericho Sims. The team could be getting a future lottery pick next season in Greg Brown, a five-star forward prospect who has Texas as a favorite. However, he could do what Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd just did and join the G League Select Team.

What makes this such an intriguing game is the consequences that come with it. Coach Smart is clearly on the hot seat for next season has a home game against a top-5 team. Wins like this can help save his job, while a loss can put him in more danger. And this may be the best Longhorns team in the Smart era and could make a move in the Big 12. With all the pressure on Texas and being at home, I had them pulling out a thrilling win.

Prediction: Texas

Next. Early Big East power rankings for 2020-21 season. dark

In this way-too-early look at the Big 12/Big East Challenge, I have the Big 12 winning by a 6-4 score. But there are still a number of NBA Draft decisions to be made, along with a possible big transfer or high school signing to be made in the coming weeks. But at least we have a slate of games to look forward to for the 2020-21 calendar season.

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