March Madness is still a couple of months away, but the quest for quality victories is well underway for the men’s basketball teams hoping to participate in the NCAA tournament. In truth, it began way back in November, and of course it continues this weekend.
This week’s Starting Five features – stop us if you’ve heard this one before – a pair of top-25 showdowns in the SEC, including a top-10 clash with the No.-1 spot on the line. We’ll also look in on the ACC and the Big 12, with a Friday night tilt in the Big Ten getting the weekend off to an early start. Let’s dive in, shall we?
No. 7 Tennessee at No. 1 Auburn
Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The current top-ranked squad hosts the former No. 1 in the weekend’s headliner, with both still very much in the mix for regional top seeds. Add in the fact that the Tigers are helmed by the former Volunteers coach and, well, things could get a little intense. Auburn did not have a midweek game, giving Johni Broome a few extra days to rest his sprained ankle. Whether he’ll be ready to return remains to be seen, though the performance of reserves like Chaney Johnson and Tahaad Pettiford in his absence has been encouraging. Tennessee’s defense can keep it in most games, that 30-point loss to Florida notwithstanding. Having veteran Zakai Zeigler running point helps, though the overall shooting can still be spotty at times.
No. 5 Houston at No. 11 Kansas
Time/TV: Saturday, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The main event in the Large Dozen-plus-four is this major road test for the Cougars, the last team in the conference without a league loss. The Jayhawks will be happy to be at home, though they lost their league opener in Allen Fieldhouse to West Virginia back on New Year’s Eve. Always known for playing physical defense, this year’s Houston squad relies heavily on the three-point arc, taking over a third of its shots from distance. Milos Uzan, who took over point guard duties after transferring in from Oklahoma, is handing out 4.8 assists while averaging just 1.2 turnovers a game. KU is still without senior forward K.J. Adams (shoulder), but freshman Flory Bidunga has filled in nicely in his first couple of starts.
No. 20 Michigan at No. 12 Purdue
Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
The good news for the Boilermakers is they don’t have to worry about keeping their home-court winning streak alive – because it ended Tuesday night when they squandered a big lead against Ohio State. Their concern now is preventing a rare losing skid at Mackey Arena. The Wolverines, however, have been shaky themselves of late, narrowly escaping Northwestern after taking their first league loss at Minnesota. Michigan’s twin-tower lineup with Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf has been beneficial in numerous areas this season, most notably helping the Wolverines enjoy a rebounding margin of 6.3 a game. That could be a significant advantage in the hostile environs at Purdue, which tends to sink or swim with Braden Smith’s three-point accuracy on a given day.
No. 2 Duke at Wake Forest
Time/TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Unfortunately, this game will not mark the courtside return of beloved ESPN commentator Dick Vitale as previously planned. But it should be worth a look nevertheless as the Demon Deacons, squarely on the NCAA tournament bubble near the midpoint of the conference schedule, hope to take advantage of this opportunity for a quality win on their home floor. The Blue Devils, however, have been running roughshod over the rest of the ACC home or away. Touted Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, a projected lottery pick if not the first overall, has lived up to his lofty billing. Wake counters with Hunter Sallis, an all-conference candidate in his own right putting up 19.2 points a game.
No. 16 Mississippi at No. 24 Missouri
Time/TV: Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, SECN
Like Georgia a week ago, life as a ranked team got off to a rocky start for Mizzou with Tuesday night’s loss at Texas. The Tigers hope this return home will help them avoid being one and done in the top 25. None of this matters to the Rebels, who are looking to snap their own two-game slide. Ole Miss will need a big day at the arc from Sean Pedulla and Jaylen Murray in order to both quiet the crowd and limit their exposure on the glass, not a strong suit for the Rebels as a team. The Tigers tend to be more selective with their three-point attempts, preferring to get their guard tandem of Mark Mitchell and Tamar Bates opportunities closer to the rim.