It's a loaded Saturday for college basketball. A lot of undefeated teams are facing good competition. The first CBS game of the season airs at 12:30 ET on Saturday (UCLA-Kentucky). We've got really good freshmen on a big stage.
College hoops should have itself quite a weekend. Here's what you need to be checking out and looking out for.
1. UCLA-Kentucky is the centerpiece of the weekend
The top-ranked Wildcats welcome in Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford and an undefeated UCLA team (8-0) that is chasing the best start for that program in a decade. Between Ball, De'Aaron Fox, Bam Adebayo, Malik Monk, T.J. Leaf, Wenyen Gabriel, Derek Willis, Isaiah Briscoe and Thomas Welsh, there are nine players getting serious looks right now as future NBA prospects. Fox, Adebayo, Monk and Ball are all considered 2017 lottery material.
The teams play fast, fun, and Kentucky's looked more dominant than anyone. This game could get out of hand, in Kentucky's favor, but at least we're getting to see both teams face their best challenges yet. If there less than five Vine-worthy moments, I'd be shocked.
2. Lonzo Ball has been great, but let's see how he does against Kentucky's outstanding D
Want to touch on this story line just a bit more, because within college basketball and from an NBA Draft perspective, this is a pretty important game for Ball. He's not a high-level athlete, and so he'll be going up against a bunch of them on UK's roster. This Kentucky defense ranks No. 3 in America, and so it'll be a lot different for Ball compared to even Texas A&M and Nebraska, two teams he thrived against.
Individually, De'Aaron Fox vs. Ball is a tremendous point guard matchup. Ball has no chance at slowing down Fox, but what can we see on the other end? Fox on Ball is what to really keep an eye on.
3. Unbeaten watch: Three teams most likely to stand undefeated:
Villanova. The Wildcats have the No. 2 offense in America, while Saint Joe's is in a rebuilding year, on the road at VU, and has lost three straight.
Butler. At home to Central Arkansas. The Bulldogs are off to a better start than anyone expected, but this is the last easy gamE for a while, as the schedule next provides a road game at Indiana State, a tough home tilt vs. Cincinnati (which just won at Iowa State), and a neutral-court game in Indianapolis against Indiana.
Notre Dame. The 7-0 Irish get North Carolina A&T in South Bend on Sunday. Mike Brey will almost certainly go to 8-0, which would mark just the second time in his career he's started a season 8 for 8.
4. Unbeaten watch: Two teams in danger of taking their first loss:
UCLA. For all the reasons mentioned above. Oh yeah, and Kentucky has lost four games at home -- TOTAL -- since November 2009, when Calipari took over.
Xavier. They're on the road against Baylor, another undefeated team, and this speaks to how strong a college basketball Saturday we've got coming for us. Winning on the road is tough. The loss here for either team isn't going to be too damaging to an NCAA Tournament resume. The win will trigger as a seed-line boost down the road, especially if Xavier gets the W. But that's a tough ask.
5. There isn't a more fascinating defensive matchup this season than the battle of the Virginias
West Virginia at Virginia features one team (WVU) that just forced 40 turnovers in a game, something I'm not sure has happened more than twice in the past 20 years. Another, Virginia, is allowing a nation's-lowest 44.1 points allowed per game. That number is so impressive it's hilarious.
And West Virginia's 94.7 points per game average is top-five in the country. Virginia's 60.3 possessions per game is slowest in the country. WVU's a top-20 in pace. UVa wants to grind you to dust, while WVU wants to run you ragged. They're both amazing on defense but with completely opposite idealogies. It's an absolutely fascinating game, made more interesting by the fact that Ohio State went into Virginia a couple of days ago and damn near pulled off the upset.
WVU is better than Ohio State. This is a top-three game this weekend.
6. Teams trying to stay right: Gonzaga, Wisconsin, USC
Gonzaga's off to a great start (7-0) and with a win over Arizona it's got a tremendous chance at a very good seed down the line. Big-time opportunity in LA for Mark Few's team.
Wisconsin got a good win over Syracuse, exposing the Orange's patented zone D in that game. The Badgers have been inconsistent to an extent this season, and they get a healthy challenge vs. Oklahoma. Nigel Hayes was the most important player on the floor vs. Syracuse. Wisconsin stays right if he can do it again, and if Ethan Happ continues to look like one of the best sophomores in America.
USC is quietly of to an undefeated start, now at 7-0 and facing a really interesting game against a well-oiled and dangerous BYU team. USC likes to run, they'll try to stay right with pace and and big play from junior Elijah Stewart. The trouble is, sophomore big Bennie Boatwright is out for approximately six weeks with a sprained knee. Will USC be exposed?.And speaking of that Boatwright injury ...
7. Injury effect
From Duke to Michigan State to Arizona to Indiana to USC to Oregon, plenty of teams have been hindered by the injury bug to this point. We're still waiting on when Duke's three big freshmen will come back. Arizona's status with Allonzo Trier remains in limbo, and it just lost Parker Jackson-Cartwright. Michigan State won't have super-frosh Miles Bridges for a couple of weeks, and Oregon's only now finding consistency with the return of Dillon Brooks.
College hoops has actually had a good first three weeks despite not having key players available. Given Saturday is the first huge singular day of college basketball this season, here's to hoping the sport dodges any more significant injuries.
8. Tremendous point guard battle between Melo Trimble and Jawun Evans
These two could wind up being two of the five best point guards at the end of the season. The belief coming into the season was Maryland needing Melo to go Superman to have a chance in the Big Ten. Here's the test. Evans is the better NBA prospect, and overall, just a better "traditional" point guard. Trimble is a combo guard who can still turn into a great college player (he's not there yet).
For Trimble, personally, he won't have five more important games this season. Evans is averaging 24.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3.1 rebounds. This should be terrific, as Oklahoma State averages 98.9 points per game, second-highest in the nation.
9. Georgetown gonna get got again?
Sunday's a slow day overall, but this is one to keep an eye on. Elon's 6-1 and a respectable mid-major team this season. John Thompson III has to know this is going to be a challenge. The Hoyas should win, but this team has been erratic and once again is playing below its talent level. Remember that home loss to Arkansas State a few weeks back? DEFCON 1 hits in D.C. if Elon walks out of the Verizon Center with a win.
And speaking of Arkansas State, and undefeated teams, it is on the road against 7-0 TCU on Saturday. Not a game with national appeal, but we're guaranteed to have a really good mid-major story if Arky State wins that, or if TCU gets to 8-0 in its first year under Jamie Dixon.
