Today is a packed day of men’s college basketball. There are some great top 25 matchups that are worth talking about.
A key Big East matchup between No. 17 University of Connecticut and No. 12 Villanova will change the hierarchy of that conference’s landscape. UConn’s top player is Guard R.J. Cole, who leads the team in scoring at 15.9 points per game, 4.5 assists, and steals with 1.5 per game. They are fourth in the Big East with a 15-5 record and have won six of their last eight games. Villanova should have the advantage as they are playing at home and have a little more balanced scoring.
Guard Collin Gillespie leads the team in scoring with a 17.1 points per game average. He has lots of help from Guard Justin Moore, who scored 15.1 points per game, and Forward Jermaine Samuelson, who scored 10.0 points per game. They are second in the Big East with a 16-6 record while beating three top 25 teams on their way to only losing two of their last 11 games.
An important PAC-10 matchup pits No. 19 University of Southern California against No. 7 Arizona. USC is second in the conference with a 19-3 record and four players scoring in double figures. Forward Isaiah Mobley is their best player that leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game, rebounding at 8.5 points per game, assists at 3.1 per game, and steals at 0.9 per game.
They started the year winning their first 13 games but haven’t played any top 25 teams and still lost three games since then. Arizona, who is USC’s toughest game so far this year, is the definite favorite. Arizona is playing at home, has only lost two games so far, and has much more diversity than USC. While Southern California pretty much relies on just one guy, the Wildcats have many leaders.
They have four players averaging double-digits in scoring, with Guard Benedict Mathurin leading the way at 16.9 points per game. Forward Christian Koloko leads the team in rebounding and blocked shots. Point guard Kerr Kriisa holds it all together by averaging 5.1 assists per game. Isaiah Mobley will be getting tired as Arizona should cruise to an easy win.
The Baylor Bears and Kansas Jayhawks could have the best matchup of the day. Baylor is the defending national champions and ranked No. 8 nationally and 2nd in the Big 12 with a 19-3 record. Their leading scorer is Guard LJ Cryer, with 13.9 points per game. But Guard James Akinjo will lead the way for the Bears by being tops on the team in assists and steals.
The Jayhawks of Kansas should win the game, as they have only lost one game in the conference, have an 18-3 overall record, and are playing at home. They have a stellar Guard in Ochai Agbaji, who is leading the team with an amazing 20.9 scoring average per game. Guard Dajuan Harris Jr. is leading the team with 3.9 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Also, Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas’ home court, is a very tough place to win.
The most exciting game of the day renews the best rivalry in college basketball. Duke and North Carolina play tonight at 6pm in the iconic Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Duke is ranked much higher than UNC, but when these two play, you never know what will happen. Duke, ranked No. 9 nationally and 1st in the ACC, has only lost three games so far while beating two top 10 teams along the way.
They are led by Freshman Forward Paola Banchero, who leads the team with 17.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Junior Forward and veteran Wendell Moore Jr. will also play a big part by leading the team in assists with 4.5 per game. UNC Is having an uncharacteristically tough year. They are still ranked second in the ACC but have a 16-6 record.
Their 1st year Head Coach Hubert Davis is doing a great job by leading his team to an undefeated home record. Forward Armando Bacot is the unquestioned leader as he leads the team with 16.5 points a game, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. He will, however, need much help from Guards Caleb Love, R.J. Davis, and Freshman Forward Brady Manek. Love leads the team with 3.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Love and Davis knock down the 3s, while Manek is an outside and inside threat. On paper, Duke should win big, but I’m picking the Heels. Carolina always plays their best when playing Duke, and their players are just starting to completely buy into Davis’ new philosophy. It’s gonna be a great day for basketball!
Article by: Chris Steele, iHearts143Quotes Team member
