As we tip off week 14, we try to break down the top matchups in college basketball for the week, headlined by some intriguing matchups we have already seen this season and some we haven’t. We are only one month from March, which means we are that closer to the NCAA tournament and conference tournaments. Regardless, the top matchups this week are must-see. Are the Top Matchups in college basketball similar to your list?
1. Texas Tech @ Baylor
Texas Tech travels to Baylor Tuesday night in the best game of the week, headlining a busy Tuesday night. Baylor has the offense to run the Raiders out of the game, but Texas Tech always has been big on defense, but that has shifted a bit this year, holding a top 85 defense in the country. Baylor holds the fourth-best offense in the country and a top 75 defense, so on paper Baylor should win, but as of recent they have struggled.
Baylor will depend on Ja’Kobe Walter, a projected lottery picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, who is averaging 14.5 points per game. Texas Tech’s key to win this game is going to be how they defend the long-ball, as Baylor leads the country in three-point efficiency at 40.8%. This Baylor team shoots a very high percentage and is an unselfish group, so Texas Tech will have their hands full.
2. Alabama @ Auburn
In a SEC Wednesday night rivalry game, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Nate Oats will travel to Auburn to take on Bruce Pearl and the Tigers. Alabama is coming into this game with a four-game winning streak, including beating Auburn in Tuscaloosa. Auburn has lost two of their last four but have won their last two by margins of 27 and 14. On paper, Auburn has the better defense by a large margin, but Alabama has a better offense slightly. Alabama can push the pace faster than Auburn is willing to, but since it is at Auburn, the Tigers could make the Crimson Tide play to their pace, which will be another advantage for them. Alabama leads the country in points per game (89.9), is fourth in the country in free-throw percentage (79.1%) and ranks number 19 in the country in three-point percentage (38.2%).
Auburn is an unselfish group as they do not have a hard time finding the open shot, ranking top ten in the country in assists per game. In their last meeting, Alabama limited Auburn and was a big reason for their win, as Jay Broome was the only starter that had over ten points. I expect Auburn’s defense to be better in this one and Auburn splitting the matchup.
3. Illinois @ Michigan State
A big-time matchup in the Big Ten has Illinois traveling to East Lansing for a battle with Tom Izzo and the Spartans. Illinois won the first matchup against Michigan State by a basket back in January, so this will be just as good in East Lansing. Tom Izzo has turned around the Spartans early-season struggles and going into this game with a win over rival Michigan and Maryland at home. With another home game on the horizon, this could be a upset alert game for Illinois. However, the Fighting Illini poses a tough test, with having a top five offense and top 30 defense, while being able to push the pace faster than most power-five teams.
Michigan State takes the hit on offense, but defensively they are better and can shut down Brad Underwood’s offense led by Terrance Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask. The real question for the Spartans is can their offense keep up with Illinois offense? The Spartan’s defense is not a worry, or at least it should not be, so the offensive production has to match Illinois to win this game. The good thing is Michigan State is careful with the basketball, not having many turnovers this year. It will be a battle in East Lansing Saturday night.
4. TCU @ Iowa State
Another Big 12 matchup, as the TCU Frogs go to Iowa State in a hostile environment, the Hilton Coliseum. Iowa State has not lost at home this year, winning 13 games so far at the Hilton. TCU and Iowa State did face off just weeks ago, as TCU failed to defend their home court, losing by a point in a game that Iowa State was up 18 at halftime. Iowa State’s defense will be the difference maker in this one, as they can match up to TCU offense, as you saw in the first half in their first meeting. The big question will be is can the Cyclones Offense do enough against a good TCU defense to put them over? This will be another Big 12 classic.
5. Butler @ UConn
Butler, coming off a huge win at Creighton, will try to play spoiler twice, when they travel to UConn Tuesday night. These two teams’ first meeting was an instant classic, with UConn winning it down the stretch at Hinkle Fieldhouse. While UConn plays at a slow pace, they are ranked number one in the country for a reason, holding a top 20 defense and offense.
Butler will be able to match offensively and if they can make the Huskies play at their pace, but the height disadvantage defensively may be enough for UConn to beat Butler. Butler is on a tear, as after they started to struggle in Big East, they have won four games straight, notably against Creighton and Villanova. This should be another close finish in another Big East classic. Was this one of your top matchups in college basketball for week 14?
Honorable Mentions: Kansas @ Baylor, Creighton @ Providence, and Indiana @ Purdue.
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