AP Top 10 entering weekend
1.Gonzaga 18-0 Next: PPD
2.Baylor 17-0 Next: PPD
3.Villanova 11-2 Next: PPD
4.Michigan 13-1 Next: PPD
5. Houston 15-2 Next: at.South Florida (2/10)
6. Texas 11-4 Next: at.Oklahoma State (2/6)
7. Ohio State 15-4 Next: at.Maryland (2/8)
8.Iowa 13-4 Next: at.Indiana (2/7)
9.Oklahoma 12-4 Next: Iowa State (2/6)
10.Alabama 14-4 Next: at.12.Missouri
Key games this weekend
Iowa State at. 9.Oklahoma (Saturday, 12 PM ET, ESPN2)
Red hot Oklahoma should pick up an easy win. Not much to say here. Projected Score: Oklahoma 70, Iowa State 51
10.Alabama at. 12.Missouri (Saturday, 12 PM ET, ESPN)
Alabama comes in at 10-0 in the SEC, and a projected number one seed in Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology. Missouri, their best wins over Tennessee and Arkansas, looks to notch a win over a legitimate top ten team at home. Missouri Head Coach Cuonzo Martin has done a fantastic job but another loss in this game would give them four SEC losses. Alabama can take a loss here and be just fine, but I don’t see it happening after they defeated LSU for a second time this season. Projected Score: Alabama 67, Missouri 59
23.Kansas at. 17.West Virginia (Saturday, 2 PM ET, CBS)
The second of three Big 12 games with a ranked team on Saturday includes two ranked teams instead of just one. West Virginia and Kansas have not been nearly as good as I thought either would be. Marcus Garrett, last season’s Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, is the X-Factor in this game. If he can get a few quick buckets for the Jayhawks as the game goes on, Kansas should get a much needed win in Morgantown. Projected Score: Kansas 68, West Virginia 65
6.Texas at. Oklahoma State (Saturday, 3 PM ET, ABC/LHN)
Both Texas and Oklahoma State have struggled a little bit, dealing with COVID-19 issues and were without many of their players the last few weeks. Oklahoma State beat Arkansas last Saturday but lost in Fort Worth versus TCU this week. Texas comes into the game losers of two straight, both of their losses coming to top ten teams in Oklahoma and Baylor. So, even as someone who has watched college basketball religiously this season, it is hard to pick this game because of how each team has played of late. Projected Score: Texas 81, Oklahoma State 72
North Carolina at. Duke (Saturday, 6 PM ET, ESPN)
I previewed the North Carolina-Duke game in a full post if you want to check it out. Projected Score: Duke 77, North Carolina 74
18.Tennessee at. Kentucky (Saturday, 8 PM ET, ESPN)
Tennessee has been on and off this season but got a key win in the SEC-Big 12 Challenge with a win over Kansas. Kentucky had its game a week ago versus Texas cancelled but had been playing better versus Alabama even in a loss a week ago. Projected Score: Tennessee 68, Kentucky 62
8.Iowa at. Indiana (Sunday, 12 PM ET, FOX)
Iowa comes into this game after losing a highly competitive game to Ohio State. If Iowa gets good defensive play in addition to their best offense in the country led by player of the year favorite Luka Garza (big man), they can not only win this game but should be a favorite to win the national championship. Indiana, led by Sophomore big man Trayce Jackson-Davis, is a team that could upset Iowa. This will be a fun game on a Sunday afternoon. Projected Score: Iowa 79, Indiana 74
