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What to watch this weekend: Big games out West take center stage
The spotlight moves out West this weekend for some marquee games in the Pac-12 and WCC. Here's a look at what to watch this weekend, highlighted by a matchups between rivals Gonzaga and Saint Mary's and storied UCLA and Arizona.
1. Gonzaga at Saint Mary's (Saturday, 10 p.m. EST): Saint Mary's may be the WCC's second best team, but the gap between the Zags and the Gaels is larger this season than it has been in the past. That was very evident in Gonzaga's 68-47 victory in Spokane when the Zags shot over 50 percent from the field, held Brad Waldow in check in the paint and smothered the Saint Mary's backcourt. It will probably be a closer game in Moraga and Saint Mary's probably won't shoot 2 of 15 again from behind the arc at home, but close isn't good enough for the Gaels (20-6, 12-3, No. 50 RPI). A split with BYU is their only victory in five tries against an RPI top 100 opponent this season, so they unequivocally will not make the NCAA tournament without upsetting Gonzaga at least once.
2. UCLA at Arizona (Saturday, 9 p.m. EST): Three surprise losses to non-NCAA tournament contenders have obscured the truth about Arizona (23-3, 11-2). The Wildcats have improved dramatically since November as they've learned how to play without Nick Johnson and Aaron Gordon. Arizona boasts one of the nation's 20 most efficient offenses because Stanley Johnson has blossomed into a go-to scoring threat, T.J. McConnell has become more aggressive and Brandon Ashley has fully recovered from last year's foot injury. The Wildcats are even better on defense because they boast size and length at every position and they give up the second fewest offensive rebounds of any team in the nation. None of this bodes well for a UCLA team that has lost only once at home but is just 3-10 away from Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins (16-11, 8-6) could solidify their NCAA tournament hopes with a win, but it will take a big upset.
3. Iowa State at Texas (Saturday, 2 p.m. EST): Could the Longhorns really go from the top 10 in November and December to missing the NCAA tournament? It becomes a real possibility if they can't defend their home court Saturday against Iowa State. They would be 6-8 in the Big 12 with their next two games at West Virginia and Kansas before a pair of home games against Baylor and Kansas State to finish off the regular season. The encouraging news for Texas is that Myles Turner is coming off his best two-game stretch of the season, but the Longhorns need more from other key players. Jonathan Holmes and Isaiah Taylor in particular have slumped of late. While Iowa State (19-6, 9-4) is far more dominant at home than on the road, the Cyclones enter Saturday with ample motivation. They're just one game behind Kansas in the Big 12 title chase and only winnable road games against Kansas State and TCU would remain if they win on Saturday.
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Other games to watch:
Utah at Oregon (Sunday 3 p.m. EST): Huge game for both teams. A Utah win, and the Utes will be one home win against Arizona State away from ensuring next Saturday's showdown with Arizona will be for outright possession of first place in the Pac-12. An Oregon win, and the Ducks will have the signature victory they need to get on the right side of the bubble.
Auburn at Kentucky (Saturday, 7 p.m. EST): Someday Bruce Pearl will probably field a team at Auburn with the talent to compete with Kentucky at Rupp Arena. This is not that time. The Wildcats will win big at home and stay on track for an unbeaten regular season.
Clemson at Duke (Saturday, 1 p.m. EST): This is a vastly more interesting game if Jahlil Okafor cannot play for the Blue Devils. The freshman center is in a walking boot after spraining his ankle against North Carolina and is uncertain whether he'll be able to play. Clemson suffered too many bad early losses to be a threat to make the NCAA tournament, but the Tigers are a good defensive team that has played better in ACC play.
Michigan State at Illinois (Sunday 7:30 p.m. EST): This is a bigger game for the host Illini than Michigan State since the Spartans are closer to securing an NCAA tournament bid at this point. Illinois already won at the Breslin Center by five earlier this season and now they'll have Rayvonte Rice back for this one.
UMass at VCU (Saturday, 12 p.m. EST): The Minutemen (16-10, 9-4) had a six-game win streak snapped at Rhode Island on Wednesday, pushing them to the fringes of the bubble picture. They badly need an upset win at co-Atlantic 10 leader VCU to both stay in the NCAA tournament hunt and within striking distance of first place in the league.
West Virginia at Oklahoma State (Saturday, 2 p.m. EST): Having upset Kansas in Morgantown to ease the pressure on itself during its daunting finishing stretch of the schedule, West Virginia heads on the road to face an Oklahoma State team that fell at home to Iowa State earlier this week. The key as always with West Virginia will be whether the Mountaineers can force turnover and attack the offensive glass.
Miami at Louisville (Saturday, 2 p.m. EST): In maybe the most Rick Pitino moment ever, the Louisville coach suggested Chris Jones' indefinite suspension could last all season Wednesday only to reinstate him the day afterward. The point guard's attitude and defense will be in the spotlight Saturday against a Miami team desperate for a big win to help it get on the right side of the bubble.
Butler at Xavier (Saturday, 2 p.m. EST): Xavier took a big step toward an NCAA tournament bid with its road win at rival Cincinnati this week. Now the Musketeers will try to avenge a previous 88-76 loss to a 19-7 Butler team playing its second game without third-leading scorer Andrew Chrabascz.
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
