Can Oregon upset UCLA, and different key résumé-boosting video games this weekend
This weekend’s males’s faculty basketball slate options a number of video games each fan ought to watch. Brandon Miller and Alabama will go to rival Auburn in a significant SEC matchup. Baylor and TCU will battle in Fort Worth, Texas, in a recreation with Big 12 title implications. And UConn will journey to Omaha, Nebraska, to face a Creighton squad that lastly seems just like the preseason Big East favourite it was projected to be after having received seven in a row.
This weekend can also be a possibility for a handful of groups that might use a lift for his or her résumés — whether or not they’re attempting to solidify a spot within the 2023 NCAA event, or hoping to keep away from a dangerous path to the second weekend. One matchup on the West Coast may need extra “win and you’re in” potential than every other recreation on the schedule:
No. 7 UCLA Bruins (20-4, No. 5 NET) at Oregon Ducks (15-10, No. 53 NET)
Saturday, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN
If there have been a industrial for groups on the bubble, it could star Dana Altman and the Ducks. The good things? They have a house win over Arizona. The dangerous? Nothing on their résumé past that stands out, and losses to UC Irvine (house), Utah Valley (house) and Stanford (street) will not assist their trigger. Saturday’s matchup towards the Bruins, nonetheless, affords Altman and Co. one other likelihood so as to add a significant victory to their résumé — the Bruins are at present a 2-seed on Lunardi’s newest Bracketology — and emerge from “First Four Out” purgatory of their final shot to get a signature win in Pac-12 motion.
Star Power: Jaime Jaquez Jr. (16.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG) has made 59% of his pictures on the rim for UCLA this season, per hoop-math.com.
Score prediction: UCLA 73, Oregon 69
Other weekend video games that may enhance résumés
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Mike Boynton’s squad is hanging out on the bubble — “Last Four Byes,” per Lunardi — however a street victory, albeit an unlikely one, over a powerful Cyclones workforce that is undefeated at house and searching for revenge, would change the Cowboys’ fortunes.
Star Power: With Osun Osunniyi on the court docket, Iowa State has compelled turnovers on 25% of its opponents’ possessions, per hooplens.com.
Score prediction: Iowa State 71, Oklahoma State 66
Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
A victory for Duke, which is 4-2 in its final six video games and coming off a 22-point street loss to Miami, would improve the probability that the Blue Devils will keep away from a harmful first-round matchup within the NCAA event.
Star Power: Jayden Gardner is averaging 18.2 PPG during the last 4 video games for the Cavaliers.
Score prediction: Virginia 68, Duke 63
Saturday, 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Fresh off a house win over Iowa State, the Mountaineers (a 9-seed per Lunardi) would really feel even higher about their Selection Sunday positioning with one other victory over a ranked Big 12 workforce.
Star Power: Texas has made 56% of its pictures contained in the arc with Sir’Jabari Rice on the ground this season, per hooplens.com.
Score prediction: Texas 81, West Virginia 73
Saturday, 6 p.m. ET, SEC Network
The Tigers (wins over Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky and Iowa State) appear to be in a great spot to make the NCAA event, however a street win over a top-10 Vols squad might enhance their seeding, and assist them keep away from a harmful matchup within the opening spherical in March.
Star Power: With Kobe Brown and Isiaih Mosley on the ground collectively this season, the Tigers have shot 57% from contained in the arc and 46% from the 3-point line, per hooplens.com.
Score prediction: Tennessee 60, Missouri 53