The long, frigid month of January is coming to a close, but the action on basketball courts on college campuses nationwide is as hot as ever.
Our list of the five best men’s college games of the weekend includes a pair of top-10 showdowns in the Big Ten bookending the schedule. The Saturday offerings include a top-20 tilt in the Big 12 and a heated west-coast rivalry that is sadly about to become a thing of the past. There are plenty of other games to watch as well, so feel free to dial around if you’re stuck indoors awaiting the spring thaw.
No. 2 Michigan at No. 8 Michigan State
Time/TV: Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox
The Starting Five gets a Friday night jumpstart with this rivalry clash with maximum intensity guaranteed. The Wolverines haven’t been posting the huge victory margins as they were in December but have still been finding ways to win in the rugged Big Ten. The Spartans, of course, are also in the mix as usual hoping to hold on to a share of the league lead by defending their storied home floor at the Breslin Center. Veteran MSU point guard Jeremy Fears directs the offense well, but points on the interior will nevertheless be hard to get against the Wolverines, who average nearly six rejections a game. Michigan’s front court is equally effective at the offensive end, with Yaxel Lendeborg rarely choosing bad shots.
No. 13 Brigham Young at No. 14 Kansas
Time/TV: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The headliner in the Big 12 this weekend features a couple of teams that are comfortably in the bracket hoping to optimize their seeding. This is not a new situation for the Jayhawks, of course, but they could use more high-end results regardless. The Cougars have won the games they were supposed to, but a win here in the hostile environs of Allen Fieldhouse would demonstrate real March staying power. Continuity has been fleeting for Kansas with freshman sensation Darryn Peterson in and out of the lineup, but improved production from Flory Bidunga has helped. BYU’s own touted rookie A.J. Dybantsa is coming off one of the least efficient games of his young career in Monday night’s loss at top-ranked Arizona, so a few early buckets would be most beneficial.
Saint Mary’s at No. 6 Gonzaga
Time/TV: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
These West Coast Conference rivals have staged some epic contests over the last couple of decades. Gonzaga’s pending departure for the new Pac-12 means it won’t be a regular event after this year, so we must enjoy the final installments. Unfortunately the Zags will still not be at full strength with leading scorer Braden Huff out with a knee injury, though center Graham Ike (ankle) might be back in the lineup. As usual, stingy defense is the Saint Mary’s hallmark, holding opponents to just 40.4% shooting. When the Gaels need a bucket, they most often look inside for Paulius Murauskas.
No. 23 Alabama at No. 21 Florida
Time/TV: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, ABC
The SEC has been well-represented in recent Final Fours. These two programs have been part of that success, and they arguably have the highest ceiling of the league’s candidates this year. The Gators feature a frontcourt trio of Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu, which will be a matchup problem for the Crimson Tide, even with the return of Charles Bediako. But the 3-point arc is the equalizer for Alabama, especially if primary facilitator Labaron Philon’s own shots are also falling.
No. 10 Illinois at No. 5 Nebraska
Time/TV: Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, FS1.
We wrap up the weekend back in Big Ten territory, where the Cornhuskers look to bounce back from their first loss of the season by completing a regular-season sweep of the Fighting Illini. It was way back on Dec. 13 when Illinois dropped a thriller at home to Nebraska, but the Illini have produced some impressive results since then. With no history of tournament success the Cornhuskers are not household names yet, but fans should get to know high-scoring forwards Pryce Sandfort and Rienk Mast. The Illini roster is similarly constructed, but Keaton Wagler requires extra attention at the arc. Backcourt mate Kylan Boswell remains sidedlined with a hand injury.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball games to watch schedule features Big Ten, Big 12