Top 5 men's college basketball matchups to look forward to this weekend (week 16) feat. Kentucky vs. Alabama
There are plenty of matchups to look forward to in college basketball. For the men's side, the teams scheduled to face each other present much intrigue for fans watching.
On Saturday, 17 ranked squads will have contests to take care of, as three games will feature ranked teams facing each other. On Sunday, two teams in the AP Top 25 have matchups, playing against teams looking to pull off upsets.
Here are the five best men's college basketball matchups to anticipate this upcoming weekend.
Top five men's college basketball matchups to look forward to this weekend
5. Oregon vs. No. 11 Wisconsin
Starting the list of the best matchups is Saturday's game between the Oregon Ducks and No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers.
The Ducks enter the contest with a 19-8 overall record, winning eight out of 16 conference games as they have won three straight. They average 76.6 points on 45.7% shooting (34.6% from beyond the arc), beating teams by 4.8 points per game. Jackson Shelstad leads Oregon with 13.3 points and three rebounds.
As the supposed favorite, the No. 11 Badgers are 21-5 on the season, going 11-4 after 15 Big Ten games as they are on a five-game win streak. They produce 82 points on shooting splits of 46.8% overall and 36.8% from downtown, taking down opponents by a solid margin of 11.4 points per game. Jone Tonje commands the Wisconsin offense with 19.6 points and 4.8 rebounds.
4. No. 3 Duke vs. Illinois
Next is Cooper Flagg and the No. 3 Blue Devils playing against Kasparas Jakucionis and the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Duke stands out as one of the best teams in the country, boasting a 23-3 overall record as they've won 15 out of 16 ACC contests. They average 81 points on 48.6% shooting (37.9% from the 3-point line), blowing out teams by 20.2 points per game. Flagg leads Duke with averages of 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
As the hosts, the Fighting Illini will have their hands full against the ranked favorites. They are 17-10 on the season, going 9-8 in conference play. They put up 83.9 points on 44.8% shooting overall and 31.2% from 3-pointers, beating squads by 11.5 points per contest. Jakucionis leads the unit with 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists.
3. No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Texas A&M
Bringing in the first of three matchups, the only starring ranked teams are the No. 6 Volunteers and No. 7 Aggies.
Tennessee seeks to return to the status as the top team in the country and currently has a 21-5 overall record. They produce 74.6 points on 45.5% shooting (34.1% from 3-pointers), beating teams by 14.1 points per game. Chaz Lanier leads the squad with 17.5 points, while Zakai Ziegler stands out with a team-high 7.5 assists.
Texas A&M has performed well and is one of the better teams in the SEC, having a 20-6 record. They produce 73.7 points on shooting splits of 42.3% overall and 31.3% from downtown, getting past teams by 8.2 points per game. Wade Taylor IV and Zhuric Phelps are the team's only double-digit scorers, with 14.9 and 14.4 points, respectively.
2. No. 8 Iowa State vs. No. 5 Houston
The second game between teams ranked inside the top 10 of the AP Top 25 involves the No. 8 Cyclones and No. 5 Cougars.
Iowa State has a 21-5 overall record, going 11-4 after 15 Big 12 matchups while rolling with a four-game win streak. They put up 81.3 points on 48.3% shooting (34.8% from beyond the arc), beating opponents by 14.4 points per contest.
Houston highlights itself as one of the best defensive squads in the country with a 22-4 record, holding teams to 57.6 points on shooting splits of 38.3% overall and 31.7% from three. LJ Cryer and Emanuel Sharp put up 26.5 points combined, being two excellent 3-point shooters with accuracies of over 40%.
1. No. 17 Kentucky vs. No. 4 Alabama
Taking the top spot of the most anticipated matchups is the game between the No. 17 Wildcats and No. 4 Crimson Tide.
Kentucky has done a solid job in its first year with coach Mark Pope, having an 18-8 overall record. They put up 85.8 points on 48.6% shooting (38% from downtown), taking down teams by 10.1 points per game. Otega Oweh leads the way with 16.2 points and 4.7 rebounds.
Alabama looks to return to the Final Four for the second straight year, boasting a 21-5 record on the season so far. They average 90.6 points on shooting splits of 48.2% overall and 34.2% from the 3-point line, beating squads by 10.3 points per game. Mark Sears commands the unit with 18.5 points, 4.8 assists and three rebounds.