College basketball weekend preview: Top five games to watch Saturday - Iqraa news

College basketball weekend preview: Top five games to watch Saturday - Iqraa news
College basketball weekend preview: Top five games to watch Saturday - Iqraa news

This season in college hoops has been a whirlwind, and now we are officially in the month of madness with the NCAA Tournament starting in mere weeks.

This weekend will be a big one for teams sitting on the bubble or looking to improve their seeding when the bracket is unveiled later this month. Saturday features four ranked vs. ranked matchups and nine top 25 teams playing on the road. That said, there's potential for some serious movement among top teams. 

If you're looking for an update on where your team sits, check out our latest bracket forecast here.

With that, here are the five best men's college hoops games to watch Saturday.

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What to expect: This is likely to be a game played with pace and fewer fouls than most games. Creighton commits just 11 fouls per game, the fewest in the Big East, and Xavier's 15.7 fouls per game are the fourth-fewest in the conference. Moreover, the two teams rank second and third in assists per game. Expect offensive efficiency.

Key stat: The 3-point shot is going to be the key to the game. Xavier is the second-best team defending the 3 in the Big East, allowing just 6.8 per game. On the other hand, Creighton is averaging 9.5 makes from deep per game. Those extra points will be huge, especially with Xavier on the bubble.

Trends: Creighton has won three consecutive meetings and four of the past five between the two teams. Xavier has won four straight games overall. The Musketeers have won four of the past five games at home against the Bluejays.

What to expect: Only four teams score 80 points or more per game in the Big 12 this season, and two of them are in this game! Neither does it with the 3-point shot either, which makes efficiency all the more important. Both teams rely heavily on free throws to help buoy their offense, with each making 17 or more free throws per game this season, and both in the top four of the conference.

Key stat: Arizona grabs four more rebounds per game than Iowa State. When the Wildcats outrebound their opponents by four rebounds or more, they're 15-5 this season. When they fail to do so, they're just 4-4. Rebounding will be a key to this game.

Trends: Iowa State has been ranked in the top 10 for 25 straight weeks — the longest active streak in the nation. Iowa State has won 21 or more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2000 and 2001 seasons. Arizona is one of just two Big 12 teams to have five or more wins against teams ranked in the AP top 25 at the time of the game (Kansas State). 

What to expect: A push-pull. Florida's offense is as good as any in the country, while Texas A&M is more comfortable playing in the high 60s to low 70s. The Aggies are just 5-7 this season when allowing 70 or more points this year. If Florida comes out firing, look out.

Key stat: Florida has become a dominant offensive team this season, doing it mostly under the radar. Florida is one of only four teams to average 83 points per game and 40 or more rebounds per game, joining Illinois, Alabama and UAB. The Aggies' ability to control the boards will be a deciding factor in being able to stifle the Gators' scoring.

Trends: Texas A&M has won five of the previous six meetings against Florida, but the Gators won the most recent matchup in last year's SEC tournament. The last time the Gators won back-to-back games against the Aggies was in January 2019 and February 2020.

What to expect: Offense vs. defense. Tennessee allows 60.8 points per game, which is the best in the SEC and fourth in the nation. Alabama is scoring a nation-leading 91.5 points per game. If this game enters the 80s, it'll get very uncomfortable for the Vols, who have a 2-4 record this season when their opponents score more than 70, let alone 80. 

Key stat: Alabama has scored 85 or more points in nine straight road games, a number that is going to be hard for Tennessee to match. Moreover, Alabama has scored 90 points in a nation-leading 15 games this season. The Vols' leading scorer, Chaz Lanier (17.8 PPG), is going to need to score in bunches for Tennessee to keep up.

Trends: This will be the first matchup between the two schools where both are ranked in the top-six of the AP poll. Tennessee has won three straight meetings against Alabama in the series after Bama won the previous three contests.

What to expect: Lots and lots of points! Both these teams score at a rapid clip. Kentucky is third in the country with 85.6 points, while Auburn is fifth in the nation, scoring 85.1 points per game. Moreover, there are only three teams in the country that are scoring 85 or more points per game and grabbing 10 or more offensive rebounds per game, with Kentucky and Auburn being two of the three. This is going to be a battle.

Key stat: Auburn has proven over and over again that it is the best team in the nation, consistently beating the best. Its schedule has delivered them ample opportunities, and the Tigers have cashed in with a nation-leading 15 Quadrant 1 wins. The only other team with 10 or more is Alabama, who Auburn has already dispatched of once, and it has 10 on the nose. This Kentucky matchup is a tough one, but the schedule the Tigers have played gives them an edge.

Trends: Auburn has yet to lose a road game in SEC play this season. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl is 6-9 vs. Kentucky. Kentucky has won three of the past four and four of the past six meetings. 

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