The Top Five College Basketball Games Of The Week

The college basketball season is off and running and this week we have some awesome ranked matchups to enjoy. We’ve had a few games to tide us over but starting on Tuesday, the void of great college basketball games will be filled. Here are the Top-5 games you should watch this week.

Tuesday, Nov 10. 

No. 5 Michigan State vs. No. 2 Duke

The Spartans and the Blue Devils tip off in the first game of the Champions Classic which will be jam-packed with some of the best players in the country. All-American point guard Jeremy Fears and high-flyer Coen Carr will lead Michigan State while Patrick Ngongba and Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell man the ship for the Blue Devils. Duke leads the all-time series 16-4. 

It is a different Duke team this year in the sense of a team being led by upperclassmen instead of freshmen. Ngongba is off to a great start to his junior season, averaging 19 points per game and eight rebounds per game including a career-high 28 points against Coastal Carolina last week. Blackwell has had a slow start to the year but I expect him to step up and have a big game. 

Fears is playing like his usual self, averaging a double-double with 12.5 points per game and 10 assists per game while Carr is Michigan States’ third leading scorer at 11 points per game. The stars are going to play well but I think this game will come down to the supporting casts of each team. 

Whoever steps up from the likes of Cayden Boozer, Dame Sarr, Caleb Foster, or Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje for the Blue Devils will have a ton of confidence going forward. The Spartans will need to see production come from Jordan Scott and Jasiah Jervis. 

No. 15 Kansas vs. No. 24 Kentucky

The second act of the Champions Classic headlines two historic programs. The Jayhawks and Wildcats are an intriguing matchup because both teams have questions coming into the season. 

For Kansas, freshman phenom Tyran Stokes will be a featured player in this game. Stokes is averaging 11.5 points per game in two games so far. Tre White (15.5 ppg) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (13 ppg) are veteran presences that Kansas will rely on all season long. 

Kentucky is led by Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic who is averaging 15.5 points per game on an efficient 47.6% from the field. Zoom Diallo is chipping in 14 points per game after transferring over from Washington. I’m intrigued by the matchups both coaches will try and exploit. Who will guard Stokes and vice versa for Momcilovic? 

No. 3 Illinois at No. 16 Texas Tech

I believe this game will soar over just based on how fast both of these teams play. Illinois is averaging 116 points per game while the Red Raiders have scored 76 points in both of their wins. 

Andrej Stojakovic has had a fantastic start to the year scoring 25 and 20 points in the Fighting Illini’s first two games. Ethan Brown is leading the team in rebounds (9.5) and assists (6.0) as a freshman. 

Former Illinois guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn will go up against his former squad averaging 15 points per game for Texas Tech. Cruz Davis is another guard that averages 15 points per game that will try and match Illinois offensive output. 

No. 1 Florida at Florida State

The No. 1 team in the country travels to take on its rival in an early-season test for both squads. The Gators have already beaten an instate rival with a 10-point victory over Miami last week. The Seminoles are an improved team under second-year head coach Luke Loucks and they are looking to snap a five-game skid against Florida. 

The Gators are led by senior Thomas Haugh who is averaging 16.5 points per game. Sebastian Rancik comes into the game with 18 and 25 point performances in their two wins for Florida State. Florida leads the all-time series 48-28. 

Ohio State at No. 4 UConn

Friday, Nov. 13

This game I have circled because it is a huge opportunity for the Buckeyes to pick up a signature win under Jake Diebler. Fans have a love/hate relationship with Diebler and a win against the fourth ranked team in the country would go a long way. 

The Huskies have another solid team under head coach Dan Hurley. Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr. headline a stacked backcourt. Mullins leads the team in scoring (21.5 ppg) while Demary Jr. has team highs in rebounds (7.5) and assists (6.0). 

The Buckeyes will need to rely on John Mobley Jr. (19.5 ppg) and Amare Bynum (17.5 ppg) to be great, especially in a hostile environment in Hartford, CT. 

Honorable Mentions

Minnesota at Cincinnati 

Monday, Nov 9

The Gophers have their first test of the season against the Bearcats. I think Minnesota has a chance to be a dark horse in the Big 10 this season under Niko Medved in his second year at the helm. 

No. 12 Arizona at Auburn

Friday, Nov 13

The Wildcats head south to take on the Tigers in one of toughest places to play as a visitor. The raucous crowd for Auburn will make this game so much fun to watch.