College basketball: What we’re excited to see in Duke vs. Kansas, Kentucky vs. Gonzaga, more
The opening week of the college basketball season is behind us, and there have already been plenty of stunning upsets, exciting finishes and fun storylines to follow.
But things really start to heat up this week, with a host of high-profile matchups on the calendar. With a busy week ahead, there is no time to waste.
Here’s what we’re looking forward to watching in some of the biggest matchups this week.
TUESDAY
What are you excited to see in the Champions Classic (No. 4 Kentucky vs. Michigan State, 7 p.m. ET; No. 7 Duke vs. No. 6 Kansas, 9:30 p.m. ET)?
Fanta: Jon Scheyer’s first major test as the Duke head coach coming against the reigning national champions? Now, that just says fun. I’m really intrigued to see Jeremy Roach lead the Blue Devils in this matchup, with Dajuan Harris on the other side. For Kansas, the center position is a bit of a question mark, but the Jayhawks have gone smaller — and more versatile — with 6-foot-7 KJ Adams and 6-foot-8 Jalen Wilson making up the starting frontcourt.
Will the spacing and ability to create matchup wrinkles cause problems for Duke’s defense? We’ll see, as the Blue Devils have allowed just 82 points through two games, the lowest total that they’ve allowed in the first two contests of a season since 1982. We know Roach will lead the Blue Devils, but will this team have complementary scoring in their first real measuring stick game? Five-star freshman Kyle Filipowski is off to a strong start with back-to-back double-doubles, while his classmate Mark Mitchell has totaled 31 points through two games. Kansas has more experience, but a very different look. Duke is still likely without freshman wing Dariq Whitehead (fractured foot), so for now, it’s on Tyrese Proctor, Jacob Grandison and others to step up beyond Roach.
As for Michigan State and Kentucky, we could see the debut of reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe (knee). Tom Izzo certainly thinks we will see him.
This game should give us a feel for just how great Kentucky is, but there’s something I’m wondering: Are the Spartans a top-25 caliber team? They sure look like they could be after falling to Gonzaga by just one, but facing an experienced Wildcats team in a more normal setting — i.e. not on the deck of an aircraft carrier — offers quite the challenge. If Tshiebwe is on the floor, I think Kentucky has a fairly significant edge in this matchup. AJ Hoggard has to outduel Sahvir Wheeler for the Spartans to have a chance to win this game.
Katz: The biggest question is whether Tshiebwe is going to play. Kentucky is playing well even without him. The question will be how the Kentucky guards handle Michigan State’s pressure. The Spartans did a solid job on the perimeter vs. Gonzaga, harassing and forcing turnovers. But they weren’t able to handle Drew Timme down the stretch, which is a reason why having Tshiebwe is so important. This is a big week for both teams — the Spartans host Villanova later in the week, while Kentucky goes to Spokane to play Gonzaga.
Duke hasn’t been 100 percent healthy so far, thus only scratching the surface of its potential. But this will be Scheyer’s first big-time game as a head coach. He’s going against Norm Roberts, as Bill Self is under a self-imposed suspension. The Jayhawks have gotten leadership/productive play out of Wilson, but are still an unknown at this early stage as well.
WEDNESDAY
What are you going to be looking for in Iowa at Seton Hall (7:30 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app)?
Katz: Iowa has beaten up lower-level competition, but we’ve already seen the potential of Kris Murray as a go-to player, as well as the ability of Tony Perkins to take over at his guard position. The Pirates are off to a strong start under Shaheen Holloway despite their injuries. This would be the type of win for Seton Hall that would have shelf life throughout the season. If Iowa could pull off this road win, then it will likely catapult the Hawkeyes into the Top 25.
Fanta: Fran McCaffrey’s efficient motion offense against Shaheen Holloway’s high-pressure defense is going to be fun to watch. The reigning Big Ten champion Hawkeyes rank No. 5 in KenPom adjusted offensive efficiency, while the Pirates own the nation’s 23rd-ranked KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency.
This showdown is also the beauty of the Gavitt Games. Iowa would never get on a plane to Newark to visit Seton Hall, and the Pirates would rather not go to Iowa City to play the Hawkeyes. It will only be the third meeting between the programs, with the other two coming on a neutral floor in 1982, and in the Gavitt Games in 2016.
While Iowa lost Keegan Murray, one of the top players in the NBA Draft, his twin brother Kris is averaging 18.0 points per game and appears poised to be the alpha. The Pirates are going to be a team that scores by committee. I’ll be very curious to see who Seton Hall runs its offense through if this is a close game. Clemson transfer Al-Amir Dawes feels like a natural choice, but Holloway has said openly that he’s still trying to figure out exactly what he has. The Pirates have six new rotation players, while the Hawkeyes, even with the departure of Murray, have more than 52% of their scoring back. Can Seton Hall’s defense frustrate Iowa’s offense? That’s the key to this game.
FRIDAY
What interests you most about No. 12 Indiana at Xavier (6 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app)?
Fanta: I think this has a chance to be the best game of the week in college basketball. There’s no shortage of storylines. For the Hoosiers, it’s an opportunity to validate that they are the best team in the Big Ten. For the Musketeers, it’s the first test for Sean Miller in his second stint as head coach of Xavier, which some believe could be Creighton’s biggest challenger in the Big East. The frontcourt battle between Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis and Race Thompson against the Musketeers’ duo of Jack Nunge and Zach Freemantle should be a lot of fun. Both Mike Woodson and Miller have talked about physicality being a priority. Which of these two teams wins in that department?
Katz: I love this game. This should be one of the best games of the week and a barometer for both schools. Xavier could send a strong message that it is a Big East contender and a top-25 team with a win. If Indiana gets the W, then the Hoosiers should not only be in the top 10, but set up to move into the top two with a win over North Carolina on Nov. 30. This will be a physical game and will test the Hoosiers’ ability to deal with a crazed environment. How the Hoosiers handle the pressure, and how well they board and deal with late-game situations will determine their fate. This should be a great indicator of Xavier’s image under Sean Miller 2.0.
What about Villanova at Michigan State (8 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app)?
Fanta: How will the Wildcats respond after losing to Temple for the first time in a decade? Villanova just doesn’t possess a lot of offensive firepower right now. The Wildcats need to get Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year Cam Whitmore (thumb) back as soon as possible. I think if Villanova is going to seize the opportunity, they need veterans Brandon Slater and Eric Dixon to attack the rim and put pressure on Michigan State’s defense. The Spartans are obviously going to be battle-tested entering Friday. For both these teams, this game serves as a window to create momentum ahead of the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland next week. Fun fact: both are in the same bracket, and while they are on different sides, it’s possible they could meet again a week later!
Katz: The Spartans could either be in desperation mode at 1-2 or looking to build off a win over Kentucky and move to 3-1. The Wildcats got stung by rival Temple and are still not 100 percent healthy. This should be an advantage for Michigan State. The Wildcats are going to be a threat in the Big East — once healthy — but not until later in the season.
SUNDAY
Anything fans should be looking for in No. 3 Houston at Oregon (9:30 p.m. ET)?
Katz: The Cougars have Jarace Walker playing exceptionally well out of the gate. That’s great news on the offensive front for Houston, as it needed an influx of scoring out of this newcomer class. The Cougars will and do defend. Oregon is reeling after losing at home to UC Irvine. The Ducks were bounced out of the AP poll. Beat Houston, and they should be back in the rankings. But lose and questions will arise about how good this Oregon team can be this season.
Fanta: What fans should be looking for is the opportunity to watch what I believe is the toughest team in the country. The Cougars are stacked, blending veteran talent with a five-star freshman in Walker. He posted 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting, and grabbed eight rebounds in a 81-55 rout over Saint Joseph’s this past Friday. The fact that the Cougars blew out an Atlantic 10 team with Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead shooting a combined 4-for-19 is something. Also, keep an eye on J’wan Roberts. The junior forward is such an X-factor for everything Kelvin Sampson looks to do. As for Oregon, will the Ducks wake up?! Getting commanded by UC Irvine on your home floor was quite a surprise, and one of the worst losses of the Dana Altman era. Will Richardson and Quincy Guerrier have to get going for Oregon to be in the game with Houston.
Finally, what are you most looking forward to seeing when No. 4 Kentucky takes on No. 2 Gonzaga (7:30 p.m. ET)?
Fanta: Everything. Everything about this game is fantastic. Oscar Tshiebwe vs. Drew Timme. John Calipari vs. Mark Few. The first meeting in a rare six-year agreement between the two programs. We need more of this in college basketball. These coaches deserve an immense amount of credit for being willing to schedule a prolonged series featuring two games in Spokane, two games in Lexington, a matchup in Nashville, and one in Seattle.
My key to the matchup: Point guard play. It’s going to be the key for Gonzaga in these early-season tests, with the Zags visiting Marcus Carr, Tyrese Hunter and No. 11 Texas Wednesday night, too. UK has the veteran poise of Sahvir Wheeler, and CJ Fredrick along with Antonio Reeves hitting shots is huge. Gonzaga has to be able to find lead guard play through Nolan Hickman and Malachi Smith. I side with Smith’s experience at Chattanooga and his feel for the game to be able to step up more and more as the year goes on.
Katz: The Timme-Tshiebwe matchup may not materialize. If it does, then we’ve got a national player of the year challenge. If not, then the Zags will need to exploit the weakness. Gonzaga’s newcomers on the wings could have their hands full with Wheeler and friends. The game is at Spokane Arena. It will be loud for Gonzaga but won’t have the same intimate feel as a game at the Kennell. The Zags will be coming off playing at Texas, so they may need this game to avoid a two-game losing skid.
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Andy Katz is a longtime college basketball writer, analyst and host. He can be seen on the Big Ten Network, as well as March Madness and NCAA.com, and he hosts the podcast “March Madness 365.” Katz worked at ESPN for nearly two decades and, prior to that, in newspapers for nine years.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
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