Key Men's Basketball Games of the Weekend 1/20 - 1/22
Missouri at Baylor
This is a matchup of the Big Boys of the Big 12. These two, along with Kansas, are considered the favorites to earn a Big 12 championship. Both are athletic and have strong veteran leadership. Frank Haith’s bunch is an offensive juggernaut. The Tigers are fourth in the nation in scoring at over 83 points a game. That is a ton for a college team. They rattled off 14 wins in a row before losing on the road to Kansas State. Seniors Marcus Denmon, Kim English, and Ricardo Ratliffe are well-seasoned college players, and they’re familiar with Big 12 opponents. Missouri still sees Kansas twice and Kansas State one more time. It’s a tough stretch, and this game is on the road. It won’t be easy for Mizzou to win.
Baylor is on a tear this season. They had been undefeated until they lost to Kansas big on Monday. The Bears are led by player of the year candidate and sure-fire top-five lottery pick in Perry Jones III. He’s shooting 54.5 percent from the field. Also for the Bears in the frontcourt is senior Quincy Acy. Jones and Acy operate near the hoop as well as any pair of big men in the country. Five Baylor players average double figures in scoring. As talented as Missouri is, this is Baylor’s game to lose since they’re playing in the Ferrell Center. The Bears just need to keep the Tigers off the free throw line. Missouri is sixth in the country in foul shooting.
Alabama at Kentucky
Kentucky certainly has the upper hand in this game considering they are more talented (and they’re at home). But early in the season big things were expected of Alabama in the SEC. Alabama has lost three games to good opponents, but has one bad loss to Dayton on the road, 74-62. The Crimson Tide has since slipped from the rankings, but is looking to make noise in the SEC. Currently, they are tied for third in the conference.
Alabama will have its hands full with Kentucky. They have superstar freshmen again in what seems to be like an annual characteristic of John Calipari’s teams. Center Anthony Davis is a beast down low. He averages a double-double per game and nearly five blocks. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is also making a statement for freshman of the year honors. He is averaging 13.4 points per game and is second on the team in playing time. He’s stepped up as an early leader for the Wildcats.
Alabama will need to play its best basketball to beat Kentucky in Lexington. But if they play well they can develop some confidence moving forward in conference play.
Cincinnati at West Virginia
This is a big game in the Big East because these are a couple of surprise teams that weren’t really in the discussion at the beginning of the season. Both already have four wins in the Big East. Bob Huggins’ group is top 50 in points per game, rebounds per game, and assists per game. Senior forward Kevin Jones is averaging 20.1 points per game, which is good for 15th in the country. He also ranks 6th in the nation in rebounding at 11.6 per game. Cincinnati answers with Yancy Gates, a senior forward who is responsible for defending the middle. He averages nearly nine rebounds per game. Cincinnati won’t blow you away with stats, but the Bearcats have some impressive wins, including Georgetown and Pittsburgh on the road. This game will go a long way in terms of postseason positioning.
Wisconsin at Illinois
After Brandon Paul’s 43-point performance against Ohio State, Illinois is on the national stage for good this season. They’ve propelled themselves into the Top 25 in most polls and currently occupy first place in the Big 10. This season, that is no easy task. Paul will certainly be in consideration for conference player of the year. The emergence of Meyers Leonard as a legitimate big man for Illinois is huge as the season moves forward. They can have an inside-out attack that will help them in games against teams with strong big men like Ohio State does with Jared Sullinger. Contributions from D.J. Richardson and Tyler Griffey have also been instrumental in Illinois’ success.
Wisconsin is a baffling 14-5 so far this season. It’s not so much their five losses. It’s that three of them have been at the Kohl Center, which used to spell automatic victory for the Badgers. Bo Ryan has to be baffled at some of his team’s performances, including a 41 point output against Michigan. That won’t cut it in the Big 10. Wisconsin ranks in the lower 100 in the country in points per game. They haven’t been able to generate enough offense to keep up with some of the high powered teams in their conference. Jordan Taylor is the star, but other members of the team need to step up if Wisconsin wants to make noise in the postseason. This is a huge road test for the Badgers. If they knock off Illinois on the road, it could spell a much needed turnaround for the boys in Madison.
