Big Games of the Weekend 1/28 – 1/29
West Virginia at Syracuse
Syracuse finally tumbled last weekend when they went into South Bend and lost to Notre Dame. They rebounded nicely against Cincinnati on the road on Monday. They go back to the Carrier Dome to face a solid West Virginia team that is in the hunt for the Big East crown. Obviously, Syracuse is leading the way in the conference. A win here would give the Mountaineers the tiebreaker. Easier said than done. Syracuse is undefeated at home this year. They remain one of the deepest teams in the country. Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine are skilled veterans that energize this team. Despite his academic suspension, sophomore big man Fab Melo has had an awakening in his second year. He’s leading the team in rebounds at 5.7 per game.
West Virginia has put together a nice 5-2 record in the Big East so far. Superstar Kevin Jones is making his case for conference player of the year. He’s averaging over 20 points per game, and leads the team in three statistical categories. He leads the Big East in double-doubles. Consistent play from Deniz Kilicli will help this team down low. He’s a scrappy contributor but sometimes gets in foul trouble and makes mental mistakes. Still, Bob Huggins team is solid this year. They have strong wins against Georgetown and Kansas State. This is a huge test. On the road it’s even tougher. Let’s see if they can hang with the 1-loss Orange.
Mississippi State at Florida
Two under mentioned SEC contenders are battling this weekend in Gainesville. Billy Donovan’s Gators are a high-scoring group that likes to win several games in a row. After stumbling at Tennessee, Florida has won three straight in convincing fashion. At 82 points per game, they are tough to slow down. Mississippi State, who has been under the radar much of the year, is ranked 175th in scoring defense. It doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. However, they do have some talented players that can score the basketball. Arnett Moultrie and Dee Bost both average 16.4 points per game. These two carry the load for the Bulldogs. Center Wendall Lewis will need to hold his own in the post and block some shots of the driving guards the Gators have. This will be a fast-paced affair.
Michigan at Ohio State
Michigan appears to have already won the battle for the state after a wild win against Michigan State last week. Jon Beilein’s team is on the rise in the Big 10 and nationally. They lead in the conference standings after Tuesday’s games. Ohio State will have a lot to say about that come this weekend. But Tim Hardaway, Jr. is taking the Wolverines on his back. He played all 40 minutes against Purdue. Evan Smotrycz comes off the bench to provide a little inside-out game for Michigan. He can shoot the long ball and also snag rebounds inside. Guard Zack Novak is an outside sharpshooter. The three ball is a big part of Michigan’s offense. They are ranked 32nd in the nation in 3-pointers made per game. They are going to need it to work in Columbus on Sunday.
Ohio State is too big and strong down low for Michigan to get into a war in the paint. Jared Sullinger continues to play like a top-5 pick in the upcoming draft. Sophomore Aaron Craft is the now-seasoned quarterback of their offense. He carries a 2.5 assist to turnover ratio. The Buckeyes have three losses, but they were to tough teams and all on the road. Ohio State is 8th in the country in field goal percentage. It's not easy to matchup with them for a full 40 minutes. Three opponents have found a way. Will the Wolverines find the same recipe?
Virginia at North Carolina State
This is an interesting game in ACC. These are two teams that are looking to be atop the conference with Duke and North Carolina for years to come. Virginia has had a stellar season so far. Senior Mike Scott for the Cavaliers is making a strong case for player of the year. He leads the team in points and rebounds per game. Tony Bennett’s team is predicated on stingy defense. They are ranked 4th in the country in 3-point defense and 21st overall in field goal defense. They don’t block many shots, but they get in an opponents’ way when they’re shooting. They’ve slipped to 2-2 in the ACC after a fast start, but there is a lot of season left. Expect them to be in the mix for the third seed in the conference tournament.
NC State is not quite as far along as Virginia is this season, but they seem to have hit a stride once the ACC season started. They are 4-1 in conference at this point. Under Mark Gottfried the Wolfpack has been rejuvenated after years of mediocrity under Sidney Lowe. After a bad loss to Georgia Tech, they defeated the teams they were supposed to in Wake Forest, Boston College, and Miami. They face a tough test against rival North Carolina before they come home to face the Cavaliers. It is not inconceivable to think that NC State will be 5-2 after seven conference games after this weekend. Scott Wood and CJ Leslie are workhorses for Gottfried and both average double figures in scoring. After a highly-touted recruiting class next year, NC State looks to have a promising future in the ACC. This week will be a solid first test.
