Ranking the Best Games of a Loaded Hoops Saturday

With nonstop men’s action across the day, we’re sorting out the ones you don’t want to miss.

Before college basketball quiets a bit for the holidays, we’re getting a mega Saturday on the men’s side of the sport. A stacked slate includes five top-25 matchups, including a top-five battle and a top-10 clash. Mixed in is some Big East play and various other nonconference fun. From noon to midnight ET, you could settle in on the couch and have continuous quality hoops to watch. But we understand if you can’t allocate an entire day to watching an orange ball bounce on hardwood. In that event, our ranking of the top eight Dec. 17 matchups—complete with their times and TV channel—might come in handy.

1. No. 6 Tennessee at No. 9 Arizona (10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Two one-loss teams will square off at the McKale Center in a top-10 meeting that actually closes the night. If you can watch only one game Saturday, make it this one. Both programs picked up a big win last weekend, with the Vols beating Maryland in Brooklyn and the Wildcats taking care of Indiana in Las Vegas. Now, they’ll meet in a fascinating matchup that pits KenPom’s No. 1 offense (Arizona) against its No. 1 defense (Tennessee). The ’Cats have an effective field goal percentage of 61.6% this season; the Volunteers are holding opponents to just 36.8%. If Rick Barnes’s team wants to win in a hostile road environment, though, it’s probably going to have to shoot better from two than the dismal 26.7% it put up against the Terps.

2. No. 5 Houston at No. 2 Virginia (2 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

This matchup was slightly downgraded in the last week—from a top-three meeting to top-five. Who’s counting, right? The Cougars are coming off their first loss of the season, one where they blew a 15-point lead to Alabama at home that dropped them from their No. 1 perch in the AP poll. Virginia is undefeated but has played some too-close-for-comfort contests of late vs. Florida State and James Madison. This feels like more of a résumé must-win for Houston, which after this has only two games left on its schedule against KenPom top-60 opponents (both vs. Memphis). Don’t expect a high-scoring affair between two brands built on defensive reputations; whether the Cavaliers can keep the Cougars off the offensive glass will be key.

3. No. 14 Indiana at No. 8 Kansas (12 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

A few frustrations have started to bubble in Bloomington, with the Hoosiers having lost two of their last three ahead of a trip to the Phog. Indiana was outrebounded in both losses—by 14 to Rutgers and 11 to Arizona—and was missing freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who is questionable for Saturday. Kansas has just one blemish on the season so far, a Black Friday loss to Tennessee, and this is its last true test before Big 12 play starts. Whoever wins this blueblood battle will get a résumé boost that should reverberate through Selection Sunday, but it’s a particularly big opportunity for the Hoosiers on the road.

4. No. 15 Gonzaga vs. No. 4 Alabama (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

This game isn’t in Tuscaloosa, so it’s not an on-campus home game, but its Birmingham location certainly guarantees a crimson crowd. Gonzaga flopped in its first real road environment this season, a 19-point loss to Texas in Austin, and has generally underwhelmed, losing more big games than it has won. The Zags, therefore, can either make a statement against Alabama, or they can squander one of their last chances all season to notably improve their résumé. This should be a fast-paced, high-scoring tilt, and it’s another big stage for the Crimson Tide’s young pieces to continue to grow on.

5. No. 16 UCLA vs. No. 13 Kentucky (5:15 p.m. ET, CBS)

The Bruins are coming off an impressive road blowout of Maryland and now have the chance to notch back-to-back ranked wins. Kentucky is still searching for a signature victory this year, its best so far being in London over a Michigan team off to a sluggish start. The Wildcats were doomed by poor shooting in losses to Michigan State and Gonzaga, and UCLA represents the best defense John Calipari’s team will face yet.

6. No. 23 Ohio State vs. North Carolina (3 p.m. ET, CBS)

If you had told college hoops fans back in the preseason that only one of these teams would be ranked for this game, almost everyone would’ve said it must be North Carolina. The Tar Heels were No. 1 to open the season but stunningly dropped out of the poll completely by Dec. 5 after losing four straight. The defense has been suspect and the Caleb Love–RJ Davis backcourt has struggled with shooting, combining to average 29% from three. Ohio State represents UNC’s first real test since that losing streak, but the Buckeyes will be hungry for their own victory—one that could end up aging better as the season goes. With both teams boasting top-10 offenses, buckle in for what may be a barn burner.

7. No. 3 UConn at Butler (7 p.m. ET, FS1)

How about a conference matchup? The Huskies are playing at a level that has them in the mix for No. 1 in the country, and they kick off their Big East slate with a trip to Butler. The Bulldogs have had an uneven start to the Thad Matta era in terms of results but have shown resolve and been one of the biggest risers on KenPom, up 60 spots since the start of the season to No. 70. They face a tall task to knock off unbeaten UConn, but Hinkle Fieldhouse should be rocking.

8. Oklahoma State at Wichita State (9 p.m. ET, ESPNU)

This game’s in the final uncovered window between noon and midnight and is a good option after the aforementioned UConn-Butler game ends while you’re waiting for Arizona-Tennessee. Neither team has gotten off to its desired start this season, but this could be a tight matchup (KenPom projects the margin as two points), and the Shockers are hosting it at the larger Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita.