SportsPulse: With college football season in the books, we turn our focus to basketball. USA TODAY Sports
With conference play in full swing midway through the month of January, two showdowns in the Big 12 Conference and one in the Big East highlight that games we are watching this weekend in college basketball.
A breakdown of the top five matchups:
No. 2 West Virginia at No. 8 Texas Tech
Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN
The Big 12 is shaping up as the deepest conference in the country. If the Mountaineers can separate themselves further from the tough field with a road win, the next couple of months in Morgantown could be very interesting indeed. The Red Raiders sustained their first league loss at Oklahoma after an eye-opening victory at Kansas but are still among the conference’s pleasant surprises.
No. 16 TCU at No. 9 Oklahoma
Saturday, 1 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Speaking of pleasant surprises. ... Everybody in Norman knew about Trae Young’s stellar high school career, but he rapidly played himself into the national player of the year conversation. He’ll look to keep it going against the Horned Frogs, who’ve run into some tough luck since being one of the last teams to taste defeat this season. TCU has now dropped three of its four conference games by a total of six points, including Wednesday night’s double-overtime setback at Texas when a last-second layup somehow rimmed out.
No. 22 Creighton at No. 10 Xavier
Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, Fox
No team in the country is happier than the Musketeers to be coming home. That’s especially true of Xavier’s leading scorer Trevon Bluiett, who struggled mightily in losses at Providence and Villanova. The Blue Jays come into Cincinnati on a four-game winning streak.
Michigan at No. 4 Michigan State
Saturday, noon ET, Fox
Since a brief elevation to No. 1, the Spartans have been crunched by Ohio State then needed a late rally to escape Rutgers in overtime. The Wolverines get another opportunity for a resume builder after coming up just short against Purdue earlier in the week.
No. 19 Miami (Fla.) at No. 17 Clemson
Saturday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPNU
The Tigers are also glad to be home after a quick turnaround from their late Thursday contest at N.C. State. The Hurricanes, in action for the first time since Sunday’s home win against Florida State, should be better rested but still face a tough challenge on the road.
IMAGES FROM THIS WEEK IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL
![Jan. 11: Maryland center Michal Cekovsky jumps over]()
1 of 43![Jan. 11: Arizona center Dusan Ristic shoots the ball]()
2 of 43![Jan. 11: Gonzaga forward Killian Tillie, middle, fights]()
3 of 43![Jan. 11: Houston Rockets guard and former Arizona State]()
4 of 43![Jan. 11: Arizona State guard Kodi Justice celebrates]()
5 of 43![Jan. 11: Oregon guard Elijah Brown dunks over Arizona]()
6 of 43![Jan. 11: North Carolina State center Omer Yurtseven,]()
7 of 43![Jan. 11: Wichita State center Rauno Nurger (20) takes]()
8 of 43![Villanova players celebrate an 89-65 win over Xavier]()
9 of 43![Florida State center Ike Obiagu (12) defends Louisville]()
10 of 43![Georgia Tech guard Josh Okogie (5) attempts a shot]()
11 of 43![Duke forward Marvin Bagley III goes to the basket against]()
12 of 43![The Michigan State student section performs prior to]()
13 of 43![West Virginia Mountaineers forward Sagaba Konate (50)]()
14 of 43![West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2) shoots]()
15 of 43![Baylor Bears guard Manu Lecomte (20) attempts to shoot]()
16 of 43![West Virginia Mountaineers guard Jevon Carter (2) shoots]()
17 of 43![Baylor Bears forward Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. (0) drives the]()
18 of 43![Baylor Bears guard Jake Lindsey (3) drives down the]()
19 of 43![Baylor Bears guard King McClure (22) grabs a loose]()
20 of 43![West Virginia Mountaineers forward Sagaba Konate (50)]()
21 of 43![Texas A&M Aggies guard Admon Gilder (3) dribbles the]()
22 of 43![Oklahoma Sooners guard Kameron McGusty (20) rebounds]()
23 of 43![Virginia Cavaliers forward Isaiah Wilkins (21) blocks]()
24 of 43![Boston College Eagles guard Jerome Robinson (1) drives]()
25 of 43![Syracuse Orange guard Tyus Battle (25) shoots the ball]()
26 of 43![Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Keenan Evans (12) rebounds]()
27 of 43![Iowa State Cyclones guard Lindell Wigginton (5) drives]()
28 of 43![Oklahoma Sooners guard Trae Young (11) before passing]()
29 of 43![Kentucky Wildcats guard Hamidou Diallo (3) dunks the]()
30 of 43![Kentucky Wildcats guard Hamidou Diallo (3) shoots the]()
31 of 43![Butler Bulldogs guard Kamar Baldwin (3) drives to the]()
32 of 43![North Carolina Tar Heels forward Luke Maye (32) shoots]()
33 of 43![Marquette Golden Eagles guard Sacar Anim (2) and Seton]()
34 of 43![Vanderbilt Commodores guard Maxwell Evans (10) shoots]()
35 of 43![Seton Hall Pirates forward Sandro Mamukelashvili (23)]()
36 of 43![Virginia Cavaliers guard De'Andre Hunter (12) attempts]()
37 of 43![Michigan Wolverines guard Zavier Simpson (3) falls]()
38 of 43![Kansas Jayhawks guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk (10) shoots]()
39 of 43![Creighton Bluejays guard Khyri Thomas (2) attempts]()
40 of 43![Kansas Jayhawks center Udoka Azubuike (35) dunks against]()
41 of 43![Purdue Boilermakers center Isaac Haas (44) shoots on]()
42 of 43![Michigan Wolverines forward Isaiah Livers (4) dunks]()
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