College basketball: What we're excited to see in Kentucky vs. Gonzaga, much 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.
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.
Read more:
- Kelvin Sampson's Houston Cougars top John Fanta's Top 15
- Andy Katz on Opening Week: Fun settings, epic upsets and more
- Gonzaga tops Michigan State in one-of-a-kind setting
- Ranking the top 50 players in college basketball
- Jon Scheyer's journey Duke's head coaching job
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.
