Starting Five: Duke visits Virginia in headline matchup of men’s college basketball weekend
We get it, sports fans. There’s an event this weekend that’s grabbing all the headlines.
But in this little corner of the department, Selection Sunday beats Super Bowl Sunday, and the action on the hardwood is intensifying with the big bracket coming out in just a month.
There are a lot of viewing options, and of course if your school’s team is in action you will seek it out. But here at the Starting Five, we try to point out the best televised options for the coming weekend to the casual fan. Here then are our picks, with the standard advice to keep the remote handy.
No. 24 Duke at No. 9 Virginia
TIME/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN
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After the intensity of the North Carolina win, the Blue Devils faced a quick turnaround for the long trip to Miami. That predictably did not go well Monday night as the Hurricanes rolled easily, but Duke should be better rested for this shorter road trip. It won’t be any easier, however, as the Cavaliers appear poised to finally take charge of the ACC race. Topping the marquee is the matchup of Virginia’s Kihei Clark and Duke’s Jeremy Roach, two of the league’s premier floor generals.
No. 12 Baylor at No. 19 TCU
TIME/TV: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2
It’s unfortunate that both the day’s Top 25 clashes are in the same timeslot, but those are the breaks. The Horned Frogs aren’t in bubble jeopardy by any stretch, but the reality of life in the Big 12 is any small lapse in performance means you’re never far removed from a losing streak. They’ll look to protect their home court and snap a mini slide, but the Bears have been trending upward since a rough start in league play. TCU likely will still be without point guard Mike Miles, who poured in 33 points in the Frogs’ earlier win against Baylor in Waco. The smallish Bears can struggle on the boards at times, but it hasn’t mattered of late the way they’ve been shooting.
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No. 3 Alabama at Auburn
TIME/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN