Picks for Saturday’s Big College Basketball Games
ESPN's College Gameday will be in the Carrier Dome this Saturday where Syracuse will host Villanova and the Wildcats will head home with their tails between their legs.
The Orange will look to build on impressive road wins at Georgetown and Providence. After a home defeat to Louisville earlier this month, Jim Boeheim's team is taking no chances as it looks to secure a #1 seed in March.
Villanova is the only team left in the Big East that can compete with Syracuse at this point of the season but the Wildcats haven't been themselves of late. An upset loss at home to a resurgent UConn could have been seen as a blip but the subsequent defeat at Pittsburgh has the Wildcats of the verge of a big slide. I like Syracuse to win big with Sports Interaction when Villanova comes to town on Saturday.
Elsewhere in the Big East Notre Dame's is a big underdog for its trip to Georgetown on Saturday. The Irish have shown some fight of late, despite its current losing slide, pushing fellow-bubble side Louisville to the limit in a double-overtime loss last week. Georgetown meanwhile continue to impress against the top sides in the conference but question marks remain following defeats to South Florida and at Rutgers in recent weeks. I like Notre Dame to cover as a road dog for its trip to Georgetown.
The SEC plays host to the biggest tie outside of the Big East this weekend as Kentucky faces its toughest remaining test of the regular season when it visits Tennessee. The Vols gave Kentucky a tough test two weeks ago before the Wildcats pulled away late on but don't expect home advantage to help Tennessee. The Vols looked lacklustre in wins over South Carolina and Georgia before losing at Florida on Tuesday. That kind of play won't work against the Wildcats who will add an impressive road win to their resume.
Finally two big rivalry games take place on Saturday with very different stakes on the line. The Big 12 sees former #1 team Texas visit College Station where Texas A&M has lost just once all year. The Longhorns have lost 6 of their last 10 and will enter an abattoir on Saturday when the Aggies will boost their credentials for a high seed with a big win over their rivals.
Over in the Big Ten, Michigan has just pride left to play for when it visits arch-rival Ohio State. The Wolverines have looked toothless all year and the Buckeyes will secure a big win with Sports Interaction to improve its shot at a #2 seed in March.
