Vengeance games: Who will come out ahead in these four

  • Jeff Borzello Close Jeff Borzello ESPN Personnel Author Basketball recruiting insider. Signed up with ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Myron Medcalf Close Myron Medcalf ESPN Staff Writer Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato Feb 21, 2025, 09:00 AM ET There isn’t a 1 vs. 2 match to

  • heading this weekend, but
  • it stays a weekend of appealing rematches that will have

a sizable influence on conference races and NCAA tournament seeding.The expansion of power conferences this season has suggested we will not necessarily see a round-robin schedule or more head-to-head matches, so we had to revisit March 2024 for one instance.But Kentucky vs. Alabama is ensured home entertainment on the offensive end; Iowa State vs. Houston will be tough defensively; Saint Mary’s vs. Gonzaga is must-watch West Coast basketball; and St. John’s vs. UConn is classic Big East basketball at Madison Square Garden.If you’re wondering why there’s no mention of Duke vs. Illinois (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox)at MSG, heaven Devils and Illini have not played considering that December 2020. Tennessee at Texas A&M (Saturday, twelve noon ET, ESPN)played two times last season, but there are five first-year transfers throughout both beginning lineups. On The Other Hand, Michigan-Michigan State( Friday, 8 p.m. ET, Fox )hasn’t played this season. With a brand-new coach and lineup, the Wolverines will fight the Spartans for top place in the Huge Ten.ESPN’s Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf break down what to anticipate in 4 huge rematches this weekend.All times are Eastern. play 0:43 Iowa State upsets Houston for Big 12 title No. 7 Iowa State upsets No. 1 Houston

in a blowout for the Big

12 championship.

Last conference: Iowa State def. Houston 69-41 in last year’s Huge 12 title game

What’s at stake: Houston’s roadway win at Arizona last weekend provided the Cougars a two-game lead over the Wildcats and Texas Tech in the Big 12 standings– leaving Kelvin Sampson on track to go 2-for-2 in regular-season championships because signing up with the league.Iowa State has actually righted the ship considering that losing three in a row in late January and early February. While the Cyclones are most likely out of the 1-seed and Big 12 title race, they’re very much in play for a 2-seed– and an opportunity to run the table throughout the rest of the routine season, too.What’s altered given that the first conference? This is the only game without a head-to-head conference this season. Yet, both groups have actually seen exceptional continuity from last season, in an era where groups are rebuilding every year. Houston has four starters back from the group that started the Big 12 title game, but its one roster change is huge: All-American Jamal Shead is gone, replaced by Milos Uzan. The Oklahoma transfer is playing his finest basketball, though, balancing 13.9 points and 4.6 assists over his previous 8 games.Iowa State returned 3 starters from that game, as well as 6th guy Curtis Jones, who returned to the bench with the return of Milan Momcilovic. TJ Otzelberger’s two new beginners– Joshua Jefferson and Dishon Jackson– have actually transformed the Cyclones’ offense.What to anticipate this weekend: Anticipate a protective fight.

Houston has the top defense in the Huge 12 and one of the five best in the country; Iowa State is 3rd in the conference and in the top 10 nationally. The teams integrated to score 100, 138 and 110 points in their 3 conferences last season(Iowa State won the very first and last of those games). Iowa State needs to take care of the ball to have an opportunity to win again.

The Cyclones turned it over on at least 22 %of their belongings in 4 of their 6 games going into Monday and rank 11th in the Huge 12 in turnover portion. Houston is the very best in the league at requiring turnovers.Meanwhile, will the Cougars continue to make shots from the boundary? They rank ninth nationally in 3-point percentage and are the best shooting group Sampson has had since 2017, while 3-point defense has actually been a vulnerability for Iowa State. Four of the Cyclones’previous 8 challengers have actually made double-digit threes.– Borzello play 1:55 Nelson, Sears lead Alabama past Kentucky Grant Nelson and Mark Sears rating 25 and 24 points, respectively, as Alabama picks up an excellent road win at Kentucky. Last meeting: Alabama def. Kentucky 102-97 on Jan. 18 What’s at stake: For Alabama

, this is another essential match in a string of 8 successive games

versus top-25 teams to end the routine season. However it has actually already lost the very first two games of that stretch(Auburn, Missouri), so Kentucky represents a chance to remain in the hunt for the SEC title and, more significantly, maintain its case for a front runner in the NCAA tournament.A short-handed Kentucky team has currently shown itself with wins over numerous top-25 teams– though it has actually lost 3 of its past 6 games.

Beating Alabama will improve the Wildcats’chances of locking up a beneficial tournament seed and possibly help avoid another difficult first-round matchup.Editor’s Picks 2 Related What’s altered considering that the first meeting? Kentucky might be without its starting backcourt this time. In the very first matchup, Jaxson Robinson and Lamont Butler integrated to score 28 points however both might miss Saturday’s rematch due to injuries. That’s been Mark Pope’s greatest challenge this season.Alabama has been among the nation’s best offensive teams. Coach Nate Oats moved Chris Youngblood (38%from beyond the arc in SEC play )into the starting lineup after beating the Wildcats. The Tide have linked on 39%of their 3-point efforts in the seven games Youngblood has actually started however Alabama’s back-to-back losses are the outcome of a bothersome defense (10th in the league) that has haunted the Tide for weeks.The workers modifications from the first game might be the difference in the result Saturday.What to anticipate this weekend: Both groups combined to produce among the most spectacular offensive display screens of the season when they first fulfilled: Kentucky signed up 124 points per 100 ownerships and linked on 52% of its shots inside the arc and 40 %of its 3-point attempts. Which wasn’t enough to outscore an Alabama team that signed up 131 points per 100 belongings, made 51%of its shots inside the arc and 38%of its 3-point attempts.This time, the Wildcats will need to make Mark Sears uneasy, an overwhelming task for a team that might not have its best guards on the floor. However Sears is shooting simply 35%in his group’s 5 losses.Alabama can mostly play the same style and win, particularly considering that this game is at home. The last meeting was a 78-possession affair, a comfy rate for Alabama against a now-shorthanded Kentucky squad. A few more stops will be advantageous, however Nate Oats has the convenience of understanding he defeated Kentucky at complete strength in the very first trip.– Medcalf Luke Barrett with the putback #GaelsRise pic.twitter.com/nuk4UNLv2F!.?.!— Saint Mary’s Hoops(@saintmaryshoops)February 2, 2025 Last conference: Saint Mary’s def. Gonzaga 62-58 on Feb. 1 What’s at stake: Twice. That’s all. Since 2000

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