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College Basketball: 6 best games to watch on 2016 opening weekend

By Chris Stone

Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo looks on during the first half of the first round against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo looks on during the first half of the first round against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 10, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard J.J. Frazier (30) controls the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half of the fifth game of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Georgia won 79-69. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Georgia Bulldogs guard J.J. Frazier (30) controls the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half of the fifth game of the SEC tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Georgia won 79-69. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

Georgia at Clemson, Friday 7:00pm ET

When Georgia travels to Clemson on Friday night, it will be a battle between two fringe NCAA Tournament teams led by under-the-radar seniors who figure to put up massive numbers as they look to carry their teams toward March.

The Bulldogs will be led by 5-foot-10 point guard J.J. Frazier who quietly averaged a ridiculous 16.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game last season. Frazier will get a hand from junior Yante Maten, a 6-foot-8 forward who poured in 16.5 points and 8.0 rebounds as a sophomore, but Georgia has very little else in the way of significant help for their two stars.

Clemson, meanwhile, will rely on the heroics of senior Jaron Blossomgame. The 6-foot-7 forward broke out as a junior by averaging 18.7 points and 6.7 rebounds in a high usage role. What stuck out about Blossomgame’s junior campaign was his massively improved three-point percentage, raising it from 28.8 as a sophomore to 44.1 percent last season. The 23-year-old is a potential first rounder in next June’s NBA Draft and his offensive versatility is a big reason why. The Tigers will naturally have an advantage with this one being played at Littlejohn Coliseum, but expect Georgia to put up a significant fight.