7 best college basketball games this weekend: Vols vs. Kentucky, Zion and Duke back in action
Ohio State at No. 11 Michigan State – Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS
Sunday’s slate of college hoops action isn’t as deep as Saturday’s, but we do have two more games to discuss, including this showdown of Big Ten rivals. This game is more important for the Buckeyes, who still have some work to do to improve their seeding for the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio State looked to be in trouble after starting the new year with a five game losing streak, but the Buckeyes have responded nicely by winning four of their next five. Their lone loss in that stretch was at Michigan, which is understandable since the Wolverines are, you know, really good (slip ups against Penn State notwithstanding).
The Buckeyes hit the road for a big game against Michigan State, which appears to have righted the ship after a three game skid. The Spartans followed up a decisive win vs. Minnesota at home with a gutsy road win at Wisconsin on Tuesday, escaping Madison with a 67-59 victory.
Point guard Cassius Winston was a true stat sheet stuffer in that contest, racking up 23 points, six rebounds and six assists to lead Michigan State. This is the second matchup of the year between the two schools, with MSU’s 86-77 win in Columbus on Jan. 5 serving as the start of the Buckeyes’ five-game skid at the beginning of 2019.
No. 13 Villanova at St. John’s – Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1
College basketball at Madison Square Garden being a must watch event is foreign to this generation, but St. John’s is back and poised to make some noise in March. The Red Storm have had a strong year under fourth-year coach Chris Mullin, building a strong resume with a sweep of Marquette and a 12-0 non-conference record.
Big East play has been a bit more of a struggle for the Johnnies, but they were able to bounce back from a bad loss against Providence with a 77-73 overtime victory over Butler on Tuesday. The Bulldogs were able to keep Shamorie Ponds in check, holding the St. John’s star to only 14 points, but Mustapha Heron poured in a season-high 28 to help the Red Storm escape with the win.
Villanova had an uneventful game earlier this week, stomping the Friars 85-67 at home to bounce back from their loss at Marquette. Championship veterans Eric Paschall and Phil Booth combined for 47 points in the win, which moved the Wildcats to 11-1 in Big East play.
This is the second meeting of the year between the classic Big East rivals. Villanova held serve on its home court back on Jan. 8, scoring a 76-71 victory over then-No. 24 St. John’s.
Mid-Major Game of the Weekend: Missouri State at Loyola-Chicago -Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU
Everyone’s favorite Cinderella from a year ago is fighting for its tournament life in this week’s mid-major showcase, which brings us to the Missouri Valley Conference. Loyola-Chicago, and lovable team chaplain Sister Jean, have had a tougher go of it in conference play this season.
While the Ramblers had a puncher’s chance at an at large bid a year ago, a 16-10 record (including a 9-4 ledger in the MVC) won’t be good enough to get one this season, so the only path back to the dance for Loyola is to win the conference tournament. Loyola has plenty of experience on its side, with its top three scorers (Marques Towns, Cameron Krutwig and Clayton Custer) playing critical roles in their Final Four run.
This game sees the Ramblers taking on Missouri State, which is only a game behind them in the MVC standings. The Bears, who are led by junior forward Tulio Da Silva (14.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg), are bidding to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999, back when the school was known as Southwest Missouri State.
These two teams have already met once this season, with the Bears routing the Ramblers 70-35 at home back on Jan. 24. Loyola will look to return the favor with a W as it tries to inch closer to the top seed in Arch Madness.