5 best college basketball games of the week: Kentucky’s date at LSU

A tricky road game for Duke and a showdown between two of the top three teams in the country headline the must-watch action this week in college basketball.

The black hole in sports that is February is moving along and before you know it March Madness will be here. February is also an important month in college basketball since this is the time for statements to be made. Whether it is climbing the seed line or simply getting off the bubble, teams have plenty to play for this week.

Let’s take a peek at the five biggest games this week, beginning with a big road test for the Kentucky Wildcats at LSU.

Kentucky (20-5) at LSU (18-7) – Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

The SEC hasn’t been as strong as it has in the recent past, but the one constant is the presence of Kentucky at the top of the standings. The Wildcats squeaked out a five-point win over Ole Miss over the weekend to claim first place in the SEC, and they will hit the road here for a matchup against a dangerous LSU team. The Tigers have lost three of their last four and need a marquee victory to potentially bolster their tournament seeding in March.

Duke (22-3) at NC State (16-8) – Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

The ACC may only get five teams into the NCAA Tournament, but they do have a potential one seed in Duke. Since losing to Louisville at home, the Blue Devils have ripped off seven straight wins, including an emphatic 94-60 beat down of Notre Dame over the weekend. This game is vitally important for NC State, which needs a big win like this one to offset a ton of bad losses on their ledger, including a sweep at the hands of 12-13 Georgia Tech.

Mid-Major Game of the Week: Vermont (21-6) at Stony Brook (17-9) – Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPNU

This week’s mid-major spotlight takes us to the America East, where we take a look at a potential bracket buster in Vermont. Led by senior forward Anthony Lamb, the Catamounts have ripped off 11 straight wins, thanks in large part to the nation’s sixth-best scoring defense. Vermont hits the road here for a tricky matchup against Stony Brook, the second-best team in the America East and one that can crash the glass with the best of them.

Kansas (22-3) at Baylor (23-1) – Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

This is the unquestioned game of the week as two of the best teams in the country square off in Waco. The winner of this contest will not only have an inside track to the Big 12’s regular-season title but also the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. These two teams have already met once, with the Bears scoring their first-ever win at Allen Fieldhouse back in January, so the Jayhawks will be looking to return the favor by toppling Baylor in their own gym.

Oregon (19-6) at Arizona (18-7) – Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

It’s been a minute since we checked in on the Pac-12 in the games of the week column, but they do feature a serious Final Four contender in the Oregon Ducks. Led by 21 points from Will Richardson, Oregon picked up a big win over the weekend at Colorado, moving them to within a half-game of first place in the Pac-12 standings. This contest sees them hit the road for a team they are directly tied with, Arizona, which enters the week having won five out of its last six.

For more NCAA basketball news, analysis, opinion and features, check out more from the FanSided college basketball section to stay on top of the latest action.