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College basketball games this week: Top 10 games to watch, including Kentucky-Auburn

By Mike Phillips

Jan 11, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Jahvon Quinerly (13) shoots against Auburn Tigers forward Walker Kessler (13) and forward Jabari Smith (10) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 11, 2022; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Jahvon Quinerly (13) shoots against Auburn Tigers forward Walker Kessler (13) and forward Jabari Smith (10) during the second half at Coleman Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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A clash between Kentucky and Auburn along with some critical Big Ten action highlight the best games from this week’s college basketball schedule.

The college basketball season is heating up and it looks like the sport is starting to move past its latest COVID crisis. All 10 games listed on our must-watch matchups last week went off as scheduled and there are fewer programs that have been forced to deal with COVID pauses by the day, which is a big win for fans since most of the games listed on the schedule will be played.

The upcoming week has some monumental action on tap, including a massive SEC showdown between Kentucky and Auburn, as well as three huge games in the Big Ten. Let’s dive into this week’s action beginning with a Martin Luther King Day matinee in Champaign.

Top 10 games on this week’s college basketball schedule

Note: All games listed below were on the schedule as of post time. COVID-19 related issues can lead to postponements or cancellations at any time.

Purdue at Illinois – Monday, 1/17 at 12:00 p.m. ET on FOX

First place in the Big Ten belongs to the Fighting Illini, who are off to a perfect 6-0 start in conference play, and they face the league’s best team as Purdue comes to Champaign for a holiday matinee on Monday. The Boilermakers walloped Nebraska in their lone action last week and can make a big statement by taking down Illinois on their home court.

Baylor at West Virginia – Tuesday, 1/18 at 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2

The Bears made the wrong kind of history last week by being the first top-ranked team ever to drop consecutive games at home. Scott Drew is hoping a road trip to West Virginia will refocus his team against a good Mountaineers team looking to bounce back from a rough loss at Kansas on Saturday.

Duke at Florida State – Tuesday, 1/18 at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

The Blue Devils are going to be challenged whenever they take the court since most ACC programs realize a win over Duke could be their meal ticket to an NCAA Tournament bid. Tuesday’s date at Florida State should be a great contest since the Seminoles are a far more talented team than their record would indicate at this juncture.

LSU at Alabama – Wednesday, 1/19 at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2

The SEC is a minefield and LSU learned that lesson the hard way by losing at home to unranked Arkansas over the weekend. Going on the road to take on an inconsistent Alabama team that can beat anyone in the country on a good day won’t be easy and should lead to an excellent game.

Purdue at Indiana – Thursday, 1/20  at 7:00 p.m. ET on FS1

The second game of Purdue’s road trip this week will also be challenging since Indiana has been a very good home team all season long. The Hoosier are 11-0 at Assembly Hall, a mark that includes a win over No. 13 Ohio State a few weeks ago, and would love nothing more than to knock off their in-state rival.

San Francisco at Gonzaga – Thursday, 1/20 at 11:00 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network

This game was originally supposed to be played two weeks ago before COVID issues within Gonzaga’s program forced a postponement. Both of these teams should make the NCAA Tournament but the game means much more for San Francisco, which hasn’t been to the dance since 1998.

Michigan State at Wisconsin – Friday, 1/21 at 9:00 p.m. ET on FS1

The Big Ten has started scheduling games on Friday nights and it is a win for hoops fans since they get tremendous matchups in standalone spotlights like this clash between Michigan State and Wisconsin. The player to watch in this game is Badgers’ guard Johnny Davis, who is averaging 21.7 points per game and is a front-runner for Player of the Year awards nationwide.

Kentucky at Auburn – Saturday, 1/22 at 1:00 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. ET on CBS

The exact time of this contest will depend on the NFL playoff schedule but CBS is the place to be to watch this week’s best game. Auburn is a serious national title contender while Kentucky may be their biggest threat in the SEC this side of LSU, making their only regular-season meeting an important measuring stick for both programs.

Baylor at Oklahoma – Saturday, 1/22 at 3:00 p.m. ET on Big 12 Network/ESPN+

These Big 12 rivals met in Waco on Jan. 4 with the Bears picking up a 10-point win. The venue shifts to Norman this time where the Sooners have been an excellent home team that has picked up wins over Florida, Arkansas and Iowa State already.

LSU at Tennessee – Saturday, 1/22 at 6:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

This week features a tough road trip for the Tigers, who have to bounce back quickly from a taxing game at Alabama on Tuesday for this trip to Knoxville against the sinking Volunteers. Tennessee has already lost three games against ranked foes in SEC play, including a 12-point loss at LSU on Jan. 8, and will look to secure a split here to stop the bleeding from a 2-3 start in conference play.

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