College basketball picks for Jan. 27-Feb. 2: Predictions for every Top 25 game

Now that the NFL season is starting to wind down with only Super Bowl LIX left on the calendar, the attention of the casual sports fan should start moving over to the world of college basketball. Anyone hopping aboard now is in store for a thrilling season that has seen big upsets and chaos on a weekly basis, setting the stage for an unpredictable March Madness.

Auburn remains the unanimous No. 1 in the latest AP Top 25 poll as the Top 5 remained unchanged. New arrivals this week include Texas Tech and Vanderbilt, which is ranked for the first time in almost a decade.

How will the ranked teams fare in their matchups over the next seven days? Read on to find out this week's predictions for every game involving a Top 25 team with extra analysis provided for games listed in italics.

Week 13 College Basketball Predictions For Every Top 25 Team

Monday, Jan. 27

Game Of The Day - No. 3 Iowa State At Arizona

Monday is a bit light with only two games involving ranked teams, but the Big 12 has a good one on tap as No. 3 Iowa State hits the road to take on Arizona in an underrated matchup. While most fans are aware of how good the Cyclones are, the Wildcats have quietly gotten off to a 7-1 start in their first year as a Big 12 member.

While it is true that Arizona hasn't played too many of the league's big dogs yet, this still a team that began the year ranked in the Top 10 before a sluggish non-conference season put them behind the eight ball. Iowa State started off the Arizona trip well with a victory over the Sun Devils but the Wildcats are poised to offer much firmer resistance in a game that could get Arizona ranked if they win it.

Tuesday, Jan. 28

Game Of The Day - No. 12 Kentucky At No. 8 Tennessee

The SEC has a highlight worthy matchup nearly every day they stage a game and Tuesday is no exception as No. 12 Kentucky hits the road to take on No. 8 Tennessee. Both sides are coming off of a loss as the Wildcats were upset at Vanderbilt on Saturday while the Volunteers took No. 1 Auburn to the wire in a two-point defeat that same day.

Losing two in a row in the SEC is a recipe to fall in the standings, providing particular desperation to this contest to avoid that fate. This contest is more important for the Volunteers, who are in the middle of a stretch of five consecutive games against ranked teams, a run they started last week by splitting a pair against Mississippi State and Auburn.

Wednesday, Jan. 29

Game Of The Day - No. 6 Houston At West Virginia

While there is an electrifying Alabama-Mississippi State tilt available from the SEC, the most intriguing storyline on Wednesday night comes in Morgantown as No. 6 Houston looks to improve to 9-0 in Big 12 play against West Virginia. The Cougars made a statement on Saturday with a double-overtime victory at Kansas to put themselves atop the heap in the league's toughest conference, but it is fair to wonder if they will have an emotional letdown after the amount of effort expended to beat the Jayhawks.

The Mountaineers are well-positioned to take advantage of a potential Houston stumble as West Virginia has shown itself as capable of beating top teams like the Jayhawks (also in Lawrence) and Iowa State (at home). There are also few better environments in college basketball for a potential upset than Morgantown, which adds significantly to the watchability of the game.

Thursday, Jan. 30

Game Of The Day - No. 16 Oregon At UCLA

Just three Top 25 games are on tap for Thursday but the nightcap at Pauley Pavilion deserves some recognition. Oregon and UCLA have done well for themselves in their transition to the Big Ten, with the Ducks heading towards a March Madness lock and UCLA is closer to the bubble, making this meeting very important for the Bruins' NCAA Tournament chances.

This will be the second time these old Pac-12 foes meet this season after the Bruins handed the Ducks their first loss of the year on a buzzer-beater back in December. Revenge will surely be on the minds of Oregon here as they look to return the favor with a road win of their own in this series.

Friday, Jan. 31

Saturday, Feb. 1

Game Of The Day - North Carolina At No. 2 Duke

Saturday will go down as one of the best college basketball days of the season with stellar matchups throughout the day, including a Florida-Tennessee showdown at high noon, UCONN and Marquette squaring off in the Big East on FOX's primetime Saturday slot and John Calipari's return to Lexington with Arkansas. The highlight of the night, however, is the latest chapter in the Duke-North Carolina rivalry that will see Cooper Flagg get to make his mark against the Blue Devils' biggest rivals.

While Duke is trending towards a No. 1 seed, the Tar Heels are much closer to the bubble as they enter the week with a mediocre 13-8 record. A lot of those losses have come to good teams, but North Carolina can significantly enhance their NCAA Tournament stock by putting up a good effort at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Sunday, Feb. 2