What a hectic first month of college basketball we’ve had. Duke (yes, the same Duke that Chase predicted to go undefeated) lost way earlier than anyone expected, Gonzaga proved a lot of critics wrong, and we still have plenty of early-season tournaments with some incredible matchups. As Doug Wattley and I do each Friday, we’re going to highlight key matchups for the weekend, betting lines we think may hit, teams on upset alert, and key players to watch. Follow along every Friday to see what to watch for each weekend. Here is Edition II of the CBB Roundtable.
Game of the Weekend
Chase Swaringen: #5 Tennessee vs. #2 Kansas (Nov. 23) – Obviously any top-ten matchup is going to be a big game but playing in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn only raises the stakes. Both teams excel on offense but defense is going to be what wins this game. LaGerald Vick will need to have another big performance for Kansas to avoid the upset here. The Vol’s have plenty of veteran experience however and it could factor into this game especially down the stretch. Look for Admiral Schofield (hell of a name for a point guard) to control the tempo and continue to pass the ball well (4.8 APG).
Doug Wattley: Texas vs. #11 Michigan St. (Nov. 23) – This week, it’s tough to pick a game since these tournaments will produce matchups on Saturday and Sunday that we don’t know yet. However, Texas-MSU will outshine Tennessee-Kansas as the game of the day for Friday. Texas proved to be a real threat in their tough 92-89 victory over #7 UNC led by Kerwin Roach (see below). Michigan St. is back on track with a 87-67 domination over UCLA Thursday night. Scoring was shared with 4 of 5 starters scoring in double digits, and to beat Texas Friday night, unselfish play will be the key.
Player to Watch
Chase Swaringen: Kerwin Roach, Guard, Texas – Coming off a monster performance against #7 North Carolina (32 points), Roach will need to continue his dominance when the Longhorns face #11 Michigan State on Friday. Not only can he shoot, but Roach has some bounce as well.
If Texas wants to beat another ranked opponent early in their season, Roach’s play will need to be close to what he did Thursday night.
Doug Wattley: CJ Massinburg, Guard, Buffalo – Let’s give some love to something we do not see all the time: a senior playing for a mid-major notching the coveted “Player to Watch” award. Massinburg has put Buffalo in the A.P. Top 25 for the first time in the school’s history. Averaging 20.3 PPG, 9.3 RPG, and shooting 42% from deep, Massinburg has been the key to them being #22. He led the Bulls to a win over WVU in Morgantown, and this weekend, he’ll be facing Marist on Saturday.
Upset Alert
Chase Swaringen: #25 Wisconsin vs. #4 Virginia (Nov. 23) – Virginia is notorious for their slow tempo of basketball and strong defense. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, Ethan Happ and Wisconsin also like to play at a slow tempo and this could play into the hands of the Badgers. Ethan Happ has an incredible array of post moves that draw constant double teams and when he isn’t creating his own shot, he is passing the ball to an open teammate for a shot of their own. Virginia is very good at flustering teams with good outside shooters but Wisconsin isn’t keen on settling for the three and instead will wear down the Cavaliers inside. The Badgers coming out with a win in this game would not surprise me at all.
Doug Wattley (1-0): #5 Tennessee vs. #2 Kansas (Nov. 23) – I don’t know if I’d call this an upset necessarily, but Tennessee has looked 10x better than Kansas thus far. In Kansas’ game against Marquette, they looked lackadaisical at times. They were down 9 at half, yet came back and won based off talent alone. Friday, they won’t have that same imbalance of talent as Tennessee is for real. Chase has it as his game of the weekend, and I have it as my upset of the weekend. Go Vols.
Easy Money (Lines Subject to Change)
Chase Swaringen (0-1): Maryland (-7.5) vs. Marshall — Take Maryland
Doug Wattley: (1-0): Marquette (-4) vs. Louisville — Take Marquette
