Saturday's Elite 8 Matchups
December 30, 2017
A look at the day's top eight college basketball matchups, ranked in order of most attractive.
SATURDAY, DEC. 30
Matchup Records Skinny Projection
Arizona State
Overall: 12-0 SU, 9-2-1 ATS
Pac-12: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 8-4 O/U
Arizona
Overall: 10-3 SU, 4-8 ATS
Pac-12: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 7-4-1 O/U
Arizona at Arizona State, 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
The Wildcats were expected to be the team to beat in the Pac-12, but the rival Sun Devils have had other ideas. Despite the presence of one of the nation?s top prospects in center DeAndre Ayton (19.5 ppg, 11.4 rpg) and an elite scorer in Allonzo Trier (21.2) points leading one of the country?s deepest, most talented rosters, the ?Cats dropped three straight in the Battle 4 Atlantis, losing tight games to N.C. State and SMU before suffering a 25-point loss to Purdue. They haven?t lost since, beating UNLV, Texas A&M, Alabama and UConn among their seven straight wins, so it?s no surprise to see them favored. Bobby Hurley?s Sun Devils weren?t expected to be this good this fast, but have six players averaging over 9 points per game. ASU has scored nearly 92 points per outing through its first 12 wins, but will need to impose its pace on the road against an athletic, deeper Arizona squad fortified by the return of key small forward Rawle Atkins, who has missed nine of his team?s 13 games. The Sun Devils will look to extend the best start in school history by winning in Tucson for the first time since 2010. Arizona has won 11 of the last 14 meetings. Kimani Lawrence, a forward who has been absent all season due to a stress fracture in his foot, may make his debut to add depth for ASU.
Arizona 84
ASU 79
Villanova
Overall: 13-0 SU, 9-3-1 ATS
Big East: 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS
Totals: 9-4 O/U
Butler
Overall: 11-3 SU, 7-6 ATS
Big East: 1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS
Totals: 8-5 O/U
Villanova at Butler, 4 p.m. ET, CBS
The top-ranked team in the country visits Hinkle Fieldhouse, and head coach Jay Wright won?t have to embellish to make sure his Wildcats are locked in. Butler ended Villanova?s unbeaten run as No. 1 last season with a 66-58 win and then foiled a revenge plot in Philly, handing the then-defending champs its lone home loss. There?s no question that the Bulldogs will come into this one confident, and you can count on ?Nova being focused and intent on not losing another one. Mikal Bridges has emerged as a potential lottery pick, while point guard Jalen Brunson is as efficient a point guard as there is in the country, so new Bulldogs coach LaVall Jordan will have to find ways to slow them up when his philosophy, at least historically, has been to push the pace. To match the success Butler enjoyed against Villanova under predecessor Chris Holtmann, Jordan will need a big game from forward Kelan Martin, who scored 22 points in the most recent upset of ?Nova after scoring just 12 in Indy.
Villanova 78
Butler 71
Oklahoma
Overall: 10-1 SU, 4-6 ATS
Big 12: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 9-1 O/U
TCU
Overall: 12-0 SU, 6-5 ATS
Big 12: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 7-4 O/U
Oklahoma at TCU, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Norman native Trae Young is living the dream right now, becoming a household name after hitting the ground running over the past two months. Through his first 11 college games, the slight-looking freshman guard is averaging 28.7 points and 10.4 assists, leading an attack that ranks first in the country with a 95.2 points-per-game clip. He?s getting a lot of help from another in-state freshman talent in Brady Manek, a pick-and-pop power forward shooting 70 percent from 2-point range, but the kids displayed a great resolve in their first true road game, pulling off an upset of Wichita State, a team that rarely loses at home. The unbeaten Horned Frogs are favored here and enjoy a great homecourt edge, so they?ll be looking to pick off another great win to increase their chances of making their first NCAA Tournament since 1998. Wins over SMU and Nevada this month suggest TCU is at the top of its game as it opens Big 12 play. Senior forwards Kenrich Williams (14.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and Vlad Brodziansky (13.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will be tough covers for the smaller Sooners. Williams has been cleared to play after missing a Dec. 22 win over Williams & Mary with a knee issue.
Oklahoma 89
TCU 86
Florida State
Overall: 11-1 SU, 7-2-1 ATS
ACC: 4-3 SU, 3-4 ATS
Totals: 5-5 O/U
Duke
Overall: 12-1 SU, 8-3 ATS
ACC: 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS
Totals: 10-1 O/U
Florida State at Duke, 2 p.m. ET, CBS
The Blue Devils rebounded from their first loss of the season by taking down Evansville 104-40, so Mike Krzyzewski clearly got his young team?s attention following a puzzling loss to Boston College. Defense has been an issue for Duke, which is so talented on the offensive end that it often lets its guards down on the other end. As a result, it has mostly been involved in games that have gone over the posted total. Wins over Michigan State, Texas, Florida and Indiana all saw the Blue Devils score at least 85 points, but none of the games were blowouts. The ?Noles will try and slow down Duke some and does field the deeper roster. They?re also coming into Cameron Indoor Stadium at the right time since students are out for holiday break, which likely means the atmosphere won?t be as daunting. Although FSU lost in Durham last season, it did post a 16-point win in Tallahassee early in conference play. Freshman Marvin Bagley (21.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg) is my early National Player of the Year favorite, so look for his play against Florida State freshman 7-footer Ike Obiagu to be a major factor.
Duke 85
Florida State 78
Texas A&M
Overall: 11-1 SU, 5-4 ATS
SEC: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 4-5 O/U
Alabama
Overall: 8-4 SU, 4-6-1 ATS
SEC: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 5-6 O/U
Texas A&M at Alabama, 6 p.m. ET, ESPN2
The SEC is the deepest it has been in recent memory. Tennessee-Arkansas just missed making this list, while Kentucky flexed big muscles in trouncing Louisville on Friday. Add Florida, Georgia, Mississippi State and Missouri to potential NCAA teams beyond these two, who will look to get off to a strong start in conference play. Individually, the matchup features arguably the top two NBA prospects in the league in A&M forward Robert Williams (10.1 rpg) and Crimson Tide wing Collin Sexton (20.5 ppg), one of the nation?s special freshmen. Williams has been banged up for much of the season, shooting guard Admon Gilder (knee) is out and top scorer DJ Hogg (14.6 ppg, 6.8 rpg) is suspended, which presents a golden opportunity for ?Bama to post a huge victory to open league play after losing to UCF, Arizona and Texas this month, harming its at-large resume. Versatile forward Braxton Key has returned to the lineup for the Tide, but has made only one of his first 10 shots.
Alabama 66
Texas A&M 65
Boise State
Overall: 11-2 SU, 8-3 ATS
Mt. West: 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS
Totals: 5-7 O/U
UNLV
Overall: 11-2 SU, 8-5 ATS
Mt. West: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Totals: 11-2 O/U
Boise State at UNLV, 11 p.m. ET
The Rebels have already matched last season?s win total and look like a legitimate NCAA Tournament contender in Marvin Menzies? second season. The addition of 7-1 true freshman Brandon McCoy (18.9 ppg, 10.9 rpg), a likely one-and-done, and JC transfer Shakur Juiston (15.2, 11.2) give Vegas two of the country?s top post combos, so it will be interesting to how they fare against the Broncos in this Mountain West opener. Boise wing Chandler Hutchison scored 24 points in Wednesday?s win vs. Colorado State and has a chance to put together a special season. If he gets going, the Broncos can pull this upset. He finished with 28 points and 11 boards in last season?s 77-59 win over a much different UNLV team.
UNLV 77
Boise State 72
Georgetown
Overall: 10-2 SU, 3-5 ATS
Big East: 0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS
Totals: 4-5 O/U
Marquette
Overall: 9-4 SU, 5-7 ATS
Big East: 0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS
Totals: 7-5 O/U
Georgetown at Marquette, 4:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Head coach Patrick Ewing?s Hoyas may start paying the price for playing such a light non-conference schedule. They?ve lost tight games at home to Syracuse and Butler over the past two weeks, but did demonstrate that they?re talented enough to hang with NCAA Tournament teams. It will be interesting to see who avoids an 0-2 start in Big East play since the Golden Eagles look like a fringe NCAA team as well, coming off a 91-87 home loss to Xavier. Small guards Markus Howard and Andrew Rowsey can shoot Marquette into any game and are each averaging over 21 points per game, but they offer little help on the defensive end. The Hoyas have to generate second chances and make the most of their size advantage in just their second true road game. div
Marquette 81
Georgetown 74
Saint Mary's
Overall: 12-2 SU, 4-6 ATS
West Coast: 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS
Totals: 4-6 O/U
BYU
Overall: 12-2 SU, 5-6 ATS
West Coast: 1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS
Totals: 4-7 O/U
Saint Mary's at BYU, 4 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Saint Mary?s at BYU, 4 p.m. ET: The Cougars have seen sophomore forward Yoeli Childs blossom of late. He?s scored in double-figures in 12 straight and has teamed with wings Elijah Bryant and T.J. Haws to nine straight wins, which includes running through UMass, Illinois State and in-state rivals Utah, Utah State and Weber State. If it can pull off a win here, BYU is likely to be favored in each of its next six games and can really start earning some national play. The Gaels have won seven straight and will counter Childs with Jock Landale (21.1 ppg, 9.6 rpg), a 6-foot-11 Aussie who has teamed with countryman Emmett Naar (11.4 ppg, 9.1 apg) to help continue a winning tradition in Moraga.
Saint Mary's 77
BYU 72
