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Justin's three most significant NCAA college basketball games to watch for a possible upset. Diving into three games (Week of March, 4th) and taking a look at how these upsets can occur.
As the college basketball season heats up, the thrill of potential upsets looms large over the college basketball stage. Top teams fall weekly, and unranked teams emerge as possible tournament teams.
This week, three teams should be on high alert as they face opponents with the perfect mix of hunger, talent, and possible must-win scenarios to benefit their tournament possibilities.
Look at the underdogs poised to shake the rankings and send shockwaves through the standings. Keep an eye on these matchups – the stage is set for unexpected heroes to emerge and top teams to fall. So buckle up because this week could redefine the season for these potential giant slayers.
No. 3 Purdue at No. 12 Illinois
(Tuesday, March 4th. 7:00 PM ET on Peacock)
The No. 3 ranked Purdue Boilermakers will go on the road to Champagne, Illinois, to take on the No. 12 ranked Illinois Fighting Illini. Both teams stand on top of the Big 10 conference and are separated by two games, with Purdue having a conference record of 15-3. The last time the two teams faced off was at Mackey Complex, where Purdue defeated Illinois 83-78. Looking at the updated score projection on KenPom, Purdue currently sits as the favorite by a score of 85-84.
Purdue has struggled on the road this season, with road losses coming from Northwestern, Nebraska, and recently Ohio State, but will have their most challenging road game of the season this week. Illinois will need to contain Purdue’s star big man Zach Edey if they want a chance of pulling off an upset, as Edey has been one of the nation’s most dominant scorers, averaging 24 points per game this season. Illinois will have to lean on senior guard Terrance Shannon Jr. who has been exceptional this season, averaging 22 points per game.
No. 8 Marquette at Xavier
(Saturday, March 9th. 5:00 PM ET on Fox)
The No. 8 ranked Marquette Golden Eagles could be on upset watch this week as they will go on the road against the Xavier Musketeers in the final regular season game of the year for both teams. Marquette has had their ups and downs this year but sits as a top-ten team with a record of 22-7 and a conference record of 13-5. Xavier has had more off-year this season but currently sits at 15-14, with a conference record of 9-9.
Xavier hasn’t had a win over a ranked opponent all year but is projected to lose by just three points, according to KenPom, with a score projection of 80-77. An injury to watch for is Marquette’s star guard Tyler Kolek, who could not play in Saturday’s game against Creighton as he was dealing with an oblique injury. If he cannot go, this would give Xavier an advantage on both sides of the ball, as Kolek has been an all-around talent all year for Marquette but is expected to miss more time. Watch out for Xavier’s leading scorer, Quincy Olivari, averaging 19.3 points per game this season.
No. 1 Houston vs. No. 14 Kansas
(Saturday, March 9th. 4:00 PM ET on ESPN)
This game wouldn’t be too upset on paper, but whenever there is an opportunity for the number one team in the nation to lose, we will be on top of it. Houston is out for revenge with a second chance to take a jab out of Kansas after the Jayhawks handed Houston their latest loss earlier in February at the Allen Fieldhouse. Looking at the updated score projection on KenPom, Houston is the current favorite with a surprising score of 73-63.
Kansas has struggled recently but has welcomed back star forward and Big 12 scoring leader Kevin McCullar after he missed some time due to a lingering knee injury. The forward was able to play in Kansas’ last game and is averaging 19.1 points per game this season. Kansas has dropped to No. 14 in the latest AP Poll, the lowest they have been ranked all season. Houston will lean on guards L.J. Cryer and Jamal Shead to ensure there isn’t an upset at the Fertitta Center. Kansas will lean on McCullar and star center Hunter Dickinson and try to defeat Houston for the second time this season.
Stay tuned for all the college basketball possible upsets here at RotoBaller throughout the entire season!
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