Conference play has arrived across conference hoops. Any given team can pull the upset on any given night, and considering the parity we’ve seen thus far, no top-ranked team should feel safe. On Thursday night, three top-10 teams will take the court.
College basketball schedule: Michigan-Northwestern anchors Thursday’s action
Three top-10 teams, including two of the nation’s four unbeaten programs, will be on upset alert this Thursday night.
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First up will be the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines against Northwestern. Led by star point guard Trey Burke, who averages nearly 18 points and seven assists a game, the Wolverines have been as impressive as any team in the land. Northwestern is one of the deeper teams around with nine players averaging double-digit minutes. They enter with a solid 9-4 record, although they've dropped two of their last four and have faced a soft schedule. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from Welsh-Ryan Arena. ESPN2 will televise the action.
Out west, a rematch of last year's Pac-12 championship game will pit the No. 3 Arizona Wildcats against the Colorado Buffaloes. The Wildcats are one of four undefeated teams remaining in the nation. They're led by seniors Mark Lyons and Solomon Hill, who are both averaging about 13 points a game. For Colorado, do-it-all forward Andre Roberson will look to give UA's inexperienced frontcourt some problems. Roberson averages 12.1 points and rebounds a night, and also leads the team in steals and blocks. Tipoff from McKale Center in Tucson is set for 8 p.m. ET. ESPNU will have the coverage.
In the nightcap, No. 10 Gonzaga hits the road to take on Pepperdine. The 'Zags have played one of the tougher schedules in the nation and currently rank fifth on Kenpom.com in terms of offensive efficiency ratings. Pepperdine will have to be on the top of their game and slow down the tempo if they hope to pull the upset. Look for senior guard Lorne Jackson, who averages nearly 15 points a night, to have a big game at home. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET and will be televised by ROOT Sports.
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