Every weekend, USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson looks at the best matchups 
C.J. Leslie and North Carolina State were picked to win the ACC in preseason, but Duke has arrived as the favorite after a strong non-conference season. (Photo: Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports) Story Highlights - With the college football season out of the way college basketball is now in the main spotlight
- No. 1 Duke plays preseason ACC favorite North Carolina State and a road test awaits No. 2 Michigan against Ohio State
- Minnesota and Indiana also meet for a top 10 clash
With the college football season out of the way, college basketball is now in the main spotlight. This weekend's matchups feature several premier conference clashes, including Duke against preseason ACC favorite North Carolina State and a road test for Michigan against Ohio State.
OUTLOOK: Who's the nation's top hoops player?
TOP 10: The best college basketball players
The No. 1 Blue Devils and No.2 Wolverines are the country's only undefeated teams remaining. Will they go down this weekend? Here's a look at the slate of upcoming games:
No. 22 Georgetown at St. John's | Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN2
About the Hoyas (10-3): Georgetown hasn't gotten off to a dazzling start in Big East Conference action after finishing its non-conference season with one loss — to Indiana in overtime. The Hoyas lost by one point to Marquette in its league opener and then got clobbered by Pittsburgh 73-45 on its home court earlier this week. Otto Porter (12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds per game) has been the team's go-to playmaker, while Greg Whittington (12.1 points, 7 rebounds) and Markel Starks (11.2 points) are steady producers. The team's size is tough to match up against with 6-8 Nate Lubick and Mikael Hopkins.
About the Red Storm (9-6): St. John's started Big East play with an overtime loss to Villanova but responded with an upset win against Cincinnati, only to lose by two to Rutgers this week. Overall, St. John's has been hot and cold. Losses to San Francisco and UNC-Asheville have been head scratchers while the Cincinnati win showed the team's capability. Sophomore guard D'Angelo Harrison (21.5 points a game) is an under-the-radar player everyone should know. He scored 36 points against Villanova. Freshman big man Jakarr Sampson (13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds) has been a pleasant surprise.
The matchup: Both teams are coming off losses looking for bounce-back wins. And both teams rely heavily on underclassmen, but Georgetown wins the experience battle, which often proves to be the difference down the stretch in Big East games. If St John's can handle Georgetown's size and win the boards as it did to beat Cincinnati, this could be a close game.
Our pick: Georgetown
No. 1 Duke at No. 21 N.C. State Saturday, noon, ESPN 
Duke Blue Devils guard Tyler Thornton (3) and guard Rasheed Sulaimon (14) celebrate in the closing seconds of their win against the Ohio State Buckeyes earlier this season. Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke forward Amile Jefferson (21) reacts after making a basket against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 88-50 in the Dec. 1 game. Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils guard Tyler Thornton (3) works against Temple Owls guard Khalif Wyatt (1) during the first half of Duke's 90-67 win on Dec. 8. Jim O'Connor, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils forward Ryan Kelly (34) drives to the basket during the second half against the Temple Owls at the Izod Center. Duke defeated Temple 90-67 on Dec. 8 Jim O'Connor, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils forward Mason Plumlee (5) battles for loose ball against the Temple Owls at the Izod Center. Duke defeated the Temple Owls 90-67 on Dec. 8. Jim O'Connor, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke's Rasheed Sulaimon reacts after making a basket during their game against Ohio State at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Duke's 73-68 win on Nov. 28. Streeter Lecka, Getty Images Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils fans taunt Ohio State Buckeyes forward Sam Thompson as he takes out the ball during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium during Duke's 73-68 win on Nov. 28. Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils players celebrate winning the Battle 4 Atlantis Championship over the Louisville Cardinals in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Kevin Jairaj, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski hug guard Quinn Cook (2) after the victory against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis Championship in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Kevin Jairaj, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils forward Mason Plumlee (5) dunks against the Louisville Cardinals during the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis Championship in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Duke won 76-71. Kevin Jairaj, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Virginia Commonwealth Rams guard Troy Daniels (30, top) battles for a loose ball with Duke Blue Devils guard Seth Curry (30) during the 2012 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort. Kevin Jairaj, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils guard Rasheed Sulaimon (14) and guard Quinn Cook (2) react after scoring against the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the second half of Duke's 89-71 win. Kevin Jairaj, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke fans get pumped up in their game against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mark Dolejs, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Duke Blue Devils guard Quinn Cook (2) gets his teammates pumped up against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mark Dolejs, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen ![None]()
Kentucky Wildcats forward Nerlens Noel (3) collides with Duke Blue Devils guard Tyler Thornton (3) while trying to draw a charge in the Champions Classic at the Georgia Dome. Duke beat then-No.3 Kentucky. Paul Abell, US Presswire Related story Fullscreen Like this topic? You may also like these photo galleries: Replay 
Autoplay Show Thumbnails Show Captions Fullscreen Last Slide Next Slide About the Blue Devils (15-0): Duke scores around 80 points per game. We've yet to see a poor shooting performance from this team — the Blue Devils shoot 48.1% from the field — but it's bound to happen in an Atlantic Coast Conference game. The good news for opponents: The Blue Devils didn't look as dominant in December as they did in November. Mason Plumlee (17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds a game) is making a case for national player of the year. Quinn Cook had 27 points in Duke's rout of Clemson. With Ryan Kelly sidelined, others will need to fill in.
About the Wolfpack (13-2): This was supposed to be N.C. State's year out of the shadows of Duke and North Carolina. Then Duke put a stranglehold on the rest of the country, and the Wolfpack have been forgotten. An early-season loss to Oklahoma State was a setback, but a close loss to undefeated Michigan was acceptable. N.C. State, which leads the country in field goal percentage (53%), has momentum after going undefeated in December and starting ACC play 2-0. C.J. Leslie (15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds per game) and Lorenzo Brown (13.1 points per game) make for a fearsome tandem, leading five players averaging double figures.
The matchup: If N.C. State can withstand Duke's shooting streaks and plays off its home crowd, this should be a down-to-the-wire showdown. Duke's speedy guards — Seth Curry, Rasheed Sulaimon and Cook — are potent offensively and need to be contained.
Our pick: Duke
No. 10 Minnesota at No. 5 Indiana | Saturday, noon, Big Ten Network 
Minnesota forward Rodney Williams (33), guard Joe Coleman (11), guard Austin Hollins (20), guard Andre Hollins (1) and forward Trevor Mbakwe (32) speak in a huddle during the team's 84-67 win against Illinois. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports) About the Golden Gophers (15-1): Minnesota has rattled off 11 consecutive wins after losing to Duke on Nov.22 and started Big Ten Conference play with convincing wins against Northwestern, Michigan State and most recently clocking Illinois 84-67 on the road. Tubby Smith's group is 22nd in the country in rebounds (41 per game) and makes opponents pay with second-chance opportunities. Guards Andre and Austin Hollins combine for more than 24 points per game in the backcourt and do the little things it takes to win.
About the Hoosiers (14-1): A Dec.15 loss to Butler transformed Indiana from the best team in the country to not even the best team in the Big Ten, at least in terms of perception. Now the Hoosiers will get a chance to remind their conference foes of their capabilities. For all the preseason hype potential NBA lottery pick Cody Zeller (16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds per game) received, Victor Oladipo (13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds per game) has been the team's rock offensively. Coach Tom Crean still is looking for more from his frontcourt reserves.
The matchup: Indiana started Big Ten action with easier opponents — Iowa and Penn State — but will get a bigger test at home. It's tough for any team to win at Assembly Hall, so it won't be a huge résumé stain if Minnesota loses. As with most teams, stopping Zeller will be the challenge for the Golden Gophers.
Our pick: Indiana
UCLA at Colorado | Saturday, 2 p.m., Pac-12 Network 
Honorable mentions: Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA), Brandon Paul (Illinois), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State), Victor Oladipo (Indiana), Nate Wolters (South Dakota State), Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse). (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports) About the Bruins (13-3): There was a time when UCLA was young, vulnerable and inexperienced. That might still be the case, but seven consecutive wins later, the Bruins look nothing like the team that lost to Cal Poly on Nov. 25. They finally have found chemistry, averaging more than 17 assists per game (eighth in the nation). Shabazz Muhammad might have fallen on NBA draft boards, but he is producing big numbers (18.5 points, 5 rebounds per game), and fellow freshmen Jordan Adams (16.3 points per game) and Kyle Anderson (9.3 points, 8.9 rebounds per game) complement well. Point guard Larry Drew II is the X-factor, averaging 8.3 assists per game.
About the Buffaloes (11-4): Colorado, after a hot start that included victories against Baylor and Murray State to win the Charleston Classic, has cooled lately with back-to-back losses to start Pac-12 Conference play. All but one of the Buffaloes' losses have been to ranked teams, including against No.25 Wyoming, No.6 Kansas and No.3 Arizona in overtime after a controversial call. The other loss was to a 13-2 Arizona State team. A 66-60 win against USC this week was the rebound the team needed. Askia Booker (14.7 points per game) and Spencer Dinwiddie (13.9 points per game) make for a lethal backcourt, and forward Andre Roberson is a menace on the boards (11.8 rebounds per game).
The matchup: UCLA has the athleticism to beat up on opponents, evidenced by 7-footer Travis Wear's 22 points and nine rebounds in the Bruins' upset of Missouri. If Colorado has another cold shooting stretch as it did in a loss to Arizona State, UCLA could take advantage.
Our pick: UCLA
No. 2 Michigan at No. 14 Ohio State | Sunday, 1:30 p.m., CBS 
Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas, left, and Michigan guard Trey Burke go after a loose ball during a game last season. (Photo: Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports)
About the Wolverines (16-0): Aside from a close battle with N.C. State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and a five-point victory against Pittsburgh, Michigan hasn't been seriously tested this season. The Wolverines score more than 80 points per game and own the fourth-best shooting percentage in the country (51.4%). That's in large part to guards Trey Burke (18.2 points, 7.3 assists per game), Tim Hardaway Jr. (16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds per game) and freshman Nik Stauskas (13.5 points per game). Freshman Glenn Robinson III (12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds per game) has skills reminiscent of his father, a former Purdue and NBA star.
About the Buckeyes (12-3): Ohio State looked sluggish in a blowout loss to Illinois, committing 16 turnovers and shooting 33%. The Buckeyes don't have any glaring losses on their résumé, but they also haven't won against any premier teams. This is the team's chance, at home, to make a statement. Deshaun Thomas (20.3 points, 6.8 rebounds per game) has emerged as one of the best players in the country, but guards Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Aaron Craft will need to step up offensively to fuel this team. Craft had 15 points in OSU's latest win against Purdue.
The matchup: This is one of many Big Ten games that will answer some questions. Michigan started conference play with three easy wins, but playing Ohio State on the road won't be easy. If the Buckeyes limit the Wolverines' shooters and control the tempo, we could see Michigan's first loss.
Our pick: Ohio State
Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/01/11/top-5-the-best-upcoming-college-hoops-games/1823901/
C.J. Leslie and North Carolina State were picked to win the ACC in preseason, but Duke has arrived as the favorite after a strong non-conference season. (Photo: Brad Penner, USA TODAY Sports) With the college football season out of the way, college basketball is now in the main spotlight. This weekend's matchups feature several premier conference clashes, including Duke against preseason ACC favorite North Carolina State and a road test for Michigan against Ohio State. OUTLOOK: Who's the nation's top hoops player? TOP 10: The best college basketball players The No. 1 Blue Devils and No.2 Wolverines are the country's only undefeated teams remaining. Will they go down this weekend? Here's a look at the slate of upcoming games: No. 22 Georgetown at St. John's | Saturday, 11 a.m., ESPN2 About the Hoyas (10-3): Georgetown hasn't gotten off to a dazzling start in Big East Conference action after finishing its non-conference season with one loss — to Indiana in overtime. The Hoyas lost by one point to Marquette in its league opener and then got clobbered by Pittsburgh 73-45 on its home court earlier this week. Otto Porter (12.8 points, 7.2 rebounds per game) has been the team's go-to playmaker, while Greg Whittington (12.1 points, 7 rebounds) and Markel Starks (11.2 points) are steady producers. The team's size is tough to match up against with 6-8 Nate Lubick and Mikael Hopkins. About the Red Storm (9-6): St. John's started Big East play with an overtime loss to Villanova but responded with an upset win against Cincinnati, only to lose by two to Rutgers this week. Overall, St. John's has been hot and cold. Losses to San Francisco and UNC-Asheville have been head scratchers while the Cincinnati win showed the team's capability. Sophomore guard D'Angelo Harrison (21.5 points a game) is an under-the-radar player everyone should know. He scored 36 points against Villanova. Freshman big man Jakarr Sampson (13.7 points, 6.8 rebounds) has been a pleasant surprise. The matchup: Both teams are coming off losses looking for bounce-back wins. And both teams rely heavily on underclassmen, but Georgetown wins the experience battle, which often proves to be the difference down the stretch in Big East games. If St John's can handle Georgetown's size and win the boards as it did to beat Cincinnati, this could be a close game. Our pick: Georgetown No. 1 Duke at No. 21 N.C. State Saturday, noon, ESPN About the Blue Devils (15-0): Duke scores around 80 points per game. We've yet to see a poor shooting performance from this team — the Blue Devils shoot 48.1% from the field — but it's bound to happen in an Atlantic Coast Conference game. The good news for opponents: The Blue Devils didn't look as dominant in December as they did in November. Mason Plumlee (17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds a game) is making a case for national player of the year. Quinn Cook had 27 points in Duke's rout of Clemson. With Ryan Kelly sidelined, others will need to fill in. About the Wolfpack (13-2): This was supposed to be N.C. State's year out of the shadows of Duke and North Carolina. Then Duke put a stranglehold on the rest of the country, and the Wolfpack have been forgotten. An early-season loss to Oklahoma State was a setback, but a close loss to undefeated Michigan was acceptable. N.C. State, which leads the country in field goal percentage (53%), has momentum after going undefeated in December and starting ACC play 2-0. C.J. Leslie (15.6 points, 7.3 rebounds per game) and Lorenzo Brown (13.1 points per game) make for a fearsome tandem, leading five players averaging double figures. The matchup: If N.C. State can withstand Duke's shooting streaks and plays off its home crowd, this should be a down-to-the-wire showdown. Duke's speedy guards — Seth Curry, Rasheed Sulaimon and Cook — are potent offensively and need to be contained. Our pick: Duke No. 10 Minnesota at No. 5 Indiana | Saturday, noon, Big Ten Network Minnesota forward Rodney Williams (33), guard Joe Coleman (11), guard Austin Hollins (20), guard Andre Hollins (1) and forward Trevor Mbakwe (32) speak in a huddle during the team's 84-67 win against Illinois. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports) About the Golden Gophers (15-1): Minnesota has rattled off 11 consecutive wins after losing to Duke on Nov.22 and started Big Ten Conference play with convincing wins against Northwestern, Michigan State and most recently clocking Illinois 84-67 on the road. Tubby Smith's group is 22nd in the country in rebounds (41 per game) and makes opponents pay with second-chance opportunities. Guards Andre and Austin Hollins combine for more than 24 points per game in the backcourt and do the little things it takes to win. About the Hoosiers (14-1): A Dec.15 loss to Butler transformed Indiana from the best team in the country to not even the best team in the Big Ten, at least in terms of perception. Now the Hoosiers will get a chance to remind their conference foes of their capabilities. For all the preseason hype potential NBA lottery pick Cody Zeller (16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds per game) received, Victor Oladipo (13.3 points, 5.9 rebounds per game) has been the team's rock offensively. Coach Tom Crean still is looking for more from his frontcourt reserves. The matchup: Indiana started Big Ten action with easier opponents — Iowa and Penn State — but will get a bigger test at home. It's tough for any team to win at Assembly Hall, so it won't be a huge résumé stain if Minnesota loses. As with most teams, stopping Zeller will be the challenge for the Golden Gophers. Our pick: Indiana UCLA at Colorado | Saturday, 2 p.m., Pac-12 Network Honorable mentions: Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA), Brandon Paul (Illinois), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State), Victor Oladipo (Indiana), Nate Wolters (South Dakota State), Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse). (Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports) About the Bruins (13-3): There was a time when UCLA was young, vulnerable and inexperienced. That might still be the case, but seven consecutive wins later, the Bruins look nothing like the team that lost to Cal Poly on Nov. 25. They finally have found chemistry, averaging more than 17 assists per game (eighth in the nation). Shabazz Muhammad might have fallen on NBA draft boards, but he is producing big numbers (18.5 points, 5 rebounds per game), and fellow freshmen Jordan Adams (16.3 points per game) and Kyle Anderson (9.3 points, 8.9 rebounds per game) complement well. Point guard Larry Drew II is the X-factor, averaging 8.3 assists per game. About the Buffaloes (11-4): Colorado, after a hot start that included victories against Baylor and Murray State to win the Charleston Classic, has cooled lately with back-to-back losses to start Pac-12 Conference play. All but one of the Buffaloes' losses have been to ranked teams, including against No.25 Wyoming, No.6 Kansas and No.3 Arizona in overtime after a controversial call. The other loss was to a 13-2 Arizona State team. A 66-60 win against USC this week was the rebound the team needed. Askia Booker (14.7 points per game) and Spencer Dinwiddie (13.9 points per game) make for a lethal backcourt, and forward Andre Roberson is a menace on the boards (11.8 rebounds per game). The matchup: UCLA has the athleticism to beat up on opponents, evidenced by 7-footer Travis Wear's 22 points and nine rebounds in the Bruins' upset of Missouri. If Colorado has another cold shooting stretch as it did in a loss to Arizona State, UCLA could take advantage. Our pick: UCLA No. 2 Michigan at No. 14 Ohio State | Sunday, 1:30 p.m., CBS Ohio State forward Deshaun Thomas, left, and Michigan guard Trey Burke go after a loose ball during a game last season. (Photo: Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports) About the Wolverines (16-0): Aside from a close battle with N.C. State in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge and a five-point victory against Pittsburgh, Michigan hasn't been seriously tested this season. The Wolverines score more than 80 points per game and own the fourth-best shooting percentage in the country (51.4%). That's in large part to guards Trey Burke (18.2 points, 7.3 assists per game), Tim Hardaway Jr. (16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds per game) and freshman Nik Stauskas (13.5 points per game). Freshman Glenn Robinson III (12.6 points, 6.1 rebounds per game) has skills reminiscent of his father, a former Purdue and NBA star. About the Buckeyes (12-3): Ohio State looked sluggish in a blowout loss to Illinois, committing 16 turnovers and shooting 33%. The Buckeyes don't have any glaring losses on their résumé, but they also haven't won against any premier teams. This is the team's chance, at home, to make a statement. Deshaun Thomas (20.3 points, 6.8 rebounds per game) has emerged as one of the best players in the country, but guards Lenzelle Smith Jr. and Aaron Craft will need to step up offensively to fuel this team. Craft had 15 points in OSU's latest win against Purdue. The matchup: This is one of many Big Ten games that will answer some questions. Michigan started conference play with three easy wins, but playing Ohio State on the road won't be easy. If the Buckeyes limit the Wolverines' shooters and control the tempo, we could see Michigan's first loss. Our pick: Ohio State Story Highlights
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Source : http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2013/01/11/top-5-the-best-upcoming-college-hoops-games/1823901/