THE TIP- OFF

Setting up the day in college basketball:

BEST BET

There are plenty of early treats for college hoops fans during the four- letter network’s 24- Hour Hoops Marathon, but the undisputed main event is the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago featuring four of the top six teams in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The much- heralded freshman class will be on prominent display throughout the evening, but it might be the returning veterans who will be the keys to success today as well as in the long term. For No. 1 Kentucky, which takes on second- ranked Michigan State in the first game ( 7: 30 p. m. ET, ESPN), it might be up to sophomore Alex Poythress to help the Wildcats’ newcomers handle the Spartans’ defensive pressure. In the nightcap between No. 4 Duke and No. 6 Kansas ( ESPN, follows Kentucky-Michigan State at approximately 9: 30 ET), the Blue Devils will count on Quinn Cook to facilitate for the club’s talented newcomers, while the Jayhawks will need a similar contribution from Naadir Tharpe.

NUMBER OF THE DAY

12 Sometimes what would on the surface appear to be a natural ri- valry lacks significant history. Such is the case with Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth. Today’s contest between the 14th- ranked Rams and No. 25 Cavaliers in Charlottesville ( 7 p. m. ET, ESPN2) is only the 12th meeting all time. The programs haven’t always occupied the same orbit in terms of basketball success, and the fact that both are on an upswing at the same time makes this encounter a possible hidden gem of the Hoops Marathon. The Rams have beaten the Cavaliers once in those prior 11 clashes, but they haven’t faced the Cavaliers since the 1998- 99 season.

WORDS OF THE DAY

“We are light- years away from even being a remotely good defensive team right now and light- years away from even being a ranked team.” — Florida coach Billy Donovan, after the Gators’ harder- thanexpected opening victory against North Florida. Florida is in fact a ranked team at No. 10, though that represents a slippage of two positions from its perch in the preseason poll. The Gators are going to see what a good defensive team looks like today when they visit No. 19 Wisconsin ( 9 p. m. ET, ESPN2).

DAYS UNTIL SELECTION SUNDAY

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