TEXAS A&M, LSU VIE FOR CONTROL
USA TODAY Sports’ Scott Gleeson takes a weekly look at the best college basketball matchups. Records through Monday. Times Eastern.
No. 13 Texas A&M at LSU
Saturday, 1 p.m., CBS About the Aggies (18-5, 7-3): Once surging, they have lost three of four games. As a whole, Texas A&M’s profile is strong thanks to a win against Iowa State in the Big 12- Southeastern Conference Challenge and other notable nonconference wins against Texas, Gonzaga and Baylor. And Texas A&M is still in the running to win the wide-open SEC. Turnovers and sloppy play were the culprits in the team’s latest setback, a home loss against South Carolina. Versatile wings Jalen Jones and Danuel House are the primary offensive forces for Billy Kennedy, but freshman big man Tyler Davis is an X-factor. When he plays well, so do the Aggies.
About the Tigers (15-8, 8-2): It’s bizarre to think that an LSU team atop the SEC standings is in danger of missing the NCAA tournament. Yet three losses outside the RPI top 100 make a Big Dance omission completely plausible. Lately, though, it’s difficult to ignore how good LSU is playing and improving. Even in defeat, such as a two-point loss to Oklahoma, the Tigers showed a high ceiling for February and March. Freshman Ben Simmons is the team’s superstar, but he’s not completely alone. This is an offense that features five players in double figures and averages 81.3 points a game. But LSU ranks 261st nationally in scoring defense, allowing 75.4 points a game.
Star watch: Texas A&M guards Jones (16.0 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and House (15.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg). LSU forward Simmons (19.4 ppg, 12.3 rpg and 5.0 apg) and guard Keith Hornsby (13.4 ppg).
The pick: LSU. In the first matchup this season, Texas A&M got a nice boost from its freshman — Davis and Admon Gilder. Meanwhile, Simmons had a pedestrian performance, finishing with 10 points and 11 rebounds. If Simmons can find an offensive rhythm in this one, the Tigers should win and pull ahead in the crowded SEC race. Texas A&M has a better résumé. But LSU is playing like the better team lately.
LSU is 15-8 but has been improving. Ben Simmons, right, leads the scoring at 19.4 points per game.
No. 6 Kansas at No. 3 Oklahoma
Saturday, 2:30 p.m., ESPN About the Jayhawks (19-4, 7-3): Kansas has won three in a row since falling at Iowa State on Jan. 25. As good as the Big 12 is this year, KU doesn’t have much room to slip up if it wants to win another Big 12 regular-season title. Senior forward Perry Ellis and junior guards Wayne Selden Jr. and Frank Mason III make up a bulk of the team’s offensive production; KU ranks 14th nationally with 83.3 points per game. But it should be concerning to Kansas fans that the Jayhawks’ freshmen haven’t contributed much as of late. Cheick Diallo is averaging 5.2 minutes in the last five games, and Carlton Bragg is averaging just 7.4 minutes in the past five games.
About the Sooners (20-3, 8-3): An upset road loss to Kansas State last weekend posed an interesting question: What if Oklahoma goes cold? That hasn’t happened often this season for the Sooners, especially with hotshooting player of the year candidate Buddy Hield leading the way. But that loss illustrated a heavy reliance on three-pointers. The Sooners shot 25% from beyond the arc, whereas on the season they average a nation-leading 45.3% a game. Oklahoma bounced back Monday with a victory against Texas in which it shot 40.9% from three-point range.
Star watch: Kansas forward Ellis (16.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and guard Selden (14.5 ppg). Oklahoma guards Hield (25.6 ppg and 5.6 rpg) and Jordan Woodard (13.7 ppg, 4.0 apg).
The pick: Oklahoma. The first matchup between these two teams was a triple-overtime instant classic and perhaps the most exciting game of the season thus far. As for an encore, don’t expect Hield to match the 46 points he had last time against Kansas. But expect Oklahoma to be hungry based on losing a game it shouldn’t have to Kansas State last weekend. And as great as Kansas has been, it’s been a different team on the road. This will be KU’s toughest road test yet.
No. 7 Virginia at Duke
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN About the Cavaliers (19-4, 8-3): Virginia is starting to hit the same form it had the past two