5 College Basketball Games to Watch This Weekend

Who’s ready for a great weekend?

Check below for our list of five games to watch this weekend in college basketball.

College Basketball Games to Watch

Cincinnati vs. Dayton (Friday)

This burgeoning local rivalry will be played for the second straight season at Heritage Bank Center in Downtown Cincinnati. The Bearcats are coming off an emotional win over Xavier in the Crosstown Shootout while the Flyers are on a five-game winning streak. Both of these teams have tremendous balance as Dayton has five players averaging between 9.1 points and 14.7 points while Cincinnati has eight players averaging between 6.2 points and 16.0 points. The winner of this game will have a Quad 1 win that will travel all the way to Selection Sunday.

Marquette at Xavier (Saturday)

After two excruciating losses in a row and a devastating injury to Zach Freemantle, the Musketeers have been taken to the Gates of Hell. The only way back to functioning among the living is to beat the Golden Eagles on Saturday at the Cintas Center. It won't be easy. Marquette is one of the most connected programs in college basketball and has pound-for-pound the best guard in the sport in All-American Kam Jones (20.3 points, 6.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds).

Mississippi State at Memphis (Saturday)

The Tigers will have not one but two Quad 1 opportunities at FedExForum before they begin league play in the American Athletic Conference. They need both of them. Saturday's game against the Bulldogs precedes a matchup with Ole Miss on December 28th. Both the Bulldogs and Rebels are currently ranked in the Top 30 of the NET. These final two non-conference games will be the best remaining opportunities that Penny Hardaway's squad has to bolster its resume for the NCAA Tournament.

UCLA vs. North Carolina (Saturday)

The Tar Heels are desperate for a marquee win, and the Bruins are desperate to keep momentum going after their 10-1 start. This game -- which is part of the CBS Sports Classic at MSG -- should be a fascinating contrast of styles. North Carolina wants to play as fast as possible and feature its talented perimeter of RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau, and Seth Trimble while UCLA wouldn't mind 40 minutes in the mud. Keep a close eye on the Bruins' combo of Skyy Clark and Kobe Johnson defensively.

Purdue vs. Auburn (Saturday)

The Boilers were noticeably bothered by Texas A&M's physicality last weekend in Indianapolis. They should expect more of the same on Saturday in Birmingham. The Tigers always have fresh bodies on the floor and rotate players at will throughout the course of a 40-minute game. There's still no official word on whether or not Auburn's Johni Broome (18.1 points, 11.5 rebounds) -- the frontrunner for the Wooden Award (+130) -- will be available on Saturday, but it's highly unlikely after he suffered a shoulder injury on Tuesday against Georgia State.

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Jon Rothstein is not a FanDuel employee. The reporting of Rothstein is not subject to FanDuel's verification and does not represent the views or input of FanDuel. Betting based on Rothstein's reporting will not guarantee a successful outcome. Always do your own due diligence and use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.

Rothstein has been a college basketball insider for CBS Sports since 2010 and a contributor to the CBS Broadcast Network since 2016. He joined FanDuel in 2022 as a Content Creator. Rothstein is also the host of the College Hoops Today Podcast via Compass Media Networks.