Pac-12 Men’s Basketball to Watch: Week 4
By Brian Spaen
No interest in this week’s Pac-12 Championship? Yeah, we don’t care either. Here’s some basketball to keep us entertained. There’s a surprising list of good games this weekend. Even better is all these highlighted games aren’t on the Pac-12 Networks.
All times listed as pacific time. Rankings based on AP poll.
Losing Angus Brandt will be tough challenge for Oregon State to rebound from. (Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE)
Oregon State vs (10)Kansas (at Kansas City, MO) – Friday, 5:00 pm (ESPN3)
The Beavers came out as NIT consolation winners with a big win against Purdue, but leading center Angus Brandt has been lost for the season with a torn ACL. It doesn’t get any easier as they head to Kansas City for a semi-neutral site game against the Jayhawks. What impresses about Kansas early is its suffocating defense holding teams to just 55.4 points a game (21st in nation).
(9)Arizona at Texas Tech – Saturday, 5:00 pm (ESPNU)
For some reason, the Wildcats have just played three games this season and finally get their first test on the road. Well, if you want to call this a big test – Billy Gillispie quit on the Red Raiders citing health concerns (yeah right) just before the season and they were already picked to finish second-to-last in the Big 12.
(19)Colorado at Wyoming – Saturday, 7:00 pm (Root Sports Rocky Mountain)
At least the Buffaloes are watchable in basketball. Forward Andre Robinson is having a hot start averaging a double-double in points and rebounds (10.8 on both) and has eight blocks already on the season. Jolting into the rankings after upsetting Baylor, an interesting road game looms against the currently undefeated Cowboys in Laramie.
(23)San Diego State vs UCLA (at Anaheim, CA) – Saturday, 7:00 pm (ESPNU)
It’s going to be a very interesting week for the Bruins. They don’t have an easy tilt with CSU Northridge who nearly mirrors them statistically on Wednesday, then they have a brutal neutral-site showdown against the Aztecs that’s a big mismatch defensively. With a physical Texas team and 16th-ranked Missouri left before the Pac-12 slate, UCLA might be hitting the panic button before the conference season begins.
California at Wisconsin – Sunday, 1:00 pm (Big Ten Network)
Both teams are next to each other in the other teams receiving votes in the AP poll. The Golden Bears looked great defeating three solid teams in Drake, Georgia Tech, and Pacific in the DirecTV Classic last week. Guards Allen Crabbe and Justin Cobbs lead the way both scoring over 20 points per game and shooting above a 50 percent average from the field.
Brian Spaen is the lead editor for Autzen Zoo. See his banter with other FanSided writers and love for his favorite west coast professional teams by following him on Twitter.