CLEVELAND, Ohio — There are several key games and players to watch in college basketball this weekend as the push toward March Madness and the 2017 NCAA Tournament starts to kick into high gear.
There are four games Saturday matching teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll this week — No. 5 Arizona at No. 13 Oregon (4 p.m. ESPN); No. 8 Kentucky at No. 24 Florida (8 p.m., ESPN); No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 23 Purdue (noon, ESPN); and No. 20 Notre Dame at No. 12 North Carolina (6 p.m., ESPN).
No. 1 Gonzaga, the nation’s only unbeaten team at 23-0 and coming off a win over BYU on Thursday, will be home to Santa Clara on Saturday (10 p.m., ESPN2).
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There is a possibility that suspended Kansas forward Carlton Bragg could be back on the floor Saturday when the Jayhawks host Iowa State (2 p.m., ESPN). Bragg, a 6-9 sophomore forward from Villa Angela-St. Joseph in Cleveland, has missed three games this season due to suspension for violation of team rules and was recently charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. In the 19 games he has played, Bragg is averaging 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds a game.
Kansas will also feature the early favorite for national Player of the Year in senior guard Frank Mason. He is averaging 19.9 points a game with 5.2 assists.
Another POY candidate is Kentucky freshman Malik Monk, who will play at No. 24 Florida (8 p.m., ESPN). Monk has been a highlight reel in several high profile games this season and is coming off a 37-point performance in an overtime victory against Georgia when he made 7-of-11 3-pointers. Earlier this season against North Carolina, Monk scored 47 points and made 8-of-12 3-pointers.
Yet another freshman guard, Lonzo Ball at UCLA has been stellar in his own right. Ball is averaging 14.8 points, 8.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.
No. 7 West Virginia, led by Shaker Heights High product Esa Ahmad, will play Oklahoma State (5 p.m., ESPNU). Ahmad, a 6-8, 225-pound sophomore forward, leads the Mountaineers in scoring at 12.2 points a game and 4.5 rebounds.
The Akron Zips look to add to their 12-game winning streak at Ohio University (noon, CBSSports). The Zips are rolling behind center Isaiah Johnson and forward Kwan Cheatham, who are averaging 18.9 and 16.6 points a game, respectively, in MAC play.
The OU Bobcats have been without senior center and defending MAC Player of the Year Antonio Campbell (foot) since the first meeting between these two teams, won by Akron, 83-68. Campbell is out for the season, replaced by freshman Jason Carter, who is averaging 7.9 points and 5.2 rebounds a game. But in his four starts, the 6-8 Carter has scored 15, 20, 8 and 21 points.
Kent State is also on the road, at Miami (3:30 p.m., ESPN3).
Cleveland State is playing a second straight home game, 2 p.m in the Wolstein Center against Oakland.
Here is the weekend schedule for AP Top 25 teams:
SATURDAY
No. 1. Gonzaga vs. Santa Clara, 10 p.m., ESPN2
No. 2. Baylor vs. Kansas State, 3 p.m., ESPN3
No. 3. Kansas vs. Iowa State, 2 p.m., ESPN
No. 4 Villanova vs. St. John’s, 8 p.m., CBSS
No. 5 Arizona at No. 13 Oregon, 4 p.m., ESPN
No. 6 Louisville at Boston College, 3 p.m., ESPN
No. 7 West Virginia vs. Oklahoma State, 5 p.m., ESPNU
No. 8 Kentucky at No. 24 Florida, 8 p.m., ESPN
No. 9 Virginia at Syracuse, noon, ESPN2
No. 11 UCLA at Washington, 10:30 p.m., PACN
No. 14 Cincinnati vs. Connecticut, 4 p.m., ESPN2
No. 17 Maryland vs. No. 23 Purdue, noon, ESPN
No. 18 St. Mary’s at San Diego, 7 p.m.
No. 20 Notre Dame at No. 12 North Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN
No. 21 Duke vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 22 Creighton vs. Xavier, 3 p.m., Fox
SUNDAY
No. 10 Wisconsin vs. Indiana, 1 p.m., CBS
No. 15 Florida State vs. Clemson, 12:30 p.m., ESPNU
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