Weekend Preview

After easily the least enticing week of the college basketball season thus far, we have several marquee match-ups this weekend. Furthermore, conference play is around the corner and non-conference games are winding down – finally. For many fans, we are reaching the point of the college basketball season where things really start mattering – the meat and potatoes of the season. Before we get there, though, there are still some loose ends to tie up in 2009. While there are only a couple of days left for Christmas shopping, don't forget to tune into a ton of college basketball on Saturday. It might be tough to find your last-minute gifts, but that can wait. There are not many games next week, so be sure to get your fill of college hoops with the handful of must-see match-ups and dozens of other quality contests this weekend.

• Michigan at No. 1 Kansas (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPN): Prediction: Kansas 79, Michigan 65
  
• Xavier at No. 21 Butler (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Butler 63, Xavier 54
  
• No. 10 North Carolina at No. 2 Texas (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPN): Prediction: Texas 85, North Carolina 75
  
• Stanford at Northwestern (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Big Ten Network): Prediction: Northwestern 69, Stanford 57
  
• UCLA at Notre Dame (Saturday, 2:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: Notre Dame 81, UCLA 70
  
• Mississippi State at Houston (Saturday, 2:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Mississippi State 77, Houston 75
  
• No. 15 Gonzaga vs. No. 7 Duke (Saturday, 4:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: Duke 74, Gonzaga 66
  
• Western Kentucky at Louisville (Saturday, 4:00 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Louisville 84, Western Kentucky 75
  
• No. 9 Tennessee at USC (Saturday, 4:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Tennessee 72, USC 62
  
• Richmond at No. 13 Florida (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Florida 69, Richmond 61
  
• San Diego State at Arizona State (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Arizona State 67, San Diego State 60
  
• UAB at South Alabama (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: UAB 76, South Alabama 66
  
• Temple at Seton Hall (Saturday, 7:00 PM): Prediction: Seton Hall 86, Temple 77
  
• Old Dominion at No. 11 Georgetown (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Georgetown 66, Old Dominion 54
  
• Charleston at Clemson (Saturday, 7:30 PM): Prediction: Clemson 81, Charleston 60
  
• Missouri State at Saint Louis (Saturday, 8:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Missouri State 64, Saint Louis 61
  
• No. 16 Texas Tech at Wichita State (Saturday, 8:05 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Wichita State 73, Texas Tech 69
  
• No. 17 Kansas State at Alabama (Saturday, 8:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Kansas State 77, Alabama 72
  
• Creighton at No. 19 New Mexico (Saturday, 9:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: New Mexico 81, Creighton 67
  
• Portland at No. 24 Washington (Saturday, 10:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Washington 78, Portland 69
  
• Florida State at No. 22 Georgia Tech (Sunday, 5:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Georgia Tech 75, Florida State 70
  
• North Carolina State at Wake Forest (Sunday, 7:45 PM, FSN): Prediction: Wake Forest 73, North Carolina State 62