5 Games to Watch This Weekend: St. John's Travels to UConn

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Who’s ready for a great weekend?

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

In no particular order:

Illinois/Missouri (Friday)

Are the Illini the second-best team in the Big Ten behind Purdue? It certainly feels like a realistic possibility, but none of that matters in a rivalry game. Missouri hasn't displayed quite the form that it showed last year in Year 1 under Dennis Gates, but its pressing style could be difficult for Illinois to navigate. Keep a close eye on Illini sophomore Ty Rodgers in this one.

Butler at Providence (Saturday)

Eleven and a half years ago in 2012, Thad Matta led Ohio State to the Final Four while Kim English was a star on a Missouri team that earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They'll now go head-to-head in Big East play at Amica Mutual Pavilion. The Bulldogs have been the Big East's biggest surprise as they're off to a 10-2 start in Year 2 under Matta, but handling the Friars' one-two punch of Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter on the road is a very tall task.

Mississippi State vs. Rutgers (Saturday)

Newark will play host to this neutral site matchup, which feels like a first round game in the NCAA Tournament. Chris Jans has led the Bulldogs to nine wins in their first 11 games without All-SEC big man Tolu Smith, who is out until January with a foot injury. Rutgers, meanwhile, has quietly won two straight since Mawot Mag (knee) returned to the lineup. The Scarlet Knights are 18-7 with Mag in the lineup over the past two seasons and 8-10 when he is out.

Arizona vs. Florida Atlantic (Saturday)

The Wildcats' December gauntlet concludes in Las Vegas against the Owls. Florida Atlantic already owns wins over Butler, Texas A&M, and Virginia Tech, but a victory against Arizona on a neutral court would take its potential NCAA Tournament resume to a completely different level on Selection Sunday. Keep an eye on the matchup in the middle between Wildcats' big man Oumar Ballo and the Owls' Vlad Goldin.

St. John's at UConn (Saturday)

The million dollar question entering this game is whether or not the Huskies will have Donovan Clingan available after he suffered a sprained ankle in UConn's loss at Seton Hall on Wednesday. If not, the Huskies could have their hands full with St. John's big man Joel Soriano (18 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks), who is quietly playing the best basketball of his career. UConn has won 26 of the last 39 meetings between the two programs.

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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.