Michigan at Oregon

Saturday, December 2
12:30 pm PT, FS1

The Wolverines lost to Long Beach State in Ann Arbor earlier this season while falling to Memphis and Texas Tech at the Battle 4 Atlantis.

Led by guard Dug McDaniel who averages 18.4 points per game and 35.3 minutes per night, UM has a very short rotation.

Four players average 30 minutes or more and are responsible for 69.4 percent of the team’s scoring production.

Those four players (McDaniel, Nimari Burnett, Terrance Williams II, and Olivier Nkamhoua) have a reasonable mix of size and variability. Two are guards and two are forwards.

The fifth spot in the rotation is shared by two power forwards and a traditional center.

In other words, Michigan has a respectable interior presence and two primary guards that can score.

To overcome that, the Ducks have to play aggressive on the defensive glass. Any second-chance opportunities afforded to the Wolverines could pile up and allow the Big Ten team to maintain a lead in the second half.

At the same time, the Oregon guards must hit their threes. The Ducks are a respectable three-point shooting team, entering the game No. 80 nationally in three-point percentage.

If UO can win the rebounding and second-chance margins while shooting a higher percentage from deep, the Ducks should come out on top.

No. 20 Colorado State vs. Washington

Saturday, December 2
4:00 pm PT, CBS Sports Network

Almost entirely guard-based and loaded with seniors, the Rams are one of the better teams in the country. The Mountain West program has a resounding win over Creighton and outlasted Colorado earlier this week.

Isaiah Stevens leads the way, averaging 17.9 points per game and a head-turning 8.3 assists per game. The senior just had a double-double against the Buffs and is the engine of CSU’s offense.

But at just 6-foot and 185 pounds, Stevens is a reasonable matchup for Sahvir Wheeler.

The Washington guard leads the Huskies in minutes per game, leads the team in steals per game, and is second in points per night.

Wheeler will go toe-to-toe with Stevens in a battle that could decide the outcome.

The X-Factor is the showdown between Keion Brooks Jr. and Patrick Cartier. The two forwards are similarly built, but Brooks has a skill advantage.

Leading the Pac-12 in points per game, the efficiency of the UW senior figures to loom large. If Brooks is held below his 51.1 percent shooting average, the Dawgs could be in trouble.

At the same time, the Huskies have a height advantage in the interior.

Braxton Meah and Franck Kepnang must take advantage of the minutes they are given. Colorado State doesn’t have the personnel to adequately defend either.

Staying out of foul trouble will be key. Yet, if the Washington bigs can combine for 20 points or more, an upset might be in the cards.

No. 11 Gonzaga v. USC

Saturday, December 2
7:00 pm PT, ESPN

Gonzaga rotates three players at the center spot who combine to average 35.3 percent of the Zag’s scoring production. Graham Ike leads the way but Braden Huff and Ben Gregg are capable rotational pieces.

Joshua Morgan has the length to block Ike’s shots yet gives up a strength advantage. If Morgan or Vincent Iwuchukwu can’t adequately defend the Gonzaga trio, USC could be in trouble.

Still, Mark Few’s primary weapon is Anton Watson. The wing dominated UCLA in Hawai’i over Thanksgiving and Enfield doesn’t have the ideal personnel to defend him.

Harrison Hornery probably gets the first shot. But Horney isn’t skilled enough to slow him down and Watson could go off. DJ Rodman might be assigned to him, but the height disadvantage in the paint would be concerning.

Kijani Wright probably has the most ideal body type to make life problematic for Watson. But Wright is only averaging 11.4 minutes per game and could struggle if left out there for extended minutes.

It’s a problem with no real solution. And it’s a testament to Watson’s unique skillset. He’s somewhat of a unicorn that will be hard to stop.

To secure the win, Boogie Ellis and Isaiah Collier have to shoot the ball well. If both players average over 50 percent from the field, Enfield should like his chances.

Gonzaga has three guards to rotate against them to find the best matchup. But of those three, only Dusty Stromer has the height to create problems and he is averaging less than a steal per game.

When it comes to the battle of the backcourt, USC has the advantage.

The result could be a high-scoring game that comes down to the final minutes.

Dane Miller’s Game Pick