Top-ranked Arizona is headed to a showdown with No. 3 Purdue on a neutral field in Indianapolis on Saturday.
If neutral it could be about 70 miles from the Boilermakers’ campus in West Lafayette, Indiana.
However, that shouldn’t bother the Wildcats, who solidified their hold on first place in the AP men’s college basketball poll on Monday by receiving all but one of the 63 votes cast by media members. They were absolutely dominant in a 98-73 win over No. 23 Wisconsin last weekend, which Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd called “the best team we’ve played to this point.”
A bold statement, considering Arizona has already played a true road game against No. 22 Duke.
The Blue Devils, ranked second at the time, gave the Wildcats all they could handle that night at Cameron Indoor Arena in one of the first marquee games of the college basketball season. Not only did the Wildcats prevail, it served notice to the basketball world that they would be national championship contenders in Lloyd’s third season on the sideline.
“We spend a lot of time talking about our Arizona basketball heritage,” Lloyd said. “We take it really seriously.”
The Boilermakers, who were ranked No. 1 before surrendering first place to the Wildcats with a loss to Northwestern, have similarly high hopes of competing for a title. Beyond that one moment in the Big Ten opener, National Player of the Year Zach Eddy and the Boilermakers lived up to expectations, including a run to the Maui Invitational title that included victories over 10th-seeded Gonzaga and No. 12 Tennessee. Seventh-place Marquette is in the title game.
In other words, they won’t be intimidated by facing the top-ranked team in the country in Indianapolis either.
How equal was the two teams’ meeting on Saturday? Consider the fact that Arizona and Purdue (9-1) are the only teams in the country ranked in the top nine in adjusted offense and defense, according to KenPom’s metrics.
They both seem to be getting better by the week as well.
Arizona and Purdue match up on the big weekend for college basketball
Most of the country’s top teams stop until the end of the week so players can focus on final exams. But that means a big slate of high-profile matchups on Saturday, headlined by Arizona-Purdue at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
On the road in Bloomington, Indiana faces second-place Kansas in a rematch of its home series. The Jayhawks cruised to an 84-62 win last year at Allen Fieldhouse in a game that was never close.
Two of the nation’s blue bloods will face off in Atlanta when ninth-seeded North Carolina continues its brutal non-conference schedule against No. 16 Kentucky. The Tar Heels are coming off a loss to No. 5 UConn and face No. 11 Oklahoma next.
Two Top 25 teams planned to make major non-conference showdowns only for their opponent to fail to live up to their side of the bargain — at least so far. That’s the case for No. 8 Creighton, which faces an Alabama team that has lost three of its last five games, and No. 6 Baylor, which faces a Michigan State team that has lost five of its first nine games. (By the way, the Crimson Tide will face Arizona just four days after facing the Bluejays.)
Start your weekend right
This crowded slate of Saturday games precedes another highlight of the week, when UConn, ranked fifth across the country, heads to play No. 10 Gonzaga on Friday night in Seattle in a matchup between teams that have been tested often this season.
The Huskies defeated Indiana, Texas and North Carolina along with a close loss to Kansas, while the Bulldogs beat UCLA and Southern California while losing games to Purdue in Maui and Washington last weekend.
Start your weekend right
Northwestern, the only team to suffer a loss to Purdue, plays its first game of the season as a ranked team Wednesday night against Chicago State. The Windy City’s path to supremacy continues on Saturday when it takes on DePaul.
“Our whole focus right now is winning basketball games,” said Northwestern coach Chris Collins, who joked that his daughter is the one watching the polls this season. “We know we are in a difficult phase now and this is crucial for our season.”
The college basketball world is buzzing with excitement as Arizona and Purdue appear to be on a collision course in the upcoming NCAA tournament. Both teams have had incredibly successful seasons, and fans are eagerly anticipating a potential matchup between these two powerhouse programs. With standout players, strong coaching staffs, and a history of deep tournament runs, the clash between Arizona and Purdue is sure to be a can’t-miss event for basketball enthusiasts. As the tournament draws near, all eyes will be on these two teams as they continue their journey towards a potential showdown on the court.