No matter where your college allegiances lie, it's worth remembering that Mother Nature is always undefeated. As we look at this weekend's Starting Five, therefore, we remind everyone that logistics might hamper the schedule in some locales, particularly in the eastern half of the country.
We think, however, that the items offered here for your Saturday viewing enjoyment will go on as scheduled. But of course fans should check on game day through official channels. And, above all, if you're traveling, please be safe.
With all that out of the way, here's the Starting Five for a potentially snowy January 24.
No. 24 North Carolina at No. 15 Virginia
Time/TV:Noon ET, ESPN2
This one was moved up a couple hours in hopes of getting it in ahead of the storm. The action on the court should be hot enough for all, however, as the Cavaliers are riding a five-game winning streak, while the Tar Heels got in a needed get-right game against Notre Dame following a rough west-coast trip. The inside-out combo of Thijs De Ridder and Malik Thomas have been carrying the scoring load for UVa. The Tar Heels do most of their damage in the paint via Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, but they'll need a few treys to drop as well.
Villanova at No. 3 Connecticut
Time/TV:12:30 p.m. ET, Fox
They're accustomed to winter weather in the northeast, and this one is early enough that it should tip off on time. It's an important contest for both parties, as there are fewer opportunities for high-end wins in the Big East this year. Bryce Lindsay leads a deep Wildcats' backcourt that will have to be ready for UConn's relentless ball pressure. The Huskies haven't exhibited the wire-to-wire dominance of their recent championship runs, but having center Tarris Reed healthy again has been a major boost at both ends of the floor.
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No. 11 Illinois at No. 4 Purdue
Time/TV:3 p.m. ET, Fox
TheBoilermakersreturn home after splitting on their trip to Los Angeles. They don't get much of a break, however, as the Fighting Illini bring an eight-game winning streak into Mackey Arena. Purdue floor general Braden Smith is coming off a bad shooting night at UCLA, but he's still handing out over nine assists a game. Illinois will be without guard Kylan Boswell (hand) for a couple more weeks, but the Illini were able to compensate for his absence in their most recent outing against Maryland.
No. 6 Houston at No. 12 Texas Tech
Time/TV:6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
The game of the day might once again involve the Red Raiders, who staged a late rally a week ago to overtake Brigham Young. They now hope to turn the tables on the Cougars, who handed them their lone league loss to date in Houston back on Jan. 6. Since that four-point squeaker against the Red Raiders, Houston dismissed its last three opponents in blowout fashion. Tech's dynamic duo of J.T. Toppin and Christian Anderson have been getting some timely help from LeJuan Watts of late. They'll all have their hands full with the Cougars' three-headed monster on the perimeter of Emanuel Sharp, Kingston Flemings and Milos Uzan.
Tennessee at No. 17 Alabama
Time/TV:8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
In addition to being a key SEC contest for both squads, there's a curiosity factor for this contest with the Crimson Tide at the epicenter of the sport's latest eligibility litigation. If Charles Bediako does play, it will likely be for a limited number of minutes backing up Aiden Sherrell, though he would give the Tide another option in the interior defense, which has unquestionably been an Achilles heel for this group. All of this of course is of little concern for the Volunteers, who have struggled to make shots when needed. Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament remain the primary options, but both have seen their shooting percentages dip in conference play.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:College basketball schedule features five huge games this weekend
